The Defence Cyber Agency, operating under the aegis of the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, has launched a cyber security exercise titled ‘Cyber Suraksha’. The exercise began on June 16 and will continue until June 27.
‘Cyber Suraksha’ is a multi-phased initiative aimed at enhancing cyber resilience at the national level. It brings together more than 100 participants from various national-level agencies and defence stakeholders. The exercise is designed to simulate real-world cyber threats and test the participants’ ability to respond to them in a dynamic, gamified environment. By combining structured training with hands-on challenges, it seeks to reinforce secure practices and sharpen the analytical and defensive skills of the participants.
A key feature of the exercise is the inclusion of a Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) conclave, which has been integrated to bridge the gap between technical execution and leadership roles. The conclave features discussions led by eminent speakers in the cyber security domain and will conclude with an immersive Table-Top Exercise, aimed at enhancing the strategic readiness of senior leadership.
‘Cyber Suraksha’ reflects a proactive approach by the Defence Cyber Agency to ensure continued cyber vigilance and foster a security-first culture across all levels of the national defence infrastructure. The agency also plans to make such exercises a regular feature to sustain a high level of preparedness and promote collaborative defence in the evolving cyber landscape.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported significant progress in the advancement of the Southwest Monsoon, with favourable conditions likely to push it further into more parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, the remaining areas of Vidarbha, and additional parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim within the next 24 hours.
Over the following two days, the monsoon is expected to spread into parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and east Uttar Pradesh.
The monsoon is currently active over the entire Konkan region, Central Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat, southwest Madhya Pradesh, and extended areas of Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim. The Northern Limit of Monsoon now stretches through key locations including Veraval, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, Khargone, Amravati, Durg, Chandbali, and Balurghat.
The IMD forecasts an active monsoon phase with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in south peninsular India and Konkan & Goa till June 16. Isolated areas may experience extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm.
In terms of temperatures, a 2–4°C drop in maximum temperatures is expected across Central India over the next 4–5 days, while no significant change is predicted for the rest of the country.
Weather forecast over Delhi-NCR during June 16-19
The weather forecast for Delhi-NCR from June 16 to 19 indicates generally to partly cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms expected each day. These weather events are likely to be accompanied by gusty winds, temporarily reaching speeds of up to 60 kmph, particularly during the evening and night hours.
Overall, the period will be marked by slightly cooler than usual temperatures and intermittent rainfall, bringing some relief from the summer heat.
The IMD continues to monitor the monsoon’s progression and advises local authorities and residents to stay updated with regional weather alerts.
The mid-term review of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) was concluded in 2024, reinforcing the EU budget in key priority areas. The Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve was increased by EUR 1.5 billion.
The Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction — RESTORE Regulation[1] allows for flexibility by Member States impacted by natural disasters to use cohesion policy funding for reconstruction and repair.
The Rural Development Regulation[2] was amended to introduce a new measure, providing support to affected farmers, foresters, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.
Member States could adjust their 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes during their mid-term review[3], adding new priorities like enhancing water resilience.
Greece could benefit from these flexibilities once the regulation enters into force, including the financial incentives to implement these priorities rapidly and effectively.
The 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes contribute EUR 1 billion to a national disaster risk management programme in Greece and EUR 10.5 million to a regional programme on climate-related risk management in Notio Aigaio[4].
The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change can help the Cyclades and other islands test and deploy innovative solutions to build resilience to floods and other climate risks, as with Climate adaptation and resilience demonstrated in the Mediterranean region (CARDIMED) project[5].
Island regions face specific challenges, including suffering from extreme natural disasters that call for significant investments not only in post-disaster recovery but also in climate adaptation and resilience.
As announced in the communication ‘A modernised cohesion policy: the mid-term review’, the Commission will launch a consultation on the development of a Strategy for Islands to support them address their multi-faceted problems.
[1] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE), entered into force on 24 December 2024, available at the following link https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236/oj/eng.
[2] Regulation (EU) 2024/3242 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 as regards specific measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R3242&qid=1746172978914.
[3] On 1 April 2025 the Commission tabled a legislative proposal and accompanying Communication. Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1058 and (EU) 2021/1056 as regards specific measures to address strategic challenges in the context of the mid-term review, available at: regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/communication/mid-term-review-2025/regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf; Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council A modernised Cohesion policy: The mid-term review, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0163.
[4] Technical assistance, including under the ‘Cohesion for Transitions Community of Practice’ initiative, could support the implementation of the programmes facilitating the green transition and for studies.
The new General Product Safety Regulation[1] strengthens the safety framework for consumer products, including menstrual products.
It requires manufacturers to perform an internal risk analysis for every product- taking into account consumer categories, including gender differences- and eliminate or mitigate all identified risks, including by adding warnings and instructions for safe use.
Also, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation[2] regulates chemical substances in consumer products and bans the use of certain hazardous substances (e.g. the dioctyltin (DOT) compounds) in menstrual products. Another restriction on skin sensitisers is in preparation too.
In the future, the Commission, in cooperation with the Consumer Safety Network and taking into account the number of accidents reported, could explore the development of future standardisation work[3].
In the Coordinated Activities on the Safety of Products 2022, menstrual products were tested against European and international standards, indicating overall compliance. Also, the Product Safety Award 2023 recognised companies innovating in menstrual product safety.
Finally, the Commission recognises the importance of research into menstrual product safety. While there are no initiatives under Horizon Europe, or the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV) programme at this stage, the Commission is open to exploring funding opportunities supporting scientific advancements and consumer safety in this area.
[1] Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC. OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1-51, applicable since 13th December 2024.
[2] Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC. OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1-850.
[3] Official European standard setting organisations have started to develop certain deliverables on the topic notably with the CEN workshop agreement on absorbent hygiene products. While this standardisation deliverable will not per se deal with the toxic shock syndrome and warnings regarding the duration of use of products, it will provide for test method to assess the potential presence of trace chemicals in absorbent hygiene products useful for manufacturers as well as Market Surveillance authorities to test their safety. More info can be found here: https://www.cencenelec.eu/news-and-events/news/2023/workshop/2023-02-02-ahps/.
Bay of Biscay is a landmark project for the European power system that will boost the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and rest of continental Europe.
Initiative to increase the exchange capacity from 2,800 to 5,000 megawatts (MW), improving reliability of power supply among France, Spain and Portugal and with the rest of Europe.
Once operational the interconnection will contribute to ensure cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens.
With a total route length of 400 km, 300 km of which underwater, it will become the first submarine electricity interconnection between Spain and Fance.
This is a Project of Common Interest for the EU being implemented through a joint venture between the transmission system operators of Spain, Red Eléctrica, and France, RTE, Réseau de transport d’électricité.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is pledging €1.6 billion to finance the construction of the Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Spain and France. The EIB financing for the Bay of Biscay project takes the form of loans to Spanish and French transmission-system operators Red Eléctrica and RTE Réseau de transport d’électricité.
The parties signed first loan tranches totalling €1.2 billion today at the EIB headquarters in Luxembourg. The event was attended by Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group, Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Marc Ferracci, French minister of Industry and Energy, Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State – for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia, parent company of Red Eléctrica and Thomas Veyrenc Member of the Executive Board, director general for Finance, Strategy and Economics of RTE. This financial support adds up to the €578 million EU grant allocated to this project under the Connecting Europe Facility.
This is a landmark Project of Common Interest in which the EIB, the European Commission, Red Eléctrica and RTE are joining forces to strengthen cross-border electricity interconnections and hereby the overall European energy system.
