Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Heavy rain falls in some areas of the capital on June 17 during the day. The greatest amount of precipitation fell in the south of the city. According to weather forecasters, thunderstorms with rain are expected by the end of the day, and wind gusts may increase to 15 meters per second.
Due to bad weather, teams and special equipment of the State Unitary Enterprise “Mosvodostok” are on duty on the city streets. City services promptly respond to incoming requests.
Residents and visitors to the capital are asked to be careful on the street, not to take shelter under trees and not to park cars near them.
In an emergency, you must call the emergency services at the single number 112 or the single helpline of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the city of Moscow: 7 495 637-31-01.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — The China Special Book Award ceremony was held in Beijing on Tuesday, with 16 people from 12 countries receiving the top honor given to foreigners working in the book publishing industry.
Among the laureates were three sinologists from Russia: the head of the Department of Oriental Languages at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexander Semenov, the head of the Department of Interpretation at the Higher Courses of Foreign Languages at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tatyana Semenova, and professor at St. Petersburg State University Alexei Rodionov.
The award winners have long paid attention to China’s development and deeply studied Chinese culture, translated, published and wrote a number of books telling stories about China to the world, making outstanding contributions to expanding international knowledge and understanding of China and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, the ceremony said.
Alexander Semenov studies the history and historiography of China, the foreign policy of the PRC, linguistics, translation, translation studies and methods of teaching the Chinese language, and Tatyana Semenova, his wife, studies the literature and culture of China, translation, translation studies and methods of teaching the Chinese language. They have jointly translated a number of books on Chinese politics.
Alexey Rodionov has an academic interest in the history of 20th-century Chinese literature and Russian-Chinese literary relations. He has been engaged in literary translation and compilation of collections of contemporary Chinese literature for many years. According to available information, he has translated 26 works by contemporary Chinese writers, such as Lao She, Jia Pingwa, and Han Shaogong, and initiated the publication of collections of translations of contemporary Chinese literature.
Since the prize was established in 2005, 219 translators, publishers and writers from 63 countries have won it. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ASTANA, June 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of five Central Asian countries signed the Treaty of Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation here on Tuesday.
Xi Jinping was accompanied by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. –0–
The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Critical Flight Control Components
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Safran, S.A. and Safran USA Inc. (Safran) to divest its North American actuation business and related assets to resolve antitrust concerns arising from its proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s actuation and flight control business from RTX Corporation (RTX) (formerly Raytheon Technologies). The divestiture resolves concerns that the transaction would recombine assets that were divested as part of the Division’s settlement of United Technologies Corporation’s (UTC) acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018. UTC merged with Raytheon Company in 2020, forming Raytheon Technologies.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important aircraft components that are critical to passenger safety. The proposed divestiture to Woodward, an established provider in the aerospace industry, ensures that American customers will continue to benefit from competition, and the incentives of Woodward, the merging parties, and their customer base are aligned with the remedy’s success,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement is another example of our commitment to transparency and relief that secures robust and enforceable commitments from the merging parties that account for industry dynamics. The Antitrust Division will apply heightened scrutiny to transactions that propose to recombine assets divested in response to the Division’s prior enforcement actions, taking appropriate consideration for changes in competitive conditions.”
As detailed in the complaint, Safran and RTX are two of the leading suppliers in the market for trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) for large aircraft. A THSA helps an aircraft maintain the proper altitude during flight and is critical to the safety and performance of the aircraft. Safran and RTX compete head-to-head to develop and sell this critical component. Without the proposed divestiture, Safran’s acquisition of RTX’s actuation and flight control business would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers. The proposed divestiture of Safran’s North American actuation business includes the assets Safran had acquired under the Division’s 2018 settlement with UTC and Rockwell Collins. Safran has since operated these assets as a viable competitor in the market for THSAs.
The proposed settlement requires Safran to divest its North American actuation business, including THSAs and secondary flight control actuators, and its Canada-based electronic control unit, to Woodward Inc., an American company with significant experience in the aerospace industry, including serving large aircraft manufacturers. The divestiture assets also include the tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell THSAs, secondary flight control actuators, and electronic control units. Woodward is expected to hire certain key Safran employees that today support the divested business lines.
The Antitrust Division, the European Commission, and the Competition and Markets Authority cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations.
Safran is a French multinational company with its headquarters in Paris, France. Safran produces a wide range of products for the aviation, space, and defense sectors. In 2024, Safran had revenues of approximately €27 billion.
RTX is an American multinational company, incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. RTX is a major provider of aerospace and defense products and systems. In 2024, RTX had revenues of approximately $80 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.DIA.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding that it is in the public interest.
The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Critical Flight Control Components
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Safran, S.A. and Safran USA Inc. (Safran) to divest its North American actuation business and related assets to resolve antitrust concerns arising from its proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s actuation and flight control business from RTX Corporation (RTX) (formerly Raytheon Technologies). The divestiture resolves concerns that the transaction would recombine assets that were divested as part of the Division’s settlement of United Technologies Corporation’s (UTC) acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018. UTC merged with Raytheon Company in 2020, forming Raytheon Technologies.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important aircraft components that are critical to passenger safety. The proposed divestiture to Woodward, an established provider in the aerospace industry, ensures that American customers will continue to benefit from competition, and the incentives of Woodward, the merging parties, and their customer base are aligned with the remedy’s success,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement is another example of our commitment to transparency and relief that secures robust and enforceable commitments from the merging parties that account for industry dynamics. The Antitrust Division will apply heightened scrutiny to transactions that propose to recombine assets divested in response to the Division’s prior enforcement actions, taking appropriate consideration for changes in competitive conditions.”
As detailed in the complaint, Safran and RTX are two of the leading suppliers in the market for trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) for large aircraft. A THSA helps an aircraft maintain the proper altitude during flight and is critical to the safety and performance of the aircraft. Safran and RTX compete head-to-head to develop and sell this critical component. Without the proposed divestiture, Safran’s acquisition of RTX’s actuation and flight control business would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers. The proposed divestiture of Safran’s North American actuation business includes the assets Safran had acquired under the Division’s 2018 settlement with UTC and Rockwell Collins. Safran has since operated these assets as a viable competitor in the market for THSAs.
The proposed settlement requires Safran to divest its North American actuation business, including THSAs and secondary flight control actuators, and its Canada-based electronic control unit, to Woodward Inc., an American company with significant experience in the aerospace industry, including serving large aircraft manufacturers. The divestiture assets also include the tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell THSAs, secondary flight control actuators, and electronic control units. Woodward is expected to hire certain key Safran employees that today support the divested business lines.
The Antitrust Division, the European Commission, and the Competition and Markets Authority cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations.
Safran is a French multinational company with its headquarters in Paris, France. Safran produces a wide range of products for the aviation, space, and defense sectors. In 2024, Safran had revenues of approximately €27 billion.
RTX is an American multinational company, incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. RTX is a major provider of aerospace and defense products and systems. In 2024, RTX had revenues of approximately $80 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.DIA.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding that it is in the public interest.
Detectives investigating a murder in Hackney are now able to name the victim, as their enquiries continue into the circumstances of her death.
Annabel Rook, aged 46, died early this morning, Tuesday, 17 June, having been found with stab wounds.
A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Officers are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Police were called at 04:57hrs to reports of a gas explosion with a person trapped inside an address in Dumont Road, Hackney.
Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Annabel sadly died at the scene.
Her family continue to be supported by specialist officers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in the local area, said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the victim’s family at this very difficult time.
“Our officers arrested a man on suspicion of murder at the scene and will be conducting interviews as soon as possible, to establish the full circumstances that led to Annabel’s death. While enquiries continue, at this early stage we do believe this to be a domestic-related incident.
“We understand what happened will cause concern within the Hackney community and residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area, along with a crime scene, as we carry out the investigation. We are working closely alongside our partners at Hackney Council to help support those residents locally who have been impacted by this.”
The man arrested was taken to hospital with slash wounds where he currently remains. His condition is not life-changing or life-threatening.
Two children, aged nine and seven, were also been taken to hospital as a precaution but are not believed to have been inside the property at the time of the gas explosion.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 926/17June or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The State of Qatar has called for calm, de-escalation, exercising maximum self-restraint, and carrying on with negotiations to reach a diplomatic solution to the issues pertaining to the Iranian nuclear program.
The State of Qatar added that facts have shown that there is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace and stability and to spare the region and the world further catastrophes.
This came in a statement delivered by HE Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna Jassim bin Yacoub Al Hammadi at the emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors in Vienna.
His Excellency urged the Director General of the IAEA to engage with the Iranian side to facilitate technical discussions and diplomatic solutions to the nuclear issues concerning Iran.
His Excellency also reiterated the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation and deep denunciation of the Israeli attack on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, calling on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibility to urgently stop such violations.
