Latest news with #UK-led
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Drone coalition pledges €2.75bn to support Ukraine in 2025
The international drone coalition has committed to providing €2.75 billion in 2025 to support Ukraine's defence against Russian aggression. Source: Latvian Ministry of Defence, as reported by the Oboronka project of Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company Details: Türkiye and Belgium have expressed their intention to join the coalition, which currently comprises 18 countries. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds announced these developments during the Drone Summit in Riga on 28 May 2025. Sprūds stated that the coalition's expansion will enable increased drone supplies to Ukraine while strengthening the defence industries of Latvia, the EU and NATO countries. Since its establishment on 14 February 2024, the drone coalition has provided significant support to Ukraine, allocating €1.8 billion in 2024. Over two years, total support will reach €4.5 billion. The minister noted that coalition members have collectively contributed approximately €180 million to the UK-led UAV procurement fund. This fund supports centralised drone procurement alongside national support measures by each member country. Latvia plans to allocate €20 million in 2025 for drone purchases within the coalition framework, plus an additional €10 million for collaborative projects with Ukrainian defence companies. In 2024, Latvia contributed €20 million and supplied nearly 5,000 combat drones to Ukraine. Background: The coalition currently includes Latvia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Estonia, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Germany, Sweden and Ukraine. With Türkiye and Belgium's accession, membership will grow to 20 countries. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Disgusting reason why so many vegetarians won't eat meat
That moo makes 'em eww. A new UK study has uncovered the real reason vegetarians have so much beef with, well, beef — and it's enough to make your stomach turn. 3 A new study has uncovered the real reason vegetarians have so much beef with meat — and it's enough to make your stomach turn. franz12 – Meat-shunners will often tell you they turn down animal flesh for ethical reasons — and while that may be part of it, researchers found there's something far more visceral going on. What they discovered was that vegetarians experience a profound sense of disgust when considering meat consumption, akin to the reaction meat-eaters have toward substances like human flesh, dog meat or poop. Yes, poop. The study, published in the journal Appetite, involved 252 vegetarians and 57 omnivores. Participants were shown images of various foods and were asked to rate their reactions based on two distinct emotions: distaste — a simple aversion to taste, texture or smell — and disgust — a deeper, more visceral repulsion. The findings revealed that while disliked vegetables — such as olives, sprouts, raw aubergine and beetroot — elicited feelings of distaste, meat prompted a strong response among vegetarians, one that was comparable to the disgust meat-eaters felt when presented with images of human flesh or feces. It's worth keeping that image in your mind next time you innocently offer a vegetarian a hot dog. 3 Vegetarians feel the same way about meat as meat-eaters feel about poop, the study says. Angelov – 'This is the most robust evidence to date that we reject meat and vegetables that we find repellent based on different underlying processes,' Natalia Lawrence, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Exeter in the UK, said in a statement. 'Obviously finding meat disgusting can help people avoid eating it, which has health and environmental benefits. Other research we've conducted suggests that these feelings of disgust may develop when people deliberately reduce or avoid eating meat, such as during Veganuary.' 3 The research shows the aversion of meat-shunners may go deeper than a simple sense of ethics. rh2010 – Much like Dry January, Veganuary is a UK-led initiative that encourages Brits to follow a vegan diet for the entire month of January. Research on the health benefits of vegan diets has been mixed. While some studies have found that a plant-based diet can shave years off your biological age, other research indicates it can make you more likely to suffer nutritional deficiencies. The researchers behind this new study believe there's something much more evolutionary at play. 'Meat eaters responded to the idea of eating these truly disgusting substances like feces in the same way that vegetarians responded to images of meat that they didn't want to eat, and this was very different from the way they responded to vegetables they rejected,' said Elisa Becker, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford. 'Although we may think we're rejecting a food simply because we don't want to eat it, we showed that the basis for this rejection is quite different — and we think that's evolved to protect us from pathogens that can lie undetected in meat.'
