Nearly 19,000 foreign criminals and people with no right to be in the UK have now been removed since the government took office.
Nearly 19,000 failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and other immigration offenders have been returned since the election to countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America following a major escalation in immigration enforcement by the Home Office.
By redeploying 1,000 staff to work on immigration enforcement and sending a clear signal that those coming here illegally will be returned swiftly – between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, enforced returns are up 24%, removals of foreign national offenders up 21% and illegal working raids up by 38% compared to the same period 12 months prior.
These figures represent the highest rate of returns seen in the UK since 2018 and include the 4 biggest returns charter flights in the UK’s history, with a total of more than 850 people on board.
As part of this release, the Home Office has for the first time shared images of the inner working of the removals process to provide further understanding of this important work.
The government’s success in ramping up removals is a key part of our Plan for Change to deliver on working people’s priorities and finally restoring order to the asylum system. This new approach focusses on breaking the business model of smuggling gangs through tougher law enforcement powers than ever before, rapidly removing those who are here illegally and ending the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
To rebuild public confidence in the immigration system, we need to show the rules are respected and enforced. That’s why, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, we have put significant additional resource into immigration enforcement and returns, so those who have no right to be here, particularly those who have committed crimes in our country, are removed as swiftly as possible.
I want to pay tribute to all the Immigration Enforcement staff and other officials in the Home Office who strive tirelessly every day to make our returns system work firmly, fairly and swiftly.
Deportations and returns of foreign national offenders and failed asylum seekers continue to take place regularly, with final numbers to be confirmed later in the year, as part of the Home Office’s usual published statistics.
Ramping up returns is an important part of the government’s system-wide action to strengthen UK border security and restore order to the asylum and immigration system. Tackling illegal working is also vital to this approach and last month saw 828 premises raided by Immigration Enforcement, the highest total of raids recorded in the month of January for over half a decade.
During these enforcement operations Immigration Enforcement officers also play a crucial role in tackling human trafficking and modern slavery through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). This system allows the government to carry out its obligations to identify and support adult victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. Immigration Enforcement officers are trained to spot the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking when they carry out enforcement visits and refer victims to the NRM for support.
In the months ahead, the government will introduce new counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs, as part of new, robust legislation to protect UK border security, which has second reading in the House of Commons today.
Green Party Councillors Lauren Kendall and Barry McKee have achieved a significant victory for animal welfare at the Ards & North Down Environment Committee. Their motion, of “Kindness over cruelty”, challenges Northern Ireland’s current ban on rehoming XL Bully type dogs, which has led to the destruction of healthy, non-aggressive animals.
The approved motion recognises the paramount importance of community safety while arguing that the blanket ban on rehoming XL Bullies is unnecessarily cruel. It calls on the DAERA Minister to revise the legislation, allowing registered animal charities and shelters to rehome these dogs following professional behavioural assessments.
Councillor Kendall emphasised the need for evidence-based policy: “Expert organisations like the USPCA and Dogs Trust agree that dog breeds aren’t inherently dangerous. Every day, shelters assess dogs for rehoming based on behaviour, not breed. We’re simply asking for XL Bullies to be given the same chance, with proper vetting and safety measures in place.”
Councillor McKee highlighted the human cost of the current legislation: “The case of Max in Lisburn & Castlereagh shows how flawed this system is. Without public outcry, a misidentified dog would have been needlessly destroyed. We’re wasting time and resources fighting these battles when better legislation could prevent them entirely.”
The Green Party’s motion offers a balanced approach, prioritising both public safety and animal welfare. By advocating for professional assessments and responsible ownership practices, it aims to prevent the needless euthanasia of dogs that could bring joy to suitable owners.
As the Council prepares to write to the DAERA Minister, the Green Party Northern Ireland reaffirms its commitment to evidence-based policy-making that protects both communities and animals. This motion represents a crucial step towards more humane and effective dog control measures in Northern Ireland, ensuring that no dog is destroyed simply because of its breed.
ENDS
National Apprenticeship Week is a week-long celebration of apprentices, highlighting the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals and organisations across the country.
With the national campaign now in its 18th year, Norwich City Council is proud to once again celebrate the invaluable contribution apprentices make to its workforce, helping to deliver essential public services to the residents across the city.
The authority boasts that Since 2018 more than 18 apprenticeships have been completed, with another 12 currently ongoing. Qualifications range from NVQ level 2 to level 6 (or equivalent) in a variety of disciplines, including:
Business administration.
Civil engineering.
Procurement.
Accountancy.
Human resources (HR).
Software development.
Customer Service.
Meanwhile, the council’s retention rate is an equally impressive 72%, demonstrating that the apprentices choose to stay on and progress within the authority, even after they have completed their course.
This mirrors the picture nationally, with studies showing that 80% of employers report higher staff retention due to apprenticeships and 92% of employers seeing a boost in workforce motivation and satisfaction.
Councillor Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council said: “As a council we are very proud of our apprentices and the work they do for us, not only do apprenticeships offer fantastic opportunities for young people in the local area to kickstart their careers, but it is also a way for our established members of staff to retrain in other disciplines, should they wish to.”
“I would like to encourage more local businesses in the city to take on apprentices, so we can foster a more experienced and qualified workforce which can only help to enrich the local economy further.”
For more information on the council’s apprenticeships – and news of vacancies as they become available, please visit www.norwich.gov.uk/apprenticeships
Appointments and reappointments made to Defra’s Science Advisory Council
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed the appointment of four new members and the reappointment of two members to the Science Advisory Council.
The four new appointees are:
Professor Nicola Beaumont
Professor Camille Bonneaud
Professor Chris Hauton
Professor Jane Hill
Members will serve a three-year term, taking effect from 10 February 2025 until 9 February 2028.
Two existing members of the Science Advisory Council have been reappointed for a second term of three years. Professor Felix Eigenbrod’s reappointment began on 1 February 2025 and will continue until 31 January 2028. Professor Marian Scott’s second term takes effect on 1 June 2025 and will run until 31 May 2028.
The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Defra’s Science Advisory Council
Defra’s Science Advisory Council is an advisory non-departmental public body which provides expert independent advice on science policy and strategy to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The social housing sector in England houses 4 million tenants (16% of the country’s households). The sector is home to some of the UK’s most vulnerable and poorest households, and paying rent is one of the biggest challenges they face. If they do not pay, they risk being evicted from their homes.
Recent research we carried out for the Nuffield Foundation highlights the difficulties many tenants face paying their rent, and the sacrifices they have to make to do so.
We surveyed more than 1,200 tenants across 15 neighbourhoods in England, and found that 9% were in rent arrears. However, this figure dramatically underestimates the number of tenants who were finding it difficult to pay their rent: 61% had gone without essentials, such as food and heating, in order to pay it in the last year.
The financial situation of tenants has become more difficult in recent years due to a combination of cost-of-living increases, including rapidly rising food and energy prices, and real-term reductions in salary due to increasingly precarious employment. Some 43% of tenants we surveyed regularly ran out of money before their next wage or benefit payment.
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In-depth interviews revealed that many tenants ran out of money before their basic needs (rent, household bills, food, clothing and travel to work or school) had been met. In these cases, they had to make difficult decisions, sometimes choosing between paying their rent – the highest priority payment for most – or meeting other basic needs.
Nearly half (46%) of tenants had made the difficult decision to cut back on their heating expenditure so they could pay their rent. Tenants reported turning off appliances and using hot water sparingly:
“I had to turn the heating off today. As the last bit of money I had was used to buy packed lunch things for my daughter for school.”
They reported a range of strategies for keeping warm without using their gas or electricity, including sitting in sleeping bags, wearing thermal clothing and thick jumpers indoors, covering themselves with blankets and fleeces and using hot water bottles.
Those who did use their heating reported putting it on for just one hour. One woman with a seven-month-old baby reported using the “heating minimal, mainly at night when the temperatures really drop, so I just keep him wrapped up usually.”
Tenants also reported using their electricity minimally, not watching television, boiling the kettle if I need to do the washing up and sitting with the lights off:
“[We] switch everything of … We would switch the TVs off … We’d just switch everything off as much as we could. We wouldn’t use the lights. We’d just use the torches on our phones.”
‘One meal a day’
Some 43% of tenants reported that they had cut back on their food spending in order to pay their rent. Some reported that they skipped meals – “I eat I’d say one meal a day at teatime,” – or not eating adequately, for example, eating insufficient portions or toast in place of an evening meal.
One woman reported going without meals at one point in order to pay rent: “I’d sooner do without food myself to do the council [rent] cos they’re on your back.”
Tenants reported running out of money for food or replacing substantial cooked dinners with snacks:
“Well, I used to do myself a proper meal every evening, but now I just do it two times a week … and I have beans on toast or something like that.”
There were also many examples of participants doing without nutritious food because it was more expensive than processed food. These tenants were very aware of the lower nutritional value of the food they were buying and lamented not being able to afford the fresh food they preferred.
This included pregnant women and people with children, for whom nutritious food is particularly important. Recognising this, some talked about buying healthier food for their children than for themselves when they could.
Participants in our study reported that they bought unhealthy processed foods because they could not afford fresh food. 1000 Words/Shutterstock
National income and tenancy standards
Our research shows that most tenants are committed to paying their rent, prioritising it at a cost to their and their family’s health and wellbeing. Only by improving tenants’ financial circumstances will the situation change.
One step towards this would be for the government to endorse the minimum income standard, a level of income that allows people to “thrive” and not merely “survive”. The government should use this standard to determine benefit rates and the national minimum wage, alongside measures to provide people with greater job security.
