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	Top Stories Why the UK is getting 130,000 more trees 130,000 trees to be planted in English cities and towns Glasgow aims to become UK's first net-zero emissions city

	Top Stories UK: Transcendental Meditation featured in Daily Star's recommendations to reduce blood pressure Head of worldwide Transcendental Meditation organisation addresses International Yoga Day celebration, UK Parliament UK: Dr Charlotte Bech shares the secrets of stress-free living

	Top Stories UK: Computing in schools in 'steep decline' UK anti-slavery hotline uncovers more cases, but triggers few probes 'Wake-up call' for UK as graduates' gender pay gap widens
Positive Trends Short Summaries of Top Stories Why the UK is getting 130,000 more trees 20 May 2019 - 130,000 trees will be planted across England's towns and cities in a bid to do more for the environment. Experts say that planting more trees is crucial in the fight against climate change and it doesn't just stop there; trees in urban areas can absorb noise, reduce flood risk, lower temperatures through shading, and create green spaces for communities to come together. (more) 130,000 trees to be planted in English cities and towns 19 May 2019 - More than 130,000 trees are to be planted in English towns and cities over the next two years as part of the nation's battle against global heating. The scheme, which will be administered by the Forestry Commission, will be open to individuals, local authorities, charities, and NGOs. Grants will be given to pay for the planting of trees and for the first three years of their care in order to ensure they flourish. (more) Glasgow aims to become UK's first net-zero emissions city 14 May 2019 - Glasgow aims to become the first city in Britain to be carbon-neutral in a drive to tackle climate change. The Scottish city plans to reach the goal by consuming greener energy and promoting a mass electric car charging scheme, as well as boosting investment in the renewable electricity grid. (more) Forget A to B, electric cars can now get you from London to Paris 10 May 2019 - In the past, when people thought about electric cars they probably envisaged being stranded at the side of the road, an empty battery and not a charging point in sight. The thought of even getting from home to work and back was worrying enough, and the idea of making it from one country to another was, frankly, absurd. Fast forward to 2019 and electric vehicles have come a long way. (more) UK: 'Young People's Forest': First trees planted in Derbyshire 10 May 2019 - Youngsters have begun planting trees at Britain's first 'Young People's Forest' on the site of a former open cast mine. The Woodland Trust has bought part of the 162-hectare (400 acre) site near Heanor in Derbyshire, which is known as Mead. Mass planting will take place in the autumn and about 250,000 trees will be planted there over the next few years. (more) Britain has first coal-free week in over a century 8 May 2019 - Britain, the birth place of coal power, has gone seven days without electricity from coal-fired stations for the first time since its 19th century industrial revolution, the country's power grid operator said on Wednesday [8 May]. As part of efforts to meet its climate target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent compared with 1990 levels in the next three decades, Britain plans to wean itself completely off coal-fired power generation by 2025. (more) London borough plants a 'bee corridor' 8 May 2019 - To make life easier on bees, a borough of London is building a bee corridor. Brent Council will plant a 7-mile (11-kilometer) corridor that will encompass 22 wildflower meadows in many of the borough's parks and open spaces. (more) How the Channel Tunnel changed Europe forever 4 May 2019 - The feat of engineering that has made this all possible, the Channel Tunnel, opened 25 years ago. Queen Elizabeth II and then French President Francois Mitterand officially cut the ribbon at special services in Folkestone and Calais on 6 May 1994, with Eurostar services running to Paris from London from November 1994. In the quarter century since, it's become not only a vital physical link between the UK and mainland Europe, but a highly symbolic one ... (more) Solar energy generation in Great Britain hits record-high 2 May 2019 - Solar energy generation reached a Q1 record-high in Great Britain (GB) in 2019's first quarter (Q1'19). Solar energy systems produced 2.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) of emissions-free electricity across the nation excluding Northern Ireland, 46 percent more than the corresponding period a year ago and 43 more than 2018's fourth quarter (Q4'18). (more) Bentley's factory in Crewe now produces 7.7 megawatts of solar power 1 May 2019 - Luxury brand Bentley has just finished the installation of 10,000 new solar panels on its covered parking area. Bentley's factory in Crewe, England now generates 7.7 megawatts of solar power, and all of the electricity used by the factory comes from renewable resources. (more)
Success of Maharishi's Programmes Short Summaries of Top Stories UK: Transcendental Meditation featured in Daily Star's recommendations to reduce blood pressure 17 September 2018 - One in four Brits suffers with high blood pressure, according to the UK's National Health Service. The Daily Star reports that a study led by Dr Robert Schneider, director of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Iowa, USA, found that Transcendental Meditation reduces high blood pressure. TM is featured first in a discussion of research on lifestyle approaches to reducing blood pressure including meditation, yoga, exercise, and diet. (more) Head of worldwide Transcendental Meditation organisation addresses International Yoga Day celebration, UK Parliament 26 June 2018 - Dr Tony Nader, MD, PhD, MARR, addressed this week's celebration of International Yoga Day held in the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, London. Dr Nader is a distinguished neuroscientist and the leader