LONDON, UK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a world where digital assets continue to gain mainstream traction, JA Mining is redefining how individuals and institutions engage with cryptocurrency mining. By combining clean energy, automation, and an easy-to-use interface, JA Mining offers a forward-thinking alternative to traditional crypto mining and speculative trading.
Built for global accessibility, JA Mining allows users to participate in cryptocurrency mining without hardware ownership, technical setup, or ongoing maintenance. With thousands of users joining monthly, the platform is quickly becoming a trusted solution for anyone seeking a secure, transparent, and environmentally conscious entry point into the crypto ecosystem.
A Green Future for Crypto Mining
What sets JA Mining apart is its commitment to sustainability. The platform’s operations are powered by solar and wind energy facilities across Europe, North America, and Asia. By reducing dependency on fossil fuels, JA Mining not only lowers its carbon footprint but also aligns with growing demand from ESG-conscious investors seeking ethical and scalable digital income models.
“We believe cryptocurrency mining should be both profitable and responsible,” said a JA Mining spokesperson. “Our mission is to create a mining experience that respects the environment while remaining accessible to all.”
Technology-Driven, User-Centered
JA Mining is designed to work for everyone—from curious beginners to advanced investors. Key features include:
One-click mining activation
Intuitive, mobile-friendly dashboard
Automated backend infrastructure management
Energy optimization handled fully by JA’s clean-powered data centers
Global access and multilingual support
Users can monitor performance, manage accounts, and access support—all through a clean, simplified interface that removes the learning curve often associated with mining.
Security and Certification
Headquartered in the UK, JA Mining operates under UK-certified regulatory standards and deploys enterprise-grade encryption to ensure user data and asset protection. The platform is continuously monitored and upgraded to maintain peak uptime and reliability across its mining infrastructure.
Shifting From Trading to Mining
As volatility and market fatigue increase among speculative crypto traders, JA Mining’s steady and transparent model is attracting a new wave of interest. Retail users and institutional partners alike are turning to cloud mining as a more predictable, hands-off income path in the digital economy. JA Mining’s growing adoption reflects a broader shift toward platforms that offer stable, ESG-compliant alternatives to high-risk strategies.
About JA Mining
JA Mining is a leading UK-certified cloud mining platform dedicated to delivering accessible, green, and secure crypto mining services. With global operations powered by renewable energy and automated systems, the company empowers users to participate in digital asset mining without complexity, while aligning with ethical and environmental priorities.
Company Address: JA Financial Services Limited, 11 The Elms, Leek Wootton, Warwick, England, CV35 7RR, London, UK
Disclaimer:This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, legal advice, or investment recommendations. Stock Trading involves risk and market volatility. Please research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions. Jamining.com and associated parties are not liable for any financial loss incurred.
Responding to the new Anglo-French deal on small-boat crossings, Carla Denyer, Green Party Co-Leader, said:
“The only way to stop people making dangerous journeys across the channel is to introduce safe and managed routes for people to seek asylum in the UK. Anything else – including the impractical and unrealistic deal announced today – is a distraction.
“While our governments use migration as a political football, more people will lose their lives in the Channel fleeing violence, war or oppression because the only way for them to reach the UK is by putting their lives in the hands of people smugglers.
“Earlier this year a committee of MPs published a detailed analysis of how to improve the UK’s refugee and asylum policy, and recommended sensible measures including improving family reunion, restoring the resettlement scheme, and introducing a pilot refugee visa.
“Instead of scrambling to appear tough on migration with flawed scheme after flawed scheme, it’s time for the UK government to get practical about tackling small boat crossings, and urgently set up safe and managed routes for people to seek asylum in the UK.”
Green MP and co-leader Adrian Ramsay responded to the government bringing back supplementary voting for combined authority ‘metro’ mayors, the Greater London Authority mayor, elected council mayors, across England; and Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales.
“I look forward to the government now extending more democratic voting to General Elections and council elections as well.
“This change in systems is welcome for Mayoral contests because it ensures voters can express their preferences and the outcome will better reflect people’s views.
“We now need the government to wake up to the need to reform the General Election voting system, and the system for electing councillors.
“We have a deeply undemocratic first-past-the-post system for General Elections, particularly now the tired, old two-party system has fractured.
“That voting system also needs to change or we could once again find ourselves with a party with a majority of seats in Parliament won on a shrinking minority of votes.
“We need every vote to count and for the public to feel that they have a real say in how the country is governed.”
View of Edinburgh from Arthur Seat – a Getty image
Edinburgh is one of 19 new local authorities joining the international Bloomberg Philanthropies i-team initiative, which provides support and expertise to tackle pressing local challenges.
The City of Edinburgh Council today announced plans for an Innovation Team which will work towards tackling the city’s ambitions of reaching net zero and ending poverty.
The i-team, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, will include three specialised staff charged with helping the Council and civic and community-based partners design and implement services that improve people’s lives. They will receive technical assistance from regional and global specialists, and benefit from learnings from peers in local authorities across the region and around the world.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said:
Edinburgh is one of the most successful cities in the world and yet we face unprecedented pressures. Our population growth, and appeal as a fantastic place to live and visit, makes it challenging to provide the best quality housing and support to residents who need it most. Likewise, Edinburgh’s world-famous environment, both built and natural, needs to be managed sustainably and protected from the effects of climate change.
The support from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ international i-team initiative will provide a huge boost towards our aims of tackling poverty and hitting net zero, by helping us to establish a brand-new innovation team within the Council. I look forward to working with this team, and all our partners, as we work to deliver a fairer and stronger capital city.
James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said:
Realising efficient, effective government is an inside job—and the Innovation Teams we support around the world are critical to building that engine within the city halls they serve. We are glad to expand this model to 19 new municipal teams in Europe, who will join the growing number of public officials working locally, creatively, and ambitiously to break down silos, break through problems, and deliver results residents see and feel.
To date, the Bloomberg Philanthropies i-team initiative has reached over 100 cities across 16 countries and four continents—representing more than 100 million residents—and inspired hundreds of other local governments to embrace innovation systems and practices.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland July 10, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands:
“Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections. While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.
“My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.”
Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce. Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory.
“Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).
“That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period. We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added.
“Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories. Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico. I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.”
“While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland July 10, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands:
“Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections. While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.
“My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.”
Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce. Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory.
“Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).
“That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period. We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added.
“Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories. Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico. I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.”
“While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.”
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Eaglestone, Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought, Royal Holloway University of London
Raynor Winn, author of the award-winning memoir The Salt Path, which was recently adapted into a film, has been accused of “lies, deceit and desperation”. Writing in The Observer, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou claims that Winn left out significant facts and invented parts of the story.
The Salt Path follows a transformative 630-mile trek along England’s South West Coast Path that Winn took with her terminally ill husband Moth after they lost their home and livelihood.
The Observer article claims that aspects of both the story of losing their home and Winn’s husband’s illness were fabricated. In a statement on her website, Winn has defended her memoir, calling the claims “grotesquely unfair” and “highly misleading”.
There’s a long list of memoirs which have been shown to be problematic. James Frey’s recovery memoir A Million Little Pieces (2003) was allegedly exaggerated. In 2006, he apologised for fabricating portions of the book. Worse, Binjamin Wilkomirski’s feted Holocaust survivor memoir Fragments: Memories of a Wartime Childhood (1995) was completely fake. Wilkomirski’s real name was Bruno Dössekker and he was not a Holocaust survivor, he had simply invented his “memories” of a death camp, though he seemed to believe they were true.
But, for readers, how much does this matter? Novelist D.H. Lawrence wrote that readers should: “Never trust the artist. Trust the tale.” As readers of The Salt Path, we fear for Raynor and Moth as they desperately try to escape drowning from a freak high tide at Portheras Cove. We are relieved when we hear that Moth’s terminal disease was “somehow, for a while, held at bay”.
The origin of the word fiction is from the Latin fingere, which means not to lie, but to fashion or form. All memoirs – indeed, all texts, from scientific articles to history books to bestselling novels – are “formed” or “shaped”. Writing doesn’t just fall from a tree, we make it, and it reveals the world by mediating the world.
Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.
But this idea, that writing is a “shaping”, is why this case matters. Writing, done by oneself, or by a ghostwriter (or even by AI) has conventions, not-quite-rules that underlie its creation and reception. Some of these are in the text (the enemies eventually become lovers); some are outside the text itself (you really can judge a book by its cover). But most conventions are both inside and outside at the same time.
Works by historians have footnotes to sources, so you (and other historians) can check the claims. Each scientific article refers to many others, because each article is just one tiny piece of the whole puzzle on which a huge community of scientists are working, and the extensive references show how this piece fits (or doesn’t). Non-fiction follows conventions, while novelists can do whatever they want, of course, to challenge or obey the conventions (that’s one reason why novels are exciting).
Memoir has a particularly important convention, revealed most clearly by the historian Stefan Maechler’s report on Wilkomirski’s fraudulent memoir. Maechler argued that Wilkomirski broke what the French critic Philippe Lejeune called the “autobiographical pact”, a contract of truth between the author and the reader.
For Lejeune, however, this pact is not like a legal agreement. A memoir, unlike a scientific article, need only put forward the truth as it appeared to the author in that area of their life. While the information needs to be accurate to some degree, its level of verifiability is less than a legal document or work of history. Much more important for Lejeune is the harder-to-pin-down fidelity to meaning.
After all, many meaningful things – falling in love, for example, or grief – happen mostly inside us and are hard to verify. Even more, the developing overall shape of our life as it seems to us is not really a historical fact, but our own making of meaning. For Lejeune, in a memoir, this emotional truth is more significant than the verifiable truth.
Playing with ‘emotional truth’
The author of The Salt Path seems to have leaned into this idea. In her first statement after The Observer’s piece she claims that her book “lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives … This is the true story of our journey”. How, after all, could one verify a “spiritual journey”?
However, I don’t fully agree with Lejeune. Perhaps our inner and outer worlds are not as separate as he supposes. Our public actions, including sharing facts, show who we are as much as our words describing our inner journeys.
In a memoir, the verifiable truth and the emotional truth are linked by a kind of feedback loop. As readers, we allow some degree of playing with verifiable truth: dialogue is reconstructed, not recorded; we accept some level of dramatisation; we know it’s from one person’s perspective. But we also make a judgment about these things (there’s no fixed rule, no science to this judgment).
If there’s too much reconstruction, too much dramatisation, we begin to get suspicious about the emotional truth too: is this really how it felt for them? Was it honestly a spiritual journey? And, in turn, this makes us more suspicious of the verifiable claims. By contrast, the novelist’s pact with the reader admits they fake emotional truth, which somehow makes it not fake at all: that’s one reason why novels are complicated.
This is why defending a memoir’s “emotional truth” is a high-risk strategy. We know from our own lives that people who are unreliable in small (verifiable) things are often unreliable in large (emotional, meaningful) ones.
So, for readers, the facts behind The Salt Path matter less in themselves and more because each question points to a larger issue about the book’s meaning. When you call someone “fake”, you don’t really mean that “their factual claims are inaccurate”, but that they are somehow inauthentic, hollow or – it’s a teenager’s word, but still – phoney. Once the “autobiographical pact” looks broken in enough small details, the reader no longer trusts the teller or the tale.
In a lengthy statement published on her website in which she addresses the allegations in detail, Winn said that the suggestion that Moth’s illness was fabricated was an “utterly vile, unfair, and false suggestion” and added: “I can’t allow any more doubt to be cast on the validity of those memories, or the joy they have given so many.”
This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.
Robert Eaglestone 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.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sally Pearse, Strategic Lead for Early Years and Director of the Early Years Community Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University
The government has announced its strategy for “giving every child the best start in life”, laying out proposals covering early years care, education and support in England.
The strategy builds on the current local family hub model of services, which offer a range of support aimed at babies and young children. Best Start family hubs will further bring together early years and family services in a similar way to the previous Sure Start programme. The government’s commitment includes £1.5 billion in investment to implement these reforms.
The Best Start Hubs will be a one-stop shop to support families with their child’s early development, from breastfeeding advice to speech and language support and stay and play sessions. The hubs will also support families with wider challenges such as housing and benefits, and provide courses for parents.
The attempt to bring services together to deliver local, holistic support to families is understandable given the impact of the original Sure Start initiative, introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour government.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
The Sure Start Local Programmes that were established from 1999 onwards had a significant positive effect on those families who had access to them. From 2010, though, when the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition came into power, funding was cut and many Sure Start centres closed.
In May 2025 the Institute for Fiscal Studies published a summary report on the short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s lives.
They found that the impact of the Sure Start services for under-fives was remarkably long-lasting, with improvements during their teenage years in educational attainment and behaviour in school, and reductions in hospital admissions. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that these long-term benefits significantly outweigh the cost of the Sure Start programme.
Like Sure Start, the Best Start strategy has the potential to be transformational for young children and their families.
However, the current range of challenges faced by families and the depth of child poverty in the country will make bringing about this transformation challenging. A 2023 report from charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that there are one million children growing up destitute in the UK, without the means to stay warm, dry, clean and fed.
The challenge of poverty
The day after the Best Start strategy was launched, the children’s commissioner for England published a research report on children’s experience of growing up in a low-income family. Based on interviews with 128 children, the report outlines the “almost-Dickensian” levels of poverty experienced by children whose basic needs are not being met. Children described poor housing conditions, mouldy food and lack of hot water.
The significant impact that poverty has on children’s educational attainment, health and future lives will be difficult for the benefits that the Best Start programme may provide to negate.
I have witnessed these financial challenges and the wider range of issues families are dealing with on a daily basis in my own role as the director of the Early Years Community Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, and through my wider research with families.
In March 2024 I was part of a team of researchers who were commissioned by the Ministry for Housing, Community and Local Government to explore how multiple insecurities, such as financial difficulties, health problems, precarious work, poor housing and lack of support networks affected people’s lives.
Parents described the difficulties of making ends meet. They talked about having to deal with many different national and local agencies, the stress this created within their family and the toll on their health and wellbeing.
Even working full-time did not necessarily make families more secure. In one family, the working pattern the parents had to adopt to make ends meet meant that they only had one day a fortnight to be together.
We have to do stupid hours. I mean my partner, she works nights. I work mainly days … we’re kind of like passing ships in the night.
The places these families turned to were local community centres run by a range of organisations. The common themes about why they accessed these centres were the warm, welcoming, non-judgemental approach taken by staff, trusting relationships with staff and the range of services and support that were offered.
This bodes well for the Best Start strategy – if it is able to deliver the full range of services the government has outlined in a local trusted space. However, this will be a significant challenge in communities that have lacked support over recent years, are suffering the hardships of poverty and that may have lost trust in government services.
Sally Pearse received funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Belgian architect Luc Schuiten’s vision of ‘the Vegetal City’.Luc Schuiten
Buildings adorned with plants are an increasingly familiar sight in cities worldwide. These “green walls” are generally created using metal frames that support plastic plates, onto which pre-grown plants are inserted. These plants are able to survive without soil because they’re sustained by nutrient-packed rolls of felt and artificial sprinklers.
Some are fabulously rich tapestries of luxuriant vegetation, like French botanist Patrick Blanc’s coating of part of the Athenaeum hotel in London. Here, small shrubs sprout from an almost tropical green wall, with an abundance of mosses and ferns. In summer, butterflies peruse the flowers. All this next to Piccadilly, one of the busiest streets in central London.
