‘Huge leap forward’ as world’s first vaccine for chikungunya virus is approved


Sarah Newey
Mon, 13 November 2023

The disease, similar to dengue and Zika, is spread by the same mosquito - Joao Paulo Burini/Moment RF

The world’s first vaccine for chikungunya virus has been approved by the United States, a “huge leap forward” for efforts to combat the debilitating mosquito-borne disease.

The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) have given the green light to a single-dose shot developed by the European firm Valneva, for use in those aged 18 and older who are at heightened risk of contracting the dengue-like virus.

“[The] approval addresses an unmet medical need and is an important advancement in the prevention of a potentially debilitating disease with limited treatment options,” said Prof Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.


Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist, Sir Jeremy Farrar, added that the milestone was “very important”.

Chikungunya – which comes from a word meaning “to become contorted” in the Kimakonde language spoken in parts of east Africa – was first detected in Tanzania in 1952, and triggered the first documented outbreaks in cities in Thailand and India some 15 years later.

Symptoms of chikungunya include fever, severe joint pain and swelling, headaches, fatigue and a rash - Eraxion/Stockphoto

The disease has similar symptoms to dengue and Zika – including fever, severe joint pain and swelling, headaches, fatigue and a rash – and is spread by the same mosquito, complicating diagnosis. It is rarely fatal – of about 440,000 cases reported as of September, 350 people died – yet there are currently no treatments to specifically target the pathogen.

The US FDA describes chikungunya an “emerging global health threat” because, although the risk remains highest in subtropical regions, it is increasingly spreading. This is a result of viral adaptations, which make it easier for mosquitoes to spread the infection, and warming temperatures, allowing these insects to thrive in new territories.

The Valneva vaccine, known as Ixchiq, is the first chikungunya vaccine to gain regulatory approval, after it was found to induce antibody levels that could neutralise the virus in 98.9 per cent of participants for 28 days post-vaccination.

On Monday, the company unveiled additional results that showed similar results in 12-18 year olds.

‘Designed specifically’ for affordability

Yet the FDA has asked Valneva to conduct a post-marketing study to assess the risk of severe chikungunya-like adverse reactions following administration of Ixchiq, after 1.6 per cent of participants who received the vaccine had severe chikungunya-like adverse reactions.

It is not yet clear how many doses of Ixchiq – which is also under review by the European Medicines Agency – are already available, nor how quickly it will be released on the market in America. Valneva has not yet responded to the Telegraph’s questions.

But in a blog post, Dr Richard Hatchett – chief executive of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which part-funded the development of Ixchiq – said the vaccine had been “designed specifically” to allow it to be manufactured and affordable in low- and middle-income countries.

He added that, because it is a single-dose vaccine, it is also “well-suited for use in outbreak responses and in low-resource settings” – although it may take some time to go through the regulatory process in endemic countries like Brazil, where 219,000 cases have been reported this year.

“[Approval] is a huge leap forward in the fight against this debilitating disease,” said Dr Hatchett. “The next step is even more important: making this vaccine accessible to those living in endemic countries who are most at risk from the disease.”

OOPS

SNP admits it overestimated Scotland's offshore wind capacity


Simon Johnson
Mon, 13 November 2023 

The largest wind turbine farm in the UK, Black Law wind farm, near Carluke, in Scotland - Construction Photography/Avalon

SNP ministers have quietly downgraded their claim that Scotland has a quarter of Europe’s offshore wind potential to just seven per cent, in a major blow to their economic case for independence.

Neil Gray, the Scottish energy secretary, wrote to a Holyrood committee with the revised estimate after SNP ministers were forced to admit that the 25 per cent figure they had used for years was false.

Emails disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act showed Mr Gray wanted to bury the update, with his officials writing that he was “not sure we need to draw attention to the issue with a letter to committee”.

His civil servants told him that was not possible as the Scottish Government had committed to informing parliament when a new figure had been calculated.

But they agreed to hush up the seven per cent estimate, saying: “No proactive communications are recommended.” This meant that no press release was issued or announcement made when he wrote to Holyrood’s net zero and energy committee in September.

