Source: Europol
The fugitive was wanted in connection with multiple serious offenses across Poland and Germany. These included his suspected involvement in a fatal violent incident in Poland in December 2021, in which the victim succumbed to his injuries. He was also convicted in Poland for a violent offence in 2019, for which he was sentenced to one year in prison, and…
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Asit Kumar Mishra, Research Fellow in School of Public of Health, University College Cork
There is something cosy and appealing about settling down next to a roaring fire in winter but, every year, nearly 61,000 premature deaths in Europe are caused by air pollution as a result of people burning wood or coal to heat their homes.
Wood-burning stoves are often considered safer, cleaner and more attractive than open fires. This may, in part, explain why from 2021 to 2022, sales of wood-burning stoves increased by 40% in the UK.
However, burning wood is not necessarily a healthier or greener alternative to coal or gas for home heating.
Wood burning produces a complex chemical mixture of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and gases, which can be breathed deep into the lungs. The specific contents vary based on the type of stove and the type of fuel, but chemicals can include carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and a range of volatile organic compounds, such as cancer-causing formaldehyde and benzene.
Exposure to wood smoke affects the heart, blood vessels and the respiratory system – and PM2.5 is considered to be the biggest threat. Wood smoke increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and can exacerbate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Exposure to PM2.5 from wood burning can also cause premature death.
Exposure to this pollution also leads to loss of work days, reduced productivity, higher expenses on healthcare and increased hospital admissions.
The risks are higher for people over 65, children, pregnant women and people with existing heart or lung conditions. Chronic wood smoke inhalation has been associated with systemic inflammation, which can make the lungs more vulnerable to infections, such as flu and COVID.
In the UK and Ireland, solid fuel heating is the main source of outdoor PM2.5 during wintertime. While wood is the dominant solid fuel in the UK, peat burning is regularly found to make the largest contribution to PM2.5 in Ireland.
Under cold, stagnant weather conditions, air pollution, even in small rural towns, can be as high as that found in very polluted parts of north India.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution caused by wood burning is an obvious health risk. But the pollution also finds its way into homes, worsening indoor air quality. Also, when lighting or refuelling a wood stove, large quantities of PM2.5 escape into the indoor air. Depending on how effective the home ventilation is, the PM2.5 levels can take hours to reduce.
In surveys carried out in Ireland and the UK, it was found that most people using solid fuel stoves did it for the aesthetics and the “homely feel”. The desire to save money or necessity came next.
Most people who use indoor wood burning in London are in wealthier neighbourhoods, while those most affected by the consequent air pollution are in poorer areas.
Educational campaigns regarding the effect of wood-burning stoves on health and the environment can be an important tool to reduce their usage. New initiatives, such as the Clean Air Night held in the UK and Ireland, are valuable in raising awareness and possibly changing long-term heating habits.
Encouraging users to move to more efficient and renewable heating technologies like heat pumps can reduce emissions and harm to health. This move even works out to be cheaper, except for people who source their own wood.
Communities can also be provided with information on their local air quality, allowing them to visualise real-time effects of their actions. For example, the PM2.5 sensor network map for Cork is freely accessible to the community and identifies locations and times when PM2.5 pollution is unhealthy.
If you have a wood burner, you could check that the pollution levels aren’t too high before you fire it up.
People who rely on solid fuel stoves as their only source of home heating can adopt the following measures to reduce emissions. Use low-emission labelled stoves that reduce pollution. When burning, have small hot fires, with enough air supply and do not let the fire smoulder.
Choose carefully what is burnt, in compliance with relevant regulations. Do not burn garbage, plastics, cardboard, treated or painted wood in your stoves. These items increase exposure to toxic pollutants.
Ensure that stoves are installed and maintained annually by professionals. And, when lighting up or refuelling, make sure that the room the stove is in is well ventilated. This means open windows, no blocked vents, and exhaust fans or kitchen hoods can be used for additional ventilation.
People who use solid fuel stoves as a secondary source of heating could consider using the stove less or even stopping using it altogether. That really would be a breath of fresh air.
Asit Kumar Mishra is a DOROTHY co-fund Fellow and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow and receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101034345.
John Wenger has previously received funding from several governmental organisations in Ireland for research into solid fuel burning, including the EPA and Irish Research Council.
– ref. Wood burning stoves are a serious problem for your health – and the environment – https://theconversation.com/wood-burning-stoves-are-a-serious-problem-for-your-health-and-the-environment-245737
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emmanuel Mogaji, Associate Professor in Marketing, Keele University
Just before assuming office as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump introduced his meme coin – $Trump. The digital token attracted lots of attention, and a couple of days after its launch the combined value of the coins was nearly US$8.5 billion (£6.9 billion).
Trump venturing into meme coins is perhaps not surprising, given his history of branding everything from sneakers to bibles. The first lady followed suit with a meme coin of her own ($Melania, which briefly outperformed her husband’s coin).
History shows us that speculative hypes like this are not new. Hype can distort rational decision-making, with investors often neglecting due diligence and failing to ask the usual important questions of their investment.
In 17th-century Netherlands, tulip bulbs became status symbols. Rare varieties could fetch six times a typical salary – until the bubble burst, leaving many financially devastated. Similarly, the South Sea Bubble of the 18th century saw the South Sea Company’s stock price skyrocket based on speculative frenzy (and a high-profile figurehead in King George I) before crashing back down. And the dotcom bubble of the early 2000s saw unproven tech startups achieve sky-high valuations on sheer optimism until the inevitable crash.
The rise of meme coins, including the Trump ventures, bears similarities to the frenzy surrounding these past phenomena. They are driven by hype, the perception of scarcity and the promise of high returns. These factors can inflate the value irrationally and lead to significant financial risks for those who invest.
Meme coins thrive on the power of hype. Prominent figures like Trump and viral sensations such as internet star Haliey Welch’s failed cryptocurrency have the power to generate enormous buzz. Like the tulip mania of the 1600s, these digital tokens don’t hold any intrinsic value but instead rely on public sentiment to drive prices up. The hype can quickly make them seem indispensable and highly valuable, even though they have no physical existence.
The ease of access to meme coins also boosts their popularity. People can buy them online using simple apps or websites – much like shopping for any other product – without the need for a broker or intermediary. This autonomy appeals to modern investors, allowing them to manage their assets from the comfort of their homes. However, the simplicity and convenience often mask the high risks involved.
Social media amplifies the excitement surrounding meme coins, creating a community vibe that fuels their popularity. The constant buzz on platforms and among influencers generates Fomo (fear of missing out), pressuring people to join the bandwagon in pursuit of the potential gains. But this rush can lead to ill-informed decisions.
Meme coins are seen as opportunities for quick and substantial profits – an anonymous buyer (the so-called Lucky Crypto Trader) reportedly made US$100 million within hours on Trump’s coin. But these successes are rare and unpredictable. For most consumers, investing in meme coins is like gambling, with no guarantees of returns and a high likelihood of losses.
As a researcher in financial services marketing and fintech, I focus on the ethical and financial implications of meme coins.
Cryptocurrencies remain largely unregulated, leaving investors without protection. So the influence of prominent figures like the Trumps hyping these assets raises questions of accountability and fairness. This lack of oversight puts inexperienced consumers at significant financial risk, which only serves to underline the need for caution.
The parallels with past speculative bubbles offer valuable lessons. From tulip mania to the dotcom bust, history shows us the dangers of unchecked hype and speculative investments. Consumers should learn from these events to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the cryptocurrency era. There are some basic principles would-be buyers should bear in mind.
To navigate the risks associated with meme coins and cryptocurrencies, consumers should find out more about the technology and become more aware of the trends and performance of the coins. Managing expectations is crucial; speculative investments are unpredictable and the hype can die away quickly. Diversifying investments rather than concentrating all funds in one asset or market can spread risk and provide greater financial stability.
Education is equally important – taking the time to read the fine print on investment opportunities, such as Trump’s coin disclaimer that it is not an investment vehicle, is essential to understanding the true nature of these assets.
Trump’s venture into meme coins is the latest in a long history of speculative financial trends, and he will probably not be the last to capitalise on this craze.
But until regulatory frameworks catch up, consumers should tread carefully, ensuring that their pursuit of profits does not come at the expense of their financial security.
Emmanuel Mogaji does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. The Trumps want you to buy their meme coins, but history should make us cautious about the hype – https://theconversation.com/the-trumps-want-you-to-buy-their-meme-coins-but-history-should-make-us-cautious-about-the-hype-248057
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government is announcing a new action plan for an inclusive and equal society. The action plan aims to further strengthen efforts to support rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ people by consolidating, supplementing and mobilising these efforts.
“LGBTIQ people must be able to live lives in which their rights and identities are fully respected. Although progress has been made, sadly we see that challenges such as discrimination, threats, hatred and violence remain. These are things we will never accept,” says Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life Paulina Brandberg.