Others are objects of ridicule: the sadly common outcome of poor design and a lack of maintenance (all green walls need careful planning and a great deal of care). If they’re not carefully tended, green walls will quickly turn into brown ones, with the plastic supports all too visible beneath the dying plants.
But there are many others ways of integrating plants into buildings beyond simply trying to grow them on walls. Here are five examples that straddle the mundane and the marvellous.
A wilted green wall in Tokyo, Japan. Wikimedia Images, CC BY
Growing buildings
German architectural practice Baubotanik (a word that means “botanic building”) has taken the radical step of creating buildings that flout the conventional idea of architecture as static and inert. After all, plants grow – they are living organisms.
Baubotanik uses pre-grown trees to create multi-storey structures, with trees replacing the conventional steel girders of most tall buildings. Its Plane-Tree-Cube in Nagold, begun in 2012, is made of plane trees supported on a steel scaffold, with a built-in irrigation system to water the trees until they’re large enough for the steel to be removed.
Baubotanik’s Plan-Tree-Cube is intended to grow into a usable structure. Baubotanik
It’ll probably be another ten years before this structure is ready to be used, but as what? It’s hard to imagine making a home in such an unruly structure, let alone plugging in your internet or other electrical appliances.
Building in trees
Baubotanik takes grafting, an age-old horticultural technique, and uses it to create structural frames for buildings. Grafting joins the tissue of plants so that they can grow together (it’s most commonly used in the cultivation of fruit trees).
As the architects themselves acknowledge, there are many interesting historical precedents, such as the Lindenbaum concentrated in a small region of rural Germany in northwestern Bavaria.
These are accessible platforms built into large lime (linden) trees to accommodate dancers in a yearly ritual known as the Tanzlinden (“dance linden”), which originated in the middle of the 17th century and still happen in early September.
In the surviving Lindenbaum in the small village of Peesten (one of around 12 that are still around), a stone stairwell spirals up to the wooden platform built inside the tree: dancing happens on this platform, while musicians provide accompaniment beneath.
Lindenbaum in Peesten, Germany. Wikimedia Images, CC BY
Weaving buildings
It’s possible to take this practice of integrating buildings and trees one step further and imagine whole cities redesigned in this way. This has been the lifelong preoccupation of Belgian architect Luc Schuiten, particularly in his speculative drawings of “vegetal cities”.
These are urban environments in which the branches of trees and the stems of climbing plants have become completely enmeshed with buildings made of steel and glass. One of his designs, called Habitarbres, imagines a house constructed within a living tree. The structure would flex as the tree grows, while hot-air pipes and other infrastructure would be embedded in the trunk. It’s an attempt to envisage how the infrastructure of our buildings – pipes, wire, cables and the like – can be accommodated in a living structure with its own vascular network.
With Habitarbes, Schuiten proposes a house built within a living tree. Luc Schuiten
It’s a speculative proposal, but perhaps not so different from a common building type normally associated with enterprising children, namely treehouses. Schuiten is merely taking a human desire – to live in a tree – and suggesting how it might be squared with our equally strong desire for comfort.
Architecture as compost
When plants die and decay they create the conditions for the next cycle of vegetal growth; they are sustainable in a way that the vast majority of our buildings are not. While there is a drive to recycle existing building materials (metals and plastics mostly), it’s another thing entirely to make buildings truly regenerative.
Martin Miller and Caroline O’Donnell’s “Primitive Hut” project from 2017 created a building that does just this. They made a wooden lattice structure to support the growth of four red maple saplings. Another lattice decomposed over time, providing food for the growing trees. Eventually the whole structure was overwhelmed by the trees.
Martin Miller and Caroline O’ Donnell’s ‘Primitive Hut’. OMG!
In calling this a primitive hut, the architects questioned how western architectural thinking tends to see indigenous architecture as both an origin point and a model for more sustainable forms of construction. It asks whether the industrial technologies that dominate construction in the global north should be more informed by architects that have continued to build with natural and compostable materials for centuries.
Letting be
It’s worth remembering that we don’t have to design green buildings; given enough time, they will happen anyway.
Moss on the roof of the Sandringham estate’s visitors’ centre in Norfolk, eastern England. Wikimedia Images, CC BY
The sloping roof of my house, directly below the window where I’m writing this article, is gradually acquiring its own green patina of lichen and moss. The roof is old and I’ve been told it needs to be replaced soon. A cloud of spores and seeds peppers this and every single roof every day with the prospect of new life.
Without any human intervention whatsoever, this process of vegetal succession can produce a complex ecosystem of not only plant but also animal life (from microbes to insects). That architects so rarely call such a surface “green” betrays something that’s deep-seated in ideas about green design. For it is precisely the absence of human control that allows vegetation to colonise a building; there is, in effect no design involved at all – unless, of course, we accept that plants have designs of their own.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Paul Dobraszczyk 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.
The Indian men’s football team has slipped to its lowest FIFA ranking in nine years, falling six spots to 133rd in the latest update released on Thursday. The drop comes after back-to-back defeats in June — a 0-2 loss to Thailand in a friendly on June 4, followed by a 0-1 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an Asian Cup qualifier.
These results also led to head coach Manolo Marquez parting ways with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). India last ranked lower in December 2016, when it stood at 135. The team’s all-time best ranking remains 94, achieved in February 1996.
India now has 1,113.22 rating points, down from 1,132.03, and stands 24th among 46 Asian nations, with Japan leading the continent at 17th in the global rankings. It has been a rough stretch for the Indian men’s team, with the recent loss to Hong Kong severely denting its hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Among Asian Football Confederation (AFC) members, India is ranked 24th out of 47 member associations.
Under head coach Manolo Marquez, the team managed just one win in its last eight outings — a victory over the Maldives in March. In 2025 so far, India has played four matches, recording one win, one draw, and two defeats.
The string of poor results led to the return of legendary striker and former captain Sunil Chhetri to the squad, but his comeback has done little to change the team’s fortunes.
India’s next international fixture is an away match against Singapore in October, as part of the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, reigning World Champion Argentina tops the FIFA rankings among 210 nations, followed by Spain, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia, in that order to complete the top 10.
Costa Rica is the biggest climber in the rankings with a 14-place jump, while Honduras gained the most points.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Landmark Devolution Bill brings new dawn of regional power
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill delivers on manifesto commitment to de-centralise power and ignite regional growth with powers for mayors.
Ambition for all regions to take the reins in driving growth receives its biggest boost as the landmark English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is introduced to Parliament today [Thursday 10th July].
Local people will take back control of their regions, from bolstered rights to save cherished community assets, to a bigger voice in neighbourhood governance and increased powers to their directly elected leaders and mayors so they can unlock housing, transport and jobs in their regions through Local Growth Plans.
The Bill will deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment to unlock a generational shift in power from Westminster to those with skin in the game, and rebalance prosperity, deliver economic growth and a decade of national renewal across the nation as part of the Plan for Change.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:
We were elected on a promise of change, not just for a few areas cherry-picked by a Whitehall spreadsheet, but for the entire country. It was never going to be easy to deliver the growth our country desperately needed with the inheritance we were dumped with.
But that’s why we are opting to devolve not dictate and delivering a Bill that will rebalance decade old divides and empower communities. We’re ushering in a new dawn of regional power and bringing decision making to a local level so that no single street or household is left behind and every community thrives from our Plan for Change.”
Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP said:
For too long power and opportunity has been concentrated in Westminster and Whitehall while the local councils millions rely on have been frustrated and diminished. This failed approach has held back growth across our country for far too long. Local people see this in the job market, on the high street and in their own household security and prosperity.
Devolution begins the work of fixing that, with this Bill delivering freedom to local leaders to make decisions for their local areas in partnership with local communities, unleashing more growth and more opportunities for people as part of our Plan for Change.”
England has fallen behind from the rest of the globe in modernising how decisions are made, but devolution prioritises people and partnership over paperwork and politics. This Bill will deliver changes including
Making more local ownership of pubs, shops and social hubs easier through a new Community Right to Buy meaning communities will have the first opportunity to purchase local assets when they are put up for sale, and be given an extended 12-month period to raise funding. And more local sports grounds will be saved by introducing a new ‘Sporting’ category protection of local assets preserving local character, boosting tourism and keeping community spirit alive.
Banning Upward Only Rent Reviews (UORR) clauses in commercial leases, which pit landlords against businesses and can make rents unaffordable and cause shops to shut. This will help keep small businesses running, boost local economies and job opportunities and help end the blight of vacant high streets and the unacceptable anti-social behaviour that comes with them.
A stronger voice for communities with a new requirement for local authorities to put in place effective neighbourhood governance to give residents more of a say in shaping their local areas.
Quicker action on the changes local people want to see with more rights for Mayors, elected by their communities, to take back control of delivering for their voters’, from new licensing powers for rental e-bikes to new planning powers to set the direction of growth across their areas.
Boosting economic growth with mayors working across the country to turbocharge the national missions by developing tailor made Local Growth Plans to kickstart local economies and ultimately getting more money in people’s pockets.
Streamlined powers for Mayors across England to speed up the development of new homes and infrastructure in their areas. This will include a new power to institute Mayoral Development Orders, as well as a streamlined process to establish Mayoral Development Corporations, so that we can replicate the success of projects such as the Olympic Park legacy and attract inward investment right across the country.
Fixing the cracks in local government through rebuilding the sector from the ground up to be more efficient, local people will get the daily services they deserve and rely on from their Council, like bin collection, whilst also enabling areas to work together over larger areas to deliver the big changes, like integrated transport networks. This will be done through the creation of new ‘Strategic Authorities’ that will boost connectivity and collaboration between Councils.
Restoring taxpayers’ trust in councils’ spending through fixing the local audit system with the establishment of the Local Audit Office, which will increase transparency, simplify and streamline the system.
Deepening devolution across the country is what delivers the change to the day-to-day services and opportunities on every region’s doorstep. From the new Anglia Ruskin University in Peterborough, to ticket caps for commuters on the Bee Network in Manchester and budding film and TV creatives flocking to Liverpool’s Littlewoods over Hollywood – devolution is what will bring this regeneration to all regions.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alexandra Makin, Third Century Research Fellow, Manchester Metropolitan University
The Bayeux tapestry is set to return to the UK for the first time in almost 1,000 years. One of the most important cultural artefacts in the world, it is to be displayed at the British Museum from September 2026.
Its significance for history is unquestioned – but you may not think of the Bayeux tapestry as a work of art. Sure, you may recognise it from your history lessons or political campaigns. Maybe you like embroidery and textiles or know about it because of the modern versions it inspired – think the Game of Thrones tapestry or the Great Tapestry of Scotland. Perhaps you are an early medievalist and use it as comparative evidence.
For me, this now famous wall hanging is undoubtedly art, created with great skill. What fascinates me as a textile archaeologist is how early medieval people saw and understood the tapestry.
First, let’s contextualise it a little. The hanging is not a woven tapestry but an embroidery, stitched in wool threads on nine panels of linen fabric that were then sewn together. It was made in around 1070, probably in England. Nobody knows how big it originally was, but it now measures 68.3 metres long by approximately 70cm high.
Starting at the end of Edward the Confessor’s reign (1042-1066), the tapestry’s comic book narrative tells a vivid, very modern story of the struggle for power and the English throne – and the brutal means William of Normandy (1028-1087) used to get it.
This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.
It follows the highs and lows of Harold Godwinson, Edward the Confessor’s brother-in-law, who became king after Edward’s death in 1066, and his eventual downfall at the Battle of Hastings.
The end of the hanging, and therefore the story, is now missing but it was probably the triumphal coronation of William. It would have provided a mirror in symmetry to the first scene, which depicts an enthroned Edward.
Sensory archaeology of the tapestry
Today, the hanging is famous because it is the only surviving example of its kind. But documentary sources from early medieval England demonstrate that this type of wall hanging was a popular way for families to depict their stories and great deeds.
A good example is the Byrhtnoth wall hanging, which Æthelflæd, the wife of an Anglo-Saxon Ealdorman of Essex Byrhtnoth, gave to the church in Ely after he was killed in 991. We know that the Normans also understood these storytelling wall hangings because Abbot Baudri of Bourgueil (c. 1050-1130) expertly incorporated such a device in a poem he wrote to honour Adela of Blois (c. 1067-1137), the daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda (c. 1031-1083).
The Bayeux tapestry was, therefore, an obvious way to tell people about the downfall of the English and the rise of the Normans. But this is not all. The early medieval population of Britain loved riddles, multilayered meanings and hidden messages. Evidence survives in pieces like the gold buckle from the 7th-century Sutton Hoo ship burial, the early 8th-century Franks Casket and the 10th-century Book of Exeter. So it is not surprising that people today have argued for hidden messages in the Bayeux tapestry.
While these concepts are interesting, so much emphasis has been placed on them and the role the embroiderers played in creating them, that other ways of early medieval viewing and understanding have been ignored.
Early medieval society viewed its world through the senses. By using sensory archaeology, a theoretical approach that helps researchers understand how past societies interacted with their worlds through sight, touch, taste, smell and sound, we can imagine how people encountering the Bayeux tapestry would have connected with and understood it.
A guide to the story depicted on the Bayeux tapestry.
Art historian Linda Neagley has argued that pre-Renaissance people interacted with art visually, kinaesthetically (sensory perception through bodily movement) and physically. The Bayeux tapestry would have been hung at eye level to enable this. So if we take expert in Anglo-Saxon culture Gale Owen-Crocker’s idea that the tapestry was originally hung in a square with certain scenes facing each other, people would have stood in the centre. That would make it an 11th-century immersive space with scenes corresponding and echoing each other, drawing the viewer’s attention, playing on their senses and understanding of the story they thought they knew.
If we imagine ourselves entering that space, we move from a cooler, stone-hewn room into a warmer, softer area, encased in linen and wool, their smell tickling our noses. Outside sounds would be deadened, the movement of people softened, voices quietened. People would move from one scene to another, through the open doors of the stage-like buildings where the action inside can be seen and watched, boldly or surreptitiously. The view might be partially blocked by others and their reactions and gesticulations as they engaged with and discussed what they saw.
The bright colours of the embroidery would have made a kaleidoscope of colour, a blur that defined itself the closer people got to the work. The boldness and three-dimensionality of the stitching helped to draw them into the action while any movement of the hanging brought the imagery alive.
Here are the main characters in the room with you, telling you their story, inviting you to join them on their journeys of victory or doom.
As onlookers discussed what they saw, or read the inscriptions, they interacted with the embroidered players, giving them voice and enabling them to join the conversation. If the hanging formed part of a banquet then the smell of food, clanking of dishes and movement of the fabric and stitchwork as servants passed would have enhanced the experience. The feasting scenes dotted throughout the hanging would be echoed in the hall.
I believe the Bayeux tapestry was not simply an inanimate art object to be viewed and read from the outside. It was an immersive retelling of the end of an era and the start of something new. When you entered its space you became part of that story, sensorially reliving it, keeping it alive. To me, this is the true power of this now famous embroidery.
