Source: European Parliament
In July 2024, the Commission adopted its fifth annual rule of law report, covering all Member States plus four candidate countries. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has tabled a motion for a resolution on the report, highlighting progress and identifying areas for possible further improvement.
Source: European Parliament
Moldova submitted its membership application in 2022 and began EU accession negotiations in 2024. The country is progressing steadily on its European path, despite being targeted by Russian interference campaigns. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Moldova on 13 May 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in June 2025.
Source: European Parliament
Montenegro began EU accession negotiations in 2012. In April 2023, after securing 59 % of votes in a presidential election run-off, Montenegro’s pro-European former Economy Minister Jakov Milatović declared victory over the incumbent, Milo Đukanović, who had been president or prime minister for more than three decades. The current Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, leader of the political party ‘Europe Now!’, took office in October 2023. The European Commission’s latest report notes that the government has accelerated preparations on EU accession. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Montenegro on 13 May 2025. A debate and vote on the report are due to be held in plenary in June.
Source: European Parliament
In February 2024, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a recast of Directive 2011/93/EU on combating child sexual abuse. The recast directive would include measures to harmonise definitions of and punishments for crimes, both online and offline, broadening the current scope of the offences, ensuring more effective investigation and prosecution, and strengthening the protection of victims. The European Parliament is set to vote on its negotiating mandate on the legislative proposal during the June plenary session.
Source: European Commission
European Commission Press release Brussels, 11 Jun 2025 Today, the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthen migration and border management cooperation by signing a new Status agreement between the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source: European Parliament
On Thursday, 19 June 2025, 09.30-11.30, the DAFR delegation will hold an Ordinary meeting in Strasbourg (room: WEISS N1.3). It will be an in camera meeting (restricted to Members/Substitute Members of the DAFR delegation and the political group advisors).
The meeting will not be webstreamed.
Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002242/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Daniel Obajtek (ECR)
Media reports indicate that Prime Minister Donald Tusk has been allowed to make statements that call the Green Deal into question. This would be deemed unacceptable from other leaders yet Ursula von der Leyen has deliberately not objected so as not to undermine Tusk. In addition, the publication of a CO₂ emissions reduction report that would portray Poland unfavourably has been postponed, despite the fact that it was meant to be announced in Q1.
Submitted: 4.6.2025
Source: European Parliament
During the June plenary session, Parliament is due to discuss the joint report of the Committees on Budgets (BUDG) and Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) on the implementation of the RRF, which lays out Parliament’s views on the RRF′s progress so far, proposes improvements for its remaining lifetime, and draws lessons for possible future performance-based budgetary instruments.
Source: European Parliament
This study focuses on the recent development of the market for plant-based seafood substitutes and the challenges that it has generated for the EU fisheries sector in terms of labelling. The study shows that potentially non-compliant marketing strategies indeed exist on a large scale, and provides an overview of national initiatives to tackle such issues. Finally, it proposes some adjustments to the current EU legal framework, to ensure that the labelling of novel products provides accurate information to consumers.
Source: European Parliament
On Tuesday, 24 June 2025, the Committee on Fisheries will hold a public hearing entitled “Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Fisheries”. The speakers will give concrete examples of recent developments and innovative projects, as well as upcoming challenges and possibilities.
They will showcase new technologies and how more data can be gathered, processed and analysed, including identification of species throughout fishing, processing and marketing activities, and give an overview of the industrial and scientific ecosystem needed to keep strategic control over the data and their use. The speakers will also present their findings on how artificial intelligence can contribute to better fisheries management, monitoring and control and achieve a more sustainable sector, both at European and international level.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — We are pleased to invite you to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited (VEIL), taking place at 12:00 PM (UK time) on 18 June 2025 at The Stationers’ Hall, Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7DD, United Kingdom.
The meeting will be chaired by Sarah Arkle, Chair of VEIL, and will include a presentation on Vietnam’s dynamic economic landscape by Dominic Scriven, Chair of Dragon Capital Group. Following this, Tuan Le, VEIL’s Lead Portfolio Manager, will provide an update on the fund’s performance and the outlook for Vietnam’s stock market.
After the formal proceedings and Q&A session, we warmly invite you to join us for a Vietnamese buffet lunch at 1:15 PM, offering a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow investors and industry experts.
A Key Vote on VEIL’s Future
This year’s AGM includes a vote on the Trust’s continuation. Given Vietnam’s strong domestic growth, ongoing government reforms, and compelling long-term potential, the Board believes VEIL is well-positioned for the future and recommends shareholders vote against discontinuation. We encourage all shareholders to participate in this important decision.
Who Should Attend?
The event is open to existing VEIL shareholders as well as those interested in learning more about investment opportunities in Vietnam. If you have colleagues who may wish to attend, please feel free to share this invitation and direct them to register via the link below.
Register Here: https://www.veil.uk/2025-annual-general-meeting/
We look forward to welcoming you for an engaging and informative afternoon.
For further information or interview requests, please contact:
Rachel Hill
+44 (0) 797 121 4852
rachelhill@dragoncapital.com
Thuy Anh Nguyen
+44 (0) 788 588 6492
thuyanhnguyen@dragoncapital.com
Steven Mantle
+44 (0) 755 370 1237
stevenmantle@dragoncapital.com
Jefferies International Limited
Stuart Klein
+44 (0) 20 7029 8703
stuart.klein@jefferies.com
h2Radnor
Iain Daly
+44 (0) 20 3897 1830
idaly@h2radnor.com
About VEIL
Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited (VEIL) is a closed-end fund listed on the London Stock Exchange and one of the longest-running and largest funds focused on Vietnam. Since its launch in 1995, VEIL has invested in high-growth, well-governed Vietnamese companies, offering investors exposure to the country’s vibrant economy.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/60b54085-a65b-405e-9930-6457c4e0e889
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
ESCONDIDO, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — One Stop Systems, Inc. (OSS or the Company) (Nasdaq: OSS) today announced that its subsidiary, BRESSNER Technology GmbH, a leading specialized high-performance computing supplier in Europe, has been named Digi International’s 2024 EMEA Growth Partner of the Year.
Digi International’s prestigious Global Channel Awards are given annually to Digi’s most impactful worldwide channel partners, celebrating their leadership, innovation, customer-first mindset, and outstanding contributions to the expansion of connected technologies.
“Digi is a long-standing partner, and we are honored to be named their 2024 EMEA Growth Partner of the Year,” said Martin Stiborski, Managing Director of BRESSNER. “This award reflects our commitment to providing state-of-the-art hardware solutions for demanding applications.”
“Our channel partners are at the heart of Digi’s global success,” said Ron Konezny, President and CEO of Digi International. “Each award recipient has demonstrated unmatched dedication to advancing IoT and infrastructure management, while delivering exceptional value to customers in every region we serve. Their commitment and results speak volumes — and together, we are empowering digital transformation across industries and geographies.”
To learn more and view this year’s additional winners, visit:
https://www.digi.com/company/press-releases/2025/digi-celebrates-2024-global-channel-awards
About BRESSNER Technology GmbH
As a system integrator, manufacturer, value-added distributor, and system house for industrial hardware solutions, components, accessories, and built-to-order solutions, BRESSNER offers an extensive portfolio for various applications in the industrial environment. Tailored solutions for machine automation, logistics & transport, and production are part of the company’s range of services, as well as comprehensive support for topics such as AI applications, machine/deep learning, networks, intelligent retail, communication, and security. The company’s headquarters is located in Germany, with its parent company, One Stop Systems, based in the USA.
