The City of Greater Bendigo has partnered with Peter Krenz Centre to deliver a series of low-cost outdoor fitness sessions for people of all fitness levels to shake off the chill and fire up their fitness under lights!
The Lights On sessions offer community members four exciting six-week programs which will take place at both Ewing Park and Lake Neangar on Tuesday and Thursday evenings between July 21 and August 31.
The programs aim to give residents, in particular women and gender diverse community members, more opportunities to be physically active in the evening through the darkest part of the year.
The sessions will be guided by qualified fitness instructors and the program options include:
Outdoor Equipment Circuit (cardio focus) – 5.30pm Tuesdays, Ewing Park
Beginners Running Program – 6.30pm Tuesdays, Ewing Park
Outdoor Equipment Circuit – 5.30pm Thursdays, Lake Neangar
Outdoor Equipment Circuit – 6.30pm Thursdays, Lake Neangar
Each six-week program costs $30 (or $5 per session) and includes six 45-minute sessions of either an outdoor equipment circuit, combining outdoor fitness equipment and bodyweight exercises, or a beginner’s running program.
Community members can choose one program and enjoy 6 weeks of community, health, and fun! 16 – 17-year-olds are welcome to register and participate, provided they have parental permission.
To sign up to the program or for more information, visit:
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
New action to tackle illegal and exploitative children’s homes
Up to 200 places will be created for vulnerable children in council-run high-quality children’s homes with £53 million
The most vulnerable children in society will be better protected from unsafe, illegal children’s homes thanks to over £53 million investment from the government to create 200 new placements in high-quality council-run homes through its Plan for Change.
For the first time, the government has specifically targeted funding at children who have such complex needs that they are at risk of, or have been, deprived of their liberty.
Children in these situations need extra support from social workers and care teams to stop them running away from home and from harming themselves and others.
The new homes will break down barriers to opportunity by providing support for these young people’s complex behaviour and mental health needs in safe and stable environments. A substantial shortage of placements to meet these young people’s needs over recent years has seen them being placed into accommodation that is operating illegally by not registering with Ofsted.
Data from the Children’s Commissioner shows this also comes at an eye-watering cost to councils, who spend an estimated £440 million a year on unregistered placements. Over 30 placements were costing over £1 million each – and this in a world where private providers sometimes siphon off over 20% of placement costs for private profit.
One teenager with both SEND and mental health needs told the commissioner they had been living in a caravan for two months, at a cost of £75,000, out of her council area.
Today’s announcement builds on measures already announced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to give Ofsted stronger powers to impose fines on illegal homes and new powers for the Secretary of State to cap provider profits if excessive profiteering is not brought under control.
Minister for Children and Families Janet Daby said:
The children’s social care system has faced years of drift and neglect, leading to a vicious cycle of late intervention and children falling through the cracks.
One of the worst symptoms of this is when some of the most vulnerable young people in society are shunted from pillar to post – traumatised by shameful illegal homes, while some private companies rack up ludicrous profits.
Through our Plan for Change and our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, this government is enabling every child to achieve and thrive by investing in the places children need, cracking down on profiteering with new laws, and rebuilding family support services so parents and carers get the help they need to keep their children happy and safe in loving homes.
It comes as part of ambitious reform to rebalance the children’s social care system away from crisis intervention and towards earlier help to keep children safe, with over £2 billion investment over the course of this parliament.
Green shoots are already being seen as an evaluation published today of areas that tested the government’s early intervention reforms show evidence of improved collaboration between agencies leading to more consistent support for families.
Funding for preventative services has already been doubled this year compared to last year from £250 million to £500 million, so that every family who needs support receives it to stop issues getting worse, with the guidance of a dedicated family help worker.
The government committed to continuing the £500m funding each year until 2028-29 at the Spending Review alongside a further increase of at least £300 million over the coming two years.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:
My work as Children’s Commissioner has shown there are too many children who need brilliant care who have instead ended up in illegal – and terrible – accommodation. Instead of receiving care and support, they are side-lined, ignored and left waiting while services fail to take responsibility for these children.
This funding, and the social care provisions of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, is an opportunity to bring that to an end. It will increase the number of loving, safe homes for this group of children – whose needs are often urgent and complex – and must provide loving, therapeutic, joined-up care to help these children flourish.
Chief Executive at Action for Children Paul Carberry said:
It’s vital that children and young people with complex needs receive specialist, therapeutic care in a stable environment. Over recent years, too many children have been placed in unregulated, unsuitable accommodation due to the critical shortage of placements in the system, with sometimes devastating consequences on their health, safety, and wellbeing.
Without the right support, their needs can escalate, and placements can break down.
We wholeheartedly welcome this investment, which will ensure more children with complex needs get the care and support they deserve.
Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, new laws are being brought in to increase the transparency of private providers over their finances, with a backstop provision to introduce a profit cap if providers don’t voluntarily bring an end to exploitative practices.
The department has also brought together an expert ‘market intervention advisory group’, which is working on the details of how the financial oversight and transparency schemes will work in practice to make as quick as possible progress to tackle profiteering, as well as how to bring in more voluntary providers.
Schemes are being considered to encourage charities and ethical investors to open children’s homes, including through innovative funding mechanisms like social financing.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Barrier to social housing now lifted for vulnerable people
New changes to remove a local connection requirement for young care leavers and domestic abuse survivors comes into effect today.
Local connection tests officially removed for care leavers under 25 and victims of domestic abuse
Forms part of the five-step plan to deliver a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing
Delivering the government’s Plan for Change to provide more vulnerable people with a safe and secure roof over their head
More young people leaving care and domestic abuse survivors can now have greater access to social housing, thanks to new changes removing a local connection requirement coming into effect today.
Last month the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed the government is rewriting the rules for vulnerable groups who have faced barriers to social housing when they do not have a connection to the local area, meaning they can no longer be unfairly penalised. The move has been largely welcomed by charities across the sector including Become and Centrepoint.
Many domestic abuse survivors and care leavers under the age of 25 face unique challenges, such as fleeing an unsafe home to seek safety or adjusting to life outside of the care system, so may be forced to move from area to area without having a local connection.
Government guidance for councils across England, nearly 90% of which currently use local connection tests, sets out their obligations to prioritise vulnerable people applying for social housing. This has now been updated to confirm young care leavers and domestic abuse survivors must be exempt from any local connection tests.
It comes as the government recently published its five-point plan to deliver a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing and pave the way for the biggest boost in a generation. This includes the new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme to build around 300,000 new homes over the next decade, with at least 60% for social rent.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said:
“I’m immensely proud this government is delivering real change for some of our most vulnerable in society, making sure more young people and families can have a safe and secure roof over their head.
“It’s only right we remove local connection tests for these groups and from today they will no longer face such barriers – it’s a promise we made and a promise we’ve kept.
“This builds on our Plan for Change to deliver the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, turning the tide on the crisis we’ve inherited and building hundreds of thousands of new homes to bring down housing waiting lists for good.”
Today’s changes follow the rules overhauled last year to remove local connection tests for all former UK Regular Armed Forces Veterans, regardless of when they last served, as pledged by the Prime Minister.
The government remains fully committed to supporting more vulnerable groups and veterans into social housing but also recognises the challenges faced by councils dealing with unprecedented pressures on housing supply as well as depleted housing stocks.
That’s why the government has now set out ambitions to ramp up housing delivery for this Parliament and beyond, equipping councils and providers with greater tools to invest in existing and new social homes. This includes:
Bringing forward long-overdue reforms to Right to Buy, including a 35-year exemption for newly built social homes, to protect and reverse the decline in much-needed council housing.
Extending the flexibilities on spending Right to Buy receipts introduced last year, as well as allowing councils to retain 100% of Right to Buy receipts and from next year combine receipts with grant funding for affordable housing, which will further accelerate the delivery of new homes to replace those sold.
Introducing a new long-term 10-year settlement for social housing rents to provide the sector with the certainty they need to reinvest in new housing stock.
New funding for a £12 million Council Housebuilding Skills & Capacity Programme has also been announced, which will upskill and expand council workforces to get more spades in the ground for a new era of council housebuilding.
Centrepoint’s Director of Policy and Prevention, Balbir Kaur Chatrik said:
“It wasn’t right that young care leavers were subjected to local connection tests – particularly at a point in their lives where they should be able to move on and thrive.
“Removing this barrier is a huge step in protecting some of the country’s most vulnerable young people and should help in reducing youth homelessness more broadly.”
A care-experienced young person, Tia Shillito-Radicic said:
“The passing of this new legislation is nothing short of life-changing for many care-experienced young people and especially for me.
“This legislation gives me the opportunity to live somewhere safer, closer to my support network, and within reach of my career in the Civil Service. It’s not just about having a roof over my head – it’s about having a foundation to build a future. It’s about independence, security, and dignity.
“Too often, young people in care are uprooted from their communities and placed far from home due to foster care shortages or safeguarding concerns. When we age out of care, we’re then expected to return to the original council that placed us – sometimes hundreds of miles from where we’ve built our lives. That system leaves many of us isolated, detached from the people and places we trust most.
“This legislation changes that. And with it, comes hope. Hope that young people won’t have to start over, again and again. Hope that we can remain close to the support systems we’ve fought to create. And hope that we’ll finally be seen not just as care leavers, but as individuals with dreams, careers, and futures.
“To everyone who worked tirelessly to make this happen: thank you. You haven’t just changed a policy – you’ve helped us hold onto something many of us lose far too often: a sense of home, of belonging, and of hope.”
Further information
Last month the government published a written ministerial statement confirming new changes for young care leavers and domestic abuse survivors. The regulations were laid on 19 June and come into force today.
While the changes remove a specific barrier for these vulnerable groups, the allocation of social housing is still at the discretion of the local housing authority.
On 24 September, the Prime Minister set out his ambition to improve access to social housing for former UK Armed Forces Veterans, young care leavers and domestic abuse survivors.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
New data points to growing social and economic impact of charity sector amidst challenging financial environment.
New insights from sector data suggest that charities have been able to direct additional resources to delivering their aims, amidst a tightening financial squeeze.