Beyond the canon
As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is Alexandra Makin’s suggestion:
The ITV series Unforgotten, now in its sixth season (with a seventh on the way) gripped me from the start. It follows a team of British police detectives as they track down the killers of people whose bodies have been recently found, but who were murdered years before.
As they do, we, the viewer, are given access to the characters’ often emotional stories. We are brought into their sphere and experience their pain, distress, happiness, horror. We get unrivalled access, eventually, to the motives for their seemingly strange actions. As with the Bayeux tapestry, we are swallowed up in their worlds. This is achieved by Chris Lang’s fabulous writing, the cinematography and the exquisite acting.
Together these elements make a whole, opening a window, immersing you in a world full of powerful sensory engagements. For me, this is classic art in the making.
Alexandra Makin undertakes unpaid consultancy work for the Bayeux Tapestry Museum.
As with many competitions, competitors in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament face a gruelling match schedule. There are typically only three or four days between matches during the group stage of international tournaments – with some teams even facing tighter turnarounds depending on scheduling.
This congested fixture schedule places a significant physical demand on players, increases injury risk and makes it challenging to sustain peak physical performance. This is why recovery strategies are put into action from the moment the match ends so players are in peak condition for the next match.
The first recovery strategy happens as soon as players arrive in the changing room. There will be a buffet-style food selection with plenty of carbohydrate and protein-based snacks to begin refuelling. Players also typically consume a “recovery” drink. This consists of carbohydrates to restore muscle glycogen (which our body uses for energy), and around 20-30 grams of protein to aid muscle repair.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
Over the following days, players will follow a meticulously-planned diet with the correct balance of carbohydrates, protein, fats and nutrients (such as the polyphenols found in tart cherry juice) to support muscle repair and adaptation.
Sweat loss during matches – particularly in summer tournaments – leads to significant dehydration. Players typically sweat around 1.5 litres or more during a match. Immediately after a match, players are given isotonic drinks to replace the water and electrolytes (specifically sodium) they’ve lost through sweating.
To estimate fluid loss, players’ post-match weight is recorded to guide how much they should drink. A one kilogram reduction in body weight corresponds to roughly one litre of fluid lost through sweating. To re-hydrate, players drink around 1.5 litres per kilogram of weight lost.
Physical recovery
Some players might perform around 10-15 minutes of low-intensity aerobic activity immediately following the match – such as cycling. This light activity maintains blood flow to the muscles, which might reduce the feeling of muscle soreness in the following days, although the evidence for this is inconclusive.
Players often use cold water immersion (ice baths) to reduce inflammation, swelling and muscle soreness. This involves standing or sitting in cold water (which is between 10–15°C) for around 10–15 minutes. Players may also take ice baths in the days between matches. Although there’s debate over whether ice baths speed up recovery, it remains a widely accepted practice in elite sport where rapid recovery is prioritised.
Another option involves alternating between hot water (around 36°C) and cold water – a practice known as contrast water therapy. Contrast water therapy causes the blood vessels to constrict in the cold water, then dilate in the hot water. This practice may enhance blood flow, reduce swelling and decrease muscle soreness.
Players often wear compression garments for several hours post-match and overnight. These garments enhance blood flow and reduce swelling. They’re also shown to reduce pain and muscle soreness.
Recently, inflatable compression leg sleeves have become popular among athletes. These boots inflate and deflate cyclically to promote blood flow and lymphatic drainage. This works similar to a sports massage or contrast water therapy, helping clear inflammatory proteins from the body. This may reduce swelling and decrease the severity of muscle soreness.
Sleep also plays a crucial role in a player’s physical and mental restoration between tournament matches. Players are encouraged to get eight to ten hours of quality sleep per night. Some players even take a 20-90 minute nap in the early afternoon to increase alertness, improve mood and potentially improve performance.
Good sleep hygiene can help players get a good night’s sleep even despite hectic tournament schedules. This involves ensuring their bedroom is cool and dark and minimising screen time before bed.
Preparing for the next match
The day after a match, players will perform a recovery session incorporating some sort of light activity – such as cycling, dynamic movements in the swimming pool and foam rolling (a type of self-massage that uses a foam cylinder to apply pressure to different muscles).
Although light activity does not accelerate muscle recovery, it can offer psychological benefits – such as reducing the feeling of muscle soreness and stiffness. Players may also undergo targeted physiotherapy and massage to reduce muscle soreness, increase mobility and ease pain.
Recovery time varies between players and the level of fatigue they experience. Fatigue will be influenced by the player’s age and their match demands – with players who run a greater distance or perform more sprints and changes of direction typically taking more time to recover between matches.
Players’ fatigue is monitored between matches using various methods – including GPS data, biochemical markers of inflammation and muscle damage, and wellness questionnaires. This data is used to individualise training and recovery.
Players showing elevated fatigue might perform light technical drills, tactical walkthroughs of different plays and strategies the player might use on the field and mobility-focused gym work to maintain sharpness without causing more fatigue. Whereas players whose fatigue levels have returned to close to normal will resume normal training.
Performing on the world stage with the weight of national pride brings intense pressure. Players must contend with media scrutiny coupled with the expectations of coaches and fans. These factors can disrupt sleep and trigger a biological stress response, which may impair recovery.
So to help manage mental stress, teams schedule structured downtime, encouraging players to connect with family or engage in hobbies that promote mental recovery and psychological detachment from football. Sports psychologists may also support players during tournaments, providing mental skills training and helping players develop strategies to cope with stress and pressure.
Paul Hough 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.
New government statistics released today show the reach of the two-child limit. There are 1,665,540 children in England, Scotland and Wales living in households affected by the two-child limit, an increase of over 35,000 from the same time in 2024.
The two-child limit restricts means-tested child benefits to the first two children in a household, subject to some exceptions.
Its sister policy, the benefit cap, affects over 115,000 households, including 300,000 children. It routinely pushes families into deep poverty, far below the standard poverty line of 60% of median income.
The benefit cap places a limit on the total amount a household can receive if no-one in the household earns a minimum amount, again subject to some exceptions linked to receipt of disability benefits.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
Over the past five years, we have been part of a team of academic researchers investigating the impact of both policies on families with three or more children. We’ve found that these policies drive up poverty, creating deprivation and hardship. This in turn causes sustained and severe harm to children and their families.
The two-child limit and benefit cap leave many families living with extreme financial insecurity. They harm parental mental health, as mothers and fathers struggle to try and make an inadequate income stretch to meet the needs of their children.
In addition, these policies do not fall evenly across the population when looking at ethnicity. Overall, 70% of the families affected by the two-child limit are white, as are 66% affected by the benefit cap. But our new analysis shows that children from an ethnic minority are up to three times as likely as white children to be affected by the two-child limit. They are also up to four times as likely to be affected by the benefit cap.
Alongside administrative statistics, we have analysed household survey data, published today as a policy brief. We find that one in five children from Pakistani families and one in four children from Bangladeshi families are now affected by the two-child limit.
Rising poverty
Our analysis also indicates that these policies are contributing to very high and rising levels of poverty. We estimate that 66% of Bangladeshi children, 60% of Pakistani children, and nearly half (48%) of black children live in poverty. This compares to one in four (24%) white children living below the poverty line – still far too many.
This new analysis provides us with better understanding of where the damage done by both policies is falling. It’s an important reminder of how the two-child limit and benefit cap directly conflict with ambitions not only to act on child poverty, but also to reduce systematic inequalities linked to ethnicity.
Scrapping the two-child limit would give larger families access to benefits they currently miss out on – but it would not have any effect on smaller families living in poverty, so isn’t the only policy solution needed.
Nonetheless, analysis by the Resolution Foundation has shown that getting rid of the two-child limit – which would cost £1.4 billion – is by far the most cost-effective way to reduce the number of children living in poverty. Spending £1.4 billion in other ways – for example by increasing benefits for all families – would make less difference to child poverty than if the two-child limit were ended.
It’s also important to keep in mind the impact on the depth of poverty. Larger families tend to be living further below the poverty line. Scrapping the two-child limit will make a big difference in many households, even if they are not lifted out of poverty as a result.
Labour came into government on a manifesto of “change”, and Keir Starmer has promised to be “laser-focused” in his commitment to drive down poverty.
Labour have already said that they want to get rid of the two-child limit, arguing that they just need to find the money to do so. The government has established a child poverty taskforce, due to report in the autumn, and made a first concrete policy commitment with the extension of free school meals provision for families in England. But there is no alternative to serious action on social security benefits if significant progress is to be made.
Ruth Patrick receives funding from a range of funders including Nuffield Foundation, AFFT, Trust for London, The Robertson Trust and the Centre for Impact on Urban Health. She is a member of The Labour Party.
Kitty Stewart has received funding from the Nuffield Foundation and from LSE for the research reported in this article.
Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Diane Winston, Professor and Knight Center Chair in Media & Religion, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Rev. Jimmy Swaggart preaches at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on March 29, 1987. AP Photo/Mark Avery, file
Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives.
Swaggart was an old-time evangelist whose focus was “saving souls.” But he also preached on conservative social issues, warning followers about the evils of abortion, homosexuality and godless communism.
[Swaggart also denounced] what he called “false cults,” including Catholicism, Judaism and Mormonism. In fact, his denunciations of other religions, as well as his attacks on rival preachers, made him a more polarizing figure than his politicized brethren.
As a reporter, I covered Swaggart in the 1980s. Now, as a scholar of American religion, I argue that while Swaggart did not build institutions like Falwell’s Moral Majority or Robertson’s 700 Club, he helped to spread right-wing positions on social issues, such as sexual orientation and abortion, and to shape the image of televangelists in popular culture..
Swaggart’s cousins
Born into a hardscrabble life in a small Louisiana town, Swaggart grew up alongside his cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, the future rockabilly pioneer, and future country singer Mickey Gilley.
All three loved music and singing. They polished their playing on an uncle’s piano and sneaked into African American nightclubs to hear the jazz and blues forbidden by their parents.
Jimmy Swaggart delivering a sermon at the Flora Blanca Stadium in El Salvador. Cindy Karp/Getty Images
While Gilley and Lewis turned their musical talent into recording and performing careers, Swaggart felt called to the ministry. He dropped out of high school, married at 17, began preaching at 20 and was ordained at 26.
He was licensed by the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination that believes the Holy Spirit endows believers with spiritual gifts that include speaking in tongues and faith healing.
The glory years
Pentecostals were nicknamed Holy Rollers because of their tendency to shake, quake and roll on the floor when feeling the Holy Spirit. Their preachers excelled at rousing audiences’ ardor, and Swaggart commanded the stage better than most. He paced, pounced and poured forth sweat while begging listeners to turn from sin and accept Jesus.
Starting small, he drew crowds while preaching on a flatbed trailer throughout the South. His following grew, and in 1969 he opened the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.
Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart leaves his office complex in Baton Rouge, La., on Jan. 7, 1977. AP Photo
During services, Swaggart also sang and played piano. In 1982, Newsweek magazine noted his musical chops, naming him the “King of Honky Tonk Heaven.” His music crossed gospel, country and honky-tonk – songs with a strong rhythmic beat – and he sold 17 million albums over his lifetime.
By 1975, Swaggart’s on-stage charisma powered the launch of a television ministry that would reach millions within a decade. Viewers were captivated by his soulful tunes and fire-and-brimstone sermons. At its height, Swaggart’s show was televised in 140 countries, including Peru, the Philippines and South Africa.
Swaggart disliked competition and had a history of humiliating rival preachers. Wary of the Rev. Marvin Gorman, a Pentecostal minister whose church also was in Louisiana, Swaggart accused the man of adultery. Gorman admitted his infidelity and was defrocked.
Gorman had heard rumors about Swaggart’s own indiscretions, and he and his son decided to tail the famed evangelist. In 1988, they caught Swaggart at a motel with a prostitute, and Gorman reported the incident to Swaggart’s denomination. He also gave news outlets photos of Swaggart and the prostitute. In a tearful, televised apology, Swaggart pleaded for a second chance.
While his fans were willing, the Assemblies of God had conditions: Swaggart received the standard two-year suspension for sexual immorality. Defying the ruling, Swaggart went back to work after three months, and the denomination defrocked him.
A parishioner overcome with grief lies on steps to the altar after Jimmy Swaggart’s confession of sexual indiscretions. Thomas S. England/Getty Images
Afterward, Swaggart never regained his former standing. His mail-order business dried up, donations fell, and attendance at services cratered. But up until his death, he kept on, in his own words, as an “old-fashioned, Holy Ghost-filled, shouting, weeping, soul-winning, Gospel-preaching preacher.”
Swaggart’s legacy
Swaggart, like other 1980s televangelists, brought right-wing politics into American homes. But unlike Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, Swaggart was less interested in winning elections than saving souls. In fact, when Robertson considered a presidential run in 1988, Swaggart initially tried to dissuade him – then changed his mind and supported him.
Swaggart’s calls for a return to conservative Christian norms live on – not just in Sunday sermons but also in today’s world of tradwives, abortion restrictions and calls to repeal gay marriage. His music lives on, too. The day before he died, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame inducted him as a member.
But his legacy also survives in popular culture. In recent years, both reality television and scripted series have starred preachers shaped in the image of Swaggart and his peers. Most exaggerate his worst characteristics for shock and comedic effect.
“Preachers of L.A.,” a 2013 reality show that profiled six Los Angeles pastors, featured blinged-out ministers whose sermons mixed hip-hop with the Bible. The fictional “Greenleaf” followed the scandals of an extended family’s Memphis megachurch, while “The Righteous Gemstones,” a dark spoof of Southern preachers, turned a family ministry into a site for sex, murder and moneymaking.
But these imitations can’t match the reality. Swaggart was a larger-than-life minister whose story – from small-town wannabe to disgraced pastor, to preaching to those who would listen – had it all: sex, politics, music and religion.
For those who want a taste of the real thing, The King of Honky Tonk Heaven lives on. You can see his old services and Bible studies streaming daily on his network.
Diane Winston 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.
The images coming out of Gaza break my heart every single day – they paint a horrifying picture of human suffering, starvation and desperation.
This suffering has been referred to as a humanitarian catastrophe. This is true – but using that type of language risks leaving people with the idea that this horror has simply come out of the ether as some sort of natural phenomenon.
So I will speak plainly. This suffering is a result of the ongoing actions of the government of Israel. Israel has imposed a suffocating blockade on Gaza since early March – with severe restrictions on food and aid shipments into Gaza throughout the war.
Thousands of people have been killed and injured. Children are dying of starvation and lack of water. Entire cities have been almost completely erased and populations displaced. Pregnant women are unable to access critical medical care, and the rate of miscarriage in Gaza has increased by 300% since October 2023.
The population has been pushed past breaking point, and the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza is beyond any justification.
This must end now. The hostages must be released immediately. Israel must lift all restrictions and allow unfettered, safe, and dignified access to humanitarian aid throughout Gaza immediately. The international community must insist on it.
The statements made this week by Israel’s Defence Minister on his plans to force all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp built on the ruins of Rafah – plans which are illegal, inhumane and risk worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza – must be rejected by all.
We must stand firm against all efforts to make the conflict in Gaza go on one minute longer than it has gone on today. A two-state solution, one which recognises the sovereignty and the independence of a Palestinian state, is vital for a just and lasting peace, and will be at heart of the Scottish Government’s work towards justice on the international agenda.
