This February the Tower Museum will be bringing the stories behind some famous art works to life as part of the Playful Museums Festival, which is supported by the Northern Ireland Museums Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council and funded by Art Fund.
As part of this programme a series of events will be held in the Tower Museum on February 12th and February 19th, aimed at children under five.
Led by the wonderfully creative MakeyUppers, the ‘Living Art – Stories behind the Art’ events will take a peep behind the frames of some well-known art pieces, to find out more about their history.
The aim of the festival is to nurture creativity in young children from an early age, by promoting better understanding of the work through story-telling and interactive activities.
Four sessions will take place in the Tower Museum’s learning space at 11am and 2pm on the 12th and 19th February and can be booked by families, carers and nurseries/ playschools.
Archivist with the Tower Museum, Bernadette Walsh, encouraged people to book early to avoid disappointment. “The Art UK’s ‘Superpower of Looking’ learning programme is the inspiration for this series and the museum team here want to find new ways to make art and history more accessible to a wider audience. The events will provide an opportunity for children – as well as their carers and teachers – to really engage with art and see how the selected pieces link to their emotions, as well as people, places and objects they are familiar with.
“Storytelling, based around the selected artworks, will allow the children to play, create and communicate. It’s a fun way to help equip children with the lifelong skill of visual literacy and nurture a love of not only viewing art but also making art. I would really advise booking ahead to ensure a space at the free events.”
Each session will include a craft-based activity, constructive play and, or, sensory sessions and children can take home their own piece of art to enjoy.
Fairley’s Flavours, the local artisan brand bringing the vibrant tastes of South Africa to Northern Ireland, is hosting exclusive cooking classes as part of this year’s LegenDerry Food Month.
The programme is delivered by the LegenDerry Food Network with support from Derry City and Strabane District Council, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Regional Food Programme.
It’s the third outing for the festival which has become a firm favourite among local foodies, bringing new and exciting experiences to a growing audience keen to find out more about the authentic flavours of the North West’s dynamic food scene.
The hands-on cookery classes will take place on Saturday, 15th February, at Eglinton Community Hall, offering couples a chance to dive into the rich, dynamic world of food, learning how to prepare dishes that highlight the best of both South African traditions and Derry’s exceptional local produce.
Known for its bold artisan hot sauces, South African-inspired street food, and private catering, Fairley’s Flavours celebrates the fusion of global flavours with local ingredients, creating a unique culinary experience that’s both exciting and authentic.
Two class times are available: 12pm–2.30pm and 3.30pm–6pm, with tickets priced at £120 per couple. Spaces are limited, so book now at fairleysflavours.co.uk.
Hannah Ramraj of Fairley’s Flavours says: “Our mission at Fairley’s Flavours is to bring the bold and vibrant tastes of South Africa to Northern Ireland, using the incredible local ingredients we’re so proud of here in Derry. These classes are a celebration of flavour, culture, and creativity – a chance to share our passion for great food in a fun and interactive way. We’re thrilled to be part of LegenDerry Food Month and can’t wait to welcome everyone to cook, learn, and enjoy with us.”
Guests will be greeted with a stunning cheeseboard featuring Dart Mountain Cheese, alongside soft drinks, tea, and coffee. At their cooking stations, participants will create their own sweet and savoury charcuterie boards, featuring a carefully curated selection of local and LegenDerry produce. Guests can take their finished boards home or enjoy them during the event.
The main event is a BBQ masterclass, where Chef Fairley will share tips on lighting a traditional charcoal BBQ (or “braai” as it’s known in South Africa) before guiding guests in cooking their choice of ribeye steak or Foyle Bia Mara mussels. The meal will be completed with a freshly prepared sauce, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, freshly baked bread, and a crisp green salad.
To finish, guests will be treated to an indulgent dessert (soon to be revealed) that promises to leave a lasting impression.
Book Now to Secure Your Spot: Spaces for these exclusive cooking classes are limited, so don’t miss your chance to experience the unique fusion of South African and Northern Irish cuisine.
Tickets: £120 per couple
When: Saturday, 15th February (12pm–2.30pm and 3.30pm–6pm)
Following a ruling by a District Judge yesterday, a Council tenant has been evicted as his drink and drug-related activities and anti-social behaviour caused misery for his neighbours
The Council was granted a possession order by York County Court to end the tenancy of Dawon Belleh, aged 42 of 8 Oldman Court, Foxwood. Mr Belleh was evicted yesterday, Thursday 30 January 2025.
This follows reports from neighbours to the Council and police about drink and drug taking and dealing, loud noise and arguments at the apartment, and an endless succession of visitors. The anti-social behaviour in the property and area was a continual source of disruption and concerns for local people who were worried about its impact on their families.
City of York Council officers served a legal warning of eviction (a Notice of Intention to Seek Possession) on Mr Belleh, which he breached. This resulted in the Council being granted an eviction order (a Suspended Possession Order) by York County Court, to be activated only if further breaches were found.
Following complaints from neighbours and evidence of loud noise, drink and drug taking, numerous and anti-social visitors, the Council returned the case to York County Court where, after considering evidence, the Judge granted the Council permission to apply for a warrant of eviction.
Mr Belleh asked the court to suspend the warrant of eviction which was refused on 30 January by the District Judge. Council officers then evicted Mr Belleh, advising him where he could apply for new housing, should he need it.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing at City of York Council, said:
Our tenancy agreements specify that criminal or anti-social behaviour can result in tenancies being ended. Thanks to Mr Belleh’s neighbours co-operating with the Council and police, their evidence and reports ensured that we were able to stop the nuisance they experienced from this tenant. This case sends a clear message we will take action to protect neighbours and free homes to tenants who respect and abide by the tenancy agreements.”
Sergeant Charlotte Gregory of North Yorkshire Police, added:
Drug use and antisocial behaviour has a detrimental impact of the quality of life for local people. It’s unacceptable and we’ll use all the powers and resources available to us to take action against those who make other people’s lives a misery.
“This result is evidence of our joint working with City of York Council and my thanks go to them for their work that has culminated in this eviction. I hope local people are reassured that we will take action and will continue to do so, as part of Project Titan, a York-based operation to tackle drugs and the impact on our communities.”
Please report anti-social behaviour here or report it to the police on 101 if a non-emergency.
Anti-social noise levels can be reported here or by calling 01904 551525 Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm, or by calling the Noise Patrol 01904 551555 from 9pm Friday to 3am Saturday and between 9pm Saturday to 3am Sunday.
Liverpool City Council is creating a new plan to bring communities together and prevent future unrest following the widespread disorder last summer. We want local voluntary, community, and faith groups to join us in shaping this strategy.
As we prepare to develop this strategy, we have received £57,000 from HM Government to support local projects. We invite voluntary, community, and faith groups in Liverpool to apply for funding to run small projects in their communities.
Liverpool based VCF organisations can apply for a one-off grant up to a maximum of £2,500. Eligibility criteria and a list of project examples are provided within the Grant Specification available here.
Organisations will be required to feedback to us what has been delivered, and play an active role in shaping the cohesion strategy throughout 2025. This might be through a written submission, a survey, or an informal meeting/conversation, whichever suits your organisation and community.
We welcome involvement from both long-established and recently established groups across the city.
Helps communities to respond to periods of tension through initiatives that strengthen connections, promote unity and shared values.
Supports local partnerships in building stronger and more connected communities by funding projects in at-risk areas.
Equips communities to challenge extreme narratives and ideologies that create division.
Brings communities together to improve cohesion and reduce divisions in places facing extremism challenges.
Apply online here for the Communities Together Grant programme.
Earlier this month, the City Council had to close part of Everton Park Lifestyles Centre due to structural damage to the roof.
This means the dry-side facilities, like the sports hall, gym, and squash courts, are temporarily closed, and we’re asking members to use these facilities at an alternative Lifestyles Centre. The swimming pool at Everton Park Lifestyles remains open and operational as usual.
The City Council is working with a contractor to carry out a detailed assessment to inform recommendations on next steps. Once this is completed, there will be a tender and procurement process for the necessary remedial works.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “We understand the concerns raised by our Lifestyles members, community and gymnastic groups who use the centre, and will keep listening and working with you to address them.
“I am in regular contact with the City Council teams involved to ensure the issue will be resolved as soon as possible.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their understanding and patience, and we’ll provide a further update once plans are finalised.”
In relation to the Community Asset Transfer, discussions with Notre Dame Catholic Academy are ongoing, and the City Council remains committed to working together with them, to ensure the facilities have a sustainable future.
The programme is underpinned by behaviour change approaches following consultation with partners including the NHS, as well as the wider community. The aim is to support up to about 1,000 families and 2,000 adults in the first year.
Anyone can sign up for Liv Life Liverpool via the website, they do not have to be referred by a professional, but need to meet eligibility criteria before a personalised plan is developed.
Designed to support individuals, families and pregnant women, Liv Life Liverpool will also be aligned with the council’s Neighbourhood Model to ensure that services throughout Liverpool’s communities will be engaged.
