UK

Thousands support call against using weedkiller

Paul Murphy
BBC news

BBC
Campaigner Katie Teakle organised the petition against North East Lincolnshire Council's use of the chemical glyphosate


A woman who started a petition about the use of chemical weedkillers has been supported by more than 26,000 signatures.

Katie Teackle, from Cleethorpes, set it up after becoming concerned about North East Lincolnshire Council's (NELC) use of glyphosate to kill weeds on roadside verges.

The chemical is a powerful herbicide that kills most plants, but there is concern about its wider impact on bird and insect populations.

The BBC has contacted NELC for comment.

A council worker sprays chemicals on to weeds at the base of a tree


According to The Local Democracy Reporting Service, the petition begins: “Where are all the bees, insects and birds? Chattering sparrows, soaring swallows? How many butterflies have you seen this year? When was the last time you saw a wasp?”

It lays blame for declining biodiversity at least in part at the door of “the widespread use of toxic weedkillers”.

Ms Teakle is hoping that the council will urgently review its use of glyphosate.

"You have to lead by example and local authorities are in a great position of power," she said.

"There is a very real issue here and the council is best-placed to lead by example."


James Elliot, also known as The Canoe River Cleaner, is concerned about the impact of glyphosate on the wider environment


As well as a phase-out of use of glyphosate in favour of non-chemical alternatives, the petition also calls for the council to work with Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN), which supports local authorities to become pesticide free.

The campaign is being supported by Grimsby-based environmental campaigner James Elliot, who is also known as The Canoe River Cleaner.

Mr Elliot is concerned about the impact chemicals may have on the insect life and wildlife in his local waterway The River Freshney.

"The numbers speak for themselves, I think it's resonated with people," he said.

Mr Elliot added that he is confident his local authority will act to reduce or phase-out the use of the weedkiller.

He said: "Obviously, we need the council to be on board because they are using glyphosate at the moment, but I think they will be."

 

Household recycling rates remain at 44% in the UK

27th September 2024

UK household recycling rates remained at 44% in 2022, the same rate as in 2021, according to new figures released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The recycling rate for waste from households increased in all UK countries in 2022 except England; England was 43.4%, 49.2% in Northern Ireland, 42.1% in Scotland, and 56.9% in Wales.

The UK generated 191.2 million tonnes of total waste in 2020, with England responsible for 85% (162.8 million tonnes) of the UK total.

In 2023, 64.8% of UK packaging waste was recycled, increasing from 62.4% in 2022.

Reacting to the figures, Julie Fourcade, Head of External Affairs at FCC Environment, said: “FCC Environment is deeply concerned by today’s announcement that the UK’s recycling rate has continued to flatline, with only 44% of household waste in England being recycled.

“This trend highlights that more needs to be done in terms of education, infrastructure, and regulation to ensure that we are diverting waste away from landfill and helping to foster a circular economy.”

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management reaction

CIWM’s Director of Innovation and Technical Services Lee Marshall said: “The recycling rate in England has stagnated recently, which is disappointing.

“This is largely due to delays in rolling out Consistent Collections and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Had these reforms been implemented, we would already see new services in place which would be driving up recycling rates.

“Local authorities are working hard to maintain current recycling levels, but they urgently need funding through EPR and clarity on the final details of food waste collections to plan and deliver the necessary service changes.

“One of CIWM’s key asks of the new government is to prioritise the delivery of Consistent Collections and EPR.

“These latest figures support this call and underline the importance of swift action to ensure these critical policies are progressed without further delay.”

Key figures

UK biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) sent to landfill decreased to 6.3 million tonnes in 2022 from 6.7 million tonnes in 2021.

It is estimated that the UK generated 40.4 million tonnes of commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in 2020, of which 33.7 million tonnes (83%) was generated in England.

Defra estimates that the UK generated 59.4 million tonnes of non-hazardous construction and demolition (C&D) waste, of which 55.0 million tonnes was recovered, in 2020.

England generated 53.9 million tonnes of this waste, of which 50.3 million tonnes was recovered.

In 2022, England generated 63.0 million tonnes of non-hazardous C&D waste, of which 59.4 million tonnes was recovered.