”All LGBTIQ people have the right to safety and security. It is especially important that we ensure that young LGBTIQ people have the right to a safe and secure upbringing, free from discrimination, violence and other violations. This action plan is an extraordinarily important tool in our continued efforts to gaurantee equal rights and opportunities for all,” says Minsiter for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.
“The Government is continuing its long-term, systematic and strategic work for LGBTIQ rights and freedoms. With the new action plan, we are taking the next steps in our efforts to ensure that everyone can be who they are and love who they want,” says Minister for Public Administration Erik Slottner.
The new action plan complements the existing strategy for equal rights and opportunities regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and the efforts will be stepped up with concrete measures until 2027 .
Eight focus areas and new strategic agencies
The following focus areas are considered to be of continued vital importance in efforts to support rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ people: violence, discrimination and other violations; health, health care and social services; working life; young LGBTIQ people; older LGBTIQ people; private and family life; civil society; and cultural life.
The new action plan includes goals for each focus area based on various policy areas. To ensure a consolidated, structured and long-term approach to measures within the focus areas, a number of government agencies have been designated as strategic LGBTIQ agencies. These are the Ombudsman for Children in Sweden, the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the Forum for Living History, the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, the Swedish Migration Agency, the Family Law and Parenthood Support Authority, the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society, the Swedish Police Authority, the National Board of Health and Welfare, the Swedish Arts Council, and the Swedish National Agency for Education.
The Government has also designated the Swedish Work Environment Authority and the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise as strategic agencies for the working life focus area, which had previously lacked strategic agencies.
The Government will also task the Swedish Defence Research Agency with surveying the prevalence of LGBTIQ hostility in digital environments and spreading knowledge compiled within the framework of the assignment.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden will be given an expanded assignment to coordinate, support and follow up the work of the LGBTIQ strategic agencies.
Source: City of Canterbury
An annual household pass to use the West Beach tennis courts in Whitstable for just £35 for the whole year is now available.
Having purchased the pass, the courts are free to use for up to four sessions a week, for up to two hours a session.
The pass is designed to make tennis more accessible and affordable and is perfect for players of all ages and skill levels.
To buy the pass, simply head to the Clubspark website. More information about how the pass works is available by reading the answers to frequently asked questions.
Published: 24 January 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Professor Rowland Kao has been appointed as the Chair of Defra’s Science Advisory Council
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has appointed Professor Rowland Cao as Chair of the Science Advisory Council (SAC). This will be for a term of 3 years from 8 January 2025 until 7 January 2028.
The appointment has been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A temporary export bar has been placed on a rare Anglo-Saxon, Gold and Garnet Panel
An export bar has been placed on a rare Anglo-Saxon, Gold and Garnet Panel (c. 600-670) to provide an opportunity for a UK gallery or institution to acquire it for the nation.
The panel was discovered with a metal detector near Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, on 6 March 2013 and has never been publicly exhibited.
The discovery of the panel near Pocklington is significant as it potentially offers insight into the study of artistic, political and cultural relationships between two of the most powerful kingdoms in 7th-century England, East Anglia in the east, and Northumbria in the north.
The item comprises a gold and garnet cloisonné panel of trapezoidal shape and displays clear links to the significant gold and garnet cloisonné metalwork from the Sutton Hoo ship burial and the Staffordshire Hoard.
The upper surface is filled with tiny interlocking cloisons or cells made from upright strips of gold soldered to a sheet gold backplate and filled with hand-cut garnets.
Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said:
Across the country, detectorists continue to make important discoveries, which help tell us the history of our nation.
This beautiful panel potentially holds information into how the mediaeval kingdoms of this country interacted and co-existed. I hope a UK buyer can be found so it can be studied further and its stories can be shared with the public.”
Committee Member Tim Pestell said:
Amid the bitter politics of seventh-century England, rival kingdoms fought to gain power and prestige. An important way of expressing their resulting wealth was through delicate and technically complex pieces of jewellery like this example, found near Pocklington in Yorkshire. Using tiny hand-cut garnets set in gold cells or cloisons, the designs used in this example finds ready parallels in the better-known metalwork of Sutton Hoo and the Staffordshire Hoard. I hope that the bar placed on its export allows a museum to acquire this wonderful artefact as it has much yet to tell us about this pivotal period in English history.
The RCEWA Committee found the panel met the first and third Waverley criterion for its outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding significance to the study of early mediaeval English regional society, English metalwork, the study of workshop practises, collaboration, and national and international exchange.
The decision on the export licence application for the panel will be deferred for a period ending on 23 March 2025 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the panel at the recommended price of £3,968 (inclusive of VAT of £128 [which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution]). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Many people find that despite hard work, they don’t get the income they want. Since November 2024, the cryptocurrency market has skyrocketed and created multiple millionaires in a short period of time. People are beginning to realize that cryptocurrency is a financial asset that can create their own wealth in the short term, more than any other investment opportunity.
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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2d7343f-0790-4f97-8c96-d896799dac86
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f34ecdcb-d6cb-446d-812d-c4913d46c902
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joshua Shanes, Professor of Jewish Studies, College of Charleston
As part of Harvard University’s agreement in response to two federal lawsuits filed by Jewish students alleging antisemitic discrimination, it will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA, “working definition” of antisemitism.
This is a definition favored by many Jewish community leaders and politicians because its broad language can be applied to most anti-Israel rhetoric. This includes Kenneth Marcus, who served as assistant secretary of education during the first Trump administration and represented the students as chairman of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
In contrast, many scholars prefer either the competing Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism or the definition offered by the Nexus Task Force, a committee of experts led by the Bard Center for the Study of Hate. I am a member of the Nexus group and also helped compose its 2024 “Campus Guide to Identifying Antisemitism.”
The controversy over this move indicates that many well-intentioned people still struggle to understand what exactly constitutes antisemitism and when anti-Israel rhetoric crosses the line.
As a scholar of modern Jewish history, I offer this primer that helps answer this question.
There has been a sharp increase in antisemitism around the world since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent military attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Anti-Jewish animosity dates to antiquity. The early Christian church attacked Jews, whom it blamed for crucifying Christ, and claimed to replace them as God’s chosen people. The Gospel of John in the New Testament accused Jews of being Satan’s children, while others called them demons intent on sacrificing the souls of men.
Medieval Christians added other myths, such as the blood libel – the lie that Jews ritually murdered Christian children for their blood. Other myths accused them of poisoning wells or desecrating the consecrated host of the Eucharist to reenact the murder of Christ; some even claimed that Jews had inhuman biology such as horns or that they suckled at the teats of pigs.
Such lies led to violent persecution of Jews over many centuries.
In the 19th century, these myths were supplanted by the additional element of race – the claim that Jewishness was immutable and could not be changed via conversion. Though this idea first appeared in 15th-century Spain, it was deeply connected to the rise of modern nationalism.
Nineteenth-century ethno-nationalists rejected the idea of a political nation united in a social contract with each other. They began imagining the nation as a biological community linked by common descent in which Jews might be tolerated but could never truly belong.
Finally, in 1879, the German journalist Wilhelm Marr pushed the term “antisemitism” to reflect that his anti-Jewish ideology was based on race, not religion. Marr imagined the Jews as a foreign, “semitic” race, referring to the language group that includes Hebrew. The term has since persisted to mean specifically anti-Jewish hostility or prejudice.
Modern antisemitism built on those premodern foundations, which never completely disappeared, but was fundamentally different. It emerged as part of the new politics of the democratic modern era.
Antisemitism became the core platform of new political parties, which used it to unite otherwise opposing groups, such as shopkeepers and farmers, anxious about the modernizing world. In other words, it was not merely prejudice; it was a worldview that explained the entire world to its believers by blaming all of its faults on this scapegoat.
Unlike earlier anti-Jewish hatred, this was less about religion and more about political and social issues. Antisemites believed the conspiracy theory that Jews all over the world controlled the levers of government, media and banking, and that defeating them would solve society’s problems.
Thus, one of the most important features of modern antisemitic mythology was the belief that Jews constituted a single, malevolent group, with one mind, organized for the purpose of conquering and destroying the world.
Antisemitic books and cartoons often used claws or tentacles to symbolize the “international Jew,” a shadowy figure they blamed for leading a global conspiracy, strangling and destroying society. Others depicted him as a puppet master running the world.
In the late 19th century, Edmond Rothschild, head of the most famous Jewish banking family, was villainized as the symbol of international Jewish wealth and nefarious power. Today, the billionaire liberal philanthropist George Soros is often portrayed in similar ways.
This myth that Jews constitute an international creature plotting to harm the nation has inspired massacres of Jews since the 19th century, beginning with the Russian pogroms of 1881 and leading up to the Holocaust.
More recently, in 2018, Robert Bowers murdered 11 Jews at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh because he was convinced that Jews, collectively under the guidance of Soros, were working to destroy America by facilitating the mass migration of nonwhite people into the country.