Collectively charities that submitted annual returns spent £95.73 billion delivering their charitable aims in 2023, 9.6% more than in 2022, reflecting a further broadening and deepening of the vital societal impact of charities. This was during a period when cost of living pressures were being felt acutely within society.
This impact is underpinned by the generosity of the public, with donations and legacies reaching £31.4bn – almost a third (32.6%) of all charity income. Small charities, which are by far the greatest in number, largely rely on this income.
Businesses also made a considerable contribution to charity with almost half (49.7%) of charities with an income of £100k or more reporting donations from a corporate donor.
The data underlines that volunteers are essential to delivering public good, outnumbering paid workers by a factor of more than 3:1. Around 7 in 10 charities reported they were supported by volunteers in 2023, while 5 in 10 had paid workers (permanent or fixed-term employees and self-employed). The majority of paid workers (98%) were deployed in the UK.
However, for a second year in a row, the analysis drew out some indicators underlining concerns about financial resilience in parts of the sector.
Overall growth in expenditure (9.6%) outpaced growth in income (6.8%) leaving the gap between the two at its narrowest in five years at £0.7bn, down from £2.9bn in 2022.
While more than half of charities (55.1%) have more income than expenditure, around 2 in 5 charities (42.6%) had expenditure that exceeded income. This situation leaves many charities with little or no headroom for investing in longer term or more innovative projects, and depending on reserve levels, a continuation of this trend may mean some charities cease to operate altogether.
The data follows the Commission’s release of separate data earlier this week pointing to increased demand for charities’ services, with 9% of people indicating they had received food, medical or financial support from charities, compared to just 3% five years ago.
Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, said:
Our analysis of charities’ annual returns for 2023 shows the sector is not just delivering life-changing impact across communities but that it is an economic powerhouse for the economy, spending almost £96 billion a year on delivering charitable purposes.
Charities’ work with those from some of our most marginalised and disadvantaged communities unlocks potential, enabling more people to play an active role in society, helping people up, not handing out. This vital work is happening right across England and Wales, often in places and with people the state cannot easily reach.
While our data shows the cost of living crisis has applied significant pressure on charity finances – with the narrowest gap between income and expenditure in recent years – it also shows charities rising to the challenge, spending almost ten per cent more in 2023 than in 2022 to meet increased need.
Each question asked of charities in the annual return is designed to enable the Commission to identify risks and trends in the sector; to help the public make informed and confident choices about charities; and to allow policy-makers, researchers, sector groups and the public to gain a richer understanding of the charity sector in England and Wales.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The annual return 2023 represents the most comprehensive data set available on the charity sector, as it is a statutory requirement for charities to provide this to the Commission. The Commission’s analysis of the annual return 2023 is a factual presentation of the data charities have reported to the Commission for 12-month financial periods ending at any point in 2023. Annual Return data is a ‘lagging indicator’ as the information it captures has passed as each charity has up to 10 months to report it after the end of its financial year. AR23 saw an improved number of charities filing returns than in AR22.
All registered charities must provide information annually to the Charity Commission (‘the Commission’). The rules vary according to the charity’s size and structure. Registered charities with:
income up to £10,000 should complete the relevant sections (income and expenditure) of the annual return
income above £10,000, and all Charitable Incorporated Organisations (‘CIOs’), must prepare and file an annual return
income above £25,000, and all CIOs, must also file copies of their trustees’ annual report and accounts
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
New Storm Shadow and missile cooperation to boost jobs as UK and France reboot defence relationship
A new ‘Entente Industrielle’ will support thousands of UK jobs across projects including air-to air missiles
Britain and France are to order more highly lethal Storm Shadow cruise missiles, while stepping up work on its replacement as part of a new refreshed agreement signed today (Thursday 10 July).
The new agreement will see the UK and France commit to launch the next phase of their joint project for both deep strike and anti-ship missiles – a step closer to selecting a final design for Storm Shadow’s replacement.
The joint development effort will sustain 1,300 highly skilled jobs across the UK, boosting the economy in line with the Government’s Plan for Change. Upgrading the existing Storm Shadow production lines will support more than 300 jobs at manufacturer MBDA.
The Prime Minister and President Emmanuel Macron will also today agree to deepen their nuclear cooperation and work more closely than ever before on nuclear deterrence.
In an important step forward for the UK-France nuclear partnership – a newly signed declaration will state for the first time that the respective deterrents of both countries are independent but can be co-ordinated, and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations.
As such, any adversary threatening the vital interests of Britain or France could be confronted by the strength of the nuclear forces of both nations. Co-operation between both countries on nuclear research will also deepen, while working together to uphold the international non-proliferation architecture.
The UK and France are Europe’s only nuclear powers, with deterrents that contribute significantly to the overall security of NATO and the Euro-Atlantic.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:
From war in Europe, to new nuclear risks and daily cyber-attacks – the threats we face are multiplying.
As close partners and NATO allies, the UK and France have a deep history of defence collaboration and today’s agreements take our partnership to the next level.
We stand ready to use our shared might to advance our joint capabilities – equipping us for the decades to come while supporting thousands of UK jobs and keeping our people safe.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:
The UK and France are stepping up together to meet today’s threats and tomorrow’s challenges. We are committed to driving defence as an engine for growth, delivering better fighting capabilities faster, and ensuring our armed forces can operate side by side – from the High North to the Black Sea.
This partnership strengthens our leadership in Europe, ensures continued support for Ukraine, and sends a clear signal to our adversaries that we stand stronger, together.
By deepening defence industrial cooperation with France, it will boost the UK’s own national resilience, ability to deter against attacks, and defend against threats, reinforcing the contribution to NATO.
The new partnerships will be developed under the refreshed Lancaster House agreement through a new ‘Entente Industrielle’ making defence an engine for growth.
These partnerships include:
Agreeing to build the next generation of deep strike, anti-ship missiles, replacing the lethally effective Storm Shadow. This new joint effort will sustain 1,300 high skilled jobs in the UK, boosting the UK economy in line with the Government’s Plan for Change
Upgrading the existing Storm Shadow cruise missile production lines in Stevenage to bolster national stockpiles, supporting more than 300 jobs within MBDA and the wider supply chain and making defence investment an engine for growth
Jointly developing the next generation of beyond visual range air-to-air missiles for the Royal Air Force’s fighter jets
Starting work on new advanced weapons to give an advantage against adversaries. This will include a new partnership to develop high-tech radiofrequency weapons such as microwave weapons and jammers that could be used to shoot down threats like drones and missiles
The UK and France will also look to harness the power of AI to make their missiles and drones more lethal, by developing algorithms for synchronised strikes
Under an ambitious new package of defence cooperation under the Lancaster House 2.0 declaration, both countries’ militaries will work closer together than ever before. Recognising the increased threat to European security, the UK and France will expand its jointly deployable force, refocusing it on defending Europe, moving to warfighting readiness to deter, and countering any adversaries.
The Combined Joint Force will be able to command a Combined UK/French Corps for the first time – the highest scale of deployed ground forces from a command perspective – made up of thousands of troops and working side-by-side with NATO allies.
For the first time it will also integrate space and cyber to counter new threats, boosting the abilities of the UK and France’s joint forces to quickly respond to developments on the battlefield through increased awareness and responsiveness supported by data from beyond just the ground, sea, and air.
The Combined Joint Force is a crucial step forward in the UK and France stepping up their leadership within NATO, setting a clear path to meet the Government’s Strategic Defence Review commitment of NATO’s strategic Reserve Corp and stepping up on European security.
The UK and France will reaffirm their joint leadership of the Coalition of the Willing – a group of over 30 nations working together to coordinate military support for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. The CJF structures provide the bedrock for the coalition, enabling allies to operate under UK-French leadership.
This will include cooperating further on an integrated missile system to defend Europe. The UK-led DIAMOND initiative will improve NATO’s integrated air and missile defence by ensuring that the different air defence systems across the Alliance operate better and more jointly across the alliance.
These new agreements will continue to build on the Government’s first priority of keeping the country safe, which is a foundation of the Plan for Change.
Outcrops of shocked rocks from the Miralga impact structure.Aaron Cavosie
Ever been late because you misread a clock? Sometimes, the “clocks” geologists use to date events can also be misread. Unravelling Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history with rocks is tricky business.
Case in point: the discovery of an ancient meteorite impact crater was recently reported in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. The original study, by a different group, made headlines with the claim the crater formed 3.5 billion years ago. If true, it would be Earth’s oldest by far.
As it turns out, we’d also been investigating the same site. Our results are published in Science Advances today. While we agree that this is the site of an ancient meteorite impact, we have reached different conclusions about its age, size and significance.
Let’s consider the claims made about this fascinating crater.
One impact crater, two versions of events
Planetary scientists search for ancient impacts to learn about Earth’s early formation. So far, nobody has found an impact crater older than the 2.23-billion-year-old Yarrabubba structure, also in Australia. (Some of the authors from both 2025 Pilbara studies were coauthors on the 2020 Yarrabubba study.)
The new contender is located in an area called North Pole Dome. Despite the name, this isn’t where Santa lives. It’s an arid, hot, ochre-stained landscape.
The sun sets on the arid landscape of North Pole Dome in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Alec Brenner
The first report on the new crater claimed it formed 3.5 billion years ago, and was more than 100 kilometres in diameter. It was proposed that such a large impact might have played a role in forming continental crust in the Pilbara. More speculatively, the researchers also suggested it may have influenced early life.
Our study concludes the impact actually happened much later, sometime after 2.7 billion years ago. This is at least 800 million years younger than the earlier estimate (and we think it’s probably even younger; more on that in a moment).
We also determined the crater was much smaller – about 16km in diameter. In our view, this impact was too young and too small to have influenced continent formation or early life.
So how could two studies arrive at such different findings?
Subtle clues of an impact
The originally circular crater is deeply eroded, leaving only subtle clues on the landscape. However, among the rust-coloured basalts are unique telltale signs of meteorite impact: shatter cones.
