Colin Shevills

France's biggest wildfire since 1949 moving more slowly but not yet under control A massive wildfire that has scorched through 16,000 hectares of forest and villages in southern France since Tuesday has lost intensity but is still not under control, officials said on Thursday.

France's biggest wildfire since 1949 moving more slowly but not yet under control reut.rs/4m4ZYVn

New data reveals that 40% of corporation tax due from small businesses isn’t being paid.

It’s a hidden crisis that costs the UK £15 billion a year — and HMRC has quietly lost control.

buff.ly/5Ah4fP4

In Scotland, 'The heaviest burden of [alcohol] harm & costs fall on our most deprived communities, further entrenching economic & health inequalities'. Imp blog from @alcoholfocus.bsky.social A more preventative strategy is def needed - it also needs to be more joined up with socio-economic policies

Scotland is in the grip of an alcohol emergency. There’s no time to lose. The Scottish Government need to take action now.#AlcoholDeaths

Is it any wonder people don’t want to visit.

Comes to something when you first glimpse this photo and think it might be the US

New EU border IT system 'expected for October' The new Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to come into effect later this year after delays.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace current passport stamping, requiring visitors from outside the European Union to register fingerprints, a photo, and passport details to enter the EU. - Another Brexit benefit we can all enjoy soon!
www.bbc.com/news/article...

🚗💨 EVs are holding up better than combustion cars, says ADAC.

In 2024, ICE cars aged 2–4 years were 2.5x more likely to break down than EVs.

EVs on the road ↑ 97%
EV breakdowns ↑ only 46%

Alcohol deaths surge in UK with more than 4,000 people lost since Covid pandemic Disturbing research finds alcohol specific deaths rocketed since the coronavirus pandemic in the UK, with more than 4,000 people dying from alcohol than expect, as the Government is urged to take 'urg...

Rise in alcohol deaths in England is an "acute crisis", finds new study in @thelancet.bsky.social

Almost 4,000 additional deaths occurred than was expected since the pandemic.

Lead author @melissaoldham.bsky.social said: “The sharp increase in alcohol deaths...

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...

PR campaign may have fuelled food study backlash, leaked document shows Eat-Lancet report recommended shift to more plant-based, climate-friendly diet but was extensively attacked online

1. Whenever you see really vicious and widespread "spontaneous" attacks on scientific findings that challenge powerful economic interests, you can be assured that corporate lobbyists have been busy behind the scenes.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

It seems the links between the Conservatives and Reform run deep

Confirmed cases of measles
in the US.

2020: 13

2021: 49

2022: 121

2023: 59

2024: 285

Total cases: 527 (5-years)

2025: (first 90 days)
628 confirmed cases of measles, and 3 deaths.

Climate change made severe UK fires in 2022 six times more likely New research shows that the damaging fires during the UK’s record-breaking 2022 heatwave were made at least six times more likely due to human-caused climate change.

The 2022 summer in UK saw temperatures hit 40°C for the first time and left firefighters stretched, with London Fire Brigade having its ‘busiest day since the Second World War’

We know climate change is not a future threat but current reality

www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...

New research: birdlife soars on nature-friendly solar farms Nature-friendly solar farms in East Anglia support more bird species than arable land, boosting biodiversity

"Research by scientists from the RSPB and University of Cambridge...

...has found that UK solar farms managed for nature could benefit birds, including threatened species like Corn Buntings, Greenfinches, Yellowhammers, and Linnets." 💚

Government is busy: but the media are not telling you Despite what the press tells us, the government is very busy, often doing popular things. But you wouldn’t know it from the press coverage

The government is busy - but the work is not being reported. From banning toxic pesticides to funding green jobs, here are 20 things that happened last week.

If Brexit had never happened…

…we’d be much wealthier, with more investment in public services, better trade - and with our parliament & govt having spent the last decade doing far more productive things.

🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺

Sky must stop funding hate speech CW: Homophobia, hate speech Sky launched its programme for Pride 2024 with a ringing declaration the company was “proud to celebrate LGBTQ+ stories”. But while it was posting shiny videos claiming to ...