The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna stressed the State of Qatar’s rejection of the use of force outside the framework of the United Nations Charter, pointing out that Israel’s claim that its attack on Iran was a preemptive act of self-defense lacks any legal basis. His Excellency added that respecting state sovereignty and banning the use of force without UN Security Council authorization or in self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter are peremptory norms in international law and the UN Charter.
He said that the international community and the UN Security Council under its mandate, must firmly uphold these principles and prevent their violation, as doing otherwise creates chaos in international relations and leads to the law of the jungle.
His Excellency also noted that an armed attack on nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards is a condemned act, potentially causing wide-scale harm to people and the environment, with serious implications for nuclear safety and security.
HE Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna Jassim bin Yacoub Al Hammadi praised IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s statement before the UN Security Council on June 13, in which he reaffirmed the IAEA General Conference’s resolutions stating: “Any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency,” and stating: “An armed attack on a nuclear installation could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”
HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi held a phone call Tuesday with HE Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi.
During the call, they discussed the latest developments related to the recent Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as means to enhance the security of nuclear installations and ensure they are not exposed to any threats that could undermine regional and international security.
HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out during the call that targeting nuclear facilities constitutes a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, stressing that the State of Qatar is making strenuous efforts with its partners to return all parties to the path of dialogue to address outstanding issues and consolidate security and peace in the region and the world.
His Excellency reiterated the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the Israeli attack on Iranian territory, describing it as a blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security and a clear breach of the rules and principles of international law.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has demonstrated its readiness for expanded housing allocations by exceeding its annual delivery target for the 2024/25 financial year, well ahead of schedule.
The municipality reported that a total of 397 housing units has been delivered by the municipality, as of early June, surpassing its target of 386.
The municipality highlighted that this is a clear sign of sustained institutional turnaround, improved planning and implementation, and strengthened intergovernmental coordination.
Despite these gains, the municipality said it still faces a significant housing backlog of more than 100 000 units.
In response to this, earlier this year, the municipality launched a registration drive aimed at prioritising backyard dwellers in upcoming allocations, with a goal of building news 400 housing units in the next budget year.
Municipality’s Executive Mayor, Babalwa Lobishe said the municipality has called on the National Department of Human Settlements to consider increasing the metro’s housing allocations, in light of its consistent performance.
“The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has shown its ability to deliver on time, within budget, and wih quality—positioning itself as a reliable implementing partner in addressing the national housing backlog,” Lobishe said.
The mayor emphasised that in the midst of all the vulnerabilities and challenges remain, including people living in shacks, floodplains, and unsafe conditions, the municipality must still act with the utmost urgency to deliver coordinated and integrated human settlements.
“Section 26 of the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to access adequate housing [while] Section 152 compels municipalities to ensure the provision of services and promote sustainable communities. We are fulfilling this mandate not only with urgency, but with pride and purpose,” Lobishe said.
She added that the municipality will pursue the relevant interventions and measures to ensure it engages the Minister of Human Settlement through the appropriate channels and processes, to advocate for increased allocations.
Backed by a five-year turnaround strategy, the Human Settlements Directorate has introduced reforms in project and beneficiary management, financial controls, and intergovernmental collaboration.
Communities across the metro, including Polar Park, KwaNobuhle, Jachtvlakte, Masakhane Village, Motherwell NU30, and Red Location, are already benefiting from these initiatives.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Thembinkosi Mafana, credited the municipality’s ability to meet and exceed targets to effective oversight, operational effectiveness, and collaboration across all levels of government.
“The excellent performance speaks for itself. We have consistently delivered on the funding allocations given to the metro, on time, budget and with quality. In certain areas, we have even exceeded our targets.
“Our housing delivery backlog is a challenge, and we need to fast-track housing delivery. Our quality controls and effectiveness will elevate our status significantly, as we continually improve our ability to deliver with agility,” Mafana said.
The MMC also acknowledged the contribution of the Standing Committee for Human Settlements, other state entities, the residents, and municipal officials.
“The administration’s Human Settlement Standing Committee has an all-hands-on deck approach. We also appreciate the dedication and turnaround efforts shown by our officials and contractors,” he said.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality reiterated its readiness to scale up housing delivery and committed to working with provincial and national government to accelerate sustainable human settlements across the metro. – SAnews.gov.za
In Europe, the fastest-warming continent, the intensification of extreme weather events and changes in precipitation patterns have led to widespread and catastrophic flooding. Last year, storms and flooding affected an estimated 413,000 people, resulting in the loss of at least 335 lives. Material damage is estimated to amount to at least €18 billion, according to the 2024 European State of the Climate report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization.
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The flooding in October that hit southeastern Spain and the Valencia province in particular took the heaviest toll. Intense and prolonged rainfall and river flooding led to 232 fatalities, and infrastructure damage and economic losses totalled around €16.5 billion. More than seven months later, the local economy has rebounded, thanks in part to public aid packages worth 0.5% of the country’s GDP. However, in early May, the same part of Spain found itself exposed again to the disruptive consequences of climate change when extreme weather hit.
The costs of flooding
The direct costs from the damage to public infrastructure and private assets are only part of the economic losses originating from flooding. The indirect costs might not be immediately visible, but they are certainly not less significant. Business interruptions reduce firms’ revenue and cash flows, straining liquidity and, in the worst cases, threatening their survival. In addition, the increasing likelihood of future flooding may be priced into the valuation of assets and real estate in areas exposed to these types of climate risks. Firms impacted by climate-related hazards might find it difficult to pay back loans or bonds, or to raise finance as physical assets that can be pledged as collateral for bank credit lose value. Ultimately, this can affect the stability of the financial system.
For these reasons, climate change is not just a long-term environmental issue, but a threat to our economy and financial systems now. Economists at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) have been conducting research to better understand how the links between the business sector and the financial system amplify its impact.
A JRC study of flood events between 2007 and 2018 finds that flooding significantly worsened the performance of European firms. Manufacturers exposed to flooding experienced reductions in sales, number of employees and the value of their assets. These impacts occurred in the year following the flooding and tended to be persistent, with no clear signs of recovery seven years after the disaster. Some firms even went out of business. The study also finds that companies in flood-prone areas were better able to weather the shock than businesses exposed to less frequent flooding. This is consistent with the fact that adaptation and protection measures reduce the impacts of flooding.
Threats to smaller firms
Water damage is particularly disruptive for companies that are highly indebted. A second JRC study zooms in on the mechanisms whereby financing choices, and reliance on bank loans in particular, amplify the impact of climate change. This study focuses on loans extended to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Italy, Spain and Belgium between 2008 and 2019. It was motivated by the idea that smaller firms, which are more financially fragile than larger ones, might also be more vulnerable to the localised impact of climate-related hazards, not least because of their limited capacity to geographically diversify their operations and access market-based finance. The study shows that flood episodes under analysis strained SMEs’ ability to meet their debt obligations. Flooded firms were more likely to incur delays in servicing their loans and eventually fail to repay them, even two years after the disaster.
In turn, this entails losses for the banks that finance these firms. In general, if banks anticipate the impact of flooding on business operations, they could be expected to divert lending toward safer borrowers or charge a higher interest rate on credit extended to at-risk firms. Indeed, the study finds evidence that prospective flood risk is priced into new loans. In the period under analysis, the “flood risk premium” was especially high for loans to smaller firms and for those granted by local, specialised banks, both of which tend to have geographically concentrated activities that are more exposed to disaster impacts. Loans to borrowers exposed to high flood risk were 12 percent more expensive, all things being equal.
Thus, flooding causes worse financial conditions for businesses and exposes the banking sector to losses on their loan portfolios. The numbers can be staggering: days after the October 2024 flooding, the Spanish Central Bank said that banks’ exposure in the affected areas would total €20 billion, with €13 billion in household loans and €7 billion in business loans (60% to SMEs), impacting 23,000 companies and 472,000 individuals.
With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe, the direct and indirect costs of climate change are projected to increase, unevenly affecting households, firms and territories across Europe. Increasing investments in adaptation, eg in flood defence, and closing the climate insurance protection gap – the uninsured portion of economic losses caused by natural hazards – are crucial to increase the resilience of our economies and financial systems and preserve the wellbeing of our societies. The complex structure of investment incentives calls for a multilayered approach, with a mix of private and public funding and risk-sharing mechanisms.
Serena Fatica ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.
In the early hours of June 13, Israel launched its largest-ever attack on Iran. Airstrikes involving more than 200 aircraft targeted nuclear and missile facilities, as well as key figures in the Iranian military and nuclear programme leadership. The attack, codenamed “Operation Rising Lion”, appears to have been supported on the ground by Israeli agents operating drones positioned deep within Iranian territory.