Britain Has Highest Electricity Prices in the World

by Will Jones
27 September 2024


British companies are paying the highest electricity prices of anywhere in the developed world, official data have shown, after costs more than doubled in the past five years. The Telegraph has the details.

The cost of power for industrial businesses has jumped 124% in just five years, according to the Government’s figures, catapulting the U.K. to the top of international league tables.

It is now about 50% more expensive than in Germany and France, and four times as expensive as in the U.S.

The figures will fuel concerns about the future of U.K. industry amid warnings that high energy prices are crippling domestic manufacturers.

They underline the challenge facing Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, who wants industrial businesses to switch away from gas to electricity-powered processes.

Frank Aaskov, the Director of Energy at lobby group U.K. Steel, said: “High industrial electricity prices have for too long damaged the competitiveness of U.K. steelmaking, and many in the wider manufacturing sector will be feeling the same pressure our steel companies do.

“The Government should tackle steep electricity costs and make the U.K. a fruitful place to invest, while enabling growth and improving competitiveness.”

The electricity price paid by U.K. industrial users per kilowatt hour rose to 25.85p in 2023, the data show. That compares to 10.43p as recently as five years earlier and 8.89p a decade ago.

It also far outstripped European rivals and allies such as the U.S. and Canada. The equivalent price was 17.84p in France, 17.71p in Germany and 6.48p in the U.S.

Across all the 31 member countries of the International Energy Agency, which collates the data, the median price was 17.70p per kilowatt hour, with Britain’s price higher than any other country.

Retired police dog's life saved thanks to charity

Holly Phillips
BBC News

Submitted
Retired police dog Neo needed life-saving surgery


A retired police dog who needed life-saving surgery is now recovering after a charity stepped in to cover the costs of his emergency operation.

Nine-year-old German Shepherd Neo served with Humberside Police and was adopted by a fellow officer when he retired.

Earlier this month, he needed life-saving surgery after falling ill.

Neo's owner, Rob James, said he had "never seen such kindness and felt such relief" after Thin Blue Paw Foundation stepped in to pay the £4,000 bill.

Mr James, from Hornsea in East Yorkshire, was a firearms officer at the time he met Neo, who was handled by one of his best friends in the police force.

He adopted him in 2018 after he retired from police dog duties.

He said: “I knew Neo had been a successful and formidable working dog and felt my lifestyle would suit him well.

"I’ve kept German shepherds since the age of 12 and had lost one of my dogs just a few years earlier.

“Neo loves living in the countryside so he gets long walks and there are lots of places he can swim."

Submitted
Neo is recovering at home with owner Rob James and his family

Mr James was working on 8 September when his partner called him to say Neo was making strange noises and that he was trying but struggling to be sick.

While on his way to the vets, Mr James contacted Thin Blue Paw to see if they could help.

Neo was suffering from gastric torsion – where the stomach twists and fills with gas or fluid.

He needed surgery immediately to save his life and the charity, which supports working and retired police dogs, agreed to cover the costs.

“To my astonishment, the charity said it would step in and, in doing so, saved Neo’s life," Mr James said.

"I'm still beyond words.

“Neo is doing really well after his surgery. I find myself thinking a lot about how life might have turned out if the foundation hadn’t stepped in to help with the costs of this surgery.

"I'm so pleased he’s been given a chance."

He has now pledged to raise money for the charity to thank them for supporting him and Neo.

Thin Blue Paw Foundation trustee Kieran Stanbridge said: “We’re so pleased we were able to step in at Neo and Rob’s time of need, and that Neo is now back at home with his family recovering well.”

Thousands of seals making Thames Estuary their home


A seal rests on the banks of the Thames in Hammersmith in March 2021

Almost 600 harbour seals and 3,000 grey seals now live in the Thames Estuary, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which runs London Zoo, has revealed.

Taking to the air and sea, ZSL conducted surveys by observing the seals from boats along the estuary and from RAF training flights above the coastline between Suffolk and Kent.

ZSL’s Hannah McCormick, who led the survey, said: “During the 2024 seal survey, we counted 431 harbour seals and 714 grey seals laying out on sandbanks along the Thames.