Modern antisemites ascribe many immutable negative traits to Jews, but two are particularly widespread. First, Jews are said to be ruthless misers who care more about their allegedly ill-gotten wealth than the interests of their countries. Second, Jews’ loyalty to their countries is considered suspect because they are said to constitute a foreign element.
Since Israel’s establishment in 1948, this hatred has focused on the accusation that Jews’ primary loyalty is to Israel, not the countries they live in.
In recent years, the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Zionism has taken on renewed importance. Zionism has many factions but roughly refers to the modern political movement that argues Jews constitute a nation and have a right to self-determination in that land.
Some activists claim that anti-Zionism – ideological opposition to Zionism – is inherently antisemitic because they equate it with denying Jews the right to self-determination and therefore equality.
Others feel that there needs to be a clearer separation between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. They argue that equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism leads to silencing criticism of Israel’s structural mistreatment of Palestinians.
Zionism in practice has meant the achievement of a flourishing safe haven for Jews, but it has also led to dislocation or inequality for millions of Palestinians, including refugees, West Bank Palestinians who still live under military rule, and even Palestinian citizens of Israel who face legal and social discrimination. Anti-Zionism opposes this, and critics argue that it should not be labeled antisemitic unless it taps into those antisemitic myths or otherwise calls for violence or inequality for Jews.
This debate is evident in these competing definitions of antisemitism. Remarkably, the three main definitions tend to agree on the nature of antisemitism except regarding the relationship of anti-Israel rhetoric to antisemitism. The IHRA definition, which is by design vague and open to interpretation, allows for a wider swath of anti-Israel activism to be labeled antisemitic than the others.
The Jerusalem Declaration, in contrast, understands rhetoric to have “crossed the line” only when it engages in antisemitic mythology, blames diaspora Jews for the actions of the Israeli state, or calls for the oppression of Jews in Israel. IHRA defenders use that definition to label a call for binational democracy – meaning citizenship for West Bank Palestinians – to be antisemitic. Likewise, they label boycotts, even of West Bank settlements that most of the world considers illegal, to be antisemitic. The Jerusalem Declaration does not.
In other words, the key to identifying whether anti-Israel discourse has masked antisemitism is to see evidence of antisemitic mythology. For example, if Israel is described as leading an international conspiracy, or if it holds the key to solving global problems, all three definitions agree this is antisemitic.
Equally, if Jews or Jewish institutions are held responsible for Israeli actions or are expected to take a stand one way or another regarding them, again all three definitions agree that this crosses the line because it is based on the myth of a global Jewish conspiracy.
Critically, for many Jews living in other countries, Zionism is not primarily a political argument about the state of Israel. It instead constitutes a sense of Jewish identity and pride, even a religious identity. In contrast, many protests against Israel and Zionism are focused not on ideology but on the Israeli government and its real or alleged actions.
This disconnect can lead to confusion if protests conflate Jews with Israel just because they are Zionist, which is antisemitic. On the other hand, Jews sometimes take protests against Israel in defense of Palestinian rights to be attacks on their Zionist identity and thus antisemitic, when they are not. There are certainly gray areas, but in general, calls for Palestinian equality, I believe, are legitimate even when they upset people with Zionist identities.
Harvard’s statement captures this distinction. It posted a statement that, “For many Jewish people, Zionism is a part of their Jewish identity,” and added that Jews who subscribe to this identity must not be excluded from campus events on that basis.
This does not mean that Jews are protected from hearing contrary views, any more than they are protected from hearing Christian preachers on campus or professors who teach secular views of the Bible. It means that they cannot be excluded based only on those beliefs.
This does not, however, require an adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which goes much further. Many advocates of the IHRA definition use it to label political calls for Palestinian equality as antisemitic, as well as accusations against Israel that they consider wrong or unfair.
Harvard’s adoption of the IHRA definition, accordingly, would mean that any speech that calls for full equality for Palestinians risks academic and legal sanction, even without any material discrimination against Jewish students. It is thus opposed by students who advocate for Palestinian rights as well as supporters of free speech more generally.
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article first published on Jan. 29, 2024
Joshua Shanes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Harvard expands its definition of antisemitism – when does criticism of Israel cross a line? – https://theconversation.com/harvard-expands-its-definition-of-antisemitism-when-does-criticism-of-israel-cross-a-line-248199
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lorelei Kelly, Research Lead, Modernizing Congress, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University
On a typical day, you can’t turn on the news without hearing someone say that Congress is broken. The implication is that this dereliction explains why the institution is inert and unresponsive to the American people.
There’s one element often missing from that discussion: Congress is confounding in large part because its members can’t hear the American people, or even each other. I mean that literally. Congressional staff serve in thousands of district offices across the nation, and their communications technology doesn’t match that of most businesses and even many homes.
Members’ district offices only got connected to secure Wi-Fi internet service in 2023. Discussions among members and congressional staff were at times cut short at 40 minutes because some government workers were relying on the free version of Zoom, according to congressional testimony in March 2024.
The information systems Congress uses have existed largely unchanged for decades, while the world has experienced an information revolution, integrating smartphones and the internet into people’s daily personal and professional lives. The technologies that have transformed modern life and political campaigning are not yet available to improve the ability of members of Congress to govern once they win office.
Like many institutions, Congress resists change; only the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it to allow online hearings and bill introductions. Before 2020, whiteboards, sticky notes and interns with clipboards dominated the halls of Congress.
Electronic signatures arrived on Capitol Hill in 2021 – more than two decades after Congress passed the ESIGN Act to allow electronic signatures and records in commerce.
The nation spends about US$10 million a year on technology innovation in the House of Representatives – the institution that declares war and pays all the federal government’s bills. That’s just 1% of the amount theater fans have spent to see ‶Hamilton“ on Broadway since 2015.
It seems the story of American democracy is attractive to the public, but investing in making it work is less so for Congress itself.
The chief administrative office in Congress, a nonlegislative staff that helps run the operations of Congress, decides what types of technology can be used by members. These internal rules exist to protect Congress and national security, but that caution can also inhibit new ways to use technology to better serve the public.
Finding a happy medium between innovation and caution can result in a livelier public discourse.
Congress has been working to modernize itself, including experimenting with new ways to hear local voices in their districts, including gathering constituent feedback in a standardized way that can be easily processed by computers.
The House Natural Resources Committee was also an early adopter of technology for collaborative lawmaking. In 2020, members and committee staff used a platform called Madison to collaboratively write and edit proposed environmental justice legislation with communities across the country that had been affected by pollution.
House leaders are also looking at what is called deliberative technology, which uses specially designed websites to facilitate digital participation by pairing collective human intelligence with artificial intelligence. People post their ideas online and respond to others’ posts. Then the systems can screen and summarize posts so users better understand each other’s perspectives.
These systems can even handle massive group discussions involving large numbers of people who hold a wide range of positions on a vast set of issues and interests. In general, these technologies make it easier for people to find consensus and have their voices heard by policymakers in ways the policymakers can understand and respond to.
Governments in Finland, the U.K., Canada and Brazil are already piloting deliberative technologies. In Finland, roughly one-third of young people between 12 and 17 participate in setting budget priorities for the city of Helsinki.
In May 2024, 45 U.S.-based nonprofit organizations signed a letter to Congress asking that deliberative technology platforms be included in the approved tools for civic engagement.
In the meantime, Congress is looking at ways to use artificial intelligence as part of a more integrated digital strategy based on lessons from other democratic legislatures.
Modernization efforts have opened connections within Congress and with the public. For example, hearings held by video conference during the pandemic enabled witnesses to share expertise with Congress from a distance and open up a process that is notoriously unrepresentative. I was home in rural New Mexico during the pandemic and know three people who remotely testified on tribal education, methane pollution and environmental harms from abandoned oil wells.
New House Rules passed on Jan. 3, 2025, encourage the use of artificial intelligence in day-to-day operations and allow for remote witness testimony.
Other efforts that are new to Congress but long established in business and personal settings include the ability to track changes in legislation and a scheduling feature that reduces overlaps in meetings. Members are regularly scheduled to be two places at once.
Another effort in development is an internal digital staff directory that replaces expensive directories compiled by private companies assembling contact information for congressional staff.
In 2022, what is now called ”member-directed spending“ returned to Congress with some digital improvements. Formerly known as “earmarks,” this is the practice of allowing members of Congress to handpick specific projects in their home districts to receive federal money. Earmarks were abolished in 2011 amid concerns of abuse and opposition by fiscal hardliners. Their 2022 return and rebranding introduced publicly available project lists, ethics rules and a search engine to track the spending as efforts to provide public transparency about earmarks.
Additional reforms could make the federal government even more responsive to the American people.