“EIB support for the France-Spain electricity interconnection will be key to ensuring that the Iberian Peninsula is no longer an energy island. This agreement will lead to a major shift in energy integration, an important area for EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy.” said Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group”.
“Europe needs more integrated and more interconnected energy systems and markets. This is crucial to ensure our citizens have access to clean and stable supplies, wherever they are. This is what a genuine Energy Union is about, “said Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. “I very much welcome the additional financial support offered by the EIB for a key project that will ultimately improve the lives of many across the Pyrenees and beyond.”
Construction of the Bay of Biscay link is already under way by Inelfe – joint venture by RTE and Red Eléctrica, and it is due to become operational in 2028. Once operational, the project will almost double the electricity exchange capacity between France and Spain to 5,000 MW. That means cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens, while avoiding 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year.
The project will strengthen the interconnection capacity between France and Spain, helping the Iberian peninsula’s progress towards the EU interconnection target for Member States of at least 15% of installed production capacity by 2030. The Bay of Biscay project, together with the underground project between Baixas-Santa Llogaia and the improvement of the existing Argia-Hernani infrastructure will contribute to enhance the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, while better integrating it within the EU energy market.
‘Today, with the support of the EIB, we take another step forward in this project, a bridge between nations and key for European cohesion that will enable us to tackle the greatest challenge of our time: the energy transition. That is why both countries must continue to work together to strengthen our connections, also through the two new projects planned to cross the Pyrenees’, said Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia
“Today is a major milestone for the Bay of Biscay project, which will increase the solidarity between France and Spain but will also contribute to the development of exchanges of low-carbon, competitive electricity throughout Europe. Along with EU institutions – such as EIB – and other European TSOs, RTE is committed to ensure that the French power grid is fit to play its role of a European electricity crossroads, including through major reinforcement projects to avoid internal constraints, as laid out in our recent grid development strategy’, said Thomas Veyrenc, Member of the Executive Board, Director general for finance, strategy and economics of RTE.
The project reinforces the EIB´s role as the climate bank one of the EIB Group’s eight strategic priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027. The operation is also part of the EIB’s action plan supporting REPowerEU, the program to increase energy security and accelerate the energy transition by reducing the European Union’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Marc Ferracci, French minister for industry and energy: “We’re very happy today to have signed the first part of the investment in this interconnection project between France and Spain which will go through the Bay of Biscay. This will allow us to double the capacity of electricity transported between the two countries with 400 km of connection. It’s very important because it illustrates the will of Spain and France to go further in the decarbonisation of our economies. And it shows the solidarity that exists to meet Europe’s energy security challenge.”
“The signing of this agreement marks a major step towards building the Energy Union and strengthening the resilience of the European electricity system as a whole. I am confident that it will not be the last”, said Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Flagship project
The Bay of Biscay interconnection is classified by the EU as a Project of Common Interest or PCI, and is being delivered by Inelfe a joint venture between Red Eléctrica and Réseau transport d’électricité. It is co-funded by a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grant of €578 million.
The connection will link two alternating current systems via a submarine direct current line. At each end of the connection, stations in Cubnezais in France and Gatika in Spain will convert the direct current into alternating current for connection to the transmission grids of Spain and France.
The design of the project has been developed through an open and participatory process, with the aim of reaching the greatest possible consensus and ensuring the best solution from a technical, social, and environmental perspective.
The High-Level Group on Interconnections in South-West Europe, established in 2015 between Spain, France, and Portugal with the support of the European Commission, played a critical role in advancing the Biscay Bay project.
More information about the project is available here.
The EIB as a major financier of energy security and grids in Europe
In 2024, the EIB Group signed a record €31 billion to back EU energy security, including for efficiency, renewables, storage and electricity grids, which is expected to support over €100 billion in investment. A total of €8.5 billion financed electricity grids and storage projects, double the amount from previous year. This financing is helping to expand, modernise and digitalise electricity grids making them more resilient and allowing for more and better integration of renewable sources.
In Spain financing of energy security projects was higher than in any other EU country in 2024, totalling more than €5 billion, which is expected to support over €15 billion in investment. A total of €1.54 billion financed grids and storage projects, roughly double the previous year’s amount. In France financing of energy security projects in 2024 was in line with previous years at around €3.6 billion, of which €400 million went to finance grids and storage projects, while €3.2 billion went to other energy projects including renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.
In the last 5 years (2019-24), EIB has financed €16.7 billion in energy projects in Spain, and €17.7 billion in energy projects in France.
Find out more about the EIB’s support for the energy sector here.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund, signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impactprojects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
In Spain, in 2024, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3 billion for over 100 high-impact projects, while in France, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.6 billion also for over 100 high-impact projects, contributing to both countries’ green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for their people.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
Red Eléctrica
Red Eléctrica is the transmission system operator (TSO) for the Spanish electricity system and Redeia’s flagship. Since 1985, Red Eléctrica guarantee the security of supply in Spain, driving its social and economic development. Now, the company is also the backbone of the energy transition in the country. www.ree.es
Réseau Transport d’Électricité
The French electricity-transmission-system operator, RTE, provides a public service: guaranteeing a constant supply of electricity throughout France, with the same standard of service, thanks to the efforts of its 10,025-strong staff. RTE manages electricity flows, balancing production and consumption in real time. RTE maintains and develops the high and very-high voltage grid (from 63,000 to 400,000 volts) which includes nearly 100,000 kilometres of overhead lines, 7,000 kilometres of underground lines, 2,900 operational substations, some jointly operated, and around fifty cross-border lines. With 37 interconnections with neighbouring countries, the French grid is the largest in Europe. RTE is an independent and neutral industrial operator of the energy transition, optimising and transforming its grid to connect new consumers and low-carbon electricity generation facilities.
Pursuant to Article 91(1) of the Digital Services Act (DSA), by 17 November 2025, the Commission shall evaluate and report to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee on the application of Article 33 of the DSA and the way that the DSA interacts with other legal acts, in particular those listed in Article 2(2) and (3) of the DSA.
The Commission services, in close cooperation, have started the preparatory work towards the adoption of the report. The preparation of this report is closely aligned with the ongoing work of the Simplification Package[1].
The report will also be informed by surveys addressed to a variety of stakeholders (including civil society organisations, companies and regulatory authorities) and other relevant analysis.
Pursuant to Article 91(3) the DSA, the report may be accompanied by a legislative proposal to amend the DSA, if necessary. At this stage, however, there is no such indication.
The protection of freedom of expression was at the core of the design of the DSA. The DSA has inter alia increased the transparency and accountability over the content moderation decisions taken by providers of intermediary services and reinforced redress mechanisms for users.
In addition, the DSA requires providers of services designated as very large online platforms and very large online search engines to identify, assess and analyse, and effectively mitigate systemic risks stemming from the functioning, design and use made of their services and related systems, including in relation to any actual or foreseeable negative effects for the exercise of the fundamental right to freedom of expression.
The Commission is committed to protecting freedom of expression in monitoring and enforcing the DSA rules.
The European Parliament is vested with powers of democratic oversight and political scrutiny vis-à-vis the European Commission. These powers of Parliament enhance the democratic legitimacy of the EU as a whole, and help increase the transparency and accountability of the Commission as the EU’s executive body. This study examines Parliament’s oversight and scrutiny powers over the Commission. It focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on the powers that are enshrined in specific provisions of the EU Treaties. This includes Parliament’s role in the Commission’s investiture, in motions of censure, parliamentary questions, committees of inquiry and special committees, and in the Commission’s obligations to report, consult and inform. It also looks into Parliament’s scrutiny over budgetary issues, of delegated acts, in the context of the EU legislative procedure and agenda-setting, of legal proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, and of the EU’s external relations. The study builds on a previous EPRS study on parliamentary scrutiny of the Commission, originally requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) in 2018. The data presented in this edition focus on the ninth term parliamentary term (2019 to 2024).