About One Stop Systems
One Stop Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: OSS) is a leader in AI enabled solutions for the demanding ‘edge’. OSS designs and manufactures Enterprise Class compute and storage products that enable rugged AI, sensor fusion and autonomous capabilities without compromise. These hardware and software platforms bring the latest data center performance to harsh and challenging applications, whether they are on land, sea or in the air.
OSS products include ruggedized servers, compute accelerators, flash storage arrays, and storage acceleration software. These specialized compact products are used across multiple industries and applications, including autonomous trucking and farming, as well as aircraft, drones, ships and vehicles within the defense industry.
OSS solutions address the entire AI workflow, from high-speed data acquisition to deep learning, training and large-scale inference, and have delivered many industry firsts for industrial OEM and government customers.
As the fastest growing segment of the multi-billion-dollar edge computing market, AI enabled solutions require-and OSS delivers-the highest level of performance in the most challenging environments without compromise.
OSS products are available directly or through global distributors. For more information, go to www.onestopsystems.com. You can also follow OSS on X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
One Stop Systems cautions you that statements in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by One Stop Systems or its partners that any of our plans or expectations will be achieved, including but not limited to the potential and/or the results participating in the ROTH Conference, any results relating to one-on-one meetings with management, and the expansion of the Company’s offerings and/or relationship with commercial customers and/or investors. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risk and uncertainties inherent in our business, including risks described in our prior press releases and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Media Contacts:
Robert Kalebaugh
One Stop Systems, Inc.
Tel (858) 518-6154
Email contact
Investor Relations:
Andrew Berger
Managing Director
SM Berger & Company, Inc.
Tel (216) 464-6400
Email contact
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Youngeun Koo, Assistant Professor, Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Kim Tak-un was four years old when he was adopted by a Swedish family in 1974. Originally from South Korea, Tak-un had lived with his single father, a labourer who moved frequently for work. One day in the summer of 1974, while staying with his aunt, Tak-un wandered outside and disappeared.
Local police considered him abandoned and referred him to an adoption agency, which arranged his adoption to Sweden within five months. When his father realised his son was missing, he searched everywhere, only to discover – too late – that Tak-un had already been sent overseas. Devastated, he demanded Tak-un’s return. When the adoption agency failed to respond, he went public with the story.
In March 2025, South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission released initial findings from its investigation into the country’s 72-year-old international adoption programme. The full report is expected in the next few weeks as the investigation is now completed.
Based on more than 360 cases submitted by Korean adoptees from 11 countries, the commission uncovered widespread human rights violations, including falsified documents, lack of parental consent, and cases of child switching – shaking up adoptees and their families.
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Since the end of the Korean War (1950–1953), South Korea has sent over 200,000 children abroad, becoming the world’s largest country for adoption, even as it grew into an advanced economy.
Existing studies have shown that international adoption from South Korea began as a response to the large number of mixed-heritage children born to Korean mothers and US soldiers during the war.
It is estimated that thousands of such children were born, and South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, ordered their overseas placement on the grounds that they were “unfit” for a nation imagined as ethnically homogeneous.
However, international adoption did not end once this perceived “emergency” was over. From the mid-1960s onward, it expanded to include children from other vulnerable backgrounds, including those affected by poverty, family breakdown, and out-of-wedlock births. This, and the role of international adoption, is explored in my upcoming book.
This was closely tied to the policies pursued by South Korea’s military regimes. The most important figure was Park Chung Hee, a military general who came to power through a 1961 coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979.
His regime prioritised rapid economic growth, relegating social welfare to the lowest priority. Childcare was treated as an individual, not a state, responsibility. As I point out in my earlier research, public systems to categorise and care for children – whether abandoned, lost, or runaway – were extremely limited, and authorities largely placed the burden on parents to retrieve their separated children. This is probably why, after only cursory checks, authorities referred Tak-un to an adoption agency.
Tak-un’s case attracted media attention in Sweden as well. However, in an interview with Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish national board of health and welfare – which oversaw the Korean adoption programme – dismissed the claims, stating they were “99 percent certain” the story was false and insisting that Korean social workers had followed proper procedures.
The trust that Swedish authorities placed in South Korean adoption procedures may have been because of the way the Korean social workers presented their work. As the first generation of Koreans trained in US-style professional social work, they framed international adoption as being about the child, the importance of a family, and emotional wellbeing.
The research for my upcoming book shows that while they may have genuinely believed in international adoption as a valid form of child welfare, there were also practical reasons why this happened. With virtually no public funding for child welfare, many saw international adoption – where adoptive parents covered the costs of care – as an ideal way to apply their training.
In interviews with me, now-retired social workers acknowledged flaws in South Korea’s broader child welfare system, such as the inability to verify a child’s true status. Yet, without public resources to build a reliable system or prioritise family reunification, they often treated international adoption as a first, rather than a last, resort.
Moreover, the prevailing belief at the time that “normal” middle-class families offered the most stable environment for a child’s development provided further moral justification for sending children abroad.
Western authorities often interpreted Korean social workers’ professionalism as evidence of shared liberal child welfare values and placed strong trust in their procedures. When serious flaws surfaced – as in Tak-un’s case – they were frequently dismissed as exceptions rather than signs of deeper systemic problems.
Even when the facts were confirmed in 1975, Swedish authorities still refused to return the child. The Swedish consul-general in Seoul at the time, Lars Berg, argued that it was in Tak-un’s “best interest” to remain in Sweden, rather than be sent back to “an uncertain fate of the father without work and residence”.
This reflected, in part, Sweden’s domestic realities: like many western societies at the time, Sweden faced a shortage of adoptable children, and international adoption had become an important way to meet the wishes of prospective parents.
In the early 1970s, nearly half of all internationally adopted children arriving in Sweden came from South Korea. Which meant that when issues like Tak-un’s emerged, Swedish authorities prioritised the rights of adoptive parents, framing their defence in the language of child welfare.
Sweden’s Adoption Commission has just released its own report on June 2, examining the country’s international adoption practices, including those involving South Korea. Echoing my research findings, it recommended an end to allowing Swedes to adopt children from abroad.
So, what became of Tak-un? Ultimately, South Korean officials acquiesced to the Swedish authorities, and the Korean adoption agency was cleared of any wrongdoing. Tak-un never returned. The last trace in the archives is his birth father’s plea to hear from him.
I located Tak-un, who now goes by his Swedish name and lives in a small town in Sweden. Despite attempts to reach him, he didn’t respond. It remains uncertain whether his father’s message ever reached him or if he knows anything about his early life in Korea.
This silence is not merely personal. A system that claimed to act for the child’s welfare instead routinely erased adopted children’s pasts, ignored their birth families and decided their futures for them. Tak-un’s story isn’t just a painful exception – it is a haunting reminder of what was lost in the name of care.
This project has been supported by funding from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), the Korea Foundation, the Academy of Korean Studies, the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University, the Clarke Chambers Travel Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, and the Presbyterian Historical Society Research Fellowship.
– ref. South Korea is finally reckoning with its decades-long foreign adoption scandal – https://theconversation.com/south-korea-is-finally-reckoning-with-its-decades-long-foreign-adoption-scandal-255135
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Conor Trainor, Ad Astra Research Fellow / Assistant Professor, University College Dublin
Before artificial sweeteners, people satisfied their cravings for sweetness with natural products, including honey or dried fruit. Raisin wines, made by drying grapes before fermentation, were particularly popular. Historical records show these wines, some known as passum, were enjoyed in the Roman Empire and throughout medieval Europe. The most famous of raisin wine of the period was Malmsey, with varities of this type produced across the Mediterranean.