Liv Life Liverpool plans last for 12 weeks and include:
One-to-one coaching, with sessions taking place either in person or virtually
Weigh-and-stay or weigh-and-go groups
Physical activity groups.
There will also be on-the-go support from the free Best-You app which can also help with reducing alcohol consumption and stopping smoking.
All the different elements of the programme have been tailored to support people to develop knowledge and practical skills around food and cooking and physical activity which will ensure a successful and sustainable journey towards achieving a healthy weight.
Almost two thirds of adults in Liverpool, 63 per cent, are overweight and about a quarter of children start primary school overweight, increasing to one in three children aged 11 being overweight or obese by the time they enter secondary school.
Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing Cllr Harry Doyle said: “Liv Life Liverpool is a brilliant toolbox for residents to use to support them to eat healthily and to get more active.
“Trying to achieve a healthy weight can be daunting for many people. The team at ICE Creates understands this so have developed an evidence-based programme that has plenty of support built in to make sure that change is not only sustainable but enjoyable.
“Whilst losing excess weight is important for reducing the likelihood of serious health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes, Liv Life Liverpool is about more than just the numbers on a scale. It’s about building healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”
Matt Ashton, Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, said: “I am thrilled we are now offering the right support to create a healthy weight culture, that benefits everyone in Liverpool.
“We’re excited to be on this journey to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes with our residents, and working in multiple partnership including ICE Creates, Liverpool City Council’s Neighbourhood Managers, Food Active and Feeding Liverpool.”
ICE Creates’ Liv Life Liverpool’s service and engagement lead Jamie Prescott, said: “As service lead I am looking forward to engaging with the many excellent partners we have in this city, with the ultimate aim of helping people to make small but crucial changes. We want to help families and adults across Liverpool to improve their long-term health and believe this service can really make a difference.”
The Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee will next week be asked for approval to begin early engagement on the possibility of a Perth and Kinross Visitor Levy Scheme, with a view to allowing elected members to make a decision informed by local feedback at the end of this year.
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 grants local authorities the power to introduce a levy on overnight accommodation, with the funds raised reinvested locally to enhance the visitor experience.
While a scheme like this could create significant opportunities for local investment, Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convener of Economy and Infrastructure, explained the importance of first listening to residents and leaders in the tourism industry locally.
Councillor Drysdale said: “It’s really important to be clear that the question to committee next week is not about whether or not to introduce a Visitor Levy Scheme, it’s about getting the support to start speaking to those most affected about what would need to be taken into consideration. The feedback from this early engagement is essential to make sure that we are able to make an informed decision before committing to the approach in Perth and Kinross.”
Tourism is a significant part of the Perth and Kinross economy, but with high visitor numbers there is also an impact on our local communities.
Councillor Drysdale added: “While visitors bring significant benefits to our local economy, there are also associated costs. The Council introduced the Visitor Rangers service because we recognised that investment was needed to support responsible tourism, and minimise the impact of visitors on our year-round residents.
“With growing demands for critical services to protect health and social care, support pupils with additional support needs, and tackle poverty, we have a duty to explore any opportunities for additional sources of income which can be invested to support growing our visitor economy. That would then allow core funding to be focused on the services which are needed by the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
If approved by committee the early engagement process will last between 6 and 10 months. A full report from the feedback received, along with a draft Visitor Levy Scheme developed during the engagement, would then be presented to councillors in December 2025 to consider whether or not to proceed with introducing a scheme. If approved in December, a statutory consultation period of 12 weeks and then an 18-month implementation would follow. As a result, the earliest possible date for a scheme being introduced would be Summer 2027.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2024 Article IV consultation[1] with the Republic of Kazakhstan on a lapse of time basis on November 27, 2024.
After reaching 5.1 percent in 2023, Kazakhstan’s economic growth has remained robust in 2024, and inflation has continued to decline gradually. The banking sector remains resilient amid continued rapid consumer credit growth. In the medium term, growth is projected to stabilize at about 3½ percent, while inflation would ease further and reach its 5 percent target by 2028.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has maintained a prudent monetary policy in light of persisting inflation pressures from increased energy tariffs and fiscal underperformance: as of September 2024, tax revenues were only 60½ percent of the 2024 budget plan, implying an expansionary fiscal stance. The macroprudential policy and risk-based supervisory frameworks are being strengthened in line with the 2023 FSAP recommendations.
Structural reform implementation remains slow, with the state footprint growing in some areas, while higher economic growth, diversification and resilience will be important in the current environment, including to address increasingly pressing challenges from climate change.
In concluding the Article IV consultation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal as follows:
Robust economic growth and disinflation have continued this year. Growth is projected at 3.9 percent in 2024 due to broad-based acceleration of economic activity in the second half of the year. Inflation is expected to reach 8.2 percent, still above its 5 percent target, as the pace of disinflation has slowed this year due to increased domestic energy tariffs and an expansionary fiscal policy. On the external front, a moderate current account deficit is expected in 2024, and the external position is assessed as moderately weaker than implied by economic fundamentals and desirable policies.
Risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside. They include external risks from a slowdown in major economies, an intensification of regional conflicts, secondary sanctions, and higher commodity price volatility or export pipeline disruptions. On the domestic front, key risks are delays in large infrastructure projects in the short term, failure to reintroduce fiscal discipline which could fuel inflation pressures, and a resurgence of social tensions. Upside risks include accelerated reform implementation, higher oil prices, and stronger foreign investment in new sectors.
Monetary policy should remain tight until inflation is close to target, and its effectiveness could be further strengthened. The combination of robust growth, slowing disinflation, and an uncertain outlook justify continued monetary policy prudence. In order to enhance the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK)’s institutional independence and monetary policy effectiveness, its governance and legal framework can be further improved, and the NBK should refrain from foreign exchange interventions in the absence of disorderly market conditions.
Recurrent fiscal underperformance requires measures to avoid fiscal procyclicality and strengthen the fiscal policy framework. Such measures would also help to meet the authorities’ objective of fiscal consolidation and maintain a balanced external position. Priorities are to improve macro-fiscal forecasts and budget planning, and to use the introduction of new tax and budget codes as opportunities to enhance non-oil revenue mobilization, including through gradual VAT rate increases, and spending efficiency. Fiscal policy effectiveness also requires public sector data that are better aligned with international standards and a more rules-based and transparent policy framework, including by reducing off-budget spending and the continued reliance on discretionary transfers from the National Fund.
The banking sector remains resilient and rapid progress in implementing the 2023 FSAP recommendations is commendable. In particular, the regulatory agency (ARDFM)’s institutional independence and risk-based supervision, as well as the NBK’s macroprudential policy mandate and toolkit, have been significantly enhanced. Going forward, the main priority is to introduce a fully-fledged framework for bank resolution, including coordination mechanisms among the ARDFM, NBK and relevant ministries.
Structural reform implementation is critical to elevate long-term economic growth. To meet the authorities’ ambitious growth objectives, a key priority is to reduce the state footprint in the economy and promote competition and private sector development. However, the amount and size of state interventions, subsidies, state-owned enterprises, and external restrictions have recently increased. Stronger public governance is also required, including through continued efforts to reduce corruption-related vulnerabilities.
Given increasingly pressing challenges from climate change, more comprehensive policies are needed to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and resilient economic model and meet the authorities’ commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Building on recent progress, including in implementing the national strategy for carbon neutrality, priorities are to modernize energy infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency, accelerate fossil fuel subsidy reforms, and adopt measures to transform high-emission sectors, manage climate-related risks in the financial sector, and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
Sources: Kazakhstani authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Non-oil revenue in 2023 includes a one-off dividend from Samruk-Kazyna of 1.1 percent of GDP and in 2024 includes a one-off dividend from Kazatomprom of 0.3 percent of GDP from the sale of shares to the NFRK.
2/ Excluding reserve movements.
3/ Based on a conversion factor of 7.5 barrels of oil per ton.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without conveying formal discussions.
Police are concerned about the welfare of a 70-year old man from west London who has been missing for more than 10 weeks.
Detective Inspector Will Peel from Central West Missing Persons Unit says:
“We are very worried about the whereabouts of Anthony Davis, who goes by the name “Reggie”.
“He was last seen on Thursday, 21 November, although there was a possible sighting of him opposite Ladbroke Grove Tube Station on Thursday, 5 December.
“Anthony has dementia and diabetes so it’s hugely important we find him as he may require medication that he won’t have with him.
“We have been appealing on social media for help to trace Anthony since December, so, with his family’s support, who are extremely concerned, we are now extending the appeal in the hope of locating him.
“It’s very out-of-character for Anthony to go missing.
“He is usually seen using a cane to walk and is wearing a dark hoodie, tracksuit bottoms, a black coat, a black flat cap and sandals with no socks.
“Please get in touch with police as soon as possible if you have any idea where he might be.”
If anyone has seen Anthony, or has information on his whereabouts, please call 101 giving the reference 5679/06DEC or call Crimestoppers free of charge on 0800 555 111.