"By combining these with the number of seals estimated to stay in the water during the counts, we can estimate that there are a total of 599 harbour seals and 2,988 grey seals."
ZSL
Conversationist Hannah McCormick during the seal survey


“Seals are playful but shy creatures, so using a long-range lens to take photos from a distance allows us to maximise our counting accuracy while also minimising any disturbance – helping us build the strongest possible understanding of how these native species are faring in the Thames, and highlighting the importance of protecting this ecosystem.”

The count was completed over several days in August during the moulting season for the harbour seals.

Over the course of those weeks, the seals would have spent much of their day basking on the estuary’s sandbanks, making it easier for the survey team to spot them.

The Thames is home to both harbour and grey seals, although harbour seals are the only one of the two to breed in the area.

ZSL
Seals spotted on sandbanks during the survey in August


This year’s survey was consistent with results from the last few surveys, with 692 harbour seals and 3,134 grey seals having been estimated in 2021.

Ms McCormick explained: “We’ve seen UK seals make an incredible recovery from the early 2000s, when high rates of distemper virus led to steep declines in numbers.

"Results since 2018 suggest there has been a decline in harbour seals, which has also been seen in other harbour seal colonies in the east of England."


This seal kept returning to the banks in Hammersmith, west London, for a week in 2021 - prompting attention from residents


She added: "While the causes of these declines remain unknown, experts are investigating potential factors and by keeping a close eye on these changes.

"We will continue to build our knowledge of seals in the Thames while contributing to long-term regional and national data on seals.”

A ZSL-led report previously revealed that although the Thames was declared "biologically dead" in1957, conservation efforts had led to it once again becoming home to a wide variety of British wildlife including seals, seahorses and critically endangered eels.

29,000 gambling ads in Premier League weekend, says research

Image source,Getty ImagesImage caption,
West Ham's match against Aston Villa contained close to 6,500 gambling messages, the researchers found

Natalie Pirks

Sports Correspondent

Tom Grundy

BBC Sport senior journalist

Publishe

The number of betting adverts during the opening weekend of the Premier League season almost trebled compared to last year, new research says.

Researchers analysed Premier League coverage in the UK across TV - including pitchside hoardings and shirt logos - as well as radio and social media.

They counted more than 29,000 gambling messages, a 165% increase on the opening weekend a year ago.

West Ham's match against Aston Villa contained close to 6,500 gambling messages - about 30 every minute.

The authors of the report - the University of Bristol business school, funded by a grant from the charity Gamble Aware - has called the industry's attempt to self-regulate "wholly inadequate and tokenistic".

They say their report shows fans and children are being put at risk because they are being exposed to gambling advertising.

The Betting and Gaming Council, which represents the gambling industry, criticised the research, saying it "fundamentally misunderstands both advertising, and the way in which it is strictly regulated".

But Peter Shilton, England's most capped male footballer and a former gambling addict, told the BBC the gambling industry is "out of control and can't regulate itself", and called for government action.

"Just a few months ago, a new code of conduct was published by the industry, external to curb marketing during football events, but the policy has had no impact on the volume whatsoever," said co-lead author Dr Raffaello Rossi.

"It’s clear that the industry's attempt to self-regulate is wholly inadequate and tokenistic. Despite having had years to put in place effective measures to protect consumers, the gambling industry continues to prioritise profit over safety."

The Premier League is working with its clubs on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Gambling Related Agreements in Football, which was introduced at the start of this season.

Its clubs are required to adhere to all legal and regulatory requirements, via the Gambling Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority.

Former England goalkeeper Shilton, 75, had a gambling addiction for 45 years until seeking help about 10 years ago.

He says the new research "just shows [the gambling industry is] out of control". He added: "They can't regulate themselves, and it doesn't look as though anybody else is bothering to regulate them. It's another year gone by when you know it's got worse.

"We managed to get a start with the Premier League banning [sponsorship] on the front of shirts, but that was only just a small part of it.

"It's time now that the government step in and do something about it because it's been going on for so long now."

A government spokesperson said: "We recognise the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and are absolutely committed to strengthening protections for those at risk.