Today, the popularity of raisin wines has declined, although some still are held in very high esteem. The best-known of these are Italy’s appassimento (literally “withering”) wines, such as Amarone. High-quality modern raisin wines from the Veneto region of Italy are left to dry for three months before being pressed and undergoing fermentation, a time-consuming process.
Ancient sources describe similar techniques for producing raisin wines. Columella, a Roman agricultural writer, noted that drying and fermentation together took at least a month. The Roman author, Pliny the Elder, mentioned a process in which grapes were partially dried on the vine, then further dried on racks before being pressed eight days later.
For the past ten years, I have been studying the process of how this wine was created at the archaeological site of Knossos in Crete. While famous for its earlier, Minoan, remains, Crete was renowned throughout the Roman empire for producing high-end sweet raisin wine, which was traded far and wide.
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High-quality raisin wines required patience and time but it seems as if Knossos’s wine producers might not have been following these traditional methods.
What my archaeological investigations of a wine production site, as well as at wine shipping container (amphora) production sites at Knossos, is that Cretan wine-producers may have been deceiving their Roman-era customers with a knock-off version of passum.
Remains of a wine production facility in Knossos present a picture of winemaking practices a generation or so before the Romans conquered Crete. More intriguingly, ongoing studies of excavated Roman-era pottery kilns revealed a repeated pattern of four key artefacts being produced in one region of Knossos: amphorae for transporting wine, amphora stands for filling them, large ceramic mixing bowls, and ceramic beehives.
Crete, the largest Greek island, has been producing wine for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence from Myrtos suggests winemaking as early as 2170 BCE. Its strategic location between Greece and North Africa made it a valuable asset and in 67 BCE, after a brutal three-year campaign, the Romans conquered the island.
Following the conquest, Crete’s economy underwent major changes. The Romans established a colony at Knossos, transformed the governance system, and significantly expanded wine production. Rural activity surged, and archaeologists have found large numbers of amphorae (clay jars used for transporting wine) suggesting that Cretan wine was exported in huge quantities.
Romans bought so much Cretan wine partly because of shipping routes. Grain shipments that helped feed the people of Rome frequently stopped at Crete en route from Alexandria to Italy, allowing merchants to load additional cargo. But demand was also driven by the reputation of Cretan raisin wine, which was considered a luxury product, much like Italy’s appassimento wines today. Beyond taste, it was also valued for supposed medicinal properties. The Roman army physician Pedanius Dioscorides wrote in his famous five-volume medical work Materia Medica that the wine cured headaches, expelled worms and even promoted fertility.
The sudden rise in demand for sweet Cretan wine in Rome and on the Bay of Naples in the early days of empire may have encouraged winemakers to speed up production.
Pliny the Elder described one shortcut for making raisin wine – boiling grape juice in large pots. However, the mixing basins found at Knossos show no evidence of heating. This suggests another possibility: adding honey to wine before packaging. The beehives, excavated from Roman-era pottery kilns and identifiable by their rough interior surfaces designed for honeycomb attachment, hint at a connection between winemaking and honey. Similar discoveries at other Greek sites suggest that honey and wine may have been mixed before shipping.
This method would have been quicker and cheaper than drying grapes for weeks. But if Cretan producers were substituting honey for traditional drying techniques, was this truly raisin wine? And, were Roman consumers aware? The vast quantities of Cretan wine imported into Rome suggest that buyers weren’t too concerned either way. Based on the sheer volume of now-empty wine amphoras from Crete that have been found in archaeological sites in Rome, I suspect that the populous of Rome likely cared less about authenticity than we do today.
Conor Trainor receives funding from University College Dublin, the British School at Athens, and previously for this research, the University of Warwick.
– ref. How I uncovered a potential ancient Rome wine scam – https://theconversation.com/how-i-uncovered-a-potential-ancient-rome-wine-scam-258215
Source: The Conversation – France – By Fanny Reniou, Maître de conférences HDR, Université de Rennes 1 – Université de Rennes
DCStudio/Shutterstock
The bulk distribution model has been in the news again lately, with well-known brands such as The Laughing Cow making their way into French supermarkets. Stakeholders in the bulk sector are seeking to introduce innovations in order to expand and democratise the concept. But is the bulk model such a clear-cut approach to consuming in a sustainable way?
Bulk can be described as a consumer practice with a lower impact on the environment, since it involves the sale of products with no packaging, plastic or unnecessary waste and the use of reusable containers by consumers. In this type of distribution, predetermined manufacturer packaging becomes a thing of the past.
In this model, distributors and consumers take on the task of packaging the product themselves to ensure the continuity of the multiple logistical and marketing functions that packaging usually fulfils. Unaccustomed to this new role, stakeholders in the bulk sector may make mistakes or act in ways that run counter to the environmental benefits that are generally expected to result from this practice.
Contrary to the usually positive discourse on bulk products, our research points to the perverse and harmful effects of bulk distribution. When bulk stakeholders are left to “cope with” this new task of packaging products, can bulk still be described as ecologically sound?
Packaging has always played a key role. It performs multiple functions that are essential for product distribution and consumption:
Logistical functions to preserve, protect and store the product: packaging helps to limit damage and loss, particularly during transport.
Marketing functions for product or brand recognition, which is achieved by distinctive colours or shapes to create on-shelf appeal. Packaging also has a positioning function, visually conveying a particular range level, as well as an informative function, serving as a medium for communicating a number of key elements such as composition, best-before date, etc.
Environmental functions, such as limiting the size of packaging and promoting certain types of materials – in particular recycled and recyclable materials.
In the bulk market, it is up to consumers and distributors to fulfil these various functions in their own way: they may give them greater or lesser importance, giving priority to some over others. Insofar as manufacturers no longer offer predetermined packaging for their products, consumers and distributors have to take on this task jointly.
Our study of how consumers and retailers appropriate these packaging functions used a variety of data: 54 interviews with bulk aisle and store managers and consumers of bulk products, as well as 190 Instagram posts and 428 photos taken in people’s homes and in stores.
The study shows that there are two modes of appropriating packaging functions:
by assimilation – when individuals find ways to imitate typical packaging and its attributes
by accommodation – when they imagine new packaging and new ways of working with it
Some consumers reuse industrial packaging, such as egg cartons and detergent cans, because of their proven practicality. But packaging may also mirror its owners’ identity. Some packaging is cobbled together, while other packaging is carefully chosen with an emphasis on certain materials like wax, a fabric popular in West Africa and used for reusable bags.
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Appropriating the functions of packaging is not always easy. There is a “dark side” to bulk, with possible harmful effects on health or the environment, and social exclusion. Bulk can lead, for example, to hygiene-related problems or misinformation when consumers fail to label their jars correctly, or use packaging for another purpose. For example, using a glass juice bottle to store detergent can be hazardous if a household member is unaware of its contents.
Bulk shopping can also appear exclusive for people with less culinary education. (High-income professionals over the age of 50 make up 70% of all consumers of bulk products.) Once the packaging disappears, so does the relevant information. Some consumers actually do need packaging to recognize, store and know how to cook a product. Without this information, products may end up in the garbage can!
Our study also shows the ambivalence of the so-called “environmental function” of bulk shopping – the initial idea being that bulk should reduce the amount of waste generated by packaging. In fact, this function is not always fulfilled, as many consumers tend to buy a great deal of containers along with other items, such as labels, pens and so on, to customise them.
Some consumers’ priority is not so much to reuse old packaging, but to buy new storage containers, which are often manufactured in faraway lands! The result is the production of massive amounts of waste – the exact opposite of the original purpose of the bulk trade.
After a period of strong growth, the bulk sector went through a difficult period during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to closures for many specialist stores in France, according to a first survey on bulk and on reuse. In supermarkets though, some retailers invested to make their bulk aisles more attractive – though in the absence of any effective guidance, consumers failed to make them their own. Bulk aisles have become just one among a host of other aisles.