Assistant professor Frank Cackowski, left, and researcher Steven Zielske at Wayne State University in Detroit became suspicious of a paper on cancer research that was eventually retracted.Amy Sacka, CC BY-ND
Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale and dissemination of bogus scholarly research. These paper mills are profiting by undermining the literature that everyone from doctors to engineers rely on to make decisions about human lives.
It is exceedingly difficult to get a handle on exactly how big the problem is. About 55,000 scholarly papers have been retracted to date, for a variety of reasons, but scientists and companies who screen the scientific literature for telltale signs of fraud estimate that there are many more fake papers circulating – possibly as many as several hundred thousand. This fake research can confound legitimate researchers who must wade through dense equations, evidence, images and methodologies, only to find that they were made up.
Even when bogus papers are spotted – usually by amateur sleuths on their own time – academic journals are often slow to retract the papers, allowing the articles to taint what many consider sacrosanct: the vast global library of scholarly work that introduces new ideas, reviews and other research and discusses findings.
These fake papers are slowing research that has helped millions of people with lifesaving medicine and therapies, from cancer to COVID-19. Analysts’ data shows that fields related to cancer and medicine are particularly hard-hit, while areas such as philosophy and art are less affected.
To better understand the scope, ramifications and potential solutions of this metastasizing assault on science, we – a contributing editor at Retraction Watch, a website that reports on retractions of scientific papers and related topics, and two computer scientists at France’s Université Toulouse III–Paul Sabatier and Université Grenoble Alpes who specialize in detecting bogus publications – spent six months investigating paper mills.
Frank Cackowski at Detroit’s Wayne State University was confused.
The oncologist was studying a sequence of chemical reactions in cells to see whether they could be a target for drugs against prostate cancer. A paper from 2018 in the American Journal of Cancer Research piqued his interest when he read that a little-known molecule called SNHG1 might interact with the chemical reactions he was exploring. He and fellow Wayne State researcher Steven Zielske began experiments but found no link.
Meanwhile, Zielske had grown suspicious of the paper. Two graphs showing results for different cell lines were identical, he noticed, which “would be like pouring water into two glasses with your eyes closed and the levels coming out exactly the same.” Another graph and a table in the article also inexplicably contained identical data.
Zielske described his misgivings in an anonymous post in 2020 at PubPeer, an online forum where many scientists report potential research misconduct, and also contacted the journal’s editor. The journal pulled the paper, citing “falsified materials and/or data.”
“Science is hard enough as it is if people are actually being genuine and trying to do real work,” said Cackowski, who also works at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Michigan.
Wayne State scientists Cackowsi and Zielske carried out experiments based on a paper they later found to contain false data. Amy Sacka, CC BY-ND
Legitimate academic journals evaluate papers before publication by having other researchers in the field carefully read them over. But this peer review process is far from perfect. Reviewers volunteer their time, typically assume research is real and so don’t look for fraud.
It’s unclear when paper mills began to operate at scale. The earliest suspected paper mill article retracted was published in 2004, according to the Retraction Watch database, which details retractions and is operated by The Center for Scientific Integrity, the parent nonprofit of Retraction Watch.
An analysis of 53,000 papers submitted to six publishers – but not necessarily published – found 2% to 46% suspect submissions across journals. The American publisher Wiley, which has retracted more than 11,300 articles and closed 19 heavily affected journals in its erstwhile Hindawi division, said its new paper mill detection tool flags up to 1 in 7 submissions.
As many as 2% of the several million scientific works published in 2022 were milled, according to Adam Day, who directs Clear Skies, a company in London that develops tools to spot fake papers. Some fields are worse than others: biology and medicine are closer to 3%, and some subfields, such as cancer, may be much larger, Day said.
The paper mill problem is “absolutely huge,” said Sabina Alam, director of Publishing Ethics and Integrity at Taylor & Francis, a major academic publisher. In 2019, none of the 175 ethics cases escalated to her team was about paper mills, Alam said. Ethics cases include submissions and already published papers. “We had almost 4,000 cases” in 2023, she said. “And half of those were paper mills.”
The Cochrane Collaboration has a policy excluding suspect studies from its analyses of medical evidence and is developing a tool to spot problematic medical trials. And publishers have begun to share data and technologies among themselves to combat fraud, including image fraud.
Technology startups are also offering help. The website Argos, launched in September 2024 by Scitility, an alert service based in Sparks, Nevada, allows authors to check collaborators for retractions or misconduct. Morressier, a scientific conference and communications company in Berlin, offers research integrity tools. Paper-checking tools include Signals, by London-based Research Signals, and Clear Skies’ Papermill Alarm.
But Alam acknowledges that the fight against paper mills won’t be won as long as the booming demand for papers remains.
Today’s commercial publishing is part of the problem, Byrne said. Cleaning up the literature is a vast and expensive undertaking. “Either we have to monetize corrections such that publishers are paid for their work, or forget the publishers and do it ourselves,” she said.
There’s a fundamental bias in for-profit publishing: “We pay them for accepting papers,” said Bodo Stern, a former editor of the journal Cell and chief of Strategic Initiatives at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a nonprofit research organization and funder in Chevy Chase, Maryland. With more than 50,000 journals on the market, bad papers shopped around long enough eventually find a home, Stern said.
To prevent this, we could stop paying journals for accepting papers and look at them as public utilities that serve a greater good. “We should pay for transparent and rigorous quality-control mechanisms,” he said.
Peer review, meanwhile, “should be recognized as a true scholarly product, just like the original article,” Stern said. And journals should make all peer-review reports publicly available, even for manuscripts they turn down.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. This is a condensed version. To learn more about how fraudsters around the globe use paper mills to enrich themselves and harm scientific research, read the full version.
Labbé receives funding from the European Research Council.
He has also received funding from the French National Research Agency (ANR), and the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.
Labbé has been in touch with most of the major publishers and their integrity officers, offering pro-bono consulting regarding detection tools to various actors in the field including STM-Hub and Morressier.
Cabanac receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF). He is the administrator of the Problematic Paper Screener, a public platform that uses metadata from Digital Science and PubPeer via no-cost agreements. Cabanac has been in touch with most of the major publishers and their integrity officers, offering pro bono consulting regarding detection tools to various actors in the field including ClearSkies, Morressier, River Valley, Signals, and STM.
Frederik Joelving does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ed Turner, Reader in Politics, Co-Director, Aston Centre for Europe, Aston University
A vote in Germany’s national parliament (Bundestag) has led to fears that the firewall supposedly separating mainstream political parties and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been blown apart.
Until now, Germany’s largest parties, including the union of Christian democratic parties the CDU and CSU, and the social democrat SPD, have ruled out any form of cooperation with the AfD. Friedrich Merz, CDU leader and most likely chancellor following the election to be held on February 23, had previously said that decisions in the Bundestag should not be passed if they relied on AfD votes.
And while Merz’s commitment to the firewall had occasionally wavered in some interviews, the CDU had resisted any temptation to do deals with the AfD nationally or in state parliaments. There is some cooperation on a local level, but beyond a vote on local taxation in Thuringia in 2023, mainstream parties have eschewed any hint of state or national level cooperation.
That has now changed. Apparently in response to the AfD’s promising polling ahead of the election on February 23, the CDU has tacked dramatically to the right on immigration policy. Merz introduced a five-point plan into the Bundestag proposing a significant tightening of Germany’s immigration system.
Most radical among the proposals is the reintroduction of border controls at German borders and for migrants without permission to reside in Germany to be turned back. These measures would be questionable, at best, in their conformity with European law.
Merz made it plain he would put this plan to a vote, even if it could pass only with AfD support. This it did, by 348 to 345. The CDU and its sister party the CSU voted in favour, alongside the AfD and the Free Democratic Party (barring a handful of rebels). The SPD, Greens and Left party voted against while the anti-immigration “left populist” Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance abstained.
This was not a binding vote but Merz can now push for a more formal process to make his five-point plan law. It is also highly symbolic.
The AfD was gleeful, hailing a “turning point”, or Zeitenwende, in migration policy. It celebrated the “fall of the firewall” and a “great day for democracy”. The SPD and Greens were furious, with outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz accusing Merz of breaking his word – and breaking with the tradition of former chancellors from Konrad Adenauer to Angela Merkel by relying on votes from the far right. Merkel subsequently underlined Scholz’s point by criticising Merz’s move.
The Greens talked of a “dark day for our democracy”. A Left Party parliamentarian called out “to the barricades”, and some spontaneous demonstrations occurred around the country. Merz said he “regretted” that the vote had only been possible with AfD support but added that “doing the right thing does not become wrong when the wrong people – the AfD – vote for it”.
An election ahead
Merz’s changed position on immigration and the AfD has come a few weeks ahead of an election that had initially got off to a slow start. The campaign is now suddenly polarised and angry on all sides.
The election is being held because the three-party governing coalition of social democratic SPD, Greens and liberal FDP collapsed in November over disputes on fiscal policy. Opinion polls have been quite stable, showing the CDU/CSU leading. However, Merz’s party would need a coalition partner.