Our research has shown that many tenants have only been able to sustain their tenancies by going without. But can we really say someone is sustaining their tenancy, if their home is cold and damp because they cannot afford to heat their homes? They are using mobile phones torches for lighting? They are skipping meals?
Social housing landlords must rethink how they understand tenancy sustainment. It shouldn’t just be about how long tenants stay in a property, but about the quality of their life while in it.
The research discussed in this article was funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Paul Hickman 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 research discussed in this article was funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Kesia Reeve 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.
Water bills are going up in England and Wales, even after the series of scandals around water companies. Last year water firms paid £158 million in fines following a record-breaking number of sewage dumps in rivers and seas.
Severn Trent Water and United Utilities alone reportedly made 1,374 illegal sewage spills over two years. (Both companies took issue with the analysis that led to this figure but acknowledged concerns about sewage discharges.)
There have been other notable incidents. Whistleblowers have told of water companies that fail to treat legally required amounts of sewage and divert that sewage to public waterways. To add to the disgrace, water companies have generally failed to invest enough in the UK’s water infrastructure.
Research suggests that governments have been pressured to become more “business-like”. This has given rise to the use of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to run important public services, such as water, transport and even prisons. Water companies in England and Wales are private companies that bid for their contracts, while in Scotland, the water provider is a public organisation.
While other findings show that PPPs can support important public service needs, such as public health, research by my colleagues and I examines a consistent pattern in UK PPP scandals and wrongdoing. Over the past decade and a half, billions of pounds of taxpayers’ funds are unaccounted for. This appears to be largely because private interests have been prioritised over public needs.
As a researcher of PPP wrongdoing, the reasons for many of the scandals seem obvious. My colleagues and I studied parliamentary inquiries and reports that have scrutinised PPP wrongdoing. This research can tell us a great deal about the UK’s predicament with regard to the failings in the water industry.
The first lesson is that, in general, many PPPs are motivated actually to reduce the quality of the services they deliver. One parliamentary inquiry found that contracting services out from the public to the private sector had become a “transactional process” where cost-cutting is favoured and the “knock-on cost” to users results in a lower-quality public service.
Other findings showed that companies regularly reduced the quality of a service to maximise profits. One way was to bid for a public service at a low price. A Public Accounts Committee member observed that companies coming in with low quotes for contracts can end up damaging services by under-investing in them.
Another example is Sodexo – a private prison management provider. It cut employee numbers by around 200 and a subsequent BBC Panorama documentary detailed escapes and widespread drug use in the prisons they managed and also criticised a lack of safety for both prisoners and prison officers. Sodexo acknowledged the programme had highlighted problems and said it would investigate, but added that there had been “positive actions and improvements” already.
Similar practices were observed at a children’s prison run by security firm G4S, where an officer was left with brain damage after an attack by inmates. G4S admitted liability for the officer’s injuries and agreed a settlement with him.
Pay the fine, it’s cheaper
The second lesson is it can be cost-effective to breach contracts and pay fines. Companies sometimes breach the terms of their public-private contracts because it’s in their economic interest. This even has a name – economists call it “efficiency breach”.
When observing the fines in comparison to the profitable contracts, it’s easy to posit what the motivations of many in the UK’s public service system are. In 2017, despite previous indictments of wrongdoing, G4S won £25 million of government contracts.
In 2020 the firm won another £300 million contract to run Wellingborough “mega-prison” in England. Despite some raised eyebrows, G4S said at the time it aimed to make the site a blueprint for “innovation, rehabilitation and modernisation” in the prison service.
Pay the shareholders, invest later
The third lesson is that shareholders are more important than long-term investments in a service. This is perhaps the most notable feature of the UK’s public service system, where a vast array of shareholders benefit from the profits made by PPPs. In one of the parliamentary reports we analysed, which details the collapse of the facilities management firm Carillion, it was clear that shareholders’ interests trumped good management and long-term investment.
As was noted in the report, despite Carillion’s collapse, the firm paid out £333 million more to shareholders than it generated in cash between 2012 and 2017. Often, this shareholder primacy can even go against a firm’s own employees rather than just the state and taxpayers. One MP noted that despite its pension scheme being in deficit, shareholders were still receiving dividends.
Often, shareholders are prioritised because of short-term thinking. These processes can lead to firms passing these bad practices down their supply chains.
The behaviour of water companies is suggestive of these dynamics. Since water companies have been privatised, they have loaded themselves up with debt (£64 billion) but paid out £78 billion to shareholders. Some 70% of these shareholders are “foreign investment firms, private equity, pension funds and businesses lodged in tax havens”.
So what should be done? There are plenty of ways to enhance and improve the UK’s PPP problems. The most obvious may be to renationalise public services and renew the quality of public services through New Deal-style investments. After all, this is what what most of the UK electorate wants.
There are other options. An innovative and exciting frontier is opening for businesses to recognise their environmental responsibilities – initiatives in New Zealand, India and Ecuador are giving the status of personhood to rivers and ecosystems, for example.
Outdoor fashion brand Patagonia has “the Earth” as its only shareholder, and hair and skincare brand Faith in Nature has appointed nature to its board. Imagine if the UK’s water companies had the rivers and seas represented.
In the end, only time will tell how water companies will be held accountable. But for the moment it’s the UK taxpayer and consumer paying the price.
G4S was approached about this article but declined to comment.
Daniel Fisher receives funding from the Leverhulme/British Academy for his work with heritage steam train drivers, which is unrelated to his research on PPP wrongdoing.
Derry and Strabane Council agrees its budget for 2025/26
10 February 2025
Derry City and Strabane District Council today agreed its budget for the incoming 2025/26 financial year and set a District Rates increase for ratepayers of 4.92%.
The budget was set at a Special Meeting of Council today, Monday, 10th February 2025, where it was highlighted that the increase comprised a 3.42% baseline increase to cover the significant statutory financial challenges and service demands facing Council along with a 1.50% rates investment towards the financing of Council’s hugely ambitious and exciting capital strategy.
In terms of the baseline increase, Members were advised of the range of statutory pressures and new service demands facing Council services including pay pressures, Employer’s national insurance costs and cost inflation which have been partially offset by some rate-base growth, additional waste income and continued efficiencies across Council services.
It was outlined to Members at the meeting that pay pressures continue to be a significant issue for Council, particularly in the current year whereby the Employer’s national insurance increases imposed by the recent UK budget have added circa £1.1m to Council’s pay bill and have had a direct 1.21% impact on rates bills. Unfortunately, despite ongoing lobbying by Councils, no funding has been confirmed from Treasury to offset this additional cost for public sector employers in Northern Ireland.
Facilitated by new waste income, the baseline rates position also includes investment of £1.266m (1.64%) towards the reinstatement of previously implemented service cuts as well as new service pressures and demands. These include costs associated with assuming the responsible reservoir manager role at Creggan Reservoir; addressing budgetary and resourcing pressures within our key core front line services e.g. grounds maintenance, refuse collection, street cleansing and cemeteries; additional investment into grant aid programmes within sports development, community centre venues, consensual local growth partnerships, advice and cultural organisations; additional resources within community services to address emerging and immediate priorities e.g. Whole Systems approach to Obesity and Ending Violence against Women and Girls strategy; as well as additional tourism resource focused on screen and food tourism.
This year’s budget will therefore allow Council to continue to provide critical frontline services to ratepayers with a clear focus and commitment to protecting jobs as well as the continued provision of funding to organisations who rely on Council support to deliver community services and projects.
Central to this year’s rates process is the substantial positive progress made to Council’s capital funding strategy and our ambitious capital development plans. To date over £200m of capital projects have been completed or are progressing with full funding in place. These include Acorn Farm, Derg Active, Daisyfield Sports Hub, new Northwest cemetery provision at Mullenan Road, the DNA Museum and COVID recovery small settlements investment across the District, as well as the recently approved Riverine and Strabane Public Realm projects.
Members were also informed that, whilst work progresses across the Council District on Council’s fully funded programme of community and statutory capital projects, this years’ rates investment would ensure an additional £10m of funding could be made available to progress several further projects. This will supplement the £4m funding previously earmarked for a range of these projects and the hope that Council investment can be further leveraged through the securing of external investment from Central Government. Following the conclusion of the rates process, immediate considerations by the Capital and Corporate projects Planning Group in respect of the prioritisation of projects will progress.
In conclusion, members in approving the agreed District rates increase have given Council authority to continue to press ahead with its ambitious plans to drive growth and investment across the City and Region as well deliver critical front-line services across the City and District.
The new agreed District rate for the year ending 31st March 2026 is 39.5993 p in the £ for Non-Domestic properties and of 0.6369p in the £ for Domestic properties. This represents a 4.92% District rates increase for all ratepayers.
The Special Council meeting is available to watch back on the Council’s Youtube channel.
A consultation on a proposed new policy to licence homes with multiple occupants has been launched by Norwich Council, and residents are being invited to give their views.
A house in multiple occupation – often known as an HMO – includes any premises where at least five tenants live there, forming more than one household, with shared bathroom, toilet and kitchen facilities. It is only large HMOs that need a licence.
The main changes to the policy include:
a) making the administration and inspection of licensed properties simpler for both applicants and the council, as well as minor amendments to better align the policy with current and new legislation
b) helping provide more detail on what information applicants need to submit with licence applications
c) removal of the one- and three-year licence options, all licences will now be five-year licences
d) introducing a risk-based approach to tackle licence breaches, in addition to statutory powers to revoke and vary licences.
The public are invited to review the proposed policy and share their thoughts by visiting: Get Talking Norwich.