Things seem to be improving however, and innovation is on the rise. In France, 58% of the members of the “Bulk and Reuse Network” (réseau Vrac et réemploi) reported an increase in daily traffic between January and May 2023 compared with 2022.
Distributors need to adapt to changing regulations. These stipulate that, by 2030, stores of over 400 m2 will have to devote 20% of their FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) sales areas to bulk sales. Moreover, bulk sales made their official entry into French legislation with the law on the fight against waste and the circular economy (loi relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage et à l’économie circulaire) published in the French official gazette on February 11, 2020.
In this context, it is all the more necessary and urgent to support bulk stakeholders, so that they can successfully adopt the practice and develop it further.
Fanny Reniou has received funding from Biocoop as part of a research partnership.
Elisa Robert-Monnot has received funding from Biocoop as part of a research partnership and collaboration.
Sarah Lasri ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.
– ref. No packaging, no problem? The potential drawbacks of bulk groceries – https://theconversation.com/no-packaging-no-problem-the-potential-drawbacks-of-bulk-groceries-258305
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) have found Koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease in fish at the following sites in England and Wales
KHV is a serious viral disease of fish and is a listed disease in the United Kingdom. It affects all varieties of common and ornamental carp species (Cyprinus carpio) and can result in large scale mortalities. Fish with KHV disease may show the following signs, especially when water temperatures are between 16 to 28 °C:
necrotic (white or brown) patches on the gills
rough patches on the skin and sloughing mucous
sunken eyes
You must contact the FHI if you suspect an outbreak of KHV. This includes fish with the above signs, or deaths of carp or carp hybrids.
There is no risk to public health.
Sites with KHV disease must undergo a formal monitoring programme immediately following the outbreak. The FHI visit these sites to look for evidence of disease and to inspect compliance with the conditions of the statutory controls in place.
If a notifiable disease is confirmed, FHI places controls to limit the spread of disease (these are known as confirmed designations). The following conditions are applied under disease controls:
No person may, without the previous consent in writing of the FHI, move any aquatic animal including eggs, and gametes, into, out of or within a confirmed designation area.
Disposal of dead aquatic animals, including eggs and gametes, must be by an approved method for disposal of Category 2 animal-by-product waste in compliance with local Environmental Health department requirements
Notify the Fish Health Inspectorate immediately should mortalities re-occur or spread to other waters/facilities within the designated area.
Notify the FHI in advance of all intended physical changes to sites within the designated area – such as site boundaries, number or size of waters, use of the site. FHI written permission will be required beforehand for all such changes.
All requests for consents required under this Confirmed Designation Notice must be submitted to the FHI with a minimum of 5 working days’ notice.
When laboratory testing confirms KHV disease at a site, the FHI place statutory controls to limit the spread of the disease. These controls restrict movement of aquatic animals.
You can:
view all KHV disease outbreaks, their locations, and controls
find out more about KHV disease
take steps to prevent the introduction and spread of KHV disease
Koi herpesvirus disease (KHV) is a listed disease under The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009. KHV outbreaks have been subject to statutory controls in the UK since 2007. The UK maintains a surveillance programme for this disease.
When the FHI confirm an outbreak, they take steps to control and, wherever possible, remove the disease. This may involve movement controls on susceptible species in the affected area, enhanced biosecurity, culling of fish, and cleaning and disinfecting of the premises.
Once statutory controls are in place the site operators must write to the FHI to get permission to move live fish into, out of, or within the designated area, and to make material changes to the site or site activities. This also applies to fish eggs and gametes.
Source: Scottish Government
First Minister announces changes to Ministerial team.
Tackling the housing emergency will be at the heart of the Scottish Cabinet, First Minister John Swinney has announced.
Màiri McAllan has been appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Housing upon her return to government from maternity leave. Ms McAllan has responsibility for all aspects of housing policy, including heat in buildings.
This appointment will ensure government action is focused on tackling the housing emergency and providing energy efficient homes for the future – helping stimulate economic growth, deliver Net Zero commitments and tackle child poverty.
Gillian Martin has been appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, having held the portfolio during Ms McAllan’s maternity leave.
Following the death of Christina McKelvie in March, Maree Todd will become Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, while retaining her existing responsibility for Sport. Tom Arthur has been appointed as Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan has requested to leave the Scottish Government and he does so today. Acting Minister for Climate Action Alasdair Allan will leave Government at the end of this week, having indicated that he only wished to serve on an interim basis.
Excluding the Law Officers, the overall size of government reduces to 23, down from 27 in May 2024.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“Scotland’s strengths lie in our people, our communities and our resolve to leave a better future, and better country for the next generation. As First Minister, I am firmly focused on leading a government that unlocks the potential for every person in Scotland to thrive.
“I have made changes to the Cabinet which will further enable us to realise that potential. Màiri McAllan has been tasked with tackling the housing emergency, including ensuring we have energy efficient homes to help bring down bills and tackle the climate emergency. These are two of the biggest challenges facing people across the country and I want them to know they have a government firmly on their side and focused on delivering real change.
“Following the sad passing of Christina McKelvie, I have asked Maree Todd to take on responsibility for Drugs and Alcohol Policy. This government has shown it is not afraid to take bold measures to prevent harm and death, and we must redouble our efforts.
“I want to thank Paul McLennan and Alasdair Allan for the service they have provided to me, the government and to the people of Scotland. They both held two very important Ministerial appointments in housing and climate action and have helped to drive forward progress in tackling two issues which are central to Scotland’s long-term success as a nation.”
Background
The changes mean the Scottish Cabinet now consists of twelve, the majority of whom are women. Further changes mean the Ministerial team reduces to eleven, from fourteen.
The Scottish Cabinet is as follows:
Màiri McAllan has been on maternity since 1 July 2024. Gillian Martin was acting Cabinet Secretary Net Zero and Energy, with Alasdair Allan temporarily assuming responsibility for Climate Action. Màiri McAllan maternity cover – gov.scot
Christina McKelvie, Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, passed away in March 2025. First Minister pays tribute to Christina McKelvie MSP – gov.scot
Tom Arthur was previously Minister for Employment and Investment. His investment responsibilities will be assumed by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, while Richard Lochhead’s extended responsibilities see him become Minister for Business and Employment.
Paul McLennan has left government today. Alasdair Allan will leave his post at end of this week.
Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent
Published: Wednesday, 11th June 2025
Illegal tobacco and vapes worth £25,000 have been taken off Stoke-on-Trent streets as part of a national operation and the council mission to reclaim our streets.
Trading Standards officers raided four premises on Tunstall High Street and were accompanied by Staffordshire Police and a Wagtails UK Tobacco Detection Dog and handler.
In total, 20,000 cigarettes, 6.5kg of hand rolling tobacco, 650 vapes and 22 tubs of shisha were seized.
The raids took place as part of Operation Cece, a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC, which is aimed at tackling the supply of illegal tobacco.
This activity also follows the introduction of the ban on single use vapes, which came into force on Sunday 1 June.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Our Trading Standards officers continue to work to protect our communities and get these illegal products off our streets. Illegal tobacco and vapes often exploit vulnerable workers and undermine legitimate business.
“This work is part of the council’s commitment to creating a cleaner, greener and safer city for all and you will face serious consequences if you choose to sell illegal products.”
Anyone who wants to report a similar issue to Trading Standards can call the Trading Standards Hotline 01782 238444 or visit stoke.gov.uk.