Outcrop photo of shatter cones in basalt at the Miralga impact structure. The black pen cap is 5cm long. Alec Brenner
Shatter cones are distinctive fossilised imprints of shock waves that have passed through rocks. Their unique conical shapes form under brief but immense pressure where a meteorite strikes Earth.
Both studies found shatter cones, and agree the site is an ancient impact.
This new crater also needed a name. We consulted the local Aboriginal people, the Nyamal, who shared the traditional name for this place and its people: Miralga. The “Miralga impact structure” name recognises this heritage.
Determining the timing of the impact
The impact age was estimated by field observations, as neither study found material likely to yield an impact age by radiometric dating – a method that uses measurements of radioactive isotopes.
Both studies applied a geological principle called the law of superposition. This states that rock layers get deposited one on top of another over time, so rocks on top are younger than those below.
Example of the law of superposition, known as Hutton’s unconformity, at Siccar Point Scotland. The gently dipping layered rocks at the top left were deposited onto – and are therefore younger than – the nearly vertical layered rocks at the bottom right. Anne Burgess/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
The first group found shatter cones within and below a sedimentary layer known to have been deposited 3.47 billion years ago, but no shatter cones in younger rocks above this layer. This meant the impact occurred during deposition of the sedimentary layer.
Their observation seemed to be a “smoking gun” for an impact 3.47 billion years ago.
As it turns out, there was more to the story.
Our investigation found shatter cones in the same 3.47 billion-year-old rocks, but also in younger overlying rocks, including lavas known to have erupted 2.77 billion years ago.
Outcrop of shatter cones in 2.77-billion-year-old basalt at the Miralga impact structure. These lavas are the youngest rocks in the area we found to have shatter cones. They have distinctive holes (vesicles) representing trapped gas bubbles. The pen is 15cm long. Aaron Cavosie
The impact had to occur after the formation of the youngest rocks that contained shatter cones, meaning sometime after the 2.77-billion-year-old lavas.
At the moment, we don’t know precisely how young the crater is. We can only constrain the impact to have occurred between 2.7 billion and 400 million years ago. We’re working on dating the impact by isotopic methods, but these results aren’t yet in.
Smaller than originally thought
We made the first map showing where shatter cones are found. There are many hundreds over an area 6km across. From this map and their orientations, we calculate the original crater was about 16km in diameter.
A 16km crater is a far cry from the original estimate of more than 100km. It’s too small to have influenced the formation of continents or life. By the time of the impact, the Pilbara was already quite old.
Artist’s depiction looking northwest across the Pilbara, over the 16km-wide Miralga crater. The crater is shown 3km above the modern land surface to account for the deep erosion that has since erased it. The crater size is based on the distribution of shatter cones (inset). The cones point up and back towards the original ‘ground zero’ of the impact. Maps produced using Google Earth Studio. Alec Brenner
A new connection to Mars
Science is a self-policing sport. Claims of discovery are based on data available at the time, but they often require modification based on new data or observations.
While it’s not the world’s oldest, the Miralga impact is scientifically unique, as craters formed in basalt are rare. Most basalts there formed 3.47 billion years ago, making them the oldest shocked target rocks known.
Prior to impact, these ancient basalts had been chemically altered by seawater. Sedimentary rocks nearby also contain the earliest well-established fossils on Earth. Such rocks likely covered much of early Earth and Mars.
This makes the Miralga impact structure a playground for planetary scientists studying the cratered surface (and maybe early life) of Mars. It’s an easily accessible proving ground for Mars exploration instruments and imagery, right here on Earth.
Aaron J. Cavosie receives or has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the US National Science Foundation, and NASA.
Alec Brenner 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.
BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his participation in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and laundered the proceeds.
Gino Castillo, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 37 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Castillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Castillo was among 27 individuals charged, beginning in October 2022, in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. Castillo was charged, by indictment, on April 24, 2024. All 27 individuals have pleaded guilty; 22 have been sentenced.
The DTO distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, among other drugs, to individuals in the Lynn area. In May 2022, Castillo bought 500 pills containing fentanyl from members of the DTO for redistribution to others. In October 2022, Castillo was observed assisting a DTO leader, Lawrence Michael Nagle Jr., with moving into an apartment on Phillips Street in Salem where drugs would be stored. During a search at the Salem location on Oct. 25, 2022 counterfeit pills were located in a safe in the bedroom and hidden in the tank of a toilet.
Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr. pleaded guilty in April 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman, John O. Wray and Alexandra Amrhein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
66th WIPO General Assemblies, July 2025: UK Statement
UK Statement for the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies. Delivered by Mr. Adam Williams, Chief Executive and Comptroller-General of the UK’s Intellectual Property Office.
Thank you Chair.
The UK is pleased to be part of the 66th session of the WIPO Assemblies. We thank you, Chair, Ambassador Suescum, DG Tang, and the Secretariat for preparing this session.
We commend your positive leadership, DG, over the past four years. Systems like the PCT, Hague and Madrid remain essential for all UK businesses, providing cost-effective global IP protection. We value your commitment to keeping these services central to WIPO’s work.
The UK welcomes WIPO’s responsible and prudent financial management, which is especially important in these uncertain times. This General Assembly has several challenging issues to discuss ahead, including WIPO’s program and budget. We encourage all delegations to work towards consensus.
The UK applauds the adoption of the design law and genetic resources treaties last year, clear proof that multilateralism and IP can deliver meaningful progress. We are pleased to announce our intention to sign the Design Law Treaty this week, supporting global designers and small businesses.
We strongly support efforts to build a more inclusive IP system, especially programs for women, youth, and underrepresented groups and initiatives like the Global Entrepreneurship Empowerment.
Looking ahead, with just 17% of SDG targets on track, we welcome WIPO GREEN’s expansion, and the growing recognition of IP’s role in tackling climate change. The UK was pleased to sign a MoU with WIPO Green last year and have since joined its Board to deepen collaboration.
We also value WIPO’s work on IP and frontier technologies and encourage deeper collaboration with Geneva-based partners and global initiatives like the UN Global Digital Compact and AI for Good.
Finally, we thank the Secretariat for its report on assistance for Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sector (document A/66/8). While Ukraine faces an unprecedented level of Russian attacks on its towns and cities, wreaking horrific damage on its people and its creative industries, we salute its resilience and innovation in the face of such criminality, and welcome the support provided by WIPO.
Chair, the UK remains committed to a WIPO that is efficient, inclusive and focused on delivering for global innovators and creators.
The 2025 President’s Circle Reception was part of the annual meeting and hosted by AIMBE President, Lola Eniola-Adefeso, Ph.D. The event brought together AIMBE Fellows and supporters to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in advancing AIMBE’s mission of advocacy for medical and biological engineering.
Each year, a leader from AIMBE, or the broader medical and biological engineering community, is invited to serve as the designated honored guest. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin of UConn was invited because of his exceptional leadership in biomedical engineering, and his pioneering work in regenerative engineering. His presence highlighted the importance of continued advocacy and engagement at the highest levels of science and policy.
AIMBE is the authoritative voice and advocate for the value of medical and biological engineering to society.
Laurencin is the University Professor at UConn and the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is the CEO of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named in his honor at UConn.
Laurencin is a fellow of AIMBE and previously served on its board of directors. He served as chair of the College of Fellows for AIMBE. He received the Pierre Galletti Award, the highest honor of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. More recently, Laurencin received the Professional Impact Award for Leadership from AIMBE recognizing his work as the founder of the field of Regenerative Engineering.
In 2025, he has received the Paul Terasaki Innovation Award from the Paul Terasaki Foundation, and the Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award. He will receive the Dickson Prize in Medicine this year. Many of the Dickson Prize awardees have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize.
Laurencin was bestowed Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lucia, under the auspices of King Charles III of England by the Governor General of Saint Lucia. He is recognized as the leading international figure in polymeric biomaterials chemistry and engineering who has made extraordinary scientific contributions and with profound contributions to improving human health.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Millions of households to be given income boost as Bill progresses through Parliament
Nearly 4 million households will see an annual income boost estimated to be worth £725 cash as a Bill to overhaul the welfare system completes the next stage of its passage through Parliament.
Bill to introduce biggest permanent boost to out-of-work support since 1980 progresses through Parliament.
Legislation will remove perverse disincentives to work that exist in the welfare system while protecting 200,000 of those with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are not expected to ever be able to work.
Alongside the Bill, disabled people and those with health conditions will have legal protections to try work without fear of reassessment.
Reforms to the welfare system aimed at improving living standards across the country and breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Nearly 4 million households will see an annual income boost estimated to be worth £725 cash as a Bill to overhaul the welfare system completes the next stage of its passage through Parliament.
For the first time ever, the Universal Credit standard allowance will permanently rise above inflation, amounting to £725 by 2029/30 in cash terms for a single person aged 25 or over.
This is the highest permanent real terms increase to the main rate of out-of-work support since 1980, according to the IFS.
Reforms set out in the Universal Credit Bill will look to rebalance the core payment and health top up in Universal Credit (UC). This will address the fundamental imbalance in the system which creates perverse incentives that drive people into dependency.
The Bill, which will legislate to make these changes, today successfully cleared the House of Commons. It will now be introduced into the House of Lords to continue its passage through Parliament towards Royal Assent.
Alongside these changes, we have published significant new measures, giving people receiving health and disability benefits the right to try work without fear of reassessment.
The new Right to Try Guarantee enshrines this in law for the first time and includes disabled people and people with health conditions – such as those recovering from illness – who want to return to work now their health has improved.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
Our reforms are built on the principle of fairness, fixing a system that for too long has left people trapped in a cycle of dependence.
We are giving extra support to millions of households across the country, while offering disabled people the chance to work without fear of the repercussions if things don’t work out.
These reforms will change the lives of people across the country, so they have a real chance for a better future.
As part of our commitment to protect the most vulnerable and severely disabled, 200,000 in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are unlikely to recover – will not be called for a UC reassessment.
All existing recipients of the UC health element and new customers with 12 months or less to live or who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will also see their standard allowance combined with their UC health element rise at least in line with inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30.This means they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them.