Some recent improvements are already familiar. Just as customers can follow their pizza delivery from the oven to the doorstep, Congress in late 2024 created a flag-tracking app that has dramatically improved a program that allows constituents to receive a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol. Before, different procedures in the House and Senate caused time-consuming snags in this delivery system.
At last, the world’s most powerful legislature caught up with Pizza Hut, which rolled out this technology in 2017 to track customers’ pizzas from the store to the delivery driver to their front door.
Lorelei Kelly has received funding from Democracy Fund and the Hewlett Foundation for her research on modernization in the US Congress.
– ref. The technology that runs Congress lags so far behind the modern world that its flag-tracking system just caught up to 2017-era Pizza Hut – https://theconversation.com/the-technology-that-runs-congress-lags-so-far-behind-the-modern-world-that-its-flag-tracking-system-just-caught-up-to-2017-era-pizza-hut-245931
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Wolf Gruner, Professor of History, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The Holocaust was the first mass atrocity to be heavily photographed.
The mass production and distribution of cameras in the 1930s and 1940s enabled Nazi officials and ordinary people to widely document Germany’s persecution of Jews and other religious and ethnic minorities.
I co-direct an international research project to collect every available image documenting Nazi mass deportations of Jews, Roma and Sinti, as well as euthanasia victims, in Nazi Germany between 1938 and 1945. The most recently discovered series of images will be unveiled on Jan. 27, 2025 – Holocaust Remembrance Day.
In most cases, these are the very last pictures taken of Holocaust victims before they were deported and perished. That fact gives the project its name, #LastSeen.
A few of the images we’ve tracked down were taken by Jewish people, not Nazi officials, offering a rare glimpse of Nazi mass deportations from a victim’s perspective. As descendants of survivors help our researchers identify the deportees in these images and tell their stories, we give previously faceless victims a voice.
The #LastSeen project is a collaboration between several German academic and educational institutions and the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research in the United States. When it began in late 2021, researchers knew of a few dozen deportation images of Jews from 27 German towns that had been gathered for a 2011-2012 exhibition in Berlin.
After contacting 1,700 public and private archives in Germany and worldwide to find more, #LastSeen has now collected visual evidence from 60 cities and towns in Nazi Germany. Of these, we’ve analyzed 36 series containing over 420 images, including dozens of never-before-seen photo series from 20 towns.
Most photographs of Nazi mass deportations from local archives published in our digital atlas were taken by the perpetrators, who documented the event for the police or municipality. That has heavily shaped our visual understanding of these crimes, because they display victims as a faceless mass. When individuals were depicted, it was most often through an antisemitic lens.
We have, however, obtained a handful of images taken from a victim’s perspective. In January 2024, the #LastSeen team shared newly discovered photographs showing the Nazi deportations in what was then Breslau, Germany – today Wroclaw, Poland.
They were sent to us for analysis by Steffen Heidrich, a staff member of the Regional Association of Jewish Communities in Saxony, Germany, who came across an envelope titled “miscellaneous” while reorganizing his archive. It contained 13 deportation photographs – the last images taken of dozens of Jewish victims before they were transported from Breslau to Nazi-occupied Lithuania and massacred in November 1941.
Many of these pictures in this series show a large, mixed age group of men and women wearing the yellow star – the notorious Nazi-mandated sign for Jews – gathering outside with bundles of their belongings. Some are taken from a peculiar angle, from behind a tree or a wall, suggesting they were snapped clandestinely.
Given the deportation assembly point for the Breslau Jews, a guarded local beer garden, our researchers knew that only a person with permission to access that property could have shot these pictures.
For these two reasons, we concluded that an employee of the Jewish community of Breslau must have documented the Nazi crimes – most likely Albert Hadda, a Jewish architect and photographer who clandestinely photographed the November 1938 pogrom in Breslau.
Hadda’s marriage to a Christian partially protected him from persecution. Between 1941 and 1943, the city’s Jewish community tasked him with caring for the deportees at the assembly point until their forced removal.
These 13 recently discovered pictures constitute the most comprehensive series illuminating the crime of mass deportations from a victim’s perspective in Nazi Germany. Their unearthing is testimony to the recently rediscovered widespread individual resistance by ordinary Jews who fought Nazi persecution.
Our project has also identified new deportation photos taken in the German town of Fulda in December 1941, during a snowstorm.
Previously, historians knew of only three pictures of this deportation event. Preserved in the city archive, they show the deportees at the Fulda train station during heavy snowfall.
We discovered two new images of the same Nazi deportation, apparently taken by the same photographer, in a videotaped survivor interview in the Visual History Archive of the USC Shoah Foundation in Los Angeles.
In 1996, the Shoah Foundation interviewed Miriam Berline, née Gottlieb, the daughter of a successful Orthodox Jewish merchant in Fulda. At the end of the two-hour interview, Berline held two photographs up to the camera. They clearly show the same snowy deportation in Fulda.
Berline, born in 1925, escaped Nazi Germany in 1939. She did not remember how her family obtained the images but recalled the photographer as Otto Weissbach, a “wonderful” man who had helped Fulda’s Jewish families.
Our researchers investigated and learned his name was Arthur Weissbach, a non-Jewish neighbor of the Gottliebs. The factory he owned still exists. Descendants of Jewish families have since confirmed that he kept valuables for them and took care of elderly relatives who stayed behind.
Weissbach’s niece said he was a passionate hobby photographer. Since Weissbach kept contact with survivors after the war, he might have given the images to the Gottlieb family. Today, the family’s copies are lost, but their existence is preserved in Berline’s video interview at the USC Shoah Foundation.
The pictures show the Jews at the Fulda train station on Dec. 9, 1941 – revealing how Nazi deportations happened in plain view.
The day before, Jewish men and women from around Fulda had been summoned and spent the night at a local school gym. In the morning, they were taken to the train station and forced by police to board a train to Kassel, in central Germany, and then eastward onto Riga, in Nazi-occupied Latvia.
In total, 1,031 Jews were deported from Kassel to Riga. Only 12 from Fulda survived.
It is difficult to identify the people in the photos we discover. So far, we’ve published 279 biographies in the digital atlas.
In the future, artificial intelligence may help us identify more people from the photos in our collection. But for now, this process takes exhaustive research with the help of local researchers and descendants of survivors, whose names are known from archived transport lists.
Families often struggle to recognize individuals in these images, but sometimes they have family photos that help us do so.
Take, for example, this posed family portrait of two young girls. They are Susanne and Tamara Cohn.
Relatives of the Cohn family had this photo. It, along with data from the local Nazi transport list, established that two girls photographed in one of his Breslau deportation shots were the daughters of Willy Cohn.
Cohn, a well-known German-Jewish medieval historian and high school teacher in Breslau, kept a detailed diary about the persecution of the town’s Jews from 1933 to 1941. It was unearthed and published in the 1990s.
This photo, below, may be the last picture ever taken of his children with their mother, Gertrud.
The #LastSeen research project is generating new insights into the history of Nazi mass deportations, new methodologies for photo analysis and new tools for Holocaust education.
In addition to the digital atlas, which has been visited by more than 50,000 people since its launch in 2023, we have developed several award-winning educational tools, including an online game that invites students to search for clues, facts and images of Nazi deportations in an artificial attic.
In workshops for teachers and seminars with students, #LastSeen teaches the history of Nazi deportations and demonstrates how historical photo research works. In Fulda, for example, high schoolers helped us locate the exact places where the photographs were taken.
Those pictures will be published in our atlas on Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025. A public commemoration in Fulda will feature the local students’ contributions.
Depending on fundraising, we hope to extend the #LastSeen project beyond Germany. Collecting images from all 20-plus European countries annexed or occupied by the Nazis will help us better understand these crimes and advance research and education in new ways.
Wolf Gruner is the director of the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide, which is a partner of the multiinstitutional research project #LastSeen.
– ref. Newly discovered photos of Nazi deportations show Jewish victims as they were last seen alive – https://theconversation.com/newly-discovered-photos-of-nazi-deportations-show-jewish-victims-as-they-were-last-seen-alive-246929
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The Heckington Fen Solar Park application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Heckington Fen Solar Park
The proposed development will comprise the construction, operation and decommissioning of a solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generating facility exceeding 50 megawatt (MW) output capacity, together with associated energy storage. The installed capacity of the solar generation is expected to be in the order of 500MW.
The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by Ecotricity (Heck Fen Solar) Limited on 15 February 2023 and accepted for Examination on 13 March 2023.
Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 9 May 2024.
This is the 88th energy application out of 146 applications examined to date and was again completed by the Planning Inspectorate within the statutory timescale laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
Local communities continue to be given the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in this six-month examination.
The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local views and the evidence gathered during the examination before making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on the project pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:
Published 24 January 2025
Source: Mayor of London
Should the London Fire Brigade’s catering have more plant-based options?
Can sustainable food be required in every Free School Meal?
How vegan-friendly is City Hall’s procurement chain?