A new engaging exhibition ‘Barbara Freeman: A Retrospective’ has opened at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio, Banbridge and runs until Saturday 27 September 2025.
This first large-scale survey of Freeman’s work introduces the public to this award-winning artist who has exhibited internationally and now in her late 80s, continues to experiment and push herself to create new innovative work.
The retrospective features a broad range of Freeman’s work from an early drawing ‘Homage to Dürer’ dating from 1973 to her new series of digital images ‘Time Past Remembered’ made this year and her award-winning film ‘Itacha’ from 2023.
Utilising a wide range of media including sculpture, painting, print, installation, sound and film, Freeman’s constantly evolving practice fluctuates between figuration and abstraction to explore themes including time, memory and history.
Speaking about the new exhibition, Gallery Curator and Manager, Dr Riann Coulter, said:
“This major survey exhibition showcases a striking collection of Barbara’s work and provides a fantastic opportunity to explore her artistic evolution over half a century of innovative art making.”
Born in London in 1937, Freeman studied at Central St. Martins and Camberwell Colleges of Art, followed by postgraduate study at the University of Leeds before moving to Belfast where she has lived and worked for over 40 years.
Collaboration is at the heart of Freeman’s art. She has often worked with composers and musicians to create installations that combine sound and image and respond to a particular place, both as a physical space and a sonic environment. In 2020, she joined Na Cailleacha, the collective of formidable older women artists based in Ireland, with whom she continues to work and exhibit.
Freeman’s work has been exhibited widely, with solo shows in Ireland, Britain, the United States, Hungary, Germany, and former Yugoslavia.
Her artworks have featured in collections displayed by the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Royal Courts of Justice, and The Royal Hospitals.
This exhibition has been curated by Dr Fionna Barber, Reader in Art History at Manchester School of Art and Dr Riann Coulter.
It will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue featuring an essay by Fionna Barber and an interview between Freeman and art historian and Na Cailleacha colleague, Catherine Marshall.
The F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free. For further information, go to visitarmagh.com/femcwilliam
Polling will take place on Thursday 19 June 2025 to elect one of nine candidates standing in The Highland Council’s Cromarty Firth Ward by-election and one of eight candidates for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò. Voters are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.
The single transferable vote system will be used. Instead of using a cross, voters should number the candidates in the order of their choice, putting a number 1 in the box next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice and so on. Voters can make as many or as few choices as they wish.
Postal packs have been despatched to those registered electors that submitted a form by the postal vote deadline. Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. If you are unable to post it in time, it is possible to hand in your completed postal pack into any of the polling stations located within wards 6 and 10 between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 19 June 2025. There are no restrictions on the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station.
A list of polling station locations can be found on the Council’s website
For those opting to vote in person on Thursday 19 June 2025, polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. Voters are reminded to check their poll cards as this will have details of where they need to go to cast their vote. There is no requirement to bring any form of voter ID or poll cards.
The candidates standing for election to Ward 6 – Cromarty Firth are:
CHISHOLM, Steve – Alba Party for independence
COSTIGANE, Ross – Scottish Liberal Democrats
CROSS, Richard James – Independent
FORBES, Ryan – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
MACDONALD, Allan – Reform UK
MACDONALD, Odette – Scottish National Party (SNP)
PERERA, Michael Robert – Scottish Labour Party
RATTRAY, Martin – Independent
THOMAS, Anne – Scottish Greens
The candidates standing for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò are:
COUPLAND, John – Reform UK
DICKSON, Campbell – Independent
GILLIES, Christine – Independent
LAWRENCE, Katy – Scottish Greens
MAC A’ BHÀILLIDH, Màrtainn – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MACDONALD, Jonathan – Independent
MACPHERSON, George – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
THOMSON, Fay – Scottish Liberal Democrats
The electronic election counts for both wards will take place on Friday 20 June 2025 at Kyleakin Village Hall starting at 11am. People will be able to follow the count and watch the declaration of the results live on our YouTube channel and follow the latest via the Council’s social media channels – @highlandcouncil
To support equal access for everyone and to assist with voting, a range of accessibility aids is provided, which also includes a new overlay. The overlay combined with the audio recording of the ballot paper, is intended to provide a complete self-service solution to the blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently and in secret.
All information about the by-election, including answers to frequently asked questions and short video clips to show how to vote is available by visiting the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/byelection
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 16 (Xinhua) — “Culture and tourism are important areas of exchange and cooperation between China and Russia, as well as between Beijing and Moscow. In recent years, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Moscow has been increasing every year,” Guo Huaigang, director of the Beijing Culture and Tourism Bureau, told the Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Beijing and Moscow.
Guo Huaigang noted that since the establishment of sister city relations, the two cities have organized various events in such fields as economy, trade, science and technology, urban development, transportation, and humanitarian ties. The events under the “joint celebration of the two cities” in the field of culture and tourism have created a platform for exchanges and cooperation between the industries of the two cities, arousing the interest and desire of their residents to get to know each other.
According to him, Beijing received 293 thousand Russian tourists in 2024. In January-May 2025, Beijing received 175 thousand tourists from Russia, which is 83.9 percent more than the same period last year.
On June 12, the Moscow Seasons in Beijing festival kicked off in Beijing, presenting modern technologies and folk traditions of the Russian capital to the Chinese public in an authentic form over the course of four days. At the same time, Beijing organized a series of events in Moscow to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the twinning, including a roundtable on trade and economic cooperation and a youth hockey tournament. In particular, the Beijing City Department of Culture and Tourism held a presentation of Beijing’s tourism opportunities and a “Journey to the World of Peking Opera” event in Moscow.
“Thanks to joint efforts, the sister city relationship between Beijing and Moscow has been steadily developing,” Guo Huaigang said. -0-
Brussels – The hypocrisy and inaction of the European Union and its Member States have allowed Israel to freely continue its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza with total impunity, said Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in a press conference in Brussels today. MSF calls for impartial needs-based aid to be facilitated into the Gaza Strip at scale, the protection of civilians, and the immediate restoration of a sustained ceasefire; European governments must act decisively to expedite this.
For more than 20 months, Israeli authorities and forces have inflicted a punishing campaign, including large-scale forced displacement, ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Gaza. On a daily basis, our teams witness patterns consistent with genocide through deliberate actions by Israeli forces – including mass killings, the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, and blockades choking off access to food, water, medicines, and other essential humanitarian supplies. Israel is systematically destroying the conditions necessary for Palestinian life. Gaza’s homes, hospitals, markets, water networks, roads, and power grids have been demolished, not by disregard but by design.
Children hold their empty pots at a community kitchen in northern Gaza, Palestine, February 2025.Nour Alsaqqa/MSF
The European Union (EU) and European governments have the political, economic, and diplomatic means to exert real pressure on Israel to stop this assault and open Gaza’s border crossings to unhindered humanitarian aid. These are not theoretical instruments. They can be effectively mobilised in defence of international law and to protect civilians.
However, up to this point, the EU and its member states appear to have abdicated their political leadership to do so. Worse, recent statements European States have made, critical of how the war is being waged, highlights their hypocrisy as they continue to supply the weapons being used to kill, maim, and burn people who end up in our hospitals.
“The war in Gaza is one of the most egregious, deadly and ruthless wars waged on a people of our time,” says Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General. “It is an orchestrated massacre of Palestinian people. It is purposeful ethnic cleansing.”