We are also putting disabled people at the heart of a ministerial review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment led by Disability Minister Stephen Timms and co-produced with disabled people, along with the organisations that represent them, experts, MPs and other stakeholders – making sure it is fair and fit for the future.
We will be engaging widely over the summer to design the process for the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.
These reforms are underpinned by a major investment in employment support for sick and disabled people – worth £3.8 billion over the Parliament. Funding will be brought forward for tailored employment, health and skills support to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into work as part of our Pathways to Work guarantee.
This investment will accelerate the pace of new investments in employment support programmes, building on and learning from successes such as the Connect to Work programme, which are already rolling out to provide disabled people and people with health conditions with one-to-one support at the point when they feel ready to work.
The reforms build on the Get Britain Working White Paper that will overhaul Jobcentres, empower Mayors and local leaders to tackle inactivity, and deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, as part of the Government’s ambition to deliver an 80% employment rate.
Further information
The Universal Credit standard allowance is set to be around £250 higher than an inflation only increases.
The UC Bill legislates for:
Rebalancing of UC health and standard elements to address the fundamental imbalance in the system which creates perverse incentives that drive people into dependency through:
Increasing the UC standard allowance above inflation for the next four years – worth an estimated £725 by 2029/30 for a single adult aged 25 or over.
Reducing the health top-up for new claims to £50 per week from April 2026.
Ensuring that all existing recipients of the UC health element – and any new claimant meeting the Severe Conditions Criteria and/or that has their claims considered under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) – will receive the higher UC health payment after April 2026.
Exemptions from reassessment for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions.
Government action to speed up compensation for LGBT veterans
LGBT military personnel who faced dismissal, discharge or mistreatment due to their sexuality while serving between 1967 and 2000 will receive financial support faster following improvements to the Government’s financial recognition scheme.
Increase in dedicated staff will accelerate applications and process payments faster
New automated payment system is being built to eliminate processing delays and administrative bottlenecks
Financial recognition scheme will provide support for LGBT military personnel who faced dismissal, discharge or mistreatment while serving between 1967 – 2000.
LGBT military personnel who faced dismissal, discharge or mistreatment due to their sexuality while serving between 1967 and 2000 will receive financial support faster following improvements to the Government’s financial recognition scheme.
The UK Government has increased dedicated staff by adding a further five workers, almost doubling the size of the existing team, to accelerate application reviews and process payments more quickly. The expanded team will focus on expediting the creation of applicant case files and processing of applications.
To address processing concerns, the Government is also introducing two other key measures as part of its efforts to ensure veterans receive timely recognition for past injustices:
An automated payments system is being built to streamline the process, significantly reducing administrative bottlenecks and minimising errors. This system will ensure payments are made accurately and promptly once approved.
Independent Panel sittings will double to two per week to accelerate the review of cases requiring assessment, particularly for those seeking recognition payments of up to £20,000 for harm experienced beyond dismissal or discharge.
The Government remains driven to ensure every recommendation of Lord Etherton’s review is fully implemented. As of July 2025, Defence has completed 42 of the 49 recommendations and two other remaining recommendations will be completed by the end of the year.
This action demonstrates the Government’s Plan for Change in practice – delivering on the commitment to strengthen national security by ensuring we maintain the trust and confidence of all those who serve our country.
Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns MP, said
We deeply regret the treatment of LGBT serving personnel between 1967 and 2000 which was wholly unacceptable.
We have been prioritising payments to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible.
We’re taking decisive action to ensure LGBT veterans receive the recognition they deserve by increasing staff resources, implementing an automated payment system, and doubling panel reviews.
This scheme acknowledges the sacrifices of those who faced discrimination while serving. I urge all affected veterans to apply through the GOV.UK portal as we remain fully committed to implementing Lord Etherton’s recommendations, and righting these historic wrongs, as part of our Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who have served.
The further support for LGBT Veterans comes off the back of the government’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who have served.
The scheme, launched by the Government in December, goes beyond financial recognition – it also acknowledges the sacrifices and injustices faced by LGBT veterans and ensures their experiences are recognised and valued. This can include, but not limited to, having a restoration of rank, letters of apologies, among other forms of recognition.
All veterans affected by the ban while serving between 1967 and 2000 are urged to read the guidance and apply via the Veterans of the LGBT Ban: Financial Recognition Scheme page on GOV.UK.
FAMILIES looking for a low-cost day out this summer should check out what’s on in Leicester’s children’s centres, libraries and museums.
As schools prepare to close for the long break, the city council is getting ready to open its venues for a summer of affordable fun, with the chance to explore a heritage building, ride on a steam train or meet some mini beasts amongst the ideas on offer.
Events coming up at Leicester’s museums include a Roman activity day at Newarke Houses Museum (Weds 16 July), Toy Time Fun at the Guildhall (Thurs 17 July) and an opportunity to Meet the Police at a community fun day, also at the Guildhall, on Tuesday 22 July.
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery is offering a series of free activities inspired by Elmer & Friends: The Colourful World of David McKee, its free summer exhibition, including an opportunity to make a story book on Friday 18 July.
Abbey Pumping Station will be running its popular Railway Days every Tuesday throughout the summer holidays, with rides on the narrow gauge railway costing just 50p from Tuesday 15 July.
Some events at the city’s museums must be booked in advance and charges may apply, so please check the website for details. Tickets bought online are always offered at a discounted rate.
Leicester’s libraries also have a full programme of events this summer, with the opportunity to be an eco-explorer, make beads from coloured paper or design a plant pot amongst the many free activities on offer.
There will also be story-telling, with author Catherine Ward reading from her book, By The Beaver Pool, at St Barnabas Library on Monday 28 July, and a free four-week course at the Central Library for youngsters who’d like to learn the art of storytelling (booking required for both activities).
Details of all the free and low-cost activities taking place at city council venues and other city centre locations are available at families.leicester.gov.uk/summer-fun
Listings are provided for each week of the school holidays, making it easy for families to find a free or low-cost activity in Leicester this summer.
Users and customers of Dornoch Service Point are being advised by The Highland Council that the way in which services are being delivered at the Service Point is changing.
From Monday 4 August, customers will be able to:
access pay, report and request services through a dedicated direct phone line in the library to a service specialist team.
arrange appointments on request for registration (births, deaths, marriages) or general council services.
buy Citylink bus tickets from library staff.
receive advice and signposting from library staff.
Since 2019, there has been a fall in customers using the service point in Dornoch by over 50% and the service therefore needs to be delivered in a different way.
On average, there are now only 17 pay, report or request transactions per week. 90% of all births and deaths are now done by choice over the telephone rather than in the office.
The changes will take place from Monday 4 August when new ways of working will begin. This means that services will be available during library opening times.
The freephone facility to access Pay, Report and Request transactions will be available during office opening hours (Monday to Friday 9-5).
Services will be delivered in partnership with High Life Highland.
Service Point users will still be able to purchase CityLink bus Tickets from High Life Highland.
In person appointments can be requested via the Council’s Golspie office where a member of staff will attend in Dornoch for a pre-agreed appointment.
To register a birth or death, appointments will be made as they currently are via the Council’s registration offices. People will continue to have a choice whether they wish to do this in person or over the telephone.
Scotland must make it clear – Trump is not welcome here.
More in External Affairs
The President of the United States and convicted criminal Donald Trump is set to visit Scotland later this month, according to latest reports.
The US President was found guilty of 34 felonies in 2023 relating to falsified business records, after he paid $130,000 in hush money to cover up an affair with an American porn star. Trump also has dozens of sexual assault allegations against him dating back to the 1970’s.
The Scottish Greens have long called for an investigation into Donald Trump’s finances in Scotland through an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO).
A UWO is a power held by the Scottish Government to investigate the finances of politically active individuals who have gained wealth through suspicious means. Given Donald Trump’s Menie Estate golf course, which he is set to visit this month, was cited in one of his felony charges, it’s now clearer than ever that a UWO must be used.
“There is no way that Donald Trump should be welcomed to Scotland. He is a convicted felon and political extremist who has shown a complete lack of respect for human rights and democracy in America and around the world.
“His Vice President has attacked the democratic system of Scotland when he lied about a bill my colleague Gillian Mackay passed and his former billionaire bestie Elon Musk has spread misinformation about our country online, as well as other far right conspiracy theories.
“At home, Donald Trump has sent troops onto the streets to threaten his own citizens, he is constructing a concentration camp in Florida and he has underfunded crucial services which have already cost the lives of working-class people.
“Not to mention his contempt for international law by welcoming Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netenyahu to Washington D.C. – a man who has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes – and celebrating the collective punishment of innocent civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.
“I am urging the SNP Government to make it clear that Trump is not welcome in Scotland. Because I am sure that on the streets of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and anywhere else he may go, the people of Scotland will make it clear that Donald Trump is not welcome here.”
The President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Jürg Lauber (Switzerland), has announced the appointment of Mr. Max du Plessis of South Africa to serve as an independent member of the Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mr. du Plessis replaces Ms. Shaheen Sardar Ali of Pakistan on the three-member investigative panel and joins Ms. Sara Hossain of Bangladesh and Ms. Viviana Krsticevic of Argentina. Ms. Hossain serves as chair of the Fact-Finding Mission.
The Human Rights Council established the Fact-Finding Mission with resolution S-35/1 of 24 November 2022, adopted at a special session, to “investigate alleged human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022, especially with respect to women and children”. The three-person Mission was further requested to “establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and collect, consolidate and analyse evidence of such violations and preserve evidence, including in view of cooperation in any legal proceedings”.
The mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission was subsequently extended for one year with resolution 55/19 of 4 April 2024 entitled “Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
In April 2025, with its resolution 58/21, the Council extended the Fact-Finding Mission’s mandate for an additional year and expanded its scope to, among other things, thoroughly and independently monitor and investigate allegations of recent and ongoing serious human rights violations in Iran. This resolution requests the Fact-Finding Mission to present a report to the Human Rights Council at its 61st session in February/March 2026, and to present an oral update, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, to the United Nations General Assembly at its 80th session (2025-2026).