In the last year, we have provided £550,000 to charities working in the Middle East who are helping people affected by the ongoing conflict with access to emergency assistance, including food, clean water and medical care. That support is important, but not in itself enough – we are ready and willing to do more.
Getting injured children out of Gaza
Earlier this week, I met with Unicef who raised the particular issue of medical evacuations with me. With hospitals destroyed and medical supplies running out, this is an emergency and a race against time to provide specialist medical care for the children and babies suffering from injuries caused by the war.
Scotland’s world-class National Health Service stands ready to play our full part in supporting these medical evacuations and the treatment of injured Palestinian children.
This requires the support of the UK Government, and I have asked the Prime Minister to support facilitating a transfer of these children, who need medical care to survive, to Scotland.
The suffering of the people of Gaza is one of the greatest international failings of my lifetime – and the international community cannot let it go on one second longer than it already has.
We need to see nations across the world demand that international law is enforced and renew their efforts to support a just and lasting peace for civilians both in Israel and Palestine. History will judge world leaders on how they act at this moment and up until now, that judgement will be damning.
I can give my assurance, that Scotland’s position on the world stage will continue to be one of compassion, justice and global citizenship – and we will keep using our voice to demand peace in the region, and justice for the Palestinian people.
We need to see nations across the world demand that international law is enforced and renew their efforts to support a just and lasting peace for civilians both in Israel and Palestine. History will judge world leaders on how they act at this moment and up until now, that judgement will be damning.
I can give my assurance, that Scotland’s position on the world stage will continue to be one of compassion, justice and global citizenship – and we will keep using our voice to demand peace in the region, and justice for the Palestinian people.
This article was first published in The National on the 10th of July 2025.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Kent farmers in innovative Chalk to Coast project
Farmer-led initiative to create vital nature network across Kent’s diverse landscapes. Project contributes to government’s Nature Recovery Network commitment
Nightingale in nest – credit Ben Andrew (RSPB-images.com)
An ambitious farmer-led initiative connecting Kent’s diverse landscapes from chalk downlands to coastal habitats has officially launched, bringing new hope for wildlife conservation across the region.
The Chalk to Coast project unites three established farm clusters, Hoo Peninsula, Swale and North Kent Downs and Medway Gap, forming a ‘super cluster’ that will create natural wildlife corridors across different habitats.
A farm cluster is a plan to help farmers and partners work more cohesively together in their locality, enabling them to collectively deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale.
Part of the project includes the creation of ‘natural corridors’ that will be placed strategically on strips of land and help connect fragmented wildlife habitats, allowing plants and animals to move freely and enhancing biodiversity.
These corridors are crucial for supporting wildlife movement, enabling them to find food, mates and suitable breeding grounds, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and thriving natural environment.
The creation of the nature corridors between the three farm clusters, including linking the new North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve in the countryside with Elmley National Nature Reserve by the sea, will link habitats together, creating a continuous ecological corridor for wildlife to travel between from ‘Chalk to Coast’ in Kent.
Barn owl in flight – credit Robert Canis
Things that can be done to enable nature corridors includes:
Planting more trees and hedges and getting more woodland coppiced and back into healthy management use.
Planting more hedgerows to encourage the dispersal of the rare and endangered dormice simultaneously connecting woodlands.
And creating stepping stones of thick scrub to encourage wider populations of nightingale. Kent has the stronghold of nightingale, an incredibly rare species in the UK.
James Seymour, Natural England deputy director for Kent, said:
Nature’s recovery is core to delivering the Plan for Change with economic growth and a healthy environment. This project shows how Natural England provides expert advice that enhances ecosystems while supporting agricultural businesses.
This collaborative approach demonstrates how agriculture and nature recovery can work together, delivering biodiversity gains while maintaining profitable farming businesses.
Natural England has played a pivotal role in supporting this initiative, which forms part of the government’s commitment to a growing network of wildlife-rich places that supports nature recovery and sustainable farming practices nationwide.
With a new website now live at www.chalktocoast.co.uk, organisers are calling on more farmers and landowners across Kent to pledge their land to expand this vital nature network.
The three landowners and co-founders of the Chalk to Coast project explain more.
Guy Nevill, of North Kent Downs and Medway Gap Farm cluster, said:
This initiative shows how agriculture and nature recovery can work hand in hand. By connecting farm clusters, we’re creating wildlife corridors across Kent’s landscapes. We’re now encouraging more farmers to join this collaborative approach to land management.
Tom Gore, from Hoo Peninsula Farm cluster, said:
This is an exciting opportunity for both commercial farmers and environmental organisations to come together. Linking wildlife corridors and carrying out a large-scale biodiversity project, where both food production and nature work in harmony
Gareth Fuller, of Swale Farm cluster, said:
We are very excited to be part of Chalk to Coast. Over the last forty years, we have worked to restore abundant nature to the coastal wetlands of Elmley and Swale, and more recently to develop a sustainable nature-based economy though nature tourism and education.
To do more we want to collaborate with others across a much larger area. Chalk to Coast offers the inspiration, ambition, opportunities, and scale to achieve a more connected, abundant landscape for nature and people. We are hugely grateful to Guy Nevill and the other founders for driving this initiative forwards.
Boxing hares – credit Robert Canis
The project contributes to the government’s Plan for Change through the development of a national Nature Recovery Network, helping wildlife thrive and respond to climate change while connecting people with nature, farming and food.
The initiative builds on existing farm clusters in Kent, enabling coordinated action on soil conservation, water management, habitat creation, and species recovery across property boundaries.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Stephen Moutray with participants from Bleary Primary School presenting their outdoor learning project at the recent Tak£500+ event held at South Lake Leisure Centre.
For the last few months, communities from right across every corner of the borough have been putting forward ideas that they think will have a positive impact on their area – with over 150 applications in total coming through!
Three incredible events were then held at different venues across the borough where these groups came along to showcase their fantastic ideas, in the hope that members of the public would vote for them to receive funding to bring their ideas to life!
Overall, 3,423 votes were cast by you – residents of this borough – for your favourite projects. And an amazing 116 projects have received funding to the tune of over £114,000 to carry out their projects for the benefit of their communities!
This was all made possible through the ‘TAK£500+ Participatory Budget Fund’ – a project that has enabled local people to decide how public funds are used to address needs in their area. Communities were able to apply for up to £1,000, with local residents deciding which projects should go ahead!
The variety of successful projects is quite simply amazing and includes sporting activities for all ages, community gardens, intergenerational initiatives, projects to protect our industrial heritage and so much more!
“This the fourth year of the Tak£500+ Project and the response this time was even bigger and better,” commented the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Stephen Moutray.
“We were delighted to see so many residents getting involved – both with ideas for projects as well has coming out to cast their votes. The variety of ideas that were put forward and the reasons why were truly inspirational in how they will benefit communities. I can’t wait to see these projects coming to life over the next few months and seeing the impact they will have across the borough!”
All ideas were based around the ‘Take 5 Ways of Wellbeing’ – five simple steps to help maintain and improve your wellbeing on a daily basis.
Inhis speechfor the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) this past spring, keynote speaker Rodney Butler ’99 (BUS), Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, told an abbreviated version of the Indigenous creation story of Skywoman.
“When the world was covered in water, Skywoman fell from an opening in the Skyworld and landed on the back of a giant turtle. Skywoman enlisted the help of many animals to dive deep to retrieve soil from the depths of the ocean in an effort to create land. Many animals attempted to grab the soil, but it was the unlikely muskrat, who was both humble and courageous, that was able to return the soil and place it on the back of the great turtle. As the mud is placed on the turtle’s back, it grows and expands, eventually forming the continents and life-sustaining world we know today.”
Butler spoke of how the story emphasizes the importance of working together and that we are all better when we work and learn together. There is also great strength in partnering Indigenous knowledge with science to build a sustainable future.
Associate ProfessorBeth Lawrencehas a joint appointment with the Center for Environmental Science and Engineering and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in CAHNR, and her work adds to the time-honored appreciation of the courageous and humble muskrat. In research published in Freshwater Science, Lawrence and collaborators, including project lead Shane Lishawa and Andrew Monks from Loyola University, and Danielle Fegan and Eric Clark, who are biologists with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, describe how muskrats engineer more biologically diverse marsh ecosystems.
The researchers study cattail-dominated marshes and strategies to create more varied, or heterogeneous, ecosystems using methods like mechanical harvesting or by applying herbicides. While out on field research, Lawrence says they made an intriguing observation.
“We noticed in some years that muskrats were doing naturally what we were doing with our aquatic weed whackers and gas-powered equipment. We thought that maybe we should investigate how muskrats alter cattail and associated species,” says Lawrence.
The project focused on a marsh that connects the St. Mary’s River outlet of Lake Superior to Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. In vast marshes like this one, the non-native cattail speciesTyphacan take over and make acres of marshland look similar to cornfields in terms of the lack of diversity, says Lawrence. These kinds of monocultures do not support biologically diverse ecosystems.
“It homogenizes the wetland, and is not an ideal habitat for birds, macro-invertebrates, fish, and native plants, so over the last 15 years we’ve been interested in how we can manage these invaded cattail marshes of the Great Lakes,” Lawrence says.
The researchers have tried a variety of methods to control the cattails, but they are most interested in using mechanical means, rather than chemical control measures.
“Cutting the cattail at different intensities and frequencies can reduce its abundance and promote native diversity and also open up habitat that creates heterogeneity in these monotypes. This promotes species diversity overall, and improves habitat for native fish and bird communities,” says Lawrence.
Muskrats are semi-aquatic rodents that naturally harvest cattails by cutting them below the water level. This is important because the stems of the plant act almost like a snorkel to provide oxygen to the roots. Cutting stems below the water essentially drowns the cattail by severing the connection between the oxygen-rich atmosphere and the anoxic sediment common to wetlands. The muskrats use the cattails to build their lodges, and the process creates openings that give other plant species a chance to grow.
“These important aquatic rodents transform habitats in many ways that some communities, like the Native Americans, have appreciated for 1000s of years, and Western science is just now discovering that importance.” (Adobe Stock)
Using drones and aerial photography, the researchers identified several lodges and openings where they sampled the vegetation and water quality parameters. They also harvested cattails via mechanical methods or with herbicides to create muskrat disturbance analogs (MDAs) to simulate the muskrat openings. They compared these data with data collected from adjacent non-muskrat-impacted areas.
“Then we monitored the vegetation and water quality parameters for two growing seasons after that. We found there was greater biodiversity with the muskrat disturbances and the MDA treatments,” says Lawrence.
The muskrats and the MDA methods reduced the presence of the cattails as well as another invasive plant called European frogbit (Hydrocharis), therefore they helped promote more heterogenous communities and the authors note that efforts to increase muskrat populations should be taken as a management strategy in areas where these two invasive plant species dominate.
“Restoring biodiversity is critical to our future. Climate change is happening rapidly, and we’re rolling the dice. Maintaining and protecting a diversity of species is important because we don’t know which species will survive or thrive in different climate scenarios,” says Lawrence. “I think of Aldo Leopold’s quote about how an intelligent tinkerer always keeps all the parts. We want to keep all of the parts of the planet because we don’t know exactly what the future is going to look like.”
Lawrence also has projects focusing on beavers, which are also vital ecosystem engineers. Like muskrats, beavers transform habitats and act as keystone species that play an important role in creating wetland habitats,
“These important aquatic rodents transform habitats in many ways that some communities, like the Native Americans, have appreciated for 1000s of years, and Western science is just now discovering that importance. Beavers are resurging on the landscape after being almost extirpated in New England due to hunting. They were reintroduced after being essentially extinct in Connecticut about 200 years ago and then reintroduced about 100 years ago. Now, their populations are exploding, and they’re transforming our landscape again.”
Lawrence also reflects on the significance of teamwork in this project:
“I think science takes a team. Our relationship with the tribe and across institutions is a big part of the importance of this paper and this project. It was a really satisfying project, both in terms of the relationships that have developed over the years, but also how we’ve gained a lot of insights by studying the system over decades.”
A discovery likened to finding a needle in a haystack has confirmed that Scotland’s dramatic volcanic landscape once rivalled the fiery activity of modern-day Hawaii
Geologists from the University of Aberdeen have confirmed that cracks in the Earth, called volcanic fissures, helped create many of the Inner Hebrides.
Scientists have long understood that islands such as Skye, Mull, Eigg, Canna and Staffa as well as parts of the mainland were formed from lava flows, however, the way the lava came to the surface has been debated by scientists for over 100 years.
In contrast to the calm, picturesque scenery of today, 60 million years ago, the west coast of Scotland was erupting with lava fountains and other volcanic events.
The new discovery by geoscientists from the University of Aberdeen provides the strongest evidence yet that some of Scotland’s most iconic islands were born not from a single large volcano, but from a network of erupting fissures, just like those found in Hawaii and Iceland.
The research, published in The Journal of the Geological Society, settles the century-old debate over how the lava fields of the Inner Hebrides islands were formed.
The team has, for the first time, uncovered physical proof of an ancient volcanic fissure that fed lava into the surrounding landscape.
Finding a preserved fissure is a bit like discovering a dinosaur fossil with skin – it tells us far more than lava alone can. Typically, a very small fraction of a lava field contains these fissures, so it’s an extraordinarily significant find.” Dr Jessica Pugsley
The site, a 5km-long stretch near Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, reveals preserved deposits from one of these fissures, where magma once erupted in spectacular displays.
Dr Jessica Pugsley from the University of Aberdeen, who led the project, said: “For over 100 years, scientists have debated whether the lava flows on Skye and Mull came from a single volcano or from many fissures like those we see in Iceland and Hawaii today.
“Finding a preserved fissure is a bit like discovering a dinosaur fossil with skin – it tells us far more than lava alone can. Typically, a very small fraction of a lava field contains these fissures, so it’s an extraordinarily significant find.”
The volcanic activity occurred as the Atlantic Ocean began to form, ripping apart ancient land and allowing magma to surge up through the crust. This zone of volcanic remnants is called the British Paleogene Volcanic Province and reaches from the west of Scotland over to parts of Northern Ireland, including the famous Giants Causeway.
The preserved fissure found by the Aberdeen team through fieldwork aided by 3D drone modelling technology, shows exactly where lava once fountained out of the Earth, before being buried by later eruptions and finally revealed by millions of years of erosion.
“To be able to stand and walk on a feature that played such a key role in shaping Scotland’s geography – and to realise it erupted like Iceland and Hawaii’s volcanoes do today – is pretty incredible,” says Dr Pugsley.
2. Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 72) (action taken)
The decisions of the JURI, TRAN, BUDG, ECON, REGI and EMPL committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations had been announced on 7 July 2025 (minutes of 7.7.2025, item 5).
As no request for a vote pursuant to Rule 72(2) had been made, the committees responsible had been able to enter into negotiations upon expiry of the deadline.
3. Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 26 June 2025 (debate)
European Council and Commission statements: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 26 June 2025 (2025/2981(RSP))
The President provided some clarifications on the way in which the debate would be conducted, as a new format was being tested.