"Ministers are currently considering the full range of gambling policy, including on advertising and sponsorship, and will update in due course."

Last year, the Premier League clubs collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts, starting from the end of the 2025-26 season.

How has the gambling industry responded?

The Betting and Gaming Council responded by saying that its members "take a zero tolerance approach to betting by children" and have introduced new age gating rules.

It adds that they commit 20% of TV, radio and digital advertising to safer gambling messaging, and provide funding to the UK's most popular sports, including £40m each year to the English Football League.

A BGC spokesperson said: "This research fundamentally misunderstands both advertising, and the way in which it is strictly regulated, while making a series of statements which are either misleading or incorrect.

“Betting advertising and sponsorship must comply with strict guidelines and safer gambling tools and signposts to help for those concerned about their betting, are regularly and prominently displayed."

Portugal’s  Government-backed

4-day week trial leads to 90% 

of companies  reducing their 

workers’ hours

15 July 2024

The study was jointly conducted by Birkbeck, University of London, Henley Business School, University of Reading, and the international non-profit organisation, 4 Day Week Global.

A 4-day week leads to a better balance between work, family and personal life, according to a government-funded 4-day week pilot program with over 1,000 workers in Portugal.

The research, jointly conducted by Birkbeck, University of London, and Henley Business School, University of Reading, and the international non-profit organisation, 4 Day Week Global, reported that the percentage of workers who struggled with balancing work and personal life fell from 50% to 16%, and 93% of workers wanted to continue with the work time reduction. A significant improvement in mental and physical health was seen in workers who took part in the trial, compared to the control group who didn’t have their working hours changed. Only four companies out of 41 involved in the trial returned to a 5-day week at the end of the trial, after reporting operational and employee performance improvements.  

Research coordinator Prof Pedro Gomes, Professor of Economics at Birkbeck, University of London said: “This pilot has shown us that the 4-day working week is a legitimate management practice with many benefits for firms and workers. For firms, it can solve concrete problems they are facing today, including recruitment and retention problems, high levels of stress and burnout, gender inequality, absenteeism, and difficulties in managing hybrid working. But for it to be successful for firms, they must use the 4-day week to make changes in the way they organize work, by adopting new technology and implementing best time-management practices. The advantage is that they can count on the support and commitment of workers in those changes. We hope our work documenting how companies in Portugal designed a test that positively impacted workers can encourage and help other companies considering moving to a 4-day week." 

Research coordinator Dr. Rita Fontinha, Associate Professor of Strategic Human Resources at Henley Business School said: "Like in other international trials, a work time reduction in the format of a 4-day week has a tremendous effect on workers well-being and work-life balance. As such, they value this benefit as if it represented 28% of their wage on average. As expected, women attribute a higher value to the four-day week. Perhaps the most surprising finding is that the 4-day week is more valued by low earners and workers without a higher degree, who have less flexibility in managing their working hours and fewer resources to buy services to free their time." 

Companies adopted the four-day workweek in different formats and implemented various organisational changes. In 51% of companies, workers had one day off per week, while 49% of companies opted for a nine-day fortnight. Consulting, Science, and Technology were the most represented sectors in the study.  

Before the pilot project, workers worked 41.6 hours (including overtime), and during the pilot, they worked 36.5 hours, a reduction of 12%. Of those participating in the trial, 67% of the workers were female, 55% were under 40 years old, and 79% had a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree. 

Further Information

• Read the final report in English
• Read the final report in Portuguese 

More news about:

• Birkbeck Business School
• Corporate website
• Faculty of Business and Law

UK surpasses £4bn in investment on new nuclear subs

PAID FOR BY PENSIONERS WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE CUT

By Lisa West
- September 26, 2024

In a joint statement released on 26th September 2024, the UK, US, and Australia reaffirmed their deep commitment to the AUKUS trilateral partnership during a high-level meeting at the Old Royal Naval College in London.

The defence ministers of the three nations gathered to review progress on their joint efforts to bolster regional security in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on the development of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines under the SSN-AUKUS programme.