Mr. du Plessis is a South African barrister and academic whose career has been characterised by his involvement on justice and human rights issues. He has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of South Africa and the University of Natal (South Africa), completed his Master of Laws at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) and completed his PhD studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa).
His legal career began in 2000 when he became an advocate at the High Court of South Africa. His expertise in international, administrative, and constitutional law lead to a role as a senior research fellow in the International Crime in Africa Programme at the Institute for Security Studies. Mr. du Plessis has practiced law in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and has been a visiting expert at the International Criminal Court.
Throughout his career Mr. du Plessis has been an adjunct professor at the University of Cape Town and Nelson Mandela University. He also served as a visiting professor at Law Futures Centre, Griffith University (Australia), Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford (United Kingdom), St. John’s College, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), the London School of Economics (United Kingdom), Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University (United States), and others.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Plymouth City Council has approved a £2 million capital programme to carry out urgent and essential repairs across its estate — a major step forward in improving the safety, condition, and long-term sustainability of the city’s public buildings.
The Council’s estate includes more than 240 buildings across 135 sites — from civic offices and libraries to depots, public toilets, and heritage buildings. Many of these are ageing and complex to maintain, with some dating back hundreds of years.
The new Facilities Management (FM) Capital Programme means the Council can get on with urgent repairs more quickly, with a single pot of funding that allows the team to prioritise the most important work and speed up the procurement process. It also helps the Council plan better, buy smarter, and make the most of every pound spent.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities, said: “This investment is about making sure our buildings are safe, functional, and fit for the future. We know there have been challenges in how we’ve managed our estate, and this is a clear sign of our commitment to doing better — for our staff, our residents, and our city.”
The investment comes at a time when local authorities across the country are facing significant financial pressures. Reduced government funding and rising costs in the construction and maintenance sectors have made it increasingly difficult to keep up with the demands of a large and ageing estate.
Despite these challenges, the Council has already begun delivering a wide-ranging improvement programme in FM. This includes: • Investment in better systems and data collection and management to support planned maintenance. • Recruitment plan for a new leadership team, including a permanent Head of FM, Hard FM Operational Manager, Fire Safety Advisor, Building Asset Manager, Contracts Manager • FM Service Structure that supports the delivery of the service. • Compliance audit across the estate
The £2 million programme will be overseen by a new FM Governance Board, with clear criteria for prioritising works and ensuring transparency.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Work begins at state-of-the-art weather centre headquarters
Construction has begun on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, marked by a breaking ground ceremony on Wednesday 9 July.
Left to right: Jonathan Richards – Project Director, Mace, Andy Brown – Director of Research, ECMWF, Mark Bourgeois – CEO, the GPA, Lord Vallance – Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Penny Endersby, CEO of the Met Office and President of the ECMWF Council and Professor Van De Noort CBE – Vice Chancellor, University of Reading
Construction has begun on a new cutting-edge facility for meteorological research and forecasting, marked by a breaking ground ceremony.
The event took place today (July 9) at the site of the new headquarters for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) at the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus, led by Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Also in attendance were key stakeholders in the project including ECMWF Directors, Penny Endersby, CEO of the Met Office and President of ECMWF Council, Mark Bourgeois, CEO at the Government Property Agency (GPA) which is delivering the scheme, and representatives of the University of Reading, Mace – design and build construction partners, project advisors AtkinsRéalis and BDP – the architects.
Construction of the modern, accessible and highly sustainable headquarters, which is being funded through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), is expected to be ready for occupation in early 2027.
ECMWF will move from its existing premises in Reading, where it has been for half a century, to the new headquarters. Once operational the building will accommodate up to 300 scientists and staff to support world-leading work on all aspects of weather prediction systems, forecast production and research into climate change. The state-of-the-art facility will support the use of the latest advances made in areas such as data assimilation, earth system modelling, predictability and reanalysis to improve weather predictions and understanding of climate.
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said:
The UK is proud to continue to host the headquarters of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. This state-of-the-art facility places the UK at the heart of international efforts that are helping us to make better sense of our weather and climate.
By improving our weather predictions we can optimise our energy consumption estimates, adjust transport schedules effectively and give our farmers time to prepare for extreme weather – helping people and businesses to save money, cut energy use and stay safe.
With the university’s Department of Meteorology and parts of the UK Met Office, National Environment Research Council (NERC) National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences and NERC National Centre for Earth Observation all currently located within the university – and now the new ECMWF HQ – means the town of Reading is home to an exceptional cluster of weather, climate research and operational forecasting facilities.
Florence Rabier, ECMWF Director General said:
After 50 years at Shinfield Park in Reading, we are pleased that this move to state-of-the-art sustainable premises will provide excellent facilities for our staff and visitors, and bring us even closer to many colleagues at the university.
ECMWF is an intergovernmental organisation with 35 member and cooperating states that have built a strong international collaboration with each of these countries’ meteorological services. As well as traditional numerical weather prediction and research, together with our member and cooperating states, we are spearheading the artificial intelligence/machine learning revolution in weather science for the benefit and protection of citizens.
Mark Bourgeois, the GPA’s CEO said:
It is a landmark occasion to get construction underway of this new facility, which has been designed to industry-leading net zero carbon standards. This project is a perfect example of cross-government collaboration which will deliver a modern, inspirational and energy-efficient headquarters for ECMWF’s forecasting, research and training functions, retaining a world-leading scientific organisation and attracting long-term investment into the region.
It’s another milestone for us at the GPA to deliver smart, modern, sustainable and digitally connected workplaces that focus on supporting productivity and wellbeing.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
PM remarks at the British Museum: 9 July 2025
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks at the British Museum.
It’s really fantastic to see you here and to just really take in this incredible place that is the British Museum, a world-class institution, which I’m really proud to say is also right in the heart of my constituencies, so welcome to my manor.
Mr President, Emmanuel, Mrs Macron, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, you’re very, very welcome here and it is fantastic to see you. We have thousands of visitors here every day from all over the globe to admire the Museum’s incredible collection of world history all around us here, every single day. So it’s a real pleasure to welcome two special sets of guests this afternoon, our brilliant French guests and friends who are all here, but also young people representing the next generation and that is so important as we contemplate our history because I know just how important access to the arts, to culture and history is for the next generation.
Its potential to spark the imagination. There’ll be very many people who come here and have their imagination sparked and that has put a light on for them and for so many other people to transform young people’s lives by bringing history and culture and art into it. And opening their eyes to new possibilities and opportunities and encourage them to reach the full extent of their ambitions and their talents. So no matter where you’re from or who you are, it’s here to bring us together to remind us of our shared history but also the common bonds that endure across languages, across borders and cultures – and that’s what today is all about, making sure that everyone can appreciate our incredible history, inviting young people to bridge our past and our future and igniting the passions and the talent of the next generation.
And we are celebrating a brilliant initiative today. Everybody is walking around here with a smile on their face and when the President yesterday announced to both Houses what was going to be happening here there was a great cheer went up and that was representative I think of how this is being felt across the entire country.
It is a brilliant initiative because what Emmanuel, my friend, announced yesterday, this cultural exchange between our two nations, two of the great treasures of our history, the priceless artefacts of Sutton Hoo, which we’ve just been to see upstairs, absolutely incredible story, incredible artefacts. And the Bayeux Tapestry, which means so much and again the smiles as people saw just the depiction on the wall behind me as we walked in tells you just how much this means. Because for Sutton Hoo 1,300 years ago in East Anglia, a wealthy man, we don’t know who it was, probably a King, was buried in a lavish funeral ceremony, an Anglo-Saxon era that of course was put to an end 300 years later by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings, but it is an incredible piece of history that we have here just imagining what that must have been like changing our perception of that era of history frankly and bringing so much learning to us, and of course the Battle of Hastings illustrated by the remarkable Bayeux Tapestry – the beginning of a thousand years of shared culture that is now defined by mutual admiration and kinship, as well of course by some healthy competition as anyone who was watching the Euros on Saturday will attest, but that history, that long history forms the foundation of the European continent as we know it today. Now both these treasures contain stories of war and of peace, of power and of politics, alliances and enemies that we still know all too well in our modern world. They show us how connected our countries have always been, they deepen our appreciation of our shared history and enrich the relationship between our two nations today because we are now entering a new era of world history, a time of huge change and turmoil that has led to insecurity for so many people and in this new world our alliances are in my view more important than ever.
The strength and solidarity of countries that share the same values, the same aims, the same hope for the future so just as we stood together in the last century to bring peace to Europe and it was a real privilege, Emmanuel, to mark Armistice Day in France, walking with you the same route as Churchill and de Gaulle once walked. Thank you so much again for that invitation to be there at that very special moment and today the UK is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with France leading the coalition of the willing to support Ukraine, as well of course us working together to call for a sustainable peace in the Middle East. And at home we’re working together for our shared security and prosperity, creating jobs and growth for our people, tackling irregular migration, strengthening our defences to protect Europe from any threats, growing our economies and collaborating on the technologies of the future, and forging closer connections between our peoples with this cultural exchange, giving people across Britain the chance to admire a Bayeux Tapestry, and there will be so many people who will want to come here to see that as soon as they can, and people across France to enjoy the treasures of ancient England. Well timed for the thousandth anniversary of William the Conqueror’s birth in 2027, so as we look back together today we are also inspired to look forward towards the future and remember that it is for us to write our own chapter of history now as two nations who forged peace, made our people better off and remain the strongest of allies and the closest of friends and on that note it is a pleasure to welcome my friend, Mr President, Emmanuel, to speak to you today.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
DfT issues warning about scam text messages asking people to pay fines
People receiving text messages claiming to be from DfT should not click on any links or share financial details.
The Department for Transport is aware of text messages claiming to be from the department asking people to pay fines for outstanding traffic tickets.
This is a scam and was not sent by the department.
Do not click on the link or share personal and financial details.
If you have received this text or a similar one, please report it to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk or by forwarding it for free to 7726.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM meeting with President Macron of France: 9 July 2025
The Prime Minister met the French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street.
The Prime Minister met the French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street this afternoon.
They reflected on the State Visit of the President so far, agreeing that it had been an important representation of the deep ties between our two countries.
