Curators at Aberdeen Art Gallery have taken the bold move of displaying over 180 ceramic items by artist-potters on open shelving and inviting visitors to pick them up to take a closer look in a new display called All Fired Up.
The ceramics are part of the Sandy Dunbar studio pottery collection of 480 items. The collection has been gifted to Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums by the family of the late Alexander Arbuthnott Dunbar (1929-2012), known as Sandy. From London lawyer, to Director of the Scottish Arts Council, then Moray farmer, Sandy Dunbar led a fascinating life and had a lifelong passion for pots. Studio ceramics are either one-off items or made in small runs. Sandy relied on his emotions, feelings and gut instincts to select pots for his collection. He called them ‘pots that sing’ – designs that were pleasing to his eye, felt good in his hands and brought him joy. The gift was made on the understanding that each piece could be handled by visitors to the Gallery.
The display is a new addition to the bp Galleries on the top floor of the Art Gallery. It has been curated for audiences of different ages and levels of interest to explore the art and science of ceramics.
One section is displayed at low level and is targeted at family visitors, who are invited to explore the shapes, textures, patterns and finishes of the pots, and find out about the techniques the potters used to make them. The majority of the collection is displayed on open shelving which evokes a potter’s studio. The shelves are packed with pots of all shapes, sizes and finishes, from rustic earthenware and stoneware to delicate porcelain. Some are decorative, some are functional, from jugs and plates to jars and cheese dishes. In the Seminar Room visitors can find more ceramics and discover more about the potters and their techniques in a selection of reference books. This includes uncovering the science behind the materials and methods used – pottery might be thought of as art or craft, but making pots depends on science and experimentation.
Sandy’s hobby of collecting pots led him to visit and form friendships with artist-potters across the UK. He filled his house in Elgin with an eclectic collection of studio ceramics made by more than 80 artist-potters including Clive Bowen, Michael Cardew, Jane Hamlyn, Lisa Hammond and Chris Keenan.
Although Sandy kept detailed notes about his pots, there was some detective work needed to identify the makers of about 30 of the 480 pots. Curator Morna Annandale worked with Christine Rew, former Art Gallery & Museums Manager, to whittle this number down using a variety of sources, including a Facebook group called British Studio Pottery Mystery Pots. There are now only 6 items awaiting identification.
Rebecca Russell, Sandy’s Dunbar’s daughter, said: “My father’s collection evokes stories of masters and apprentices, subtle pots and those that demand attention, all made by a diverse range of potters. My brother Crinan and I are so delighted to see the collection displayed in such an accessible way. Our father would be thrilled.”
Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said: “Sandy Dunbar’s remarkable collection of hand-crafted ceramics was built in much the same way as the founders of the Art Gallery built theirs – through a passion for collecting artworks that they admired rather than what was fashionable and by developing friendships with artists. This is a wonderful collection which is a must-see for anyone interested in the tradition of British studio ceramics and discovering more about the art and science of ceramics.”
Kathryn McKee, head of communications & campaigns, UK, of bp said, “We are pleased that our donation towards the award-winning redevelopment of the Aberdeen Art Gallery continues to allow the team to enhance the art and experiences that are on offer to the public in the bp galleries. We hope visitors will enjoy this amazing collection generously donated by the Dunbar family.”
Many people thought that the close relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk would end badly, since they both have the hubris that comes from success and power. One is arguably the most powerful politician in the world and the other the richest man.
That said, most people were not prepared for the rapid breakdown in their relationship and the slanging match that took place after Musk spectacularly fell out with the US president. This was magnified by the fact that both have their own influential social media sites (X and Truth Social) and so the divorce was very, very public.
More recently Musk has rowed back on the comments he made about Trump after leaving his role as a “special government employee” of the administration, and says he went “too far”. But Trump might have a long memory for grievances, so it remains to be seen if the relationship can be patched up.
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What do the American people think? The chart below shows the percentage of respondents with favourable and unfavourable opinions of Trump and Musk in the most recent US Economist/YouGov poll completed on June 9 after the row blew up.
It is clear that the most people think that Trump won the contest, giving him a favourability gap (% favourable minus % unfavourable) of minus 10% compared with Musk’s gap of minus 23%.
What Americans think of Trump and Musk after their row:
Author’s graph based on Economist polling., CC BY-SA
The demographics of these favourability judgements are particularly interesting. After the row, around 49% of men thought favourably of Trump, compared with 38% of women, continuing a trend that shows more male than female support for the president. But the gender gap for Musk is even wider with 43% men and only 27% women having a favourable view of the billionaire, making the gap 11% for Trump and 16% for Musk.
Another interesting demographic is age. Some 35% of 18-to-29 year olds favour Trump (the lowest number of any age group), compared with 30% who favour Musk. The equivalent figures for the over 65s are 45% favouring Trump and 37% Musk. The age divide is wide, with young Americans disliking both more than older Americans, but it is not as wide as the gender gap.