The SNP had used the 25 per cent figure since 2010 and it was a keystone of the party’s economic case for independence. It was included in the Scottish Government’s white paper on separation, published before the 2014 referendum.

But a freedom of information request by think tank These Islands disclosed that servants had concerns about its accuracy more than three years ago, with officials stating in Oct 2020 that it had “proved very difficult to source”.
Official warning

Internal Scottish Government correspondence showed an official warned that it had “never, to my knowledge, been properly sourced”.

In January 2021, another civil servant warned that “we did recycle those figures quite robotically without really checking them”.

These Islands discovered that the 25 per cent figure was calculated by combining statistics from two old reports, one of which used a definition of Europe that included only 11 countries and was based on information from 1993.

But Angus Robertson, the SNP’s constitution secretary, was among the SNP ministers who persisted in using the figure and it was included in the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which was published in March last year.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s then Westminster leader, and other nationalist MPs repeated the claim again during a Commons debate on Scottish independence a year ago. The SNP’s Scottish Green coalition colleagues also tweeted it.

Responding to the updated estimate, Liam Kerr, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: “The SNP have been caught out yet again playing fast and loose with Scotland’s offshore energy potential.

“Ministers must be open and honest about giving accurate figures – secrecy and cover-up does the renewables sector no favours. This is yet another example of a government that thinks it can get away with anything.”
Overstating share

Sam Taylor, who runs These Islands, said: “For over a decade, the Scottish Government was overstating Scotland’s share of Europe’s offshore wind potential by a factor of about four times.”

In his letter to Sir Edward Mountain, the committee’s convener, Mr Gray noted that the Scottish Government had committed to revise the 25 per cent figure.

An accompanying annex said Scotland’s installed offshore wind capacity was more than 2GW, 16 per cent of the UK total. It said this was around seven per cent of Europe’s capacity and three per cent of world capacity.

It said that the Scottish Government wants to grow offshore wind capacity to 11GW by 2030, which it said would equate to around 10 per cent of the EU target for the same date.

But Mr Taylor said this was also misleading as it excluded capacity in the rest of the UK. If the latter was included, Scotland’s 2030 share would fall to 6.8 per cent.

Mr Taylor noted that this calculation also omitted capacity in Norway, which is not in the EU, which would “push Scotland’s share of a genuinely European total down towards six per cent”.

The Scottish Government was approached for comment.

RIP

Activist Joan Jara, widow of murdered singer, dead at 96

AFP
Mon, 13 November 2023 at 10:09 am GMT-7·2-min read

Joan Jara (R) was the widow of murdered folksinger Victor Jara (.)

British-born human rights activist Joan Jara, the widow of Chilean folksinger Victor Jara murdered by dictatorship agents in 1973, has died aged 96, the foundation she created announced.

"Our beloved Joan Jara passed away" on Sunday, the Victor Jara Foundation said on social media. A memorial service will be held in Santiago Monday.

Born Joan Turner, Jara went into exile with her two daughters after her husband's murder in 1973, returning to Chile in the mid-1980s to fight for truth, justice and human rights.


Also a decorated dancer, she denounced the dictatorship and its violations, seeking justice for her husband's death. She received Chilean citizenship in 2009.

Victor Jara, 40, was arrested the day after the September 11, 1973 CIA-backed coup that overthrew Salvador Allende and installed Pinochet as dictator.

Jara's body was found days later, riddled with 44 bullets. He had been held, along with around 5,000 other political prisoners, in a sports stadium where he was interrogated, tortured and then killed.

In 2016, Joan Jara told the US-based civil trial of Pedro Pablo Barrientos Nunez, charged with torturing and killing her husband, how his death "changed my life, and the life of my daughters, forever."

She recalled finding Jara's lifeless, mangled and bloodied body in a morgue.

Barrientos, who the court found liable for the murder, was arrested in Florida last month and is expected to be extradited to Chile where he has been wanted since 2013.

Weeks before his arrest, Chile's Supreme Court sentenced seven retired military officers to up to 25 years in prison for Jara's kidnapping and murder.

One of Chile's most beloved folk singers, Jara became an icon for those who suffered human rights violations under Pinochet, and inspired artists internationally including U2, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

cm/arm/mlr/caw

UK

SAME OLD AUSTERITY

Treasury to save £4bn with disability benefits overhaul CUTS

Tim Wallace
Mon, 13 November 2023

Hunt

Welfare reforms aimed at encouraging more people into work could save as much as £4bn in a boost for Jeremy Hunt as he prepares for the Autumn Statement.

Under proposals currently under consultation that are likely to be confirmed in the Chancellor’s fiscal update next week, it will become harder for people to claim disability benefits and more new claimants will be required to show they are trying to find a job.

The changes to the Work Capability Assessment may leave some recipients on universal credit alone, rather than receiving an additional £390 per month.

The changes are expected to save the Government as much as £4bn over four years, in a development first reported by the BBC.

The savings would come at a vital time for the Chancellor, as he plans his Autumn Statement against a backdrop of extremely tight public finances.

Mr Hunt has promised to do more to encourage people into work rather than staying on benefits. 2.6 million people of working age are currently classed as economically inactive – neither in work, nor looking for work – citing long-term sickness as the cause.

CLASSIC CONSERVATIVE LOGIC; 

THEY ARE SLACKERS

KICK THEM OFF THE DOLE PUT 'EM TO WORK

It is feared that this is holding back the economy, which is struggling to grow as employers labour to fill almost 1 million vacancies.

The Department for Work and Pensions opened a consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment in September, which ran until the end of October.

When setting out its proposed reforms, the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Being in suitable work is good for people’s physical and mental health, wellbeing, and financial security. However, too many disabled people and people with health conditions are stuck on incapacity benefits, without the support they need to access work.”

It argued that guidelines set out a decade ago are no longer suitable at a time when more jobs can be performed flexibly and a larger share of the population can work from home, making it easier for people in poor health to find employment.

It is understood that the aim is to apply the changes to new claimants as the scheme is phased in, rather than those already in receipt of the cash.

A spokesman from the Department for Work and Pensions said the consultation responses are still being assessed, so reports of a final decision on Work Capability Assessments are “purely speculation”.

The spokesman said: “The structural reforms set out in the Health and Disability White Paper, which will improve the experience of the benefits system for disabled people, will be rolled out gradually from 2026 and transitional protection will ensure nobody experiences a financial loss as a result of moving onto the new system.”

Forests could absorb much more carbon, but does it matter?



Sara HUSSEIN
Mon, 13 November 2023

A new study finds forests could absorb vastly more carbon with better protection (MAURO PIMENTEL)

Protecting forests globally could vastly increase the amount of carbon they sequester, a new study finds, but given our current emissions track, does it really matter?

For Thomas Crowther, an author of the assessment, the answer is a resounding yes.

"I absolutely see this study as a cause for hope," the professor at ETH Zurich said.


"I hope that people will see the real potential and value that nature can bring to the climate change topic."

But for others, calculating the hypothetical carbon storage potential of global forests is more an academic exercise than a useful framework for forest management.

"I am a forester by trade, so I really like to see trees grow," said Martin Lukac, professor of ecosystem science at University of Reading.

However, he considers forest carbon potential calculations like these "dangerous," warning they "distract from the main challenge and offer false hope."

Crowther has been here before: in 2019 he produced a study on how many trees the Earth could support, where to plant them and how much carbon they could store.

"Forest restoration is the best climate change solution available today," he argued.

That work caused a firestorm of criticism, with experts unpicking everything from its modelling to the claim that reforestation was the "best" solution available.

Nodding to the furore, Crowther and his colleagues have now vastly expanded their data set and used new modelling approaches for the study published Monday in the journal Nature.

They use ground-sourced surveys and data from three models based on high-resolution satellite imagery.

The modelling approach is "as good as it currently gets," acknowledged Lukac, who was not involved in the work.

- 'Achieve climate targets' -

The study estimates forests are storing 328 gigatons of carbon less than they would if untouched by human destruction.

Estimates of the world's remaining carbon "budget" to keep warming below the 1.5C range from around 250-500 gigatons.

Much of the forest potential -- 139 gigatons -- could be captured by just leaving existing forests to reach full maturity, the study says.

Another 87 gigatons could be regained by reconnecting fragmented forests.

The remainder is in areas used for agriculture, pasture or urban infrastructure, which the authors acknowledge is unlikely to be reversed.

Still, they say their findings present a massive opportunity.

"Forest conservation, restoration and sustainable management can help achieve climate targets by mitigating emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration," the study says.

Modelling and mapping the world's forests is a tricky business.

There's the scale of the problem, but also the complexity of what constitutes a forest.

Trees, of course, but the carbon storage potential of a woodland or jungle is also in its soil and the organic matter littering the forest floor.

- Trees versus emissions? -

Ground-level surveys can offer granular data, but are difficult to extrapolate.

And satellite imagery covers large swathes of land, but can be confounded by something as simple as the weather, said Nicolas Younes, research fellow at the Australian National University.

"Most of the places where there is potential for carbon storage are tropical countries... these are places where there is persistent cloud cover, therefore satellite imagery is very hard to validate," he told AFP.

Younes, an expert on forest remote sensing, warns the complexity of the study's datasets and modelling risks introducing errors, though the resulting estimates remain "very valuable".

"It will not show us the exact truth for every pixel on Earth, but it is useful."

One objection to quantifying forest carbon potential is that conditions are far from static, with accelerating climate change, forest fires and pest vulnerability all playing a role.

And, for Lukac, whatever potential forests have is irrelevant to the urgency of cutting emissions.

The study's estimated 328 gigatons "would be wiped (out) in 30 years by current emissions," he said.

Crowther, who advises a project to plant a trillion trees globally, rejects an either-or between forest protection and emissions reduction.

"We urgently need both," he said.

sah/mtp

Dominica to create world's first sperm whale reserve

Issam AHMED
Mon, 13 November 2023 

Sperm whales are the largest toothed predators on the planet, living in matrilineal societies with distinct cultures and dialects 

(VALERY HACHE)

Dominica is set to create the world's first sperm whale reserve, designating a swath of ocean where large ships and commercial fishing are restricted and visitors can swim alongside the gentle marine giants.

The Caribbean nation said it hoped the new protected zone of 300 square miles (nearly 800 square kilometers) off its western coast -- roughly the size of the island itself -- would boost valuable tourism revenue but also help sequester more carbon in the deep sea, an often overlooked benefit of whale conservation.

"The 200 or so sperm whales that call our sea home are prized citizens of Dominica," said Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in a statement Monday. "Dominica is honored to establish the first Sperm Whale Reserve on our planet."

Sperm whales are the largest toothed predators on Earth, living in matrilineal societies with distinct cultures and dialects.

Growing up to 50 feet (16 meters) long, they are found across the globe, from Iceland to New Zealand. But they have a particular affinity for the majestic blue waters off Dominica, which provide critical feeding and nursing grounds.

Marine biologist Shane Gero told AFP he began studying the Dominica whales in 2005, with his research showing the population was experiencing a decline as a result of ship strikes and unintentional entanglements in fishing gear as well as plastic pollution.

"We're losing individual animals and the families that researchers and the operators who do whale watching here know very well," he said. Individuals live up to 90 years, and the Dominican whales communicate in a specific series of clicks thought to convey: "I'm from Dominica, are you?"

Several Dominican whales have been given names, such as "Can Opener," "Fingers" and "Hope," and remember certain tour operators they've come to know.

- Ecotourism and climate benefits -

The reserve's boundaries were defined based on studies of where the roughly 50 whale families find food and shelter, though a corridor will be carved out to allow ships to dock at Roseau, the island's capital and largest city, Francine Baron, CEO of the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica told AFP.