Moving on to discuss joint working, they shared their desire to deepen our partnership further – from joint leadership in support of Ukraine to strengthening our defence collaboration and increasing bilateral trade and investment.
The Prime Minister welcomed the news that EDF would take a 12.5% stake in Sizewell C leading to lower bills, more jobs and better energy security for the UK.
The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions.
The Prime Minister spoke of his government’s toughening of the system in the past year to ensure rules are respected and enforced, including a massive surge in illegal working arrests to end the false promise of jobs that are used to sell spaces on boats.
The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs.
Finally, they looked ahead to the 37th UK-France Summit taking place tomorrow and agreed to aim for concrete progress on these areas.
To many, the resurgence came as a surprise. The anti-fur movement, especially influential in the 1980s, continues to shape perceptions of fur. In the 2010s, cities including New York and Los Angeles banned the use of fur to make clothes. The UK meanwhile banned the farming of fur-bearing animals, and, alongside the EU, has committed itself to legislating against all fur imports.
Just last year the town of Worthing, in England, debated whether their mayor should wear ceremonial robes trimmed with fur or not. Despite these trends, many young people have embraced the renewed trend of wearing real fur.
Some clothes made from animal skins became popular during the counter-cultural movement of the 1960s, but historically, fur has mostly marked status, wealth and luxury. Today, many critics interpret fur’s return to fashion as a cultural expression of rightwing politics.
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Fur clothing is a reminder of the moral tensions between need and desire, and luxury and excess. In addition to being inter-generational, these debates are also about gender. For much of the 20th century, fur coats symbolised femininity, erotic power and class position in the west. But by the 1980s, advertising campaigns depicted women who wore fur as either stupid and unthinking or thinking and unspeakably cruel, leading many to jettison it.
Anti-fur protests were held across the US in 1994.
Fur’s return to fashion has injected old debates with new significance. Some young people are willing to wear faux fur because it does not involve killing animals. But others argue that, because it is made from synthetic material, faux fur is actually more environmentally damaging and prefer to wear the real thing. They claim that wearing vintage fur is a form of “sustainable consumption” but are challenged by those who argue that this fashion trend ultimately justifies killing animals to make clothes.
The boom boom trend is said to embody a contemporary expression of 1980s “conspicuous consumerism”, but in an era of economic austerity the adoption of fur by young people suggests the clothes they wear identify their desires rather than their financial reality.
A global history of fur
Today, as in the 1980s, the perspectives, interests and experiences of non-Europeans are often unheard in debates around fur. A decline of fur-bearing animal populations in North America and Siberia from the early 19th century, led to a global expansion in fur farming.
From the 1850s, for example, Central Asia supplied furs to Europe and North America. Local artisans cured the pelts of karakul lambs – a native breed – to yield a rich and glossy fur. In central and south Asia, men of high status wore karakul hats; in Europe and America, they were mostly used to make women’s coats.
After the Russian revolution of 1917, many nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists, who raised sheep and other animals, left central Asia and moved with their flocks to neighbouring Afghanistan. The trade in karakul fur grew in the country, and foreign currency reserves came to depend on lambskins sold at auctions in London and New York.
In the 1960s, sheepskin coats made in Afghanistan – known as “Afghans” – became popular in the west, being worn by stars including Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. The 1969 British edition of Vogue featured an interview with an icon of “oriental chic”, the “beautiful, dashing, intelligent, adventurous” Afghan socialite, Safia Tarzi, who lived in Paris, and ran a boutique clothing shop in Kabul.
The Afghan coat enjoyed a resurgence in 2000 having been worn by the character Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) in the film Almost Famous.
In the 1980s, the anti-fur campaign contributed to a declining market for karakul. For decades, rumours of Central Asian shepherds extracting lambs from the wombs of sheep to ensure a steady yield of delicate pelts had circulated. Moral opposition to the practice was not confined to the west.
During my research on globally dispersed activists, intellectuals and merchants from Afghanistan, a man from Afghanistan, now based in London, told me that his father banned his family from wearing karakul hats because sheep and their lambs were treated cruelly.
In the 1990s, civil war destroyed much of the infrastructure of the karakul industry in Afghanistan, but a trickle of pelts reached auction houses located in Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Helsinki.
In the 2000s, international development organisations attempted to revive the trade, though sales never returned to anyway near the levels of the 1970s. By the 2010s, families in northern Afghanistan struggling economically opted to send sons to travel illegally to Turkey to find work as shepherds for commercially oriented Turkish farmers.
Promotional videos of fashion houses occasionally touch on the Penny Lane coat’s ties to Afghanistan, but media coverage of fur fashions rarely address its historical connections to central Asia.
Magnus Marsden received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council including for the research upon which this article is based.
England footballer Lucy Bronze recently said in an interview that “cycle syncing” gives her an edge on the pitch. This practice involves aligning your training schedule to the different phases of your menstrual cycle.
Cycle syncing has become increasingly popular in recent years – especially among athletes who are looking to get an edge over the competition. Even Chelsea women’s football team have put this new approach to use, tailoring training schedules according to each player’s menstrual cycle.
For the average person, tailoring your workouts to your menstrual cycle is probably not going to have much of an impact. But for a professional athlete such as Bronze, cycle syncing could be a gamechanging strategy in shaping her elite performance.
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The menstrual cycle begins and ends with menstruation (a period). While the length of the menstrual cycle varies for each person, it’s usually around 28 days.
The menstrual cycle is underpinned by fluctuations in levels of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone. This is why the cycle is divided into three key phases: early follicular, late follicular and the luteal phase.
The early follicular phase usually lasts around seven days and begins with the start of your period. This is when hormone levels are at their lowest.
The late follicular phase follows on from the first seven days, and is where ovulation happens – usually around day 14 of the cycle, though this will depend on cycle length. Ovulation is when the egg is released and you’re at your most fertile.
After that comes the luteal phase (lasting around 12-14 days), when progesterone peaks to prepare the body for pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t happen, hormones drop and the cycle begins again.
It’s no secret that mood and energy levels can shift – sometimes significantly – throughout the menstrual cycle. This is why some female athletes have begun using cycle syncing. By tailoring training schedules to match hormonal fluctuations, women are gaining a deeper understanding of their bodies and the symptoms they experience throughout each phase – empowering them to train smarter, not harder.
Bronze said the strategy has transformed her performance, saying that during certain phases of her cycle she feels “physically capable of more and can train harder”.
Despite these testimonials, scientists are yet to reach a definitive conclusion on how the menstrual cycle affects athletic performance.
So far, there’s some suggestion that there may be a slight dip in performance (specifically to strength and endurance) during the early follicular phase. However, these effects are minimal – and highly dependent on the person. It’s also not entirely clear what mechanisms underpin these small performance dips that some women experienced.
Other research suggests that certain aspects of the neuromuscular system (the network of nerves and muscles that make movement possible) – specifically how our muscles generate force – is altered during the luteal phase. Research has also found that certain muscles may fatigue less quickly during this phase as well.
This implies that during the luteal phase, there may be changes in signals from the brain and spinal cord to the skeletal muscles. However, no changes in the neuromuscular function have been observed.
Part of the reason it’s so difficult for researchers to gather enough evidence to draw firm conclusions on the menstrual cycle’s potential effects on athletic performance is because of the huge variability in menstrual cycle characteristics, which makes it difficult to study. Phase length, hormone levels and symptoms can differ widely between women – and even from cycle to cycle.
The small effects seen in these studies will have little effect on how most of us train or exercise. But for an elite athlete, these minuscule differences could have an effect on their training and competition, which may be why so many are willing to give the practice a try.
So while it isn’t entirely clear how much influence certain menstrual cycle phases have on performance, how you feel during different phases could certainly affect your ability to train at your best.
Around 77% of female athletes experience negative symptoms in the days leading up to and during menstruation. Fatigue, feeling less motivated and even experiencing digestive issues such as bloating and nausea, could all affect your ability to train at your best.
Trying cycle syncing
If you’re still interested in giving cycle syncing a try to see if it has any effect for you, the best place to start is by tracking your menstrual cycle. This will help you understand your body, how you feel in each phase of your cycle and what effect certain symptoms have on your training.
It’s recommended you track your cycle for at least three months before making any changes to your training to establish a baseline and spot trends over time.
For example, if you notice you often feel fatigued when training in your luteal phase, it may help to focus on ensuring you fuel well with carbohydrates before and during workouts. Or on days where you feel more energetic and motivated to train, you might be able to push yourself a bit harder in your workouts.
Whether you’re playing for England in the Euros or simply working towards your own fitness goals, understanding your cycle can help you train smarter, manage your symptoms better and stay consistent with your training.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
What does it mean to save a life – and what does it cost? In The Story of a Heart, Rachel Clarke answers this not with slogans or sentiment, but with quiet, searing honesty. This book, which won this year’s Women’s prize for non-fiction, is about organ donation, yes, but it’s also about family, grief, love, courage, and the astonishing edges of human experience.
At its centre are two children: Max Johnson, a healthy, active nine-year-old whose heart suddenly begins to fail, and Keira Ball, another nine-year-old – vibrant, horse-loving, full of life who tragically dies in a car accident. In a moment of unimaginable grief, Keira’s parents donate her organs. Her heart goes to Max.
A child dies. A child lives.
That is the simple, brutal, beautiful truth this book never looks away from. But Clarke does more than tell the story of heart. She immerses us in it – every breath, every monitor beep, every unbearable choice.
I read this as a health services researcher who has spent years working in the emotionally complex, ethically charged, and often hidden world of organ donation. My work explores how families navigate these unimaginable scenarios, particularly in the context of recent legislative change. Clarke’s account captures, with rare precision and compassion, the silences, the emotional labour of clinicians, and the profound weight of choice that families like Keira’s carry.
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As both a doctor and a mother, Clarke brings sensitivity to every page. We feel Max’s steady decline: the exhaustion, the fear, the silence that descends as even the doctors grow unsure. We witness Keira’s final hours, the heroic efforts to save her, and the moments where unbearable grief oscillates between hope and despair, eventually giving way to a different kind of gift.