The AfD has been consistently in second place but the firewall would prevent a coalition. This helps explain why reactions to the Bundestag vote have been so fierce.
And while the government collapsed because of disagreements over the economy, several high-profile stabbings by migrants have turned this into an election about immigration. Indeed, migration, asylum and security questions are now right at the top of the list of voters’ concerns.
The AfD has the wind in its sails and is basking in the glow of Elon Musk’s noisy endorsements. It has adopted an even more hardline manifesto than its previous offerings, proposing “remigration” as a policy – code for removing legal migrants who are no longer welcome.
However, it is important to note that with this vote, Merz has not declared open season for a coalition with the AfD. And if a coalition was formed with the SPD or Greens, there is no way it would survive Merz turning to the AfD for support on issues where the coalition partner disagreed.
Scholz has warned of the risk of events similar to Austria, where the CDU/CSU’s sister party, the ÖVP, initially ruled out going into government with the far-right FPÖ but changed its stance when negotiations with mainstream parties failed. Merz insists this won’t happen but moderate CDU/CSU voters may heed Scholz’s warnings and look elsewhere. Merz’s gamble is that such losses would be offset by voters who support a harder line on migration – and even that he will win voters back from the AfD.
These events highlight the debate being had ever more often across Europe. Are far-right parties weakened if their positions are, to a degree, accommodated by the political mainstream? Or does this in fact strengthen and embolden them?
That debate will continue but there are more immediate consequences in the wake of the Bundestag vote. Germany’s neighbours will look on uneasily, both because of the febrile political atmosphere in the largest EU member state at a time of substantial geopolitical pressure and because, if Germany were to be found to have set aside European law, that could trigger a total unravelling.
Ed Turner receives funding from the German Academic Exchange Service.
ATLANTA (January 31, 2025) — This week, Sen. John Albers (R–Roswell) announced the creation of a Senate delegation for Cobb County. The delegation will be Co-Chaired by Sen. Ed Setzler (R–Acworth). Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta), Sen. Donzella James (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Michael “Doc” Rhett (D–Marietta) will also serve on the delegation.
“I am proud once again to be a part of a bipartisan Cobb County Senate delegation,” said Sen. Albers. “In alignment with the legislative agenda of the Cobb County Government, increased aid and assistance to first responders will be a personal priority for me as a member. I am confident that our new Senate delegation will provide the support, leadership and oversight necessary to meet the needs of Cobb County’s citizens.”
Sen. Setzler also voiced his approval of the delegation: “As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, I am committed to expanding Cobb’s role as a hub for applied research,” said Sen. Setzler. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to preserve and improve the unmatched quality of life in Cobb County.”
A separate delegation from the Georgia House of Representatives will also be created for Cobb County. Both committees will advocate for the county’s estimated 781,000 inhabitants, who make up Georgia’s third most populous county.
# # # #
Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56th Senate District, which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton County.He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email atJohn.Albers@senate.ga.gov.
Sen. Ed Setzler serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology. Sen. Setzler represents the 37th Senate District, which includes parts of Cobb and Bartow County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0256 or by email at Ed.Setzler@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out toSenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
Headline: ICC announces new editorial board for Dispute Resolution Bulletin
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has appointed new co-editors-in-chief and editorial board members of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin. The Bulletin is ICC’s flagship, triannual journal focused on arbitration and other methods of dispute resolution. Editorial board members are highly-regarded dispute resolution practitioners from around the world, with diverse backgrounds. With their involvement, the Bulletin will remain one of the most essential go-to resources on dispute prevention and resolution.
Since the first edition in 1990, the Bulletin has been at the forefront of providing up-to-date developments in international arbitration and commentaries on ICC dispute resolution and arbitral awards. The Bulletin offers legal updates, expert insights and studies, best practices and analysis of ICC awards. It also reports on ICC events and trainings, and features book reviews for dispute resolution practitioners.
Claudia Salomon, President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, said:
“In line with the ICC Court pledge to drive thought leadership, the new co-editors in chief and editorial board members will ensure that the Bulletin continues to generate innovative ideas, and build capacity, offering readers a greater understanding of the arbitration and ADR process.”
Alexander G. Fessas, Director of ICC Dispute Resolution Services and Secretary General of the ICC Court, said:
“As the leading institution in dispute resolution, ICC plays a critical role in promoting access to justice and the rule of law. The Bulletin serves as a vital platform for analysis and debate, fostering the safeguard of the legitimacy of arbitration and ADR, and maximising the potential of all in the legal and business communities. We are confident that, with the new editorial board, the Bulletin’s relevance and reach will continue to grow exponentially.”
The Bulletin’s gender-balanced editorial board comprises 20 members based in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the United States.
The Bulletin is led by two co-editors-in-chief: Rafael Rincón, a partner at Rincón Castro Abogados in Colombia, and Sara Nadeau Seguin, a partner at Teynier Pic in France. Both were members of the board during the previous mandate. They succeed Julien Fouret and Yasmine Lahlou, who were appointed as members of the ICC Court in July 2024.
The 2025-2027 ICC Bulletin editorial board members are:
Sara Nadeau Seguin, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Teynier Pic, France
Rafael Rincón, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Rincón Castro Abogados, Colombia
Aysha Abdulla Mutaywea, Partner, MENA Chambers, Bahrain
Marie-Isabelle Delleur, Counsel, Clifford Chance, Brazil
*Farouk El-Hosseny, Senior Associate, Three Crowns, United Kingdom
*Ahmed Habib, Senior Associate, DWF, Qatar
*Imad Khan, Partner, Winston & Strawn, United States of America (Houston)
*Damien Nyer, Partner, White & Case, United States of America (New York)
*Olena Perepelynska, Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Integrites, Ukraine
*Sulabh Rewari, Partner, Keystone, India
*Michele Sabatini, Partner, Arblit, Italy
Mikaël Schinazi, Associate, Jones Day, France
Anna Secomb, Arbitrator, Singapore
*Leyou Tameru, Founder, I-Arb Africa, Ethiopia
Mireille Taok, International Arbitrator, Lawyer, and University Lecturer, United Arab Emirates
Monty Taylor, Barrister, Tenth Floor Chambers, Australia
Sylvia Tee, Partner, Ashurst, China
*Angeline Welsh, Barrister, Essex Chambers, United Kingdom
* Member during the previous mandate, which is renewable once.
The Bulletin is published three times a year with the next edition due in March 2025. The latest edition of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin is freely available for download in the ICC Dispute Resolution Library.
Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds,the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.
Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.
Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.
How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?
Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.
Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).
Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.
More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.
How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.
Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.
The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe.
There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.
The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.
In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.
Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.
Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.
What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.
Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.
On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.
Adrian Ramsay, Co-Leader of The Green Party of England and Wales, MP for Waveney Valley, welcomes the start of the consultation process for the Land Use Framework.
“Food security and nature restoration are essential for our very survival. They must not be seen as in competition – the government must step up its efforts on both.
“We have one of the most nature depleted countries on Earth, yet we need our soils, pollinators and wider environment to be in a healthy state in order to secure our food supply – and farmers are crying out for adequate funding for nature friendly farming and natural flood management.
“Climate breakdown is already threatening our ability to produce food, with droughts and flooding at different times of the year making life very hard for farmers.
“This Land Use Framework represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address these critical issues and ensure our communities are more self-sufficient and resilient in our food supply. For this plan to work and deliver for communities, the Government must work to diversify what food we produce, which will strengthen our food security.”
“A new framework could – and should – support farmers to produce seasonal foods for local markets and tackle the power of the supermarkets who don’t give farmers a fair deal.”
“This happens throughout this country, with businesses like Hodmedods in Suffolk growing beans and pulses or Glebe Farm in Cambridgeshire producing homegrown oats. These examples show that we can diversify food production reducing our reliance on imports, ensuring food security for future generations.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
British businesses will benefit from a world-first cyber security standard which will protect AI systems from cyber-attacks, securing the digital economy.
British businesses will benefit from a world-first cyber security standard which will protect AI systems from cyber-attacks, securing the digital economy
Security measures will unlock AI’s potential to transform public services and boost productivity as part of the government’s Plan for Change
New global coalition to tackle worldwide cyber skills shortage and strengthen security expertise
Companies developing AI – from consumer apps to systems underpinning public services – will be able to better protect themselves from growing cyber security threats under steps set out by the UK government.
The steps announced today under a new Code of Practice will give businesses and public services the confidence they need to harness AI’s transformative potential safely – supporting the government’s Plan for Change as the technology drives forward improvements to public services, turbocharges productivity, and drives growth across the economy.
With cyber attacks or breaches affecting half of businesses in the last 12 months, safeguarding AI systems is crucial as adoption accelerates across the economy. The world leading Code of Practice pioneered by the UK, equips organisations with the tools they need to thrive in the age of AI. From securing AI systems against hacking and sabotage, to ensuring they are developed and deployed in a secure way, the Code will help developers build secure, innovative AI products that drive growth and fuel the Plan for Change.