One of the key highlights from the meeting was the UK’s decision to surpass its original commitment by pledging £4 billion towards the SSN-AUKUS project, significantly enhancing its investment to support the detailed design work and the procurement of long-lead items necessary to meet the delivery timeline.

This comes as part of a larger strategy aimed at ensuring a robust and continuous build-up of submarine capabilities for the Royal Navy and its allies over the coming decades.

This financial contribution will also support the UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise, where £3 billion has been allocated to enhance submarine industrial infrastructure, ensuring the success of the long-term plan to develop conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. This investment aligns with the UK’s broader strategy to remain at the forefront of advanced military technology and maintain its leadership role in the Indo-Pacific region.

The US, for its part, has committed USD 17.5 billion to its submarine industrial base, focusing on supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, and technology advancements. According to the statement, this substantial investment will “support initiatives related to supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, technology advancements, and strategic sourcing,” strengthening the US’s ability to deliver the advanced submarine capabilities required for the SSN-AUKUS programme.

Australia, meanwhile, is making a significant investment of over AUD 30 billion to enhance its own defence industrial base and ensure that it can sustain the high demand for skilled personnel and robust supply chains needed to support the submarines’ long-term operational capabilities. The Australian government has launched several initiatives to build a skilled workforce, including postgraduate scholarships and the “Jobs for Subs” initiative to recruit, train, and retain additional graduates and apprentices to support Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) in Western Australia.

The joint statement emphasised the strategic importance of these investments, noting that the three nations are committed to maintaining the highest standards of nuclear non-proliferation and fostering collaboration across their industrial bases. The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to “uphold the global rules-based order where international law is followed, and states can make sovereign choices free from coercion.”

 

Photo appearing to show elder on hospital floor in Thunder Bay, Ont., raises concerns about Indigenous care

CMA recently apologized for discrimination of First Nations, Inuit, Métis patients and health-care providers

Sarah Law · CBC News · Posted: Sep 27, 2024 2:00 AM MDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) as shown in a 2023 file photo. A photo posted recently on social media appears to show an Indigenous elder lying in the hallway of the hospital. (Marc Doucette/CBC)

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A photo that appears to show an Indigenous elder lying in the hallway of a Thunder Bay, Ont., hospital is raising concerns about the region's health-care system and treatment of Indigenous patients.

A copy of the image, which was posted online earlier this month but has since been removed, has been obtained by CBC News. The family of the patient involved has asked for privacy as they focus on caring for their loved one. CBC News has chosen not to include the photo in this story out of respect for the family.

CBC News cannot independently verify what happened to the patient. The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) "is unable to comment on patient-specific situations due to patient privacy legislation," says an emailed statement from spokesperson Marcello Bernardo.

Earlier this month, the Canadian Medical Association issued a public apology for harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients and health-care providers across the country.

"Indigenous people enter the health-care system expecting the worst, and I think that's sort of what this [Thunder Bay] case illustrates, unfortunately," said Dr. Alexa Lesperance, an Anishinaabe family physician and vice-president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada.

"I think of how many stories similar to this go uncaptured because of shame or stigma or because of violence that Indigenous people experience on the daily."

Hospital, Ministry of Health respond

When asked about TBRHSC's policies around bed shortages, Bernardo said the hospital "provides assessments based on individual illness severity, injury emergence and acuity scores" to determine which patients are seen first.

As for cultural support, he spoke of the hospital's Indigenous care co-ordinators (ICC), who help Indigenous patients navigate services and advocate for appropriate care.

"For all patients, unfortunately at times they must wait until treatment providers are available and we can appreciate that waiting even a short period can be difficult for people," said Bernardo.

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre 'provides assessments based on individual illness severity, injury emergence and acuity scores” to determine which patients are seen first, says a spokesperson. (Marc Doucette/CBC)

"TBRHSC is continuously working internally, with partners, and with [the Ministry of Health] to find the resources to always be improving care for our patients from across northwestern Ontario."

CBC News also reached out to the ministry. In an emailed statement, the ministry said it can't comment on specific patient cases. However, spokesperson W.D. Lighthall said all hospitals must have a process for patients and caregivers to voice concerns.