“Stopping this requires political courage, legal responsibility, and moral commitment,” says Lockyear. “The scale of suffering in Gaza demands more than empty rhetoric.”
Aid has been weaponised, used as leverage, conditioned, or blocked entirely. Since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its activities on 27 May, as part of the US-Israeli scheme to instrumentalise aid, hundreds of Palestinians have been treated in hospitals, and scores have been killed, after being shot at these aid distribution sites while waiting to receive the basic necessities for survival.
“The imposed system of aid delivery is not only a failure, but it is dehumanising and dangerous,” says Lockyear. “It exposes thousands of Palestinians to unnecessary risks, leading to bloodshed that can be avoided if humanitarian organisations are allowed to provide aid impartially and safely, at the necessary scale that is so desperately need in Gaza.”
Today, Nasser hospital, southern Gaza’s main referral hospital for thousands of patients in the area, is barely able to continue working, due to repeated evacuation orders and movement restrictions on staff and patients. In recent weeks, MSF teams admitted over 500 patients requiring medical care to the hospital, while supporting the hospital’s medical staff to respond to repeated mass casualty influxes from constant bombings and attacks.
“Humanitarian organisations have set up makeshift hospitals to fill the gap, but they can in no way replace regular hospitals,” says Lockyear. “The remaining hospitals must be protected, and the entry of aid facilitated. Failure to do so will cost yet more lives.”
MSF, like many organisations, has repeatedly called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law – including the protection of medical staff and facilities.
Several governments continue to express concerns about the horrific situation in Gaza, but their statements that invoke concern with adherence to IHL are shrouded in hypocrisy as they continue to send the arms that kill and maim the children we treat.
“What people are experiencing in Gaza is beyond unbearable: it must stop now,” says Lockyear. “As this military onslaught against a besieged people rages on, the hypocrisy of EU states who speak but don’t act, is more obvious by the day.”
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The United States’ erratic trade policy has caused even more economic uncertainty in the sec-ond quarter of 2025. Tariffs are also weighing on the economic outlook.
Data revisions last year mean that KOF is sticking to its forecast of real, sport-adjusted GDP growth of 1.4 per cent for 2025 (1.0 per cent unadjusted) despite a deterioration in its assessment. Its GDP growth forecast for 2026, however, has been lowered by 0.4 percentage points to 1.5 per cent (1.9 per cent unadjusted).
The international trade conflict is more pronounced than was expected in the spring and is triggering a more marked deterioration in economic projections.
The latest KOF forecast is based on the assumption that the tariffs on exports to the United States in force at the beginning of June and the corresponding countermeasures will remain in place throughout the entire forecast period. This equates to a flat-rate 10 per cent tariff on most imports to the US with the exception of pharmaceutical products for the most part.
Companies fast-track exports to the US; countervailing trend likely to follow
The great uncertainty about the future of the United States’ trade policy and the announcement of tariff increases imposed on countries around the world have prompted firms to bring forward their production and exports of goods to the United States as much as possible. This yielded stellar growth in global trade in the first quarter and strong GDP growth in exportled countries such as Germany. In contrast, the disproportionately high growth in imports in the United States resulted in a negative quarter. Short-term demand for foreign goods displaced that for domestic goods and thus had an adverse impact on output in the US. Countervailing tr
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced 15 youth-led innovations as winners of the Bingwa PLUS Y-Health Incubator Pitch Competition, marking a significant milestone in empowering Africa’s next generation of public health leaders.
The competition, held in Abuja, Nigeria, from May 27 -30, 2025 showcased innovative health solutions developed by young African changemakers aged 18–35.
The 15 winning projects were selected from 30 finalists, who emerged from an initial pool of 50 pre-screened candidates. The finalists underwent a rigorous six-week self-paced training programme focused on health leadership, project design, communication, resource mobilisation, and monitoring and evaluation.
The Bingwa PLUS programme is an extension of the African Union Bingwa Initiative launched in 2022, designed to equip youth with the tools and resources to co-create scalable and sustainable health interventions. Supported by GIZAfrican Union and YouthHub Africa, the initiative reflects Africa CDC’s strategic focus on youth empowerment and innovation in public health.
During the two-day pitching event, the 30 finalists presented their solutions before a distinguished panel of judges comprising health experts, development partners, and industry leaders. The selected winners will each receive grants ranging from EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000, alongside tailored mentorship from leading public health and innovation professionals to support implementation over the coming months.
“This event exemplifies the power of youth-led innovation in transforming health landscapes across Africa,” said Dr. Chrys Promesse Kaniki, Africa CDC Senior Technical Officer for Strategic Programmes and Youth Programmes Lead. “By investing in young leaders and their ideas, we are fostering a new generation of health innovators equipped to tackle Africa’s most urgent health challenges.”
The winning projects will now enter an intensive implementation phase, with ongoing mentorship and support to scale their impact across communities. Africa CDC and its partners will continue to track progress, document success stories, and promote these solutions through advocacy and technical collaboration.
Once the domain of elite spies and con artists, social engineering is now in the hands of anyone with an internet connection – and AI is the accomplice. Supercharged by generative tools and deepfake technology, today’s social engineering attacks are no longer sloppy phishing attempts. They’re targeted, psychologically precise, and frighteningly scalable.
Welcome to Social Engineering 2.0, where the manipulators don’t need to know you personally. Their AI already does.
Deception at machine levels
Social engineering works because it bypasses firewalls and technical defences. It attacks human trust. From fake bank alerts to long-lost Nigerian princes, these scams have traditionally relied on generic hooks and low-effort deceit. But that’s changed, and continues to.
“AI is augmenting and automating the way social engineering is carried out,” says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa. “Traditional phishing markers like spelling errors or bad grammar are a thing of the past. AI can mimic writing styles, generate emotionally resonant messages, and even recreate voices or faces (https://apo-opa.co/409nwPV) – all within minutes.”
The result? Cybercriminals now wield the capabilities of psychological profilers. By scraping publicly available data – from social media to company bios – AI can construct detailed personal dossiers. “Instead of one-size-fits-all lures, AI enables criminals to create bespoke attacks,” Collard explains. “It’s like giving every scammer access to their own digital intelligence agency.”
The new face of manipulation: Deepfakes
One of the most chilling evolutions of AI-powered deception is the rise of deepfakes – synthetic video and audio designed to impersonate real people. “There are documented cases where AI-generated voices have been used to impersonate CEOs and trick staff into wiring millions (https://apo-opa.co/4e4JBVv),” notes Collard.
In South Africa, a recent deepfake video circulating on WhatsApp featured a convincingly faked endorsement by FSCA Commissioner Unathi Kamlana promoting a fraudulent trading platform. Nedbank had to publicly distance itself from the scam (https://apo-opa.co/4e4JCJ3).
“We’ve seen deepfakes used in romance scams, political manipulation, even extortion,” says Collard. One emerging tactic involves simulating a child’s voice to convince a parent they’ve been kidnapped (https://apo-opa.co/3HY5WrR) – complete with background noise, sobs, and a fake abductor demanding money.
“It’s not just deception anymore,” Collard warns. “It’s psychological manipulation at scale.”
The Scattered Spider effect
One cybercrime group exemplifying this threat is Scattered Spider. Known for its fluency in English and deep understanding of Western corporate culture, this group specialises in highly convincing social engineering campaigns. “What makes them so effective,” notes Collard, “is their ability to sound legitimate, form quick rapport, and exploit internal processes – often tricking IT staff or help-desk agents.” Their human-centric approach, amplified by AI tools, such as using audio deepfakes to spoof victims’ voices for obtaining initial access, shows how the combination of cultural familiarity, psychological insight, and automation is redefining what cyber threats look like. It’s not just about technical access – it’s about trust, timing, and manipulation.
