Earlier today (Friday 30 May) pupils from local schools joined the City Leader and guests for the official opening of Whin Park.
Since the redevelopment works were completed at the start of April, the new-look park has become a “must go to” destination for local children and their families, as well as visitors to Inverness.
Helping to make the official opening a memorable event were pupils from St Joseph’s and Muirtown primary schools, as well as young people from Millburn Academy who enjoyed demonstrating all the equipment to guests. Adding to the occasion and entertaining guests were young pipers from Inverness Royal Academy.
Before getting pupils to help him cut the ribbon, City Leader Cllr Ian Brown thanked everyone involved with the ambitious and creative project to transform the space and bring new life to the park and surrounding area.
He said: “I’m delighted this project has been delivered. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the consultation to help shape the facilities, especially the young people. The results thanks to their input from the start of the design process is an inclusive, sustainable play space which all ages and abilities can enjoy spending time in.
“We now have a park we can enjoy and be proud of. I would encourage anyone who has not yet come along, to make the most of the weather and get out and use the facilities. Enjoy them and look after them.”
A consultation on the play area design was carried out, ensuring that children’s views were heard and informed the project. Features include an interactive Nessie, Legend Seeker play ship, swing area, climbing birds’ nest, an adventure mound with tube slide, scramble net and interactive arch. The Sona dance and play arch is an audio-based piece of equipment made for the outdoors which utilises the latest technology and a range of games to encourage children to be more active outdoors.
Some of the children who helped design the park said:
“I enjoyed being part of the consultation process because we got to contribute what we would like to see in the park to make it enjoyable for everyone of all ages.”
“I thought the process was quite fun and you could choose from lots of great ideas and fun things that would be exciting for kids.”
“It was very exciting as we got to design new spaces and I think this park is way better than the one before.”
The newly developed site complements family activities already available at Whin Park including the boating pond, Ness Islands railway and a shop serving drinks and snacks.
Improvement works began in January 2025 by Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd who appointed Play Works Ltd as their on-site contractor to install the new equipment. Work was completed on site by end of March 2025 and the project was delivered within budget.
Funding for the contract was awarded by the Scottish Government Play Area Fund and was allocated to the redevelopment of the park by Members of the Inverness, Central, Ness-side, Millburn, and Inverness West Wards. In 2023, Inverness City Committee Members agreed £150k Inverness Common Good Funding and in 2024 a further £102k from the Community Regeneration Fund towards the park development costs. A total budget of £500,000.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is delighted to welcome Ben Gothard as the Director of their newly created Repairs and Maintenance Service.
The Repairs and Maintenance of the city council’s 17,500 houses and 600 public buildings, was bought back into the city council in April 2025, having previously been contracted to Unitas Stoke-on-Trent Ltd.
Having listened to our tenants, the new service is operating with a renewed focus on first time repairs, improved customer service and a more proactive approach to maintenance.
Ben is due to start in his post on 21 July 2025 and arrives with 20 years’ experience working in Social Housing Repairs and Maintenance and experience of working with Housing Associations and Local Authorities, having previously held the position of Head of Repairs and Maintenance for Sheffield City Council. He will manage all aspects of the RMS Team including Asset Management and Investment, Responsive Repairs and Planned Management.
Ben said: “I am really passionate about delivering excellent services for customers and it feels like a really exciting time to be joining Stoke on Trent City Council’s team. I am looking forward to concentrating on the improvements already recognised and welcome the opportunity to deliver a top performing service.”
Councillor Chris Robinson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning said: “We’re delighted to welcome Ben to the Repairs and Maintenance Service. His experience and knowledge make him ideally suited to support our expert tradespeople on delivering a service our customers deserve.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
The onus is on Russia and Putin to show they are serious about peace: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.
We’ve listened very carefully to the Russian delegation, including their attacks on the UK.
Let me say one thing.
Let us all hope that Russia engages more seriously and with more sincerity in the peace talks than we’ve heard here today.
Russia has just blamed the UK and other European countries for somehow sabotaging peace.
They’re trying to complicate things and confuse us.
But the reality is quite simple. Let me restate a few simple facts.
1) Russia invaded Ukraine twice in fact, in recent years.
2) Russia violated the UN Charter.
3) Russia is right, as we speak, trying to annex Ukrainian land.
4) Russia appears, from its public statements, to be seeking the overthrow of the government in Kyiv and to impose limits on Ukraine’s independence.
5) Russia has rejected an unconditional ceasefire.
6) Russia continues to bomb cities across Ukraine, 900 drone and missile attacks in just three days last week.
There is plenty more we could talk about, including Russia’s use of sophisticated weaponry in urban areas, killing civilians, or its reckless seizure of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
We could talk about the enablers of Russia’s war, such as weapons flows from Iran and its military partnership with DPRK, in violation of Council resolutions, and weaponised dual-use goods from other third parties.
But in the end, we don’t really need to look beyond the most essential facts about Russia’s invasion to understand the situation and what needs to happen next.
Ukraine on the other hand:
1) Is defending its territory.
2) Is defending the principles of the UN Charter.
3) Has agreed to an unconditional ceasefire.
President Zelenskyy has even offered direct talks with President Putin, which President Putin has rejected.
So yes, the UK stands proudly with Ukraine as it seeks a just and lasting peace.
Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attacks is not the cause of this war; it is a necessary response to it.
The onus really is on Russia, and President Putin, to show they are serious about ending the war that they started. Let us hope they do that very soon.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Yorkshire Water fined after pumping station sewage incident
Yorkshire Water has been fined £350,000 after one of its sewage pumping stations polluted a York watercourse.
Following an investigation by the Environment Agency, the company appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Friday 30 May for sentencing for two offences – one of illegally polluting Foss Dyke with sewage and another in relation to failing to maintain a pump at the pumping station.
It had previously pleaded guilty to the two offences in November 2024.
The court heard that Yorkshire Water was aware Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station’s backup pump had not been working for five months.
It had failed to repair it, despite the issue having been noted repeatedly during regular maintenance checks. It should have been fixed within 24 hours.
Yorkshire Water ‘failed to take action’
Martin Christmas, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:
Water companies have a responsibility to ensure their assets are maintained and in working order to protect the environment.
Yorkshire Water failed to take action despite being aware of the risks posed by one of its pumps being out of action, which led to a sewage spill.
We expect full compliance and are committed to taking robust enforcement action where we see serious breaches.
Alongside increased inspections at sewage treatment works, additional enforcement tools and better reporting we’re determined to hold water companies to account.
Sewage pumping stations pump sewage through the system to sewage treatment works. It is illegal, unless authorised by an environmental permit, to discharge pollution into watercourses.
Under the environmental permit for Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station, such a discharge is only allowed in an emergency, such as an electrical or mechanical failure or a blockage, which, if it occurs, must be remedied without delay.
Fossbridge pumping station has a main pump and a backup pump. There is an emergency overflow pipe which discharges sewage into the River Foss if the station fails, to avoid nearby homes connected to the system from being inundated.
Sensors enable Yorkshire Water to monitor the station’s performance including power, pump condition, levels and the operation of the emergency overflow.
Backup pump was blocked
On 5 October 2017, Yorkshire Water noted the inlet pipe feeding the backup pump was blocked and effluent couldn’t reach it, meaning the pump could not operate.
Although a job was raised to fix this blockage, and it was noted it needed repairs during several subsequent regular maintenance visits, it was never carried out.
Comments from Yorkshire Water during interview said the repair of the backup pump was to be done by an external contractor but had ‘got lost in the ether’.
On 12 March, 2018, the sewage pumping station filled to the point where telemetry alarms sounded indicating a discharge of sewage into Foss Dyke. The alarms were noted at Yorkshire Water’s control centre and attributed to high rainfall.
High rainfall was not a valid reason as the sewage pumping station was only allowed to discharge in an emergency as set out in its environmental permit and not, as with some water company assets like combined sewer overflows, in ‘storm conditions’.
Yorkshire Water did not attend the pumping station, despite the data indicating a sewage spill.
Report of discharge of sewage
Two days later on 14 March, Yorkshire Water received a report from the public about a discharge of sewage from Fossbridge pumping station.
It was found the main pump was running but on ‘low amps’ – which indicates a potential air lock – and the backup pump was still not repaired. Yorkshire Water had no functioning pumps at the pumping station.
The company stopped the discharge and arranged for tankers to transport the sewage away from the pumping station while it was repaired. Reports suggest the pumping station had been discharging intermittently into the watercourse on 12 March, 2018.
Over the following days, two further discharges took place at the pumping station, one because only one tanker was being used to transport sewage from the pumping station and it had not been able to keep up with the flow, and another after the main pump blocked again.
Water samples showed high ammonia levels in the watercourse.