Notes to editors:
There are currently about 1000 homes licensed with the Council as being under multiple occupation.
A NEW one-off grant is available for carers facing unexpected additional costs supporting an adult who has been recently released from hospital.
The government-funded Hospital Discharge Grant is for carers aged over 18 and available for those living in Leicester city or Leicestershire who have recently left hospital.
Unpaid carers are eligible for the grant if they support someone who wouldn’t be able to manage without their help.
The grant is funded through the Government’s Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) project and is being run by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council.
To qualify for the one-off grant, carers will need to show that:
• the cared-for person lives in Leicestershire or the city of Leicester; • they were discharged from hospital during the last two weeks (at the time of applying); • they have incurred additional costs linked to the hospital discharge
Assistant city mayor for adult social care, Councillor Mohammed Dawood, said: “There are an estimated 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK. Many carers feel that they’re doing what anyone would do in the same situation, but that doesn’t mean you are not entitled to support.
“So if you, or someone you know, is caring for someone that has recently been discharged from hospital, please do apply for this grant and get some extra help.”
Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire’s cabinet member for adults and communities, added: “We’ve already seen that this grant can offer much-needed support to people who do such a wonderful job in looking after their loved ones.
“Because unpaid carers don’t see themselves as carers, they may not be in touch with our Support for Carers service.
“We want to reach out to these people and encourage them to apply for the grant, so that they have an opportunity to receive both practical and emotional support during such a stressful time.”
Voluntary Action South Leicestershire (VASL) is administering the scheme on behalf of the county council. Carers supporting people in Leicestershire can apply by completing the online application form on theSupport for Carers website. Alternatively, carers can call VASL on 01858 468543 or emailmaureen@supportforcarers.orgfor advice and support to complete the application.
A brand new festival exploring the exciting world of storytelling is set to arrive in Leeds this month.
Leeds Libraries, in partnership with Wrongsemble and LIVEwire Poetry, have announced the inaugural Leeds Storytelling Festival, a city-wide celebration of storytelling designed especially for families and children.
Running from February 14 to March 8, this exciting new festival promises to spark imaginations and bring communities together through the transformative power of stories.
Featuring an exciting line-up of activities, events, and performances, Leeds Storytelling Festival offers something for everyone, and includes interactive storytelling sessions, creative workshops, author talks, pop-up events, and live theatre and spoken word showcases curated by the acclaimed Wrongsemble and LIVEwire Poetry teams.
The festival launches with a special appearance by Kate Pankhurst, best-selling author of the Fantastically Great Women series, at Leeds Central Library. The event will focus on the incredible women who have fought for the right to take part in sports across the globe, and will include dressing up, lots of props and a draw-along.
Other programme highlights include costume-making workshops with the British Library, theatre from Coalesce, mini-movie screenings from Leeds Young Film, and children’s author talks with Hiba Noor Khan and Ashley Thorpe.
There will be poetry for young people and parents/carers programmed by LIVEwire Poetry, and theatre performances from Blanket Fort Club and Wrongsemble, who close the festival with a premiere of Three Little Vikings, inspired by award-winning author/illustrator Bethan Woolvin’s picture book.
This will be followed by an interactive session with Bethan, where she will be reading from Three Little Vikings, and sharing some creative crafts in her unmistakeable style.
The festival is a collaboration between three of Leeds’ most creative and community-focused organisations: Leeds Libraries, Wrongsemble, and LIVEwire Poetry. Together, they have designed a festival that champions imagination, diversity, and accessibility while celebrating the rich cultural tapestry of the city.
Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said:
“Leeds Libraries are proud to partner with Wrongsemble and LIVEwire Poetry for the first Leeds Storytelling Festival. This collaboration offers a chance to bring stories to life in so many exciting ways, from interactive theatre to poetry, ensuring that every child and family can experience the magic of storytelling.”
Elvi Piper, Artistic Director of Wrongsemble, said:
“We’re thrilled to be part of this exciting new festival and to bring our passion for family theatre to Leeds in such a special way. The Leeds Storytelling Festival will not only showcase the diversity of storytelling but will also create unforgettable memories for children and families.”
Matt Abbott, Founding Owner of LIVEwire Poetry, said:
“The power of storytelling lies in its ability to connect us all through words, and we’re excited to be part of the Leeds Storytelling Festival. Through poetry and performance, we hope to inspire children and families to discover their own creative voices.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Extension will allow certain Ukrainian licence holders to drive in GB for a period of up to 4 years and 6 months after becoming resident.
The UK is continuing to support Ukrainians following the illegal invasion by Putin.
The government is extending by 18 months the period for which certain Ukrainian driving licence holders can drive Mopeds, motor bicycles and cars (category B) in Great Britain (GB), beyond the current 36-months. This will allow certain Ukrainian licence holders to drive in GB for a period of up to 54 months (4 years and 6 months) after becoming resident.
This will continue to support Ukrainian licence holders’ ability to get around and adapt to living in GB.
Separate to the driving licensing extension SI, the government will extend the existing exemption for certain Ukrainians on specific visa schemes from registering and paying vehicle excise duty (VED), on their Ukrainian-plated and registered vehicles to align with the length of their UK visas. The extension is effective from 4 March 2025, to ensure Ukrainians can continue to use their vehicles without needing to register or pay VED. Further information will be posted on GOV.UK.
Finally, driver licensing is devolved in Northern Ireland so the relevant regulations would need to be followed by those Ukrainian Refugees resident there.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Two papers published in Nature Climate Change look at the impact of 2024 temperatures on Paris Agreement targets (1.5 degrees).
Dr Akshay Deoras, Research Scientist, National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, said:
“The two papers help reflect the fact that we are getting dangerously close to breaching the Paris Agreement. Well-defined methodologies have been used, and conclusions are backed by solid data. However, a key limitation of these studies is that the models used might not account for all factors influencing global warming. This means that some uncertainty remains regarding whether the Paris Agreement will be breached in the late 2020s, early 2030s, or even earlier. This uncertainty should not be used as an excuse to continue business as usual, since the goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C is certainly dead in the absence of a rapid and robust reduction in emissions. Governments must urgently strengthen their commitments, align policies with science, and accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. The world cannot afford to abandon the Paris framework at this stage; instead, we must reinvigorate it with ambition and accountability.”
Dr Robin Lamboll, Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said:
“These two papers show that we are already in a time of peril for the 1.5°C target.
“There is a subtle distinction between what they show and what you might assume: they show that IF we are in a scenario that exceeds 1.5°C, the time of exceedance has very likely already started.
“The work by Cannon does not investigate scenarios where we never exceed 1.5°C, and the work by Bevacqua states that, in a scenario where we risk but aren’t committed to exceeding 1.5°C, we are “likely” but not “very likely” to exceed 1.5°C in the long term (so, more than 66% but less than 90% chance), now that we have seen a single year above 1.5°C warming.”
Professor Stephen Belcher, Met Office chief scientist, said:
“A single year of exceedance of 1.5°C does not break the guardrail of the Paris Agreement. However, it does highlight that the headroom to stay below 1.5°C is now wafer thin. In a recent paper a collection of Met Office scientists calculated that the current global warming level is 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels. Added to this a Met Office forecast of carbon dioxide for the coming year reveals that the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ is now inconsistent with pathways keeping to 1.5°C; this suggests that only rapid and strong measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions will keep us from passing the first line of defence within the Paris Agreement.”
Dr Alan Kennedy-Asser, Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol Cabot Institute for the Environment, said:
“I find the results of this modelling study to be, sadly, unsurprising and I would agree that the evidence suggests that 2024 (and now 2025) will be within a 20 year period which has an average temperature at or above 1.5°C unless something very radical changes in the next 5 to 10 years, suggesting we may be already living in the 1.5°C world the Paris Agreement referred to. Another way to think about this is that the year 2024 exists within 20 different climatology periods (one starting at 2024, one ending at 2024). The period ending 2024 is not above 1.5°C, however I would be very confident the one beginning in 2024 will be above 1.5°C unless something very radical changes in the next 5-10 years (in agreement with these papers). Meanwhile somewhere between these two will be the closest that one period is to precisely 1.5°C (perhaps the period 2018-2037 – we shall find out).
“Both studies use straightforward but, in my opinion, sensible methodologies and use the most suitable data currently available: these are precisely the research questions CMIP6 models are designed to answer. However, even though the planet may be in a period that is at or exceeds 1.5°C, there is great value in taking rapid action to slow further warming, as the rate of change matters and every tenth of a degree matters.
“I believe the press release is an accurate representation of the papers.”
Prof Daniela Schmidt, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, said:
“To determine whether the Paris agreement has failed is defined as two decades above 1.5C and not one year as we have just had, due to natural climate variability. These papers suggest that the forcing conditions have been reached now, and that we reached the decade in which the Paris agreement will be broken. They came to this conclusion by interrogating climate models and observed temperature anomalies in complex discussions about probabilities and model baselines. These are important papers exploring when 1.5C warming is passed, given the impacts projected and the need for adaptation to reduce risk.
“The key importance of the Paris agreement is to avoid risk. Every increment of warming avoided by dramatically increasing mitigation reduces the risks and impacts of human driven changes to our climate system on people, our cities, our infrastructure and the environments which support us.
“Fixating on a number of 1.5C, and that if will be surpasses, has the real risk of reducing actions, demotivating all of us – people, civic society, industry – to give up on trying. The consequence of a lack of ambition is that we will stay on the warming pathways we are currently on, which leads to nearly 3C warming globally, locally much more. Such warming has immense, and in parts irreversible consequences for Nature and people.