Social engineering at scale
What once required skilled con artists days or weeks of interaction – establishing trust, crafting believable pretexts, and subtly nudging behaviour – can now be done by AI in the blink of an eye. “AI has industrialised the tactics of social engineering,” says Collard. “It can perform psychological profiling, identify emotional triggers, and deliver personalised manipulation with unprecedented speed.”
The classic stages – reconnaissance, pretexting, rapport-building – are now automated, scalable, and tireless. Unlike human attackers, AI doesn’t get sloppy or fatigued; it learns, adapts, and improves with every interaction.
The biggest shift? “No one has to be a high-value target anymore,” Collard explains. “A receptionist, an HR intern, or a help-desk agent; all may hold the keys to the kingdom. It’s not about who you are – it’s about what access you have.”
Building cognitive resilience
In this new terrain, technical solutions alone won’t cut it. “Awareness has to go beyond ‘don’t click the link,’” says Collard. She advocates for building ‘digital mindfulness’ and ‘cognitive resilience’ – the ability to pause, interrogate context, and resist emotional triggers (https://apo-opa.co/3FF6Zwn).
This means:
Training staff to recognise emotional manipulation, not just suspicious URLs.
Running simulations using AI-generated lures, not outdated phishing templates.
Rehearsing calm, deliberate decision-making under pressure, to counter panic-based manipulation.
Collard recommends unconventional tactics, too. “Ask HR interviewees to place their hand in front of their face during video calls – it can help spot deepfakes in hiring scams,” she says. Families and teams should also consider pre-agreed code words or secrets for emergency communications, in case AI-generated voices impersonate loved ones.
Defence in depth – human and machine
While attackers now have AI tools, so too do defenders. Behavioural analytics, real-time content scanning, and anomaly detection systems are evolving rapidly. But Collard warns: “Technology will never replace critical thinking. The organisations that win will be the ones combining human insight with machine precision.”
And with AI lures growing more persuasive, the question is no longer whether you’ll be targeted – but whether you’ll be prepared. “This is a race,” Collard concludes. “But I remain hopeful. If we invest in education, in critical thinking and digital mindfulness, in the discipline of questioning what we see and hear – we’ll have a fighting chance.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
£1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash
Chancellor spends £1 billion to enhance and repair run down transport infrastructure and futureproof England’s road network.
Package also includes further £590 million to take forward the long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing, and follows record £15.6 billion investment in city region transport announced ahead of the Spending Review.
Funding will ensure vital upgrades are made to tired bridges, flyovers and tunnels across Britain, supporting highly skilled job opportunities, delivering on the Plan for Change.
Drivers across the UK will benefit from major investments to improve vital road structures, alongside committing cash to finally deliver a new Thames Crossing, working with the private sector.
Across Great Britain, approximately 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, restricting access for agricultural and freight transport in regions, and slowing down journeys.
And nationally, the number of bridge collapses has also risen – a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to turn the tide on the decade of neglect.
The Structures Fund will inject cash into repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn out tunnels across Britain, and ensure other transport infrastructure is both more resilient to extreme weather events and to the demands of modern transport – making everyday journeys safer, smoother and more dependable.
The government is also pledging a further £590 million to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing, the most significant road building project in a generation and a national priority- ending the painfully slow approach seen before.
The new crossing will cut frustrating congestion at Dartford, better linking up motorists and businesses in the Midlands and North with key ports in the South East, and spreading growth throughout the regions as outlined in the Plan for Change. The government will look to bring in private finance and expertise to support this major project.
These investments come as part of the new 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, which will be published later this week, and sets out clear, achievable and robust vision for projects over the next decade of renewal.
This also comes swiftly after a record £15.6 billion was announced at the Spending Review to enable local leaders to build long awaited projects like the Tyne and Wear Metro extension and the West Yorkshire Metro, and more investment to fund the TransPennine Route Upgrade and deliver East-West Rail.
The government is also delivering direct funding to support growth across the UK – with funding for five new rail stations in South Wales, and financial backing for carbon capture storage in Aberdeenshire.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
When it comes to investing in Britain’s renewal, we’re going all in by going up against the painful disruption of closed bridges, crossings and flyovers, and ensure they’re fit to serve working people for decades to come.
Today’s investment also goes even further and faster to spread growth by providing critical funding to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing – not just boosting connectivity in the South East, but ensuring a smoother, less congested passage of vital goods from Europe to our regions.
This is a turning point for our national infrastructure, and we’re backing it with funding to support thousands of jobs and connect communities, delivering on our Plan for Change.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
We’re finally getting on with the Lower Thames Crossing — a crucial project to drive economic growth, that has been stuck in planning limbo for far too long.
This project is essential for improving the resilience of a key freight route and is critical to our long term trade with Europe. It will speed up the movement of goods from South East England to the Midlands and the North, crucial to thousands of jobs and businesses.
Our structures fund will make long-overdue investments to repair ageing structures across the country, speeding up journeys, restoring pride and delivering our Plan for Change to boost the economy and support regional growth.
Capital investment today will not only address these immediate risks over the next five years, but create skilled jobs in construction, engineering and maintenance, support vital regeneration in local areas by improving connectivity, and boost local economies by improving access to jobs, education and services.
We will set out more detail about how funding will be allocated shortly. This funding is additional to the funding local authorities will receive for highways maintenance, which will be set out in due course.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
First major overhaul of medical device regulation comes into force across Great Britain
New Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations have taken effect across Great Britain, requiring medical device manufacturers to proactively monitor the safety and performance of their products once on the market.
From today (16 June 2025), a landmark reform of how medical devices are regulated in Great Britain takes effect, as part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) broader transformation of the UK’s medical device regulatory framework.
The new Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations require device manufacturers to actively track the safety and performance of products already in use. This will help identify potential safety issues earlier and strengthen protection for patients and the public through faster responses to incidents and emerging risks.
Today’s reform applies to all UKCA- and CE-marked devices placed on the GB market after 16 June 2025. This includes in vitro diagnostic devices (IVD), such as glucose monitors and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests; active implantable medical devices, including pacemakers and hearing implants; and range of technologies used across hospitals, clinics, and at home.
The regulations will ensure all manufacturers have an effective system in place to monitor devices once they are in use, collect comprehensive safety data, report serious incidents, and take swifter action when issues arise. New trend reporting requirements will help the MHRA and industry spot patterns and intervene earlier to protect patients.
Lawrence Tallon, Chief Executive of the MHRA, said:
As innovation in health technologies accelerates, regulation must keep pace. Today’s reform is a critical step in ensuring safety standards evolve alongside this progress.
By strengthening oversight of devices once they’re in use and setting clearer expectations for manufacturers, these new regulations provide a robust framework for identifying risks earlier and responding to protect patients.
This represents an important milestone in our work in building a modern, responsive regulatory system – one that puts patient safety first, while also supporting innovation in life sciences and medical technologies across the UK.
The new PMS regulation lays the groundwork for future reforms, including potential international recognition routes, designed to support improved access to safe and effective innovations. This is part of the UK’s broader commitment to a regulatory framework that supports both patient safety and innovation in life sciences.