The income figures and attitudes to both are surprising. A total of 38% of those with incomes less than US$50,000 (£36,700) a year favour Trump, compared with 51% of those with incomes between US$50,000 and US$100,000. The surprise is that only 42% of those with incomes greater than US$100,000 favour Trump, making affluent Americans closer to the low-income group than to the middle-income group in attitudes to the president.
The equivalent figures for Musk are 32% favourable in the US$50,000 group, 39% in the US$50,000 to US$100,000 group and 36% in the US$100,000+ group, which gives a similar picture.
If we look at the voting record of the survey respondents in the presidential elections last year, 86% of Trump voters still have a favourable view of him, compared with only 5% of Harris voters. In comparison 67% of Republican voters are favourable to Musk, compared with 10% of Democrats. Equally, 81% of Conservatives favour Trump compared with 67% who favour Musk.
Looking at the overall picture Musk is the loser in the row as far as the American public are concerned, and this may in part explain his apparent contrition.
The price of Tesla shares (US$) since the presidential election:
Author’s graph based on data from Yahoo finance., CC BY
Overall though, Trump has been gradually losing support on his job approval since the election and the polling shows that 43% of respondents approve and 52% disapprove of his performance as president.
We don’t have equivalent figures for Musk, but if we take the stock market price of Tesla shares as a guide to his approval ratings this has declined rapidly over time as the chart shows. On December 17 last year the price was US$480 (£353) per share, compared with US$332 per share on June 11 2025. This represents a fall of about 30%. The dramatic dip at the end of the series is an indicator of how markets have reacted to the spat between them.
Following his public break-up with Trump, Musk’s other major company, Space X, is also likely to face fallout. It is a private company and so does not have a share price, but it is heavily dependent on contracts from the US government to keep going. It seems likely that the flow of contracts for space projects is likely to dry up following the row with Trump, as the president has suggested.
Overall, Musk has paid a heavy price for becoming such a visible Trump supporter and subsequently falling out with him. And, so far, the public appears to be on Trump’s side.
Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.
The high school prom, an American institution, has now been a mainstay in UK culture for over 25 years. A prom heralds the end of exams and the end of school altogether – and the beginning of a new chapter of life. It’s an opportunity for teens to dress up in glamorous dresses and smart tuxedos, and maybe arrive in style in the back of a limo.
It’s an adolescent ritual that might be seen as a one-off, frivolous event. But a prom is much more important than that.
The research for our forthcoming book chapter has shown that organising and attending proms build teenagers’ leadership skills, creativity, practical and life skills, as well as social and emotional skills. It also boosts positive emotions, such as enthusiasm and pride: something teenagers emerging from a gruelling summer of exams need.
For teens involved in organising the event, there is scope to develop leadership skills. Making group decisions about where to hold the event and how to fund it requires bargaining with other organising committee members, as well as reasoning with fellow students and navigating school rules.
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Trying to please everyone, including teachers, parents and host venues can be a steep learning curve. And dealing with disappointment when compromise is required is an important life skill.
For teenagers with limited involvement in organising the event, attending prom can still help boost their learning. Having a party to look forward to can increase teens’ diligence and commitment to their schoolwork as they revise for their exams. Some schools capitalise on this by offering “passports” to prom. This scheme could involve students earning a free ticket to prom by attending a set number of revision classes.
Emerging adult selves
Prom is more than an opportunity for dressing up. Teenagers can also use this event to present a new or altered self, using a coming-of-age celebration as a platform to convey who they are or who they want to be. In some cases, this can involve young people making their own clothing and accessories. Such types of activity afford practical and life skills.
And any prom look requires organisation: budgeting, researching what’s available. Finances, limited or otherwise, may constrain or restrict choice and result in problem solving or trade-offs. As the high school prom occurs within a particular time frame, time management and the (online) ordering of products can contribute – or not – to the success of a desired prom outfit.
Friends are keen to share their prom experience with others, but attending the high school prom can be prohibitively expensive. Our research has shown that in these situations, teens can develop their social and emotional skills as well as effectively communicating and negotiating with school staff in more equal, adult ways than they may have before.
For example, some teens in our research secured their friend’s attendance at prom by buying her a dress for her birthday and asking their teacher if she could have her prom ticket for free.
There remains opportunity to use the high school prom as means to develop a wider range of diverse skills. Equality, diversity and inclusion could be better embedded in prom activities to make them accessible to all, and teenagers can be part of this. To ensure widening participation, creating high school proms that reflect a range of cultures and identities could further enhance learning opportunities for those taking part.
High school proms involve not only teenagers but also their families, friends and the wider community. Schools especially have an important role to play in this coming-of-age celebration, often going further than simply supporting its organisation. Teachers, for example, can help facilitate the supply of dresses and other resources to guarantee inclusion at this end of school celebration, ensuring that those who want to attend this event can do so.
Our research shows that teenagers actively participate in a learning journey while preparing for this ritual and develop life skills that they can build on in work, further education and volunteering. A high school prom is more than just one night to remember.