To jumpstart the Mayor of London’s plant-based policies and celebrate Veganuary, Zack Polanski, Green Party Londonwide Assembly Member, brought together environmental campaigners, animal welfare advocates, procurement advisors, policy officers, and food science academics for a night of networking and brainstorming.
Zack’s event was co-hosted by Viva!, the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity.
Following the event, Zack will now compile and consolidate ideas shared at the event and present a core set of plant-based proposals to London’s Mayor.
Reflecting on the night’s success, Green Party London Assembly Member Zack Polanski said:
“Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Veganuary! People coming together with a plan for how to make our city better and kinder – It really felt like London and democracy at it’s very best.
“I look forward to taking some of these incredible ideas to the Mayor next month, and continuing to push for a more animal friendly, sustainable London.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) joined The Beacon and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to host a compelling “lunch and learn” session on January 23 (Antwerp time), in Antwerp, Belgium, aimed at promoting Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities to European businesses and entrepreneurs in the maritime industry.
Based in Antwerp, the most important port city of Belgium, The Beacon is a thriving community of forward-thinking companies dedicated to addressing challenges in cities, ports, and industries through digital innovation. As a hub for collaboration, The Beacon aims to inspire technology companies and drive impactful solutions for the future.
In the sharing session, Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Miss Fiona Li provided an in-depth overview of Hong Kong’s robust economic fundamentals, its strategic role in connecting Belgian and European businesses to Asian markets, in particular its unique position as a gateway to the Greater Bay Area and Mainland China. Miss Li stated, “Hong Kong’s strong ground rules and distinctive advantages including the rule of law, free flow of capital, a free trade and investment regime and an efficient and clean government are kept under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Hong Kong’s ranking fourth in the 2024 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index is a testament to our strengths and the pivotal role in global shipping and international trade.”
Miss Li also highlighted Hong Kong fleet’s high degree of safety and reliability, “Hong Kong-registered ships rank as the fourth largest in the world in terms of gross tonnage, and the Port State Control detention rate of Hong Kong-registered ships is only 0.81 per cent, which is significantly lower than the world average of 3.39 per cent”. Miss Li also shared with the participants on the latest policies regarding the maritime industry.
During the sharing session, Marketing Manager, Frankfurt Office, HKTDC, Ms Kristie Chu had an intriguing dialogue with Editor-in-chief of Flows magazine Mr Koen Dejaeger on the experience of his participation in the Hong Kong Maritime Week in November 2024 and the latest opportunities in Hong Kong’s maritime sector.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Mr Edward Roberts has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica, and His Majesty’s non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Nicaragua in succession to Mr Ben Lyster-Binns.
Edward Roberts
Mr Edward Roberts has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica, and His Majesty’s non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Nicaragua in succession to Mr Ben Lyster-Binns who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Roberts will take up his appointment during autumn 2025.
Full name: Edward John Roberts
| Year | Role |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Pre-posting training (including Spanish language training) |
| 2023 to 2024 | FCDO, Europe Group, Directorate Flexible Resource |
| 2022 to 2023 | College of Europe, Bruges, MA in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies |
| 2019 to 2022 | Kathmandu, Deputy Ambassador |
| 2017 to 2019 | Department for Exiting the European Union, Policy Manager, Security Partnership |
| 2016 to 2017 | Cabinet Office, Senior Policy Adviser, Migration and EU Asylum Cooperation |
| 2013 to 2016 | Kinshasa, Consul and Second Secretary Political and Prosperity |
| 2011 to 2013 | FCO, Desk Officer, EU Institutions and Treaty Change Bill |
| 2010 to 2011 | European Commission, Brussels, DG AIDCO, Seconded National Expert, Human Development and Migration |
| 2009 to 2010 | Department for Education, Policy Officer, Early Years Improvement Support |
| 2008 to 2009 | Brussels, European Commission, DG AIDCO, Stagiaire, Human Development and Migration |
| 2007 to 2008 | Department for Education, Policy Officer, Education and Skills Bill |
| 2006 to 2007 | Department for Education, Policy Officer, Strategy for Learners with Learning Difficulties |
| 2006 | Joined the Civil Service Fast Stream |
Media enquiries
Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk
Telephone 020 7008 3100
Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns against the website greenhawk-ct.com. According to its findings, the operator offers financial and investment services as well as crypto-asset services there without a licence.
The website operator appears under the name Greenhawk-CT, without using a legal form. He does not provide any information about his place of business. In addition, the operator declares that he is authorised and regulated by the Crypto Conduct Authority. However, the Crypto Conduct Authority is not a nationally or supranationally mandated or legitimised supervisory authority.
Anyone offering financial or investment services or crypto-currency services in Germany requires a licence from BaFin. However, some companies offer such services without the required licence. Information on whether a particular company is authorised by BaFin can be found in the company database.
The information provided by BaFin is based on Section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (KWG) and Section 10 (7) of the German Crypto Markets Supervision Act (KMAG).’
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The website operator mainly appears under the name ‘Finance C G’ or ‘Finance C G Global Ltd’. In some places, however, he also calls himself ‘Fincare Global PTE. Ltd’ and claims to be based in Singapore and regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Belize (FSC, Financial Services Commission of Belize).
In the past, the operator has also provided customers with business addresses in Frankfurt am Main and London, United Kingdom. In addition, he was previously responsible for the identical, now inactive websites fincare-global.org, fincare-global.ltd and fincare-global.net.
BaFin has no information about a possible connection between the fincareglobal.org website and the fincareglobal.com website, which is operated by FinCARE Global Pte Ltd. This is presumably a case of identity theft at the expense of the company mentioned.
Anyone offering financial or investment services in Germany requires a licence from BaFin. However, some companies offer such services without the required licence. You can find information on whether a particular company is licensed by BaFin in the company database.
BaFin bases this information on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
We invite young people living in Hungary to participate in an essay competition under the theme ‘My Hero’, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust in Hungary, the British Embassy in Budapest invites young people living in Hungary aged 16-25 to participate in an essay competition in English under the theme ‘My Hero’.
This is your chance to reflect on personal stories of bravery and inspiration from individuals – past or present – whose courage and values inspire you today.
We would love to read your essays about Holocaust survivors, heroes of resistance or individuals who stood up against hatred, including family members, neighbours or individuals whose small acts of courage made a difference.
Essays will be evaluated by a gender-balanced jury of British Embassy staff based on:
Please note: participants must be resident in Hungary. Non-Hungarian citizens living in Hungary may also apply.
By submitting your essay, you agree to the competition rules.
The Embassy reserves the right to disqualify submissions if they do not meet the requirements.
This competition is part of the UK’s Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), focusing on preserving Holocaust remembrance and its enduring lessons for young generations.
For enquiries, please contact: competition.be.budapest@fcdo.gov.uk
Let’s honour those who inspire us and ensure their stories remain alive for generations to come.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The West Burton Solar Project application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
West Burton Solar Project
The application is an NSIP development comprising four electricity generating stations, each with anticipated capacity in excess of 50MW, comprising of ground mounted solar arrays, with associated development comprising energy storage, grid connection infrastructure and other infrastructure integral to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the NSIPs.
The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by West Burton Solar Project Limited on 21 March 2023 and accepted for examination on 18 April 2023.
Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 8 August 2024.
This is the 89th energy application out of 149 applications examined to date and was again completed by the Planning Inspectorate within the statutory timescale laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
Local communities continue to be given the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in this six-month examination.
The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local views and the evidence gathered during the examination before making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on the project pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:
Published 24 January 2025
Source: City of Plymouth
A range of support is available to anyone affected by the tragic death of a woman in West Hoe on Wednesday evening.
A man wanted on suspicion of murder has now been arrested and the police proceedings are ongoing. Members of the public can report information that may help the police investigation through their Major Incident Public Portal.
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened that there has been another tragic death of a woman in Plymouth and our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.
“We want women and girls to feel safe and will work with the police to support the families and communities affected by this incident and our Safer Communities team is offering support to residents in the area.
“If anyone is affected by this incident, there are services available in the city to support you. We also have details on our website with links to support services across the city.”
There’s information about the wide range of support and advice available on our website:
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
A second man has been charged with murder following a fatal stabbing in Tottenham last year.
Okechukwu Iweha, 46, died after being stabbed in Worcester Avenue, N17 on 7 April 2024. His family have been updated with this development.
Devon Brown – 29 (19.02.95) of no fixed abode was arrested on suspicion of murder, manslaughter, possession of a knife/pointed blade and perverting the course of justice after arriving at Heathrow Airport on Friday, 24 January following his extradition from the United States.
He will appear in custody at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 25 January.