Manufacturers are now required to collect and assess real-world safety and performance data; report serious incidents to the MHRA within 15 days (previously 30); submit essential communications on patient safety (Field Safety Notices) to the MHRA for review before sharing with users; and provide PMS Reports or Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSUR) within 3 days of request. For higher risk devices, UK approved bodies will monitor these reports ensuring these products receive a higher level of scrutiny.
The introduction of new data analysis reporting requirements will apply to all medical devices but are particularly valuable for improving oversight of lower-risk devices. These rules will require manufacturers to regularly summarise and assess device performance over time.
Comprehensive guidance for manufacturers was published in January 2025, and has been updated following valuable industry feedback. The MHRA welcomes feedback to ensure ongoing clarity and alignment with practical implementation needs.
Key changes introduced by the new PMS device regulation include:
Enhanced collection of real-world data: manufacturers must take a harmonised approach to gather and assess data on how their devices perform in everyday use, improving the ability to detect safety and performance issues.
Expanded scope for incident reporting: serious incidents relating to side effects are now reportable, providing a more comprehensive picture of device performance.
Shorter timelines for reporting serious incidents: serious incidents must be reported to the MHRA more quickly, allowing for faster regulatory action to protect patients.
Trend reporting and summary reporting: new data analysis reporting options will support earlier detection of trends without overburdening manufacturers or the regulator.
Clearer duties for risk mitigation and communication: manufacturers face stronger requirements to assess and manage risks, and to notify users promptly when safety issues arise.
The MHRA’s PMS implementation guidance sets out how the new requirements apply across different types of devices and offers information for manufacturers of medical devices on post-market surveillance, reporting adverse incidents and field safety corrective actions to the MHRA.
The new implementation guide for Manufacturers Online Reporting Environment (MORE) clarifies the changing data requirements and timelines for compliance, before the new post-market surveillance regulations for medical devices come into effect on 16 June 2025.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
Plymouth Hoe will once again come alive with colour and excitement this summer as it hosts the British Firework Championships on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 August.
Sponsored by Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading port operator, this year’s event promises to be even more spectacular, as six previous winners return to compete for the title of ‘Champion of Champions’.
The Young People’s Choice Award will also return for its third consecutive year, sponsored by Plymouth Citybus, giving care-experienced young people a chance to cast their vote for their favourite display, helping foster engagement and excitement across all age groups.
Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Events said: “We are really grateful for the support ABP Ports are providing for this event in their role as lead sponsor of the British Firework Championships, and we are very much looking forward to the crowning of a ‘Champion of Champions’ on Plymouth Hoe this summer as part of what is sure to be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some spectacular fireworks with friends and family alike.
“This partnership provides us with a great opportunity to celebrate our shared values and support Plymouth’s vibrant visitor economy and community events.”
Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager for Wales and the Southwest at ABP, the owners and operators of Millbay Docks, said: “We are proud to support the British Firework Championships as lead sponsor for the second consecutive year, with this landmark ‘Champion of Champions’ edition.
“As proud member of the Plymouth community, ABP is delighted to help bring this spectacular celebration to life on the Hoe and to help showcase what Britain’s Ocean City has to offer.”
The British Firework Championships will feature three stunning 10-minute displays each evening, beginning at 9.30pm, delivered by some of the most respected pyrotechnic companies in the UK.
Richard Stevens MBE, Managing Director at Plymouth Citybus, said, ‘Plymouth Citybus are proud to once again sponsor the Young People’s Choice Awards at this year’s British Firework Championships. The firework championships is a highlight of the year for us, and the fact that we are helping to support young people across the city makes it even more special. “
Starting at 2pm each day, visitors can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, with a wide variety of fairground rides providing family fun well before the fireworks begin. The entertainment continues throughout the evening, with live music and performances taking place on the main stage from 5pm.
Street entertainers, including fire performers and stilt walkers, will also delight the crowds with walkabout shows, adding to the carnival feel. Food and drink vendors will offer a delicious selection to suit all tastes, ensuring visitors can make the most of the festivities throughout the day and into the night.
With two evenings of show-stopping fireworks, top-tier entertainment, and family-friendly fun, this year’s British Firework Championships is set to be a real summer highlight not just for Britain’s Ocean City, but for the whole of the South West.
Scotland must choose the future of a unified community over the chaos that the far-right brings, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.
Today is the beginning of Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, talents and strengths of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
Ms Chapman is calling for people to welcome refugees and stand on the right side of history, as divisive politics threatens to break communities across the UK.
Ms Chapman said:
“Refugees and people seeking sanctuary bring a huge amount to our communities, and create a wonderful culturally diverse nation. Refugees have brought enormous richness to our country. From those fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s to more recent refugees from conflicts in the Balkans and my own home of Zimbabwe.
“But this is not only about the benefits to us. Scotland and the UK would not exist as it does without colonialism. We claim to be a post-colonial society, but far-right political factions are all too happy to sow the seeds of hatred and racism and try to drag us back to those days of old.
“We must stand up against that, and stand with those at risk of serious harm by the far-right.
“Think of your neighbours who have lived here peacefully for years after fleeing conflict in Sudan. Your postie whose parents came to the UK for a better life before he was even born. The mum you meet at the school gates who worked hard to learn English as a second language just to communicate with you, and who is proud to call Scotland her home.
“Think of the doctors, nurses and carers who risked their lives to make sure that you or your loved ones were not alone and were given medical treatment during the covid pandemic. The very same people who care about you and give so much to our country are being scapegoated and vilified by far-right politicians like Farage and co, claiming they don’t belong here.
“Scotland often likes to think of itself as set apart from racism, but racism is here and it is growing. We’ve just watched Reform double down on an incredibly racist campaign and grow their support in a by-election.
“Groups are mobilising across other parts of the UK and committing horrific acts, like modern day pogroms minus the pitchforks, against anyone who isn’t white and British within communities.
“This is happening because far-right messaging is being given a platform and validation. The UK Government’s immigration stance is setting the tone that helps to feed the violence and riots we see in the streets, where innocent people are targeted by angry mobs looking for trouble.
“We must stand up against these kinds of bullies, and stand with our neighbours and friends. It is our duty to choose community over chaos, and remember that our country is far better off because of refugees, and they have every right to feel that they belong here. Because they do.”
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
The State University of Management was among the leaders of the first National Ranking of Employment of Graduates of Higher Education Institutions, which was developed within the framework of the national project “Personnel” and published on the portal “Work in Russia”.
The rating is calculated based on Rosobrnadzor data on full-time graduates, data on their employment rate in the second year after completing their studies, and the median salary for this period.
Our university took 11th and 13th place in terms of employment of bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates, respectively, among universities with a number of graduates greater than the median value in the field of “Sciences of Society”, which includes, among other things, psychological sciences, economics and management (including business informatics), law, sociology and social work, political science and regional studies, mass media and information and library science, service and tourism.
In addition, SUM ranked 46th in the employment rate of bachelor’s degree graduates among universities with a graduate population below the median in the Mathematical and Natural Sciences major, which includes mathematics and mechanics, computer and information sciences, physics and astronomy, chemistry, earth sciences, and biological sciences.
A total of 34 rankings are presented for universities in 8 areas of education.
The final rating calculation indicator is formed as the sum of the indices of the employment level and the salary level of graduates of an educational organization in a specific field and level of education, with each index having the same weight – 0.5.
The final index shows how much the two indicators taken together differ from the average final indicator for a specific area and level of education.
The ratings were developed in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 15, 2025 No. 651 “On the formation and publication of national ratings of educational organizations of higher education and professional educational organizations” and the Order of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 28, 2025 No. 1346-r “On approval of the methodology for calculating the indicators of national ratings of educational organizations of higher education and professional educational organizations”.