António Costa (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Dolors Montserrat, on behalf of the PPE Group, Kathleen Van Brempt, on behalf of the S&D Group, Kinga Gál, on behalf of the PfE Group, Nicolas Bay, on behalf of the ECR Group, Valérie Hayer, on behalf of the Renew Group, Bas Eickhout, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Manon Aubry, on behalf of The Left Group, René Aust, on behalf of the ESN Group, Paulo Cunha, Nicola Zingaretti, Paolo Borchia, Carlo Fidanza, Estrella Galán, Milan Uhrík, Kostas Papadakis, Luděk Niedermayer, Dan Nica, Marieke Ehlers, Reinhold Lopatka and Javier Moreno Sánchez.
IN THE CHAIR: Christel SCHALDEMOSE Vice-President
The following spoke: Anna Bryłka, Gaetano Pedulla’, Seán Kelly, Marta Temido, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, and Csaba Dömötör.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Maria Grapini, João Oliveira, Alexander Jungbluth, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Malika Sorel and Milan Mazurek.
The following spoke: Maroš Šefčovič (Member of the Commission) and António Costa.
The debate closed.
4. The EU’s post-2027 long-term budget: Parliament’s expectations ahead of the Commission’s proposal (debate)
Council and Commission statements: The EU’s post-2027 long-term budget: Parliament’s expectations ahead of the Commission’s proposal (2025/2803(RSP))
Marie Bjerre (President-in-Office of the Council) and Piotr Serafin (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Siegfried Mureşan, on behalf of the PPE Group, Mohammed Chahim, on behalf of the S&D Group, Tamás Deutsch, on behalf of the PfE Group, Patryk Jaki, on behalf of the ECR Group, Fabienne Keller, on behalf of the Renew Group, Terry Reintke, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, João Oliveira, on behalf of The Left Group, Alexander Jungbluth, on behalf of the ESN Group, Karlo Ressler, Carla Tavares, Angéline Furet, Johan Van Overtveldt, Lucia Yar, Rasmus Nordqvist, Younous Omarjee, Milan Mazurek, Thomas Geisel, Herbert Dorfmann, Victor Negrescu, Ruggero Razza, Ľubica Karvašová, Andrey Novakov, Nicola Zingaretti, Jaak Madison, Rasmus Andresen, Christian Ehler, Andreas Schieder, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Jean-Marc Germain, Tomasz Buczek, Bogdan Rzońca, Anouk Van Brug, Danuše Nerudová, Sandra Gómez López, Moritz Körner and Janusz Lewandowski.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Georgios Aftias, Thomas Bajada, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Petras Gražulis, Branislav Ondruš, Dariusz Joński, Hélder Sousa Silva and Nina Carberry.
The following spoke: Piotr Serafin and Marie Bjerre.
The debate closed.
(The sitting was suspended at 11:56.)
IN THE CHAIR: Roberta METSOLA President
5. Resumption of the sitting
The sitting resumed at 12:00.
⁂
The following spoke: Terry Reintke.
6. Requests for the waiver of immunity
The competent Austrian authorities had sent the President a request for Harald Vilimsky’s immunity to be waived in connection with legal proceedings in Austria.
Pursuant to Rule 9(1), the request had been referred to the committee responsible, in this case the JURI Committee.
7. Voting time
For detailed results of the votes, see also ‘Results of votes’ and ‘Results of roll-call votes’.
7.1. European Climate Law ***I (vote)
European Climate Law (COM(2025)0524 – C10-0137/2025 – 2025/0524(COD)) – ENVI Committee
REQUESTS FOR AN URGENT DECISION from the Verts/ALE, Renew and S&D groups (Rule 170(5))
Rejected
The following had spoken:
Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Lena Schilling and Tiemo Wölken (movers of the requests), and Jeroen Lenaers (against the requests), before the vote.
(‘Results of votes’, item 1)
7.2. Objection pursuant to Rule 114(3): amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add certain countries to the list of high-risk third countries, and to remove other countries from that list (vote)
Motions for resolutions B10-0311/2025,B10-0315/2025,B10-0316/2025andB10-0318/2025pursuant to Rule 114(3)(minutes of 9.7.2025, item I)
(Majority of Parliament’s component Members required)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION B10-0311/2025
Rejected
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION B10-0315/2025
Rejected
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION B10-0316/2025
Rejected
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTIONB10-0318/2025
Rejected
The following had spoken:
Maria Luís Albuquerque (Member of the Commission), before the vote, to make a statement.
(‘Results of votes’, item 2)
7.3. Objection pursuant to Rule 115(2) and (3): Deforestation Regulation – list of countries presenting a low or high risk (vote)
Motion for a resolution tabled by the ENVI Committee pursuant to Rule 115(2) and (3), on the draft Commission regulation on Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1093 of 22 May 2025 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards a list of countries that present a low or high risk of producing relevant commodities for which the relevant products do not comply with Article 3, point (a) (2025/2739(RPS)) (B10-0321/2025)–Member responsible:Alexander Bernhuber
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0149)
(‘Results of votes’, item 3)
7.4. Amending Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing [COM(2024)0407 – C10-0098/2024 – 2024/0224(COD)] – Committee on Fisheries. Rapporteur: Thomas Bajada (A10-0070/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0150)
Parliament’s first reading thus closed.
The following had spoken:
Thomas Bajada, before the vote, to make a statement on the basis of Rule 165(4).
(‘Results of votes’, item 4)
7.5. Draft amending budget No 1/2025: entering the surplus of the financial year 2024 (vote)
Report on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 1/2025 of the European Union for the financial year 2025 entering the surplus of the financial year 2024 [09619/2025 – C10-0125/2025 – 2025/0091(BUD)] – Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Victor Negrescu (A10-0116/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0151)
The following had spoken:
Victor Negrescu, before the vote, to make a statement on the basis of Rule 165(4).
(‘Results of votes’, item 5)
7.6. Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova relating to floods that occurred in September 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to floods that occurred in October 2024 (vote)
Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova relating to floods occurred in September 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to floods occurred in October 2024 [COM(2025)0250 – C10-0102/2025 – 2025/0138(BUD)] – Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Andrzej Halicki (A10-0114/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0152)
(‘Results of votes’, item 6)
7.7. Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: Application EGF/2025/000 TA 2025 – Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission (vote)
Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers – EGF/2025/000 TA 2025 – Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission [COM(2025)0680 – C10-0103/2025 – 2025/0135(BUD)] – Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Jean-Marc Germain (A10-0115/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0153)
The following had spoken:
Jean-Marc Germain, before the vote, to make a statement on the basis of Rule 165(4).
(‘Results of votes’, item 7)
7.8. Product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports (vote)
Report on product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports [2025/2037(INI)] – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Rapporteur: Salvatore De Meo (A10-0133/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0154)
(‘Results of votes’, item 8)
7.9. 2023 and 2024 reports on Albania (vote)
Report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Albania [2025/2017(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Andreas Schieder (A10-0106/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0155)
(‘Results of votes’, item 9)
7.10. 2023 and 2024 reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina (vote)
Report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina [2025/2018(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Ondřej Kolář (A10-0108/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0156)
(‘Results of votes’, item 10)
7.11. 2023 and 2024 reports on North Macedonia (vote)
Report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on North Macedonia [2025/2021(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Thomas Waitz (A10-0118/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0157)
(‘Results of votes’, item 11)
7.12. 2023 and 2024 reports on Georgia (vote)
Report on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia [2025/2024(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Rasa Juknevičienė (A10-0110/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0158)
The following had spoken:
– Rasa Juknevičienė, to move an oral amendment to Amendment 9. Parliament had agreed to put the oral amendment to the vote.
– Urmas Paet, to move an oral amendment to paragraph 16. Parliament had agreed to put the oral amendment to the vote.
(‘Results of votes’, item 12)
7.13. Implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals in view of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (vote)
Report on implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals in view of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum [2025/2014(INI)] – Committee on Development – Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety. Rapporteurs: Robert Biedroń and Nikolas Farantouris (A10-0125/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0159)
The following had spoken:
Robert Biedroń and Nikolas Farantouris, before the vote, to make a statement on the basis of Rule 165(4).
(‘Results of votes’, item 13)
7.14. The human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (vote)
Motions for resolutions RC-B10-0304/2025, B10-0303/2025, B10-0304/2025, B10-0305/2025, B10-0306/2025, B10-0307/2025 and B10-0308/2025 (2025/2710(RSP))
The debate had taken place on 16 June 2025 (minutes of 16.6.2025, item 21).
(Majority of the votes cast)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION RC-B10-0304/2025
Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0160)
(Motion for a resolution B10-0303/2025 fell.)
(‘Results of votes’, item 14)
(The sitting was suspended at 13:01.)
IN THE CHAIR: Sabine VERHEYEN Vice-President
8. Resumption of the sitting
The sitting resumed at 13:05.
9. Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting
The minutes of the previous sitting were approved.
10. Lessons from Budapest Pride: the urgent need for an EU wide anti-discrimination law and defending fundamental rights against right-wing attacks (topical debate)
The following spoke: Ana Catarina Mendes to open the debate proposed by the S&D Group.
The following spoke: Marie Bjerre (President-in-Office of the Council) and Michael McGrath (Member of the Commission).
The following spoke: Sven Simon, on behalf of the PPE Group, Klára Dobrev, on behalf of the S&D Group, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, on behalf of the PfE Group, Alessandro Ciriani, on behalf of the ECR Group, Fabienne Keller, on behalf of the Renew Group, Alice Kuhnke, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Manon Aubry, on behalf of The Left Group (the President reminded the speaker of the rules on conduct), Zsuzsanna Borvendég, on behalf of the ESN Group, Maria Walsh, Marc Angel, Tom Vandendriessche, Paolo Inselvini, Sophie Wilmès, Tineke Strik, Irene Montero, Irmhild Boßdorf (the President reminded the House of the rules on conduct), Michał Wawrykiewicz, Raphaël Glucksmann, András László, Georgiana Teodorescu, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Nicolae Ștefănuță, Özlem Demirel, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Evin Incir, Petra Steger, Maciej Wąsik, Moritz Körner, Kim Van Sparrentak, Carolina Morace, Markus Buchheit, Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Birgit Sippel, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová, Marlena Maląg, Hilde Vautmans (the President reminded the speaker of the rules on conduct), Daniel Freund, Li Andersson, Milan Uhrík, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Julien Sanchez, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Mélissa Camara, Mary Khan, Alessandro Zan, Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, Cristian Terheş, Lukas Sieper on the previous speaker’s remarks (the President took note of this and again reminded the House of the rules on conduct), and Juan Fernando López Aguilar.
The following spoke: Michael McGrath.
IN THE CHAIR: Younous OMARJEE Vice-President
The following spoke: Marie Bjerre.
The debate closed.
11. EU-US trade negotiations (debate)
Council and Commission statements: EU-US trade negotiations (2025/2804(RSP))
Marie Bjerre (President-in-Office of the Council) and Maroš Šefčovič (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Jörgen Warborn, on behalf of the PPE Group, Kathleen Van Brempt, on behalf of the S&D Group, Enikő Győri, on behalf of the PfE Group, Rihards Kols, on behalf of the ECR Group, Karin Karlsbro, on behalf of the Renew Group, Anna Cavazzini, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Martin Schirdewan, on behalf of The Left Group, Michał Szczerba, Bernd Lange, Séverine Werbrouck, Svenja Hahn, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Lynn Boylan, Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus, Željana Zovko, Brando Benifei, Jorge Martín Frías, Dick Erixon, Dan Barna, Sergey Lagodinsky, Marina Mesure, Kateřina Konečná, Daniel Caspary, who also answered a blue-card question from Lukas Sieper, Alex Agius Saliba, Gilles Pennelle, Adrian-George Axinia, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, who also answered a blue-card question from Bruno Gonçalves, Catarina Vieira, Pasquale Tridico, Branislav Ondruš, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Silvia Sardone, Jacek Ozdoba, Sophie Wilmès, Lukas Sieper, Céline Imart, Evin Incir, Pierre Pimpie, Anna Zalewska, Massimiliano Salini, Jean-Marc Germain, Francisco José Millán Mon, Cristina Maestre, Miriam Lexmann, Mika Aaltola, Jessika Van Leeuwen, Nina Carberry, Luděk Niedermayer, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Wouter Beke, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Maria Walsh and Michalis Hadjipantela.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Regina Doherty, Maria Grapini, Sebastian Tynkkynen and Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez.
The following spoke: Maroš Šefčovič and Marie Bjerre.
The debate closed.
12. EU Preparedness Union in light of the upcoming wildfire and droughts season (debate)
Council and Commission statements: EU Preparedness Union in light of the upcoming wildfire and droughts season (2025/2771(RSP))
Marie Bjerre (President-in-Office of the Council) made the statement.
IN THE CHAIR: Antonella SBERNA Vice-President
Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Lena Düpont, on behalf of the PPE Group, Antonio Decaro, on behalf of the S&D Group, Sergio Berlato, on behalf of the ECR Group, Grégory Allione, on behalf of the Renew Group, Benedetta Scuderi, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Valentina Palmisano, on behalf of The Left Group, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Marta Temido, Csaba Dömötör, who also answered a blue-card question from Stine Bosse, Diego Solier, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Elena Kountoura, Nikolaos Anadiotis, Matej Tonin, Leire Pajín, Julien Leonardelli, who also answered blue-card questions from Grégory Allione and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Ruggero Razza, who also answered a blue-card question from Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Mārtiņš Staķis, Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos, Ana Miguel Pedro, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Ana Miranda Paz, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Ana Vasconcelos, Ana Miranda Paz, Péter Magyar, Victor Negrescu, Marjan Šarec, Dimitris Tsiodras, Sofie Eriksson, Giusi Princi, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Daniel Buda, Hannes Heide, Sunčana Glavak, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Sérgio Humberto and Michalis Hadjipantela.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Francisco José Millán Mon, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Viktória Ferenc, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Ciaran Mullooly, Diana Riba i Giner, Maria Zacharia and Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă.
The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib and Marie Bjerre.
IN THE CHAIR: Martin HOJSÍK Vice-President
The debate closed.
13. Composition of committees and delegations
The ECR Group had notified the President of the following decision changing the composition of the committees and delegations:
– Delegation to the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly: Galato Alexandraki was no longer a member
The decision took effect as of that day.
14. Presentation of stockpiling strategies – strengthening response capacities for a changing risk and threat landscape (debate)
Commission statement: Presentation of stockpiling strategies – strengthening response capacities for a changing risk and threat landscape (2025/2790(RSP))
Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Tomislav Sokol, on behalf of the PPE Group, Christophe Clergeau, on behalf of the S&D Group, Valérie Deloge, on behalf of the PfE Group, Kosma Złotowski, on behalf of the ECR Group, Grégory Allione, on behalf of the Renew Group, Pär Holmgren, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Catarina Martins, on behalf of The Left Group, Christine Anderson, on behalf of the ESN Group, Mirosława Nykiel, Nicolás González Casares, Stine Bosse, Ruth Firmenich, Paulius Saudargas, Marta Temido, Liesbet Sommen and Michalis Hadjipantela.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis and Sebastian Tynkkynen.
The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib.
The debate closed.