It sets out how organisations using AI can protect themselves from a range of cyber threats such as AI attacks and system failures. This can include steps such as implementing cyber security training programmes which are focused on AI vulnerabilities, developing recovery plans following potential cyber incidents, and carrying out robust risk assessments.
The voluntary Code of Practice will form the basis of a new global standard for secure AI through the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) – a major step which cements the UK’s position as a world leader in safe innovation. With the UK AI sector generating £14.2 billion in revenue last year, these standards will help maintain growth while protecting critical infrastructure – building on the work of the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Minister for Cyber Security Feryal Clark MP said:
The UK is leading the way in setting global benchmarks for secure innovation, ensuring AI is developed and deployed in an environment that protects critical systems and data which are central to delivering our Plan for Change.
This will not only create the opportunities for businesses to thrive, secure in the knowledge that they can be better protected than ever before but support them in delivering cutting-edge AI products that drive growth, improve public services, and put Britain at the forefront of the global AI economy.
The UK government has also published today an implementation guide for the Code, to support businesses as they shore up their cyber defences by providing a one-stop shop which brings together guidance and key steps to follow. AI represents a generation-defining technology which is central to the government’s Plan for Change – holding incredible potential to transform public services, boost productivity and rebuild our economy.
It is vital that we harness the transformative potential of AI securely so that our society can reap the benefits of new technologies without introducing avoidable vulnerabilities and cyber risks.
The new Code of Practice, which we have produced in collaboration with global partners, will not only help enhance the resilience of AI systems against malicious attacks but foster an environment in which UK AI innovation can thrive.
The UK is leading the way by establishing this security standard, fortifying our digital technologies, benefiting the global community and reinforcing our position as the safest place to live and work online.
Building on this position of global leadership in cyber security, the UK has also spearheaded the launch of a new International Coalition on Cyber Security Workforces (ICCSW), alongside founding partners including Japan, Singapore, and Canada. The coalition – which emerged from the UK-led Wilton Park Summit in September 2024 – will help countries work together to tackle cyber threats and address the global cyber skills gap.
This new partnership will strengthen international cooperation on cyber security, breaking down barriers to career progression and increasing diversity in the sector. Current estimates show that supporting cyber skills will boost the £11.9 billion cyber security industry which will in turn help to drive growth in the British economy.
The UK is moving full steam ahead with plans to bolster our online defences through a new Cyber Security and Resilience Bill which was unveiled in last summer’s King Speech. Ahead of that legislation’s introduction, the government is also publishing its response to the Cyber Governance Code of Practice of today. In its response, the government warns that despite the massive disruptions cyber incidents can cause, boards and senior leaders often struggle to engage in cyber issues due to a lack of understanding, training, or time – making it more pressing than ever to ensure all sectors of the UK economy have the tools they need to address cyber threats.
To address this problem, DSIT has developed the Cyber Governance Code of Practice in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre and industry experts. The Code provides clear actions for directors to manage cyber risks effectively, enabling businesses to harness new technologies while building resilience. The government’s response outlines improvements to the Code based on extensive feedback, with the updated version set to be published in early 2025.
The Code will be submitted into the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s Securing AI Committee where it will be used to develop a global standard.
The government is working with industry and international counterparts to promote international alignment of security requirements for AI systems, including through monitoring the development of relevant standards in other standards development organisations.
The government will update the content of the Code and Implementation Guide to mirror the future ETSI global standard and guide once they are created. Read the full AI cyber security code of practice.
Headline: Georgians Have One Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance
Georgians Have One Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance
Georgia survivors of Tropical Storm Debby (Aug. 4—20. 2024) and Hurricane Helene (Sept. 24—Oct. 30, 2024) in the counties designated for Individual Assistance have just one week left to apply for FEMA assistance.The application period for federal disaster assistance ends on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.Counties approved for assistance for Hurricane Helene are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Newton, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler and Wilkes.Counties approved for assistance for Tropical Storm Debby are: Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long and Screven.There are four ways to apply for assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.The FEMA App for mobile devicesCall toll-free 800-621-3362. Survivors can also contact the Georgia Call Center Monday through Saturday at 678-547-2861 for assistance with their application.FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. For locations and hours, go online to fema.gov/drcFEMA provides help to all disaster survivors, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. Our top priority is ensuring that disaster assistance is reaching people in need.For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/helene/georgia and fema.gov/disaster/4821. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel. Also, follow Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton on X @FEMA_Cam.###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. Learn more at fema.gov/helene/georgia jakia.randolph Fri, 01/31/2025 – 13:14
There will be an increased police presence in central London on Saturday with two protests due to take place.
A protest organised under the name ‘Stop the Isolation’ or ‘Unite the Kingdom’ in support of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Tommy Robinson), will form up in Sandell Street and Cornwall Road, off Waterloo Road outside Waterloo Station, from midday.
It will march from there to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge. A static assembly will then take place in Parliament Street, at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.
A protest organised by Stand Up To Racism will form up in St James’s Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, from 11.30am.
It will march from there to Whitehall, via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket. A static assembly will take place at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.
Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted with officers deployed to ensure both groups are kept apart. Anyone in the area, not involved in the protests, is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square or vice versa.
Commander Louise Puddefoot, who is in charge of the policing operation, said: “We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.
“We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.
“Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case by case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.
“Our assessment for tomorrow’s protest, based on the information available to us, is that an additional level of preparedness is required.
“What our officers are wearing or the protective kit they are carrying doesn’t change their role at these events. They are there to ensure all involved can exercise their right to protest peacefully, without causing serious disruption to the life of the wider community and without risking the disorder that could take place if groups with opposing views come together.”
Details of conditions
Stop the Isolation/Unite the Kingdom protest
Participants must form up in the blue shaded area in the map below – Sandell Street, Cornwall Road and Wotton Street.
They must not then deviate from the route shown on the map below:
On arrival at the end of the march, they must only assemble in the area marked in blue on the map below:
All those in attendance must disperse by 17:30hrs.
Stand Up To Racism
Anyone taking part must form up in the area shaded in red on the map below:
They must not then deviate from the route shown on the map below:
On arrival at the end of the march, they must only assemble in the area marked in red on the map below:
All those in attendance must disperse by 17:30hrs.
Limassol, Cyprus, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UFarm.Digital, a decentralized finance asset management platform, has secured $500,000 in its early seed funding round. This milestone will support the company’s efforts to expand its platform capabilities, strengthen its market presence, and accelerate strategic development initiatives.
The funding will enable UFarm.Digital to implement key enhancements, including new features designed to improve user experience and bolster security measures. Planned developments include cross-chain integrations, the addition of new DeFi protocols, and an advanced asset management solution tailored for hedge funds. A portion of the funds will also be allocated to marketing efforts and community engagement to increase the platform’s visibility and reach
As part of its ongoing development, UFarm.Digital has made significant progress by launching its platform on the Arbitrum network. This strategic move enables the platform to leverage Arbitrum’s scalability and low transaction costs, providing users with faster, more efficient operations. At launch, UFarm.Digital offers a range of investment pools designed to cater to varying risk appetites and strategies, delivering flexibility to both institutional and private investors.
The platform offers non-custodial security, allowing investors to maintain full control over their funds and significantly reducing risks associated with traditional asset management. It emphasizes seamless integration with DeFi protocols, simplifying asset management while maintaining high security standards. Users have access to top-tier asset managers, who are vetted through a comprehensive, independent rating system that ensures transparency and reliability. The fee management process is secure and straightforward, making it easier to handle success and management fees charged by asset managers. The platform’s smart contracts have undergone rigorous audits by Decurity, with further audits by Hexens planned to uphold ongoing security.
“Our platform is designed to empower investors by combining robust security measures with a seamless user experience,” said Olga Tiagunova, CEO of UFarm.Digital. “These investments allow us to accelerate the implementation of new features and solutions in our product, enhancing the capabilities of our asset managers while reinforcing the security of our platform.”
These planned features include a privacy-focused private layer, cross-chain support, and enhanced security infrastructure capable of detecting suspicious activities within the protocol to strengthen asset protection and further enhance overall security. Additionally, zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology for KYC verification is part of the company’s roadmap, aimed at maintaining regulatory compliance while safeguarding user privacy.
As UFarm.Digital welcomes its first institutional clients, the team is dedicated to expanding its services and continuing to innovate. Future developments include enhanced reporting tools and the rollout of a bug bounty program to further ensure platform integrity. The company’s user-first approach and focus on transparency position it as a trusted partner for investors navigating the decentralized finance landscape.
About UFarm.Digital
UFarm.Digital is a decentralized finance platform dedicated to simplifying digital asset management for institutional and private investors. The platform provides robust features such as private and public investment pools, customizable fees, secure cross-chain integration, and specialized solutions for hedge funds. In addition, it offers enhanced tools for data-driven performance tracking, operational transparency, and support for future interoperability across multiple blockchain networks. By fostering innovation and maintaining a user-centric focus, UFarm.Digital aims to reshape the digital asset management landscape and become a trusted partner for investors worldwide.