If members of the public see any signs of pollution, they should report it to the environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 807060.
Background
Full charges
Yorkshire Water Services Limited between 11 and 19 March 2018, caused a water discharge activity, namely the discharge of sewage into the Foss Dyke near York which was not authorised by an environmental permit.
Contrary to Regulation 38(1)(a) and Regulation 12(1)(b) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
Yorkshire Water Services Limited between 1 October 2017 and 19 March 2018 at Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station, York, failed to comply with condition 1.6.2 of Environmental Permit number 27/24/0440, in that the company failed to maintain the standby pump in working order.
Contrary to regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Government completes exit from NatWest
Final share sale ends nearly 17 years of public ownership
Final share sale ends nearly 17 years of public ownership
Millions of savers and businesses protected during the financial crisis
Taxpayers prioritised through value-for-money sales at market price since this government came to office
The government has sold its remaining shares in NatWest Group (formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS) — ending public ownership that began when it stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses during the financial crisis.
That intervention prevented the UK economy and financial system from going over the edge – protecting millions of savers, businesses and jobs.
Over 2008 and 2009, the government provided £45.5 billion to stabilise RBS (now NatWest), which at the time was one of the largest banks in the world- with over 40 million customers and operations in more than 50 countries.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
Nearly two decades ago, the then Government stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses from the consequences of the collapse of RBS. That was the right decision then to secure the economy and NatWest’s return to private ownership turns the page on a significant chapter in this country’s history. We protected the economy in a time of crisis nearly seventeen years ago, now we are focused on securing Britain’s future in a new era of global change.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds said:
Bringing NatWest fully back into private ownership marks a significant milestone for the UK banking sector following the financial crisis.
Since coming into government, we have halted the NatWest retail share sale, which could have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions. Instead, we put taxpayers first by only selling NatWest shares at market value— securing more money to invest in vital public services.
To date, £35 billion has been returned to the Exchequer through share sales, dividends and fees. While this is around £10.5 billion less than the original support, the alternative would have been a collapse with far greater economic costs and social consequences.
The Office for Budget Responsibility are clear on this point: the cost of doing nothing would almost certainly have been far greater than the difference between the capital injected and proceeds returned.
Allowing the bank to fail would have devastated people’s savings, mortgages and livelihoods — and shattered confidence in the UK’s financial system.
Since taking office in 2024, the government has prioritised securing value for taxpayers — scrapping plans for a retail sale that could have cost hundreds of millions of pounds due to the need to sell shares at a discounted price to attract retail buyers.
Instead, shares were sold only at market price and when it represented value for money — helping fund the Plan for Change to invest in the NHS, education and defence.
The government has now exited all banking sector interventions made during the financial crisis.
Notes to editors
Shares were sold through three accelerated bookbuilds in 2015 (£2.1bn), 2018 (£2.5bn), 2021 (£1.1bn), five directed buybacks of shares by NatWest in March 2021 (£1.1bn), March 2022 (£1.2bn), May 2023 (£1.3bn), May 2024 (£1.2bn), and November 2024 (£1bn), and a trading plan from 2021–2025
The final shares were sold through the trading plan on 30 May 2025. In total, the trading plan generated over £13.2bn in proceeds from sales of NatWest shares
Peak government stake in RBS was 84.4%
A retail sale, proposed under the previous government, was cancelled in 2024 due to the additional costs to taxpayers, estimated in the hundreds of millions
UK Government Investments (UKGI), who managed the shareholding on behalf of HMT, ensured all sales delivered value for money
Explainer of total amount received by government in relation to NatWest shareholding:
Type
Amount (£bn)
Comments
Sale proceeds
24.77
Total combined proceeds from sales of the shareholding between 2015 and 2025.
Dividends
4.91
Total combined dividends received since the bank recommenced dividend payments in 2018.
Dividend Access Share
1.51
Combined value of payments made to retire the DAS, which provided enhanced dividend rights to HMT following the provision of capital support to RBS. The DAS was retired in 2016.
Asset Protection Scheme fees
2.50
Fees paid by RBS in exchange for its participation in the APS, which protected against exceptional credit losses on certain portfolios of assets. RBS exited the APS in 2012.
Contingent Capital Facility fees
1.28
Fees paid in return for the provision of an £8bn CCF to RBS by HMT in 2009. The CCF was terminated in 2013.
In the margins of the first Italy-Central Asia Summit held in Astana today, the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, had a series of bilateral meetings with Heads of State of the region, confirming Italy’s will to strengthen cooperation with Central Asian nations at both bilateral and regional level with the 1+5 format.
Over the course of the day, President Meloni met with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, with the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, and with the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
The meetings provided an opportunity to reaffirm the intention to continue dialogue on all key regional and international issues, as well as the process of strengthening bilateral relations in all areas of common interest, with a particular focus on energy, critical raw materials, infrastructure, water resources, the environment, agriculture, connectivity and cultural and academic cooperation as well as cooperation on security matters.
There was a time when oil and gas companies happily linked themselves to the idea of planet-wide environmental changes. “Each day Humble supplies enough energy to melt 7 million tons of glacier!” boasts the headline from a 1962 double-page spread in Life magazine for Humble Oil, now part of ExxonMobil.
Fast forward 60 years and that advert takes on a prophetic quality. Millions of people have experienced first-hand the tragic consequences of how burning fossil fuels is overheating our planet beyond recognition. Not just by melting glaciers but fuelling storms, fires and floods.
The fossil fuel industry today would never dream of linking its activities to melting glaciers. Instead, it actively denies responsibility for the consequences of extracting and selling some of the most harmful products ever known to humanity.
For the decades we have known about climate science, this narrative has been core to how the fossil fuel industry maintains its social legitimacy: that the industry is not responsible for climate change, but everyone else is through their individual actions.
Yet a ten-year climate lawsuit brought by a Peruvian farmer and mountain guide has challenged this narrative. In March this year, Saúl Luciano Lliuya’s case against the European coal-giant RWE was heard in a regional court in Germany.
And while the court has now dismissed Lliuya’s specific claim – finding the flood risk to Lliuya’s particular property is not yet sufficiently great – it did confirm that private companies can in principle be held liable for their share in causing climate damages. This finding has major ramifications for the wider legal battle to make fossil fuel companies accountable.
Farmer vs coal giant
Lliuya lives in Huaraz, a city in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. He and the 120,000 residents of this city live in constant danger. The melting glaciers caused by climate change are causing the water levels in Lake Palcacocha above their home to rise. Peru’s disaster management agency warns that a flood could occur at any moment.
Huaraz is one of many cities in the Andes at risk of flooding as temperatures rise and glaciers melt. Christian Vinces / shutterstock
For Lliuya, it is not a matter of if but when – and how bad the flood will be.
He therefore embarked on his lawsuit against RWE with this simple premise: as one of the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters, it should help pay for flood defences to protect Hauraz. The total cost of a new dam would have been US$4 million (£3 million), and Lliuya was demanding that RWE pay 0.47% of that total, which is US$20,000.
This proportional amount was based on a calculation of RWE’s contribution to historical global greenhouse gas emissions – most of which have occurred since the 1990s, long after fossil fuel companies were aware their products would cause dangerous climate change.
RWE’s revenues are measured in the tens of billions. It could have accepted Lliuya’s request and paid for not just its share of the cost, but the full cost of flood defences for Huaraz. Yet the company fought tooth and nail to prevent the case getting as far as it did.
When asked by the court much earlier in the process if it would be willing to settle, the company’s lawyers declined, revealing exactly what was at stake: “This is a matter of precedent.”
On May 28 2025, the court ruled that the flood risk to Lliuya’s home was not sufficiently high to uphold his specific claim. However, its confirmation of the principle that private companies can be held liable for climate damage shows that RWE was, in fact, correct to fear the precedent that Lliuya’s case has now helped set.
Liability – across national borders
Despite RWE’s attempts to argue otherwise, the case’s outcome has far-reaching implications that could shape similar cases in countries such as Switzerland and Belgium, and which may be relevant for other jurisdictions including the UK, Netherlands, US and Japan.
Crucially, the case confirms that proportional liability for climate harm is legally possible, even across national borders. And this will still remain a possibility, even if a higher court overrules the German district court in favour of the fossil fuel companies.
Why does this matter so much to RWE and other fossil fuel companies, who argue time and again in court that they should not be held responsible?
For years, fossil fuel companies have operated as if they would not be held responsible for the emissions from their products. But as the world continues to warm, the harmful impacts of climate change and extreme weather will only intensify, resulting in mounting costs – both those we can calculate, such as damage to infrastructure, and those we cannot, like the loss of our loved ones.
With the growing number and accuracy of climate science attribution studies, legal pressure on companies to contribute to climate costs is likely to keep growing.