There are no easy heroes in this story, only ordinary people facing the unthinkable with extraordinary grace. Clarke brings them to life with aching clarity: the cardiologist who, in the dim light of a hospital room, sketches Max’s failing heart on a napkin so his mother can understand what words can’t explain; the ICU nurse who stays long after her shift ends, gently brushing the hair of a child who will never wake up; the donation nurse who enters a family’s darkest hour not with answers, but with quiet presence and unwavering care; the surgeon who steadies his hands – and his heart – when every second matters.
And in the chaos of resuscitation, amid alarms and broken bodies, a teddy bear is tucked beneath Keira’s arm: “Someone in the crash team has seen Keira not simply as a body, inert and unresponsive, but as a vulnerable child in need of compassion.”
The Story of a Heart is also a book about history. It’s not just about one child’s transplant, but about medicine, surgery, and the heart itself. Clarke weaves in the stories of early transplant pioneers, accidental discoveries, and the scientific stumbles and breakthroughs that built modern practice. She brings it all to life with a storyteller’s flair, making science feel intimate, alive, and deeply human.
What the heart means
What sets the heart apart, Clarke reminds us, is not just its function, but its symbolism. No other organ holds such emotional weight. “Hearts sing, soar, race, burn, break, bleed, swell, hammer and melt,” she writes. They are not just organs, they are vessels for our hopes, fears and deepest longings.
Clarke shows how, across history, the heart was seen as the source of emotion, morality – even the soul – and how that deep humanism still pulses through our language and culture today. We have our hearts broken, wear our hearts on our sleeves, and as Clarke puts it: “When trying to express our truest and most sincere selves, we do so by saying we speak from the heart, or about all that our heart desires.”
But what makes The Story of a Heart so exceptional is its emotional truth. Clarke never shies away from the pain. Max’s parents watch their son fade, terrified to even touch him. Keira’s father buys her a pink princess dress for her funeral. Max, wired to machines, records a goodbye message; we learn later he even tried to take his own life. And yet, there is light.
Keira’s sisters climb into bed with her, painting her nails and sliding Haribo sweet rings onto her fingers. Then comes a moment so clear, so quietly astonishing, it takes everyone’s breath away. Katelyn, Keira’s older sister, turns to the doctor and asks, with calm, steady eyes: “Can we donate her organs?”
This isn’t a clinical decision or a well-rehearsed conversation. It is an unprompted act of extraordinary love. These moments – fragile, generous, profoundly human – are the true beating heart of Clarke’s book.
From there, we are guided into a world so few know and even fewer ever witness: the quiet choreography that carries a gift of life from one person to another. What Katelyn sets in motion with just five words unfolds with such precision, that reading it feels like witnessing a kind of living magic.
The aftermath is just as moving. Max recovers quickly, walks again, laughs again. The two families meet. There are no big speeches, just quiet awe. And beyond that: a law is passed. Max and Keira’s Law brings in an opt-out system of donation in England. Two children. One legacy. A country changed.
And still, Clarke doesn’t let us forget the hard truths. Not every child survives. Not every family gets a miracle. Transplants are fragile. But in that fragility, she shows us, is the real miracle. Max goes fishing with his dad, the sky glows orange – Keira’s favourite colour. That is enough.
At the moment organ donation consent rates for children are declining in the UK, and there are more children on the transplant wait list than ever before. The Story of a Heart asks us to see the children, the families, and the quiet acts of love behind every donation. It’s a powerful reminder that the greatest gifts are often given in the darkest hours.
This book will break your heart – and fill it up again. It’s not just essential reading for anyone interested in organ donation and transplant. It’s essential reading for anyone who has ever loved.
This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.
Leah McLaughlin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
There has been long-standing public and clinical debate over the frequency and severity of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. Some reviews have argued they are common, severe, and often mistaken for relapse.
We invited journalists to the SMC last summer to hear details of a German meta-analysis of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms which suggested that one in six people experience one or more discontinuation symptoms when coming off antidepressants.
UK researchers have also been looking into this, with more of a focus on the nature of the discontinuation symptoms. This is particularly important in helping clinicians and patients identify them and to distinguish them from relapse. This analysis, published in JAMA Psychiatry, looked at additional RCT data as well as unpublished data from 11 trials which have never been included in a systematic review on this topic. It helps provide new insight into the specific type of discontinuation symptoms experienced, whether they vary by antidepressant, and is able to unpick which symptoms are most likely to be associated with antidepressant discontinuation.
The authors were at the SMC to explain their findings, how they fit into previous work on this topic, and discuss the clinical implications.
Speakers included:
Michail Kalfas, Research Assistant, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Dr Sameer Jauhar, Clinical Reader in Affective Disorders and Psychosis, Division of Psychiatry Imperial College London
Professor Allan Young, Head of Division and Clinical Chair in Academic Psychiatry, Imperial College London
Dr Gemma Lewis,Associate Professor in Epidemiology & Applied Clinical Research, University College London
This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of comments.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A cohort study published in JAMA Network Open looks at antibiotic use for UTIs during pregnancy (first trimester) and the risk of birth defects.
Dr Caroline Ovadia, Clinical Senior Lecturer & Honorary Consultant Obstetrician, University of Edinburgh,said:
“Antibiotic usage is common in pregnancy, and untreated urinary tract infections are thought to be associated with increased risks of pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth. Previous smaller studies have variably suggested that the antibiotic trimethoprim used in the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with increased risk of fetal development concerns, which may occur by its mechanism of action – trimethoprim can block the action of folic acid, which we know is important in early fetal development. This study reports results from a much larger group of patients, and shows that, for those given trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole as a combined antibiotic, the rate of congenital anomaly is very slightly higher – with approximately 1 out of every 145 more patients having a baby with a congenital anomaly than happens with those treated for a urinary tract infection with the penicillin group of antibiotics. This supports current practice recommendations to select alternative antibiotics in the first trimester of pregnancy (while organ development is happening for the fetus), and again the general principles of prescribing in pregnancy: to use the appropriate medication at the lowest effective dose for the shortest effective time. Reassuringly for patients, the antibiotic nitrofurantion was not found to be associated with higher risks of fetal anomalies when used in the first trimester for urinary tract infection treatment, which had been previously suggested in some evidence; similarly the absolute risk of congenital anomalies with antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection in pregnancy remains low, supporting the benefit of appropriate clinician-led treatment of urinary tract infection in pregnancy.”
‘First-Trimester Antibiotic Use for Urinary Tract Infection and Risk of Congenital Malformations’ by Osmundson et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 9th July.
DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.19544
Declared interests
Dr Carolina Ovadia “I have previously consulted for Mirum Pharmaceuticals and participated in research supported by Mirum Pharmaceutical funding, and been supported to attend scientific meetings by Dr Falk Pharma.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry looks at antidepressant withdrawal symptoms.
Dr Susannah Murphy, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, said:
“People taking antidepressants are understandably concerned about what might happen when they stop, particularly about the possibility of withdrawal symptoms. This study is an important contribution to the field, providing a comprehensive review of the current evidence on antidepressant discontinuation. Its strengths lie in the large amount of data analysed—over 50 studies representing more than 17,000 patients—and the useful comparison it makes between those stopping antidepressants and those in placebo group.
“The findings suggest that while some individuals may experience symptoms like dizziness, nausea, vertigo, or nervousness, the vast majority do not. This indicates it could be helpful for clinicians to inform patients about these potential effects, while also reassuring them that such symptoms are not common.
“It’s important to note that the studies included only measured discontinuation symptoms in the first two weeks after stopping medication, so we still need more research to understand how long these effects might last. The study was also not able to assess the severity of the symptoms, and this is important to consider in future studies”
Prof Katharina Domschke, Full Professor of Psychiatry and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Germany, said:
“The methodologically very robustly collected and analyzed data reported in the study by Henssler et al. (Lancet Psychiatry, 2024) is now supported by the present results published in JAMA Psychiatry, showing only small numbers of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms in some cases.
“The study is characterized by an excellent methodological quality being the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the topic to date including 50 studies, 38 of which had an observation period longer than two weeks, the critical time frame during which discontinuation symptoms are expected to occur. With over 17,000 participants, the analysis provides high statistical power. The results are stratified by different antidepressants and specific individual symptoms. Two sub-meta-analyses were conducted: one employing the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms (DESS) scale, which is the most established standardized instrument for assessing discontinuation symptoms; the other using various outcome parameters.
“An interesting aspect is the breakdown by individual antidepressants, with angomelatine and vortioxetine—the latter unfortunately no longer reimbursed by health insurance in Germany—showing a particularly favorable profile.
“The present study is very welcome in hopefully correcting worried patients’ impression that antidepressants could cause high rates of withdrawal symptoms as stated by a recent study by Horowitz et al. published in Psychiatry Res. 2025, which, however, is methodologically much weaker than the present one with only 310 patients included in a very specific primary care setting, a very poor response rate of 18% introducing a major bias, and no standardized quantitative outcome measure.
“It is possible that certain subgroups of patients experience more pronounced discontinuation symptoms than others. Future research efforts should focus on identifying the underlying biological and psychological mechanisms—for example, whether these patients metabolize the medications differently, possess a specific genetic background, or whether comorbidities and concomitant medications might account for these reactions.
“This new study is extremely welcome in terms of helping to destigmatize antidepressants. Along these lines, in light of the present results in synopsis with the ones reported by Henssler et al in Lancet Psychiatry in 2024, it is high time to stop referring to ‘withdrawal symptoms’ and instead use the term ‘discontinuation symptoms.’ The term ‘withdrawal’ is traditionally reserved for the context of substance dependence, which, in the case of antidepressants, is simply incorrect.”