“So while breaching 1.5C is not good news, reducing action and reaching twice as much warming is clearly much worse.”
Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:
“A single year being globally 1.5 degree Celsius warmer than preindustrial levels does not mean we have crossed the Paris climate agreement threshold but it does mean breaching this dangerous level is pretty much inevitable.
“The threshold of 1.5 degree Celsius above preindustrial climate decided at the Paris climate agreement applies to the global surface temperature averaged over multiple decades so a single year doesn’t mean we have breached this dangerous level. But given that warming of climate is accelerating, it is common sense that if a year unaffected by additional warming influences such as El Niño crossed this boundary it is pretty certain that crossing the 1.5 degree threshold will be inevitable without a step change in efforts to cut greenhouse gases. The new studies robustly confirm that even accounting for El Niño warmth, the persistence and magnitude of global temperatures in 2024 mean that to all intents and purposes breaching the 1.5 degree threshold is a given and that we need to double down efforts to avoid the even more dangerous 2 degree Celsius threshold by rapidly and massively cutting greenhouse gas emissions.”
Dr Richard Hodgkins, a Reader in Climate Futures at Loughborough University, said:
“While individual years may always be warmer or cooler than long-term averages, the analysis in both papers show that the record warmth of 2024 is likely to be part of a long-term shift above 1.5C, rather than being a one-off. However, this doesn’t mean that the Paris Agreement target of 1.5C is dead, because the Net Zero pathway to 1.5C always assumed that temperatures would increase above that target, before coming back down in the second half of the current century. So, in that sense, 1.5C is not dead.
“However, the anticipated decline of temperatures relies on the assumption that large-scale technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the free atmosphere will be rapidly developed, globally deployed, and operate successfully, which is speculative to say the least. So, in that sense, 1.5C is dead because achieving it relies on borderline science fiction. There are many who would say that the reliance on carbon dioxide removal meant that 1.5C was never a very plausible target in the first place. Regardless, it shows that focusing on targets and not actions is an ineffective approach, and that actual emissions reductions, which can be achieved with existing, successful technologies, are needed now.”
Dr Vikki Thompson, Scientist at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, said:
“These studies use data from both observational sources and multiple climate models to show we should now expect to exceed the Paris Agreement within the next 20 years, much sooner than climate projections had suggested. With this January continuing the recent trend, becoming yet another hottest on record month, we have seen 18 of the last 19 months exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial. Not quite the 18 consecutive months shown by Cannon to make it virtually certain we will exceed the Paris Agreement, but so very close.
“The rate we have reached these levels is terrifying and shows, yet again, how urgently we need to act. Without adaptation and mitigation we will continue to feel the impacts of the accelerating warming with more and more extreme weather events.”
Paper 1:
‘A year above 1.5°C signals that Earth is most probably within the 20-year period that will reach the Paris Agreement limit’ by Emanuele Bevacqua et al. was published in Nature Climate Change at 16:00 UK time on Monday 10 February 2025.
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-025-02246-9
Paper 2:
‘Twelve months at 1.5°C signals earlier than expected breach of Paris Agreement threshold ‘by Alex J. Cannon et al. was published in Nature Climate Change at 16:00 UK time on Monday 10 February 2025.
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-025-02247-8
Declared interests
Prof Richard Allan: No conflicting interests
Dr Vikki Thompson: No interests to declare.
Dr Akshay Deoras: No conflicts to declare.
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.
The UConn Neag School of Education and its Alumni Board are delighted to announce the 2025 Neag School Alumni Awards honorees. Eight outstanding graduates will be formally recognized at the Neag School’s 27th Annual Alumni Awards Celebration on Saturday, March 15.
Outstanding School Educator – Tracey-Ann Lafayette ’15 (CLAS), ’15 (ED), ’16 MA, ’22 6th Year
A graduate of the Neag School’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education Program and UConn Administrator Preparation Program, Tracey-Ann Lafayette is an innovative educator dedicated to fostering inclusivity and academic excellence. She taught grades three and four at Robert J. O’Brien Elementary School in East Hartford, Connecticut, from 2016 until 2024. Currently, she teaches seventh-grade English Language Arts at Illing Middle School in Manchester, Connecticut. With expertise in culturally responsive teaching, Lafayette integrates diversity, advocacy, and conflict resolution into daily lessons, ensuring a positive classroom climate. A leader in professional development, Lafayette has facilitated workshops on equity and secured grants to support educational initiatives. Beyond the classroom, Lafayette has mentored aspiring educators of color through organizations like the Neag School’s Leadership in Diversity (LID) group, which she co-founded as a student, and the Neag School’s Diverse Educators Making Outstanding Change (DEMO) program. She co-founded the international Melanin Magic Educators collective, exemplifying her commitment to supporting educators of color. Her work has been featured on Connecticut’s WTNH Channel 8 and earned her a Fund for Teachers Fellowship (FFT). Through FFT, she had the opportunity to travel to South Africa to explore the connections between the country’s anti-apartheid movement and the civil rights movement here in the U.S. As a sought-after speaker, Lafayette has also presented at numerous conferences on anti-racist education and student activism. She is also a Malka Penn Award Committee member, allowing her to highlight literature promoting human rights.
Outstanding Professional – Alicia Bowman ’01 (ED), ’02 MA, ’08 6th Year
Alicia Bowman is a highly accomplished educational leader with expertise in the instructional, operational, and financial aspects of school administration. As associate executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools, Bowman champions visionary priorities for educational administrators through advocacy, coaching, and professional learning. Her tenure as assistant superintendent for finance and operations for Farmington Public Schools showcased her strategic leadership in mentoring, union collaboration, and large-scale improvement initiatives. Bowman’s impact extends to the classroom and beyond, having previously served as principal at Farmington’s West Woods Upper Elementary School, where she led innovative instructional models and established a Makerspace and flexible learning blocks. She is a lifelong learner, earning her bachelor’s, master’s, and 6th Year diploma from the Neag School, and her doctoral degree from the University of New England. She is also an adjunct faculty member, coach, and former mentor principal for the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP). Widely recognized for her contributions, Bowman has been previously named National Distinguished Principal and Connecticut Elementary Principal of the Year. She has contributed to publications and presented at national forums on equity, leadership, and student-centered learning and is passionate about fostering inclusive, transformative educational systems.
Outstanding Early Career Professional – Paul Singleton II ’17 MA, ’24 Ph.D.
Paul Singleton II ’17 MA, ’24 Ph.D. (Submitted photo)
Paul Singleton II is an accomplished educator, counselor, and advocate for equity in education, dedicated to fostering student success across diverse backgrounds. He holds a master’s in school counseling and a Ph.D. in educational psychology with a focus on counselor education and supervision from the Neag School, where his research centered on the impact of psychoeducational groups on African American male college students and their career readiness. Singleton is a counselor for grades seven through 12 and the diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator at The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia. Singleton supports students’ academic and social-emotional development in these roles while implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to build an inclusive school culture. He is also the founding director of the Learning & Engagement at the Potomac School (LEAP) Program, a pioneering effort to enhance student engagement and leadership through tailored support and mentorship. Previously, Singleton has contributed to initiatives such as UConn’s ScHOLA²RS House, focusing on retention and success for Black male students, and has taught graduate courses in school counseling. His widely recognized work, publications, and presentations reflect his passion for empowering students to achieve their full potential.
Outstanding School Administrator – Lori Leibowitz ’19 Cert.
Lori Leibowitz ’19 Cert. (Submitted photo)
With over two decades of experience in education, Lori Leibowitz is a distinguished administrator, educator, and advocate for equity in gifted education who holds a graduate certificate from the Neag School in gifted education and talent development. As the district administrator for Gifted and Talented and the Arts in Norwalk, Connecticut, she has overseen the redesign and implementation of innovative programs, increasing gifted identification rates by 25% and ensuring equitable access for underrepresented populations. Leibowitz’s leadership extends across teacher coaching and districtwide events celebrating diversity and inclusion. A published author, Leibowitz has contributed to scholarly works on gifted education, talent development, and social justice for multilingual learners. Her dissertation at Baylor University focused on empowering Hispanic multilingual learners through a social justice curriculum. She is a sought-after presenter, sharing insights at national conferences such as the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC), the National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE), and UConn’s Confratute. Leibowitz has earned accolades such as the Gifted Coordinator Award (NAGC, 2020) and the Outstanding Dissertation Award (NABE, 2024). A dedicated advocate for transformative education, she continues to drive change through research, innovation, and collaboration.
Outstanding School Superintendent – Howard Thiery III ’91 MS, ’07 ELP
Howard J. Thiery III ’91 MS, ’07 ELP (Submitted photo)
A graduate of the Neag School’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP), Howard Thiery III is a dedicated and innovative educational leader with over three decades of experience spanning K-12 and higher education. Thiery also holds a master’s degree in physiology and neurobiology from UConn. As superintendent of Regional School District 10 since 2019, he has championed initiatives that enhance student creativity, increase access to college-credit courses, and improve special education services. Under his leadership, the district has implemented a systemic leadership development system, restructured administrative frameworks to focus on high-quality learning, and launched personalized learning opportunities. Previously, Thiery served as superintendent for Regional School District 17, assistant superintendent for Southington Public Schools, and principal of the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science, where he managed curriculum development and led a visionary approach to STEM education. His contributions have extended internationally through his work with UConn’s Advanced Instructional Leadership Program in Jordan and his role as chair of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on International Education. An accomplished educator and author, Thiery’s publications and teaching reflect a lifelong commitment to academic excellence and innovation.