In one sense, this attack has been a long time coming. Over the past 15 years, Israel has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran, arguing that Tehran harbours nuclear weapons aspirations that pose an existential threat to the Israeli state. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said as much in a televised address announcing the same-day military operation in which he placed the nuclear issue front and centre: “We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear weaponisation program.” But why has Israel chosen to act now?
Clearly, we are looking at a dynamic situation from the outside in, but there are some important points worth considering. First, events over the past 12 months or so have undermined Iran’s ability to deter adversaries, which has left the regime exposed. Israel’s response to an Iranian missile attack in October, for example, seriously degraded Iran’s air defences as well as missile production capabilities. This created weaknesses that Israel has since exploited in its renewed military campaign.
Looking more broadly, the fallout from the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel has decimated the proxies that Iran spent decades cultivating in the Middle East. The brutal war in Gaza has decimated Hamas, while to the north, Hezbollah is severely degraded after its own 14-month war with Israel.
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Add to this the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and it is clear that Iran’s so called “axis of resistance”, a key pillar of the country’s deterrence posture, is now a dramatically reduced force. Israel has been emboldened by these events. It now clearly sees a unique opportunity to further degrade a major adversary – and potentially bring about regime change.
What’s more, Iran’s nuclear programme has continued to advance since Donald Trump withdrew the US in 2018 from the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA). This was the 2015 deal negotiated during Barack Obama’s presidency that rolled back the country’s nuclear capabilities in return for a relaxation of harsh sanctions against Iran.
In March, the Washington-based – but non-partisan – Institute for Science and International Security reported that Iran could convert its current stock of 60% enriched uranium into enough weapons-grade uranium for seven nuclear weapons at the Fordow fuel enrichment plant. This could be done in as little as three weeks.
At the same time, the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, told the Senate intelligence committee on March 27 that the intelligence community “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon”.
So this raises the question of whether the Israeli government had intelligence that the Iranians were moving forward with weaponisation. It is possible that Iran was preparing to make a dash for the bomb, crossing an Israeli red line and triggering action – although there is currently no evidence to support this theory. What is clear, however, is that Iran’s brinkmanship around its effort to hedge its bets on a nuclear option meant it was always operating in a dangerous space.
Was the Israeli attack inevitable?
At first sight, the answer to this seems obvious. For years now, Israel has been very clear that it will not accept a nuclear armed Iran. Yet Tehran has insisted on a nuclear programme that appears to go well beyond what is required for civil nuclear purposes. On June 12, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared that Iran was not complying with its nuclear safeguards obligations.
By most estimates, Iran is not far from the bomb and Israel has finally taken action – ostensibly on this basis.
Had Iran curbed its nuclear advancement and continued to comply with its IAEA obligations, Israel would have found it more challenging to justify any military action politically. In the same vein, if Iran had made quicker and greater progress in its nuclear talks with the Trump administration on reaching some form of new deal, this would also have made it more difficult for Israel to act.
The combination of the IAEA declaration and the lack of acceptable progress in talks with the US clearly influenced Israeli decision making. So why did the Iranian regime not take more concrete steps in this direction?
Iran’s nuclear ‘hedging’
The answer goes to the heart of Iran’s deterrence posture. Alongside its conventional forces and its infamous axis of resistance, Iran has sought to leverage its nuclear programme for influence.
Nearly ten years ago, we argued that Iran was engaged in a strategy of “nuclear hedging”. The value of this approach lies in the potential for a state to position itself relatively close to the bomb without incurring all the negative – including potentially military – consequences of a fully-fledged nuclear weapons programme, where the goal is to cross the threshold as quickly as possible.
Yet hedging is a delicate balancing act that requires plausible deniability of weapons intent. A step too far can undermine any idea that the nuclear development is for civilian use, instead inviting military intervention.
Conversely, too few steps towards a credible breakout capability and hedging has little value. For any coercive or deterrent benefit to be obtained, a state must be perceived by others as relatively close to having the bomb.
With the deterioration of Iran’s regional power over the past year, the value to Tehran of its nuclear programme has become much greater. This may help to explain why Iran did not take firm steps to reduce external concerns about its nuclear intentions.
Tehran is likely to have factored the cost of being seen to give in to external pressure on its nuclear programme. At home there is the risk that the regime’s hold on power could be weakened by capitulation to external pressure from the US, and Israel in particular. Regionally, the power costs would include losing valuable influence over other states across the Middle East.
At the same time, the US government has changed its stance since the JCPOA deal was struck during Obama’s presidency in 2015, allowing Iran some small degree of enrichment capacity. The first Trump administration pulled the US out of the JCPOA in 2018 depicting it as a flawed agreement.
In Donald Trump’s second term, his administration has continued to take a hard line, pushing for Iran to give up enrichment. From an Iranian perspective, the benefits of rolling back its capabilities failed to materialise.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. But even at this early stage, this case demonstrates clearly the risks associated with Iran’s strategy of nuclear hedging.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Israel’s initial attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, alongside its assassination of top military officials and nuclear scientists, on June 13 has been followed by days of escalating strikes. Iran threatened “severe punishment” and quickly launched what were, in relative terms, smaller-scale missile attacks against Israeli territory.
Israel’s military then expanded its assault on Iran, with the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, saying “Tehran will burn” if Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front”. Israel hit dozens of targets in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on June 15, and has since issued evacuation orders for significant areas of the city.
The exchange of attacks has put the varying military and defensive capabilities of Israel and Iran on stark display. In particular, it appears that Israel has been able to exercise a high degree of air superiority over Iran.
Israel was able to use more than 200 manned aircraft in its initial attack, with its air force reportedly suffering zero casualties. Within 48 hours of starting the conflict, Israel said it had gained control of the skies above Tehran.
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This superiority has largely been gained through concerted efforts over the past year to destroy or degrade Iran’s air defence systems. In October 2024, for example, Israeli strikes targeted air defences protecting Iranian oil and gas facilities as well as those defending sites linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile production.
With a weakened air defence system, the Iranian military has been less able to prevent missile attacks and Israeli aircraft from entering its air space. This has given the Israeli military greater freedom of action in terms of the targets it chooses to attack – and greater freedom of choice when planning operations.
Israeli aircraft have been dropping bombs from within Iran, instead of relying on long-range missiles. Iran, on the other hand, has been restricted to using its arsenal of missiles to strike Israel from distance.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made reference to the strategic importance of this aerial superiority on June 16. While confirming evacuation orders for the Iranian capital, he said: “The Israeli air force controls the skies over Tehran. This changes the entire campaign.”
Netanyahu later did not rule out killing Khamenei, saying it would “end the conflict”. Katz repeated the threat the following day, warning Khamenei of a “fate similar to Saddam Hussein”.
Iran has been far less effective than Israel in its response – which is no great surprise. Israel says it has destroyed “one-third” of the surface-to-surface missile launchers possessed by Iran. And the majority of the missiles and drones that have been fired by Iran into Israeli territory have been intercepted before striking their targets.
But the strength of Israel’s so-called iron dome air defence system has, somewhat counter-intuitively, also offered Iran some advantages. In order to maintain the Iranian regime’s own internal security and stability, as well as its wider political aims of being a regional power, Tehran had to respond with a certain level of force.
However, Iran is also fully aware of the protection the iron dome provides to the Israeli population. The Iranian government will still be able to point to the few missiles and drones that have reached their target, and the destruction they have caused, as evidence that it is able to project its power beyond its own borders and respond in the face of aggressive Israeli action.
It is able to do so in the knowledge that the level of destruction and deaths of Israeli civilians, which so far stands at around 24 people, will be limited to such a degree that any further escalation by Israel will be seen as unjustified by the wider international community.
However, as the destruction and death toll rises, it will become harder for either government to follow this path of logic. Iran has already criticised the Israeli military’s claim that it has conducted strikes in a precise manner and only against military targets, reporting that over 200 civilians have been killed in the strikes.
It is here where mistakes and missteps could see events spiral out of control. This may lead to a wider and larger-scale conflict that neither side wants but is unable to prevent occurring. Iran, for its part, is reportedly signalling that it is seeking an end to hostilities and the resumption of talks over its nuclear programme.
Wider consequences
If the conflict does escalate, Israel will probably target Iranian military production facilities. The Israeli military has already issued a warning on social media, telling the Iranian people to stay away from all weapons manufacturing facilities.
Other targets may include nuclear installations – though at least one, the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear site in central Iran, will not be targeted. Fordow is hidden in a mountain, with centrifuges located possibly as deep as 80 metres underground.
Only the US military has the hardware capable of reaching this facility, so attacking the site would require US intervention. This is something the current Washington administration has proved reluctant to do, so far.
But any escalation could have ramifications beyond the Middle East. Iran has supplied Shahed-type drones to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine, with them becoming a key part of Russia’s military strategy. However, Russia is now largely producing its own supplies of Shahed drones internally.