Previously, Leandro Kaienga – 28 (11.04.96) of no fixed abode was charged with murder and possession of a bladed article (knife). He is remanded in custody ahead of a trial at Wood Green Crown Court which is currently scheduled to commence on 24 February.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
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Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/055bdd3e-9532-4205-b957-764c3c1b0717
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/665fdfca-e73b-4a8e-93ae-2ed294730a1a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d1af240-ffb5-4c85-a9e6-939c54ed7a62
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/623cdedd-2b86-4a21-9833-8263886d659c
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Vulnerable people at risk of unfair eviction or homelessness could benefit from a £20 million a year boost in legal aid as a consultation is launched today.
Consultation launched on additional £20 million a year increase to help rebuild legal aid sector
First major funding boost for civil legal aid since 1996 to help those facing homelessness
Increase also earmarked for immigration work to help reduce the asylum backlog
Vulnerable people, including those who are at risk of unfair eviction or being pushed into homelessness, could benefit from a £20 million a year boost in legal aid as a consultation is launched today (Friday, 24 January) as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
This would represent the first meaningful increase in civil legal aid fees in almost 30 years which, once fully implemented, will improve access to legal advice for people if they face unfair housing battles or are at risk of losing their home.
The investment, which represents a minimum 10 percent increase in fees, will also support lawyers who provide advice to victims of modern slavery and trafficking as well as speeding up asylum processing. This will help the Government to deliver commitments on reducing the asylum backlog and ending hotel use and ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to navigate a complex legal system and get swifter access to justice.
Justice Minister, Sarah Sackman KC, said:
Today’s launch marks a crucial step towards rebuilding the legal aid sector which has been left neglected for years.
A key part of our Plan for Change is ensuring the legal aid sector is on a sustainable footing. These proposals will make a real difference to helping support quicker access to justice for those who need it most.
Today’s consultation on the fee uplift marks an early step in the Government’s response to the evidence gathered as part of the Review of Civil Legal Aid. This demonstrated that both the housing and immigration sectors are under particularly acute pressure.
In total, the proposals would increase the spend on fees in the housing sector by 24 percent and for immigration and asylum work by 30 percent.
In addition to the fee proposals, the consultation is seeking further evidence from civil legal aid providers on improving access to remote legal advice. Fees for other civil legal aid categories will remain under consideration.
Last month the Government also committed to a consultation on uplifting fees for criminal legal aid for solicitors, having already provided a £24 million increase in fees for solicitors who work in police stations and youth courts.
The Government has launched a consultation on increasing legal aid fees for those working in the housing (housing and debt) and immigration (immigration and asylum) sectors, proposing to increase fees to a rate in the region of £65/£69 per hour (non-London/London), or provide a 10% uplift, whichever is higher. Fixed fees will be uplifted by the same percentage as the increase in the underlying hourly rate for that work. This will be implemented in 2025-26 with costs scaling up to £20m at steady state. This will increase overall spend by 24% for housing and 30% for immigration.
The Government has also published five of the remaining reports from the Review of Civil Legal Aid: these are the Call for Evidence Summary; User Experience Literature Review; two Data Publications – Deep Dive reports for Housing and Immigration; and the Overarching Report. This evidence has informed the consultation and will continue to shape future policy direction.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Gray, Professor of Meteorology, University of Reading
Storm Éowyn is today unleashing strong and damaging winds over the British Isles, and particularly over Ireland and Scotland.
Air pressure at the centre of the storm plummeted 50 millibars in the 24 hours leading up to midnight on January 24. That’s more than twice what is required in the definition of “explosive cyclogenesis”, in other words, the development of a cyclonic (anticlockwise rotating) storm that is both rapid and severe – like a bomb going off. As a result, Éowyn can be termed a “bomb cyclone”.
It is not unusual for winter storms in this part of the world to reach bomb cyclone status. However, only very few in recent years have shown a rate of deepening pressure that is comparable to that of Storm Éowyn.
The exceptional intensity of Storm Éowyn was predicted and it has prompted the Met Office and Met Éireann to issue red warnings covering the whole island of Ireland and central and southern Scotland. This tells the public to expect widespread gusts of 80-90mph and up to 100mph in the most exposed locations. A record-breaking gust of 114 mph has this morning been provisionally reported at Mace Head on Ireland’s west coast.
Similar intense storms have left widespread damage and tragically claimed lives. Some, such as the infamous Great Storm of 1987, have entered popular culture.
The maximum gust during the Great Storm was measured as 115mph at Shoreham, on the west Sussex coast. However, the anemometer stopped recording immediately afterwards so the real peak may have been higher.
A scientific paper has cast doubts on the UK national low-level wind gust record (so, excluding mountain summits) of 142mph. This was recorded at Kinnaird Head Lighthouse at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on February 13 1989. The researchers documented brief power supply interruptions to the recording anemograph, which could have given a faulty reading.
The record-highest wind gust measured in England sits at 122mph. This was recorded at the Needles, a very exposed site at the edge of the Isle of Wight, during Storm Eunice in February 2022. Two gusts of similar strength were recorded less than two years later (November 2023) in Brittany during Storm Ciarán.
In Ireland, the strongest gust recorded by an inland low-altitude weather station was during ex-Hurricane Debbie in 1961, with 113mph measured at Malin Head, the most northerly point of mainland Ireland. A gust of 97mph was measured in October 2017 at Roche’s Point at the entrance to Cork harbour during ex-Hurricane Ophelia.
The measurements we’re now seeing during the passage of Storm Éowyn are up there with those recorded during the most infamous storms of recent years and decades.
Like making a cake, there are several key ingredients to cooking up an explosively developing bomb cyclone like Storm Éowyn.
A strong jet stream – the ribbon of winds about six miles up in the atmosphere over the North Atlantic – is one. Winds here are currently exceeding 200 mph – their strength is linked to the strong temperature contrast between the cold plunge of air across the eastern US and the far warmer air over the western North Atlantic.
This strong jet has provided the energy for the storm’s development and is also the cause of its race towards the UK across the North Atlantic. Storm Éowyn came to life off the eastern seaboard of the US during Wednesday January 22 and will have covered over 2,000 miles before it arrives off western Scotland by Friday midday.
The low-pressure centre of Storm Éowyn crossed the jet stream from south to north en route, an ideal track for explosive development.
Éowyn’s heavy rainfall as it tracks towards the UK is a result of another key ingredient for explosive storm development: deep clouds within the storm that generate energy when their water condenses. These clouds are fed by strong fluxes of heat and moisture from the warm ocean surface, and scientists have been detecting record-warm surface ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic in recent years.
When a storm such as Éowyn occurs, people ponder the role of climate change in fuelling its strength. Our experiences of future storms will depend on what tracks these storms typically take and how that influences their intensity. Stormy weather is, of course, not unusual in the autumn and winter over the British Isles and it requires detailed research to attribute the strength of any specific storm to climate change.
To date, the observed trends in storminess have not provided a conclusive link with climate change. The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, experts relating to all aspects of climate change who are convened by the United Nations, states that there is “low confidence” in the direction of trends in the number and intensity of extratropical storms (those that form outside of the warm band surrounding Earth’s equator) over the last century.
One reason why it is difficult to make this link is that the position and variability of storminess is very dependent on the jet stream, and its position varies a lot from day to day, week to week, and beyond. Large-scale climate patterns such as the El-Niño Southern Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation, and sea surface temperatures and the extent of sea ice are also likely to be important factors.
Despite this uncertainty, there are indications that in the future, winter storms may become more frequent and more clustered (such that several storms occur within a few days of each other), which can exacerbate their overall impact. The frequency of storms with extreme winds may also increase. Rainfall is highly likely to increase, as a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture.
Another thing that could change about intense storms in future is their propensity to develop “sting jets”. Sting jets are descending airstreams that can produce particularly destructive surface winds, as in the Great October storm, Storm Eunice and Storm Ciarán. Sting jets are short-lived and occur over very small areas, making them hard to predict and identify.
There is speculation over whether a sting jet has descended during Storm Éowyn. Post-event verification will be needed. While the overall impact on wind speed is uncertain, the small number of studies that have considered sting jets in future cyclones have predicted an increase in their likelihood.
Cyclones that are capable of producing sting jets also typically show more vigorous cloud development, consistent with the hypothesis that the intense storms of the future will be influenced by our hotter and wetter atmosphere.
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Suzanne Gray has previously received or currently has funding from the Natural Environmental Research Council and AXA Research Fund to work on sting jet storms, and storms in the Arctic and Mediterranean regions.
Ambrogio Volonté has previously received or currently has funding from the Natural Environmental Research Council, AXA Research Fund and the University of Reading to work on sting jet storms, and storms in the Arctic and Mediterranean regions.
– ref. Why meteorologists are comparing Storm Éowyn to a bomb – https://theconversation.com/why-meteorologists-are-comparing-storm-eowyn-to-a-bomb-248203
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
An example of the section 31 letter issued to the lead local authorities in each of the 9 regional improvement and innovation alliances.