Outstanding Higher Education Professional – Daniel Burkey ’23 MA
Daniel Burkey ’23 MA (UConn photo)
Daniel Burkey is an accomplished chemical engineer, educator, and academic leader. With degrees from Lehigh University, MIT, and the University of Connecticut, Burkey’s expertise spans chemical engineering and educational psychology, specializing in research methods and engineering education innovation. Currently the associate dean for undergraduate education, outreach, and diversity in UConn’s College of Engineering, he has overseen transformative growth, including a 70% enrollment increase and initiatives to triple female enrollment. He co-developed the College’s new Ph.D. in Engineering Education program and launched innovative undergraduate teaching programs. As an educator, Burkey integrates cutting-edge techniques like game-based learning, earning accolades such as the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) David Himmelblau Award and multiple university teaching awards. His contributions to process safety education and curriculum design are widely recognized, alongside his leadership roles in professional organizations like AIChE, where he was recently elected as a Fellow. Burkey has secured significant research funding, authored book chapters, and developed pioneering educational technologies. Beyond academia, his mentorship and advocacy for diversity and inclusion continue to shape the next generation of engineers.
Outstanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Professional – Fany DeJesús Hannon ’08 MA
Fany DeJesús Hannon ’08 MA (UConn photo)
Fany DeJesús Hannon, who holds a Master of Arts in higher education from UConn, is an accomplished higher education administrator and educator dedicated to fostering holistic student success and belonging. She also holds a doctorate in education from New England College. As dean of students at UConn, she leads initiatives addressing critical issues like crisis management, free speech, and student equity, ensuring inclusive engagement and retention across diverse populations. With over 18 years of higher education leadership experience, Hannon has championed programs enhancing cultural identity, leadership, and academic achievement, notably increasing Latinx/a/o retention and graduation rates during her tenure as director of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center. A passionate advocate for first-generation and marginalized students, Hannon collaborates with University leadership, faculty, and legislative bodies to develop policies supporting access, equity, and well-being. Her teaching philosophy, rooted in Paulo Freire’s scholarship, centers on student engagement and diverse learning styles. Recognized for her leadership, she has earned accolades like the Nuestro Orgullo Hispano award and has presented nationally on diversity and mentoring. Fluent in multiple languages, she combines strategic vision with cultural competency to empower and inspire future leaders.
Distinguished Alumnus – Mark Daigneault ’07 (ED)
Mark Daigneault ’07 (ED) (Oklahoma City Thunder photo)
Mark Daigneault is the head coach of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. He previously served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G-League affiliate, for five seasons. Originally from Massachusetts, Daigneault graduated with a BA in education from UConn, where he also worked as a student manager for the men’s basketball team. He has credited his studies with being able to connect with players. Daigneault’s coaching career began at Holy Cross, followed by an assistantship at the University of Florida, where he was involved in scouting and working with players off the court. During his tenure, the Gators achieved three SEC titles and four Elite Eight appearances. In 2020, Daigneault became the Thunder’s head coach, guiding the team through a rebuilding phase. Daigneault was 35 years old at the time, becoming the second-youngest head coach in the NBA. In 2023-2024, the Thunder became the youngest team in NBA history to earn the best regular season record in the NBA’s Western Conference, with Daigneault being awarded NBA Coach of the Year. Known for his innovative coaching style, defensive strategies, and player-development focus, Daigneault is praised by players for his adaptability and fostering strong relationships.
For more information on the event, visit s.uconn.edu/NeagAlumni2025.
To learn more about the UConn Neag School of Education, visit education.uconn.edu and follow the Neag School on Instagram, Facebook,X, and LinkedIn.
In 2020, in response to the riots that followed the murder of 46-year-old Black man George Floyd, Donald Trump declared himself the “president of law and order.” During the same speech, he threatened to use the military to suppress the civil unrest that erupted after a police officer killed Floyd.
“We’re going to get approval, hopefully, to get them the hell out of our country, along with others. Let them be brought to a foreign land and maintained by others for a very small fee, as opposed to being maintained in our jails for massive amounts of money.”
The history of exile
I’m a scholar in public policy administration, law and ethics. Trump’s exile proposals in the wake of his pardon of the Jan. 6 rioters reveal significant ethical lapses.
In the modern era, exile is regarded as problematic. But in ancient times, like during the Roman Empire, voluntary exile was an alternative to capital punishment, underscoring its severity.
Similarly, in England, James II, a Catholic king, was the last monarch involuntarily removed from power during the Glorious Revolution. Jacobitism, the political movement aimed at restoring James and his descendants to the throne, stemmed from his exile.
In modern times, people who go into exile are typically deposed heads of state like Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, those avoiding legal issues such as Julian Assange or Asil Nadir, or those escaping violence or persecution, such as Salman Rushdie.
Other charges included trespassing, disrupting Congress, theft, weapons offences, making threats and conspiracy, including seditious conspiracy — the most serious offence.
Violent protesters, loyal to then-President Donald Trump, storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Unlike those whose Black Lives Matter protests Trump found disorderly back in 2020, the vast majority of the Jan. 6 convicts are not from racialized communities.
The irony of Trump’s position on pardons, repeat offenders and exiles is apparent. The very people he pardoned are now potential candidates for his proposed exile program due to their repeat offender status.
Similarly, Enrique Tarrio, who received a 22-year prison sentence for his role in the riots, declared after his pardon: “It’s going to be retribution.”
Karma in terms of Trump’s exile proposals may be awaiting the pardoned rioters, however, amid this pattern of defiance. Their emboldened sentiments following Trump’s pardons could suggest they’re at a higher risk of becoming repeat offenders, making them prime candidates for the president’s proposed exile program — that is, of course, unless he pardons them again.
In perhaps one of the greatest brand comeback stories in automotive since the Fiat 500 in 2007, British car company Austin announced the return of the Austin Arrow.
Its name is an unashamed reference to one of the most memorable Austin 7 models – first introduced in the 1920s the Arrow was the original “everyman sportscar”, before the muscle cars (think of the Dodge Challenger) of the US became popular in the 1960s. Now reimagined as an electric Vehicle (EV), the Arrow is designed and made in the UK and aims to be to 2020s consumers what the original was 90 years ago.
A number of cars are synonymous with the British car industry. In fact, as a small nation, Britain punches above its weight when it comes to classic automobile brands – The Mini, the Range Rover, London black cabs, James Bond’s Aston Martins, and even the London red bus. However, if one car can be credited for creating the dawn of the motor vehicle in the UK, it would be the diminutive Austin 7.
The car was created in the 1920s at the time when Austin was struggling. New laws were pushing manufacturers to produce smaller, less powerful cars. But Austin’s board of directors didn’t support a cheap, small car with low profit margins. Austin was known for its larger, luxury products.
However, Sir Herbert Austin and his 18-year-old apprentice Stanley Edge decided to secretly create a small car. Thank god they didn’t heed the board, because they ended up creating the greatest democratising automotive product Britain had ever seen (until they repeated it with the Austin Mini).
The reason why products such as the Austin 7 come to define their period is rarely due to their technical prowess or exhilarating performance – it’s because they bring to the masses a technology that is both useful and traditionally seen as out of reach.
The Austin 7 was a bit like the iPhone. There were smartphones that came before it, like the Sony Ericsson p800. However, these were considered expensive and out of reach for the average consumer. The Iphone did the same thing but at a cheaper price and so came to be the definitive smartphone.
With the Austin 7, Herbert Austin’s team applied the key lessons from Ford’s Model T – creating a simple, modestly powered car with just enough features for mass appeal while incorporating clever design elements that earned the respect of car enthusiasts.
When the Austin 7 was unveiled in July 1922, it was priced at just £165, when an Austin 20 was between £600 and £700. At a time when the average British worker earned around £5 per week, the only real affordable car had been Ford’s basic and utilitarian Model T at around £250.
The 7’s ingenious design was the key to its success. With a shared base frame for the car, it could be a four-seater family car, a stylish coupe, or even a racing car.
This cheap, tiny car not only was a legend in its own right and familiar around the world, but it influenced other legends too.
Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars, based his first Lotus 1 on the Austin 7. What is less known is that German car manufacturer BMW built Austin 7s under licence in the 1920s and 30s but called them “Dixis”. Nissan did the same in Japan in the pre-war period. Such licensing deals helped set up both manufacturers’ future success as the powerhouses they are today.
Austin 7s were produced all over Europe, Asia and even in Australia. The 7 was also produced in the US as the “American Bantam” and its design contributed to the “Willy’s Jeep”, one of the US’s most famous vehicles.
Ultimately, the beginning of the second world war marked the end of Austin 7 production as the Austin factory at Longbridge, near Birmingham, needed to be repurposed to produce munitions. When the war ended, tastes for vehicles had changed and factories started to produce more modern designs, and not those from the 1920s, marking the end of a British automotive icon in 1939.
Now it’s back, thanks to the engineer John Stubbs who bought the Austin brand after noticing the brand and trademarks were available. The rights to these had been owned by the Nanjing Automobile Group, which bought MG Rover when it collapsed in 2005. However, Nanjing had let these lapse and Stubbs bought them for £170 in 2015.
The new Essex-based Austin Motor Company aims to recreate this classic brand, tugging at the heartstrings of those looking nostalgically at Britain’s automotive heyday. The announcement featured images of fun, cheap (£31,000) and light cars driving around the B-roads of Britain, or perhaps being taken to a racetrack for an amateur competition, harking back to earlier days. However, this car is thoroughly modern, featuring an electric motor.
