GB Energy could fund solar panels on religious buildings, Miliband suggests
The Energy Secretary told the Commons he is 'enthusiastic' about widening the scope of Great British Energy's first major project, following an influx of requests to do so.
A £200 million investment to put rooftop solar on schools and NHS sites was announced by the Government earlier this year, with the aim of saving hundreds of millions of pounds on energy bills and to free up cash to reinvest in frontline services.
Councils and community groups will also receive funding to build local clean power projects, such as community-owned onshore wind, rooftop solar and hydropower in rivers, as part of the scheme.
Speaking during a statement on climate and nature, Labour MP Sarah Owen (Luton North) said 'there is a huge part of our communities, the faith communities' who want to 'tackle' the climate and nature crisis.
She added: 'So while we welcome Great British Energy's roll out of solar panels on hospitals and on schools, could he outline any support for religious buildings that also want to do the same?'
Mr Miliband replied: 'Following the successful roll out to schools and hospitals, we've now got a lot of requests to expand this scheme, and I'm very enthusiastic about doing so, and it's something we're looking at.'
Under the scheme, around £80 million will support 200 schools and £100 million will go to 200 NHS sites in England.
Scotland will get £4.85 million, Wales £2.88 million and Northern Ireland £1.62 million for power projects including community energy and rooftop solar for public buildings.
During the statement on Monday, Mr Miliband also pledged to deal with the 'grid zombies'.
This came in response to Labour MP Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth), who asked: 'What steps is the Energy Secretary making to prioritise grid connections, and will he commit to reforming the grid queuing system so that projects essential to decarbonise our transport sector are brought forward more quickly?'
He replied: 'We are dealing with the zombies, the grid zombies, the zombie queue, and that reordering of the queue is precisely designed to open up the queue to projects like the ones she talked about.
'And my honourable friend, the energy minister, is having a series of round tables with DfT (Department for Transport) on precisely this subject.'
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Aitana Bonmati interview: ‘I found myself in a situation of suffering. You feel alone'
It was 7am on Thursday, June 26 when Aitana Bonmati began to feel unwell. She had been in Madrid for four days with the Spanish national team preparing for a match against Japan and the European Championship to follow. Like the other players, she was up and getting ready for an earlier-than-usual training session in an attempt to avoid the intense heat. 'That's when I started to feel very ill,' Bonmati says, speaking to The Athletic in Lausanne, Switzerland, two days before Spain's Euro 2025 quarter-final against the hosts. 'I had a bad headache, which surprised me because it was constant and wouldn't go away. 'I was like that until Friday at noon, when the doctor told me to go to the hospital because something was wrong. He wanted to rule out anything more serious than a simple cold or a mild illness. There, they did a CT scan and everything came back fine. Then they did a blood test and everything came back fine. Then they did a lumbar puncture, which is where they found I had viral meningitis.' Bonmati, the reigning two-time Ballon d'Or winner, was lying on her hospital bed when the doctor delivered the news. Fortunately, it was not bacterial meningitis, which takes much longer to recover from. That evening, her Spain team-mates were in action against Japan in their final game before departing, three days later, for the Euros. During the match, the midfielder posted a picture from her hospital bed, with the game on the television in front of her and an emoji of an arm flexing its biceps, as if to say she felt strong. 'She is a very important player for us, we are going to wait for her until the end,' Spain head coach Montse Tome said after the match. At the hospital, the 27-year-old continued to talk with doctors. 'They explained what meningitis meant. I also started looking it up on the internet because meningitis is something you may have heard of but don't really know what it is.' Everything pointed to the player missing the first matches of the Euros. Alarm bells rang. 'The diagnosis was that I might be unwell for five to 10 days, and then I might have some symptoms,' she adds. 'At that point, I didn't get too worked up. I was coming to terms with the fact that I had something that I didn't even know what it was. I accepted it and carried on. 'I was away from my home environment because I was with the national team and at that precise moment I was alone. Then a lifelong friend of mine, Maria, came. She came on Saturday and stayed until Sunday. She slept in my room with me. I didn't have any other visitors because I didn't want to bring people over if I didn't know when I was going to be discharged. 'I found myself in a situation of suffering, because when something happens to you that you don't understand where it comes from, you feel a little alone because you're not in your close environment. But I'm very grateful to Maria for always supporting me. It's good to have people like that around. 