It costs money for GB News to pump hate into Britain's homes. Much of that money comes from Sky, which also makes much play of being a force for good. We've made it so easy for you to write and politely ask Sky's Chief Executive to stop funding hate. action.goodlawproject.org/sky-stop-fun...

Care workers routinely mistreated despite UK government efforts to tackle abuses, report finds Unison survey shows more than a quarter of migrant staff were paid less than the statutory hourly minimum

New Unison survey finds that quarter of migrant care staff were paid less than the minimum wage + over 50% were not paid for time spent travelling between visits.

Visa system for care workers creates power imbalance and leaves very little room for recourse for workers.

www.ft.com/content/703f...

YouTube video by Institute of Alcohol Studies The Impact of Alcohol on our Healthcare Services: Explained

What has happened to the alcohol treatment sector over the past decade?🍷⚕️

Watch our latest Explained film to find out.

➡️ Lack of joined up care
➡️ Lack of early diagnosis
➡️ Failures of the 2012 Health & Social Care Act

youtu.be/2bH7ENlper8 @aha-uk.bsky.social

Air pollution causing 1,100 cases a year of main form of lung cancer in UK Exclusive: Health experts and cancer charities say findings should serve as wake-up call to ministers.

In case anyone needed reminding how urgent it is for the UK government to put forward its plan to improve air quality.

The words around the review of the Environmental Improvement Plan are positive and we need to see this turn into action & support (£££s & political) for local delivery ASAP.

1/3 The next phase of our #AlcoholisToxic campaign launches today – supported by @cancerresearchuk.org Like tobacco, alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen which causes 7 types of cancer – including breast and bowel cancer.
Watch our @RTS_media award-winning advert here 🔽

Water industry promises £22bn of environmental investment, funded by rising bills The Environment Agency has secured a commitment to carry out 24,000 actions over the next five years

They took our money while letting the environment go to hell. Now we customers have to pay to clean up the filth and fix it. Thames customers are being told their bills will rise by between £16 and £19 a month this year alone
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Map centered on Alaska showing site-specific high temperatures (ºF) on Monday, January 27, 2025. Plotted temperatures range from -23F at Anadyr, Russia to 45F at Beaver Creek, YT, Sitka, AK and Yakutat, AK.

High temperatures (ºF) in and around Alaska on Monday. Last of the extreme warmth (for this week anyway), with daily record high temperatures at Eagle and Northway. #weather #akwx @climatologist49.bsky.social

Ending gambling adverts could prevent harm to millions of adults and children in the UK A phased approach to ending gambling advertising could reduce the damage caused by this health harming industry, write Kevin Fenton and Will Prochaska The harm caused by gambling in the UK is alarmi...

www.bmj.com/content/388/...

Ending gambling adverts could prevent harm to millions of adults and children in the UK

Very much this

Tell me why this isn't the most no brainer of no brainers!!

@profkevinfenton.bsky.social @endgamblingads.bsky.social

Pet fur found in songbird nests contains high levels of pesticides, study finds Exclusive: Chemical in treatment for pet fleas and ticks is found in nests of blue and great tits, killing chicks

Flea treatments for cats & dogs mean their hair is full of toxic pesticide fipronil, or imidacloprid, both banned for agriculture

The hair is shed into wider environment, used to line birds' nests

There were more dead chicks in nests with high pesticide levels

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Electric cars in UK last as long as petrol and diesel vehicles, study finds International research team based findings on 300m records from MOT data to estimate failure rates of all cars

Based on 300m MOT tests worldwide. EV last as long as petrol cars and longer than diesel.

Terrible news for the anti EV lobby.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Scottish child abuse gang members jailed for between eight and 20 years Seven people, whom the judge said had plumbed ‘the depths of human depravity’, will be monitored for life Seven people convicted of being part of a Scottish child abuse ring which plumbed “the depths of human depravity” have been jailed for terms ranging…

Scottish child abuse gang members jailed for between eight and 20 years