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.
The Labour government has made economic growth its top priority, committing to planning reforms, business partnerships and millions of pounds of investment in science and technology.
But economic growth is not just about innovation, investment and businesses. How the law functions is of fundamental importance for economic growth. The UK’s highly-regarded system of justice plays an important role in creating the environment of trust that underpins commerce and investment.
The legal system should be regarded as part of the national infrastructure, just as much as rail or electricity networks, or health and education. But like them, it has suffered a sustained drop in funding. And with the civil courts now in a state of neglect, their reputation – and the trust placed in them – is at risk of crumbling.
For both people and businesses, the forum for resolving disputes and securing rights against one another, or against the state, involves the legal system. County courts, tribunals and bodies such as Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) are just a few of the bodies involved in civil and administrative law, employment law, tax law and corporate law.
The Ministry of Justice budget for England and Wales, which funds courts and tribunals, started to fall in real terms in the 2011-12 financial year. This has led to under-resourcing, underequipping, and understaffing of services. Justice is an “unprotected” government department, and continues to be a low priority compared to others such as health and education.
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The chancellor’s spending review announced “up to £450 million additional investment per year for the courts system by 2028-29, compared to 2025-26”, which the government says will help tackle court backlogs. But years of decline have already deteriorated the system significantly.
The key question to measuring the success of publicly-funded legal systems is, are they fast, fair and predictable? It would be difficult today to answer positively.
There are large backlogs due to staff shortfalls compared to caseloads. When it comes to civil claims in the courts, aside from the very smallest claims, the average period from a claim to a hearing is now 77 weeks. This is an increase from 48 weeks pre-austerity. In either case, it’s plenty of time for a small business or startup to go under while trying to reclaim a debt.
The position in the tribunals is not much better. According to the latest Ministry of Justice statistics, the backlog of open tribunal cases rose by 4% overall in the quarter to June 2024, to 668,000. There was a 17% jump in employment tribunal open cases, and a huge surge in appeals to the special educational needs and disability tribunal, taking the backlog up 61% to 9,200.
Another example is the 79,000 appeals outstanding at the social security and child support tribunal, where eligibility for personal independence payments for disabled people is determined. This was up 12% on the year in mid-2024, causing a large number of mostly financially struggling people to wait too long for the money they are due. This has the effect of draining spending power in the local economies that need it most.
So much for speed. What about whether people and businesses can rely on justice that is fair and predictable? Unfortunately, the tribunal statistics contain worrying signs that this is not reliably happening. For instance, with the social security and child support tribunal, three-fifths of hearings resulted in administrative decisions being overturned in favour of the claimant.
Effect on the economy
The economic impact of fraying civil justice is hard to discern. The academic and policy literature alike tend to focus on the high-profile areas of law that affect corporations, such as property and contract disputes.
Yet there are assuredly costs across the system. Employers may be unable to recruit staff until a tribunal case is settled; meanwhile, employees can’t find a new job. And small businesses may be unable to get bills paid, even for large amounts well over what their cash flow can sustain.
For countries where slow and unpredictable justice has long been acknowledged as a problem, there is solid evidence of its detrimental effect on the economy. For example, Italian growth has been shown to be hampered by the uncertainty around civil law processes, increasing the risks involved in business decisions. Economists – including Nobel prizewinners Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson – have identified the legal system as essential underpinning for the economy.
The justice system needs to be regarded as part of national infrastructure, the collection of physical and institutional systems and networks without which the economy cannot function. People do not want courts any more than they want bridges or cables for their own sake, but for all the indispensable activities they enable.
The value of the courts is indirect but fundamental. If they crumble, the economic transactions and investment enabled by a predictable, rapid justice system are held back.
Civil and administrative justice does not leap to mind when contemplating the demands of the growth mission: battery factories, graphene labs and building sites all provide ministers with better photo ops. But unless there is improvement in the timeliness of decisions by courts and tribunals, growth in the UK will be facing yet another powerful headwind.
Diane Coyle has received funding from the Nuffield Foundation’s Public Right to Justice programme.
The hardest part of any workout regime is sticking with it. Around half of those who start an exercise programme stop within six months.
But our recent study found that using wearables (such as a smartwatch) not only makes people more likely to start working out, they’re also seven times more likely to still be active after six months compared to those who didn’t use a smartwatch.
Our study focused specifically on adults who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is a cornerstone of type 2 diabetes management, as it helps regulate blood sugar, supports cardiovascular health and improves quality of life.
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Our study tested a new approach using wearable technology and remote coaching to overcome these barriers. We found that people who followed a smartwatch-supported remote coaching programme were ten times more likely to start a workout regime than those who received remote coaching alone.
The study involved 125 adults aged between 40 and 75 from the UK and Canada who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. All participants worked with an exercise specialist to co-design a personalised six-month physical activity plan. The focus was on gradually increasing both moderate-to-vigorous exercise (with a target of 150 minutes per week) and daily lifestyle activity. Support was delivered remotely through phone or video calls.
Half of the participants were randomly assigned to use wearable technology to support their personalised activity plans. The smartwatch had movement and heart rate sensors, a mobile app to track activity and personalised text messages based on their recent progress. They could also message their coach, receive real-time feedback and adjust their activity plans accordingly.
The results were striking. Compared to the control group, those who were given a smartwatch were ten times more likely to start working out regularly, seven times more likely to still be active after six months and three times more likely to remain active one year later – even after support had ended.
At the end of the programme, over 50% of the smartwatch group were meeting recommended activity levels. In comparison, only 17% of the control group were.
Feedback from participants showed that the flexibility of plans, personalised messages and smartwatch data were key motivators. While some faced early challenges with the technology, most adapted quickly.
These findings support growing evidence that wearable technology can help people become – and stay – more active. While our study focused on people with type 2 diabetes, similar benefits have also been observed in the general population.
For example, one trial found that inactive adults (aged 45-75) who were given pedometers and walking advice increased their daily step count by around 660 steps after 12 weeks compared to a control group. Those given a pedometer were also more active three years later.
Since then, wearable technology has advanced. Modern smartwatches now capture a wider range of metrics beyond steps – such as heart rate and activity intensity. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis, which analysed more than 160 randomised controlled trials, found that fitness trackers and similar devices were effective at increasing physical activity by an average of around 1,800 steps per day. Importantly, the most sustained improvements occurred when wearables were paired with personalised feedback or behavioural support.
Together, these studies suggest that wearables can be powerful tools for long-term behaviour change and may help us better stick to our fitness goals.
Wearable fitness trackers can extremely helpful – but only if you use them purposefully. Our research, along with findings from other studies, shows that wearables are most effective when they help you apply proven behaviour-change strategies.
Here are some evidence-based tips to help you get the most out of your device:
1. Set realistic, specific goals
Plan exactly when and how you’ll move. Apps can help you set daily or weekly targets. Research shows that breaking down big, vague intentions – such as “get fit” – into small, concrete steps makes it easier to stay motivated and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Schedule activity and stick to it
Use reminders or calendar prompts to build a regular routine. Consistency builds habits, and scheduled activity reduces the chance of skipping workouts due to forgetfulness or lack of planning.
3. Track your progress
Monitoring your activity helps you stay motivated and accountable. This feedback boosts motivation by showing that your efforts are making a difference, increasing your sense of control and accountability.
4. Use small rewards
Many devices include features such as badges or streaks, which reinforce progress. Celebrating small wins triggers feelings of accomplishment, which encourages you to keep going and helps build long-term habits.
5. Share with others
Whether it’s a friend or coach, sharing your progress can boost commitment. Knowing others are aware of your goals can increase motivation, provide encouragement, and help you overcome challenges.
6. The tracker is a tool, not the solution
It won’t change behaviour on its own. Its value lies in how it supports your goals and helps you build lasting habits.
Our research shows that when wearable tech is used as part of a structured, supportive programme, it can make a real difference – especially for people managing health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. By combining wearable technology with personalised coaching and proven behaviour change techniques, you might just have a better chance of sticking with your physical activity goals.
Matthew Cocks receives funding from the Medical Research Council.
Katie Hesketh receives funding from Diabetes UK and NIHR.
Samsung’s education-focused, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes strive to promote innovation and empower youth through technology; with the ultimate aim of addressing societal issues.
These programmes offer support to underprivileged youth and aim to cultivate creative thinking while also providing critical skills training needed by the local economy. By doing so, Samsung is creating opportunities for young people to make a positive impact on their communities and society. Samsung spoke to some of the beneficiaries from its education-focused initiatives that are driven through technology and this is what they had to say:
Siyabonga ‘Siya” Mojalefa Tshabalala originally from Qwaqwa in the Free State was part of the 2022 Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme in partnership with Central University of Technology (CUT). SIC is a global initiative that upskills youth aged 18-25 in future technologies to enhance their employability while focusing on AI, IoT, Big Data and Coding. Siya explained: “ Through this SIC programme – I gained hands-on experience through paper coding, peer programming and projects and these skills have helped me to solve real-world problems. The programme also taught me some important soft skills that are required in work environments, these included communication, critical thinking, problem solving skills and ability to collaborate with others.”
Another beneficiary, 26 year old Mulalo Ndou, did her undergrad in Mathematical Science and majored in Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). She also completed her honours in Risk Analysis (Cum-laude) at the University of the Free State (UFS).
According to Mulalo, Samsung’s bursary fund was her light at the end of the tunnel. Mulalo received funding from Samsung when she needed it to complete her last year of studies. “I lost the funding I had for my studies in my final year and had to go back home, but Samsung came through for me, she said. “This bursary fund paid for my annual fees and accommodation in my final year and postgraduate studies. It also provided me with a monthly meal and living stipend as well as an allowance for a laptop.”
After Mulalo finished her postgrad, Samsung provided her with an internship opportunity. “When the internship period was over, Samsung gave me a full-time position as a Process Improvement Data Analyst/Reporting Specialist am very grateful to the individuals at Samsung who helped me to be successful in my role,” she added. In an effort to pay it forward, Mulalo also works as a volunteer at Rising Females in STEM, as she is also a Rising Female in Technology and Mathematics.
Mulalo said that she has always wanted to be one of the mentors in the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow (SFT) programme. “This SFT opportunity came at the right time and has been an amazing experience. I am learning something new each day from the participating learners and most importantly, how to become a great mentor.”
Nzumbululo Todani, an 18 year old learner from Mbilwi Secondary in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. Nzumbululo is one of the beneficiaries from the SFT contest that challenges students to use STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills to solve real-world problems in their respective, local communities. His participation in the SFT competition has proved to be invaluable – he attributes his academic achievements in 2024 to his experience in the programme. Nzumbululo was awarded the top learner in the province for the 2024 NSC examinations with an average aggregate of 97%. Also, he was awarded for obtaining 300/300 in two gateway subjects: Physical Science and Geography.
“When I participated in the contest, I assumed the role of team co-ordinator, managing and planning the daily landscape of the project and doing quality control on the prototype as well as all papers written and the final presentation. The competition left me with invaluable communication, leadership, planning, evaluation and time management skills.”
Thoriso Rangata is a 32 year male entrepreneur and the owner of KTO Digital – a Business Process Automation, Software Development Services and Background Screening Software as a Service (SaaS) solution provider. He currently stays in Johannesburg but is originally from Limpopo and is one of the beneficiaries of the Samsung EEIP Entrepreneurship Development Programme. Thoriso became part of the programme when he responded to a public call for applications. At the time, his business needed support so that they could meet the company’s growth objectives.”
Since being part of the EEIP programme, Thoriso won the Nedbank Business of the Year Award in 2022. His company also launched their own product and received accreditation for the business as a credit bureau in 2022.
“The other direct benefits that we received from being part of the programme included: Grant Funding, Asset Financing and Continuous Business Mentorship that our business needed in order for us to move forward, Thoriso added. “We strongly believe that the skills we acquired from this EEIP programme, which included Business regulatory governance structures and strategic business growth approaches/methods – have contributed to the success of our business to date.”
Through these education-focused CSR programmes that are driven by technology, Samsung is actively promoting the transfer of critical skills as well as both employment and entrepreneurship opportunities that are needed by the country’s youth and the local economy.
The testimonials from the youth that participated in Samsung’s programmes mentioned above, are a clear indication of the impact the company is making in South Africa. By continuing to fund such programmes, Samsung is working towards winning the fight against youth unemployment, inequality and poverty in the country; through job creation and the development of a skilled workforce.
The genocide is almost complete. When it is concluded it will have exposed the moral bankruptcy of Western civilisation, writes Chris Hedges.
ANALYSIS: By Chris Hedges
This is the end. The final blood-soaked chapter of the genocide.
It will be over soon. Weeks. At most.
Two million people are camped out amongst the rubble or in the open air. Dozens are killed and wounded daily from Israeli shells, missiles, drones, bombs and bullets.
They lack clean water, medicine and food. They have reached a point of collapse. Sick. Injured. Terrified. Humiliated. Abandoned. Destitute. Starving. Hopeless.
In the last pages of this horror story, Israel is sadistically baiting starving Palestinians with promises of food, luring them to the narrow and congested nine-mile ribbon of land that borders Egypt. Israel and its cynically named Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), allegedly funded by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the Mossad, is weaponising starvation.
It is enticing Palestinians to southern Gaza the way the Nazis enticed starving Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto to board trains to the death camps. The goal is not to feed the Palestinians. No one seriously argues there is enough food or aid hubs. The goal is to cram Palestinians into heavily guarded compounds and deport them.
What comes next? I long ago stopped trying to predict the future. Fate has a way of surprising us. But there will be a final humanitarian explosion in Gaza’s human slaughterhouse. We see it with the surging crowds of Palestinians fighting to get a food parcel, which has resulted in Israeli and US private contractors shooting dead at least 130 and wounding over seven hundred others in the first eight days of aid distribution.
We see it with Benjamin Netanyahu’s armingISIS-linked gangs in Gaza that loot food supplies. Israel, which has eliminated hundreds of employees with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), doctors, journalists, civil servants and police in targeted assassinations, has orchestrated the implosion of civil society.
I suspect Israel will facilitate a breach in the fence along the Egyptian border. Desperate Palestinians will stampede into the Egyptian Sinai. Maybe it will end some other way. But it will end soon. There is not much more Palestinians can take.