The new Austin Arrow is not meant to be the usable “everyman” car the original 7 was. For starters, to be compliant with quadricycle (a micro car with less than 6kW of power and an unladen mass no more than 425 kg) legislation it is limited to 60mph as a top speed and the range will be a maximum of 100 miles on one charge.
However, as that fun, racy, open-top car that it’s predecessors were, it very much captures the spirit of the original Austin 7 Arrow.
Tom Stacey, Deputy Head of the School of Economics, Finance and Law, Anglia Ruskin University
ARU apprentices Tegain Kerr from Winvic and Curtis Morrell from North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT)
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has reached a major milestone, having struck partnerships with 1,000 different degree apprenticeship employers.
ARU is one of the country’s largest providers of degree apprenticeships. Apprentices learn on the job, solving real-life problems as soon as they begin their courses.
ARU’s degree apprenticeship offering has extended rapidly, responding to growing demand from employers and learners.
ARU now offers pathways across 29 professions, including Policing, Nursing, Social Work, Digital and Leadership.
More than 6,400 people have now enrolled on degree apprenticeship courses at ARU, with more than 2,000 having now graduated.
“We’re proud to celebrate working with more than 1,000 employers.
“Our tailored approach supports both SMEs and large employers, ensuring apprentices make an immediate impact in the workplace.
“By evolving our programmes, we continue to meet the needs of businesses and learners alike, pioneering new ways to blend education with industry-led training.”
Tom Taylor, Head of Degrees at Work at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
Businesses invited to find out about the benefits of digital transformation
10 February 2025
Local businesses are being invited to find out more about how their enterprise could benefit from improved digital capability assisted by the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund (DTFF).
An information session will take place in the Everglades on 27th Feb, from 10am to 12.30pm delivered by the William J Clinton Institute at Queen’s University Belfast. Members of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Business Team will also be on hand to provided tailored advice and information about the programme and the many benefits. Eligible businesses can apply for capital grant funding between £5000 and £20000 to support their business transformation journey to accelerate digital ambitions.
The Fund is delivered by all local authorities in Northern Ireland under the Full Fibre Northern Ireland Consortium (FFNI) and supported by Invest NI. The project is part funded by the NI Executive, UK Government, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and all local authorities.
Looking ahead to the event, Business Development Manager with Council, Danielle McNally said: “This is a unique and innovative funding opportunity for businesses to introduce new technologies that will really enhance both their profile and their performance. Many local enterprises are unaware of the support that’s out there and we are happy to advise on how they can best leverage opportunities like the DTFF to get the maximum benefit for their venture.
“I would really encourage anyone interested in digital transformation to come along and find out more about how they can harness the latest digital technologies in the most effective way.”
The closing date for Expressions of Interest to this call closes on 14th March and businesses are encouraged to attend the information session to see what the fund can do for them. Other local businesses will also be on hand on the day to share their experiences of engaging with the DTFF programme to date.
The information session will help identify the types of technology funded, the application process and the importance of leveraging this unique opportunity to address financial barriers to the adoption of advanced digital technologies.
More people impacted by the infected blood scandal to be able to claim compensation, with service to expand in stages during 2025
More people will be able to claim compensation this year as the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) accelerates the number of claims, while continuing to build and expand its claim service.
Currently, the claim service is starting small as IBCA designs and builds it. By mid-January, 67 people had been asked to start their claim, and IBCA is on track for 250 people to start their claim by the end of March for those who are registered with an existing support scheme.
Now, the expansion of the service after those 250 people have started their claims has been confirmed. IBCA will widen the service to further groups of people in stages and, from April, intends to accelerate the number of claims it is processing for people who are infected and already registered with a support scheme.
The service will be built to take claims from groups in the following order (not all claims in each group need to be completed before another group begins):
living infected people who are already registered with a support scheme (payments for this group are already underway)
supplementary claims (where additional impacts are recognised, beyond the core compensation)
people claiming on behalf of registered estates
people who are affected and linked to a registered infected person or registered estate
people infected but not registered with a support scheme
people applying on behalf of an estate not registered with a support scheme
and people who are affected and not linked to a registered claim.
Some people from all groups are expected to be able to claim in 2025, although not all claims from all groups will be completed by then.
For all groups, IBCA will explore how those who are nearing the end of their life due to illness may be able to come forward first in their group.
David Foley, Interim Chief Executive of IBCA, said:
Every single compensation claim is unique with complex circumstances. That is why we started with a small number of people making the first compensation claims, building and improving the claim service as we go.
We’re continuing that approach as we open up our service to more people with a range of different types of claims, so we can get a better understanding of their circumstances and design the service with everyone’s needs in mind.
As we have already tested the service for those who are infected and registered with a support scheme, we will also accelerate the number of claims we’re processing in this group.
We asked community members for their views, as it is only by understanding the needs of each person applying for compensation and working with the community that we’re able to open our service to more and more people. We are confident that starting small and testing as we go will deliver compensation for everyone eligible more quickly overall, and I’m pleased that we are now able to increase claims further in 2025.
Members of the infected blood community, and those who represent them, were asked for their views on the order in which different groups could claim. IBCA also reviewed feedback received through a range of channels including email, letters, calls and social media.
Where possible, IBCA took those views onboard and will now widen the claim service in stages to begin paying compensation to more people as soon as possible.
IBCA was set up in May 2024, and the first set of regulations allowing us to make payments came into force in August 2024. While designing and building a new organisation and a claim service, we invited the first claims in October 2024 and made the first compensation offers in December 2025. In January 2025, compensation offers totalled more than £13 million, and more are being processed every week.
Headline: National University of Singapore wins 20th ICC Mediation Competition
Taken place on Saturday 8 February 2025 in the historic Émile Boutmy Lecture Hall of Sciences Po University in Paris, the students gathered one last time to watch the two teams tackle the final mock mediation problem. Authored by Rissiane Goulart, a Strategic Commercial and Dispute Resolution Attorney at Goulart & Associados, the scenario focused on unauthorised logging in protected timber harvesting zones. The session was mediated by Andy Rogers, Director of Communications and Mediator at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution.
The National University of Singapore reached the semi-finals of the Mediation Competition in 2024, while the University of New South Wales had reached the final rounds in previous editions, and won the Competition in 2018 and 2016. Mervyn Lin and TianAo Li represented the National University of Singapore on stage, while teammates Joan Goh and Taesha Tan and coaches Seth Tay and Melvin Loh supported from the audience.
Mr Lin said:
“This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions. We have a huge culture of mediation at our school and we are so excited that we could use everything we have learned during this competition. The final session was intense, we had to really stretch our knowledge because of the strength of the other team, which made it all the more enjoyable. We didn’t expect the win and I want to congratulate the Australian team on their strong performance.”
The ICC Mediation Competition is one of the biggest educational competitions worldwide dedicated exclusively to international commercial mediation. Hosted in Paris from 3-8 February, the 20th edition of the competition this year saw 48 university teams from 32 countries compete to resolve international business disputes through mediation. Guided by professional mediators and administered under the ICC Mediation Rules, over 75 mock mediation sessions took place. In total, over 300 students and professionals took part.
From left to right: Melvin Loh, TianAo Li, Joan Goh, Mervyn Lin, and Seth Tay – all representing the National University of Singapore
The judges for the final were Raffaella Maria Pileri, Joanna Campos Carvalho, David Lutran, Jody Sin, and Ido Kleinberger.
Mr Kleinberger said:
“This competition is an amazing opportunity for me as a professional and for the students. As mediators, we aspire to look at the problems together instead of looking at each other. The teams did an extraordinary job in trying to find an agreement together while striking the balance to ensure your company’s interests are defended. The session was very true to life: The teams encouraged each other to speak, establishing an open relationship. The call was very close but in the end the Singapore team deserved the win.”
The trophy was awarded by Alexander G. Fessas, Secretary General of the ICC International Court of Arbitration Secretary and Director of ICC Dispute Resolution Services.
He said:
“Mediation is a sign of an advanced level of civilisation and understanding of each other. In ancient Greece, mediation was a way to find a fair solution for each other. Sometimes we forget the lessons of the past to understand the world today. Openness in dispute resolution, but also in trade, is central to understanding how the world operates. Through mediation, we can overcome our differences peacefully.”
The runner-up team from the University of New South Wales consisted of Lihara Delungahawatte, Kyla Rivera, Lina Zaioor, Rhea Baweja, and coaches Anvi Kohli and Steve Lancken.
Ms Delungahawatte said:
“We already have some experience in similar student competitions but this week was really special to us. Not only are we incredibly proud to make it to the final round, the ICC Mediation Competition pushed us to our limits, enabling us to reach our maximal potential. The nights were often short, the mock mediation problems challenging, and the sessions intensive but in the end it was all worth it.”
Re-live all the highlights of the ICC Mediation Competition on X and Facebook by following the official event hashtag, #ICCMW2025. A recording of the final session is also available on the ICC Official YouTube channel @ICCWBO1919.
For more information on ICC mediation services, visit the ICC International Centre for ADR.
Responding to the news that Labour are now publishing videos of police immigration raids, Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer MP, said:
“This Labour government are plumbing new depths with their plan to broadcast footage of people being detained and deported. Those involved should be searching their consciences to ask if such breath-taking cruelty is really worth it all for the sake of aping the rhetoric of Reform. The bitter irony is that following Reform to the right on migration won’t win Labour any support – it will only lend legitimacy to Reform’s extreme views. It’s time this government showed a bit of backbone and told the truth – that migration is good for this country.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Mr Ameer Kotecha has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia.