Regarding bed shortages, "we are getting shovels in the ground for over 50 hospital development projects across the province, building on the over 3,500 hospital beds we have added since 2020," said Lighthall.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones announces funding for 34 beds at the TBRHSC in this October photo. (Marc Doucette/CBC)

"This includes an addition of 34 beds at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as Minister [Sylvia] Jones and MPP [Kevin] Holland announced last year."

The ministry did not say whether those 34 beds are already in place.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients and caregivers can also access the Early Resolution Specialist – Indigenous Experiences program through the patient ombudsman, said Lighthall, adding the program aims to help them resolve concerns and file formal complaints.

• Controversial law designed to free up hospital beds to be tested in Ontario court

• CMA apologizes for harms to First Nation, Inuit and Métis Peoples

Thunder Bay—Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois told CBC News she is concerned about Ontario's health-care funding and money being diverted from the public system into private care.

Earlier this month, she attended a virtual town hall meeting by the Ontario Medical Association to address concerns about wait times and doctor shortages in the north.

"People are very, very stressed and worried about the health-care system, that they're waiting too long to get services," Vaugeois told CBC News upon seeing the photo. "The image of this elder really … represents in a very tangible way the fact that our system is not able to keep up with people's needs."

Failures of 'colonial health-care system'

In response to the photo, Grand Council Treaty #3 issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" about the patient, who was identified as a member of Treaty #3.

"This incident highlights an unacceptable approach to care by TBRHSC and is reflective of the ongoing failure of the colonial health-care system to uphold our treaty right to health and well-being," the statement said.

Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa says he wants to see more investments in health care within northern First Nations so patients don't always have to travel to urban centres for treatment. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

People from dozens of remote First Nations travel to Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay for medical care. Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, who is from Kingfisher Lake First Nation, said he wants to see better care closer to home.

"The nurses, the physicians do not have the tools to be able to properly assess, treat the people in the north," Mamakwa said, describing how communities have outgrown their nursing stations.

"We don't have paramedics up north, nothing. Those are some of the basic things that we do not have that everybody in Ontario, across Canada has, but we don't."

Dr. Alexa Lesperance, an Anishinaabe family physician and vice-president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, says Indigenous patients tend to expect poor treatment due to the history of discrimination within the health-care system. (Submitted by Alexa Lesperance)

Lesperance, who grew up in Whitefish Bay and is a member of Rocky Bay First Nation in northwestern Ontario, said the CMA's acknowledgment of discrimination in the health-care system is a good first step.

However, it must be followed by actions — such as more cultural safety training and real-time reporting of discrimination that can be held publicly accountable. 

• In Depth
  Inquest for First Nation woman yields 42 recommendations to improve remote health care

• Number of Ontarians without family doctor reaches 2.5 million, college says

"What I didn't hear once in the CMA's official response are terms like white privilege, white fragility, white supremacy," Lesperance said. "Medical violence is entrenched in white supremacy.

"I do think non-Indigenous people need to be central to dismantling white supremacy, and that work can't come off the backs of racialized patients or physicians who are trying to survive within a system not intended for them and [that] continue to be harmed by its effect."

BRICS should contribute to multi-polar world: Chinese FM

 27-Sep-2024
CGTN


Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addresses a meeting of foreign ministers of BRICS countries in New York, U.S., September 26, 2024. /Chinese Foreign Ministry


Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need for BRICS countries to foster a multi-polar world and economic globalization that benefits all. Speaking on Friday at a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted the importance of common security to achieve lasting peace. He stressed that no country has the right to control the global security agenda or build its own security at the expense of others.

Wang also urged BRICS nations to prioritize development, focusing on poverty reduction, development financing, energy, and food security for developing countries. He called for BRICS to seize opportunities presented by the technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Wang underscored the need to practice multilateralism and improve global governance, advocating for greater participation of Global South countries in international decision-making processes. He also stressed the importance of enhancing their voice and representation in global institutions.

Later the same day, at a meeting between the Committee of Ten (C10) Heads of State and Government on UN Security Council Reform and foreign ministers of the five permanent UN Security Council members, Wang called for increased representation of developing countries, particularly through special arrangements for Africa.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency