The deal – which will grant EU fishers access to British waters for an additional 12 years – will remove checks on a significant number of food products as well as a deeper defence partnership and agreements on carbon taxes.

The UK said the deal would make “food cheaper, slash red tape, open up access to the EU market”. But the trade-off for the deal was fishing access and rights for an additional 12 years – more than the UK had offered – which is likely to lead to cries of betrayal from the industry.

The two sides will also begin talks for a “youth experience scheme”, first reported in the Guardian, which could allow young people to work and travel freely in Europe again and mirror existing schemes the UK has with countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

The government said it would put £360m of modernisation support back into coastal communities as part of the deal, a tacit acknowledgment of the concession.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20676198

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.nz/post/21414090

The memo, shared with The Grocer, warns food businesses are woefully unprepared for challenges including soil degradation, extreme weather events, global heating and water scarcity and that yield, quality and predictability of food supply are all at severe risk.

It goes on to claim that companies’ risk mitigation strategies are being assured by major audit and assurance firms and giving false confidence to investors, whereas the true threat to the supply chain is far greater than companies have acknowledged.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2025/apr/07/backstage-olivier-awards-2025-in-pictures

Stewart was already pretty focused on the episode because of his lifelong appreciation for Warner's work, but as a member of Amnesty International for years before coming to "Star Trek," he was even more concerned about making sure the torture aspects of the episode were accurate and respectful to torture survivors.

In the episode, Picard is tortured by Gul Madred in a number of ways, including isolation, stripping him naked, starvation, and causing him intense physical pain, all ending in a sick game where Madred shows Picard four lights and threatens him with excruciating pain if he doesn't agree with Madred saying there are actually five lights. In addition to working directly with Amnesty International on the episode, inviting them to Los Angeles to help with the torture scenes, Patrick Stewart also watched tapes that included statements from torture survivors and even a long interview with a torturer who shared his experiences hurting other people.

In addition to his rather uncomfortable research, Stewart also insisted on being completely nude during the scene where Picard is tortured by being stripped naked, because he wanted to fully honor the experiences of those who had endured similar torture in the real world. (Generally, nude scenes are done with some kind of skin-toned undergarment or even a little sock, but Stewart wanted to be as exposed as Picard.) Stewart's experience researching and filming the torture scenes might have been pretty unpleasant, but it helped lead to one of the very best episodes of "The Next Generation."

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/13812624

JD.com founder Richard Liu warned employees against prioritizing work-life balance during a recent video conference, stating those who "put life first and work second" were not welcome at the company. This stance reflects a broader trend in China's tech sector as executives face slowing growth and increased competition.

Major tech firms, including Alibaba and Tencent, have cut tens of thousands of jobs since 2021. Companies are now seeking younger, cheaper workers and demanding longer hours from existing staff. Pinduoduo, an e-commerce group known for its high productivity and grueling work culture, is seen as a model by some in the industry. In 2021, two Pinduoduo employees died in incidents linked to overwork by colleagues.

Older tech professionals, typically over 35, face the greatest risk of redundancy and struggle to find new positions. Employers often view them as expensive and less flexible due to family responsibilities. A 2023 survey of 2,200 professionals in China's largest cities revealed widespread anxiety about career prospects and work-life balance. Many in the industry report experiencing depression and high stress levels.

JD.com founder Richard Liu warned employees against prioritizing work-life balance during a recent video conference, stating those who "put life first and work second" were not welcome at the company. This stance reflects a broader trend in China's tech sector as executives face slowing growth and increased competition.

Major tech firms, including Alibaba and Tencent, have cut tens of thousands of jobs since 2021. Companies are now seeking younger, cheaper workers and demanding longer hours from existing staff. Pinduoduo, an e-commerce group known for its high productivity and grueling work culture, is seen as a model by some in the industry. In 2021, two Pinduoduo employees died in incidents linked to overwork by colleagues.

Older tech professionals, typically over 35, face the greatest risk of redundancy and struggle to find new positions. Employers often view them as expensive and less flexible due to family responsibilities. A 2023 survey of 2,200 professionals in China's largest cities revealed widespread anxiety about career prospects and work-life balance. Many in the industry report experiencing depression and high stress levels.