We — full participants in this genocide — will have achieved our demented goal of emptying Gaza and expanding Greater Israel. We will bring down the curtain on the live-streamed genocide. We will have mocked the ubiquitous university programmes of Holocaust studies, designed, it turns out, not to equip us to end genocides, but deify Israel as an eternal victim licensed to carry out mass slaughter.
The mantra of never again is a joke. The understanding that when we have the capacity to halt genocide and we do not, we are culpable, does not apply to us. Genocide is public policy. Endorsed and sustained by our two ruling parties.
There is nothing left to say. Maybe that is the point. To render us speechless. Who does not feel paralyzed? And maybe, that too, is the point. To paralyse us. Who is not traumatised? And maybe that too was planned. Nothing we do, it seems, can halt the killing. We feel defenceless. We feel helpless. Genocide as spectacle.
I have stopped looking at the images. The rows of little shrouded bodies. The decapitated men and women. Families burned alive in their tents. The children who have lost limbs or are paralyzed. The chalky death masks of those pulled from under the rubble. The wails of grief. The emaciated faces. I can’t.
This genocide will haunt us. It will echo down history with the force of a tsunami. It will divide us forever. There is no going back.
Palestinians under the rubble in 2023 after Israeli airstrike of homes in the Gaza Strip. Image: Ashraf Amra /United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East/ Wikimedia Commons /CC BY-SA 4.0
And how will we remember? By not remembering.
Once it is over, all those who supported it, all those who ignored it, all those who did nothing, will rewrite history, including their personal history. It was hard to find anyone who admitted to being a Nazi in post-war Germany, or a member of the Klu Klux Klan once segregation in the southern United States ended.
A nation of innocents. Victims even. It will be the same. We like to think we would have saved Anne Frank. The truth is different. The truth is, crippled by fear, nearly all of us will only save ourselves, even at the expense of others. But that is a truth that is hard to face. That is the real lesson of the Holocaust. Better it be erased.
“Should a drone vaporize some nameless soul on the other side of the planet, who among us wants to make a fuss? What if it turns out they were a terrorist?
“What if the default accusation proves true, and we by implication be labeled terrorist sympathisers, ostracised, yelled at? It is generally the case that people are most zealously motivated by the worst plausible thing that could happen to them.
“For some, the worst plausible thing might be the ending of their bloodline in a missile strike. Their entire lives turned to rubble and all of it preemptively justified in the name of fighting terrorists who are terrorists by default on account of having been killed. For others, the worst plausible thing is being yelled at.”
You cannot decimate a people, carry out saturation bombing over 20 months to obliterate their homes, villages and cities, massacre tens of thousands of innocent people, set up a siege to ensure mass starvation, drive them from land where they have lived for centuries and not expect blowback.
The genocide will end. The response to the reign of state terror will begin. If you think it won’t you know nothing about human nature or history. The killing of two Israeli diplomats in Washington and the attack against supporters of Israel at a protest in Boulder, Colorado, are only the start.
Chaim Engel, who took part in the uprising at the Nazis’ Sobibor death camp in Poland, described how, armed with a knife, he attacked a guard in the camp.
“It’s not a decision,” Engel explained years later. “You just react, instinctively you react to that, and I figured, ‘Let us to do, and go and do it.’ And I went.
“I went with the man in the office and we killed this German. With every jab, I said, ‘That is for my father, for my mother, for all these people, all the Jews you killed.’”
The Sobibor extermination camp gate in the spring of 1943. The pine branches, braided into the fence to make it difficult to see in from the outside. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
Does anyone expect Palestinians to act differently? How are they to react when Europe and the United States, who hold themselves up as the vanguards of civilisation, backed a genocide that butchered their parents, their children, their communities, occupied their land and blasted their cities and homes into rubble? How can they not hate those who did this to them?
What message has this genocide imparted not only to Palestinians, but to all in the Global South?
It is unequivocal. You do not matter. Humanitarian law does not apply to you. We do not care about your suffering, the murder of your children. You are vermin. You are worthless. You deserve to be killed, starved and dispossessed. You should be erased from the face of the earth.
“To preserve the values of the civilised world, it is necessary to set fire to a library,” El Akkad writes:
“To blow up a mosque. To incinerate olive trees. To dress up in the lingerie of women who fled and then take pictures.
“To level universities. To loot jewelry, art, food. Banks. To arrest children for picking vegetables. To shoot children for throwing stones.
“To parade the captured in their underwear. To break a man’s teeth and shove a toilet brush in his mouth. To let combat dogs loose on a man with Down syndrome and then leave him to die. “Otherwise, the uncivilised world might win.”
There are people I have known for years who I will never speak to again. They know what is happening. Who does not know? They will not risk alienating their colleagues, being smeared as an antisemite, jeopardising their status, being reprimanded or losing their jobs.
They do not risk death, the way Palestinians do. They risk tarnishing the pathetic monuments of status and wealth they spent their lives constructing. Idols.
They bow down before these idols. They worship these idols. They are enslaved by them.
At the feet of these idols lie tens of thousands of murdered Palestinians.
Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who was a foreign correspondent for 15 years for The New York Times, where he served as the Middle East bureau chief and Balkan bureau chief for the paper. He previously worked overseas for The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor and NPR. He is the host of show The Chris Hedges Report.This article was first published in Scheerpost.
Large cuts to government-funded research and development can endanger American innovation – and the vital productivity gains it supports.
The Trump administration has already canceled at least US$1.8 billion in research grants previously awarded by the National Institutes of Health, which supports biomedical and health research. Its preliminary budget request for the 2026 fiscal year proposed slashing federal funding for scientific and health research, cutting the NIH budget by another $18 billion – nearly a 40% reduction. The National Science Foundation, which funds much of the basic scientific research conducted at universities, would see its budget slashed by $5 billion – cutting it by more than half.
Research and development spending might strike you as an unnecessary expense for the government. Perhaps you see it as something universities or private companies should instead be paying for themselves. But as research I’ve conducted shows, if the government were to abandon its long-standing practice of investing in R&D, it would significantly slow the pace of U.S. innovation and economic growth.
I’m an economist at Texas A&M University. For the past five years, I’ve been studying the long-term economic benefits of government-funded R&D with Karel Mertens, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. We have found that government R&D spending on everything from the Apollo space program to the Human Genome Project has fueled innovation. We also found that federal R&D spending has played a significant role in boosting U.S. productivity and spurring economic growth over the past 75 years.
Measuring productivity
Productivity rises when economic growth is caused by technological progress and know-how, rather than workers putting in more hours or employers using more equipment and machinery. Economists believe that higher productivity fuels economic growth and raises living standards over the long run.
U.S. productivity growth fell by half, from an average of roughly 2% a year in the 1950s and 1960s to about 1%, starting in the early 1970s. This deceleration eerily coincides with a big decline in government R&D spending, which peaked at over 1.8% of gross domestic product in the mid-1960s. Government R&D spending has declined since then and has fallen by half – to below 0.9% of GDP – today.
Government R&D spending encompasses all innovative work the government directly pays for, regardless of who does it. Private companies and universities conduct a lot of this work, as do national labs and federal agencies, like the NIH.
Correlation is not causation. But in a Dallas Fed working paper released in November 2024, my co-author and I identified a strong causal link between government R&D spending and U.S. productivity growth. We estimated that government R&D spending consistently accounted for more than 20% of all U.S. productivity growth since World War II. And a decline in that spending after the 1960s can account for nearly one-fourth of the deceleration in productivity since then.
These significant productivity gains came from R&D investments by federal agencies that are not focused on national defense. Examples include the NIH’s support for biomedical research, the Department of Energy’s funding for physics and energy research, and NASA’s spending on aeronautics and space exploration technologies.
Not all productivity growth is driven by government R&D. Economists think public investment in physical infrastructure, such as construction of the interstate highway system starting in the Eisenhower administration, also spurred productivity growth. And U.S. productivity growth briefly accelerated during the information technology boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s, which we do not attribute to government R&D investment.
More R than D
We have found that government R&D investment is more effective than private R&D spending at driving productivity, likely because the private sector tends to spend much more on the development side of R&D, while the public sector tends to emphasize research.
Like the private sector, the Department of Defense spends much more on development – of weapons and military technology – than on fundamental research. We found only inconclusive evidence on the returns on military R&D.
R&D work funded by the Defense Department also tends to initially be classified and kept secret from geopolitical rivals, such as the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. As a result, gains for the whole economy from that source of innovation could take longer to materialize than the 15-year time frame we have studied.
The high returns on nondefense R&D that we estimated suggest that Congress has historically underinvested in these areas. For instance, the productivity gains from nondefense R&D are at least 10 times higher than those from government investments in highways, bridges and other kinds of physical infrastructure. The government has also invested far more in physical infrastructure than R&D over the past 75 years. Increasing R&D investment would take advantage of these higher returns and gradually reduce them because of diminishing marginal returns to additional investment.
So why is the government not spending substantially more on R&D?
One argument sometimes heard against federal R&D spending is that it displaces, or “crowds out,” R&D spending the private sector would otherwise undertake. For instance, the administration’s budget request proposed reducing or eliminating NASA space technology programs it deemed “better suited to private sector research and development.”
But my colleague and I have found that government spending on R&D complements private investment. An additional dollar of government nondefense R&D spending causes the private sector to increase its R&D spending by an additional 20 cents. So we expect budget cuts to the NIH, NSF and NASA to actually reduce R&D spending by companies, which is also bad for economic growth.
Federal R&D spending is also often on the chopping block whenever Congress focuses on deficit reduction. In part, that likely reflects the gradual nature of the economic benefits from government-funded R&D, which are at odds with the country’s four-year electoral cycles.
Similarly, the benefits from NIH spending on biomedical research are usually less visible than government spending on Medicare or Medicaid, which are health insurance programs for those 65 years and older and those with low incomes or disabilities. But Medicare or Medicaid help Americans buy prescription drugs and medical devices that were invented with the help of NIH-funded research.