Businesses can find advice and guidance on the ban on single use vapes here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/single-use-vapes-ban
Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent
Published: Wednesday, 11th June 2025
A new 24/7 online portal is launched today to provide the city’s valued community of carers a range of instant support, information and advice.
The portal, which is being launched during National Carers Week, can be reached at www.stoke.gov.uk/helpforcarers.
It includes:
This is the third portal launched by the council’s Adult Social Care team in the last few months – both the Bettercare Support portal and Professional Portal are also available 24/7 to make accessing services, support and signposting better than ever before.
The aim of all three is to help people lead the most independent lives they possibly can by tapping into the right amount of support, whatever their circumstances.
In addition, a new Finance Portal that will enable people to quickly see if they are likely to be eligible to have support funded, will also be available in the next few weeks.
Councillor Duncan Walker, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and All-Age Commissioning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Our carers are often unsung heroes, of all ages, many unpaid looking after relatives or other loved ones, and deserve all the support we can offer.
“The services available at the click of a button through this new portal are aimed at just that – helping them to access all the advice they need along with a range of organisations who can support them.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
The Chancellor has today (Wednesday 11 June) announced a record £29 billion investment to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future.
New investment announced at the Spending Review will enable the NHS to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change to cut waiting lists, improve patient care and modernise services.
Up to £10 billion allocated towards technology and digital transformation, thousands more GPs to be trained and funding allocated to deliver an additional 700,000 urgent NHS dentist appointments a year.
The funding boost came as the Chancellor unveiled a Spending Review to deliver Britain’s renewal, with record investment in the country’s security, health and economy.
The Chancellor confirmed a £11 billion real-terms increase in defence spending over the spending review period, backing our Armed Forces, creating British jobs in British industries, and prioritising the security of Britain when it is most needed.
Today’s funding will provide the Ministry of Defence with the resources and capital necessary to start delivering the Strategic Defence Review, rebuilding the armed forces and investing heavily in UK intelligence capabilities. This includes £15 billion for a nuclear sovereign warhead programme, supporting over 9,000 jobs in the UK, £7 billion of infrastructure funding for a once-in-a-generation renewal of military accommodation, and £6 billion for munitions, investing in supply chains and factories in the UK and generating over 1,000 jobs and export potential.
At least £280 million a year will also be invested into border security by 2028-29, including into the Border Security Command, to tackle people-smuggling gangs running small boats. Funding of at least £400 million a year by 2028-29 will speed up the process of asylum processing, increase appeals capacity and continue asylum returns alongside ending the costly use of hotels for accommodation.
Police spending power will see an average 2.3% real terms increase over the Spending Review period as the government puts police back on the beat in communities across England and Wales, supporting the government’s Plan for Change commitment to put an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood roles.
Roads, infrastructure and towns outside of London and the South East will receive investment to ensure Britain’s renewal is one that is truly national. Revisions to the Treasury’s Green Book announced by the Chancellor mark a new approach to appraisal in the public sector, one which will enable the more effective assessment of place-based interventions.
The Chancellor announced £15.6 billion funding in total by 2031-32 for local transport projects in England’s city regions and £2.3 billion from 2026-27 to 2029-30 for local transport improvements outside of these nine regions, improving everyday journeys for all. The Chancellor announced a further £2.5 billion to connect Oxford and Cambridge through the continued delivery of East-West Rail and confirmed she will set out plans to take forward work on Northern Powerhouse Rail in the coming weeks.
Funding announced today will deliver upgrades to Cardiff Central station, reduce journey times between Manchester and Leeds through continued investment in the TransPennine Route Upgrade, and progress the delivery of Midlands Rail Hub, enhancing connections from Birmingham across the West Midlands and to other regions.
The Chancellor also confirmed the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, confirming £39 billion of investment over ten years through a new Affordable Homes Programme, turbocharging the Plan for Change commitment to get the country building and deliver the 1.5 million homes Britain needs.
This significant settlement represents the first time in living memory that the government has set out a programme that provides ten years of certainty – giving the sector the confidence to deliver for now and for the future of housing in Britain and turning the tide on the housing crisis in this country.
Today’s Spending Review also supports the development of home-grown, clean power to deliver energy security by committing £14.2 billion for Britain’s first state-funded nuclear power station since 1988 in Sizewell C, providing over £2.5 billion for one of Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor programmes and allocating £9.4 billion to UK carbon capture and storage over the Spending Review period – all while supporting Britain’s acceleration to net zero and driving growth.
The Chancellor also confirmed additional funding for up to 350 communities, especially those in deprived areas, through Plans for Neighbourhoods – giving new long-term regeneration funding and supporting councils in their fightback against graffiti and fly-tipping across Britain.
The government will also establish a Growth Mission Fund to expedite local projects that are important for growth but have been forgotten, such as Southport Pier, Kirkcaldy’s seafront and High Street, and a new sports quarter in Peterborough.
In the coming weeks, the government will release its Infrastructure and Industrial Strategies – providing the certainty and stability sectors need to invest and work to drive our growth mission.
The devolved administrations will receive their largest real terms settlements since devolution began in 1998, enabling them to deliver on local priorities that matter most to communities.
The Scottish Government will receive an average extra £2.9 billion across the duration of this Spending Review through the operation of the Barnett formula. In recognition of Scotland’s unique needs, they will have 20% more to spend per individual than comparable UK Government spending for people in the rest of the UK.
The Welsh Government will benefit from an average extra £1.6 billion over the Spending Review period through the Barnett formula to deliver against the priorities of working people in Wales, and 20% more to spend per individual than comparable UK Government does for people in the rest of the UK.
The Northern Ireland Executive will receive an average extra £1.2 billion through the Barnett formula, 24% more to spend per person than the comparable UK Government spending in the rest of the UK, reflecting Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances.
These record settlements are made possible by the tough but necessary decisions taken in the October Budget.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On June 11, 2025, a delegation from the State University of Management visited the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPb FRC RAS).
The working tour of the scientific team of the State University of Management continues in Saint Petersburg. Earlier we reported on meetings with the management of the Leningrad Region Committee for Transport and the BGTU “VOENMEKH”.
The State University of Management was represented at the meeting by Vice-Rector Maria Karelina, Chief Researcher of the Scientific Research Coordination Department Alexey Terentyev (a leading scientist in the field of developing decision-making models under uncertainty), Director of the Engineering Project Management Center Vladimir Filatov, Researcher of the Center Dmitry Rybakov and Junior Researcher of the Reverse Engineering Laboratory Nikita Akinshin.
Scientists and specialists of the State University of Management visited the Laboratory of Information Technologies in Systems Analysis and Modeling. The laboratory works on the development, research and implementation of methodological, methodological and technological foundations for the automation and intellectualization of processes of complex modeling of complex systems at various stages of their life cycle, and also conducts scientific research in the following areas:
Integrated modeling of the functioning of complex technical objects (STO); Planning the functioning of STO; Parallel structural and functional synthesis of STO; Data analysis; Development of automated systems for intelligent monitoring and management of the life cycle of STO; Development of digital twins based on information and analytical support.
During the visit, a joint meeting was held with scientists from the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences – leading researcher Stanislav Mikoni and young scientist of the research center Andrey Zakharov. The parties discussed the development of joint R&D in the field of digital twins, unmanned vehicles and predictive analytics. A special vector of joint work was defined as interaction within the framework of the implementation of a large scientific project by research teams of the State University of Management and the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in order to create a unified system that predicts technological and economic processes in agribusiness.
The joint meeting of representatives of the State University of Management and the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences took place within the framework of the signed agreement – in May, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and the director of the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Ronzhin signed an agreement on cooperation in the educational and scientific spheres.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Rosneft employees organized patriotic events to mark one of the main state holidays – Russia Day. Oil workers organize volunteer, environmental and sports initiatives, creative events and Days of National Cultures.
In Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, Samotlorneftegaz volunteers organized an intellectual quiz called “Russia is a Generous Soul”. Participants demonstrated excellent knowledge of the country’s history and geography, biographies of statesmen and outstanding scientists, literary and artistic figures. The drawing master class “Soul of Russia”, which was organized as part of the volunteer project “Creative Mentor”, aroused great interest. Participants painted landscapes of their native places on canvas, most of them dedicated their works to the nature of the Samotlor field, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Workers and veterans of RN-Nyaganneftegaz took part in the “Round Dance of Friendship”. Hundreds of oil workers in national costumes, holding hands, walked along the central street of the city of Nyagan, demonstrating the unity and ethnocultural diversity of the peoples living in the region.
In the Tyumen region, in one of the largest parks in Tyumen, employees of RN-Uvatneftegaz ran five kilometers with the Russian flag. Not only oil workers took part in the race, but also their relatives, who also decided to express a sense of pride in their country.
In Yamal, young specialists from ROSPAN International held a charity event called “Goodness Fair” on the eve of the holiday. They presented hand-made products. The proceeds were used to purchase everything necessary for the wards of the Novy Urengoy Society of Disabled People.
Employees of SevKomNeftegaz and activists of the youth Movement of the First held a bike quest in Gubkinsky. Moving along the city streets, the teams completed tasks related to the history and culture of Russia.
Volunteers from Kharampurneftegaz introduced the team to the national traditions of our country and the cuisines of the peoples living in it – Russian dishes and tea drinking traditions, customs of the Turkic peoples with a tasting of traditional echpochmak, chak-chak, kystybay.
In Krasnoyarsk Krai, oil workers from RN-Vankor organized a photo exhibition about the achievements of the largest oil-producing enterprise in the region. The exhibition clearly demonstrates the enterprise’s contribution to the development of the region, talks about the development of a large-scale oil-producing production complex in the north of the region, environmental initiatives and the preservation of biodiversity in the territory of presence, volunteer and patriotic events.
Achinsk Oil Refinery held a bike ride through the iconic patriotic places of the city of Achinsk. The column with the Russian tricolor included young specialists of the plant, students of the sponsored Oil and Gas Technical School and activists of the All-Russian “Movement of the First”.
In the Irkutsk Region, the Angarsk Petrochemical Company held a patriotic event among children vacationing in a summer camp at the corporate sanatorium “Rodnik”. More than 100 children recited poems about the Motherland and sang the Russian anthem. In a mass flash mob, children lined up in the colors of the Russian tricolor and performed a fiery dance to the song “Mother Earth”. The organizers of the event also told the children about the symbols of unity and independence of our country.
Members of the running club of the Rosneft Research and Design Institute in Tomsk took part in the city’s patriotic race. In the relay, the athletes passed a ribbon in the colors of the Russian tricolor.
On Sakhalin, Sakhalinmorneftegaz-Shelf employees celebrated Russia Day with a family sports festival and a mini-football tournament. Children participated in interactive master classes prepared for them by the company’s volunteers. The celebration ended with a mass action with the Russian flag.
In the Samara Region, volunteers from the Syzran Oil Refinery, together with school graduates, planted 80 birches in school gardens. Young trees decorated the territory of School No. 28. Last year, for the first time in 70 years of operation, the building underwent major repairs as part of the Cooperation Agreement between PJSC NK Rosneft and the Government of the Samara Region.
Volunteers of the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery together with the Russian Society “Knowledge” held a series of intellectual video lectures on the technological leadership of our country in the children’s health camp named after Yuri Gagarin. The children learned about the main successes and achievements of Russian industry, science, medicine, agriculture, sports, culture and education. The plant workers in an interactive format introduced the children to the history of the enterprise, with the biographies of the plant’s builders who made a significant contribution to the development of the oil industry.
Orenburgneft held a master class on creating drawings about the Motherland in the Orenburg Region. A professional artist helped participants depict a field of blooming sunflowers on canvas – a symbol of the steppe region. In the reading club of the city of Buzuluk, literature lovers held a discussion about artistic techniques for expressing love for the Motherland using the example of great works of Russian classics.
In the Ryazan region, employees of the Ryazan Oil Refining Company took part in the quiz “Experts of Russia”. They answered questions on history, geography, as well as the culture and traditions of Russia.
In the Saratov Region, volunteers from the Saratov Oil Refinery organized a sports and patriotic festival for students in grades 3-4 of the Aviator Gymnasium. The children were told about the state symbols and history of the country. The plant workers also held a master class in football. Football players from the plant team, winner of the qualifying round of the XX Summer Sports Games Rosneft and winner of the Romantsev Cup, taught the children how to act as a single team in various sports. At the end of the festival, all participants were presented with memorable souvenirs in the colors of the Russian tricolor.
About a hundred employees of NK Rosneft-Stavropol climbed 1,400 meters and unfurled the Russian flag on the top of Mount Beshtau, the highest point in the Caucasian Mineral Waters. The oil workers also organized a festival of “Cuisines of the Peoples of Russia” with the study of recipes and tasting of dishes from different regions.
The employees of RN-Chernozemye organized a festival of national cultures with folk costumes, a photo zone, performance of patriotic and folk songs, and dishes from the cuisine of different nations. White doves were released into the sky, symbolizing peace, freedom, and prosperity of Russia.
Festive events and activities united thousands of oil workers, representatives of different faiths and nationalities in different regions, and became a symbol of the unity of the peoples of our country.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft June 11, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Romain McLean, from Brent, exaggerated the turnover of RMC Associates Limited to secure two Bounce Back loans.
Romain McLean was the director of RMC Associates Limited, a management consultancy company registered in Wimbledon.
He overstated his company’s turnover twice to secure two loans.
McLean is now disqualified from being a director until 2036.
A Brent director who secured two Covid Bounce Back Loans – totalling £80,000 – having twice significantly overstated his company’s turnover has been disqualified for 11 years.
Romain McLean was the sole director of RMC Associates Limited, registered at Kingston Road in Wimbledon.
The 41-year-old of Pember Road, Brent, applied for a £30,000 Covid Bounce Back loan for his business in May 2020, when it was only entitled to around £12,000.
An Insolvency Service investigation found that he had overstated the turnover of his company by more than £100,000 to secure the initial loan.
In an interview during the investigation, Mr McLean admitted exaggerating his turnover to secure the loan, stating that he ‘just wanted to get as much money as he could’.
He also applied for a second loan at the maximum of £50,000, in July 2020, having falsely stated it was his first and only application and again overstating the turnover of his business by thousands of pounds.
Following the Insolvency Service investigation, he signed an undertaking disqualifying him from being a director for 11 years and offered a settlement repayment of £60,000.
Insolvency Service Chief Investigator Ann Oliver said:
Romain McLean overstated his company’s turnover to claim not one but two Covid Bounce Back loans.
He secured money for his company it was not wholly entitled to not once but twice.
This lengthy director disqualification demonstrates the seriousness of his actions and serves as a warning to others who seek to wrongfully claim taxpayers’ money.
McLean did not dispute the undertaking, agreeing to an 11-year director disqualification which began on 30 May 2025.
RMC Associates Limited was incorporated in 2008 and was subject to a winding up petition in 2023.
The Bounce Back loan scheme helped small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, at a low interest rate, guaranteed by the Government.
The loans were made on the condition that they were not to be used for personal purposes, but could be used, for example, to purchase a company asset such as a vehicle, if it would provide an economic benefit to the business.