A much more likely effect is the prolonging of the war in Ukraine as international attention shifts to de-escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The international community has focused on trying to prevent further attacks, with the US president, Donald Trump, advocating for talks rather than more strikes.
On June 15, Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social: “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make.” Whether Israel and Iran take heed of his request will become clear over the coming days and weeks.
Matthew Powell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Keeping a healthy mix of friendly microbes in the gut – known as eubiosis – is crucial for good health. When that delicate balance is thrown off – often by antibiotics, diet or illness – the result can be a range of issues, from digestive problems to more serious conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and even neurological and metabolic disorders.
One increasingly popular way to try to restore gut health is through faecal microbiota transplantation. This involves taking stool from a healthy person, isolating the beneficial microbes and putting them in a capsule (jokingly referred to as “crapsules” or “poo pills”). The hope is that the beneficial microbes in the pill will establish themselves in the patient’s gut, thereby improving microbial diversity and function.
Although generally viewed as safe and effective, a new international study published in the journal Cell has raised some concerns. The scientists found that when the donor’s microbes do not properly match the recipient’s gut environment – a situation they describe as a “mismatch” – the treatment can disrupt the body’s metabolic and immune systems, possibly with long-lasting consequences.
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The term “mismatch” comes from the world of organ transplants, where the recipient’s body rejects the donor organ. In this case, the problem is that microbes from the donor’s large intestine may not be suitable for other parts of the recipient’s gut, especially the small intestine, where the microbial makeup is very different.
To test this, researchers gave antibiotics to mice to disturb their natural gut microbes, then treated them with faecal transplants. They also tried transplanting microbes specifically from different parts of the small intestine. The mice were monitored for one to three months to track changes.
They found that faecal transplants often led to regional mismatches – the wrong microbes ending up in the wrong place. This altered the mix and behaviour of the gut microbes in unexpected ways, disrupting energy balance and other functions.
Biopsies from the gut and liver showed significant, lasting changes in how certain genes – particularly those linked to metabolism and immunity – were being expressed.
The study did not specify exactly what kind of health issues might result from these genetic shifts. But the researchers are urging doctors to take greater care when using faecal transplants, particularly when it comes to dose, timing and possible side-effects.
There may, however, be a better way forward. A newer method known as the “omni microbial approach” involves transferring microbes from all parts of the intestine, not just the colon. This could help recreate a more balanced and natural gut environment, avoiding the local mismatches seen in standard faecal transplants.
There is also growing interest in techniques that aim to “terraform” the gut: deliberately reshaping specific regions with carefully selected microbes to restore normal function.
This new research has certainly sparked debate around the safety of faecal transplants. But with alternative approaches already being developed, there is real hope that the benefits of gut-based treatments can still be delivered, without the risks.
Georgios Efthimiou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
One-third of the Earth’s land surface is already degraded. The UN estimates that more than 2.6 billion people are harmed by land degradation, with countries losing up to US$10.6 trillion (£7.8 trillion) a year because of damage to “ecosystem services”, including the benefits people get from nature such as water and food.
Unhealthy soil is a major contributor to land degradation. This can lead to loss of biodiversity, harm plants and animals, cause sand and dust storms and affect crop yields.
These consequences affect the regulation of the planet’s climate and water cycle, socioeconomic activities, food security and forced migration of people.
Emerging smart technologies such as artificial intelligence, satellite remote sensing and big data analysis offer a chance to protect our soils. These tools can help track soil health in real time. This will support farmers, landowners, government agencies and local communities in making better decisions to care for the soil.
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As a professor of geo-hydroinformatics – a field that combines geoscience, hydrology and information technology – my research focuses on using AI, algorithms and advanced modelling tools to better analyse and predict soil health.
My team and I have developed the first global map of soil salinisation (accumulation of salt in soil) under various climate scenarios using AI-powered techniques. Soil salinisation is one of the leading contributors to soil degradation and can happen naturally or because of human activities, such as using salty irrigation water or poor drainage systems.
With increasing climate uncertainty, our models help identify regions most vulnerable to salinisation. Our AI-driven analysis predicts that by the year 2100, dryland regions in South America, southern and western Australia, Mexico, the southwestern US and South Africa will be key hotspots of soil salinisation.
In another key study, we used satellite data, AI and big data tools to investigate the interaction between soil salinity and soil organic carbon – an important part of healthy soil that stores nutrients, holds water and supports plants.
Part of this analysis revealed a general negative correlation between salinity levels and soil organic carbon content. As salinity increased, we found that the soil organic carbon content tended to decrease.
Our two studies underscore the transformative potential of AI technologies and big data analytics in understanding soil degradation. With a deeper understanding, land can be better managed through more effective mitigation policies and sustainable land use planning.
Restoration at scale
Large-scale land restoration can transform degraded soils. In the Loess plateau in China, centuries of deforestation and unsustainable farming have led to significant ecological challenges. Loess soils (a type not limited to this location in China, formed essentially by the accumulation of wind-blown dust) are easily eroded because they are made up of fine and loose particles.
Degradation here has led to more frequent floods, droughts and dust storms because soil degradation is often associated with compaction. This reduces the ability of soil to absorb and hold water.
In the 1990s, this prompted the Chinese government to invest in reforestation and sustainable agriculture. This led to the landmark Loess plateau watershed rehabilitation project, with the main goal of boosting farming and incomes on 15,600km² of land in the Yellow River’s tributary area. The total project cost of US$150 million, partly funded by the World Bank, was approved in 1994.
Elsewhere, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the EthioTrees project was launched in 2016 to tackle land degradation through community-based reforestation, enclosures to limit grazing, and reinvestment of funds generated through climate finance mechanisms.
Tree planting and other efforts have transformed the Tigray region of Ethiopia into a more fertile landscape. Jon Duncan/Shutterstock
But the Loess plateau and Tigray projects have been complex and expensive. A lot of coordination between people across huge regions and in different sectors is required to ensure a successful, integrated approach. AI can take these successful but resource-intensive restoration efforts and help scale them up.
I’m also involved with a European Commission-funded project called AI4SoilHealth, which aims to advance the use of AI to monitor and quantify soil health across Europe. This project shows how data-driven initiatives can support more sustainable land management policies by providing timely, actionable information to governments, farmers and other stakeholders such as landowners, agribusiness companies and local communities.
By integrating satellite imagery with accurate data about soil properties in different locations, AI can help develop robust, scalable models that cross local boundaries. Knowing where best to invest money, resources and effort in scaling up soil health solutions will help protect people, businesses and ecosystems from extreme events in the future.
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The author studying specimens.Author provided, CC BY
Five centuries ago, the Incas ruled the western half of South America with the help of a unique form of writing based on coloured and knotted cords. These strings, called khipus, recorded major events, tracked economic matters, and even encoded biographies and poetry, according to the Spanish chroniclers who witnessed their use.
Most khipus have knots that indicate numbers that we can “read”, but we’ve lost the ability to interpret what those numbers mean. Recent discoveries are bringing us closer to deciphering these mysterious strings. In a remote community set high in the Peruvian Andes, my team and I have found khipus that were used by villagers to track climate change.
Last year, I was invited to study the centuries-old khipus preserved in the village of Santa Leonor de Jucul in the Peruvian Andes. The 97 khipus conserved by villagers include the largest khipu in the world, which is over 68 metres long.
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An elderly ritual specialist, Don Lenin Margarito, told me that the khipus recorded the annual ritual offerings given at different sacred places in the surrounding landscape. Miniature pink ritual bags stuffed with coca leaves and tobacco hang from the cords, representing the sacred purpose of these ancient strings. Rather than communicating through knots, the Jucul khipus record data with different kinds of tassels.
For example, a tassel made of fuzzy beige llama tails indicates that an offering was performed at the sacred lake of Paccha-cocha, high in the mountains. The fluffiness of the llama tails is like a rain cloud, Don Lenin explained, representing the fact that offerings given at Paccha-cocha are thought to bring rain.
Different kinds of tassels indicate offerings made at other ritual sites, each one of which is thought to have its own effect on the local environment. Rituals involving the spirits of the dead, for instance, are thought to halt flooding.
If you look at one of the Jucul khipus and you see that there were a lot of offerings to Paccha-cocha that year, you know that this was a time of drought since the offerings were given to increase the rain.
When speaking with community members, we learned that the khipus used to be kept in public so that they could be consulted by the elders. Andean people of the past looked at these khipus as a record of the climate, and they studied them to understand the patterns of what was going on, just as we do today.
New methods
New methods for obtaining precise radiocarbon dates for khipus have been pioneered by a team headed by khipu researcher Ivan Ghezzi.
Efforts are now underway to get accurate radiocarbon dates for the Jucul khipus, which will provide a chronology of these climate-based offerings.