And when you consider that the legal basis for this “polluter pays” principle exists in a similar form in at least 50 nations around the world, then the scale of liability facing the industry becomes clear.
More examples are already emerging. In 2024, a Belgian farmer filed a lawsuit against French fossil fuel major TotalEnergies, seeking compensation for damage to his farm as a result of extreme weather.
In 2022, four residents of Pari island, Indonesia, started legal proceedings in Switzerland against the Swiss cement firm Holcim. The residents are seeking a 43% reduction in Holcim’s carbon emissions by 2030, and around US$4,000 in compensation each for damages caused by flooding.
Since 2017, dozens of cities, counties and states across the US have sued fossil fuel producers for climate change-related damages and adaptation costs, potentially totalling trillions of dollars – pointing to the industry’s increasingly well-documented historical and ongoing deceptions about climate change.
And policymakers across countries including the US, the Philippines and Pakistan are working to enact laws that would directly hold polluting companies financially responsible for climate damages.
The new ruling in Germany provides a shot in the arm to all these cases, and the future suits yet to be filed. Perhaps most consequentially of all, public opinion is hardening: growing numbers of people understand that the fossil fuel industry is responsible for climate change, and lawsuits to compel big carbon to pay for climate damages enjoy widespread public support.
When Lliuya launched his case nearly a decade ago, the idea of linking an individual corporation to the impacts of its emissions seemed implausible to some. Yet scientific research now makes it possible to link the emissions of individual companies to particular, quantifiable damages caused by climate change.
This, coupled with the German court’s ruling, makes it increasingly clear that the fossil fuel industry’s longstanding deflection of responsibility for planetary warming is doomed to melt away.
Benjamin Franta has served as a consulting expert for various climate-related lawsuits. His research has received funding from foundations in the environment and climate space.
A signing ceremony for the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) was held today as it was revealed that Hong Kong has been chosen as the IOMed’s home.
The IOMed will be the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to mediation.
CPC Central Committee Political Bureau Member and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi signed the convention on behalf of China. Representatives from 32 other countries also signed it.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Wang said that as an innovative step in international rule of law, the IOMed has great significance in the history of international relations.
He stressed that its establishment is an actualisation of the principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter and an example of a civilisational belief in harmony, while epitomising inclusiveness in the rule of law.
Outlining that the IOMed will be headquartered in Hong Kong, Mr Wang said the city’s handover is in itself a success story that exemplifies peaceful settlement of international disputes. The success of the “one country, two systems” principle has created brighter prospects for prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, he added.
Mr Wang said he looks forward to all parties working together to ensure the IOMed plays a positive role in peacefully resolving international disputes to create a brighter future for humanity.
Chief Executive John Lee, as well as senior representatives from more than 50 countries, and from the United Nations and other international organisations, attended the ceremony.
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam were also present.
Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the central government for allowing Hong Kong the honour of housing the organisation’s headquarters, adding that Hong Kong has a well-respected legal system and world-class legal and dispute resolution professionals.
“The IOMed will provide a pathway for countries – regardless of culture, language and legal system – to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding. This is increasingly important amid mounting geopolitical tensions.”
This afternoon’s Global Forum on International Mediation involved discussions of topics including mediation of disputes among countries and mediation of international investment and commercial disputes.
Guest speakers emphasised that Hong Kong has unique features that allow it to build bridges between different legal traditions.
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret said: “It combines the background and the expertise in both civil and common law, and it is the only jurisdiction that has these two features, and that is exactly what mediation needs.”
Former President of Slovenia Danilo Türk remarked that Hong Kong is a place of innovations in multiple ways, including technology, trade, and now also diplomacy.
“I think that that is a really very good choice. Hong Kong is already established as one of the global centres of communication, of everything, of every form of communication. And to add this dimension would enrich Hong Kong and would enrich also the processes of mediation.”
Executive Director of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Institute for Peace & Reconciliation I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, said he expected the IOMed to collaborate with other regional organisations, including ASEAN, in finding solutions to conflict situations within the region.
“I think Hong Kong and China have a lot of experience on the trade issues, on economic issues, and of course we expect that IOMed will also deal with the political and security issues in the future.”
Meanwhile, Asian Academy of International Law Founder Member and Co-Chairman Teresa Cheng said she believes housing the headquarters in Hong Kong will raise the city’s international profile by allowing it to play a leading role in mediation efforts.
“For example, capacity building, running conferences, bringing experts in to discuss certain issues. And all these will attract foreigners coming to Hong Kong and thereby knowing Hong Kong and learning themselves how good Hong Kong is, and therefore be able to bring that view back to their hometown.”
Witnessed by forum guests, Mr Lam signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Minister of Commerce of Cambodia Cham Nimul, to strengthen co-operation between the two places on issues relating to dispute avoidance and resolution.
May 30, 2025 – Ottawa, Canada – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, will be in Paris, France, from June 2 to 4, 2025, to attend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM), participate in meetings with WTO ministers and host a G7 trade ministers’ meeting.
At the OECD MCM—chaired by Costa Rica with Canada, Australia and Lithuania as vice-chairs—Minister Sidhu will advance Canada’s trade priorities, including reinforcing open and stable markets, diversifying our trading relationships and leveraging the digital economy. These priorities will help Canada foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth, benefiting Canadian businesses, workers and communities right across the country.
As Canada holds the G7 presidency this year, the Minister will host a trade ministers’ meeting, where he will emphasize the G7’s critical role in promoting economic prosperity for citizens and businesses and strengthening economic security and resilience amid evolving global trade challenges.
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An investigation led by specialist detectives at the Metropolitan Police has resulted in a 22-year-old man who raped two teenage girls and a woman being given a life sentence.
Levi Bancroft, 22, (11.06.02) of Hanson Close, West Drayton, was sentenced on Friday, 30 May at Southwark Crown Court for four counts of rape involving three victims.
Bancroft was convicted on Thursday, 31, October 2024, following a three-week trial at the same court.
The court heard how over a period of five years, Bancroft raped three women, targeting them as they were alone and vulnerable. He was also convicted of actual bodily harm, after he physically assaulted one of the women.
He was arrested and charged following a Met investigation, working closely with Thames Valley Police, where officers used CCTV and DNA evidence to put Bancroft at the scene of the crimes.
Detective Constable Lloyd Leech, who led the Met’s investigation, said:
“A serial sexual offender has been taken off the streets, protecting women across the country.
“Bancroft repeatedly targeted vulnerable women and followed a sinister pattern of behaviour. His abhorrent offending would have very likely continued if it wasn’t for this arrest and conviction.
“I commend the bravery of the three victims to come forward and report what had happened to them. Justice has now been served.”
The first allegation against Bancroft was made in 2018, but subsequently closed due to the victim not feeling able to proceed. A second report was made in 2020 and the case went to trial.
During this trial, a third report from Thames Valley Police came to light and the trial was adjourned as the CPS worked to join the three cases together, after the first victim was willing to come forward again.
Detectives were able to identify Bancroft as the suspect in the first and second case through DNA samples collected during medical examinations of the victims. CCTV also placed him at the scene of the second and third case, as well as data from his electronic tag from a previous knife possession offence.
He repeatedly preyed on women who were alone. In September 2018, Bancroft, then 16-years-old, took a 15-year-old into a stairwell of a block of flats in Westminster in the late evening. He prevented her from leaving the block, forced her down in the stairwell and raped her.
Bancroft’s pattern of offending included using threats of violence to instil fear into his victims, going on to rape them. This was shown again in January 2020, when Bancroft, then 17-years-old, followed a 15-year-old girl late at night off a tube at Royal Oak Underground Station. He forced her into a nearby stairwell of a block of flats and raped her.
In November 2023, Bancroft raped a transgender female in Oxford. After approaching her in the street, Bancroft followed her into a cul-de-sac. Bancroft then raped her behind a parked car. As the victim ran away after the attack, Bancroft chased her while shouting transphobic and threatening comments. When he was able to catch up with her, he went on to violently assault her. The victim managed run to a local venue to seek shelter where the police were called.
Detective Constable Rebekah Routh, who led the Thames Valley investigation, added:
“I wish to commend all three victims in this case for their immense bravery in coming forward and having trust in both the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley police to bring this dangerous individual to justice.”
Under the New Met for London Plan, our mission is to deliver More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards. Central to this is transforming how we prevent harm and tackle violence against women and girls, most often committed by predatory men like Bancroft.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, May 30 (Xinhua) — Horgos Port, a major railway hub in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has handled more than 4,000 China-Europe (Central Asia) freight trains since the beginning of the year, after a train loaded with electronics and mechanical equipment departed for Duisburg, Germany, on Thursday.