The money lent to a company had to be paid back, over six or 10 years, with payments starting 12 months after the company received the loan.
RMC Associates Limited (Companies House number: 06653137)
Romain McLean, date of birth: 18 June 1983, Address: Pember Road, Brent, London.
Individuals subject to a disqualification order or undertaking are bound by a range of restrictions
Source: City of Plymouth
Earlier this year, people across the city elected their new faces to be the voice for young people across the city.
Two members have been elected, with two deputy members, and are ready to get stuck into their projects over the next year.
Bill, aged 13 aims to reduce homework, by ensuring teachers are aware of the struggles students face, and they offer help and support to those that need it.
Sienna, aged 16 was elected last year and re-elected this year, Sienna aims to tackle violence against women and girls, by challenging harmful attitudes, and advocating for safe spaces.
Our deputy members
Faith, aged 16 aims to reduce bus fares for children, young people and students. Focusing on school holidays.
The final project aims to tackle the cost of living crisis, with online campaigns highlighting the effects and to work with local leaders to promote support schemes. This is being led by Robin, 16.
Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said: “Our members of the Youth Parliament are all inspiring young people who are excellent role models as they are campaigning for change in our city. They are the voice for their generation, and all their campaigns are very strong focusing on current issues.
“I look forward to seeing them progress with their work over the next year and huge congratulations to them.”
Plymouth Youth Parliament is open to young people aged 11 to 18.
They are involved in supporting the above campaigns as well as a range of other work including attendance and involvement in the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny committee.
If you are interested in working with them and feel you can contribute to supporting the young people in meeting their campaign aims or can link them to workstreams relevant to their campaigns, or if you know of any young people interested in getting involved, please contact The Participation Team via [email protected].
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
6 June 2025
Strabane is set to come alive this Saturday, June 7th, as the Summer Jamm Festival transforms the town into a vibrant hub of family fun and local talent. Running from 12pm until late, the festival offers a diverse lineup of attractions and events for all ages.
The town centre will be bustling with activities including the Kidz Farm petting zoo, dinosaur encounters, urban sports demonstrations, and interactive drumming circles. Castle Place will feature BMX biking, parkour workshops, and graffiti art sessions, while Castle Street hosts the Roar Roar Dinosaurs baby dinosaur petting zoo. Main Street will offer live music, market stalls, and performances by local arts groups such as Class Act, Much Ado Stage School, and Encore PAA. The Alley Theatre will present the FizzWizzPop Magic Show, face painting, and arts and crafts workshops.
As dusk falls, Strabane’s pubs will come alive with the inaugural Music Trail, featuring performances by local artists across venues including Christy’s Bar, The Railway Bar, Dicey’s Bar, and The Farmers’ Home. Artists such as DJ Ryan Doc, Adam Dolan, The Brambles, and Louis McTeggert will showcase the town’s rich musical heritage. The Music Trail begins at 4pm and offers attendees a unique opportunity to experience Strabane’s diverse musical scene in an intimate setting.
A highlight of the festival is the Bear Run ’74 Supercar event, featuring a stunning display of luxury vehicles, including the Lamborghini Revuelto, known for its impressive performance. The supercars will be showcased on Railway Street, providing a thrilling spectacle for attendees and raising funds for the Mayor’s chosen charities, PIPS Suicide Prevention Derry and The Castlederg Patient and Comfort Terminally ill fund.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Ruairí McHugh, expressed his excitement for this weekend’s festivities.
“Summer Jamm has become a cornerstone of our community calendar, bringing together businesses, residents and visitors alike to celebrate the best of Strabane. This year’s festival showcases our town’s creative spirit, local talent, and warm hospitality. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy a day of fun and for everyone to support our local businesses. It will be one of my first engagements as Mayor and I am really looking forward to getting out and about to meet you all.”
To facilitate the event, the following roads will be closed to traffic from 7am to 7pm on Saturday, June 7th: Railway Street,Main Street, Castle Street and Castle Place.
Traffic diversions will be in place with alternative routes signposted. Visitors are advised that streets will be busy with lots of activities taking place in and around the town centre, so motorists should use the town centre car parks or, if possible, travel to the event using public transport. Please note that Canal Street car park will be closed to facilitate Cullen’s Fun Fair. Disabled parking will be available in the car parks at Canal Basin North, Railway Street, Butcher Street, and in Upper and Lower Main Street.
For more information, please visit www.derrystrabane.com/summerjamm
For all updates and detailed schedules, visit the official Summer Jamm website or follow the event on social media.
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
6 June 2025
Families across Derry and Strabane can look forward to an action-packed summer as the Council launches its exciting seasonal programme of activities – all at unbeatable value.
Returning again this year is the hugely popular £1 Summer Offer, running from 1st July to 31st August. This initiative gives young people under 18 access to a wide range of daytime activities – all for just £1 – at Council leisure centres across the city and district.
Available from Monday to Friday until 5pm, the offer includes swimming and a variety of court and pitch-based activities such as:
The initiative is part of Council’s wider sports development programme, aimed at encouraging children and young people to stay active, try new sports, and enjoy healthy fun throughout the summer – without breaking the bank.
Karen McFarland, Director of Health and Community at Derry City and Strabane District Council, said:
“The £1 Summer Scheme offers a fantastic variety of activities to keep children and young people engaged, active, and entertained throughout the holidays. It’s a great way for them to discover new interests while staying healthy and having fun.
Importantly, the affordable £1 price point helps ease the financial pressure on families looking to keep their kids busy over the summer break.”
The scheme will be available at the following Council leisure centres:
Please note: Activities must be booked on the day of play. Advance bookings are not available.
Separate from the £1 Summer Scheme offer, children and young people can also avail of the Council’s Intensive Swim Lessons over the summer months. Online and in-house enrolment will be available from the following times next week:
Monday 9th June
Foyle Arena – Online from 9am, inhouse from 10am
City Baths – Online and inhouse from 11am
Tuesday 10th June
Templemore Sports Complex – Online from 9am, inhouse from 10am
Riversdale Leisure Centre – Online from 9am, inhouse from 10am
For full details on the summer programme and to stay up to date with all the latest offers, visit:
www.derrystrabane.com/services/leisure
You can also follow your local leisure centre on Facebook for regular updates.
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
11 June 2025
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairí McHugh, is looking forward to welcoming the West Indies international cricket team to the Council area this week for their three game Twenty20 series with Ireland at Bready Cricket Club.
The games are taking place on June 12th, 14th and 15th at the Magheramason club and Mayor McHugh will attend the opening game on Thursday before hosting a civic reception in the Guildhall for both teams on Friday.
The North West Cricket Union have received Council’s National Events Fund to help host the event and Council’s Environment team have also provided floral arrangements, hanging baskets and planters for the games.
“I am delighted to see world class cricket returning to Derry and Strabane with the arrival of the West Indies team for these three high profile games,” said Mayor McHugh.
“The North West Cricket Union have shown great ambition in developing Bready Cricket Club as an international level ground and it’s a valuable opportunity for us to showcase our region as a host for elite level sports events.
“The event will attract thousands of visitors to the City and District over the weekend and millions of viewers across the world so the positive impact it will have for our hospitality sector and on our international profile is significant.”
The games will all begin at 3pm and tickets, priced at £15 each, are available to buy now on the Cricket Ireland website at cricketireland.ie
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
11 June 2025
Derry City and Strabane District Council has been awarded the prestigious RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Northern Ireland Award for Planning Excellence 2025 in the category of Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture, in recognition of its transformative Clooney Terrace Cannon Regeneration Project.