Nørresundby, Denmark, 31 January 2025 Announcement no. 04/2024
Today, 31 January 2025, RTX A/S held its Annual General Meeting at which the following decisions were made:
The annual report for the financial year 2023/24 was adopted (item 2).
The proposal not to distribute any dividend for the financial year 2023/24 was approved (item 3).
The Remuneration Report for 2023/24 was approved in the advisory vote (item 4).
The Remuneration Policy was adopted (item 5.1).
The remuneration of the Board of Directors for 2024/25 was adopted (item 5.2).
Henrik Schimmell, Jesper Mailind, Katja Millard and Mogens Vedel Hestbæk were re-elected and Gitte Schjøtz and Carsten Drachmann were newly elected to the Board of Directors for a one-year term (item 6).
KPMG Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was re-appointed as the company’s auditors (item 7).
The below proposal from the Board of Directors was approved:
Authorization to attorney Henrik Møgelmose to inform the Danish Business Authority of the resolutions passed and to make any resulting changes to the Company’s Articles of Associations (item 8.1).
At a meeting of the Board immediately after the AGM, the Board constituted itself with Henrik Schimmell as Chair and Katja Millard as Deputy Chair. Further, Mogens Vedel Hestbæk was selected as Chair of the Audit Committee with Henrik Schimmell and Katja Millard as members of the Committee. Henrik Schimmell, Katja Millard and Jesper Mailind were selected as members of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2024 Article IV consultation[1] with the Republic of Kazakhstan on a lapse of time basis on November 27, 2024.
After reaching 5.1 percent in 2023, Kazakhstan’s economic growth has remained robust in 2024, and inflation has continued to decline gradually. The banking sector remains resilient amid continued rapid consumer credit growth. In the medium term, growth is projected to stabilize at about 3½ percent, while inflation would ease further and reach its 5 percent target by 2028.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has maintained a prudent monetary policy in light of persisting inflation pressures from increased energy tariffs and fiscal underperformance: as of September 2024, tax revenues were only 60½ percent of the 2024 budget plan, implying an expansionary fiscal stance. The macroprudential policy and risk-based supervisory frameworks are being strengthened in line with the 2023 FSAP recommendations.
Structural reform implementation remains slow, with the state footprint growing in some areas, while higher economic growth, diversification and resilience will be important in the current environment, including to address increasingly pressing challenges from climate change.
In concluding the Article IV consultation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal as follows:
Robust economic growth and disinflation have continued this year. Growth is projected at 3.9 percent in 2024 due to broad-based acceleration of economic activity in the second half of the year. Inflation is expected to reach 8.2 percent, still above its 5 percent target, as the pace of disinflation has slowed this year due to increased domestic energy tariffs and an expansionary fiscal policy. On the external front, a moderate current account deficit is expected in 2024, and the external position is assessed as moderately weaker than implied by economic fundamentals and desirable policies.
Risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside. They include external risks from a slowdown in major economies, an intensification of regional conflicts, secondary sanctions, and higher commodity price volatility or export pipeline disruptions. On the domestic front, key risks are delays in large infrastructure projects in the short term, failure to reintroduce fiscal discipline which could fuel inflation pressures, and a resurgence of social tensions. Upside risks include accelerated reform implementation, higher oil prices, and stronger foreign investment in new sectors.
Monetary policy should remain tight until inflation is close to target, and its effectiveness could be further strengthened. The combination of robust growth, slowing disinflation, and an uncertain outlook justify continued monetary policy prudence. In order to enhance the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK)’s institutional independence and monetary policy effectiveness, its governance and legal framework can be further improved, and the NBK should refrain from foreign exchange interventions in the absence of disorderly market conditions.
Recurrent fiscal underperformance requires measures to avoid fiscal procyclicality and strengthen the fiscal policy framework. Such measures would also help to meet the authorities’ objective of fiscal consolidation and maintain a balanced external position. Priorities are to improve macro-fiscal forecasts and budget planning, and to use the introduction of new tax and budget codes as opportunities to enhance non-oil revenue mobilization, including through gradual VAT rate increases, and spending efficiency. Fiscal policy effectiveness also requires public sector data that are better aligned with international standards and a more rules-based and transparent policy framework, including by reducing off-budget spending and the continued reliance on discretionary transfers from the National Fund.
The banking sector remains resilient and rapid progress in implementing the 2023 FSAP recommendations is commendable. In particular, the regulatory agency (ARDFM)’s institutional independence and risk-based supervision, as well as the NBK’s macroprudential policy mandate and toolkit, have been significantly enhanced. Going forward, the main priority is to introduce a fully-fledged framework for bank resolution, including coordination mechanisms among the ARDFM, NBK and relevant ministries.
Structural reform implementation is critical to elevate long-term economic growth. To meet the authorities’ ambitious growth objectives, a key priority is to reduce the state footprint in the economy and promote competition and private sector development. However, the amount and size of state interventions, subsidies, state-owned enterprises, and external restrictions have recently increased. Stronger public governance is also required, including through continued efforts to reduce corruption-related vulnerabilities.
Given increasingly pressing challenges from climate change, more comprehensive policies are needed to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and resilient economic model and meet the authorities’ commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Building on recent progress, including in implementing the national strategy for carbon neutrality, priorities are to modernize energy infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency, accelerate fossil fuel subsidy reforms, and adopt measures to transform high-emission sectors, manage climate-related risks in the financial sector, and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
Sources: Kazakhstani authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Non-oil revenue in 2023 includes a one-off dividend from Samruk-Kazyna of 1.1 percent of GDP and in 2024 includes a one-off dividend from Kazatomprom of 0.3 percent of GDP from the sale of shares to the NFRK.
2/ Excluding reserve movements.
3/ Based on a conversion factor of 7.5 barrels of oil per ton.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without conveying formal discussions.
Thousands of children in Plymouth will once again enjoy healthy lunches and activities at free ‘Fit and Fed’ holiday clubs this year.
Plymouth City Council has welcomed the confirmation of funding from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for 2025, which means the popular Fit and Fed programme will return during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.
The HAF programme aims to support families with children that receive benefits-related free school meals. Eligible children and young people are given the opportunity to get active, try new activities and enjoy healthy, nutritious meals at free clubs during the school holidays.
In 2024, more than 30,000 holiday club places were provided to children aged between 5 and 16 years old with a huge range of activities on offer including football, dance and water sports.
More than 1,000 ‘Teen Taster’ activity sessions were also offered specifically to teenagers, with activities including trampolining, bowling, go karting and adventure golf.
At Christmas, new family activities were also offered with 700 activity sessions for parents and carers to enjoy with their children for free, which included ice skating, swimming sessions and trips to the National Marine Aquarium.
Each summer, Fit and Fed goes on tour to parks and green spaces across the city to provide free fun days that are open to all families. Last year 2,750 healthy lunches were handed out at the four events, which also saw a number of local organisations provide advice on a huge range of topics including road safety, dental hygiene, healthy relationships and the cost of living.
Mini golf at Fit and Fed on Tour in Central Park
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR and OD, said: “Fit and Fed is an incredibly important programme and we’re delighted to have received confirmation that the funding will continue this year because it offers vital support to families throughout the school holidays.
“Not only do children and young people receive a healthy lunch, they’re also given the opportunity to get physically active, meet new friends and make special memories and we know that this all has a hugely positive impact.”
One parent of a child who attended a Fit and Fed club last year commented: “I am extremely grateful that my daughter was given this opportunity. It has certainly helped to grow her confidence and self-esteem.”
Louise Kelley MBE, Head of Active Wellbeing and Sport at Plymouth Active Leisure, welcomed the news. She said: “This funding makes a really difference to families in Plymouth. We are all aware of the ongoing challenges many families in the city face with the cost of living, so having access to fun, enjoyable activities in a safe and supported environment are essential.”
More information about this year’s Fit and Fed programme will be shared on the Council’s website later this year: www.plymouth.gov.uk/fit-and-fed.
If any organisation or holiday club provider would like be involved in Fit and Fed this year, please contact the Active Lifestyles team at Plymouth Active on [email protected].
In recognition of World Cancer Day on Tuesday 4 February 2025, Islanders are invited to join the World Cancer Day, Closer to Home event, taking place from 10am to 3pm at the Jersey Library.
This event is an opportunity for anyone affected by cancer, as well as for healthcare professionals, to come together to access valuable resources and find out more about Jersey’s Cancer Strategy.
The following services will be attending the event:
Cancer.je
Jersey Hospice Care
Travel and Oversees Team (GoJ)
Improving the Cancer Journey Jersey (ICJJ)
ABC Jersey
Health Benefits – Work & Family Hub (GoJ)
Income Support and Impairment – Work & Family Hub (GoJ)
Jersey Cancer Relief
Help2Quit
Friends of Jersey Oncology
Viberts
LibertyBus
CLIC Sargent
Customer Experience Team (GoJ)
Live Life Fitness Coach.