India Today
12-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
Junk food advertisements make children eat 130 extra calories a day: Study
Children and teenagers who watch junk food advertisements consume more calories during the day, regardless of the type of media used, a new UK-led study has said just five minutes of exposure to ads for high fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) foods led children aged 7 to 15 to eat an average of 130 extra calories in a day, equivalent to two slices of study, conducted by the University of Liverpool and presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, comes amid growing calls globally to restrict unhealthy food advertising to curb rising childhood obesity. "This study offers vital new insight into how food marketing affects what young people eat. Even brief exposure to unhealthy food ads can drive excess calorie consumption and, over time, contribute to weight gain," said lead author Professor Emma randomised crossover trial involved 240 children from schools across Merseyside, UK, who were shown five-minute blocks of either HFSS food advertisements or non-food advertisements across four media types: TV-style video (audiovisual), image-only (such as social media posts), audio (like radio or podcasts), and static formats (such as billboards).The ads varied between product-focused and brand-only formats, the latter showing only logos and branding without specific food products. This study offers vital new insight into how food marketing affects what young people eat. () advertisementResearchers found that after viewing junk food ads, children ate 58 more calories in snacks, 72 more at lunch, and 130 more overall, compared to when they watched non-food brand-only ads, which do not feature actual food, were just as effective in increasing food intake as product effect of food advertising was consistent across all media types and unaffected by socioeconomic background. Children with higher body mass index (BMI) scores, however, tended to consume even more.'For each standardised unit increase in BMI, children consumed an extra 17 calories. This could further widen health inequalities if left unaddressed," said added that the study is the first to show that brand-only food ads, which currently fall outside most advertising regulations, can still lead to increased eating. The study is the first to show that brand-only food ads, which currently fall outside most advertising regulations, can still lead to increased eating. () The experts highlighted that the findings strengthen the case for governments to enforce stricter limits on all types of unhealthy food marketing targeted at young works, and it works fast. Unless policies catch up with the evidence, we risk letting a generation of children grow up surrounded by cues that encourage overeating and poor diet," Boyland study adds to a growing body of research linking exposure to HFSS food marketing with increased calorie intake, potentially fuelling the childhood obesity crisis across many countries.
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Ukraine ‘absolute focus' for UK and northern European allies
The Prime Minister met counterparts at a Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF) leaders' gathering in Oslo on Friday, during which Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke virtually. Following the summit, Sir Keir said the UK-led group's utmost priority was defending the values 'hard-won' during the Second World War and continuing to stand behind Kyiv. Speaking to broadcasters, the Prime Minister was asked what his message would be to Russia and Beijing as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended events in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Sir Keir said: 'The message of leaders here is very, very clear, and that is that we're focused on Ukraine. '(President) Zelensky came in virtually to part of that meeting. 'And so that's where our absolute focus is – with Ukraine, defending the values that yesterday at VE Day we were remembering and commemorating, that were hard-won in the Second World War.' The JEF is a military coalition of mostly northern and eastern European nations including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, the Baltic states and the Netherlands which has been operational since 2018. The summit came as the UK announced a fresh wave of sanctions targeting President Vladimir Putin's shadow fleet of vessels carrying cargo in defiance of existing restrictions on oil and gas exports. Officials have said the Government will take action against up to 100 oil tankers that have been transporting more than 24 billion US dollars (£18 billion) worth of cargo since last year. Sir Keir Starmer (left) meets Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on the Norwegian coastguard vessel Jan Mayen in Oslo (Alistair Grant/PA) Ukrainian President Mr Zelensky dialled in virtually to the meeting in Oslo City Hall on Friday to announce he would be hosting leaders of the British and French-led 'coalition of the willing' on Saturday. Number 10 would not confirm whether Sir Keir planned to attend the meeting. Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans to enforce a potential peace in Kyiv, but prospects for a truce remain distant as Moscow continues to resist calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire backed by the US. The Russian president declared a 72-hour pause in fighting on Thursday to coincide with Victory Day, but officials in Kyiv said his forces have continued offensive operations while the Kremlin has accused Ukraine of breaching the unilateral ceasefire. Following Friday's summit, the Prime Minister met crew on board a Royal Navy frigate moored in Oslo's port before exchanging warm words with Norway's premier Jonas Gahr Store as he was welcomed onto a Norwegian coastguard vessel. In a strong show of support before holding bilateral talks, the Norwegian prime minister suggested the UK was 'perhaps our best friend' while Sir Keir said relations between the two countries were stronger than 'possibly ever'. Members of the Royal Navy salute Sir Keir Starmer on the HMS St Albans (Alistair Grant/PA) Sir Keir said: 'We are leaders that think alike, that are politically aligned and work well together. We are colleagues and we are friends.' In a readout of the meeting between the two leaders later issued by Number 10, a spokesperson said they 'discussed joint efforts between the UK and Norway to protect critical subsea infrastructure to safeguard economic security and working people at home'. They also spoke about ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. It comes as critics argue the Labour Government will need to decide between siding with Europe or the US following the agreement of a trade deal with the White House on Thursday while Britain continues to seek to strengthen economic ties with Brussels. Asked whether forgoing deeper ties with the bloc would be the price the UK pays for its pact with America, Sir Keir insisted his administration would be 'resetting that relationship' as well. 'That's because we will be relentless in wealth creation, driving our economy forward and making sure that working people across the country feel better-off,' he said.