According to the Urumqi Office of China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd., the Horgos railway checkpoint has so far handled a total of more than 46,000 China-Europe/Central Asia freight train trips, bringing the total number of these trains to 87, covering 46 cities and regions in 18 countries.
Situated on the border between China and Kazakhstan, Khorgos and Alashankou, also known as the Alatau Pass, are the two main railway border crossings in Xinjiang.
According to previously published data, as of May 26, the Alashankou checkpoint had handled more than 3,000 China-Europe/Central Asia/ freight train trips since the beginning of the year. These trains traveled along 123 routes connecting 21 countries, including Germany and Poland.
Over the past three years, the capacity of these two railway checkpoints has grown at double-digit rates.
In 2024, these checkpoints handled 27.5 million tons of cargo, accounting for nearly 70 percent of XUAR’s total land import and export volume. In addition, the number of China-Europe freight trains passing through these two border crossings exceeded 50 percent of the national total.
In 2024 alone, the two checkpoints handled 16.4 thousand China-Europe freight train trips, up 14 percent from the previous year. –0–
Postponement of publication of results and Annual Financial Report for the year ending January 31, 2025
Paris, France – (30 May 2025) – PROACTIS SA (ISIN code: FR0004052561) announces the postponement of the publication, originally scheduled for May 30, 2025, of its results and Annual Financial Report for the year ended January 31, 2025.
This postponement follows the delay in finalizing the audit by the statutory auditors of PROACTIS HOLDING LIMITED (parent company of PROACTIS SA) and the delay in agreeing certain matters with the auditors of PROACTIS SA, notably with regards to the impairment of goodwill and forming a conclusion on going concern. As such, PROACTIS SA has no choice but to postpone the publication of its results and Annual Financial Report for the year ending January 31, 2025.
PROACTIS SA and PROACTIS HOLDING LIMITED have already taken the necessary steps to complete the audits as quickly as possible.
PROACTIS SA will announce the next publication dates in a press release in the near future.
Proactis SA connects companies by providing business spend management and collaborative business process automation solutions for both goods and services, through The Business Network. Our solutions integrate with any ERP or procurement system, providing our customers with an easy-to-use solution which drives adoption, compliance and savings.
Proactis SA has operations in France, Germany, USA and Manila.
Listed in Compartment C on the Euronext Paris Eurolist.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 30 /Xinhua/ — A Russian delegation led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky will arrive in Istanbul on June 2 for the second round of direct talks with Ukraine. There is no talk of Turkish or anyone else mediating in the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. This was stated on Friday by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
“We confirm that the Russian delegation, headed by the Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, will be in Istanbul on June 2 to hold the second round of the aforementioned negotiations. It will arrive with a draft memorandum and other proposals for a ceasefire,” said M. Zakharova.
Russia does not see a connection between direct negotiations with Ukraine and the presence of representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France in Istanbul, noted the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Of course, we are deeply grateful to our Turkish friends for their hospitality and for creating the necessary comfortable conditions for work as hosts of the negotiating platform. However, there is no talk of Turkish or anyone else’s mediation,” M. Zakharova emphasized. –0–
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Promoting women’s leadership in peace and security in focus of OSCE regional workshop in Ashgabat
Participants of a two-day regional workshop on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and supporting the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in Central Asia, with a focus on Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, 27 May 2025. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan) Photo details
To strengthen the role of women in peacebuilding and security across Central Asia, the OSCE Gender Issues Programme organized a two-day regional workshop on 27 and 28 May in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The event focused on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and supporting the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in Central Asia, with a focus on Turkmenistan.
The workshop brought together government officials, scholars, civil society representatives, and international experts to exchange experiences and good practices and explore practical strategies for integrating gender perspectives into national peace and security efforts. Special emphasis was placed on supporting Turkmenistan in updating its Gender Equality National Action Plan (NAP) to align with global standards and regional priorities.
In her opening remarks, Her Excellency Mahri Bashimova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, emphasized the country’s commitment to neutrality, peaceful coexistence, and international law, highlighting gender equality as a key element of its sustainable development and security policy. “We believe that women’s participation in peacebuilding and security processes must be systemic and institutionalized, not occasional,” she said.
Organized under the OSCE’s WIN Project and hosted by the Government of Turkmenistan —with support from Finland’s 2025 OSCE Chairpersonship—the event built on momentum from previous regional initiatives, including a 2024 expert workshop in Vienna.
“We must renew our resolve to empower women and girls and ensure their full participation in every sphere of life. Finland welcomes Turkmenistan’s efforts on WPS—particularly its National Action Plan on gender equality. Gender equality and full inclusion lie at the heart of Finland’s foreign policy and our OSCE Chairpersonship,” stated Ambassador Terhi Hakala, Special Envoy of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.
Participants engaged in expert-led sessions covering key areas such as developing and monitoring National Action Plans, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring meaningful participation of civil society and the security sector.
“For OSCE gender equality is not only as a matter of rights but the cornerstone of peace and security. This event reflects our commitment to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda — supporting participating States in developing and implementing effective National Action Plans. By promoting good practices in monitoring, co-ordination, and inclusive engagement, we are helping to build more responsive and resilient peace and security policies,” outlined Dr Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues.
The participants explored ways to ensure that the voices of women are heard and integrated into all aspects of peace and security in Central Asia.
Ambassador John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, reflected on the workshop’s impact: “One of the key outcomes of this two-day event was the opportunity to share national experiences and OSCE best practices in advancing the WPS agenda and tailoring National Action Plans accordingly. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the meaningful participation of women. Women bring essential perspectives shaped by their roles in families, communities, and economies — raising critical issues such as education, healthcare, and justice.”
Forty-five Plymouth roads will get a new lease of life over the next 12 months as part of a £1.734 million investment in preventative treatment and resurfacing.
Our road surfacing programme for 2025/26 has just got under way and is targeting stretches on main routes where the overall road surface is nearing the end of its life or where multiple potholes have developed.
Nine roads will be fully resurfaced and a further 36 are undergoing surface dressing, which is used to extend the life of roads showing earlier signs of wear and tear, improving their condition and delaying the need for more costly repairs.
Surface dressing involves spraying a bituminous binder onto the prepared road surface before applying aggregate chippings (also known as the ‘lock-chip’ stage), followed by sweeping and finally re-lining.
Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “Ensuring people can get from A to B, however they travel, is an absolute priority for Plymouth and a resilient road network is essential. By investing in preventative treatments like surface dressing we can improve the condition of roads and slow down their deterioration to help reduce the need for much more costly resurfacing.”
Roads undergoing surface dressing between now and the end of June include:
Barbican Road
Beaconfield Road
Boulter Close
Chestnut Avenue
Clittaford Road
Culver Way
Dunnet Road
Eggbuckland Road/Frogmore Avenue
Ford Park Lane
Furneaux Road
Granby Way
Lanhydrock Road Lane
Longbridge Road/Marsh Close
Macadam Road/Shapters Way
Mount Gould Road
Old Laira Road
Penlee Place/Ashford Road
Plymbridge Road
Pomphlett Gardens
Prince Maurice Road
Princess Street
Princess Street Ope
Roman Way
Segrave Road
Southway Drive
Staddon Lane/Hooe Road
Station Road (Tamerton Foliot)
Stenlake Terrace
St Georges Avenue
St Peters Road
Uxbridge Drive
Whin Bank Road
Wolverwood Lane
The works, which are phased over separate days, are being carried out by our road maintenance contractor South West Highways, alongside its day-to-day repairs to individual potholes.
Advance warning signs are being put out on the roadside to let drivers know when works are programmed and local residents and businesses are being sent letters with details of when their roads are being closed. Access to properties is being maintained as far as possible and any diversion routes are being signposted.
Roads that will be fully resurfaced this year include:
From intimate reflections on home and heritage to explorations of urban spaces, migration and belonging, this year’s Graduate Showcase exhibition at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is celebrating the many ways that “place” informs identity and influences creative expression.
The free exhibition, which features work by students graduating from a range of creative courses at ARU this year, is a fantastic opportunity for employers, fellow creatives or members of the public to engage with exciting, thought-provoking content, form valuable connections and gain new perspectives.
The Graduate Showcase features projects by more than 300 students from 15 different undergraduate courses, as well as work in progress from ARU’s Masters courses, and will be on show at ARU’s Cambridge campus from 6-13 June.
Echoes of Home, a Transatlantic Dialogue by BA (Hons) Photography student Betsy Richards-Kemp asks where our sense of belonging comes from as she attempts to understand the impact of the movement and migration of black people, drawing on the intimate story of two sisters separated by the Atlantic.
Based in Suffolk, Betsy uses her camera to tell the untold stories of people’s lives and to understand “shared culture, shared history and shared connections”.