These letters set out how, as part of its children’s social care strategy, the Department for Education is funding key activities that aid the improvement of local authority children’s services.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
British Ambassador in Rome, Edward Llewellyn, hosted an unforgettable evening in honour of Robert Burns, Scotland’s beloved bard
Ambassador and guests at Burns Night
The stately halls of Villa Wolkonsky transformed into a vivid slice of Scotland last night as British Ambassador Edward Llewellyn hosted an unforgettable evening in honour of Robert Burns, Scotland’s beloved bard. Bringing together diplomats, cultural enthusiasts, and the Scottish community in Rome, the event celebrated Scotland’s heritage through its iconic poetry, music, cuisine, and artisanal crafts.
Over 250 guests, including ambassadors Julianne Cowley (Australia) and Jackie Frizelle (New Zealand), and Italo-Scottish X-Factor star Pablo Murphy, experienced an authentic taste of Scottish culture. From the melodies of bagpipes to vibrant tartans and exquisite whisky selections, the event was a joyous tribute to Burns’ enduring legacy and the timeless spirit of Scotland.
Guests were greeted by the stirring notes of the City of Rome Pipe Band, leading them through Villa Wolkonsky’s elegant halls for the iconic Address to the Haggis. This centerpiece ritual saw British Deputy Ambassador David Burton enthusiastically recite Burns’ famous ode, capturing the soul of Scotland’s culinary pride, the haggis.
The Selkirk Grace, a traditional Scottish prayer delivered by Italian Honorary Consul in Glasgow Ronnie Convery, added a moment of solemnity. For the gastronomes in attendance, the evening featured a feast of Scottish delicacies prepared by the villa’s chefs, including salmon, haggis (vegetarian options included), and the ever-popular roast beef and Scottish pie. Sweet treats like sticky toffee pudding and traditional Cranachan rounded out the indulgence.
A new highlight this year was an exclusive exhibit by Scottish textile designer Araminta Campbell. Known for her intricate tartan designs, Campbell was recently commissioned to create the Balmoral Castle Hunting Tartan for King Charles III. Guests marveled at her atelier’s handcrafted fabric accessories, showcasing Scotland’s world-renowned craftsmanship and innovation in design.
An extraordinary showcase of Scottish distillates elevated the evening, with a whisky lineup from Dalmore, Jura, Lochlea, Kilchoman, and Cù Bòcan paired with handcrafted gins like Hills & Harbour and Lind & Lime. These libations complemented the hearty fare, inviting guests to toast to Burns’ “Immortal Memory.”
The lively program continued with a ceilidh, the traditional Scottish dance led by the Rome Scottish Dancing Group and the Coughdrops trio. Spirited performances of Loch Ness Monster and Strip the Willow had attendees taking to the floor, embracing the festive energy that embodies Gaelic gatherings.
As the evening concluded with heartfelt toasts to Robert Burns, Ambassador Llewellyn emphasized the significance of such cultural celebrations in uniting communities and fostering deeper international ties. “Robert Burns continues to inspire people across generations and continents,” he noted. “Tonight, we celebrate not only Scotland but the shared heritage and traditions that connect us all.”
Villa Wolkonsky’s enchanting transformation into a Land of Scotland left an indelible impression, strengthening the bonds of those who share a passion for Scottish culture, history, and the arts.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A letter to the Deputy Prime Minister from Doug Chalmers, Chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life on regulating election finance.
This letter from CSPL Chair, Doug Chalmers, to the Deputy Prime Minister draws attention to the CSPL’s report on Regulating Election Finance, intending to be of assistance as the government develops its thinking on the changes needed to protect the integrity of our electoral system.
Published 24 January 2025
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a 75-year-old man in Putney.
On Friday, 24 January at 03:36hrs police were called to an address in Deodar Road, SW15 following reports of a stabbing.
Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated a man for stab injuries.
Sadly, despite the emergency services best efforts, he was pronounced dead on scene.
His next of kin have been made aware although we currently await formal identification. They are currently being supported by specialist officers.
A special post-mortem examination is due to take place today.
A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, he remains in police custody. It is believed he was known to the victim.
Detective Superintendent Amanda Mawhinney from the South West Command Unit which covers Putney said: “We are currently supporting the family of a man who was sadly killed in the early hours of this morning.
“I am aware that people in the community may feel shocked following this – we believe this to be an isolated incident and there is no wider threat to the public.
“Although we have made significant progress by making an arrest, I would like to make it clear that our investigation does not stop here. We need the local community to help us understand what happened in the early hours of this morning.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area at around 3am and that saw or heard anything unusual to contact us as soon as possible.
“You may notice a higher police presence within the area today whilst we carry out our enquiries. A scene is in place as well as road closures. If you feel the need to raise anything with our officers, then please feel free to speak with them whilst they are in the area.”
Enquiries remain ongoing.
Anyone with information which could assist with the investigation is asked to call 101 stating CAD721/24JAN. Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by submitting an online form.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s speech on government plans to grow the creative industries, at the Creative Industries Growth Summit in Gateshead.
Welcome to the first Creative Industries Growth Summit. The first national and international gathering of the industries we have chosen to be the centre of our plan for economic growth.
Today I want to talk to you about how, together, we are going to take the brakes off our fastest growing industries and from design and TV to music, video games and fashion, we are going to unleash the power of our creative industries.
To grow our economy. To create good jobs, choices and chances for all our young people. To power the world through our dynamic creative industries.
It’s no accident that we chose to meet here in Gateshead. A town with a proud industrial history. Through iron, steel and coal the people of this town – and this region – powered us through the last century. And Gateshead is now at the forefront of Britain’s cultural renaissance.
Through great institutions like the Baltic and the Glasshouse, sculptures like the Angel of the North, and a growing film industry and video games industry across the region, Gateshead and the North East are a shining example – every bit as striking as the Millennium Bridge – of how you build a living, breathing bridge from our past to our future.
That potential exists in every nation and region of the United Kingdom. Where our world class creative industries have given us a uniquely British brilliance, from the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, Derry Girls in Northern Ireland, the Hay Festival in Wales, the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, and the British Museum in London which pulls in more visitors from around the world than any apart from in New York.
But while governments of every stripe have appreciated the social value of our creative industries, they have consistently underpriced the huge economic potential of industries that are already among our most powerful engines of growth. That ends with us.
I shouldn’t have to say it but I do. From theatre to fashion, advertising to publishing, the creative industries have grown one and a half times faster than the rest of the economy. You together in this room are responsible for creating one in seven jobs through the creative economy. You contribute £124 billion to our economy. Your industries generate nearly 6% of our GVA.
Paul Simon once sang: “Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.” There are only three countries that are net exporters of music. That is so uniquely true of Britain. We are the musicians, the creators, the storytellers, who tell our story, light up the world and power this economy. That is the talent and ambition that you have, that has built sectors that were worth more to the economy in 2022 than aerospace, life sciences and the automotive industries combined.
But too often you’ve done extraordinary things, not in partnership with your government, but despite it. You’ve been knocking on doors in Whitehall for far too long with a clear message. You want the stability that gives investors confidence to back you. You want a government willing to take a bulldozer to every barrier to growth.
Well today we’re throwing those doors wide open. We share your passion. We match your ambition and we are going to back you to the hilt as one of only eight industries that we believe will power us through the next century.
I’m delighted that Baroness Shriti Vadera has agreed to lead us through this new chapter as the next chair of our revamped Creative Industries Council. She and the titan that is Sir Peter Bazalgette have wasted no time in setting to work on the Sector Plan, which is our dedicated plan in the Industrial Strategy that will guide us forwards.
But as we put those plans in place to carry the torch forwards, you’ve been nothing but straight with us about what is holding you back. And we’ve heard it loud and clear. Investment, innovation, international competitiveness, and skills. So today in all of these areas we’re taking the brakes off our fastest growing industries and inviting you to motor ahead.
We’re starting by making sure you have the investment and backing you need. Like every part of the UK economy, the creative industries have amazing start-ups that struggle to scale up. The growth potential is huge, but the investments are often wrongly deemed too risky and this is particularly true outside London and the South East – forcing great British creative businesses to look overseas to scale.
We are determined to keep that creative pound here in the UK. So as a first step to addressing that all-important finance barrier, the British Business Bank, which supports over £17 billion in finance for businesses already, is committing to increase the scale of its support for the creative industries.
Backing capital fund managers to invest in UK creatives, supporting those experts who understand the unique strengths of this sector in the UK. And we are asking the British Business Bank to report to us on its investment in the creative industries, so that we know the real world impact it is having.
Secondly, we’re taking steps today to address some of the principal barriers to innovation, research and development investment. Time and again we’ve seen examples of creative businesses coming up with innovations that go on to benefit the wider economy.
3D modelling, pioneered for video games, is now employed by Rolls Royce in developing engines.