Mr Ameer Kotecha has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia in succession to Mr Neil Bradley who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Kotecha will take up his appointment during April 2025.
Curriculum vitae
Full name: Ameer Kotecha
Year
Role
2023 to present
Ekaterinburg, HM Consul General
2022 to 2023
FCDO, Full time language training (Russian)
2021 to 2022
FCDO, Head of Engagement and Programmes Team, Counter Daesh Communications Cell
2020 to 2021
Hong Kong, Vice Consul
2018 to 2020
FCO, Senior Desk Officer, West Africa Department
2017 to 2018
New York, Second Secretary Africa and Peacekeeping
2016 to 2017
FCO, Kidnaps and Incidents Case Manager, Counter Terrorism Department
2015 to 2016
FCO, Deputy Head Libya Team, North Africa Joint Unit
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Children and Families service will exit government intervention.
It comes after achieving substantial improvements in outcomes for children and families.
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed consistent progress and recommended lifting the intervention – which has been in place since 2019.
The intervention followed an Ofsted inspection that rated the service as ‘Inadequate’. A subsequent inspection in October 2022 saw the service rated as ‘Requires Improvement’, highlighting significant advancements. There were key improvements in services for individuals or professionals to report concerns or request support and in outcomes for children in care. Follow-up visits have demonstrated continued, sustained improvement.
The DfE review outlines several key achievements:
The number of children in care is at its lowest level in 18 months, with fewer children on Child Protection plans.
The quality of social work practice has remained strong, with an increasing number of audits rated ‘Good’.
Early support services are now more effective at preventing issues from escalating.
Stronger partnerships with local agencies are ensuring families receive the tailored support they need, with a clear focus on community-based solutions.
A robust leadership team continues to drive positive change and improvement.
The city council’s focus on early intervention and partnership working has been fundamental in reducing the number of children in care and making sure that families receive the right support at the right time.
Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This is a significant milestone for services for children and families in Stoke-on-Trent. We’ve made great progress, and we’re pleased to be moving forward without government intervention.
“The Family Matters programme has been central to this transformation, providing families with the early support they need to thrive.
“While we recognise there is still work to be done, I am confident that under the leadership of our incoming Corporate Director, Neil Macdonald, we will continue to build on this momentum, ensuring every child in Stoke-on-Trent gets the care and support they deserve.”
Young Poet Laurate Agneta Krieva, from Ormiston SWB Academy, and Primary Poet Champion Florence Ehigie, from SS Mary & John’s Primary Academy, were chosen from dozens of budding poets after winning a competition organised by Wolverhampton’s library service.
This year, children and young people are asked to write a poem about friendship entitled ‘Life is better with friends’.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “For the past five years, our library service has been running this competition with local schools and each year the quality and presentation of the poems has been fantastic.
“This year was no exception, and I would like to congratulate Agneta and Florence on becoming our newest Young Poet Laureate and Primary Poet Champion respectively. They now have the chance to have their voices heard by thousands of people across the city.”
In perhaps one of the greatest brand comeback stories in automotive since the Fiat 500 in 2007, British car company Austin announced the return of the Austin Arrow.
Its name is an unashamed reference to one of the most memorable Austin 7 models – first introduced in the 1920s the Arrow was the original “everyman sportscar”, before the muscle cars (think of the Dodge Challenger) of the US became popular in the 1960s. Now reimagined as an electric Vehicle (EV), the Arrow is designed and made in the UK and aims to be to 2020s consumers what the original was 90 years ago.
A number of cars are synonymous with the British car industry. In fact, as a small nation, Britain punches above its weight when it comes to classic automobile brands – The Mini, the Range Rover, London black cabs, James Bond’s Aston Martins, and even the London red bus. However, if one car can be credited for creating the dawn of the motor vehicle in the UK, it would be the diminutive Austin 7.
The car was created in the 1920s at the time when Austin was struggling. New laws were pushing manufacturers to produce smaller, less powerful cars. But Austin’s board of directors didn’t support a cheap, small car with low profit margins. Austin was known for its larger, luxury products.
However, Sir Herbert Austin and his 18-year-old apprentice Stanley Edge decided to secretly create a small car. Thank god they didn’t heed the board, because they ended up creating the greatest democratising automotive product Britain had ever seen (until they repeated it with the Austin Mini).
The reason why products such as the Austin 7 come to define their period is rarely due to their technical prowess or exhilarating performance – it’s because they bring to the masses a technology that is both useful and traditionally seen as out of reach.
The Austin 7 was a bit like the iPhone. There were smartphones that came before it, like the Sony Ericsson p800. However, these were considered expensive and out of reach for the average consumer. The Iphone did the same thing but at a cheaper price and so came to be the definitive smartphone.
With the Austin 7, Herbert Austin’s team applied the key lessons from Ford’s Model T – creating a simple, modestly powered car with just enough features for mass appeal while incorporating clever design elements that earned the respect of car enthusiasts.
When the Austin 7 was unveiled in July 1922, it was priced at just £165, when an Austin 20 was between £600 and £700. At a time when the average British worker earned around £5 per week, the only real affordable car had been Ford’s basic and utilitarian Model T at around £250.
The 7’s ingenious design was the key to its success. With a shared base frame for the car, it could be a four-seater family car, a stylish coupe, or even a racing car.
This cheap, tiny car not only was a legend in its own right and familiar around the world, but it influenced other legends too.
Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars, based his first Lotus 1 on the Austin 7. What is less known is that German car manufacturer BMW built Austin 7s under licence in the 1920s and 30s but called them “Dixis”. Nissan did the same in Japan in the pre-war period. Such licensing deals helped set up both manufacturers’ future success as the powerhouses they are today.
Austin 7s were produced all over Europe, Asia and even in Australia. The 7 was also produced in the US as the “American Bantam” and its design contributed to the “Willy’s Jeep”, one of the US’s most famous vehicles.
Ultimately, the beginning of the second world war marked the end of Austin 7 production as the Austin factory at Longbridge, near Birmingham, needed to be repurposed to produce munitions. When the war ended, tastes for vehicles had changed and factories started to produce more modern designs, and not those from the 1920s, marking the end of a British automotive icon in 1939.
Now it’s back, thanks to the engineer John Stubbs who bought the Austin brand after noticing the brand and trademarks were available. The rights to these had been owned by the Nanjing Automobile Group, which bought MG Rover when it collapsed in 2005. However, Nanjing had let these lapse and Stubbs bought them for £170 in 2015.
The new Essex-based Austin Motor Company aims to recreate this classic brand, tugging at the heartstrings of those looking nostalgically at Britain’s automotive heyday. The announcement featured images of fun, cheap (£31,000) and light cars driving around the B-roads of Britain, or perhaps being taken to a racetrack for an amateur competition, harking back to earlier days. However, this car is thoroughly modern, featuring an electric motor.
The new Austin Arrow is not meant to be the usable “everyman” car the original 7 was. For starters, to be compliant with quadricycle (a micro car with less than 6kW of power and an unladen mass no more than 425 kg) legislation it is limited to 60mph as a top speed and the range will be a maximum of 100 miles on one charge.
However, as that fun, racy, open-top car that it’s predecessors were, it very much captures the spirit of the original Austin 7 Arrow.
Tom Stacey, Deputy Head of the School of Economics, Finance and Law, Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is partnering with Norwegian biotechnology company Arctic Bioscience to carry out the largest research project to date exploring how nutrients derived from fish eggs can support a healthy and active lifestyle across all ages.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that can play an important role in maintaining overall health. However, the general population typically consumes few foods that are rich in omega-3, such as oily fish.
The new three-year project, called Active Romega, is investigating the benefits of omega-3 phospholipid fish oil and proteins derived from herring roe, which are the eggs of the fish. Unlike other omega-3 supplements, herring roe omega-3 contains a higher concentration of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs).
DHA and SPMs have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects and are also believed to benefit muscle function, metabolism, and cognitive function, which are all key to supporting a healthy lifestyle.
The Active Romega project comprises two distinct research strands led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) PhD students Dani Dalmay and Jorge Pinto. These are exploring the effects of herring roe omega-3 on exercise metabolism and recovery, specifically focusing on active females, and how herring roe omega-3 can support the healthy ageing process in older adults.
The overall project is being led by Dr Sanjoy Deb, Associate Professor in Exercise and Nutritional Science at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).
“The use of fish oils has shown promise across various health parameters, with emerging research indicating particular benefits for women and in supporting healthy ageing.
“This new partnership with Arctic Bioscience allows us to undertake robust research to explore the public health benefits of herring-derived omega-3, alongside exercise. This will be the first time this specific type of omega-3 has been tested to investigate its benefits in these areas.
“One of the reasons herring roe omega-3 is unique is its higher concentration of DHA [docosahexaenoic acid] compared to EPA [eicosapentaenoic acid] – most fish oils have more EPA than DHA – and the oil is naturally rich in the metabolites of DHA and EPA, namely specialised pro-resolving mediators such as resolvins, protectins and maresins. Herring roe omega-3 also has a phospholipid chemical structure, rather than a more typical triglyceride structure.
“Some studies suggest better absorption and improved health outcomes from marine-based phospholipids, although research is still in its infancy. Our Active Romega project should contribute significantly to this area of research.”
Dr Sanjoy Deb
“Arctic Bioscience is honoured to be a part of this project with Anglia Ruskin. We have been working with herring roe phospholipids and proteins for many years now, both in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical field, and see many potential health benefits for their use in sports nutrition.”
Hogne Hallaråker, founder and Chief Science Officer of Arctic Bioscience
Derby City Council’s Derby Libraries team will receive a £130,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The money will fund a two-year project at Derby Local Studies and Family History Library to encourage greater use of the library and create a fun way for young people to engage with their local heritage.