The media used in the exhibition is as diverse as the subject matter – from Alice Hibbert’s handknitted jumper celebrating her Welsh roots and the cockle picking women of Penclawdd, South Wales, to Freyja Finnis’ graphic novel exploring a young person’s journey of self-belief and acceptance set in small rural community.
Fine Art student Zineb Khadraoui’s handmade ceramic tiles map personal and collective histories. Zineb explained:
“The tiles are made using clay from Morocco mixed with soil from my family’s land, and each one features photographic transfers from my travels or family archives.
“The installation takes a circular form, inviting the viewer to walk through the space and reflect on the idea of returning to one’s roots – both physically and emotionally.”
BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Issac Khera examines the ways we experience place through sound. Featuring the town of Hitchin, his auditory map explores the way the sound of rainfall interacts with the environment along a route. It uses a variable typeface to pinpoint the nuances of rainfall on different surfaces, such as trickling into a drain or falling onto cars.
Film and TV Production students Lisa-Marie Soulier and Claudia Vogt have co-produced a documentary, Saturday Night Butch, highlighting the importance of lesbian nightclubs in the celebration of masculine presenting lesbians.
Claudia said: “We travelled across the UK to find and understand the community, visiting venues from nightclubs to barbershops. Bringing Lesbians together has brought a new and long overdue appreciation for masculine presenting Lesbians and a unique perspective to Lesbian documentary.”
“Place is not just a backdrop for these students’ work, it is an active force – something that provokes, inspires, and challenges. Whether it’s a response to local culture, ecological landscapes, or global dislocation, our students are engaging with the world around them in meaningful and original ways.”
Professor Catherine Lee, Deputy Dean within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
ARU’s Graduate Showcase 2025 includes installations, moving image from games, film and animation, digital media, and traditional practices, with each piece offering a lens on how place shapes our experiences and futures. Many of the works also reflect a deep commitment to social and environmental issues.
The free Graduate Showcase is open to the public from Friday, 6 June to Friday, 13 June – including during ARU’s Undergraduate Open Day on Saturday, 7 June – but is closed on Sunday. The exhibition is at ARU’s main East Road campus in Cambridge and further information is available at https://creativeshowcase.aru.ac.uk/showcase/graduate-showcase
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council are asking local businesses to sign up to its exciting new gift card initiative, designed to encourage people to shop local, gift local, and spend local.
Set to go live this summer, the ‘Shop ABC’ Gift Card will be valid across the ABC borough. Businesses of all types and sizes — from retailers and restaurants to salons, hotels, and visitor attractions — are invited to join the scheme for free.
The card operates via the Mastercard network, meaning no additional equipment is required for businesses already accepting Mastercard payments.
The ‘Shop ABC’ Gift Card offers a convenient and flexible way for consumers to gift and spend money within the borough. Whether it’s for birthdays, Christmas, thank-you gifts, or corporate rewards, the card will provide a powerful new way to promote local economic activity.
With a summer launch fast approaching, the Council is urging businesses to register early to ensure they’re part of the scheme from day one.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Councillor Kyle Savage said: “The introduction of the Shop ABC Gift Card marks a significant step in strengthening support for businesses across the borough. We all understand the vital importance of shopping local—and this card makes it easier than ever to do just that. By keeping spending within our city, town centres, and villages, we’re not only backing local businesses but also investing in the long-term vitality and resilience of our communities.”
Chair of the ABC Business Partnership Alliance, Adrian Farrell, said:“The Shop ABC Gift Card is a powerful new way to support our local economy by making it easier than ever to shop local. Available in both physical and digital formats, it’s designed to appeal to all age groups and spending habits. This initiative gives smaller businesses access to a gift card program that aims to drive footfall and boost sales. With no additional cost to join or accept the card, it’s a win-win for businesses and consumers alike. By working together across the borough, we’re creating a compelling, modern tool that keeps money circulating locally and helps our town centres thrive.”
Colin Munro, Managing Director of Miconex, said:“The first thing people will do when they receive a Shop ABC Gift Card is check where it can be spent. Being a part of the initiative will drive awareness of your businesses, and is a proven means of driving new customers and new revenue. Signing up to accept the card takes moments and ensures you’re not turning away businesses when the card launches in the summer.”
To sign up or find out more about the Shop ABC Gift Card, businesses can email:
Outgoing Mayor Cllr Seenoi Barr reflects on historic year of inclusion, growth and resilience
30 May 2025
As her year as Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council draws to a close, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr has reflected on her term in office, highlighting her accomplishments, challenges, and her unwavering commitment to unity and inclusivity.
Speaking ahead of the Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) that takes place on Monday 02 June, to elect a new Mayor – Mayor Barr, said it was an extraordinary privilege to serve as Mayor of Derry and Strabane, to be the North’s first Black Mayor, as well as a Maasai woman and a Derry Girl.
She said her year as Mayor was dedicated to making “not just history—but change –from the outset, my pledge was to be a mayor for everyone—approachable, present, and focused on building a city and district where every voice matters.”
Mayor Barr, who made history last year as the North’s first Black Mayor, expressed her deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the district’s First Citizen. She emphasised that her term has been defined by diversity, courage, and a determination to build a more inclusive community despite facing various challenges.
One of the most pivotal achievements during her tenure was the signing of the Financial Deal for the Derry~Strabane City Deal. “This transformational moment confirmed what we’ve always known: that this district is ready to lead, to innovate, and to thrive,” adding that she firmly believed this investment will bring about positive opportunities for everyone.
The Mayor said that community was at the heart of her Mayoral year, exemplified by the “One Big Weekend, One Big Cause” initiative, which saw a series of vibrant fundraising events for the Mayor’s chosen charity, the BUD Club. From the “roar of the Supercar event to the rhythm and joy of Derry Rocks for BUD Club, to the colour and energy of my ‘Feel the Beat’ Afro-inspired music celebration,” each event underscored a strong sense of purpose and community spirit,” she said.
A significant legacy of the Mayor’s term was the Inclusive Youth Hub— ‘Our Guildhall, Our Place’. This initiative provided young voices with a platform and sense of belonging, reflecting a shared commitment to young people and meaningful change.
The Mayor also proudly recalled the joy of hosting the Inclusive Birthday Party at Foyle Arena, tailored for children and young people with additional needs, proving that “inclusion works when we work together” and the Community Christmas Party held at the Guildhall where those who made a significant impact on their community were acknowledged and recognised.
The Mayor spoke of the work she did to actively promote diversity and inclusion across civic life, reaching out to fellow Mayors across the North for “powerful and honest conversations about how we can better include all minority communities.” This commitment extended to representing the city internationally, raising awareness around racial inequality, migration, women’s health, and housing.
The Mayor’s leadership extended to the international stage, welcoming former Taoiseach Simon Harris T.D. and the Lord Mayor of the City of London, cementing Derry~Strabane’s central role in regional growth and global collaboration while a trade and investment mission to the U.S. successfully promoted Derry and Strabane as a hub of innovation and investment.
A deeply personal and profoundly meaningful highlight was the Mayor’s address at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., leading to the award of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Howard University. “This honour was not just a personal milestone—it was a recognition of the values we hold dear: inclusion, justice, and meaningful social change.”
Mayor Barr said the visit of a delegation from her homeland of Kenya was another very powerful symbol of unity and support, whilst also further strengthening Derry’s international relations.
The Mayor bravely addressed the “unprecedented levels of online abuse—much of it, racially motivated, and much of it deeply personal.” She said that despite these challenges she refused to be defined by hate, choosing instead to “stay focused, to stay present, and to stay true to my purpose: building a more inclusive, compassionate, and forward-looking district.”
She credited the people of Derry and Strabane for lifting her up, demonstrating that “love is louder. And hope is stronger.”
The Mayor extended profound gratitude to Deputy Mayor Alderman Darren Guy for his support during her Mayoral term, her dedicated Mayoral support staff, the Guildhall and wider Council staff, and fellow councillors.
She also acknowledged the performers and community contributors and sponsors for their continued support with a heartfelt appreciation for her husband Paul and son Brian for their unwavering love and support throughout the year.
As she prepares to pass the chain of office to the new incoming Mayor, the Mayor concluded saying she left office with her “head held high,” confident that “together, we’ve shown what’s possible when leadership is rooted in community, courage, and compassion.”
NHS Lothian, and Asthma + Lung UK have praised the benefits of the LEZ, following a year of enforcement.
Experts at the NHS and a leading charity have highlighted the ongoing impact of the LEZ enforcement on air quality and health. In addition, the new rules have incentivised active travel and greater use of public transport.
A LEZ was introduced in Edinburgh on 31 May 2022, along with LEZs in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, restricting the most polluting vehicles and benefiting everyone’s health. Edinburgh began enforcement alongside Aberdeen on June 1, 2024. Dundee began enforcement on May 30, 2024, and Glasgow on June 1, 2023.