15. Alleged misuse of EU funds by Members of the far-right and measures to ensure institutional integrity (debate)
Statements by Parliament: Alleged misuse of EU funds by Members of the far-right and measures to ensure institutional integrity (2025/2808(RSP))
The following spoke: Niclas Herbst, on behalf of the PPE Group, Chloé Ridel, on behalf of the S&D Group, Moritz Körner, on behalf of the Renew Group, Mélissa Camara, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Manon Aubry, on behalf of The Left Group, Arno Bausemer, on behalf of the ESN Group, Tomáš Zdechovský, who also answered a blue-card question from Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Giuseppe Lupo, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, who also answered blue-card questions from Tomáš Zdechovský and Sebastian Tynkkynen, Daniel Freund, who also answered blue-card questions from Arno Bausemer and Moritz Körner (the President reminded the speaker to keep to the subject of the debate), Jonas Sjöstedt, Reinhold Lopatka, Andreas Schieder and Helmut Brandstätter.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Juan Fernando López Aguilar.
The debate closed.
16. Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda peace deal agreement (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda peace deal agreement (2025/2792(RSP))
Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Commission.
The following spoke: Ingeborg Ter Laak, on behalf of the PPE Group, Marit Maij, on behalf of the S&D Group, Philippe Olivier, on behalf of the PfE Group, Nicolas Bay, on behalf of the ECR Group, Hilde Vautmans, on behalf of the Renew Group, Mounir Satouri, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Marc Botenga, on behalf of The Left Group, Wouter Beke and Francisco Assis.
IN THE CHAIR: Victor NEGRESCU Vice-President
The following spoke: France Jamet, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Pernando Barrena Arza, Jan Farský and Hannes Heide.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Juan Fernando López Aguilar.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela.
The debate closed.
17. Outcome of the Conference on the Financing for Development in Seville (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Outcome of the Conference on the Financing for Development in Seville (2025/2793(RSP))
Marie Bjerre (President-in-Office of the Council) and Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Lukas Mandl, on behalf of the PPE Group, Marit Maij, on behalf of the S&D Group, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, on behalf of the PfE Group, Mario Mantovani, on behalf of the ECR Group, Barry Andrews, on behalf of the Renew Group, Isabella Lövin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Marc Jongen, on behalf of the ESN Group, Udo Bullmann, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Beatrice Timgren, Charles Goerens, Leire Pajín, Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, Robert Biedroń, Murielle Laurent, Francisco Assis and Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela and Marie Bjerre.
The debate closed.
18. 51 years after the Turkish invasion of the Republic of Cyprus: condemning the continued Turkish occupation and supporting the resumption of negotiations for a comprehensive solution in line with international law, the UNSC resolutions, EU principles and acquis (debate)
Commission statement: 51 years after the Turkish invasion of the Republic of Cyprus: condemning the continued Turkish occupation and supporting the resumption of negotiations for a comprehensive solution in line with international law, the UNSC resolutions, EU principles and acquis (2025/2794(RSP))
Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Loucas Fourlas, on behalf of the PPE Group, Costas Mavrides, on behalf of the S&D Group, Afroditi Latinopoulou, on behalf of the PfE Group, Geadis Geadi, on behalf of the ECR Group, Kai Tegethoff, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giorgos Georgiou, on behalf of The Left Group, and Marc Jongen, on behalf of the ESN Group.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela.
The debate closed.
19. Debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (debate)
(For the titles and authors of the motions for resolutions, see minutes of 9.7.2025, item I.)
19.1. Case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai
Motions for resolutions B10-0328/2025, B10-0333/2025, B10-0336/2025, B10-0340/2025 and B10-0341/2025 (2025/2796(RSP))
Seán Kelly and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.
IN THE CHAIR: Javi LÓPEZ Vice-President
Petras Auštrevičius and Catarina Vieira introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.
The following spoke: Reinhold Lopatka, on behalf of the PPE Group, and Barry Andrews, on behalf of the Renew Group.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission).
The debate closed.
Vote: 10 July 2025.
19.2. Arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic
Motions for resolutions B10-0323/2025, B10-0327/2025, B10-0334/2025, B10-0339/2025 and B10-0342/2025 (2025/2797(RSP))
Wouter Beke, Francisco Assis, Hilde Vautmans, Saskia Bricmont and Catarina Martins introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.
The following spoke: Kathleen Van Brempt, on behalf of the S&D Group, and João Cotrim De Figueiredo, on behalf of the Renew Group.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Seán Kelly.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission).
The debate closed.
Vote: 10 July 2025.
19.3. Urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus
Motions for resolutions B10-0325/2025, B10-0335/2025, B10-0338/2025, B10-0343/2025, B10-0344/2025, B10-0345/2025, B10-0346/2025 and B10-0347/2025 (2025/2798(RSP))
Ingeborg Ter Laak, Marco Tarquinio, Nathalie Loiseau, Hannah Neumann, Nikolas Farantouris, Silvia Sardone, Bert-Jan Ruissen and Tomasz Froelich introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.
The following spoke: Sander Smit, on behalf of the PPE Group, Yannis Maniatis, on behalf of the S&D Group, Matthieu Valet, on behalf of the PfE Group, Małgorzata Gosiewska, on behalf of the ECR Group, Michalis Hadjipantela, Evin Incir, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Laurence Trochu, Christophe Gomart, Paolo Inselvini, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński and Geadis Geadi.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Fredis Beleris and Costas Mavrides.
The following spoke: Jozef Síkela (Member of the Commission).
The debate closed.
Vote: 10 July 2025.
20. Explanations of votes in writing (Rule 201)
Explanations of votes given in writing would appear on the Members’ pages on Parliament’s website.
21. Agenda of the next sitting
The next sitting would be held the following day, 10 July 2025, starting at 09:00. The agenda was available on Parliament’s website.
22. Approval of the minutes of the sitting
In accordance with Rule 208(3), the minutes of the sitting would be put to the House for approval at the beginning of the afternoon of the next sitting.
23. Closure of the sitting
The sitting closed at 22:02.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS SERVING AS A BASIS FOR THE DEBATES AND DECISIONS OF PARLIAMENT
I. Motions for resolutions tabled
Case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai
The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:
on the case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai (2025/2796(RSP)) (B10-0328/2025) Rasmus Andresen, Villy Søvndal, Maria Ohisalo, Nicolae Ștefănuță, Mélissa Camara, Mounir Satouri, Catarina Vieira, Ville Niinistö on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on the case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai (2025/2796(RSP)) (B10-0333/2025) Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group
on the case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai (2025/2796(RSP)) (B10-0336/2025) Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on behalf of The Left Group
on the case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai (2025/2796(RSP)) (B10-0340/2025) Sebastião Bugalho, Seán Kelly, Tomáš Zdechovský, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Tomas Tobé, Wouter Beke, Davor Ivo Stier, Łukasz Kohut, Mirosława Nykiel, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group
on the case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai (2025/2796(RSP)) (B10-0341/2025) Adam Bielan, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Marlena Maląg, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Bogdan Rzońca, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Ivaylo Valchev, Anna Zalewska, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová on behalf of the ECR Group
Arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic
The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:
on the arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic (2025/2797(RSP)) (B10-0323/2025) Catarina Martins on behalf of The Left Group
on the arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic (2025/2797(RSP)) (B10-0327/2025) Yannis Maniatis, Kathleen Van Brempt, Francisco Assis on behalf of the S&D Group Saskia Bricmont, Mélissa Camara, Catarina Vieira, Maria Ohisalo, Mounir Satouri, Nicolae Ștefănuță, Ville Niinistö on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on the arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic (2025/2797(RSP)) (B10-0334/2025) Hilde Vautmans, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group
on the arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic (2025/2797(RSP)) (B10-0339/2025) Sebastião Bugalho, Wouter Beke, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Željana Zovko, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Andrey Kovatchev, Tomas Tobé, Tomáš Zdechovský, Davor Ivo Stier, Łukasz Kohut, Liudas Mažylis, Vangelis Meimarakis, Loránt Vincze, Seán Kelly, Mirosława Nykiel, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group
on the arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic (2025/2797(RSP)) (B10-0342/2025) Adam Bielan, Aurelijus Veryga, Carlo Fidanza, Marlena Maląg, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Alexandr Vondra, Bogdan Rzońca, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Ivaylo Valchev, Alberico Gambino, Anna Zalewska, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Assita Kanko, Michał Dworczyk, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group
Urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus
The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0325/2025) Nikolas Farantouris, Özlem Demirel on behalf of The Left Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0335/2025) Hannah Neumann, Maria Ohisalo, Katrin Langensiepen, Nicolae Ștefănuță, Mounir Satouri, Catarina Vieira on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0338/2025) Tomasz Froelich, Petr Bystron, Alexander Sell, Marc Jongen on behalf of the ESN Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0343/2025) Silvia Sardone, Susanna Ceccardi, Roberto Vannacci, Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, António Tânger Corrêa, Afroditi Latinopoulou, Hermann Tertsch on behalf of the PfE Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0344/2025) Nathalie Loiseau, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0345/2025) Adam Bielan, Bert-Jan Ruissen, Aurelijus Veryga, Carlo Fidanza, Marlena Maląg, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Bogdan Rzońca, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Alexandr Vondra, Reinis Pozņaks, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Emmanouil Fragkos, Ivaylo Valchev, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Guillaume Peltier, Alberico Gambino, Marion Maréchal, Nicolas Bay, Laurence Trochu, Anna Zalewska, Assita Kanko, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0346/2025) Sebastião Bugalho, Ingeborg Ter Laak, David McAllister, François-Xavier Bellamy, Andrzej Halicki, Wouter Beke, Željana Zovko, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Andrey Kovatchev, Tomas Tobé, Tomáš Zdechovský, Davor Ivo Stier, Sander Smit, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Eleonora Meleti, Vangelis Meimarakis, Georgios Aftias, Dimitris Tsiodras, Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Matej Tonin, Massimiliano Salini, Łukasz Kohut, Loránt Vincze, Seán Kelly, Mirosława Nykiel, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Inese Vaidere, Michalis Hadjipantela, Miriam Lexmann on behalf of the PPE Group
on the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus (2025/2798(RSP)) (B10-0347/2025) Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Marco Tarquinio, Hana Jalloul Muro, Evin Incir, Nikos Papandreou on behalf of the S&D Group
Objection pursuant to Rule 114(3): amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add certain countries to the list of high-risk third countries, and to remove other countries from that list
Motion for a resolution tabled under Rule 114(3) by Jorge Buxadé Villalba, on behalf of the PfE Group, on the Commission delegated regulation of 10 June 2025 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela to the list of high-risk third countries which have provided a written high-level political commitment to address the identified deficiencies and have developed an action plan with the FATF, and to remove Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates from that list (C(2025)3815) – 2025/2740(DEA)) (B10-0311/2025)
Motion for a resolution tabled under Rule 114(3) by Rasmus Andresen, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Murielle Laurent, Brando Benifei, Kathleen Van Brempt, Francisco Assis, Raphaël Glucksmann, Aurore Lalucq, Cecilia Strada, Christophe Clergeau, Eric Sargiacomo, Nora Mebarek, Chloé Ridel, Claire Fita, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Birgit Sippel, Gabriele Bischoff, Lucia Annunziata, Sandro Ruotolo, Emma Rafowicz, Pina Picierno, Alessandra Moretti, Pierre Jouvet, Annalisa Corrado, Evelyn Regner, Jean-Marc Germain, Marco Tarquinio, Udo Bullmann, Alessandro Zan, on the Commission delegated regulation of 10 June 2025 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela to the list of high-risk third countries which have provided a written high-level political commitment to address the identified deficiencies and have developed an action plan with the FATF, and to remove Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates from that list (C(2025)3815) – 2025/2740(DEA)) (B10-0315/2025)
Motion for a resolution tabled under Rule 114(3) by Damien Carême, Jussi Saramo, on behalf of The Left Group, on the Commission delegated regulation of 10 June 2025 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela to the list of high-risk third countries which have provided a written high-level political commitment to address the identified deficiencies and have developed an action plan with the FATF, and to remove Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates from that list (C(2025)03815 – 2025/2740(DEA)) (B10-0316/2025)
Motion for a resolution tabled under Rule 114(3) by Luděk Niedermayer, Javier Zarzalejos, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Maravillas Abadía Jover, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Francisco José Millán Mon, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Gabriel Mato, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Esther Herranz García, Borja Giménez Larraz, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Susana Solís Pérez, Alma Ezcurra Almansa, Dolors Montserrat, Elena Nevado del Campo, Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Marco Falcone, Esteban González Pons, Pablo Arias Echeverría, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Danuše Nerudová, David Casa, Tomáš Zdechovský, Kinga Kollár, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Herbert Dorfmann, Christophe Gomart, Ondřej Kolář, Jan Farský, Michalis Hadjipantela, Siegfried Mureşan, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Iuliu Winkler, Gheorghe Falcă, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Daniel Buda, Paulius Saudargas, Maria Walsh, Loucas Fourlas, Verena Mertens, François-Xavier Bellamy, Karlo Ressler, Laurent Castillo, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Andrzej Halicki, on the Commission delegated regulation of 10 June 2025 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 to add Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela to the list of high-risk third countries which have provided a written high-level political commitment to address the identified deficiencies and have developed an action plan with the FATF, and to remove Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates from that list (C(2025)03815 – 2025/2740(DEA)) (B10-0318/2025)
The human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians
Motions for resolutions tabled under Rule 136(2) to wind up the debate:
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0303/2025) Özlem Demirel, Danilo Della Valle on behalf of The Left Group
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0304/2025) Sergey Lagodinsky, Markéta Gregorová, Ville Niinistö, Jutta Paulus, Mārtiņš Staķis on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0305/2025) Yannis Maniatis, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Thijs Reuten on behalf of the S&D Group
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0306/2025) Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, Sebastião Bugalho, David McAllister, Siegfried Mureşan, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Mika Aaltola, Wouter Beke, Krzysztof Brejza, Lena Düpont, Jan Farský, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Rasa Juknevičienė, Ewa Kopacz, Andrey Kovatchev, Reinhold Lopatka, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Danuše Nerudová, Mirosława Nykiel, Liudas Mažylis, Ana Miguel Pedro, Paulius Saudargas, Oliver Schenk, Michał Szczerba, Davor Ivo Stier, Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Riho Terras, Pekka Toveri, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0307/2025) Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Ľubica Karvašová, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Eugen Tomac, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas on behalf of the Renew Group
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (B10-0308/2025) Michał Dworczyk, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Anna Zalewska, Reinis Pozņaks, Roberts Zīle, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Bogdan Rzońca, Rihards Kols, Alexandr Vondra, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Aurelijus Veryga, Charlie Weimers, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Assita Kanko, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution tabled under Rule 136(2) and (4):
on the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (2025/2710(RSP)) (RC-B10-0304/2025) (replacing motions for resolutionsB10-0304/2025, B10-0305/2025, B10-0306/2025, B10-0307/2025 and B10-0308/2025) Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, Sebastião Bugalho, David McAllister, Siegfried Mureşan, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Mika Aaltola, Wouter Beke, Krzysztof Brejza, Lena Düpont, Jan Farský, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Rasa Juknevičienė, Sandra Kalniete, Ewa Kopacz, Andrey Kovatchev, Reinhold Lopatka, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Liudas Mažylis, Danuše Nerudová, Mirosława Nykiel, Ana Miguel Pedro, Paulius Saudargas, Oliver Schenk, Michał Szczerba, Davor Ivo Stier, Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Riho Terras, Matej Tonin, Pekka Toveri, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Thijs Reuten on behalf of the S&D Group Adam Bielan, Michał Dworczyk, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Roberts Zīle, Reinis Pozņaks, Ivaylo Valchev, Aurelijus Veryga, Mariusz Kamiński, Charlie Weimers, Alexandr Vondra, Assita Kanko, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński on behalf of the ECR Group Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Ľubica Karvašová, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Eugen Tomac, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas on behalf of the Renew Group Sergey Lagodinsky on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
II. Documents received
The following documents had been received from other institutions:
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations INF 6/2025 – Section VI – Economic and Social Committee (N10-0026/2025 – C10-0131/2025 – 2025/2123(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations V/INF-01/C/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors (N10-0027/2025 – C10-0132/2025 – 2025/2124(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations V/INF-02/C/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors (N10-0028/2025 – C10-0133/2025 – 2025/2125(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations V/INF-03/T/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors (N10-0029/2025 – C10-0134/2025 – 2025/2126(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations V/INF-04/A/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors (N10-0030/2025 – C10-0135/2025 – 2025/2127(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations V/INF-05/C/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors (N10-0031/2025 – C10-0136/2025 – 2025/2128(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
– Proposal for transfer of appropriations 1/2025 – Section VIII – European Ombudsman (N10-0032/2025 – C10-0138/2025 – 2025/2129(GBD)) referred to committee responsible: BUDG
III. Delegated acts (Rule 114(2))
Draft delegated acts forwarded to Parliament
– Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards specifying the minimum contents of the liquidity management policy and procedures for certain issuers of asset-referenced tokens and e-money tokens (C(2025)00602 – 2025/2777(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 27 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: ECON
– Commission Delegated Regulation amending the regulatory technical standards laid down in Delegated Regulations (EU) 2017/583 and (EU) 2017/587 as regards transparency requirements for trading venues and investment firms in respect of bonds, structured finance products, emission allowances and equity instruments (C(2025)03104 – 2025/2773(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 18 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: ECON
– Commission Delegated Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an increase of the minimum mesh size when fishing for squid in the North Sea and North Western Waters (C(2025)03720 – 2025/2769(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 16 June 2025
Extension of the deadline for raising objections: 2 months at the European Parliament’s request
referred to committee responsible: PECH
– Commission Delegated Regulation correcting certain language versions of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1366 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/943 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a network code on sector-specific rules for cybersecurity aspects of cross-border electricity flows (C(2025)03833 – 2025/2774(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 19 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: ITRE
– Commission Delegated Directive adapting to scientific and technical progress Annexes I and II to Directive (EU) 2022/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council on uniform procedures for checks on the transport of dangerous goods by road (C(2025)03886 – 2025/2775(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 23 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: TRAN
– Commission Delegated Regulation amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2534 on household tumble dryers regarding information on repairability and clarifying some aspects of the measurements and calculation methods, the product information sheet, the technical documentation and the verification procedure (C(2025)03986 – 2025/2782(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 1 July 2025
referred to committee responsible: ITRE
– Commission Delegated Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 as regards the correction of the territorial scope of provisions concerning short-necked clam and red seabream (C(2025)04074 – 2025/2778(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 27 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: PECH
– Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards specifying the method for identifying the main risk driver of a position and for determining whether a transaction represents a long or a short position as referred to in Articles 94(3), 273a(3) and 325a(2) (C(2025)04105 – 2025/2781(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 1 July 2025
referred to committee responsible: ECON
– Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the establishment of a comparative methodology framework for calculating cost-optimal levels of minimum energy performance requirements for buildings and building elements (C(2025)04133 – 2025/2779(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 30 June 2025
referred to committee responsible: ITRE opinion: TRAN
– Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards specifying the conditions for assessing the materiality of extensions of, and changes to, the use of alternative internal models, and changes to the subset of the modellable risk factors (C(2025)04338 – 2025/2805(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 3 July 2025
referred to committee responsible: ECON
– Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down the technical conditions and procedures under which providers of very large online platforms and of very large online search engines are to share data with vetted researchers (C(2025)04340 – 2025/2799(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 2 July 2025
referred to committee responsible: IMCO opinion: ITRE, JURI, LIBE
– Commission Delegated Regulation amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as regards the simplification of the content and presentation of information to be disclosed concerning environmentally sustainable activities and Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2021/2139 and (EU) 2023/2486 as regards simplification of certain technical screening criteria for determining whether economic activities cause no significant harm to environmental objectives (C(2025)04568 – 2025/2806(DEA))
Deadline for raising objections: 4 months from the date of receipt of 4 July 2025
referred to committee responsible: ECON, ENVI
Draft delegated act for which the period for raising objections had been extended
– Commission Delegated Regulation on the implementation of the Union’s international obligations, as referred to in Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, as regards picked dogfish C(2025)03715 – 2025/2768(DEA)
Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 13 June 2025
Extension of the deadline for raising objections: 2 months at the request of the European Parliament
referred to committee responsible: PECH
IV. Transfers of appropriations and budgetary decisions
In accordance with Article 31(1) of the Financial Regulation, the Committee on Budgets had decided to approve the European Commission’s transfers of appropriations DEC 08/2025, DEC 09/2025 and DEC 10/2025 – Section III – Commission.
V. Action taken on Parliament’s positions and resolutions
The Commission communication on the action taken on the resolutions adopted by Parliament during the March 2025 part-session (third part) was available on Parliament’s website.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is the keynote speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the “Paris Seminar: Hong Kong Legal Services – Gateway to China and Beyond” organised by the Department of Justice in Paris, France on July 9 (Paris time):
His Excellency Mr Deng Li (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the French Republic), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. Firstly, on behalf of the Department of Justice, I would like to welcome all of you joining our seminar this afternoon. I have to express my gratitude to Mr Deng Li for giving the very important opening remarks, and for helping the Department of Justice in organising this very important seminar. Second, I also wish to express my gratitude to all the supporting organisations, which include the legal professional bodies in Hong Kong, the important arbitration institutions, and leading law firms. This is in fact my first official visit to this part of the world, including France, and I think this is also the first occasion that the Department of Justice organised a seminar focusing on the legal services of Hong Kong. I’m very pleased and honoured to be able to invite very eminent speakers from both Hong Kong and France to share their experience with you in a minute. There will be two panel discussions this afternoon. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the speakers.
What I intend to do is just to set the scene and give an overview of the theme of today’s seminar. The topic for today is Hong Kong’s legal services. There is only one important message that I wish to convey successfully at the end of today, that is Hong Kong’s common law system serves as a unique gateway to China and beyond.
Why Hong Kong is a unique gateway? The short answer is that under the very important principle of “one country, two systems”, on the one hand, Hong Kong’s common law system has a number of very essential elements which are crucial and important to the business community. But at the same time, precisely because Hong Kong is a part of China, we also have very unique and important connection with the Mainland’s legal system, which is unparalleled. So this is the short answer. But to make good my point, I would like to focus on, in my belief, six very important characteristics of Hong Kong’s common law system.
My first point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is very stable. Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction within China and the continuation of the practice of common law system is guaranteed by the Basic Law, which is a constitutional document. So this is something that is not going to change. I also wish to use a very recent example to demonstrate the confidence that both China and the international community has in Hong Kong. On May 30, 2025, the convention concerning the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation was signed in Hong Kong. It was signed by 33 countries around the world including China and many countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and even in Europe. I think the population of all these countries added together, cost you about one third of this world’s population.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, came to Hong Kong and gave a very important speech. He explained why the party decided to hold the signing ceremony in Hong Kong, and more importantly, to set up the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong. The reason is that, because of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong has the best of both worlds. On the one hand, we have a very strong common law tradition. But on the other hand, the People’s Republic of China is a civil law system. So we are a common law system in the context of a civil law system. That gives us a unique strength which makes it the perfect place to host the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation. This is my first point – Hong Kong’s common law system is very, very stable.
The second point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is very user-friendly. Hong Kong is in fact the only bilingual common law system in the world, using both English and Chinese. So all our statutes will be written in both languages. And of course, English is the language for the international business community. But apart from language, we have been working very hard to ensure that our legislation and common law will meet the demand of the changing needs of the international community, or make it even more attractive. I wish to cite one recent example. In mid-May this year, we have just amended our company law to make it easier for companies being operated overseas to re-domicile to Hong Kong, so that these overseas companies can take advantage of the tax policy and regulatory regime in Hong Kong. And I understand that two major insurance companies have indicated that they will re-domicile to Hong Kong in November this year.
My third point is that Hong Kong’s common law system provides a very safe and secure environment. Under the Basic Law, free flow of capital is guaranteed, free movement of properties including money in all forms of property is guaranteed. For as long as your investment, your money, your property, your business in Hong Kong, they are well protected by a very sophisticated regulatory regime administered by bodies such the Securities and Futures Commission, our Independent Commission Against Corruption and so on and so forth. One of the good reputation that Hong Kong enjoys is that corruption or malpractice is almost absent. So there’s no concern of corruption and other sort of malpractice. At the same time, we also make tremendous effort in ensuring that people can explore new opportunities in the safe environment. The recent example is the Stablecoins Ordinance. The Stablecoins Ordinance was enacted and will come into effect on August 1. Under this new ordinance, there will be a licensing regime for people or for traders in stablecoins. So we will allow trading and use of stablecoins subject to a very strict set of regulation to ensure that people will not be exposed to unnecessary risks. So this is my third point – Hong Kong’s common law system provides a very safe and secure environment.
The fourth point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is extremely credible. One of the key reasons is that Hong Kong has a very independent and reputable judiciary. Our courts enjoy the final power of adjudication. And one special feature is that in our Court of Final Appeal, we have invited eminent judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit on a part-time basis. So at the moment, there are six foreign non-permanent judges. Two come from England, they are Lord Hoffmann and Lord Neuberger, three from Australia and one from New Zealand. The most recent appointment was made and confirmed in June, Sir William Young, who used to be a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Apart from Court of Final Appeal, we also invite judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit in our Court of First Instance.
But litigation is not the only means of resolving disputes. Hong Kong is also very famous for its international arbitration service. In the very recent Queen Mary University of London’s survey, which is the most important international survey on arbitration, Hong Kong ranked second in the world after London, Hong Kong and Singapore both ranked the second. The important thing that’s worth noting is that among the cases handled by the most important institution, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), almost 70 per cent of those cases are international in nature in the sense that either one of the parties would be a party not from Hong Kong. Even more importantly, around 15 per cent of cases handled by the HKIAC, in those cases, neither party came from Asia. So the only reason that they chose Hong Kong is, of course, because they’re confident in our arbitration service. This is my fourth point – Hong Kong’s system is very credible.
My fifth point is that Hong Kong has an abundant supply of high-quality legal professionals with rich experience in handling cross-boundary or transboundary matters. Hong Kong’s legal profession is divided into two branches based on the English system. We have around 1 700 barristers who are specialists in dispute resolution. They will be engaged and instructed to appear in court in litigation and very often in arbitration. There are around 110 Senior Counsel, which will be equivalent to King’s Counsel in England. And on top of that, we adopt a very open policy. So on some cases, we will allow London Silk, a Senior Counsel, a King’s Counsel from London to take part in litigations in Hong Kong.
Turning to another branch of the legal profession, the solicitors, I think there are more than 11 000 solicitors in Hong Kong, more than 900 law firms, and almost 400 of these law firms would either have offices outside Hong Kong or representative offices in Mainland China. And insofar as France is concerned, I think there are around 14 law firms in Hong Kong which have offices in France and there are also five French law firms having office in Hong Kong. So France does have a significant presence in Hong Kong. And also we have offices, lawyers practicing here in Paris. The point that I wish to make is that the legal service provided in Hong Kong is very international, so if you instruct a Hong Kong lawyer, you are not simply receiving Hong Kong legal service, you are receiving global legal service, so this is my fifth point.
The last point is the very special and unique connection between the Hong Kong’s common law system and the Mainland’s civil law system. I wish to use a few examples. Up to the present, Hong Kong and the Mainland have signed nine very important mutual legal assistance arrangements. And the most often used arrangement concerns the recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards. So an arbitration award in Hong Kong can be easily enforced and recognised on the Mainland under the scheme substantially the same as that under the New York Convention. And more importantly, back in 2019, Hong Kong and Mainland China have entered into a very special arrangement, under which for arbitrations administered by specific arbitration institution in Hong Kong, the parties will be at liberty to appear or to apply before the Mainland Court for interim measures. For example, interim injunctions preserving assets or evidence that turn out to be an extremely important practical tool. So ever since the scheme came into effect on October 1, 2019, up to May this year, there were around 146 applications and the amount involved in these interim injunctions will be in the region of about US$5 billion. That’s a piece of evidence demonstrating the practical utility of this measure.
My last example concerns a very recent measure introduced in February this year. It concerns the Greater Bay Area, which consists of Hong Kong, Macau, and also nine important cities in the Guangdong Province. The size of the Greater Bay Area is more like Croatia, and the population is around 86 million. And the GDP of the Greater Bay Area has already exceeded Australia, which would be the top 10 to consider as a single economic entity. So back in February, we introduced a new measure, which allows Hong Kong enterprises in certain cities in the Greater Bay Area to have the option of choosing Hong Kong law as the governing law to regulate their contracts, and also to choose Hong Kong as the seat for arbitration. Because in the past, if a foreign company or even a Hong Kong company set up an establishment on the Mainland, you have to use Mainland law. And for arbitration, you can only do the arbitration on the Mainland, so the options that I’ve just mentioned were not open. The other important point is that, insofar on the definition of Hong Kong enterprise is concerned, it doesn’t matter the percentage of interest owned by the Hong Kong party. For example, it’s very easy for a French company to come to Hong Kong to find a partner, a Hong Kong partner, which may hold a very small interest, say one per cent. So as long as there’s some common interest, it will be qualified as a Hong Kong enterprise, and that will give you the liberty to choose Hong Kong law or to use Hong Kong as a place of arbitration, so this is my sixth point.
To sum up, Hong Kong’s common law system is stable, it’s very user-friendly, it’s very safe and secure, it’s very credible, and we have an abundant supply of international legal professionals. And lastly, we have very unique connection with the Mainland system. And my dear friends, it’s really the combination, it’s really the sum total of these six elements, which in my view, render Hong Kong a unique gateway. Hong Kong is definitely not the only gateway, but I’m very confident to say that because of the matters that I mentioned, Hong Kong as a gateway is unique. It’s unparalleled. It’s something that you cannot find elsewhere.
President Xi Jinping said that the rule of law provides the best business environment (法治是最好的營商環境). I think Hong Kong offers the best business environment because we have a very strong rule of law based on a common law system, which has all the unique characteristics that I said. I think Hong Kong’s reputation is very recognised internationally. According to a survey done by the IMD, the International Institute for Management Development based in Switzerland very recently, in terms of global competitiveness, Hong Kong ranked the third. Hong Kong actually ranked the second in terms of government efficiency and business efficiency. When it comes to our tax policy and business legislation, Hong Kong actually ranked the first. I think this is a very objective assessment of the reputation enjoyed by Hong Kong.
Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure that you will be more convinced by what I have just said after hearing from our very eminent speakers who will share their experience in handling legal matters or in relation to China, Hong Kong and also France in the next two hours or so. Now, to conclude, I would like to thank all of you again for joining this legal seminar, and I sincerely hope that you will find today’s seminar constructive and enjoyable. Thank you very much.
England won the toss and will bat first in the third test against India at Lord’s on Thursday under sunny skies at the home of cricket and conditions that should favour the batsmen.
India’s crushing 336-run victory in the second test at Edgbaston levelled the series at 1-1 after England won the first match at Headingley by five wickets.
England recalled fast bowler Jofra Archer for his first test appearance in more than four years in place of Josh Tongue.
India brought back paceman Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked bowler who was rested for the second test as he manages a back injury, to replace Prasidh Krishna.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
View of Edinburgh from Arthur Seat – a Getty image
Edinburgh is one of 19 new local authorities joining the international Bloomberg Philanthropies i-team initiative, which provides support and expertise to tackle pressing local challenges.
The City of Edinburgh Council today announced plans for an Innovation Team which will work towards tackling the city’s ambitions of reaching net zero and ending poverty.
The ‘i-team’, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, will include three specialised staff charged with helping the Council and civic and community-based partners design and implement services that improve people’s lives. They will receive technical assistance from regional and global specialists, and benefit from learnings from peers in local authorities across the region and around the world.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said:
Edinburgh is one of the most successful cities in the world and yet we face unprecedented pressures. Our population growth, and appeal as a fantastic place to live and visit, makes it challenging to provide the best quality housing and support to residents who need it most. Likewise, Edinburgh’s world-famous environment, both built and natural, needs to be managed sustainably and protected from the effects of climate change.
The support from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ international i-team initiative will provide a huge boost towards our aims of tackling poverty and hitting net zero, by helping us to establish a brand-new innovation team within the Council. I look forward to working with this team, and all our partners, as we work to deliver a fairer and stronger capital city.
James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said:
Realising efficient, effective government is an inside job—and the Innovation Teams we support around the world are critical to building that engine within the city halls they serve. We are glad to expand this model to 19 new municipal teams in Europe, who will join the growing number of public officials working locally, creatively, and ambitiously to break down silos, break through problems, and deliver results residents see and feel.
To date, the Bloomberg Philanthropies i-team initiative has reached over 100 cities across 16 countries and four continents—representing more than 100 million residents—and inspired hundreds of other local governments to embrace innovation systems and practices.
Dundee City Council is helping to draw up new opportunities for a local brewery with a grant award.
The local authority allocated Holy Goat Brewing a £10,500 BusinessGrowth and Innovation Grant to assist the firm.
Councillor Siobhan Tolland visited Holy Goat’s base in the city to see how the funds are making a difference.
The firm is using the award to:
Councillor Tolland, who is the depute convener of the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee said: “I was delighted to see the premises of Holy Goat Brewing and hear the inside story of this local company.
“I hope the assistance that has been provided will assist in their endeavours in UK and international markets.
“It is encouraging for the future of the city to see how our businesses are working hard to grow in innovative ways.”
James Scanlan, of Holy Goat, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Dundee City Council for their support, which has allowed us to invest in new fermenters and expand our production capacity. With the increased capacity, we’re able to bring more variety to our range and meet growing demand for our beers both in the UK and in export markets. The support played a big part in giving us the confidence and initial resources to move forward with expansion plans. It’s encouraging to know there are opportunities like this available for other small businesses looking to showcase local talent and create jobs.”
The city council’s Economic Growth Team has worked closely with Business Gateway Tayside to manage the Business Growth and Innovation Grant. This phase was funded with legacy monies from Scottish Govt funded Local Authority Economic Development Recovery Fund (LACER),
You can find out more about Holy Goat brewing on their websitehere
It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to make some remarks this afternoon. This is not just to be able to follow a fascinating and timely lecture, but also because I worked for Andrew Crockett at the Bank of England nearly 40 years ago. Andrew was inspiring to work for, one of the deepest thinkers about international economic policy and central banking. He also had a quite incautious side too. He was a practitioner of one of his favourite phrases – “if you have never missed a plane, you obviously arrive at airports too early”. Andrew was also the creator of the Financial Stability Forum, and its first chair.
I want to spend my time developing a theme that has run though Maury’s lecture, namely what has been the meaning of the term reserve currency, and what does it mean today. My conclusion is that it is best to think of the term as one that has evolved with the times, and continues to do so. Thinking of it as a constant term does not help to understand its meaning.
I will start with the nineteenth century meaning of the term. The monetary regime was the classical gold standard, and convertibility of domestic currency into gold at a fixed price was the nominal anchor of the system. The term reserve therefore referred to the gold reserves that were held to enable convertibility and the promise thereof.
The nineteenth century Bank of England spent time managing that reserve balance to create confidence in the promise of convertibility. Today, our banknotes still carry the words “I promise to pay the bearer on demand, the sum of”. Nowadays, it means that someone can have another banknote, but under the gold standard it meant much more. This system did not put as much emphasis on financial stability, with the consequence that when crises occurred (as they did in that time), they were managed with a certain degree of adhocery. Hence, Walter Bagehot wrote his famous critique of the Bank.
There was rather more to the concept of reserve currency in this period. Sterling was the premier currency of international trade, built on trade with the British Empire, but extending further over time to the countries of the so-called Sterling Area. It is one of the questions in central bank Trivial Pursuit to name countries in the Sterling Area.
The collapse of this system between the wars led to the Bretton Woods system coming into existence and its heyday once full convertibility was restored. This system had the joint dollar-gold anchor in the form of a fixed dollar-gold rate and pegging of the major currencies. The consequence was a substantial growth of official dollar reserves, and the further emergence thus of the dollar as the reserve currency.
The system therefore had a joint anchor. Because Bretton Woods solved the so-called Trilemma by restricting capital flows, the threat of countries exhausting reserves was limited, but not sufficiently so to prevent difficult devaluations at times. Moreover, I tend to think of the Triffin Dilemma as posing the question – what if the bluff of the dollar-gold tie had been called, and what would be the consequence?
From the early 1970s that system broke down. Countries moved to free float, with periodic attempts at management, and a lifting of restrictions on capital controls. Alongside this was the emergence of the domestic anchor of monetary policy, usually an inflation target. The dollar had become the predominant currency of international trade and payments.
The role and nature of reserves had changed. No longer were they a nineteenth century description of the central bank’s balance sheet and its liquidity under the classical gold standard. Rather, they became a description of so-called official reserves typically, but not always, held by governments, though often managed by central banks. Their role was different, reflecting the changes to the solution of the Trilemma. As foreign exchange intervention to influence exchange rates came to an end, the role of reserves in many countries was to act as a bulwark against pressures from capital flows, as seen in the Asian crisis of the late 1990s.
A few numbers help here. The stock of FX reserves relative to global GDP increased from 3% to 11% between 1976 and last year.
During that period, foreign currency reserves as a proportion of global reserve assets including gold increased from 50% to 90%, while the dollar’s share of foreign currency reserves declined from 80% to 57%. I take four points from these figures: the total stock of FX reserves has increased; the share of gold fell; the dollar’s share fell as it moved from being the anchor currency to the largest currency; and the evidence further supports the view that the meaning of the term reserve currency has changed over time.
Today, with domestic monetary anchors, financial stability has become the focus of international co-ordination, the opposite of the gold standard arrangements. The meaning of reserve currency has changed again as a consequence. I would point to two important features of today’s system.
First, the concept of reserve currency has a lot more to do with the supply and denomination of safe assets which act as security in the financial system, and are increasingly at the heart of it. This version of the concept of reserve currency has as much to do with the role of US Treasuries as a safe asset, that is present not just in official reserves but also to provide security and collateral in financial markets.
Second, these arrangements are backed up by the provision of contingent liquidity insurance in the form of central bank swaps and a repo facility. These arrangements underpin the role and primacy of the reserve currency.
I will end with two points which strike me as unfinished or emerging. First, at least for the large economies, it could be asked today, what is the point of official reserves? My view is that today their use is more to do with preserving financial stability in the event of stress. They may be needed to support financial system liquidity in situations of extreme stress.
My second point, as BIS colleagues have emphasised, is that we need to watch carefully the evolution of payments forms and whether innovation here introduces fragility into what I would call the “money system”.
If, for instance, stablecoins emerge as a new form of money, we have to decide how to ensure the singleness of money and therefore trust in money in this world, and what role the notion of reserve currency should play here.
To finish, thank you Maury for such a stimulating lecture. You pushed me to think further about the meaning of reserve currency. The conclusion I draw was that we need to emphasise more its adaptable nature, but thereby be very clear what it means in the world of today and tomorrow.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Survey reveals high parental confidence in children’s vaccines
UKHSA data shows 85% of parents are confident childhood vaccines are safe, effective and trustworthy.
New data published today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows continued high levels of confidence in the UK’s childhood vaccination programme.
The Childhood vaccines: parental attitudes survey 2025, which tracks parental attitudes towards childhood immunisations across the UK found that most parents believe that childhood vaccines are safe (85% up from 84% in 2023) that they trust them (84% up from 82% in 2024) and they work (87% compared to 89% in 2024).
Parents had a strong awareness of the risks posed by vaccine-preventable diseases, with over 90% (compared to 86% last year) agreeing that pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis, polio and septicaemia were serious.
The survey also captured parental attitudes towards newer additions to the vaccination schedule. An important new pregnancy vaccine was introduced in September 2025 to help protect babies against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and 85% of parents of babies and younger children also rated RSV infection as serious.
Healthcare professionals, in particular GPs, health visitors and nurses, continue to be the most trusted source of vaccine information. 76% of parents had seen or heard information about children’s vaccines in the past year, predominantly from trusted sources including healthcare professionals and official NHS websites. Only 7% ranked the internet and 3% social media in their top three most trusted sources.
Most parents (79%) had already decided that their baby would have all the vaccines offered before they spoke to a health professional. However, following a discussion with a health professional more than half of these parents (53%) said they felt even more confident about their decision, and of those who had decided not to vaccinate 15% changed their mind in favour of vaccination. This is positive news, given the declines in uptake over recent years, and highlights the vital role that knowledgeable health care professionals can play in reversing that decline.
Most parents (80%) reported that they had not seen or heard any concerning information about childhood vaccines, with 12% reporting mixed information and just 3% reporting hearing or seeing information that undermines vaccines. 86% of all parents felt they had received enough information to make an informed decision about vaccines offered to their children.
Dr Julie Yates, UK Health Security Agency’s Deputy Director for Immunisation Programmes:
The findings from our latest survey are encouraging and show that most parents across the UK continue to trust the NHS childhood vaccination programme and understand its importance in protecting our children. It’s particularly reassuring that parents identify healthcare professionals and NHS resources as their most trusted sources of vaccine information. Having questions about vaccines is a normal part of the parental journey. Our survey highlights the crucial role that healthcare professionals play in providing parents with accurate information about vaccines and the serious diseases they protect against, and in building confidence in these programmes. We urge parents with any concerns to speak with a trusted NHS professional such as their GP, Health Visitor, Midwife or Practice Nurse.
However, childhood vaccination rates are still not where we want them to be, and we cannot be complacent. We know that many parents and carers have busy lifestyles, and that finding time to ensure your child attends their appointment can be a challenge. That is why we are working with the NHS and partners to improve access to childhood vaccination services. Getting our rates up to the 95% WHO target required to eliminate these diseases will take sustained effort and a long-term commitment across the public health system, and we are working together and with families and communities to do this.
Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England, said:
Today’s findings reflect the essential work being done by GPs, health visitors and nurses to reliably inform parents about childhood vaccinations, with more than half of parents saying they felt more confident in getting their children vaccinated after speaking to a healthcare professional, with vaccination one of the best ways to boost public health and prevent illnesses.
Our childhood immunisation programmes are available for free on the NHS as we want to make sure as many children as possible are protected against becoming seriously unwell, and NHS England continues to work closely with vaccination teams, schools and GP services to make it as easy as possible for young people to get their jabs.
Our 10 Year Health Plan aims to build an NHS fit for the future which includes improving access to vaccinations to help put people in control of their own health and I would encourage all parents to act on invites or check vaccination records if they think they may have missed their child’s vaccination.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Nista report and safety flyer published
Man overboard from the lone-operated creel fishing vessel Nista (LK121) north of Belnahua, north-west Scotland, with loss of 1 life.
Today, we have published our accident investigation report into the fatal man overboard from the lone-operated creel fishing vessel Nista (LK121) north of Belnahua, north-west Scotland on 13 December 2023.
Birmingham City Council tenants in more than 2,000 households are now living in greener, warmer council homes thanks to a scheme that won a Retrofit Project of the Year award.
Birmingham City Council’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) programme won the Retrofit Project of the Year for the Midlands and Wales at the Unlock Net Zero Awards.
The scheme – completed by sustainable regeneration specialist Equans, on behalf of the council – has helped tenants save £600-£1200 each year on energy bills, depending on the home and measures installed. Solar panels placed on buildings can save residents as much as £4 per day in electricity.
The work will save 2,500 tonnes of carbon per year – the equivalent of driving over 1400 petrol cars for a year. You would need to plant over 41,000 trees and let them grow for ten years to offset 2,500 tonnes of carbon.
Testing at the homes shows that retrofitted properties now have an Energy Performance Certificate of at least a C, with some reaching an A rating—the most energy-efficient rating available.
Work to be done – Dreghorn Road, before works were undertaken as part of the scheme.
The measures installed have included external wall insulation, new windows and doors, loft insulation, solar panels, high heat retention storage heaters and smart hot water tanks.
To give residents greater control over their energy usage, the scheme installed smart energy monitoring devices into some homes, which also provides valuable data to the council highlighting how the retrofit measures perform, levels of dampness, and if tenants are experiencing fuel poverty.
Councillor Nicky Brennan, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said:
“Having greener, energy-efficient homes reduces our tenants’ energy bills, which is especially important during this cost-of-living crisis.
“It is also great to see how the work has transformed the look and feel of neighbourhoods, building a greater sense of pride among residents.
“These investments don’t just save tenants money, they also significantly contribute to the council’s net zero agenda.
“I am pleased to see that the award judges have said that our retrofit scheme has set a benchmark for excellence in retrofit delivery, one that has combined cutting-edge technology with resident-focused design.
“I would also like to thank our delivery partner, Equans, who have been vital in identifying which properties were most in need of improvements and aligning this with our wider capital works programme. It has helped minimise disruption for our residents and maximised the benefits for them.”
Rebecca Reynolds, Head of Sustainability at Equans, said:
“This ambitious project shows the vast benefits of retrofitting homes on a large scale and the far reaching impact this has. It has drastically reduced the carbon emissions of council housing in Birmingham and improved thousands of lives by making homes more comfortable and affordable to live in.
“It is vital that existing homes are modernised and made energy efficient for the next generation and we’re delighted that this scheme has won this much coveted award and the national recognition it deserves.”
Police have been conducting enquiries throughout the day in relation to the whereabouts of a 29-year-old man from Salisbury regarding breach of bail matters.
Elizabeth CIB members have arrested the man this evening just after 5pm when he presented to the Elizabeth Police Station.
He will be refused bail and appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court tomorrow.