The exciting project will see young volunteers create a fantasy role-playing game, based on Dungeons and Dragons from Wizards of the Coast. They’ll work alongside library staff, a games-master and a range of professional creatives to uncover stories from the library’s collection and weave them into the game.
The two-year project, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will include the production of video shorts and podcasts to introduce and follow the game, while the library will host a range of family-friendly activities and events that tie in too.
Eventually, people will be able to download a game pack to allow them to play themselves. There will also be a club at the library with support people to play the game, welcome new players and even research new characters, locations and adventures to expand the game world.
Councillor Sarah Chambers, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:
We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ll be able to broaden access to the library’s collections, engage new audiences with their history and retell stories that would otherwise remain unheard.
The Local Studies library holds a unique and rich collection of paper materials on Derby and Derbyshire – its people, communities, topography, history and development.
Unpublished manuscripts, old newspapers, photographs, broadsides and antiquarian books sit alongside more recent publications and official information, forming an unmatched and irreplaceable record of our city’s heritage.
More details of the project and how to get involved will be available later this year. To stay updated, sign up for the Derby Libraries eNewsletter on the Derby Libraries website.
Sixty years ago, on January 24, Britons gathered around their radios to listen to the sombre BBC announcement that Sir Winston Churchill had died at the age of 90. Others learned about the news at church, as they listened to prayers for the life of the former prime minister, admired by many for leading Britain through the second world war. Later that day, radio and television schedules were suspended to make way for the flood of tributes.
Around this time in villages around England and Wales, Women’s Institute (WI) members were just beginning a year-long scrapbooking project in honour of the WI’s golden jubilee year in 1965. A branch-based voluntary organisation,
founded in 1915, the WI was set up to bring country women together.
This scrapbook project was one way in which the organisation sought to foster a sense of community in rural areas. Members were invited to chronicle everything that happened in their village during that year. Although not every entry featured a tribute to Churchill, several WI members decided to mark the former leader’s death.
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Today, many of these scrapbooks survive in county record offices, while others remain cherished volumes kept by WIs in their branch archives. Some branches, along with local history societies, have digitised their scrapbooks and shared them online.
Scrapbooks are perhaps not what immediately spring to mind when we think about the 1960s. Traditionally, they conjure up images of brightly coloured printed clippings or pressed flowers, saved by Victorian women and children. But this is just one page in scrapbooking’s rich history.
In the 20th century, the rise of popular newspapers, magazines, domestic photography and television provided an array of material that could be transformed into personal archives. Scrapbooking proved a popular way for people to document what they found meaningful in their lives. Family, work, activism, stars of film, music and sport, royalty and even the weather were just some of the many topics covered.
In 1965, WI members in Woodford, the constituency Churchill represented for 40 years until 1964, decided to conclude their community scrapbook with a tribute to their former MP.
On a page of black sugar paper, members pasted a programme from a local memorial church service. Women also included a commemorative stamp, together with a photograph of floral tributes left at a bronze statue of Churchill on the village green, flanked by servicemen. Even though Churchill died at the beginning of the year, it was evidently the last thing Woodford Green’s WI members wanted their readers to encounter in their scrapbook.
Local and national newspapers published a plethora of obituaries and articles on Churchill’s life, providing scrapbookers, such as WI members in Stoke Ferry in Norfolk, with a wealth of visual material for their community volumes.
Local WI members crafted a photographic record of Churchill’s life, from childhood through to retirement, arranging the images in chronological order, mirroring the conventions associated with family photograph albums. They combined a series of press photographs and newspaper headlines with a handwritten note elaborating on what they felt was significant about Churchill’s death. WI women even went as far as to connect Churchill with their scrapbooking activities:
As we compile this Jubilee Scrap Book, we stop to wonder what life would have been like in this village in 1965 but for that great statesman and leader, Sir Winston Churchill. Would this book be the happy record of a free and thriving community?
On the following pages, they contrasted photographs from the funeral procession, with a shot of a bunch of pink tulips, given by a serviceman. In juxtaposing these images, they switched between ceremonial and more intimate forms of commemoration.
WI scrapbookers clearly felt strongly about recording the death of Churchill in their community volumes. The scrapbook genre allowed these women, at a significant moment in time, to shape the historical record in a way they found to be meaningful, with an eye to the future generations they expected to read their creations.
‘Cold lunches were the order of the day’
As relayed in many of these WI scrapbooks, Churchill was the first prime minister in the 20th century who was afforded a state funeral. It was broadcast around the world in a transmission of unparalleled significance – second only to the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
One woman in Whitchurch, Herefordshire, wrote a series of diary entries under the pseudonym of Ann Whitchurch for her WI’s competition entry. After an earlier entry (exploring the merits of new brightly coloured long johns) Whitchurch reflected on January 30:
Everyone seems to feel his loss as something that really matters. Whatever anyone’s politics are, he stood for England, especially for people of my generation who remember his great speeches during the War. It’s rather like the end of a chapter.
Whitchurch chose the more intimate format of the diary entry, as opposed to national newspaper coverage, to offer a personal tribute to Churchill. By declaring herself the spokeswoman for her generation, Whitchurch conveyed how she understood Churchill’s death as a moment of rupture and transition.
Over 100 miles away in the Cotswolds, a farmer’s wife in Chedworth shared what the day looked like from her rural farm:
Cold lunches were the order of the day, everyone was watching the funeral procession of Sir Winston Churchill – an unforgettable memory. Even the menfolk dashed in and out between essential jobs.
This WI member used her passage to show how the villagers’ commitment to watching the funeral upended their everyday routines at home and at work.
Sixty years on, browsing the pages of these community scrapbooks reveals more than just a reaction to Churchill’s death by a specific group of rural women. They provide a fascinating glimpse of how national mourning unfolded in English villages and the different ways in which country women documented this moment on behalf of their communities.
Cherish Watton-Colbrook works as an Archives Assistant for Churchill Archives Centre in Cambridge.
February 10, 2025Lynn, MA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal
LYNN, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer against Eric Dionida German-Pena, 25, a native and citizen of the Dominican Republic, following his apprehension in Lynn for his alleged role in the murder of a Massachusetts sandwich shop owner during an apparent home-invasion robbery.
“Eric Dionida German-Pena will have his day in court, but he stands accused of a very serious and disturbing crime against a member of our Massachusetts community. ICE Boston takes its public safety mission extremely seriously — which is why we’ve lodged an immigration detainer against him with Lynn police,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has charged him with murder, and with the cooperation of the Lynn District Court, we intend to take him into ICE custody after he has paid his debt to society. ICE Boston will continue our mission of arresting and removing egregious alien offenders from New England.”
The Lynn Police Department police arrested German February 5 and charged him with the murder. ICE discovered that German illegally entered the United States in September 2022.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X: @EROBoston.
COOTAMUNDRA, Australia, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT) today announced financial results for its first quarter fiscal 2025 ended September 30, 2024.
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Compared to Prior Year
Sales revenue increased 6.1% to A$10.4 million due to strong demand for the Company’s cold pressed canola oil.
Retail oil revenue increased 59.9% to A$5.7 million due to expanded distribution in leading retailers in Australia along with the addition of several new SKUs.
Net loss of A$0.6 million compared to net income of A$1.4 million, reflecting changes to sales mix along with the timing of planned investments in brand and marketing to support our GEO products.
Cash flow from operations improved to A$0.6 million compared to a use of A$1.5 million.
“We delivered exceptionally strong growth in our retail oils business during the first quarter driven primarily by our expanded distribution in Costco and Woolworths in Australia, ” said Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer. “We also benefited from three new SKUs that were launched in coordination with focused, integrated marketing campaigns across our key retail partners. While margins and profitability were impacted by the timing of our investments in branding initiatives during the quarter, as planned, we believe we are still well positioned to drive improving results as our business continues to grow and scale. We remain steadfast in our commitment to eliminating chemicals from the edible oil production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products such as non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils to customers globally.”
About Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd. Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd. is an Australian proprietary company that, directly and indirectly through its subsidiaries, is focused on the manufacture and sale of sustainable oilseeds (e.g., seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils) and is committed to working with all suppliers in the food supply chain to eliminate chemicals from the production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products to customers globally. The Company engages in the business of processing, manufacture and sale of non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils, for the rapidly growing oilseeds market, through sourcing materials from suppliers focused on reducing the use of chemicals in consumables in order to supply healthier food ingredients, vegetable oils, proteins and other products to customers globally. Over the past 20 years, the Company’s cold pressing oil plant has grown to become the largest in Australia, pressing strictly GMO-free conventional and organic oilseeds.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our financial outlook, business strategy and plans, market trends and market size, opportunities and positioning. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall” and variations of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. For example, global economic conditions could in the future reduce demand for our products; we could in the future experience cybersecurity incidents; we may be unable to manage or sustain the level of growth that our business has experienced in prior periods; our financial resources may not be sufficient to maintain or improve our competitive position; we may be unable to attract new customers, or retain or sell additional products to existing customers; we may experience challenges successfully expanding our marketing and sales capabilities, including further specializing our sales force; customer growth could decelerate in the future; we may not achieve expected synergies and efficiencies of operations from recent acquisitions or business combinations, and we may not be able to pay off our convertible notes when due. Further information on potential factors that could affect our financial results is included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
Contact Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited 126-142 Cowcumbla Street Cootamundra New South Wales 2590 Attn: Bob Wu, CFO Email: bob@energreennutrition.com.au