With Clean Air Day (19 June) just a few weeks away too this one-year anniversary is a timely reminder of the importance of the LEZ here in Edinburgh and beyond.
In recent years air quality in Edinburgh has improved, with our monitoring data showing reduced pollution levels, and people getting ready for the LEZ may have contributed to this.
Over the last year, the average amount of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for non-compliant vehicles entering the zone has been decreasing steadily.
Between June 2024 and January 2025 alone the total number decreased by 56%. There is also evidence of lower numbers of second contraventions. The vast majority of vehicles entering the LEZ are compliant, over 95%. Around 3% of vehicles entering the LEZ are exempted classed.
The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) has also published a study indicating that active travel and public transport use increased within the LEZ during the first six months after LEZ enforcement.
The first annual report on LEZ operation is expected to be presented to the Transport and Environment Committee later this year, including air quality trends and how the scheme contributes to our carbon reduction targets, as well as operational matters such as the number of PCNs issued, costs of maintaining and operating the scheme, gross and net revenue and other key issues.
The Council is working with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) on data collection and analysis of the LEZ and will present a report in the Scottish Parliament that will help inform the national picture of LEZ impact.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson:
I’m proud that alongside Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow we took the bold step of implementing and enforcing a LEZ. We’re sending a clear message that our major cities are united in pursuing a better future for all. Fundamentally, the LEZs are about making our cities healthier for everyone.
As Scotland’s capital city, we have a duty to lead on the response to the climate and nature emergencies which will define our country for generations to come. Multiple studies show that even low levels of pollution can have an impact on our health. Road traffic is one of the main sources of harmful emissions that are damaging people’s health and contributing to climate change, so we have a real responsibility to tackle this.
The average decrease in PCNs here in Edinburgh show that people are getting used to the LEZ and modifying their habits accordingly. It’s also encouraging to see studies showing a positive shift towards greater use of active travel and public transport.
I look forward to seeing the annual report when it is considered by Committee.
The LEZ is one important tool to help us achieve our ambitious climate goals, including net zero emissions by 2030.
Flora Ogilvie, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian said:
It’s great to know that the LEZ enforcement has been in place for a year, helping to improve air quality in the city and protect the health of our most vulnerable residents. Improving air quality and reducing traffic levels are also an important way of encouraging more people to travel by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.
Travelling sustainably can help improve individual physical activity levels and mental wellbeing, as well as supporting better environmental health for the whole population and planet.
Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland said:
We are pleased that Edinburgh along with Dundee and Aberdeen made the bold move a year ago to ban the most polluting cars from their city and it is a step in the right direction to help improve the air that we all breathe.
With air pollution cutting short thousands of lives a year, we want to see our cities become far healthier places, where people can walk and cycle and not be forced to breathe in dirty air.
With 1 in 5 people in Scotland developing a lung condition like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their lifetime, for them, air pollution can trigger life-threatening asthma attacks and flare-ups.
Children are more susceptible to air pollution as their lungs are still growing, and they also breathe faster than adults. As they grow, toxic air can stunt the growth of their lungs, making them less resilient into adulthood and placing them at greater risk of lung disease in the future.
Further Information:
77% of all PCNs in the last year were served to light passenger vehicles (private cars) and 21% to light goods vehicles (panel vans) with the remaining 2% being divided among the other classes of vehicle. 62.4% of PCNs are paid within 14 days at the discounted rate.
Income from the LEZ will be used in the first instance to pay for the operation and maintenance of the scheme. Any surplus income will be contributed towards Council projects which contribute towards the wider goals of the LEZ, particularly improving air quality and climate change emission reduction.
Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK. The World Health Organization and the UK Government both recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental threat to our health.
Another key development is that the Low Emission Zone Support Fund has now resumed and is open to new applications. This is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by the Energy Saving Trust.
Stoke-on-Trent residents are invited to lace up their trainers and join in a Centenary parkrun weekend this June.
In partnership with four local parkrun events, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is marking the city’s 100th anniversary with a weekend of free, fun and inclusive events.
The Centenary weekend will feature two regular 5k parkruns and two junior parkruns (2k, suitable for ages 4 to 14), where participants of all ages and abilities can run, jog, walk or volunteer in a friendly and supportive environment.
It is also wheelchair and buggy friendly, good for dogs and it completely free for all.
All participants will receive a special centenary medal to commemorate their involvement.
The celebration parkruns will take place at the following locations at 9am:
Hanley Park (Saturday 14 June)
Trentham Gardens (Saturday 14 June)
Burslem Park – Junior parkrun (Sunday 15 June)
Longton Park – Junior parkrun (Sunday 15 June)
Parkrun is one of the largest free 5k community events in the world, with more than 10 million people registered and over half a million volunteers globally. The initiative encourages people of all ages to come together, enjoy the outdoors and reap the benefits of regular exercise – both for physical and mental health. It empowers people of all ages to come together, be active and enjoy the outdoors, while fostering a sense of community.
Liz Tideswell, regional ambassador for parkrun events in Staffordshire and part of the volunteer team at Hanley parkrun, said: “We’re really pleased that the city’s parkruns will be part of the centenary celebrations.
“It’s a great opportunity to welcome new people to parkrun alongside regular attendees. It’s also a chance to say thank you to the volunteers who make parkrun happen – they have a positive impact on our local community every week.”
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “It’s great that we have four different parkrun events taking place as part of our packed programme of events for the Centenary.
“Our Centenary programme is all about celebrating the best of our city – and parkrun is a shining example of what community spirit looks like. It’s a great way of getting active regardless of fitness level, boosting mental health and wellbeing and meeting new people in your local community. This will be a fantastic celebration of our city, so I encourage everybody to take part, have some fun and become part of the parkrun community.”
All parkrun events are weekly and always free; you can register on the parkrun website: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/register/. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact any of the local events to find out more.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jukka Jumisko, founder of WSI Web Enhancers and a recognized leader in digital marketing in New Mexico, has earned his certification as an AI Consultant through WSI, the world’s largest network of digital marketing consultants. This achievement supports Jumisko’s mission to help local businesses integrate AI into their business with strategy and measurable impact.
WSI Helping Business Navigate Artificial Intelligence.
Over the last 18 months, Jumisko has emerged as a passionate educator and advocate for AI’s practical applications in business, speaking at conferences and on podcasts about how AI can empower companies to operate smarter, not harder.
“AI isn’t here to replace us – it’s here to amplify our strengths. With WSI’s AI Adoption Roadmap, we now have a structured, accessible framework that takes the guesswork out of AI. It makes innovation feel achievable.”
– Jukka Jumisko
WSI’s certification equips consultants like Jumisko with a proven framework to help clients implement AI effectively. The methodology emphasizes:
Clarity and Simplicity – Clear steps from curiosity to execution. Personalized Strategies – Tailored to each business’s goals and values. Practical Innovation – Focused on real outcomes, not hype.
A Local Leader in Marketing with Global Reach
Originally from Finland, Jumisko rebuilt his life in New Mexico after personal and financial challenges. He launched WSI Web Enhancers in Albuquerque, which soon became the fastest-growing WSI franchise worldwide.
His journey didn’t stop at success – it extended into service. He has since led hands-on training workshops for small businesses, teaching entrepreneurs how to build their websites and optimize for SEO. One such student, a 60-year-old Reiki healer with only $600 to invest, followed Jumisko’s teachings and quickly rose to rank #1 on Google for her niche in Albuquerque.
“I believe in building both businesses and communities. Helping a global tech company build a satellite temperature app one month, then empowering a local healer to thrive online the next – that’s the kind of range and purpose I strive for.”
– Jukka Jumisko
The Future of AI-Driven Marketing in New Mexico
With this new certification, Jumisko is expanding WSI Web Enhancers’ services to include AI-powered audits, automation strategy sessions, and custom implementation plans. His global team and local expertise enable him to deliver enterprise-level results while maintaining a human-centered approach.
“I’ve chosen a life that blends freedom, impact, and innovation. AI doesn’t have to be overwhelming – it just has to be intentional. And I’m here to help companies bridge that gap.”
Universities around the world are seeking to offer refuge for students impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on academic institutions, targeting top talent and a slice of the billions of dollars in academic revenue in the United States.
Osaka University, one of the top ranked in Japan, is offering tuition fee waivers, research grants and help with travel arrangements for students and researchers at U.S. institutions who want to transfer.
Japan’s Kyoto University and Tokyo University are also considering similar schemes, while Hong Kong has instructed its universities to attract top talent from the United States. China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University has appealed for students at Harvard, singled out in Trump’s crackdown, promising “streamlined” admissions and “comprehensive” support.
Trump’s administration has enacted massive funding cuts for academic research, curbed visas for foreign students – especially those from China – and plans to hike taxes on elite schools.
Trump alleges top U.S. universities are cradles of anti-American movements. In a dramatic escalation, his administration last week revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students, a move later blocked by a federal judge.
Masaru Ishii, dean of the graduate school of medicine at Osaka University, described the impact on U.S. universities as “a loss for all of humanity”.
Japan aims to ramp up its number of foreign students to 400,000 over the next decade, from around 337,000 currently.
Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds, a London-based analytics firm that ranks universities globally, said other leading universities around the world were trying to attract students unsure of going to the United States.
Germany, France and Ireland are emerging as particularly attractive alternatives in Europe, she said, while in the Asia-Pacific, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and mainland China are rising in profile.
SWITCHING SCHOOLS
Chinese students have been particularly targeted in Trump’s crackdown, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday pledging to “aggressively” crack down on their visas.
More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of U.S. colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for U.S. technology companies.
International students – 54% of them from India and China – contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Trump’s crackdown comes at a critical period in the international student application process, as many young people prepare to travel to the U.S. in August to find accommodation and settle in before term starts.
Dai, 25, a Chinese student based in Chengdu, had planned to head to the U.S. to complete her master’s but is now seriously considering taking up an offer in Britain instead.
“The various policies (by the U.S. government) were a slap in my face,” she said, requesting to be identified only by her surname for privacy reasons. “I’m thinking about my mental health and it’s possible that I indeed change schools.”
Students from Britain and the European Union are also now more hesitant to apply to U.S. universities, said Tom Moon, deputy head of consultancy at Oxbridge Applications, which helps students in their university applications.
He said many international students currently enrolled at U.S. universities were now contacting the consultancy to discuss transfer options to Canada, the UK and Europe.
According to a survey the consultancy ran earlier this week, 54% of its clients said they were now “less likely” to enrol at an American university than they were at the start of the year.
There has been an uptick in applications to British universities from prospective students in the U.S., said Universities UK, an organisation that promotes British institutions. It cautioned, however, that it was too early to say whether that translates into more students enrolling.
REPUTATIONAL EFFECTS
Ella Ricketts, an 18-year-old first year student at Harvard from Canada, said she receives a generous aid package paid for by the school’s donors and is concerned that she won’t be able to afford other options if forced to transfer.
“Around the time I was applying to schools, the only university across the Atlantic I considered was Oxford… However, I realised that I would not be able to afford the international tuition and there was no sufficient scholarship or financial aid available,” she said.
If Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students is revoked, she would most likely apply to the University of Toronto, she said.
Analytics firm QS said overall visits to its ‘Study in America’ online guide have declined by 17.6% in the last year — with interest from India alone down over 50%.
“Measurable impacts on enrolment typically emerge within six to 18 months. Reputational effects, however, often linger far longer, particularly where visa uncertainty and shifting work rights play into perceptions of risk versus return,” said QS’ Turner.
That reputational risk, and the ensuing brain drain, could be even more damaging for U.S. institutions than the immediate economic hit from students leaving.
“If America turns these brilliant and talented students away, they will find other places to work and study,” said Caleb Thompson, a 20-year-old U.S. student at Harvard, who lives with eight international scholars.
The supervisory board of Coop Pank AS (hereinafter the Bank) decided on 21 May 2025 to increase the share capital of the Bank by 457 188,16 euros by way of issuing new ordinary shares. The decision to increase the share capital was adopted to enable the realisation of the options issued within the option programme that was approved with the resolution of the general meeting of the Bank on 8 November 2019, on the conditions indicated in the referred decision. The share capital shall be increased in accordance with clause 3.3.5 of the Bank’s articles of association. 70 current and former employees of the Bank were able to participate in the issue, subscribing altogether for 670 900 shares for the total amount of EUR 841 979,50, making 100% of the issue size. All option holders submitted a subscription application and paid timely for the subscribed shares.
Decisions of the supervisory board:
To increase the Bank’s share capital by 457 188,16 euros, as a result of which the Bank’s share capital will increase from 70 180 497,31 euros to 70 637 685,47 euros.
The share capital will be increased by way of issuing new shares (ISIN: EE3100007857) During the increase of the share capital to issue up to 670 900 new ordinary shares of the Bank, with a book value of 0,681455 euros per share. After the increase of the share capital, the Bank has a total of 103 657 207 shares without nominal value. The increase of the Bank’s share capital will not create any exceptions or special rights in connection with the Bank’s ordinary shares.
According to the resolution adopted under item 6 of the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders of the Bank on 13 April 2022, the pre-emptive right to subscribe for the new shares belongs to the Bank’s employees, to whom the share option programme, approved with the resolution of the Bank’s general meeting of 8 November 2019, extends and with whom the Bank has concluded the respective option contracts (the option holders). According to the resolution of the Bank’s general meeting of 13 April 2022, the pre-emptive right of the existing shareholders to subscribe for the new shares which are issued to the option holders pursuant to clause 3.3.5 of the articles of association for the realisation of the Bank’s share option programme, is precluded.
The term for exercising the pre-emptive right and the time period of subscribing for the new shares is from 22 May to 29 May 2025.
The issue price is 1,255 euros per share, of which 0,681455 euros is the book value of a share and 0,573545 euros is the share premium.
The increase of share capital and payment for the new shares shall be fully carried out by monetary contributions.
The new shares to be issued during the increase of share capital shall grant the right to dividend for the financial year started on 1 January 2025.
The Bank will apply for the listing and the admission to trading of the shares to be issued within the issue on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange. The first estimated trading day of the new shares shall be the first day following the day when the Bank has informed Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange of the registration of the increase of share capital in the commercial register and identifying the new shares with the ISIN-code of EE3100007857.
Coop Pank, based on Estonian capital, is one of the five universal banks operating in Estonia. The bank has214,400clients who use everyday banking services. Coop Pank uses the synergy created between retail trade and banking and brings everyday banking solutions closer to people. The majority shareholder of the Bank is a domestic retail chain Coop Eesti, the sales network of which comprises 320 stores.
Invalda INVL had equity of EUR 238.1 million at the end of March this year, or EUR 19.82 per share. Those figures were 30.9% and 30.8% larger, respectively, than a year earlier, including the dividends that have been paid out.
In January-March 2025, Invalda INVL earned an unaudited net profit of EUR 15.9 million, or 3.4 times more than in the same period last year, when the net profit was EUR 4.7 million.
The asset management group recorded EUR 3 million loss for its clients in the first quarter of this year, due to global market corrections. However, the total value of client assets under management grew by 27.9% from a year earlier to more than EUR 1.9 billion at the end of March 2025.
“The main highlight for the start of this year was the successful launch of INVL Private Equity Fund II – a strategically important step for us and currently the largest fund in the Baltics,” says Darius Šulnis, the CEO of Invalda INVL.
Strategic core business: asset management and family office activities
Invalda INVL’s revenue from the management of assets entrusted by clients totalled EUR 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2025, 32.8% more than in January-March 2024.
The profit of the strategic core business, which also includes the company’s own investments in the products the group manages, was EUR 1.2 million, compared with a profit of EUR 1.4 million in the same period last year.
As of 1 April, Andrius Načajus, a finance executive with many years of experience, became the CEO of INVL Asset Management.
“The successful management of entrusted assets, focusing on creating long-term value and delivering appropriate returns to investors is the key priority for our business. Asset divestments are a natural part of this process,” Darius Šulnis notes. “In the first quarter of this year, the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund completed the sale of InMedica Group, Lithuania’s largest private healthcare network. That investment is a great example of a rational growth strategy and its consistent implementation: a company that is a leader in its field was created, an exceptionally high return was earned, and thus a significant portion of the capital invested in the fund was returned to investors. We continue to actively grow the fund’s portfolio companies and selectively divesting some of them.”
“We’re also intensely seeking suitable targets for investments of the INVL Private Equity Fund II. Some processes are already well advanced, so we expect to complete at least two acquisitions by the end of this year,” Šulnis adds.
The Invalda INVL group also saw other significant events in the first quarter of 2025. The INVL Renewable Energy Fund I, with operations concentrated in Romania and Poland, successfully completed the offering of an EUR 8 million bond issue in February which was oversubscribed 1.7 times. INVL Asset Management launched the INVL Partner Strategic Lending Fund, which will invest in a vehicle managed by 17Capital, a private credit firm active in North America and Europe, that lends to major global private equity managers.
“We’re also pleased with the successful work of the INVL Family Office. It has expanded its client base not only in Lithuania but also in Latvia and Estonia, while increasing their investments,” Invalda INVL’s CEO says.