Success or failure will hinge on stringent regulations and implementation. A law required to operationalize the reserve should be passed by Dominica's parliament "within weeks," said Baron, a former foreign minister, promising there would be "legislative teeth."

Vessels 60 feet or longer would likely be prohibited, while small-scale, artisinal fishing would be allowed to continue.

Kristen Rechberger, CEO of Dynamic Planets which is advising the government, told AFP the idea would be to do something akin to the mountain gorilla tourism program of Rwanda, where foreign visitors pay $1,500 to hike a whole day then spend an hour with the primates.

Conserving sperm whales also carries climate benefits that derive from their feces.

Sperm whales dive to hunt squid, then return to the surface where they breathe, rest and defecate. Their nutrient-rich feces foster plankton blooms which capture carbon dioxide from seawater. When the plankton dies it becomes a carbon sink, helping mitigate impacts of climate change.

Assuming 250 whales in Dominica's waters, each year they lock up to 4200 metric tons of carbon, equivalent to keeping 5,000 cars off the road -- significant for a small island nation, said Enric Sala, founder of nonprofit Pristine Seas which is also advising Dominica.

"So the whales are part of the climate resilience plan of Dominica," he said. "Whale poop, who would have thought?"

ia/mlm

UK

‘Russian roulette’ maternity units risk lives of mothers and babies, say midwives

Rosie Taylor
Mon, 13 November 2023

Midwives said that they were given so many patients to care for they often did not have enough time to complete basic care tasks 

- JGI/TOM GRILL/TETRA IMAGES RF

The lives of mothers and babies are being put at risk in a maternity culture so toxic that it feels like a “game of Russian roulette”, midwives have warned.

A report by front-line staff has described “endemic” bullying and “dangerously low” staffing levels, which meant that women in labour were treated as if they were “on a conveyor belt”.

Maternity units “often” had less than half the number of staff needed to operate safely and unqualified students were left to look after multiple women on postnatal or labour wards.

Midwives said that they were given so many patients to care for they often did not have enough time to complete basic care tasks, such as giving women painkillers or properly sterilising equipment – putting patients at risk of infection.

The report by the #Saynotobullyinginmidwifery campaign group – a team of leading midwives and midwifery academics – featured the experiences of hundreds of midwives who are currently working in or have recently left NHS services.

Many of those who contributed had witnessed babies harmed as a result of their “unfathomable” working conditions, describing a “toxic culture” in maternity services.

One said that working in maternity units in the UK was like “playing a warped game of Russian roulette and just praying the tragedy doesn’t occur on your shift or with a person you’ve been caring for after you’ve gone off shift”.

‘Things have got so much worse’

In her foreword to the report, Mavis Kirkham, emeritus professor of midwifery at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “Twenty years ago [it was] reported how midwives were leaving midwifery because they could not give the care they wished to give. Things have got so much worse.”

She warned that “care has been squeezed out in the interests of efficiency” and that the service was “run on a conveyor belt model” which was “so inappropriate”.

The report’s authors blamed chronic staff shortages, as well as pressures on midwives from senior management to discharge mothers and babies as quickly as possible to free up beds.

It follows a call from bereaved parents for a statutory public inquiry into England’s maternity services.

The request, made by the Maternity Safety Alliance, followed a number of high-profile reports that revealed poor care and toxic cultures in maternity services at individual NHS trusts, including the Ockenden Review into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and the Kirkup Report into East Kent Maternity Services.

The latest report, published on Monday, featured similar stories from across the country.

A newly qualified midwife told how she had been left alone on her first shift to deliver the baby of a woman with multiple high-risk health problems.

The baby died hours after it was born.

‘Poor organisational culture identified’

Another described the “utter hell” of pressing the emergency bell when they noticed problems with a baby’s heart rate during labour, only for it to go unanswered.

One said that she never had enough time to care properly for women and babies so prioritised the tasks most likely to prevent harm “because at least when you hand over [to staff on the next shift] you can tell them that nobody died”.

One midwife cited in the report said that midwives working in her hospital were given 10 high-risk women and 10 babies to care for on each shift.

“That’s 37 minutes to give each individual everything they need … It’s unfathomable,” they said.

The report told how midwives who raised the alarm with senior staff about unsafe conditions were often bullied or threatened, with many leaving their jobs as a result.

Its authors said that workplace pressures meant there was an “endemic” bullying culture towards newly qualified staff in particular, with managers “colluding in, and sometimes leading, this ethos”.

A spokesman for the Royal College of Midwives said: “Poor organisational culture has been identified as a key factor in recent investigations and reports on maternity safety. We know that maternity staff who feel supported and valued provide better care and when there is a positive working culture the quality of the care improves.”

A spokesman for NHS England said: “The NHS is committed to working closely with local trusts and partners to make necessary improvements so that we provide the best possible services for women, babies and their families and it is completely unacceptable for any member of staff to feel silenced or unable to speak about issues affecting them.”

Stone Age babies received better parenting, study suggests

Sarah Knapton
Mon, 13 November 2023 

Modern-day parenting is less effective than the Stone Age equivalent

Modern parents take on much more of the childcare responsibilities themselves than their Stone Age ancestors, but this leads to less effective parenting, a new study suggests.

Anthropologists at Cambridge University studied Mbendjele BaYaka, a semi-nomadic tribe who live today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to find out how traditional societies care for their youngsters.

They found that children were often looked after by more than 10 members of the group, who would respond to more than half a baby’s bouts of crying.

Communal parenting allowed children to receive an average of nine hours of close contact with older members of the tribe, which gave mothers time to work and rest.

The team speculated that sharing of parenting helped to prevent abuse, while allowing children to become better parents themselves.

“For more than 95 per cent of our evolutionary history, we lived as hunter-gatherers,” said lead author Dr Nikhil Chaudhary.

“Therefore, contemporary hunter-gatherer societies [like Mbendjele BaYaka] can offer clues as to whether there are certain child-rearing systems to which infants, and their mothers, may be psychologically adapted.

“As a society, from policymakers to employers to health care services, we need to work together to ensure mothers and children receive the support and care they need to thrive.”

DR Congo study

The DR Congo study showed that, at any one time, the ratio of caregivers to children was greater than five to one, much more than in modern homes or nurseries.

And researchers speculated that children may be “evolutionarily primed” to expect exceptionally high levels of physical contact and care, as well as personal attention from several caregivers in addition to their biological parents.

The team concluded that throughout human history and prehistory, parents had never been under the pressure they are now in terms of lack of support.

“Support for mothers also has numerous benefits for children such as reducing the risk of neglect and abuse, buffering against family adversity, and improving maternal wellbeing which in turn enhances maternal care,” said child psychiatrist, Dr Annie Swanepoel, of Elysium Healthcare.

The study also found it was common for older children and adolescents to be heavily involved in caring for infants, further supporting mothers and giving these young carers valuable experience, boosting their confidence and lowering anxiety about becoming parents themselves.

The research was published in the journal Developmental Psychology.

Church of England to have dedicated ceremonies for gay couples

Ewan Somerville
Mon, 13 November 2023 

Two men exchange rings on their wedding day... this could soon happen in the Church of England - DGLIMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Gay couples will have dedicated Church ceremonies for the first time by Easter, under plans backed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The Church of England’s two most senior leaders have publicly supported proposals for standalone same-sex blessing ceremonies, which could pave the way for churches hosting effectively gay weddings in all but name.

It emerged on the first day of a special gathering of General Synod, the Church’s ruling body, which is considering a motion this week on how to implement gay blessings following their approval in a landmark vote in February.


Nine months on, no such blessings have been given amid a dispute between conservative and liberal factions of the Church that is not expected to be settled until 2025.

Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, said the debate was “stretching us to breaking point” and “many of us have arrived at this Synod feeling weary, fearful, confused and even angry about it all”.

He warned of the risk that priests could be sued by parishioners if they deliver traditional Sunday or Evensong services with same-sex blessings embedded, because it could be interpreted as a standalone service which is currently not allowed under Church rules.
Vulnerable to legal challenge

To resolve this, Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, has tabled an amendment to “consider whether some standalone services for same-sex couples could be made available for use, possibly on a trial basis”, which would introduce separate ceremonies solely for gay couples on a temporary basis.

Backing the amendment, Archbishop Cottrell told Synod: “I am concerned that clergy using the commended prayers might find themselves vulnerable to a legal challenge if their use of the prayers looks to someone else to be a standalone service.

“Something that allows standalone services for an experimental period seems to me to be a sensible and pastoral way forward. It gives clergy and parishes who want to use the Prayers of Love and Faith the legal protection they need.”

Clergy and parishes would also “be under no compunction or compulsion to do so”, he said, growing threats of a major split within the Anglican Communion on the issue.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said he “stand[s] in complete agreement”.

If Synod passes the proposal, the dedicated services could be introduced in certain churches by Easter, but if it were to be rejected the Archbishops could still bring it in. The House of Bishops, one of three houses of Synod, is understood to broadly support it.
Debate has raged

While same-sex blessings were approved earlier this year, debate has raged within the Church over how it aligns with doctrine which still forbids gay marriage, and the ban on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages.

The long-awaited Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples are due to be commended by bishops later this month, allowing them to be used in churches in services such as the Holy Communion, Thanksgiving and in private prayer.

But aside from possible temporary ceremonies which would be in place by Easter if approved at this and the next Synod, same-sex blessings services are not expected to be rolled out more widely across the whole Church until at least 2025 because of technical aspects of Canon law.

Jayne Ozanne, a prominent gay evangelical Christian and member of Synod who previously served on the Government’s LGBT+ Advisory Panel, told The Telegraph: “Whilst I welcome the potential provision of standalone services, I know that what most LGBT+ people want is equal marriage.

‘Typical Church of England fudge’

“This proposal is therefore a typical Church of England fudge, where no one is well served and where LGBT+ people as usual are asked to pay the price.

“I think that many in the Church, indeed in the nation, will be deeply frustrated by the inability of the Church of England to treat LGBT people as equals and to properly celebrate and mark our love.”

It came as Mr Welby called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and demanded that Christians “rebuke” hatred of Jews and Muslims on British streets.

“This bloodshed must cease, hostages must be released, and aid must reach those in Gaza in dire need,” he told Synod.

He said that “the call for a ceasefire is a moral cry that we are hearing from people of many faiths,” adding: “In Christ’s name, we cry out from our hearts: ‘No More. This killing must stop’”.

UK
RMT members to receive £1,750 Christmas boost under new rail deal

Jack Simpson
Mon, 13 November 2023 

Mick Lynch, secretary-general of the RMT, has welcomed the pay offer

 - NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock

RMT rail union members are in line for a Christmas pay boost of £1,750 as part of a new deal.

Last week, the RMT and train operating companies broke the deadlock in the 18-month dispute, with a deal that could pause strike action until at least the end of April.

The deal, which is being voted on by RMT members, will see the union suspend industrial action in exchange for a backdated pay offer which could see all members receive a lump sum of at least £1,750 before the Christmas break.

In a video to members last week, Mick Lynch, the RMT secretary-general, said: “The pay offer remains below inflation, and was not we wanted but does provide a considerable period of time where there will be no need for industrial action, as there will be no changes imposed on you.”

Surprise breakthrough

The unexpected announcement marks the biggest development in talks between the RMT and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents the 14 rail operating firms, since the dispute started.

It will also be the first time RMT members have been able to vote on a pay deal during this period.

The union, which has 20,000 members covered by the current dispute, including ticket office staff and train guards, has carried out more than 20 days of industrial action since its first national strike in June 2022.

The deal will see members receive an unconditional pay rise covering the 2022-23 financial year, which gives all members a pay increase of at least five per cent, or a pay offer of £1,750 if this is higher.

For those earning more than £35,000 the increases will be five per cent. Those on lower salaries will receive a higher percentage, with workers on £30,000 receiving a 5.8 per cent increase, those on £25,000 receiving 7 per cent, and those on £20,000 receiving an 8.75 per cent rise. These all work out at £1,750.

Mr Lynch said the offer was a “welcome development” and a “fresh approach” from rail firms to members.

A spokesman for the RDG said: “Following further negotiations between RDG and RMT, a memorandum of understanding on the current dispute has been developed which sets out a process for a mutually agreed way forward, including a backdated 2022 pay rise for staff and job security guarantees.”

Strike mandate suspended

In exchange for the pay deal and a promise to halt compulsory redundancies until the end of 2024, the RMT has agreed to suspend its mandate until the end of spring.

Instead, the union will enter a negotiation phase with each of the 14 rail operating companies over future pay and working conditions. This could result in some individual rail firms facing strike action after that period.

RMT members will vote on the deal throughout November. If they vote in favour it will avert the travel chaos seen last Christmas, when members took industrial action between Dec 24 and Dec 27

Last week, the Government laid the Minimum Service Bill before Parliament which would legislate that 40 per cent of rail services must run when unions carry out national strike action. Currently 20 per cent of services run during a walkout.

The new law, which ministers hope will be passed before Christmas, will allow employers to issue notices to staff required to work. Those who have been issued an order and still strike will have no protection from dismissal.

The RMT called the move an “authoritarian attack on the fundamental freedoms of working people”.

However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “We’re taking the right long-term decision to bring in minimum service levels, in line with other countries, to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on.”

Aslef yet to agree deal

A deal has yet to be agreed with Aslef, the union which represents train drivers, meaning it could still call Christmas strikes and cause widespread disruption.

Commenting on the deal last week, the Department for Transport said: “The Rail Delivery Group’s offer guarantees no compulsory redundancies and a fair pay rise, while ensuring we can take forward much-needed reform to secure the future of our railways.

“We hope RMT members will recognise the benefits, accept this offer and put an end to the RMT’s industrial action.”

IRELAND

RTE to reduce staff by 400 and cut some services, reports suggest

Rebecca Black, PA
Mon, 13 November 2023 

RTE will shed some 400 jobs and cut a number of services as part of their plan to handle financial losses.

Under the strategic reform plan handed to Government, details of which leaked on Monday, the voluntary redundancies are to be made by 2028.

The plan, reported by RTE News, will also prioritise upgraded technology, live and online content, while some services will be reduced and there will be more production in Cork and in other regions in the years ahead.

More content will be produced by the independent sector, RTE reported, and it will continue to reduce the pay of top presenters as well as retain a 2023 pay cap.

RTE said in a statement that it will publish its strategic vision document on Tuesday, after a meeting with unions and staff representative groups and a briefing of staff by director general Kevin Bakhurst.

The Trade Union Group (TUG) called on RTE to release the full document to staff immediately.

A spokesman said: “It is not acceptable that staff should find out about the plan in this way and now be worried about the security of their jobs.”

The NUJ’s Irish Secretary Seamus Dooley condemned the leaking of the strategy as a “further blow to trust of staff”.

“The National Union of Journalists supports the call by the RTE Trade Union Group for immediate circulation of the strategy document. I acknowledge that the director general wants to put his proposals in context but that ship has now sailed and the only way to allay the fears of staff is immediate release of the document,” he said.

“We are gravely concerned at the scale of the proposed redundancies and will require detailed information on how it is proposed to maintain core services and the impact on staff of such drastic proposals.

“Staff will want an assurance that there is a genuine, sustainable long plan based on clearly defined objectives rather than a set of announcements aimed at securing government support for short term funding.”

Last month Mr Bakhurst warned the broadcaster would become insolvent by early spring next year without additional funding from the Government,

Ministers are withholding 40 million euro, to plug a gap created by plummeting licence fee revenue, pending the delivery of the strategic reform plan from RTE.

The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee was told RTE is facing a loss of between 10-12 million euro this year.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin earlier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the government would not allow RTE to fail.

“I believe RTE is an essential service, it’s a public service broadcaster and we’re not going to allow it to fail, we’re not going to allow it to cease to operate,” he said.