of the worldwide Transcendental Meditation organisation founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The celebration was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences. Dr Nader spoke on 'Yoga, consciousness and prevention' and presented the scientific basis of yoga, including scientific research on the benefits of yoga, of which Transcendental Meditation is a central aspect; and how the principles of yoga are found reflected in physics, physiology, and other areas of modern science. He presented published research showing the relevance of yoga for promoting health and preventing disease. (more) UK: Dr Charlotte Bech shares the secrets of stress-free living 27 May 2018 - Dr Charlotte Bech, a Danish doctor, surgeon and expert on natural medicine - lecturing in the UK for National Stress Awareness Month - said that simple procedures, such as the right light, diet, oils, spices, mental and emotional training, yoga and meditation, have been shown to reduce stress, despite the demands of our frenetic, modern lives. 'The most important advice is to practise Transcendental Meditation (TM), which is probably the most effective method against stress as it is time-tested, is the most extensively researched and most widely-practised and is the simplest and most natural procedure for meditation,' she said. 'In just a few minutes, this technique activates the parasympathetic nervous system and transforms the physiology to a settled and stress-free state.' (more) First ever neuroimaging study of people in the midst of Transcendental Meditation - British Psychological Society review 21 April 2018 - It is possible to pay attention effortlessly, your mind 'pulled by the inherent nature of the object of experience'. In fact, with practice, doing so can 'lead you to experience inner silence, tranquility, peace and transcendence'. That's according to a research team led by Michelle Mahone at the California School of Professional Psychology, who have published in Brain and Cognition what they describe as the first neuroimaging study of people in the midst of Transcendental Meditation (TM). (more) Scotland: Transcendental Meditation for caregivers - 'The dynamic in the family has changed' 14 April 2018 - Caring for elderly relatives can be exhausting. Leaving the Scottish Civil Service to take care of his mother left Owen feeling tired and stressed. 'As a carer, Transcendental Meditation seemed like a good fit. It would help deal with the stress of the caring combined with the isolation.' He had tried other forms of meditation which required a bit of effort. 'TM was surprisingly easy,' he said. 'I was able to do it right away and I felt the benefits almost immediately. . . . When I meditate I feel calm and restful but not sleepy. [Afterward] I feel very refreshed and more alert and focused.' During the day Owen feels more aware and understanding of his mother's needs, and that his increased calm has had a relaxing and reassuring effect on both of his parents: 'The dynamic in the family has changed.' (more) UK Parliament marks International Yoga Day - Prof Tony Nader, MD, PhD honoured with special award 16 July 2017 - The third International Yoga Day was celebrated in the House of Commons, Palace of Westminster, hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Indian Traditional Sciences, its Secretariat Amarjeet S Bhamra and the High Commission of India. The event on 10 July was designed to explore the value of introducing Yoga in the NHS (National Health Service). Chief Guest of the event, H.E. High Commissioner Y K Sinha paid tribute to the work of the APPG in introducing Yoga, Ayurveda and other disciplines into the mainstream of public life. Prof Tony Nader, MD, PhD, MARR, head of the worldwide Transcendental Meditation organization, was honoured with a special award, and presented five volumes of Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Programme to Members of Parliament. In his keynote address Prof Nader explained that 'every one of us has within us, built into our very physiology, the essential quality of Yoga, which is unifying.' (more) UK: Could Ayurveda be the cure for ailing National Health System? 1 July 2017 - As the UK's National Health Service (NHS) shoulders a growing financial burden, the ancient Indian tradition of Ayurveda is being promoted as a way to take the pressure off doctors while helping people keep good health. At the recent Second International Ayurveda Congress in London, Dr Rainer Picha, chairman of the International Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation in the Netherlands (one of three organizations that hosted the Congress), said: 'Modern medicine has become hugely expensive to support. Rather, we should be focused on the prevention of disease, which is much cheaper than curing diseases.' (more) UK: SuperMind Peak Performance Programme - Transcendental Meditation for professionals 20 June 2017 - The SuperMind Peak Performance Programme, a division of the David Lynch Foundation UK, offers Transcendental Meditation to companies and organisations to help executives and employees overcome stress, promote health, and attain high levels of performance. (more) Second International Ayurveda Congress held in London, 1-3 April 24 April 2017 - The Second International Ayurveda Congress, held in London 1-3 April, was organized by the All India Ayurvedic Congress, New Delhi, the International Academy of Ayurved, Pune and the International Maharishi AyurVeda Foundation, Netherlands. At the Congress, 300 delegates from 55 countries, including research scientists, doctors, and pharmacologists with expertise in Western and Ayurvedic medicine, discussed scientific evidence on preventing disease, promoting longevity and alleviating specific conditions with Ayurveda. The title of the Congress was: ''Ayurveda - The Pursuit of Health, Happiness and Long Life through Prevention-oriented Health Care''. (more) Profile: Transcendental Meditation, the 'missing piece of the recovery puzzle' 12 April 2017 - Having overcome alcohol addiction through the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12 step programme, an engineer in Glasgow, Scotland, found Transcendental Meditation to be the missing element in his recovery - allowing him to finally feel rested, and alleviating the high anxiety churning in his 'racing brain'. 'I would be anxious and fearful about something or someone or some event and I would do my TM practice and come out from it rested and full of energy,' he says. 'My ''great fears'' would have evaporated to the point where I had forgotten about what was giving me so much grief in the first place.' With TM, 'the energy of that anxious catastrophic ''racing brain'' is now channelled into creativity both in my personal and professional life.' (more)