The award, announced yesterday at the RTPI Welcome Celebration Event at Malone House, Belfast, celebrates the Council’s leadership and collaborative approach in revitalising the historic Clooney Cannon site into a vibrant, accessible public space that respects and enhances the area’s rich heritage.
Delivered in partnership with the Bonds Street Community Association and Clooney All Saints Church of Ireland, the £215k project, which was funded by Department for Communities, has successfully breathed new life into a site of significant cultural and historical value in the Waterside area. The scheme, completed in 2024, included extensive environmental improvements such as the restoration of the historic Crimean War-era cannon, installation of new seating, planting, lighting, and interpretive signage. A new pathway now connects the cannon site to the adjacent church garden, with improved access points, new boundary railings, and sympathetic lighting that integrates and highlights both heritage assets.
The project was fully funded by the Department for Communities and reflects a broader strategy of heritage-led regeneration and placemaking within the district.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Ruairí McHugh, welcomed the award win:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive this recognition from the RTPI. It is a powerful endorsement of what can be achieved through genuine community partnership and thoughtful planning. The Clooney Cannon project not only honours our shared past but also creates a lasting space that will benefit local residents and visitors alike for generations to come. I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge well done and congratulations to everyone involved in this impressive project.”
The RTPI Northern Ireland Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate innovation, leadership, and impact in planning across the region. The Clooney Terrace Cannon Regeneration Project stood out among a competitive field for its thoughtful integration of heritage and community needs, showcasing the power of planning to shape meaningful, inclusive spaces.
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
11 June 2025
The 8th International Flann O’Brien Conference is set to bring a vibrant gathering of scholars and enthusiasts of Flann O Brien’s work to Strabane’s Alley Theatre from June 25th to 27th, 2025.
This prestigious event, hosted in Strabane for the first time, will delve into this year’s theme: An Fód Dúchais: Home, Heritage, and origins.
Jointly hosted by the International Flann O’Brien Society and Strabane History Society the conference marks a significant return to O ’Nolan’s birth town, Strabane. The town, with its unique geographical and historical position perfectly embodies themes of fluidity and contested spaces — concepts central to O’Brien’s satirical and often surreal literary output.
On Tuesday, June 24th, schools are invited to a free theatrical performance of “Flann O’Brien” by Justin Logue at 11am, followed by an informal pre-conference gathering of conference delegates at Farmer’s Home, Railway Street, Strabane.
This international gathering promises to be a rich exploration of Flann O’Brien’s literary genius, offering insights into his enduring relevance and the unique cultural landscape that shaped his extraordinary imagination.
The conference will feature three distinguished keynote speakers: Dr. Tobias W. Harris (Birkbeck, University of London); Dr. Michael Pierse (Queen’s University Belfast) and Dr. Emily Ridge (University of Galway).
The conference commences on Wednesday, June 25th, with a Walking Tour of Flann O’Brien’s Strabane led by members of The Alley Theatre team, scripted by Strabane History Society offering our international delegates a unique perspective on the town that influenced O ‘Nolan’s work. The day will also include a keynote address by Dr. Emily Ridge titled ‘Dul Siar, Dul Siar: The Ever-Receding West in An Béal Bocht’, followed by an Official Opening with a Civic Reception and performances led by local artists to welcome delegates to Strabane.
Attendees can look forward to a diverse range of academic panels throughout the three days, covering topics such as “Old and New,” “Science and Health,” “Technology and Media,” and “Social Contexts & Formative Communities.”
Thursday, June 26th, will feature a keynote address by Dr. Tobias Harris, ‘Ag Fuineadh Ama: Opening Closed Ground in the Works of Brian Ó Nualláin’, and a special Film Screening showcasing “Babble” (2008) by David O’Kane and “Re-enactment” (2009) by Eamon O’Kane, both inspired by O’Nolan’s work.
The evening will conclude with a Book launch for Flann O’Brien and the European Avant-Garde, 1934–45 (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025) and the launch of Micheál Ó Nualláin Art Exhibit by Anna Uí Nualláin in the museum services space at The Alley Theatre gallery. In the main gallery, O’Kane Family will also launch “Strange Enlightenments”; responses to the work of Brian O’ Nolan featuring artwork by Eddie O’Kane, Joanna O’Kane, Eamon O’Kane, Matthew O’Kane and David O’Kane which will be showcased throughout the summer months.
The final day, Friday, June 27th, includes a keynote address by Dr. Michael Pierse on ‘False Alternatives and Grim Absurdities: Flann O’Brien’s Social Critique of Independent Ireland in At Swim-Two-Birds and An Béal Bocht’.
Each lunchtime internationally renowned singer and songwriter Brian Hassan will provide music on our café stage.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Ruairí McHugh said it was a huge honour for the Alley Theatre to host a conference of this calibre. Extending his best wishes to everyone involved in the event he said he hoped it would be a huge success.
He acknowledged the role played by officers of Derry City and Strabane District Council in working to bring this event to the Alley Theatre, while also showcasing what Strabane has to offer in what will be a great visitor experience and a chance for the local community to capture a taste of Flann O Brien from an academic perspective from his town of birth.
For further information and programme details please visit www.alley-theatre.com or contact Alley box office 02871384444 or visit. Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 4.30pm
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Center for Whole Genome Sequencing of Biotechnology Campus LLC (hereinafter referred to as the Center) has fulfilled the plan for collecting biomaterials within the framework of the national genetic initiative “100,000 I”. The total number of samples has exceeded 100,000 units, of which more than 80,000 have already been decoded and entered into the project database. Full processing of the collected genomes will be completed by the end of the year.
The 100,000 I project is being implemented by the Center within the framework of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies, the main technological partner of which is PJSC NK Rosneft. The main objective of the initiative is to decipher and systematize the genomes of Russian residents to identify hereditary predisposition to serious diseases.
At the current stage of research, scientists have already identified the genetic causes of diseases in more than 10,000 patients. Bioinformatics analysis has identified thousands of unique genetic variants associated with 500 different rare (orphan) diseases.
In addition, based on the analysis of more than 50,000 genomes of the initiative’s volunteers, reference data on the genetic diversity of the Russian population has been formed – the so-called “genomic landscape”. These data will become the starting point for further work, which scientists will be able to rely on to identify new patterns in human DNA.
Additionally, samples of over 5,000 representatives of 50 different nationalities of the Russian Federation were analyzed. To assess the frequency of genetic variants that lead to severe genetic diseases, in certain regions, for example, in Yakutia or in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, expanded studies of representatives of individual ethnic communities are being conducted. Their results will form the basis for genetic screening programs for healthy family planning and prevention of hereditary pathologies.
The implementation of the “100,000 I” initiative makes a significant contribution to the development of personalized medicine and prevention of hereditary diseases in the country. The center cooperates with leading medical and genetic research centers, including: Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Academician B.V. Petrovsky Russian Scientific Center of Surgery, Academician N.P. Bochkov Medical and Genetic Research Center, Ufa Federal Research Institute and many others.
Rosneft pays special attention to the development of the scientific and educational part of the project. Together with Rosneft, master’s programs in genetics have been developed and launched at Moscow State University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology: “Genomics and Human Health” and “Algorithmic Biology”, respectively. During the training, students of the programs undergo practical training at the Center’s sites, and after successfully mastering the specialty and graduating, they have the opportunity to find employment there. The formation of a personnel reserve and the development of the scientific infrastructure of the project create the basis for further progress in the field of genetic technologies in Russia.
Specialists from the Biotechnology Campus regularly participate in educational events. In particular, in 2023-2024 they gave lectures and presentations at the Rosneft pavilion as part of the international exhibition and forum Russia at VDNKh.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft June 11, 2025
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