Jersey Cancer Strategy Implementation Committee Chair, Dr Elizabet Gomes Dos Santos, said: “This year’s World Cancer Day theme, ‘United and Unique’, reminds us that every cancer journey is different. Still our strength lies in coming together to provide comprehensive and compassionate care.
“By collaborating with charities and community organisations, we can unite our efforts to address the unique needs of each patient, ensuring they feel supported at every step of their journey. Together, we can build a future where no one faces cancer alone.”
Attendees will have the chance to engage with various cancer charities, learn about support services and participate in a Q&A panel from 2pm to 3pm with those leading the strategy.
This interactive session will allow you to ask questions and gain insights from experts in the field, including:
Dr Elizabet Gomes Dos Santos, Strategy Lead
Kerry Le Crom, Lead for Improving the Cancer Journey Jersey
Sarah Evans, Primary and Preventative Care
Lorna Pirozzolo, Cancer.je, Voice of Cancer Patients
Susie Hazeldine, Travel Office Manager
Antonia Rubio, Cancer Advocate and Charity Ambassador.
Cancer Advocate and Charity Ambassador, Antonia Rubio, said: “It’s so important to recognise that each person’s cancer journey is unique. Having the Cancer Strategy in place ensures that each person’s individual needs are being catered for.
“Through my own personal experience with cancer, it has been so wonderful to see the feedback I have provided being taken onboard by the Network to review as areas for potential development.”
Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds,the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.
Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.
Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.
How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?
Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.
Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).
Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.
More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.
How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.
Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.
The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe.
There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.
The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.
In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.
Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?
Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.
Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.
What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?
IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.
Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.
On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.
The benefits of the pavement parking ban have been praised by Guide Dogs Scotland and Living Streets Edinburgh.
The Council previously worked with these organisations to lobby for the introduction of controls in Scotland.
Earlier this week (January 29) marked a full year since enforcement began against parking on pavements, at dropped kerb crossing points and double parking.
We introduced these rules to make our streets safer for pedestrians and road users. Pavement parking particularly impacts people who use wheelchairs and mobility, those who are blind or partially sighted and people pushing prams or buggies. This practise also damages pavements, which are expensive to repair and become a trip hazard for everyone.
Parking attendants have the powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) to vehicles parked on pavements, some verges, at crossing points or double parked. A parking ticket will be issued at the national level of £100 but reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days. This follows a similar process to existing parking tickets issued in Edinburgh.
You can find out more about these rules and report incorrectly parked vehicles on our website.
Up to 26 January 2025 there had been 5,153 PCNs issued for footway parking, 1,612 for dropped kerb parking and 1,629 for double parking.
Since enforcement began there has been an overall decreasing trend in PCN fines being issued for pavement parking – with the exception of the busier summer months.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:
Since we first introduced these changes one year ago, we’ve seen many residents and visitors modify their parking habits accordingly, with the problem of pavement parking disappearing in many streets across our city. The overall gradual decrease in PCN fines for pavement parking also shows we’re headed in the right direction, ultimately we want to see zero fines.
Every driver is responsible for parking their vehicle considerately, and where this would not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. We brought the pavement parking ban in to provide a safe and accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or pushing buggies. We’ve also heard from many people who really appreciate clearer, wider pavements and who no longer need to walk on the road as a result of the ban.
I’m proud that we took this decision to make our streets as safe and accessible as possible – and that local authorities across Scotland are now looking to Edinburgh’s lead and implementing schemes of their own.
Transport and Local Access Forum Convener, Councillor Kayleigh O’Neill said:
The pavement parking ban has been so well received in Edinburgh, and I am so grateful to everyone who has played a part in making that happen. Strong awareness, resident co-operation and Council enforcement has meant that disabled people, elderly people, those with buggies and prams, all have an easier time getting around.
So many streets that have been blighted in the past are now free and accessible for people who move around the city like me who uses a power wheelchair. Pavements are for people and the enforcement of this ban reinforces that. It is great to also see that Glasgow has followed us and are beginning enforcement on their city streets from January 29.
Policy and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, Mike Moore said:
One year on from the enforcement of pavement parking restrictions in Edinburgh, people with sight loss say it has made a real difference. By keeping pavements clear, the new rules have helped to ensure that people in the capital can get out and about safely, without the fear of being forced on to the road by inconsiderate parking.
We welcome the start of enforcement in Glasgow this week, which marks an important step towards a consistent approach across Scotland. With both of Scotland’s largest cities now taking action, we hope to see continued progress by local authorities to make our streets safer and more accessible for all pedestrians.
Living Streets Edinburgh Group Convener, David Hunter said:
The City of Edinburgh Council deserves credit not only for being the first in Scotland to apply the national ban on pavement parking, but also for adopting a “no streets exempt” policy.
This been the most significant change to make Edinburgh a safer and more attractive city for pedestrians since the introduction of widespread 20mph speed limits.
This article was first published as World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK. Click here to receive this newsletter every Thursday, direct to your inbox.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians returned to the northern Gaza Strip this week after checkpoints were reopened in line with the ceasefire agreement. Many will have found their homes destroyed after months of heavy fighting and bombardment – something the new US president, Donald Trump, has pointed out.
In an exchange with reporters last weekend, Trump said: “I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess.” He then went on to suggest Palestinians there should be “evacuated” to Egypt and Jordan where “they could maybe live in peace for a change”. “You’re talking about a million and a half people … we just clean out that whole thing,” he continued.
Trump is seemingly no stranger to airing whatever thoughts come into his head. At his inauguration he claimed – without providing evidence – that “China is operating the Panama canal”. And he has since called Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine “ridiculous”. But even by these standards, his suggestion to evict Gazans from their land is brash to say the least.
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As Karin Aggestam of Lund University reports, Trump’s proposal has been met with disbelief across the Middle East. It has been widely criticised throughout the region as a potential “second Nakba” – referring to the displacement of Palestinians after Israel’s unilateral declaration of statehood in 1948.
The proposal has also been rejected outright by Egypt and Jordan. Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs released a statement on Sunday objecting to any forced displacement of Palestinians. And Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs, Ayman Safadi, said his country was committed to “ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land”. The Arab League regional bloc has accused Trump of advocating ethnic cleansing.
Aggestam says it’s not yet certain if moving Palestinians out of Gaza will become an official US policy position, or whether it is yet another example of Trump speaking his mind. But, in her view, Trump’s latest pronouncement will further complicate the already fragile ceasefire.
The idea of relocating Palestinians to other countries has thrilled Israel’s extreme ultra-nationalist parties. The Israeli finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionist party, Bezalel Smotrich, and the former national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, have both previously encouraged the return of Israeli settlers to the Gaza Strip.
Ben Gvir, who recently resigned from his ministerial position in protest at the Gaza ceasefire, asserted in October that “encouraging emigration” of Palestinian residents of Gaza would be the “most ethical” solution to the conflict.
According to Leonie Fleischmann of City, University of London, the pair share an anti-Arab ideology and a messianic belief in the Jewish people’s right to what they call “Greater Israel”. This refers to a Jewish state that would also include the West Bank, which they referred to as “Judea and Samaria”, as well as Gaza and part of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
As Fleischmann explains, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were the sites of many key events in biblical times and were the home of a number of Israelite kingdoms. In the Bible, God even promises this land to the descendants of Abraham – the Jewish people. This, Fleischmann writes, is the reason behind Smotrich and Ben Gvir’s belief that the Jewish people have the God-given right to settle the whole of Greater Israel.
This is not a position held by the majority of Israelis. But Israel’s ultra-nationalists wield considerable political power, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government dependent on their support to remain in power. Indeed, days after Trump suggested clearing out Gaza, Smotrich spoke of turning it into an actionable policy.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, he said: “There is nothing to be excited about the weak opposition of Egypt and Jordan to the plan. We saw yesterday how Trump [imposed his will on] Colombia to deport immigrants despite its opposition. When he wants it, it happens.”
The events Smotrich was referring to in Colombia were certainly extraordinary. Outraged at the repatriation of Colombian migrants in military planes, Colombian president Gustavo Petro refused to allow the flights to land.
Trump immediately vowed tariffs on Colombian goods and sanctions on government officials, which drew a furious social media response out of Petro and the start of a (very brief) trade war. But within a few hours, Petro had backed down and Colombia announced it would start receiving migrants, including on US military aircraft.
The White House hailed the agreement as a victory for Trump’s hardline immigration strategy. However, according to Amalendu Misra of Lancaster University, Trump’s punishing tariff threats and foul rhetoric toward illegal immigrants may only damage the power and position of the US in the region.
His willingness to wage a trade war with countries in Latin America could encourage others to speed up their search for alternative trade partners. And, worse still, he may even push them towards closer relations with governments and ideologies that are inimical to US interests, writes Misra.
Back in the Middle East, the ceasefire in Gaza has offered the region a break from war. This has included a pledge by Houthi militants in Yemen not to attack commercial ships travelling through the Red Sea.