If we can chart the khipus and then date them, we will have a record of climate data from this region that was created by the local Andean people themselves. In their current state, the Jucul khipus are threatened by insects, mould and rodents. The British Museum recently granted funding to clean, preserve and display the khipus so that these precious objects from the Andean past will persevere into the future.
There are only five villages in the Peruvian Andes where ancestral khipus are kept. These rare archives offer tantalising clues about how khipus encoded information.
Research in other villages with living khipu traditions has led to breakthroughs in the significance of khipu colour patterns and phonology. Many Inka khipus possess tassels which we believe may reveal the subject matter of the associated khipu. If we could unlock the significance of the tassels on the Jucul khipus, it might allow us to interpret more precisely the meaning of Inca cords.
Sabine Hyland receives funding from the British Academy, the British Museum, the National Endowment for the Humanities (USA), the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, and the National Geographic Society.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Anniversary Statement: St Helena Airport
Investigation of go-arounds flown at St Helena Airport on 17 June 2023 and subsequently
This statement provides an update on the AAIB investigation into a number of go-arounds flown at St Helena Airport on 17 June 2023 and subsequently.
The AAIB has determined that these go-arounds did not constitute serious incidents, as defined, but that there are actions that may potentially improve the safety of operations by aircraft to the airport. These include possible enhancements to runway marking, weather reporting and diversion procedures.
The report is nearing completion and will be published by the AAIB.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
UK turns the screw on Putin as allies unite behind Ukraine
The Prime Minister has ramped up economic pressure on Russia with a raft of new sanctions.
30 new UK sanctions hit Russian finance, military and energy targets
Prime Minister ramps up pressure at G7 Summit as Putin continues to avoid peace.
Comes after further devastating Russian attacks on Kyiv in the last few hours
The Prime Minister has ramped up economic pressure on Russia with a raft of new sanctions, as he galvanises support behind Ukraine at the G7 Summit in Canada today.
The 30 targets strike across Russia’s financial, military and energy sectors in response to Putin’s continued aggression. His repeated refusals to engage seriously in peace has redoubled the UK’s resolve to apply a stranglehold on the Russian economy.
The new sanctions crack down further on Putin’s shadow fleet, targeting 20 of his oil tankers. The UK is also tightening the net around those who enable Putin’s illicit oil trade, sanctioning Orion Star Group LLC and Valegro LLC-FZ, for their role in crewing and managing shadow fleet vessels.
Today’s action also targets Russia’s military capabilities, hitting the military agency leading the development of Russia’s underwater intelligence gathering operations (GUGI), protecting the UK from attacks on subsea infrastructure, restricting Putin’s war machine and increasing our security at home.
In addition, two UK residents Vladimir Pristoupa and Olech Tkacz operating a shadowy network of shell companies, have now been sanctioned for collectively funnelling over $120 million of electronics, many of which are on the Common High Priority goods list, to Russia.
These individuals, who live and own businesses in the UK, are responsible for supplying Russia with high tech electronics which are crucial to Putin’s war effort. The UK will not tolerate those who enable Putin to wage his illegal war, and today’s sanctions demonstrate there is nowhere to hide.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin’s war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine.
“We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws.
“The threat posed by Russia cannot be underestimated, so I’m determined to take every step necessary to protect our national security and keep our country safe and secure.”
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:
“With his continued attacks and needless bloodshed, it is clear that Putin has no interest in peace.
“Today’s sanctions show we will systematically dismantle his dangerous shadow fleet, starve his war machine, and support Ukraine to defend itself.
“The UK and our allies will not sit idly by whilst Putin’s cowardly inaction continues to cost lives.”
The UK also plans to move with partners to tighten the Oil Price Cap to hurt Russia’s oil revenues, while ensuring stability of the energy market.
We are determined to hit Putin where it hurts by striking at his oil revenues – the single most important source of funding for his barbaric war.
Additional infomation
GUGI is the common name for the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research within Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
Derby City Council has been awarded more than £3.4m in Government funding to help prevent and relieve homelessness and rough sleeping in Derby.
The funding comes from two separate grants awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for 2025/26:
£2.328m – MHCLG Homelessness Prevention Grant
£1.166m – MHCLG, Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant
Last year, 2,292 households approached Derby Homes for homelessness assistance. Over 530 individuals were identified through outreach services as rough sleeping on at least one night during the year.
This funding enables the Council to step in earlier to prevent more households becoming homeless in the first place. This includes mediation with landlords and families to prevent evictions, help finding new homes and help with deposits to access private renting.
The funding also enables the Council to channel resources into services which prioritise access to housing for people with histories of repeat homelessness, rough sleeping and multiple disadvantages, including drug and alcohol abuse, by securing critical outreach services and pathways into supported housing that best meets their needs.
Derby City Council and its partners welcome this funding to continue delivering critical services, support and access to accommodation for households facing difficult situations.
Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services said:
Everybody deserves a safe home, and while I am extremely proud of the level of support that is on offer in Derby, as long as there are still people finding themselves without a roof over their head, there is still more that needs to be done.
This funding allows us to continue the great work happening in the city and will help us to continue to proactively support people before they become homeless.
If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of becoming homeless or sleeping rough, call Derby Homes on 01332 888777.
If you do not have access to a phone, you can visit the Council House – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9am – 1pm. Wednesday and Friday 10am – 1pm.
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
The cooperation is aimed at developing joint scientific and project activities, organizing educational courses and training personnel in the interdisciplinary field. The document was signed by Vice-Rector and Head of the HSE Staff Irina Martusevich and Director of the Moscow Transport Museum Oksana Bondarenko.
The cooperation between the Moscow Transport Museum and the National Research University Higher School of Economics is especially symbolic: both institutions are united by a desire for modernization, openness to technological innovations, and a priority for digitalization. The partnership plans to develop research and educational initiatives that will combine engineering, humanitarian, and management approaches and thereby set a high bar for new forms of museum and academic work.
The Transport Museum is an example of one of the most modern types of museum institutions, where the educational mission is closely linked to the development of applied knowledge. The focus on training a new generation of specialists capable of thinking interdisciplinary and confidently working in a technical and cultural environment makes this cooperation especially relevant. Together, the university and the museum create a space in which a culture of meaningful attitude to the urban environment, its history and future is formed. The partnership will open up the opportunity for HSE students to undergo internships and practical training in one of the youngest and most dynamically developing museum spaces in the capital. Joint events are planned for research staff: seminars, conferences and round tables.
“Preserving historical heritage is one of the key tasks of both universities and museums. The cooperation between the Transport Museum and HSE is an important step towards this goal. The synergy between the museum’s skills in working with sources and artefacts and HSE’s project-oriented approach not only enriches both organizations, but also contributes to the formation of public consciousness, emphasizing the importance of the contribution of the past to our present,” says Irina Martusevich.
“For us, cooperation with the Higher School of Economics is a space of opportunities and search, where young specialists can prove themselves in real conditions, and the museum can find new, and most importantly, bold solutions for its exhibition and educational projects. We also have an ambition to become a museum-institute, which, in collaboration with the National Research University Higher School of Economics, will open a unique direction for training in-demand museum personnel. As a museum that tells about the culture of movement, it is important for us to follow the most advanced ideas and create relevant, modern projects. And it seems to us that students are the best ones to cope with this task, offering non-standard concepts that we can discuss and implement together,” said Oksana Bondarenko.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong’s excellence in delivering public works projects received international recognition. The Development Bureau (DEVB) and works departments shone at the 2025 Martin Barnes Awards Ceremony in London, the United Kingdom, on June 16 (London time), winning nine awards from the 27 awards in eight categories (see Annex), including two prestigious winner awards, among 80 entries worldwide.
A prestigious honour in the industry, the Martin Barnes Awards are presented by the New Engineering Contract (NEC) Users’ Group under the Institution of Civil Engineers of the United Kingdom. The awards recognise construction projects, organisations and individuals worldwide that have demonstrated excellence in project delivery through collaborative partnership.
The two winner awards are as follows:
1. The winner award for the Climate Change Initiative category was received by the Water Supplies Department (WSD) for the implementation of Shek Wu Hui Water Reclamation Plant. In the construction and operation of Hong Kong’s first large-scale regional water reclamation plant, the WSD worked with the contractor through the NEC mechanism to develop an innovative and cost-effective fully automated reclaimed water production solution that saves energy and helps reduce carbon emissions. The facility supplies water for non-potable uses in Northern District and nearby new development areas. With the production process remaining unaffected by extreme weather, it not only conserves precious water resources but also enhances the resilience of Hong Kong’s water resources portfolio, thus further improving the stability of the city’s water resources.
2. The winner award for Distinguished Contribution category was received by Deputy Secretary for Development (Works) Mr Tony Ho, in recognition of his outstanding performance in promoting and deepening the application of the NEC in construction projects over the years, which has nurtured a collaborative culture in the industry. His proactive promotion of the adoption of advanced technologies has also enhanced the overall performance of construction projects.