Flops Short Summaries of Top Stories UK: Computing in schools in 'steep decline' 8 May 2019 - An annual study by the University of Roehampton has found that fewer 16-year-olds in England are getting a computing qualification. It also said schools have cut back on the hours spent teaching the subject. ... However, with entries for computer science growing only slowly it looks certain that far fewer 16-year-olds will emerge with any computing qualification. ... 'It looks likely that hundreds of thousands of students, particularly girls and poorer students, will be disenfranchised from a digital education over the next few years,' said Peter Kemp, senior lecturer in computing education at the University of Roehampton. (more) UK anti-slavery hotline uncovers more cases, but triggers few probes 24 April 2019 - Britain's anti-slavery helpline recorded a surge in calls, cases and suspected victims last year, but few referrals to the anti-slavery agency triggered investigations into labour abuse at sites such as car washes and farms, officials said on Wednesday [24 April]. The hotline identified more than 7,100 potential victims and about 1,850 modern slavery cases last year -- both up by almost half on 2017 -- said Unseen, the charity that runs the service. (more) 'Wake-up call' for UK as graduates' gender pay gap widens 29 March 2019 - The gender pay gap for British university graduates is widening as men's wage growth outpaces women's in the early years of their careers, government data released on Friday (29 March) showed. Five years after graduating, men earned 15 percent more than women in 2017, according to data that showed the gap had widened steadily from 12 percent three years earlier. (more) Air pollution linked with psychotic experiences in UK teens, study finds 27 March 2019 - High levels of air pollution in England and Wales have been linked with psychotic experiences in teenagers, such as hearing voices and intense paranoia, scientists said on Wednesday (27 March), as poor air quality in British cities comes under scrutiny. ... The researchers said their findings do not indicate that greater air pollution caused the psychotic experiences, and that there could be other contributing factors like noise pollution and increased stress levels, which they did not examine. (more) Bees: Many British pollinating insects in decline study shows 26 March 2019 - A third of British wild bees and hoverflies are in decline, according to a new study. If current trends continue, some species will be lost from Britain altogether, the scientists say. The study found 'winners' and 'losers' among hundreds of wild bees and hoverflies, which pollinate food crops and other plants. Common species are winning out at the expense of rarer ones, with an overall picture of biodiversity being lost. Scientists warn that the loss of nature could create problems in years to come, including the ability to grow food crops. (more) Wildfires rage across Britain after hottest winter day on record 27 February 2019 - Firefighters battled a series of wildfires in Britain on Wednesday (27 February), including a large moorland blaze outside the northern English city of Manchester, as the country experienced its warmest winter weather on record. The fire comes after Britain recorded its warmest winter day with a temperature of 21.2 Celsius in Kew Gardens in London. (more) British start-up breeds high performance bugs for animal feed 19 February 2019 - British start-up Beta Bugs is breeding high performance strains of black soldier fly for the insect feed sector, and is selecting traits like growth rate, protein content, fat composition, and even temperature tolerance according to clients' needs. The company breeds certain strains of fly, resulting in highly optimized insects. The feed is made from fly maggots. (more) Hundreds of trafficked children go missing from UK care homes 19 December 2018 - Findings raise doubts about Britain's ability to care for vulnerable children at time when record number of suspected child slaves are being referred to government. A growing number of trafficked children in Britain are going missing from care homes, with some feared to be returning to their traffickers after being treated like criminals or illegal immigrants by authorities, two charities said on Wednesday (19 December). (more) Labour abuses a 'risk worth taking' for fashion firms, UK lawmakers say 18 December 2018 - Fashion workers in Britain are being cheated of fair wages as lack of tough action make abuses 'a risk worth taking' for factory owners, lawmakers said on Tuesday (18 December). 'It's clear that modern slavery is happening in plain sight and potentially in garment factories in the UK,' said Mary Creagh, chair of the U.K. parliament's environmental audit committee, after a hearing about sustainability in fashion. Committee members said insufficient action was being taken against those committing labour abuses in Britain. (more) It's official: Brexit deal will hurt the UK economy 28 November 2018 - It's official: The British government's plan for leaving the European Union will be bad for the economy. The government published a report Wednesday (28 November) that outlines the economic costs associated with a range of Brexit scenarios. The Bank of England followed later in the day with its own assessment. (more)