Prof Christiaan Vinkers,Psychiatrist and Professor of Stress and Resilience, Amsterdam UMC, said:
“This is an important and timely study. The topic of antidepressant withdrawal has generated much discussion and concern, although sometimes more heat than light. This new systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry brings welcome clarity by using rigorous methods and placebo-controlled comparisons. The findings show that, on average, people who stop taking antidepressants experience about one additional discontinuation symptom, most often dizziness, compared to those continuing treatment or stopping placebo. Crucially, the overall symptom burden remained below the threshold for clinically significant withdrawal syndrome. The study also found no increase in depressive symptoms shortly after discontinuation, suggesting that early mood worsening is not a common withdrawal effect but more likely signals relapse.
“Importantly, the authors include unpublished trial data and take into account the nocebo effect, which may inflate perceived symptom rates in open-label studies or uncontrolled settings. This helps temper some of the more alarming claims about universal and severe withdrawal. At the same time, the study acknowledges limitations, including short treatment durations and lack of real-world tapering strategies in most included trials. We still need more data on long-term users, individual vulnerability, and best practices for discontinuation.
“Overall, this is high-quality research that strengthens the evidence base and promotes a more balanced and science-based understanding of antidepressant discontinuation. IIt reminds us that while withdrawal symptoms do occur in a minority of cases, they are on average typically not severe and manageable, especially with proper clinical support.”
‘Incidence and Nature of Antidepressant Discontinuation Symptoms, A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’ by Michail Kalfas et al. was published in JAMA Psychiatry at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 9th July.
DOI:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.1362
Declared interests
Dr Susannah Murphy: SEM has received consultancy fees from Zogenix, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, UCB Pharma and Janssen Pharmaceuticals and held grant income from Zogenix, UCB Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and ADM.
Prof Katharina Domschke: Speaker’s fees by Janssen
Member of the Neurotorium editorial board, Lundbeck Foundation
Prof Christiaan Vinkers: I am involved in publically ZonMW-funded research on antidepressant discontinuation, including the TEMPO and HARMONIE studies. I am affiliated with the antidepressant discontinuation outpatient clinic in Amsterdam (www.afbouwpoli.nl), and I serve as a member of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline committee on psychotropic drug discontinuation. I have received a speaker’s fee from Tiofarma, but no financial ties to pharmaceutical companies relevant to this work.
As Northern Ireland prepares for a spell of hot weather, the RNLI is urging families to enjoy themselves but to put safety first.
The RNLI is asking anyone planning a trip to the coast or inland waterways to make sure they keep themselves and their families safe by following this advice:
Visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flag.
Check the weather forecast, tide times and read local hazard signage to understand local risks.
Keep a close eye on your family – on the beach and in the water – don’t allow your family to swim alone.
If you fall into the water unexpectedly, Float to Live.
In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
RNLI lifeguards will be providing a daily patrol between 10am and 6pm on beaches at Benone, Downhill, Castlerock, Portstewart Strand, Portrush East and Portrush West Strands, Whiterocks and Ballycastle on the Causeway Coast and Tyrella, Cranfield and Murlough in County Down. Lifeguards are trained in casualty care and water rescue and will be on hand to offer water safety advice to the public and provide information on sea conditions that day.
Linda-Gene Byrne, RNLI Water Safety Lead, said: “We are expecting people to head to the coast during the hot weather, it is a great way to have fun, relax and cool off in high temperatures. Choosing a lifeguarded beach will mean our lifeguards can ensure you enjoy a safe visit. Please head to a lifeguarded beach, swim between flags. Remember where there are no flags, there are no lifeguards.
“If you find yourself in trouble, Float to Live. Knowing this technique and encouraging your family to practice it, could save your life. Whether you get into difficulty in the water at the coast or on any of our inland waters, Float to Live: Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink – we all float differently. By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing. Once you’ve regained control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety.”
A NEW zebra crossing is due to be put in place near a school in a residential area of Leicester.
Work is due to begin on the scheme at Avebury Avenue, to install the new zebra crossing on the route which is used by parents and pupils at nearby Alderman Richard Hallam Primary School.
The work will get underway from Monday (14 Jul) and is expected to take up to four weeks to complete. The road will remain open during the works, but temporary stop and go signs will be in place.
Cllr Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said: “This is part of an ongoing programme of work in neighbourhoods across the city, where people have raised concerns, input ideas or highlighted possible areas for improvement.
“By working with local communities in this way, we are able to invest in highways schemes that make a real difference to the daily lives of residents.”
Installation of the new crossing will cost around £16,000 and is part of a rolling programme of pedestrian crossing improvements across the city.
Works to improve the school crossing on St Barnabas Road, close to St Barnabas Primary School, are due to get under way in the coming weeks. Full details will be publicised nearer the time.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Flood protection for more people in West Kent one step closer
Another major milestone has been reached at the Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) after new central gate is installed as part of works to increase its capacity.
Leigh Flood Storage Area centre gate being installed (Environment Agency)
Second flood gate installed at Leigh Flood Storage Area as part of major upgrade.
Once completed approximately 25% more floodwater can be stored – bringing the total storage capacity up to the equivalent of 2,800 Olympic swimming pools.
Over 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties better protected from flooding.
Another major milestone has been reached at the Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) after the new central gate, the second of three new gates, has been installed as part of works to increase its capacity.
The Leigh Flood Storage Area, the largest Environment Agency-owned and operated flood storage reservoir in Kent, currently reduces the risk of flooding from the River Medway to 1,200 homes and businesses in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.
The scheme works by storing additional water in a storage area, similar to a large lake, and is operated during periods of heavy rain to reduce the volume of water travelling downstream to protect vulnerable homes and businesses.
Over the last year, the Environment Agency has been working tirelessly to reduce the flood risk to a further 600 homes and 575 businesses by replacing the 44-year-old original gates and raising sections of the embankment. Replacing the gates has extended the life of the structure to at least 2060.
Ian Nunn, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Operations Manager, Environment Agency, said:
The installation of the new centre gate is a huge achievement and another great step forward in the project to reduce the flood risk to over 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.
People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project, to continue to protect people, homes and businesses.
Thank you to local residents for their continued patience while the work is ongoing.
The Environment Agency are currently delivering the government’s long-term funding programme of flood defences, investing £2.65 billion over 2024/5 and 2025/6 to scale up national resilience through building new and improving existing flood defences. The improvement works at the Leigh Flood Storage Area are part of this programme. The Environment Agency prioritises maintenance work on assets to provide the greatest flood risk reduction for people, homes, and businesses.
Leigh Flood Storage Area centre gate being lifted by crane (Environment Agency)
The new central gate, lifted into place by a 300-tonne crane, is the second of the three new gates that will be installed during construction. The third and final gate is expected to be installed in late summer. The new gates were delivered in pieces and welded together on site. Each gate weighs around 12.5 tonnes – equivalent to the weight of a single-decker bus!
By replacing the gates and raising the clay core in sections of the embankment, the flood storage area will be able to store approximately 25% more water than it does now.
Increasing the current capacity of 5.58 million cubic metres to over 7 million cubic metres of flood water, the equivalent of 2,800 Olympic size swimming pools, will help to better protect more than 600 additional homes from flooding, as well as 575 non-residential properties.
Cllr Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said:
It’s fantastic to see the construction of this vital project progressing so well. The scale of the engineering involved is truly impressive, not least the installation of the enormous gates which will provide reassurance for thousands of homes and businesses in our borough who will see their properties far better protected from the devastating impact that flooding can have.
I’d like to thank the Environment Agency and all involved for their work so far and very much look forward to successful completion of the scheme in the coming months.
Liz Gibney, Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP) Chair said:
While we are going through a dry spell currently, we ought not to forget the devastating effect that flooding can have on local businesses, residents, and communities. KMEP prioritised this project for investment to provide peace of mind to business leaders, knowing their premises and livelihoods are better protected.
The second new gate at Leigh marks a significant milestone in this important project, and is a vital step towards a safer, more resilient future for everyone. We thank the Environment Agency and partners for their hard work.
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) at: @EnvAgencySE
Notes to Editors
There are around 90,000 Environment Agency maintained assets, worth £26 billion, that reduce the risk of flooding to 2.3 million properties. These assets benefit the economy by reducing the annual average flood damages of £2.8 billion.
The Environment Agency is working to deliver the scheme in partnership with:
Kent County Council
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
Kent and Medway Economic Partnership
Funding is through the government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA), with contributions from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (now the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership).
Scheme progress
It is expected that the scheme will be completed by the end of winter 2025/26.
This is a complex programme and timings could change depending on external factors, such as the weather. Regular scheme updates are provided to residents and stakeholders via newsletters and on GOV.UK.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
The UK strongly condemns the reckless Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.
I’d like to make three points.
First, the UK, like our briefers, strongly condemns the reckless Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
They have led to the tragic loss of life of innocent mariners.
They undermine maritime security and global trade, and pose a significant risk to the environment.
The UK remains committed to countering the threat posed by the Houthis and restoring freedom of navigation.
We will continue to work with partners and support the Special Envoy in a coordinated international approach to achieve these goals.
Moreover, the Houthis’ continued smuggling of weapons into Yemen is a clear violation of the arms embargo, as implemented by resolution 2216.
The UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism is critical to ensure compliance with the arms embargo and prevent smuggling of illicit arms.
So the UK calls on the international community to redouble efforts to enforce compliance with the arms embargo, disrupt the illegal weapons flow and support the critical role of the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, in this regard.
Second, as USG Fletcher reminded us and Ms Nasser too, Yemen is experiencing a significant deterioration in food security.
The FAO’s Integration Food Security Phase Classification for Yemen notes, as USG Fletcher said, that the number of Yemenis experiencing food insecurity is predicted to rise by over a million to 18.1 million by February next year.
This year, the UK’s Food Security Safety Nets programme will provide $79 million of assistance to help feed at least 864,000 Yemenis, and to support the Government of Yemen’s economic reforms to design a more coherent and coordinated response.
As others have said, the Houthis’ continued arbitrary and cruel detention of aid workers are undermining efforts to meet the needs of Yemenis.
The UK condemns these unjustified detentions.
And I reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained.
Finally, President, Yemenis have suffered for far too long a toxic combination of insecurity and dire humanitarian conditions.
Now is the time to redouble our efforts towards an inclusive and sustainable peace.
The UK remains committed to supporting the UN Special Envoy’s work to deliver this.