In addition to the above two winner awards, the DEVB, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, and the Highways Department also received various awards for several notable NEC entries.
The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, extended her congratulations to the project teams on their impressive achievements. She said, “The DEVB and works departments have been committed to promoting collaborative partnerships in the delivery of public works projects through the adoption of the NEC form, enhancing mutual trust and co-operation among different industry stakeholders. Such collaborative partnerships help accomplish the primary goals of project management and enhance management efficiency and cost-effectiveness of projects. The awards fully demonstrate that their efforts and accomplishments have been recognised internationally.”
The NEC Users’ Group also held its 2025 Annual Conference on the same day. The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, was invited to attend the plenary session to exchange ideas with a group of international experts on how to lead the industry in applying innovative technologies and integrating the use of the NEC form to enhance the effectiveness of implementing infrastructure projects.
Since the DEVB introduced the NEC form for public works projects in Hong Kong in 2009, it has become a key driver in transforming the construction industry. The NEC embraces a collaborative partnership between clients and contractors, thereby enhancing project performance. While the conventional form of contracts focused more on specifying contractual obligations and responsibilities of both parties, the NEC introduces a comprehensive project management system into its contractual provisions, including an early warning mechanism, a compensation mechanism between contractual parties and action plans. It advocates for contractual parties to work together to resolve contractual problems in a proactive and collaborative manner under this management system, thereby achieving win-win situations. As of today, more than 760 public works contracts, with a total value of over HK$510 billion, have adopted the NEC form.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP investigates cluster of influenza A infections in primary school The cluster involves 46 persons, including 41 male students aged 7 to 10, and five staff members. They developed symptoms on or after June 7. Among them, 41 persons sought medical attention and three were hospitalised. Two were subsequently discharged and one remains hospitalised. All of the patients had mild symptoms. Laboratory testing revealed that respiratory specimens of the aforesaid three hospitalised students tested positive for influenza A virus, while rapid antigen tests revealed that 32 teachers and students also tested positive for influenza A virus.
The personnel of the CHP had inspected the primary school twice and found that inter-class and inter-grade activities were organised in the schools, and that individual function rooms and classrooms were not adequately ventilated, and items shared among the students were not thoroughly disinfected. The CHP has provided advice to the school management on prevention of upper respiratory tract infection, including thorough cleaning and disinfection, opening windows where appropriate for better ventilation, refraining infected students from going to school, stopping inter-class and inter-grade activities, wearing masks by teachers and students during the outbreak and conducting temperature monitoring on entering school, etc. The school is currently under medical surveillance.
To prevent outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory infections, it is of prime importance that children with fever, regardless of the presence of respiratory symptoms, should not be allowed to attend school, and should consult a doctor promptly. In addition, children, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses are urged to get vaccinated as early as possible to prevent seasonal influenza.
Influenza vaccination has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, while significantly reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications), particularly the elderly and children who have a higher risk of becoming infected with influenza and developing complications, should be vaccinated. Although the level of influenza activity has remained low since the end of the winter influenza season, sporadic outbreaks in schools and residential institutions caused by influenza viruses are still possible, especially when there are gatherings of crowd coupled with inadequate infection control measures. The number of severe cases involving adults and cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complications recorded in the influenza season earlier this year has significantly decreased compared with the 2018/19 influenza season. It is believed that this is the result of the general public’s willingness to receive the SIV.
The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today said that staff members found guilty of a criminal offence will not only be subject to court sentencing but will also face disciplinary sanctions by the department in accordance with the established civil service disciplinary mechanism.
The FEHD made the remarks following the District Court’s sentencing of eight former Principal Hawker Control Officers for conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
It emphasised that it attaches great importance to staff discipline and integrity and will not condone any misconduct or illegal behaviour.
When conducting civil service recruitment exercises, civil servants must strictly comply with the relevant policies and procedures, and ensure that the recruitment process is conducted according to the principles of fairness, transparency, and merits.
The FEHD said it will seek advice from the Civil Service Bureau to determine appropriate follow-up actions following the court judgment, including whether to consider cancelling, suspending, or reducing the pension benefits of the officers concerned under Section 29 of the Pension Benefits Ordinance.
Following the incident, the FEHD has reviewed the recruitment procedures for Assistant Hawker Control Officers and introduced refinements to the modus operandi and the monitoring mechanism.
Such enhancements include adjusting the representation of relevant grades in the recruitment boards to enhance objectivity and diversity in the selection process, and arranging for supervisory staff to observe interviews on an irregular basis.
In addition, integrity training has been strengthened for enforcement and supervisory officers at all levels.
arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in an economic development roundtable with Northeastern Governors and Canadian Premiers in Boston, Massachusetts.
VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).
AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.
PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
First of all, thank you to Governor Maura Healey for inviting us here to the beautiful Massachusetts State House and convening the Northeastern Governors as well as the Eastern Canadian Premiers and Representatives. It’s an important conversation, and perhaps it should have started at the outset because we’re reminding ourselves of the shared interests, the common bond that exists between all of us.
It’s not just the tourism or the industries that the governor just spoke of — it’s our neighbors. These are relationships that have now been damaged because of rhetoric out of Washington as well as tariffs. Which, how do you spell tariff? It is nothing more than a T-A-X — tax. And Americans need to know that this is a tax on everything they buy, and it hurts our competitiveness and we stand to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs if these truly go into effect as envisioned.
So I always want to call out what this is all about as well as condemning the insults to our Canadian friends, and we want them to come back to our country, but we understand the anger that they feel. But I’m worried about families in New York State and the additional cost that they’re going to spend on everything, including energy.
Energy is now becoming a huge cost driver for our homes, and we have great relationships. Next year, we’ll power over one million homes with hydroelectric power from Quebec. That starts because you have a friendship, a relationship of trust and I’m very excited about announcing that I launched it in my very first days as Governor.
The electric grid is so important because we’re bringing Micron, we’re bringing semiconductor manufacturers, we’re bringing artificial intelligence companies that are going to be huge consumers of power. And I want to make sure that we continue being as competitive as we can.
But we have to use that, and Canada has been a friend of ours in providing this, so I don’t want any more rhetoric, tariffs or anything that’s going to set our relationship further back than it already has been. Now it’s time to start healing and having our own individual relationships between New York, our own states and the various provinces to secure our energy future regardless of what happens in Washington.
We have to operate as independent actors in this space and think of ourselves because clearly Washington is not, and I apologize. I have to get back to the great State of New York because it’s always complicated — something’s always complicated.
Northeast Traffic Services – Cape Breton (NETS) is investigating a fatal collision in Groves Point involving an impaired driver.
On June 14, at approximately 7 a.m., RCMP officers, Cape Breton Regional Police Service,fire services, and EHS, responded to a reportof a two-vehicle collision on Hwy. 105. Officerslearned that a sedan and a Harley Davidson motorcycle had collided. The sedan then fled the area.
The lone rider of the motorcycle, a 40-year-old man from Bras D’Or, suffered life-threatening injuries. He was transported by EHS to hospital where he was succumbed to his injuries the following day.
From the information gathered, officers located the sedan involved in the collision on Brady Dr., in Groves Point, and safely arrested the driver, a 42-year-old man from Sydney mines, who was exhibiting signs of impairment.
The 42-year-old man was transported to the North Sydney RCMP detachment where he provided breath samples that registered 90mg%. He was later released and will appear in Sydney Provincial Court at a later date.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
Criminal charges are anticipated.
The highwaywas closed for several hours but has since reopened.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contactNortheast Traffic Services – Cape Bretonat 902-794-5800. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip atwww.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Northeast Traffic Services – Cape Breton (NETS) is investigating a fatal collision in Groves Point involving an impaired driver.
On June 14, at approximately 7 a.m., RCMP officers, Cape Breton Regional Police Service,fire services, and EHS, responded to a reportof a two-vehicle collision on Hwy. 105. Officerslearned that a sedan and a Harley Davidson motorcycle had collided. The sedan then fled the area.
The lone rider of the motorcycle, a 40-year-old man from Bras D’Or, suffered life-threatening injuries. He was transported by EHS to hospital where he was succumbed to his injuries the following day.
From the information gathered, officers located the sedan involved in the collision on Brady Dr., in Groves Point, and safely arrested the driver, a 42-year-old man from Sydney mines, who was exhibiting signs of impairment.
The 42-year-old man was transported to the North Sydney RCMP detachment where he provided breath samples that registered 90mg%. He was later released and will appear in Sydney Provincial Court at a later date.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
Criminal charges are anticipated.