In February, the INVL Family Office joined an initiative of the Vilnius Lyceum Alumni Endowment fund. The INVL Family Office will help to create and implement the fund’s investment strategy.
Equity investments
Invalda INVL’s other equity investments, aside from the asset management, had a EUR 17.7 million impact on earnings in the first quarter of 2025.
This result was positively influenced by the strong performance of the banks in which the company holds stakes, along with their growth in value. Invalda INVL has investments in Artea Bank and in maib, Moldova’s largest bank. Maib, showing excellent financial results and sustainable growth in all business segments, earned a record net profit of EUR 20.1 million in the first quarter, while Artea earned EUR 17.35 million.
Artea Bank had a positive impact of EUR 15.6 million on Invalda INVL’s pretax profit; maid had a positive impact of EUR 0.5 million.
“The profits generated by the agricultural business group Litagra, along with a favorable market environment, provide an optimistic outlook for the future performance of the group and its value,” Darius Šulnis notes.
Litagra had a positive impact of EUR 1.6 million on Invalda INVL’s result for the first quarter of 2025.
Additional information is provided by Darius Sulnis, CEO of Invalda INVL Darius.Sulnis@invl.com
Imagine a future where a diagnosis of untreatable male infertility is no longer the end of the road – because science has found a way to produce human sperm from lab-engineered testicular tissue.
This might sound like science fiction, but I’m leading a team of researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) to work on making the production of human sperm from lab-engineered testicular tissue a reality. If successful, this could redefine fertility treatment and bring hope to the millions of people around the world affected by male infertility.
The precise causes of declining male reproductive health are still being debated. While genetics may play a role, no single genetic factor has been shown to affect male fertility at a population level. Instead, much of the focus has turned to the environment, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
These chemicals, which can interfere with hormone function, are found in common items such as plastics, pesticides, cosmetics and even painkillers. There is growing evidence that exposure to these substances in the womb can increase the risk of testicular cancer, reduce sperm quality, and lead to male infertility later in life.
SSR involves surgically opening the testicles to search for viable sperm for use in assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. However, success is far from guaranteed. In some cases, the chance of finding even a single usable sperm cell is as low as 40%.
In addition to its physical and emotional toll, SSR places the burden of fertility treatment on the female partner’s reproductive system, meaning women’s bodies are often the target of fertility medications and procedures. It does little to address the underlying health risks associated with male infertility, including higher rates of illness and early mortality.
And if SSR fails, the only option left is to use donor sperm – a difficult and emotional decision for many people.
Root of the problem
To address male infertility, scientists need to get to the root of the problem and develop solutions that restore natural fertility.
So, given the ethical and biological limits on experimenting directly with humans, researchers have turned to preclinical models to study the human testes. These include ex vivo tissue (human or animal tissue studied outside the body), in vitro cell cultures (human testicular cells grown on lab plates), and animal models (typically rodents or primates).
However, human sperm production is vastly different – and much less efficient – than in other mammals, making animal models unreliable. To move forward, researchers need preclinical models that closely mimic human testes and their ability to produce sperm.
This remains one of the biggest scientific hurdles in the field. While researchers have successfully produced sperm in the lab from mouse testicular tissue, the same has never been achieved in humans.
Our research is attempting to overcome this challenge by combining biology with mechanical engineering and materials science. We started by analysing human testicular tissue samples from a range of donors, building a detailed understanding of how the tissue functions.
This data was fed into the design of model systems that replicate human testicular tissue – not just biologically, but mechanically and structurally. The ultimate goal is to create a model that can not only mimic testicular function but produce viable human sperm.
Lab-produced sperm could revolutionise fertility care. It might one day offer a solution to men who have undergone failed SSR procedures, childhood cancer survivors whose fertility was damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, and male patients with severe, unexplained infertility who currently have no treatment options.
This isn’t just a scientific experiment. It’s about restoring hope to those for whom existing medical approaches have run out of answers.
Eoghan Cunnane receives funding from the European Research Council, Research Ireland, and the UL Foundation.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SINGAPORE, May 30 (Xinhua) — The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense and security summit, opened here on Friday amid geopolitical tensions.
This year, representatives from 47 countries are participating in the dialogue, including 40 minister-level delegates, 20 chiefs-of-defence delegates, more than 20 senior military officials, as well as eminent academics, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said.
French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a keynote speech on Friday evening in which he is expected to portray France and Europe as supporters of international cooperation and rules-based trade.
Analysts expect regional cooperation, U.S. security policy, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict to be key topics at the conference. The fallout from the U.S. tariff hike is also likely to draw attention. Officials will use the platform to reassure partners and find guidance in an increasingly multipolar security landscape.
The dialogue will last from May 30 to June 1. –0– Oleg
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Istanbul, 30 May 2025 – This week, government representatives and International Organization for Migration (IOM) staff from 14 partner countries gathered in Istanbul for the the Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions (COMPASS) Global Meeting. Co-hosted by IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, this flagship event held from 27 to 29 May brought together partners to strengthen cooperation on migration governance and the protection of migrants under the COMPASS initiative.
“The COMPASS initiative is not only about protecting migrants but also about building systems that work for everyone,” said Warner Ten Kate, Head of the Migration and Development Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, during the event. “Migration is, by its nature, a transnational phenomenon that requires a comprehensive approach and cooperation, and we are proud to work alongside IOM and our partner countries to drive this systemic, sustainable change.”
Launched in 2021 and now in its second phase (2024–2027), COMPASS is a comprehensive protection programme implemented in 14 countries across Africa and the Middle East. The programme contributes to strengthening migration governance systems, multistakeholder cooperation, and protecting and upholding the rights of migrants. In 2024, the programme provided protection assistance to over 35,500 migrants, including over 1,400 who benefited from return support. Additionally, more than 1,000 policymakers received training or tools to support migrant protection, according to the full 2024 data report.
“COMPASS is a shared commitment to improving migration governance by addressing common challenges through sustainable solutions,” said Vincent Houver, IOM Director of the Department of Mobility Pathways and Inclusion. “This partnership between IOM, the Netherlands, and partner countries brings together strategic vision, flexible financing, operational expertise, and local leadership. It fosters strong and equal cooperation across countries of origin, transit, and destination and sets a global benchmark for effective, innovative migration responses that place migrant protection at the core.”
During the meeting, delegates shared each country’s experience with project implementation and key achievements from COMPASS Phase II, reflected on lessons learned, and discussed strategic priorities in areas such as legal identity, localization, and specialized protection. Interactive sessions also focused on data-driven programme adaptability, community-based initiatives, and the critical role of local partnerships in achieving lasting impact.
A COMPASS marketplace added a dynamic element to the event, with country teams showcasing local innovations and programme highlights, while global teams presented tools and resources designed to drive solutions and foster collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
About COMPASS
COMPASS (Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions) is a joint initiative of IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Now in its second phase, it supports migrant protection, migration governance and community-led solutions in 14 countries, through systemic, adaptable, and people-centred approaches.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China continued her strong run at the French Open on Friday, advancing to the women’s singles Round of 16 with a straight-sets win over 18-year-old Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko.
The eighth seed needed just under 90 minutes to beat Mboko 6-3, 6-4 in their first career meeting, marking her second appearance in the last 16 at Roland Garros after her breakthrough run in 2022.
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women’s singles 3rd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Victoria Mboko of Canada at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, May 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
“I was born in China in a really hot place, which is called Wuhan. So I handled the hot weather quite well,” Zheng said in her post-match interview. “Last year when I played the Olympic Games, it was hotter than this. So actually I like this condition, but I want to say thanks to all the crowd who suffered here under the sun today with me.”
Zheng also praised her young opponent. “I want to say congrats to the opponent because I feel she played really well, and I think we pushed each other to play our best tennis. And sometimes we had really good points. It was not an easy match.”
Zheng will next face the winner of the match between Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine and Liudmila Samsonova of Russia as she looks to reach her first French Open quarterfinal.
The event, at West Park on Saturday 28 June from 12pm to 4pm, will celebrate the Armed Forces and all they do for the city and the country, and promises a wide range of activities for people of all ages.
Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Craig Collingswood, who is also chair of the City’s Armed Forces Covenant Board, said: “I hope as many people as possible from across the city come along to Armed Forces Day and show their support.
“Wolverhampton has a special relationship with our Armed Forces as do I with my son serving in the British Army, and this fantastic, free and fun event for all the family is a wonderful way to mark this.
“I look forward to seeing you there, joining the festivities with you and celebrating all that the Armed Forces do to defend our nation at home and abroad.”
Highlights include an Armed Forces Parade at 1pm, along with funfair rides and inflatables, live music, street food and bar traders, a smoothie bike, motorcycle display, military exhibition and face painting. For more information, please visit Armed Forces Covenant.