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: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s foreign trade held up under pressure in May, with trade volume rising 2.7% and exports growing 6.3%. This came despite a decline in trade with the U.S., thanks to China’s efforts to diversify its trading partners, an official from the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
“Mobile ICH” travels among districts to showcase rich content of Hong Kong’s ICH Focusing on festive events, the Mobile ICH covers themes such as languages, music, performing arts, knowledge and practices concerning nature, festive events, customs and craftsmanship. It highlights the introduction of 13 of Hong Kong’s ICH items, namely traditional Chinese almanac, lantern lighting ritual, flower-lantern paper crafting technique, lantern band embroidery technique, unicorn dance, Spring and Autumn ancestral worship of clans, Hong Kong cheongsam making technique, Wai Tau dialect, “Sek Pun” (basin feast), Yu Lan Festival of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow community, Chiu Chow food making technique, engor and Chiu Chow music.
Apart from exhibits and videos related to ICH, the ICH Mobile Centre features an interactive “Hong Kong ICH Festival Map”, leading the public to explore the festivals across all 18 districts and cultural traditions, and add the events to their mobile phone calendars. Through interactive devices “Tung Shing (the book of everything) Calendar” and “ICH 123”, the public can browse local festivals to learn details of related ICH items and the different ways of safeguarding and passing on ICH. The public can also make and keep their own Spring Ox Picture Souvenir Card by participating in the stamping activity on the ICH Mobile Centre.
The ICH Mobile Centre project is presented by the ICHO of the LCSD, organised by the Hong Kong Resource Centre for Heritage, and funded by the ICH Funding Scheme. For information and schedule of the ICH Mobile Centre, please visit the website www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/mobile_ich_public_programme_2025.htmlIssued at HKT 17:05
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Housing Bureau responds to media enquiries about housing development in Fanling Area 17 The Housing Bureau has postponed on a temporary basis the development programme of the public housing project in Fanling Area 17 and adjusted the project’s development priority, having regard to the cost-effectiveness of various housing projects under planning. The authority stresses that it has not abandoned the project.
Based on ground investigation, the Housing Department found that the Fanling Area 17 Site has complex geology with a deep bedrock layer. It is anticipated that a longer-than-normal construction period would be required, and the cost of foundation works would be significant. The bedrock level has been found at depths exceeding 80 metres below ground in general, with the deepest recorded at 120m below ground. If the site is to be used for public housing construction, deep foundation work will be involved. Preliminary estimates of the average construction cost per unit will increase by 60 per cent to 90 per cent, and the construction period will be lengthened by at least 10 months.
Upon reviewing different housing construction projects, the Housing Department has decided to prioritise the development of other more cost-effective public housing projects in North District, including the completion of approximately 38 000 public housing units in Fanling, Sheung Shui and Kwu Tung North in the next five years (from 2025-26 to 2029-30). As regards the 8 300 units from the temporary postponement of the Fanling Area 17 public housing development project, apart from the above production in the five-year period, there will be other projects ready for completion in the second five-year period in North District, including 13 000 and 17 000 units in Fanling North and the Kwu Tung North New Development Area respectively. These developments will be expedited in order to maintain the originally scheduled completion date of the 8 300 flats in Fanling Area 17 in 2031/32.
The Housing Bureau reaffirms that the target supply of 308 000 public housing units in the next 10 years remains unchanged. The adjustment in the priority of the development on this occasion will allow the authority to focus resources on developing first the more cost-effective public housing projects in order to provide homes to those in need as soon as possible. Issued at HKT 18:25
Gibbon River near Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park at sunset. USGS Photo by Mike Poland, August 28, 2024.
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Blaine McCleskey, research chemist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
Yellowstone National Park has over 1,000 miles of trails and nearly 300 designated backcountry campsites, allowing people to venture beyond the main roads and boardwalks. The Yellowstone backcountry includes amazing forests, grasslands, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, thermal areas, and good opportunities to view wildlife! For those venturing into the backcountry for more than a day, a clean and safe water supply is an important consideration. Water chemists who work in Yellowstone are often asked if the water in the backcountry is safe to drink. Let’s break down three broad water types in Yellowstone so that backcountry hikers and campers can make the best decision when choosing a water source.
Scientists sample water from the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. Work done under National Park Service research permit 5194.
Thermal water should not be used as drinking water. First, off-trail travel in thermal areas is prohibited, and the ground in thermal areas is often dangerous to traverse. In addition, thermal waters can have microorganisms that are known to be harmful, such as Naegleria (a brain-eating amoeba), and can contain elevated concentrations of arsenic and fluoride. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic is 0.010 mg/L, and for fluoride is 4.0 mg/L. The arsenic concentration in Yellowstone thermal waters is often 1 mg/L, but concentrations as high as 17 mg/L have measured—that’s about 2000 times higher than the MCL! In addition, fluoride as high as 57 mg/L has been measured in Yellowstone thermal waters. Other nasty chemical constituents that are known to be elevated and may cause adverse health effects include antimony and mercury. So for a lot of reasons, stay away from thermal water. It is not good for your health!
Non-thermal waters from rivers and creeks in Yellowstone are typically derived from snow and rain and are well suited for drinking after onsite treatment. Cool non-thermal waters may contain microorganisms such as E. Coli or parasites such as Giardia that should be removed by filtration or sterilized by chlorination, iodination, or boiling before drinking. There are many miles of non-thermal rivers and creeks in Yellowstone.
But what about discharge from thermal features that flows into pristine rivers and creeks, creating mixed waters? Chemical investigations indicate that most material contributed by thermal runoff tends to remain dissolved in solution when mixed with river water and is readily transported downstream. Because of dilution, the concentrations of the nasty chemical components, including arsenic and fluoride, are often substantially less than the thermal waters. But in some cases the concentration of arsenic and fluoride in mixed waters, especially just downstream from thermal areas, can still exceed the MCL set by the EPA. Most backpacking filtration systems will readily remove particulates, including microorganisms, but they may not remove chemical components like arsenic and fluoride. Boiling kills microorganisms but would not lower arsenic and fluoride concentrations. Fortunately, over 140 years of study of water in Yellowstone provide an indication of where mixed waters may be hazardous. As you might expect, it’s mostly in the vicinity of the park’s major geyser basins—especially those along the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers.
Map of Yellowstone National Park lakes, rivers, and streams, with colors indicating the amount of arsenic in the water. The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) defined by the Environmental Protection Agency for arsenic in drinking water is 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L). In the vicinity of major geyser basins, especially on the Firehole and Madison Rivers, arsenic levels far exceed the MCL (orange and purple areas on map). Map is based a figure in McCleskey and others, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2022.107709).
In most Yellowstone backcountry areas, there several options for obtaining safe drinking water. When looking to top off your supply, ask yourself “where does the water come from and is there is a thermal area upstream?” Whenever possible, choose a river or stream without thermal waters draining into it. Enjoy the Yellowstone backcountry, and stay safe!
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Jun 16, 2025
Updated: Mon Jun 16 08:57:03 UTC 2025
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D4 Thu, Jun 19, 2025 – Fri, Jun 20, 2025 D7 Sun, Jun 22, 2025 – Mon, Jun 23, 2025
D5 Fri, Jun 20, 2025 – Sat, Jun 21, 2025 D8 Mon, Jun 23, 2025 – Tue, Jun 24, 2025
D6 Sat, Jun 21, 2025 – Sun, Jun 22, 2025 (All days are valid from 12 UTC – 12 UTC the following day)
Note: A severe weather area depicted in the Day 4-8 period indicates 15%, 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of any point.