The highwaywas closed for several hours but has since reopened.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contactNortheast Traffic Services – Cape Bretonat 902-794-5800. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip atwww.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Detectives are appealing for information after a man was seriously injured after being repeatedly stabbed in east London.
Police were called at 21:48hrs on Wednesday, 7 May to reports of a stabbing in Park Grove, E15.
Officers arrived three minutes later and found a man nearby, aged in his 20s, suffering multiple stab injuries. He was taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service with serious injuries. He remained in hospital for two weeks.
Detective Constable Richard Brunning, the investigating officer from the North East Basic Command Unit, said: “This is a complex and serious incident. We keep an open-mind for the motive, however it is believed that the victim and offenders were not known to each other.
“The violence which was displayed during this attack is shocking and we are doing everything we can to investigate what happened. We are looking to identify the suspects who are described as black, tall and slim.
“We are appealing to the public who may recall seeing this incident, or have any footage of the suspects or vehicle involved, which we believe to be a white BMW series X1.
“If you were in the Chadd Green estate at the time, witnessed the incident or have any information or footage please contact us without delay.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X quoting CAD 7760/07MAY.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
Detectives are appealing for information after a man was seriously injured after being repeatedly stabbed in east London.
Police were called at 21:48hrs on Wednesday, 7 May to reports of a stabbing in Park Grove, E15.
Officers arrived three minutes later and found a man nearby, aged in his 20s, suffering multiple stab injuries. He was taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service with serious injuries. He remained in hospital for two weeks.
Detective Constable Richard Brunning, the investigating officer from the North East Basic Command Unit, said: “This is a complex and serious incident. We keep an open-mind for the motive, however it is believed that the victim and offenders were not known to each other.
“The violence which was displayed during this attack is shocking and we are doing everything we can to investigate what happened. We are looking to identify the suspects who are described as black, tall and slim.
“We are appealing to the public who may recall seeing this incident, or have any footage of the suspects or vehicle involved, which we believe to be a white BMW series X1.
“If you were in the Chadd Green estate at the time, witnessed the incident or have any information or footage please contact us without delay.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X quoting CAD 7760/07MAY.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
With an average of 1891 cellphones reportedly getting stolen every day in Mzansi, Samsung is urging South African Galaxy users to activate the latest anti-theft and anti-robbery features now available on Galaxy devices. These updates form part of Samsung’s ongoing commitment to smarter, tougher mobile security, giving users more control over their data, even in high-risk situations like smash-and-grabs or pickpocketing in busy taxi ranks, bus stops/stations, and other public areas.
The latest security enhancements come via Samsung’s One UI 7 update, which was introduced with the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year and is now being rolled out to a broader range of devices across the Galaxy ecosystem. South Africa continues to grapple with high mobile phone theft rates, especially in urban areas like Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. Whether it’s phones being snatched from hands at traffic lights, lifted at taxi ranks, or stolen in the dark or load-shedding-induced house robberies, Galaxy users now have new ways to protect their personal data.
Samsung’s new Theft Protection suite builds on existing Android security and introduces advanced layers of protection, even in cases where criminals might have access to your PIN or try to disable your device. Galaxy users can now enable a range of new security measures, including Identity Check, designed to offer stronger protection in complex theft scenarios. These features respond automatically and intelligently to suspicious activity, helping ensure that personal data remains secure and under the user’s control in these critical moments.
Existing and updated features in Theft Protection include:
Theft Detection Lock: This uses machine learning to detect motions associated with theft such as snatching, and instantly locks the screen to stop unauthorized access.
Offline Device Lock: The screen gets automatically locked if the device is disconnected from the network for an extended period, ensuring protection even when the device is offline.
Remote Lock: If the device has already been stolen, users can lock it remotely using their phone number and a quick verification step. Remote Lock also allows users to regain control of their account and explore additional recovery options.
New Anti-Robbery features released on One UI 7 include:
Identity Check: In unfamiliar locations, the ‘Safe Places’ feature requires biometric authentication for any changes to sensitive security settings, adding an additional layer of protection when a PIN may have been compromised.
Security Delay: A key component of Identity Check, it triggers a one-hour waiting period if someone attempts to reset biometric data. This crucial buffer gives users time to lock the stolen phone from a connected device, such as a PC or tablet, before unauthorized access can occur.
These updated theft features are now becoming available on previous flagship devices, starting with the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip 5, S23 and S22 series, with future updates planned for even more Galaxy smartphones.
Further steps to take if your Samsung Galaxy device is lost or stolen
How to remotely lock your Samsung Galaxy device:
Sign into Samsung Find using your Samsung account
Select your phone on the left-hand side of the page, then choose Lost Mode in the device details section
Create a PIN to unlock your phone if recovered, and enter it twice to confirm
You will have the option to add an emergency contact and a custom message that will display on the locked screen (It’s recommended to skip this step to avoid sharing personal contact details)
When you are ready, select the Lock button and verify your Samsung account to activate Lost mode
If your device is recovered, you can unlock it using the PIN that was created when setting lost mode on your device
How to remotely delete data on your Samsung Galaxy device:
Visit the Samsung Find website
Select the phone you want to erase and choose Erase Data
Verify your Samsung account credentials
Review the information provided and tap Erase to confirm
All the data on your mobile, including Samsung Pay information, will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered
This will also reset your phone, meaning you won’t be able to locate and control it via Samsung Find
Make sure to regularly back up your data to the cloud so you can restore it to a new device if needed
How to remotely change your Samsung and/or Google account passwords:
It is recommended to change the passwords for your Samsung and Google accounts (or whichever accounts are linked to your device) by signing in through their respective websites
Once changed, you will be signed out of all connected devices, except the one you’re using
This prevents unauthorized access to account-linked features and protects your personal information
How to track your Galaxy device:
If your device is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, its last known location will appear on a map
Visit the Samsung Find website
Sign in with the Samsung account associated with your device (or a guardian’s account)
If multiple devices are linked to your account, they will all appear – select the one you want to locate
You’ll see its current or last known location
Other remote features available:
Ring: Make your device ring even if it’s set to silent or vibrate
Extend battery life: Activate power-saving settings to keep your device on longer and improve the chances of recovery
Track location: Enable real-time location tracking and your phone’s location will update every 15 minutes until tracking is stopped
Other ways to locate Galaxy devices
Find your phone using your Galaxy watch (WearOS 5 or higher):
Swipe down from the top of your Galaxy Watch to open Quick settings
Tap the Find My Phone icon
Tap Start to begin the search – your phone’s ringtone will sound
Once found, tap Stop on your watch or the X icon on your phone
Find your Galaxy Watch:
Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone
Tap Find My Watch (or Find My Band / Find My Gear, depending on your device)
If connected via Bluetooth, tap Start
Your watch will vibrate and play a sound (depending on model)
Once found, tap the X icon on your watch or Stop on your phone
Find your Galaxy Buds:
Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone or tablet
Tap Find My Earbuds
Tap Start – your earbuds will begin beeping and gradually increase in volume for three minutes
Once found, tap Stop
Using Google’s Find My Device:
Google’s Find My Device is built into Android via Google Play Services
You will need a Google account to use it
With this tool, you can set a new password, make your device ring, display a message, lock and wipe your device, and more
Contact the authorities and your mobile network provider:
Once taken the steps above, report your lost or stolen device to the police and record a crime incident report
Contact your mobile network provider to freeze your contract and prevent unauthorized usage
For additional device protection, it is recommended to have insurance that covers accidental damage, loss, or theft. Samsung offers a variety of protection plans – visit Samsung.com to explore coverage options that best suit your needs.
Procuring lifesaving drugs is a daunting challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Essential treatments are often neither available nor affordable in these nations, even decades after the drugs entered the market.
Prospective buyers from these countries face a patent thicket, where a single drug may be covered by hundreds of patents. This makes it costly and legally difficult to secure licensing rights for manufacturing.
These buyers also face a complex and often fragile supply chain. Many major pharmaceutical firms have little incentive to sell their products in unprofitable markets. Quality assurance adds another layer of complexity, with substandard and counterfeit drugs widespread in many of these countries.
Organizations such as the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Poolhave effectively increasedthe supply of generic versions of patented drugs. But the problems go beyond patents or manufacturing – how medicines are bought are also crucially important. Buyers for low- and middle-income countries are often health ministries and community organizations on tight budgets that have to negotiate with sellers that may have substantial market power and far more experience.
Understanding these trade-offs can help countries better prepare for future health emergencies and treat chronic conditions.
Pooled procurement reduces drug costs
One strategy low-income countries are increasingly adopting to improve treatment access is “pooled procurement.” That’s when multiple buyers coordinate purchases to strengthen their collective bargaining power and reduce prices for essential medicines. For example, pooling can help buyers meet the minimum batch size requirements some suppliers impose that countries purchasing individually may not satisfy.