South Wales Guardian
09-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Ukraine ‘absolute focus' for UK and northern European allies
The Prime Minister met counterparts at a Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF) leaders' gathering in Oslo on Friday, during which Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke virtually. Following the summit, Sir Keir said the UK-led group's utmost priority was defending the values 'hard-won' during the Second World War and continuing to stand behind Kyiv. Speaking to broadcasters, the Prime Minister was asked what his message would be to Russia and Beijing as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended events in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Sir Keir said: 'The message of leaders here is very, very clear, and that is that we're focused on Ukraine. '(President) Zelensky came in virtually to part of that meeting. 'And so that's where our absolute focus is – with Ukraine, defending the values that yesterday at VE Day we were remembering and commemorating, that were hard-won in the Second World War.' The JEF is a military coalition of mostly northern and eastern European nations including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, the Baltic states and the Netherlands which has been operational since 2018. The summit came as the UK announced a fresh wave of sanctions targeting President Vladimir Putin's shadow fleet of vessels carrying cargo in defiance of existing restrictions on oil and gas exports. Officials have said the Government will take action against up to 100 oil tankers that have been transporting more than 24 billion US dollars (£18 billion) worth of cargo since last year. Ukrainian President Mr Zelensky dialled in virtually to the meeting in Oslo City Hall on Friday to announce he would be hosting leaders of the British and French-led 'coalition of the willing' on Saturday. Number 10 would not confirm whether Sir Keir planned to attend the meeting. Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans to enforce a potential peace in Kyiv, but prospects for a truce remain distant as Moscow continues to resist calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire backed by the US. The Russian president declared a 72-hour pause in fighting on Thursday to coincide with Victory Day, but officials in Kyiv said his forces have continued offensive operations while the Kremlin has accused Ukraine of breaching the unilateral ceasefire. Following Friday's summit, the Prime Minister met crew on board a Royal Navy frigate moored in Oslo's port before exchanging warm words with Norway's premier Jonas Gahr Store as he was welcomed onto a Norwegian coastguard vessel. In a strong show of support before holding bilateral talks, the Norwegian prime minister suggested the UK was 'perhaps our best friend' while Sir Keir said relations between the two countries were stronger than 'possibly ever'. Sir Keir said: 'We are leaders that think alike, that are politically aligned and work well together. We are colleagues and we are friends.' In a readout of the meeting between the two leaders later issued by Number 10, a spokesperson said they 'discussed joint efforts between the UK and Norway to protect critical subsea infrastructure to safeguard economic security and working people at home'. They also spoke about ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. It comes as critics argue the Labour Government will need to decide between siding with Europe or the US following the agreement of a trade deal with the White House on Thursday while Britain continues to seek to strengthen economic ties with Brussels. Asked whether forgoing deeper ties with the bloc would be the price the UK pays for its pact with America, Sir Keir insisted his administration would be 'resetting that relationship' as well. 'That's because we will be relentless in wealth creation, driving our economy forward and making sure that working people across the country feel better-off,' he said.