'At that moment, I wasn't thinking about whether I would be able to come back or not because I was confident I would get through it. At no point did I think I was out of the Euros. 'I took it easy and I didn't get carried away. All the work I do every day to take care of myself: to eat well, to be healthy, not to smoke, not to drink alcohol, basic things like that, to play sport, obviously… I think your body remembers how you treat it. I'm not a doctor, but I think that helped me.' Three days after being admitted to the hospital, Bonmati was discharged. The next day, she travelled to Lausanne, Spain's base camp, to rejoin her team-mates. 'Fortunately, I was only really unwell for two or three days, but then I made a radical change for the better,' she says. 'I didn't have a gradual progression; I went from feeling very bad to feeling fine.' 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Remarkably, six days after the diagnosis, Bonmati came off the bench with nine minutes remaining of the 5-0 win over Portugal. She had spent the entire match standing in the technical area or by the bench, waving her arms as she always does when she plays to communicate with her team-mates. Like a police officer, as her father always jokes. 'On the one hand, I felt proud to have been part of the match and to have been able to play for a few minutes,' she says. 'On the other, I felt frustrated… But obviously, with what had happened to me, I had to be more grateful than frustrated.' Against Belgium, all eyes were on whether she would return to the starting XI or not. Tome decided to go with Vicky Lopez again. 'It was something that was discussed internally,' Bonmati says. 'We wanted to take good care of my physical condition so I would be in the best possible shape for the most important part, which is now (the knockout stages). 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It's a country that transports you to tranquillity. It seems that everywhere you go is like a postcard landscape. Everywhere. 'Being in a city like Lausanne, with the hotel in the centre, gives us freedom to visit places. The other day we had a day off and we all did what we wanted. We went on an excursion I organised to some mountains nearby, on a rack railway, with spectacular views. It's all about breathing fresh air and tranquillity all the time. 'It's something that's sometimes lacking in Catalonia, which also has stunning landscapes, but in the area where I live, it's not the same. Switzerland is an amazing country.' But now, with the quarter-finals under way, it is time for business. 'I'm approaching this final stretch with a lot of energy, enthusiasm and excitement, eager to play three good matches,' Bonmati adds. 'Let's hope it's three, because that would be good news. And I'm feeling very well.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Barcelona, Spain, Premier League, La Liga, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
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Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) Opportunity Assessment and Forecast to 2033 Featuring Janssen, Novartis, Meiji Seika Pharma, Insmed, Daiichi Sankyo, MannKind, Paratek, Nobelpharma, GSK, Pfizer
Comprehensive analysis of the NTM therapeutics market: Overview of disease, epidemiology, treatment options, and forecast from 2023-2033 for 7 major markets. Insights include pipeline trends, market drivers, competitive landscape, and strategies for growth and investment in the NTM market. Dublin, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM): Opportunity Assessment and Forecast" report has been added to report provides an assessment of the NTM therapeutics market including disease overview, epidemiology, current treatment options, unmet needs and opportunities, R&D strategies, pipeline assessment, and market refers to infection with a group of bacteria within the Mycobacterium genus, which excludes Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis) and Mycobacterium leprae (leprosy). NTM infections are noncontagious, opportunistic infections that cause a wide range of clinical disease in patients with pre-existing health conditions or compromised immune systems.). In terms of global burden, NTM lung disease is relatively uncommon. It is suggested that host defense mechanisms in most healthy individuals are sufficient to prevent or suppress NTM infection. Patients who develop NTM lung disease likely have susceptibility factors such as pre-existing comorbidities that make them vulnerable to these Highlights Report deliverables include a Pdf report and an Excel-based forecast model Forecast includes the 7 major markets (7MM) Forecast covers the period 2023-2033 Scope Overview of NTM, including classification, epidemiology, diagnostic and treatment paradigms. Annualized NTM therapeutics market revenue, cost of therapy per patient, and treatment usage patterns forecast from 2023 to 2033. Key topics covered include assessment of marketed therapies and pipeline agents, unmet needs, pipeline assessment and market outlook for the US, 5EU, and Japan over the 10-year forecast period. Pipeline analysis: Emerging novel trends under development, and detailed analysis of late-stage pipeline drugs. Analysis of the current and future market competition in the 7MM NTM therapeutics market. Insightful review of the key industry drivers and barriers. Reasons to Buy Develop and design your in-licensing and out-licensing strategies through a review of pipeline products and technologies, and by identifying the companies with the most robust pipelines. Develop business strategies by understanding the trends shaping and driving the 7MM NTM therapeutics market. Drive revenues by understanding the key trends, innovative products and technologies, market segments, and companies likely to impact the NTM therapeutics market in the future. Formulate effective sales and marketing strategies by understanding the competitive landscape and by analyzing the performance of various competitors. Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolios and create effective counter-strategies to gain a competitive advantage. Organize your sales and marketing efforts by identifying the market categories and segments that present maximum opportunities for consolidations, investments and strategic partnerships. Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface1.1. Contents1.2. Abbreviations1.3. Related Reports2. Executive Summary3. Disease Overview3.1. Overview of NTM3.2. NTM Market SWOT Analysis3.3. Classification of NTM3.4. NTM Risk Factors4. Epidemiology4.1. Diagnosed Incident Cases NTM, N, Both Sexes, 2023-334.2. Diagnosed Prevalent Cases of NTM, Both Sexes, N, 2023-334.3. Diagnosed Incident Cases of NTM, PNTM, and DNTM, Both Sexes, N, 20234.4. Diagnosed Prevalent Cases of NTM, PNTM, and DNTM, Both Sexes, N, 20234.5. Sources and Methodology for Diagnosed Incident Cases of NTM, PNTM, and DNTM4.6. Sources and Methodology for Diagnosed Prevalent Cases of NTM, PNTM and DNTM4.7. Sources and Methodology for Diagnosed Incident and Prevalent Cases of NTM4.8. Sources and Methodology for Diagnosed Incident and Prevalent Cases of PNTM4.9. Sources and Methodology for Diagnosed Incident and Prevalent Cases of DNTM5. Current Treatment Options5.1. PNTM Diagnostic Paradigm5.2. Treatment Paradigm5.3. Current Treatment Options6. Unmet Needs and Opportunities6.1. Unmet Needs in NTM6.2. New Therapeutic Options with Improved Efficacy6.3. Improved Diagnostic Methods6.4. Improved Clinical Trials7. R&D Strategies7.1. Trends in Clinical Trial Design in NTM7.2. Trends in Deal-Making in NTM8. Pipeline Assessment8.1. NTM Pipeline Overview8.2. Late-Stage Pipeline Products for NTM8.3. NTM Clinical Trials (Phase II/III) Overview9. Market Outlook9.1. NTM Market Forecast9.2. PNTM Market Forecast9.3. DNTM Market Forecast9.4. Market Drivers and Barriers10. Appendix Competitive Landscape Janssen Novartis AG Meiji Seika Pharma Co Ltd Insmed Inc Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd MannKind Corp Paratek Pharmaecuticals Inc Nobelpharma Co Ltd GlaxoSmithKline AG Pfizer For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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UK to lower national voting age to 16 under government proposals
The United Kingdom could become one of the first European countries to lower the voting age to 16 in all national elections, in what the government is calling a landmark effort to 'future-proof' its democracy. If passed by the parliament, the proposed reforms, unveiled Thursday, would bring national votes in line with elections in Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, where younger voters already cast ballots. 'Young people deserve to have a stake and to have a say in the future of our democracy,' said Rushanara Ali, parliamentary under-secretary for local government in the House of Commons on Thursday. 'When we came into power just over a year ago, the government committed through its manifesto to bring forward measures to strengthen our precious democracy and uphold the integrity of our elections.' The UK's move, which could be in place for the next general election, follows a growing global trend toward younger enfranchisement. Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, welcomed the proposed reforms, telling CNN that lowering the voting age would 'help more young people to cast that all-important, habit-forming vote at a point when they can be supported with civic education.' 'Participation is a vital sign of the health of our democracy. If fewer people vote, our democracy becomes weaker,' he added. In 2008, Austria became the first European country to lower its national voting age to 16, with Malta adopting the change a decade later. In South America, countries including Brazil, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Argentina have permitted voting from age 16 for years. Across much of the world, however, 18 remains the standard minimum voting age. In Asia, countries such as Indonesia and East Timor have set the threshold at 17, while Singapore, Lebanon, and Oman require citizens to wait until 21 to cast a ballot. Within the UK, the government's intentions have drawn scrutiny. James Yucel, head of campaigns at the center-right thinktank Onward, told CNN that the proposal was 'not some noble push for democracy' but instead 'political engineering aimed at boosting (Labour's) support.' In both opinion polls and votes, younger voters tend to skew more heavily towards Labour than the main opposition Conservatives. The proposed reforms drew criticism from the Conservative Party on Thursday, with lawmaker and shadow cabinet member Paul Holmes saying in the House of Commons: 'Why does this government think a 16-year-old can vote, but not be allowed to buy a lottery ticket, an alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even stand in the elections they are voting in?' The reforms would also expand acceptable voter ID to include digital formats of existing IDs, such as driving licenses and armed forces' veterans' cards. UK-issued bank cards would also be accepted.