PREDICTABILITY TOO LOW is used to indicate severe storms may be possible based on some model scenarios. However, the location or occurrence of severe storms are in doubt due to: 1) large differences in the deterministic model solutions, 2) large spread in the ensemble guidance, and/or 3) minimal run-to-run continuity.
POTENTIAL TOO LOW means the threat for a regional area of organized severe storms appears unlikely (i.e., less than 15%) for the forecast day.
Forecast Discussion
ZCZC SPCSWOD48 ALL ACUS48 KWNS 160855 SPC AC 160855
Day 4-8 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0355 AM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025
Valid 191200Z – 241200Z
…DISCUSSION… …Thursday/Day 4 and Friday/Day 5… A mid-level trough is forecast to move into the Northeast on Thursday, as a cold front advances eastward into the central Appalachians. Ahead of the front, a moist airmass will be in place. Moderate instability is expected to develop ahead of the front across the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic. As surface temperatures warm during the day, scattered convective initiation will likely take place along and ahead of the front. Moderate deep-layer shear and steep low-level lapse rates should support a severe threat during the afternoon, with the primary threat being damaging wind gusts.
On Friday, a mid-level ridge is forecast to move eastward across the northern Plains. Beneath the ridge, a moist airmass will likely be in place, and moderate instability is expected to develop within this airmass. Ahead of the ridge, thunderstorm development will be possible in the upper Mississippi Valley during the afternoon. Although a severe threat may develop in areas that become moderately unstable, there is some uncertainty concerning convective coverage due to the presence of the ridge.
…Saturday/Day 6 to Monday/Day 8… Mid-level heights are forecast to rise on Saturday and Sunday across the eastern half of the nation, as a large area of high pressure dominates. In the western U.S. over the weekend, a mid-level trough is forecast to move northeastward from the Intermountain West into the northern High Plains. Ahead of the trough, strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible Saturday afternoon and evening across parts of eastern Montana. In spite of the potential, there is still spatial uncertainty concerning the timing of the trough. The severe threat is expected to shift northeastward into Canada on Sunday.
On Monday, southwest mid-level flow is forecast over much of the north-central U.S. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible over parts of the northern Plains and upper Mississippi Valley. An isolated severe threat will again be possible, but there is considerable uncertainty on any potential scenario.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jun 16, 2025 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook
Updated: Mon Jun 16 07:11:19 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 160711
Day 3 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0211 AM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025
Valid 181200Z – 191200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES…
…SUMMARY… Scattered thunderstorms with severe wind gusts and hail are expected on Wednesday from the southern Plains to the southern Great Lakes.
…Mid Mississippi Valley/Ohio Valley/Southern Great Lakes… A mid-level shortwave trough is forecast to move eastward through the Upper Midwest on Wednesday. At the surface, a low is forecast to deepen and move northeastward into the western Great Lakes, as a cold front advances eastward into the mid Mississippi Valley. Ahead of the front, surface dewpoints in the lower to mid 70s F will contribute to moderate instability across much of the airmass by afternoon. Thunderstorms are expected to develop along and ahead of the front, with several convective clusters moving eastward toward the stronger instability during the late afternoon and early evening.
Model forecasts suggest that the strongest instability will be located over the mid Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys, while the strongest deep-layer shear will be located in the southern Great Lakes. The disjointed nature of the pattern could mean that the severe threat could remain relatively unfocused. The current thinking is that a broad corridor with an isolated severe threat will develop during the afternoon. Supercells with hail will be possible. However, it appears convection may tend to organize into lines, which would result in the greatest severe threat being wind damage. The severe threat is expected to move eastward into the lower Great Lakes and into part of the Ohio Valley by early to mid evening.
…Southern Plains/Ozarks… The southern extent of a mid-level shortwave trough is forecast to move through the southern Plains on Wednesday. By afternoon, a cold front is forecast to be located from western Oklahoma to western Missouri. To the southeast of the front, surface dewpoints in the upper 60s to lower 70s F will likely enable moderate instability to develop across much of the moist airmass by afternoon. As surface temperatures warm during the day, convective initiation should take place along and near the front. Multiple convective clusters appear likely to initiate and move toward an axis of moderate instability during the afternoon. NAM forecast soundings at 21Z near the instability axis in Oklahoma and Missouri have 0-6km shear in the 30 to 35 knot range with 700-500 mb lapse rates of 7.5 to 8 C/km. Supercells with large hail will be possible. However, storm mode may tend to favor multicell lines or clusters with wind-damage potential. The severe threat is expected to continue into the evening, with the overall threat moving southeastward.
..Broyles.. 06/16/2025
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 160600
Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0100 AM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025
Valid 171200Z – 181200Z
…THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF KANSAS…
…SUMMARY… Severe thunderstorms with large hail, wind damage and possibly a few tornadoes are expected on Tuesday across parts of the central Plains and lower to mid Missouri Valley. Outside of this area, marginally severe storms will be possible across a large part of the central U.S. Storms with isolated severe winds gusts may develop in parts of the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.
…Central Plains/Lower to Mid Missouri Valley… A shortwave mid-level trough will move through the High Plains on Tuesday, as an associated 40 to 50 knot jet streak translates eastward into the central Plains. At the surface, a low will deepen across the Texas Panhandle during the day, as a front stalls from central Kansas northeastward into south-central Iowa. To the south of the front, surface dewpoints in the upper 60s to lower 70s F will contribute to moderate to strong instability by afternoon. Destabilization and increasing low-level convergence along the front will lead to convective initiation in the mid to late afternoon. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected to develop near and to the south the front, with storms moving slowly eastward during the late afternoon and early evening.
NAM forecast soundings near the instability axis at 21Z on Tuesday across central Kansas have MLCAPE peaking above 4000 J/kg in some areas, with 700-500 mb lapse rates near 8 C/km. This, combined with 0-6 km shear around 40 knots, will support supercell development. The more vigorous storms could produce hailstones greater than 2 inches in diameter. In addition, a 40 to 50 knot low-level jet is forecast across south-central Kansas, which will create favorable low-level shear for a tornado threat. It appears that a few tornadoes will be possible with the more dominant supercells. Supercells and short intense line segments will also be capable of producing wind damage. The threat should persist into the mid to late evening, as a large cluster of storms moves eastward across central and eastern Kansas and through the lower to mid Missouri Valley.
…Central High Plains… A post-frontal airmass in the central and northern High Plains will heat up on Tuesday, in the wake of a mid-level shortwave trough. As temperatures increase during the day, convective initiation is expected in the higher terrain. These storms will move into the lower elevations during the afternoon, where pockets of moderate instability are forecast. The HRRR is the most aggressive solution, which appears to develop a line of organized storms, moving this convection southeastward across the central High Plains Tuesday afternoon. NAM forecast soundings along this corridor at 21Z have 0-6 km shear between 30 and 40 knots, with 700-500 lapse rates of 8 to 9 C/km. This environment should support a severe threat with the more intense component of the line. Hail and damaging wind gusts will be the primary threats.
…Central Appalachians/Mid-Atlantic… A mid-level shortwave trough will move eastward across the central Appalachians on Tuesday, as a lee trough develops in the Mid-Atlantic states. Ahead of the trough, surface dewpoints in the lower 70s F will contribute to moderate instability across much of region. As surface temperatures warm, convection is expected to develop in the higher terrain, with thunderstorms moving eastward into the foothills of the Appalachians during the afternoon. Moderate deep-layer shear and steep low-level lapse rates should be sufficient for a marginal wind-damage threat.
..Broyles.. 06/16/2025
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