Countries typically rely on four models for pooled drug procurement:
One method, called decentralized procurement, involves buyers purchasing directly from manufacturers.
Another method, called international pooled procurement, involves going through international institutions such as the Global Fund’s Pooled Procurement Mechanism or the United Nations.
Countries may also purchase prescription drugs through their own central medical stores, which are government-run or semi-autonomous agencies that procure, store and distribute medicines on behalf of national health systems. This method is called centralized domestic procurement.
Finally, countries can also go through independent nonprofits, foundations, nongovernmental organizations and private wholesalers.
We found that pooled procurement through international institutions reduced prices by 13% to 20% compared with directly buying from drug manufacturers. Smaller buyers and those purchasing drugs produced by only a small number of manufacturers saw the greatest savings. In comparison, purchasing through domestic pooling offered less consistent savings, with larger buyers seeing greater price advantages.
The Global Fund and the United Nations were especially effective at lowering the prices of older, off-patent drugs.
Trade-offs with pooled procurements
Cost savings from pooled drug procurement may come with trade-offs.
While the Global Fund reduced unexpected delivery delays by 28%, it required buyers to place orders much earlier. This results in longer anticipated procurement lead time between ordering and delivery – an average of 114 days more than that of direct purchases. In contrast, domestic pooled procurement shortened lead times by over a month.
Our results suggest a core tension: Pooled procurement improves prices and reliability but can reduce flexibility. Organizations that facilitate pooled procurement tend to prioritize medicines that can be bought at high volume, limiting the availability of other types of drugs. Additionally, the longer lead times may not be suitable for emergency situations.
But a shift toward domestic self-sufficiency is a slow and difficult process due to challenges with quality assurance and large-scale manufacturing. It may also weaken international pooled systems, which rely on broad participation to negotiate better terms with suppliers.
Scaling up drug production in low-income countries can be difficult. Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo
Interestingly, we found little evidence that international pooled procurement influences pricing for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a major purchaser of HIV treatments for developing countries. PEPFAR-eligible products do not appear to benefit more from international pooled procurement than noneligible ones.
However, domestic procurement institutions were able to secure lower prices for PEPFAR-eligible products. This suggests that the presence of a large donor such as PEPFAR can cut costs, particularly when countries manage procurement internally.
USAID cuts and global drug access
While international organizations such as the Medicines Patent Pool and the Global Fund can address upstream barriers such as patents and procurement in the global drug supply chain, other institutions are essential for ensuring that medicines actually reach patients.
The World Health Organization warned that eight countries, including Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine, could soon run out of HIV treatments due to these aid cuts. In South Africa, HIV services have already been scaled back, with reports of mass layoffs of health workers and HIV clinic closures. These downstream cracks can undercut the gains from efforts to make procuring drugs more accessible if the drugs can’t reach patients.
Because HIV, tuberculosis and malaria often share the same treatment infrastructure – including drug procurement and distribution networks, laboratory systems, data collection, health workers and community-based services – disruption in the management of one disease can ripple across the others. Researchers have warned of a broader unraveling of progress across these infectious diseases, describing the fallout as a potential “bloodbath” in the global HIV response.
Research shows that supporting access to treatments around the world doesn’t just save lives abroad. It also helps prevent the next global health crisis from reaching America’s doorstep.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Murugan Anandarajan, Professor of Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, Drexel University
Recent college grads face a tough job market in 2025, but employers are still hiring.sturti/E+ via Getty Images
Every year, I tell my students in my business analytics class the same thing: “Don’t just apply for a job. Audition for it.”
This advice seems particularly relevant this year. In today’s turbulent economy, companies are still hiring, but they’re doing it a bit more carefully. More places are offering candidates short-term work experiences like internships and co-op programs in order to evaluate them before making them full-time offers.
This is just one of the findings of the 2025 College Hiring Outlook Report. This annual report tracks trends in the job market and offers valuable insights for both job seekers and employers. It is based on a national survey conducted in September 2024, with responses from 1,322 employers spanning all major industries and company sizes, from small firms to large enterprises. The survey looks at employer perspectives on entry-level hiring trends, skills demand and talent development strategies.
Only 21% of the 1,322 employers we surveyed rated the current college hiring market as “excellent” or “very good,” which is a dramatic drop from 61% in 2023. This indicates that companies are becoming increasingly cautious about how they recruit and select new talent.
While confidence in full-time hiring has declined, employers are not stepping away from hiring altogether. Instead, they’re shifting to paid and unpaid internships, co-ops and contract-to-hire roles as a less risky route to identify talent and “de-risk” full-time hiring.
Employers we surveyed described internships as a cost-effective talent pipeline, and 70% told us they plan to maintain or increase their co-op and intern hiring in 2025. At a time when many companies are tightening their belts, hiring someone who’s already proved themselves saves on onboarding reduces turnover and minimizes potentially costly mishires.
For job seekers, this makes every internship or short-term role more than a foot in the door. It’s an extended audition. Even with the general market looking unstable, interest in co-op and internship programs appears steady, especially among recent graduates facing fewer full-time opportunities.
These programs aren’t just about trying out a job. They let employers see if a candidate shows initiative, good judgment and the ability to work well on a team, which we found are traits employers value even more than technical skills.
What employers want
We found that employers increasingly prioritize self-management skills like adaptability, ethical reasoning and communication over technical skills such as digital literacy and cybersecurity. Employers are paying attention to how candidates behave during internships, how they take feedback, and whether they bring the mindset needed to grow with the company.
This reflects what I have observed in classrooms and in conversations with hiring managers: Credentials matter, but what truly sets candidates apart is how they present themselves and what they contribute to a company.
Based on co-op and internship data we’ve collected at Drexel, however, many students continue to believe that technical proficiency is the key to getting a job.
In my opinion, this disconnect reveals a critical gap in expectations: While students focus on hard skills to differentiate themselves, employers are looking for the human skills that indicate long-term potential, resilience and professionalism. This is especially true in the face of economic uncertainty and the ambiguous, fast-changing nature of today’s workplace.
Technology is changing how hiring happens
Employers also told us that artificial intelligence is now central to how both applicants and employers navigate the hiring process.
Some companies are increasingly using AI-powered platforms to transform their hiring processes. For example, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia uses platforms like HireVue to conduct asynchronous video interviews. HR-focused firms like Phenom and JJ Staffing Services also leverage technologies such as AI-based resume ranking, automated interview scheduling and one-way video assessments.
Not only do these tools speed up the hiring process, but they also reshape how employers and candidates interact. In our survey, large employers said they are increasingly relying on AI tools like resume screeners and one-way video interviews to manage large numbers of job applicants. As a result, the candidate’s presence, clarity in communication and authenticity are being evaluated even before a human recruiter becomes involved.
At the same time, job seekers are using generative AI tools to write cover letters, practice interviews or reformat resumes. These tools can help with preparation, but overreliance on them can backfire. Employers want authenticity, and many employers we surveyed mentioned they notice when applications seem overly robotic.
In my experience as a professor, the key is teaching students to use AI to enhance their effort and not replace it. I encourage them to leverage AI tools but always emphasize that the final output and the impression it makes should reflect their own thinking and professionalism. The bottom line is that hiring is still a human decision, and the personal impression you make matters.
This isn’t just about new grads
While our research focuses on early-career hiring, these findings apply to other audiences as well, such as career changers, returning professionals and even mid-career workers. These workers are increasingly being evaluated on their adaptability, behavior and collaborative ability – not just their experience.
Many companies now offer project-based assignments and trial roles that let them evaluate performance before making a permanent hire.
At the same time, employers are investing in internal reskilling and upskilling programs. Reskilling refers to training workers for entirely new roles, often in response to job changes or automation, while upskilling means helping employees deepen their current skills to stay effective and advance in their existing roles. Our report indicates that approximately 88% of large companies now offer structured upskilling and reskilling programs. For job seekers and workers alike, staying competitive means taking the initiative and demonstrating a commitment to learning and growth.
Show up early, and show up well
So what can students, or anyone entering or reentering the workforce, do to prepare?
Start early. Don’t wait until senior year. First- and second-year internships are growing in importance.
Sharpen your soft skills. Communication, time management, problem-solving and ethical behavior are top priorities for employers.
Understand where work is happening. Over 50% of entry-level jobs are fully in-person. Only 4% are fully remote. Show up ready to engage.
Use AI strategically. It’s a useful tool for research and practice, not a shortcut to connection or clarity.
Stay curious. Most large employers now offer reskilling or upskilling opportunities – and they expect employees to take initiative.
One of the clearest takeaways from this year’s report is that hiring is no longer a one-time decision. It’s a performance process that often begins before an interview is even scheduled.
Whether you’re still in school, transitioning in your career or returning to the workforce after a break, the same principle applies: Every opportunity is an audition. Treat it like one.
Murugan Anandarajan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