Visualisation technologies are helping bring down the backlog in the NHS, helping surgeons at hospitals like University College Hospital, to increase the number of prostate operations they do every year. That is lives changed because of the work you are doing.
It’s why the Prime Minister’s Council of Science and Technology recommended that public investment in R&D in the creative industries reflect the size, economic contribution and future growth potential of the sector.
So today we are announcing that we will strengthen the investment from our national research funding agency UKRI into creative R&D.
This means building on the success of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and programmes like the Creative Clusters Programme. It means UKRI will develop a specific new strategy to support the creative industries.
And it means a long-term investment plan for innovation and growth in the sector, allowing us to build world-leading infrastructure around the UK. And again, to underline this commitment, the Government will ask UKRI to report on its investment in the creative industries.
Because underpinning this is our belief that public and private investment should better reflect the creative industries’ contribution to the economy and its enormous growth potential.
But as we embrace new innovation across the country, we will do it in a way that works for creatives, rather than just paying lip service to your concerns. Creators have always been at the cutting edge of new technologies.
But we hear creators’ concerns and we recognise the worry that AI is an existential threat to livelihoods. There is no value without content. I want to assure you in the clearest possible terms: creatives are at the core of our AI strategy.
When it comes to copyright we’re unambiguous in our desire for a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency and ensures they can license their content.
Thirdly, we’re taking on the skills shortages holding your industries back. We are proud to be supporting major investment projects like the Crown Works film studio in Sunderland. But too often what I hear from young people is that they could no more dream of getting those jobs than going to the moon.
That is not just a tragic waste of human potential. It’s bad business.
It’s why people like Stephen Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, who is working to bring in a film school in Birmingham, is recruiting and training 20% of his workforce from local postcodes.
It is essential for investors to know that they don’t have to incur the costs of shipping people in to work on a project, because that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not.
[political content]
So, the Education Secretary has announced a review of the curriculum. As part of that we are putting creativity, art, music, culture and sport back at the heart of the curriculum, supporting culture and creativity through the education system.
We’re going to introduce shorter apprenticeships from August 2025. This is one of our first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy, recognising the particular needs of this sector.
A movie can take six months to film, while the inflexible apprenticeship model we inherited requires a commitment to 12. We’re knocking down these needless hurdles and this is just the start.
Skills England, along with DfE and my department, are now committing to work with creative employers to identify where else the apprenticeship system can be more flexible to help them get the skills they need, when they need them.
We want kids growing up in Gateshead and Wigan to know that they have a contribution to make, that is seen and is valued. And that contribution is not just for Britain – it’s for the world.
Because our creative industries aren’t just at the heart of our Industrial Strategy and our economic plan, but right at the centre of our ambition to reconnect Britain to the world.
This week the Foreign Secretary and I put the creative industries at the heart of our new Soft Power Council which we lead together and we launched on Wednesday.
We both know that when it comes to international competitiveness, we cannot afford to stand still. So in Europe we are working together to unlock closer cooperation to support our touring artists and those across the EU.
We’ve wasted no time in introducing tax credits for VFX and independent film. A shining example of how industry and government working together drives investment, creates jobs and allows the best storytellers in the world to tell those stories to the world.
And to drive the sector’s international impact, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and I are extending the Music Export Growth Scheme, which will help great artists to take their talent to the next level. Because nobody has a monopoly on talent.
I spent three of the happiest years of my life just over the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle University. And apart from having to get used to being called a southerner, those years introduced me to the very rich culture and heritage here in the North East.
And when I look around this region, it is obvious to me, as it is to so many of you, that this is a region that should be the Hollywood of the UK. With its innovation, its work ethic, its ability to reinvent and reimagine itself.
There is a reason why investors are clamouring to invest here. Not just the creativity of the people, and the strong local leadership, but the beauty of the backdrops and the sheer scale of the space to build film studios like Crown Works in Sunderland.
So it is extraordinary that for 19 of the last 20 years only two regions – London and the South East – have had the backing and investment to make a net contribution to the public purse.
Trying to grow the economy while ignoring the potential in most parts of Britain is like trying to fly a jet on only one engine. So as well as breaking down the barriers to investment, innovation and skills, we are going to build on what you’ve started through the Sector Plan – learning from the success of London as a global hub, to turbocharge the growth of the creative industries right across the UK.
There is huge untapped potential across our country, from the music industry in Liverpool to film and TV production here in the North East. And we know mayors and local businesses – like Kim McGuiness here in the North East and Tracy Brabin who has led trade delegations and created cultural collaborations all over the world – know better than anyone how to unlock this creativity, innovation, and growth.
That is why today we are announcing new funding for six Mayoral Strategic Authorities with high potential, which local leaders will be able to spend and invest on what they know local creative industry businesses need. They are: the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, and the West of England.
This is just the first step in boosting growth in all parts of the country. The Sector Plan will include further support that will benefit all businesses wherever they are based. We will work with any part of the country that wants to prioritise the creative industries in their local growth plan.
Alongside that, we are putting money where our mouth is. Today the Chancellor and I are committing £40 million of funding toward the creative industries in the next fiscal year. Including funding 127 businesses to take growth to the next level – including 11 here in the North East of England.
That’s new funding for creators and creative businesses, major music labels, film studios and fashion houses. It is a serious sign of our belief in these industries and breaking down the barriers, so that many of you in this room can do the same.
And this is just the first step. In the months ahead we will be taking more action, developing the Industrial Strategy across Whitehall and knocking down these barriers in the way of this sector’s growth.
[political content]
Published 24 January 2025
Source: Scottish Government
Severe weather and disruption expected to continue.
First Minister John Swinney has asked people to continue to follow Police Scotland advice not to travel during the red weather warning and to be mindful that dangerous conditions will persist for the rest of the evening while the amber warning remains in place.
It follows a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR), which is co-ordinating the response to the damage and disruption caused by Storm Éowyn in Scotland.
SGoRR was updated on the current impacts, including:
The First Minister said utility companies are working at pace to restore power as quickly as possible, however as conditions remain too dangerous for recovery teams to operate fully, welfare provisions are in place to support the most vulnerable. Members of the public are also being urged to plan ahead and continue to follow safety advice in the coming days, including checking for the latest road conditions, Scotrail services and public transport advice which are all expected to experience continued disruption.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“Storm Éowyn is an exceptional weather event and is causing significant impacts across Scotland, with multiple reports of fallen trees and blown over vehicles. What the Met Office predicted has come our way, with gusts of 100mph winds reported.
“I want to thank members of the public for largely following Police Scotland’s advice not to travel. However, this storm is not over yet. Even once the red weather warning expires, severe weather warnings for wind, snow and ice remain in place across much of the country tonight and into tomorrow morning.
“A high level of vigilance is still required. There are still too many lorries on the road and I urge all HGVs to follow Police Scotland advice not to travel during the red weather warning.
“We are also seeing reports of multiple power outages across Scotland and expect these to continue over the course of the day. It will take time to recover power and transport services across the country, as conditions still remain too dangerous for recovery teams to operate.
“Utilities companies are focused on supporting their most vulnerable customers and I’d encourage everyone to please look out for each other and take extra care during this time.”
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland, who is leading the multi-agency response to Storm Eowyn, said:
“We have seen significant disruption across the country, particularly in the areas affected by the red weather warning. First and foremost, our thoughts are with those who have been injured and those impacted by the weather.
“The high winds are forecast to continue, with Amber warnings in place into this evening and tomorrow morning.
“It is concerning that there has been a large number of HGVs on the road. We have responded to 11 incidents so far where HGVs have overturned due to high winds and I want to reiterate the advice that you should not travel in or to areas under the red weather warning. Additionally, I would urge the public to avoid travelling in areas affected by the Amber warning and consider delaying your travel until conditions improve. We don’t ask you to do this lightly and we make this ask with public safety at the forefront of decision-making.
“Roads are likely to be affected by debris for some time to come and motorists should drive with caution when it is safe to return to the roads.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Head of Operations Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Garry Mackay said:
“Our Operations Control rooms are experiencing an extremely high number of 999 calls at the moment. Please only dial 999 and ask for us where there is an immediate risk of harm.
“For fallen trees or obstacles that do not pose an immediate risk to the public or property, we are asking the public to please contact your local authority.”
Background
SGoRR was attended by the Deputy First Minister, and Cabinet Secretaries for Health; Education; Transport; Justice; Rural Affairs and Islands; and Net Zero and Energy. They were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, transport and utilities companies and resilience partners.
The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.
Follow Traffic Scotland for the most up-to-date information on the trunk roads throughout the warning periods, via their website, social media channels and radio broadcasts. Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.
To report a power cut or damage to electricity power lines or substations call the SP Networks national Freephone number 105. More information on what to do during a storm can also be found on SP Energy Website.
During a power cut firefighters can be called to fires started by candles or portable heaters. For advice on how to stay safe during a power cut visit Scottish Fire and Rescue Website.