These attacks have halved the number of ships passing through the Suez Canal, a crucial route for goods moving between Asia and Europe, with many diverting around the southern tip of Africa.
This route adds thousands of miles to the journey, so supply chains have had to deal with higher shipping costs, product delivery delays and increased carbon emissions. In the view of Gokcay Balci, a logistics expert at Leeds University, this disruption is likely to continue.
The situation in the Red Sea remains unpredictable, he writes. The leader of the Houthis, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said on Monday that the group was “ready to return to escalation again alongside our brothers, the fighters in Palestine”, and warned: “We have our finger on the trigger.” Shipping companies have, unsurprisingly, announced that they will continue to prioritise alternative routes.
The Houthis seem unconvinced that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold. But, at least for now, it is providing civilians with some much-needed respite after more than a year of relentless violence.
Prepare to be amazed as the NI Science Fair rolls into town
31 January 2025
Science buffs across Strabane should prepare to be amazed as the NI Science Fair visits the Alley Theatre for a series of exciting events.
Established in 2014, the NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland, and one of the leading science festivals in Europe.
For its 11th edition, the festival will present more than 300 events across Northern Ireland, focusing on our rich and diverse natural environment, our engineering and manufacturing heritage, sustainability, technology, the mind and body, and much more.
The festival’s regional roadshow will touch down in Strabane with a series of events, including Chemistry & the Celts on Friday 14th February at The Alley Theatre. An immersive exploration into the world of the Irish Celts with Scientific Sue, this engaging show, supported by Almac, brings ancient traditions to life, blending the wonders of chemistry with the rich tapestry of Celtic history.
Also taking place at The Alley is Look Closer where little explorers embark on a fun-filled journey of discovery into nature’s wonders with screenings of BBC/CBeebies Tiny Wonders followed by hands-on experiments in Mini Lab Zones where the budding researchers will get to use real microscopes and take a closer look at fascinating little curiosities from nature.
NI Science Festival director Sarah Jones said: “The NI Science Festival is a celebration of science, creativity, and the world around us, designed to be engaging and enjoyable for everyone. Over 12 days, the festival will pop up in venues across Northern Ireland, showcasing the incredible work of local researchers and scientists alongside some well-known guest speakers. This year’s programme is packed with exciting events for all ages, offering something for everyone. It’s an opportunity to embrace the joy of discovery, explore the power of ideas, and celebrate the possibilities science brings to our everyday lives.”
Dr Frances Weldon, Associate Director STEM Outreach, Almac Group, said: “We are deeply committed to supporting STEM education at Almac and as such we’re delighted to partner with NI Science Festival in the Chemistry & the Celts show and to receive funding from the Arts & Business NI Investment Programme. Chemistry is a core discipline and career area at Almac. This collaborative project delivers entertaining chemistry content through arts and history, sparking children’s curiosity and stimulating them to think about chemistry as part of everyday life.”
Tickets are available from the Alley Theatre website: www.alley-theatre.com or call the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444
UNESCO has chosen the city of Coventry and Warwick Business School (WBS) to participate in its global project to highlight the role of culture in building a sustainable future for the planet.
In a significant stride towards global cultural sustainability, Coventry City Council in collaboration with WBS, has been selected to participate in the prestigious UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators initiative.
The UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a framework designed to monitor and evaluate the role of culture in sustainable development.
Coventry City Councillor Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and the Communities, said: “We are honoured to be part of this ground-breaking initiative, along with Warwick Business School, to contribute to UNESCO’s global sustainability mission.
“Coventry is the home of many fantastic cultural organisations, artists, community groups and creatives, and we are delighted that UNESCO can see the value in working with Coventry as a city.
“This marks a major step forward in advancing global cultural sustainability, underscoring the essential role of culture in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Mark Scott, Research Fellow at WBS who is a leading place and culture data expert with extensive experience of working with the local cultural sector and colleagues in Coventry City Council, said: “The UNESCO project encompasses a range of thematic indicators that assess various aspects of cultural impact, from heritage preservation to cultural participation and education.
“The inclusion of the city of Coventry and WBS in this project not only reinforces Coventry’s legacy as a City of Culture but also highlights Warwick Business School’s commitment to leveraging research and data to drive impactful global change.
“Being part of the UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a tremendous honour for WBS. This collaboration underscores our dedication to cultural sustainability and our role in shaping a better future through informed research and data-driven strategies.”
The collaboration between WBS, Coventry, and UNESCO is also supported by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This partnership aims to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development. By contributing to this ground-breaking project, WBS and Coventry are helping to shape policies and practices that will benefit communities worldwide.
Jonathan Neelands, Professor of Creative Education at WBS, said: “By contributing to this initiative, we are helping to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development, further cementing the School’s place on the international stage.”
Mark Scott and Professor Neelands were leads in the research and evaluation for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and continue to be involved in other Coventry data-led and evidence-based policy projects like the recent Coventry Cultural Place Profiler. Coventry City Council has a unique pool of cultural and other data that makes the partnership distinctive.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Pembrokeshire has been identified as a key growth region for clean energy in Wales.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens at Dragon LNG accompanied by Simon Ames, Managing Director at Dragon LNG.
Welsh Secretary champions clean energy in West Wales and sees how the sector will provide the jobs of the future.
UK Government economic growth mission delivers for Wales with £26 million investment in Celtic Freeport.
Pembrokeshire identified as a key growth region for clean energy
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has told clean energy industry leaders that they will play a vital part in helping to grow the economy in Wales.
The discussion with key figures from the sector at RWE’s Pembroke Power Station today (30 January) was the latest in a series of round-table meetings chaired by the Welsh Secretary as part of her drive to deliver economic growth for Wales.
The UK Government is working with the Welsh Government and industry partners to develop floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. This would see wind turbines built on floating platforms which means they can take advantage of the wind direction.
The Welsh Secretary heard plans for how floating offshore wind could support up to 5,300 new jobs and generate up to £1.4bn for the UK economy.
The UK Government has identified Pembrokeshire as a pilot area to develop a skilled clean energy workforce, which could see funding for targeted measures such as training centres and courses to up-skill workers.
Ports will be vital for supporting floating offshore wind. The UK Government has announced a partnership between The Crown Estate and Great British Energy which has the potential to leverage up to £60 billion of private investment into ports and clean energy supply lines.
The UK Government has also committed £26 million for the Celtic Freeport in Milford Haven and Port Talbot. The Celtic Freeport will encourage growth and investment by creating tax and customs incentives for business.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:
My clear focus is on delivering the UK Government’s Plan for Change which will kickstart the economy and put more money in people’s pockets in Wales.
We have a world class clean energy sector in Wales, with abundant natural resources and the potential to be a powerhouse for economic growth.
I want to see a thriving industry which delivers both well-paid jobs and contributes to our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower by 2030.
The Welsh Secretary’s discussion with industry leaders took place on Thursday 30 January at RWE’s Pembroke Power Station and is the latest in a series of round-table meetings chaired by her as part of her drive to deliver economic growth for Wales. Ms Stevens has already met leaders from the digital and tech industry, the creative sector, the advanced manufacturing sector and the life sciences industry in Wales.
At the end of 2024 the Welsh Secretary launched the Welsh Economic Growth Advisory Group to help shape UK Government efforts to boost growth and put more money in people’s pockets. The group is tasked with informing the UK Government’s new Industrial Strategy to boost key Welsh industries and shape Welsh priorities for the next Spending Review, both expected during Spring 2025.
As well as talking to industry leaders the Welsh Secretary visited Dragon LNG in Milford Haven where she learnt more about their innovative plans to support proposals to decarbonise Wales’s heavy industries.
Simon Ames Managing Director at Dragon LNG said:
It was a great honour to host the Secretary of State at Dragon and showcase the local talent at this fantastic facility.
We deliver 10% of UK’s gas, ensuring resilience and diversity of supply from all over the world.
Through the transition to green energy we hope to develop our joint project with RWE on CO2 capture, liquefaction and shipping so that they can provide low carbon on demand power into the UK”.
Ms Stevens also toured Ledwood Mechanical Engineering in Pembroke Dock. The company specialises in designing, making and installing complex machinery and structures for the energy industries. There she spoke to apprentices, who are gaining skills which will be valuable in the clean energy industry, about their future ambitions.
Nick Revell Managing Director of Ledwood Mechanical Engineering said:
There has been much discussion around the potential for the Welsh economy and local supply chain to capitalise on the potential of floating offshore wind and tidal power but the reality is that investors, developers and supply chain partners all have to have confidence that Governments in Westminster and Cardiff Bay will get behind this new industry.
It’s time to stop talking and start doing so that we can remove barriers and move forward. We welcome the engagement with the Welsh Secretary and looking forward to working with her and Welsh Government to help make this happen.
Albie Elliott, an apprentice with Ledwood Mechanical Engineering said:
The clean energy industry will provide a great long-term career pathway for apprentices like me who want to live and work locally.
It’s a real exciting time and I am proud to be working for a company like Ledwood that is based here in Pembroke and is at the forefront of the global energy processing sector.