Even if the benefits of government R&D are slow to materialize or are harder to see than those from other government programs, our research suggests that the U.S. economy will be less innovative and productive – and Americans will be worse off for it – if Congress agrees to deep cuts to science and research funding.
The views expressed in the Dallas Fed working paper are the views of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.
Andrew Fieldhouse 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.
It is true that college students’ mental health has deteriorated in many regards during the past two decades.
The Healthy Minds Study, which gathers national survey data on tens of thousands of students annually, has found that the percentage who considered suicide in the prior year rose from 6% in 2007 to 13% in 2024. The percentage of students who made a specific suicide plan tripled during that period.
While some news reports portray the current state of student mental health as an unprecedented crisis, the full picture is more nuanced. As a psychologist who has been researching college student mental health for more than 20 years, as summarized in my recent book, “College Student Mental Health and Wellness: Coping on Campus,” I believe recent data suggests a turning of the tide.
The 2024 Health Minds Study found a slight decrease over the previous two years in the percentage of students contemplating suicide.
Data also reveals a similar decline in the percentage of students dealing with severe anxiety from 2022 to 2024.
The study marks the first time since data collection began on suicide or severe anxiety that there has been a two-year decrease in either area.
Reason for concern
The demand for psychological services at college and university counseling centers has outpaced growth in undergraduate enrollment. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
To be clear, there is reason for concern about the psychological well-being of college students.
Healthy Minds Study researchers found that in 2007, 9% of college students were taking psychotropic medication such as antidepressants. In 2024, that number had grown to 26%.
A 2024 national survey conducted by the American College Health Association found that more than a third of students received mental health care in the previous year.
The demand for psychological services at college and university counseling centers has outpaced growth in undergraduate enrollment more than fourfold.
Findings from another national dataset gathered by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, an international network of more than 800 college and university counseling centers, indicate that from 2010 to 2024, depression symptoms increased 18% among students receiving psychological services, general anxiety symptoms rose more than 25%, and social anxiety symptoms climbed more than 30%.
In addition, students’ family-related distress steadily increased during the past decade.
The sky is not falling
Despite disturbing trends in student mental health, recent data suggests that fewer students are contemplating suicide and dealing with anxiety. Ariel Skelley/Getty Images
Despite these challenges, there is good news regarding decreases in the share of students considering self-injury and reporting depression symptoms.
Data from the Healthy Minds Study reveals that the percentage of students considering self-injury has not increased the past two years, after more than doubling from 14% in 2007 to 29% in 2022.
A similar pattern can be found in Center for Collegiate Mental Health data about depression. Depression symptoms have decreased each of the past two academic years.
The network has been collecting depression data since 2010, and never before have scores dropped in consecutive years.
The Center for Collegiate Mental Health data also indicates that students’ academic distress peaked following the onset of COVID-19 and declined each of the past three years, returning to pre-pandemic levels. Students’ frustration has also shown a gradual, 7% decline from 2010 to 2024.
Furthermore, for the first time since 2012, there has been a two-year uptick in college students who are flourishing, according to data from the Healthy Minds Study. Other researchers have found a similar recent trend, accompanied by a decrease in student loneliness.
More good news, based on data, about what students put in their bodies: Symptoms related to eating disorders have not increased in any of the past four years, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. Data from the network indicates that current alcohol use is at its lowest level since 2010, declining 29% over that period.
Binge drinking has also decreased 18% since 2012, according to the Healthy Minds Study.
We need data, not dread
Mental health professionals need accurate data to support the psychological well-being of college students. SeventyFour/Getty Images
Valid data can help in discerning the truth about college student mental health.
Data that captures national trends in college student psychological well-being is needed to support mental health professionals. For example, as data reveals emerging trends, such as an increase in college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, training can be provided to clinicians in treating students with these concerns.
Campus mental health professionals and administrators can also use data to advocate for resources they need to support students. For instance, our research has found that students of color are more likely to seek psychological help when there are therapists on staff from the same ethnic or racial background. This data can inform hiring practices at college and university counseling centers.
Finally, continuous data collection can help determine how college student mental health is impacted by specific events, such as pandemics, campus shootings and laws that eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social anxiety decreased, while general anxiety spiked.
These events may not affect students equally.
International students, a group that already experiences heightened suicidal thoughts, may be particularly impacted by recent news of visa cancellations and deportations.
Jeffrey A. Hayes has received a research grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to study college student suicide.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Magali A. Delmas, Professor of Management, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles
Since the early 1990s, the small blue Energy Star label has appeared on millions of household appliances, electronics and even buildings across the United States. But as the Trump administration considers terminating some or all of the program, it is worth a look at what exactly this government-backed label means, and why it has become one of the most recognizable environmental certifications in the country.
Energy Star was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and later expanded in partnership with the Department of Energy with a simple goal: making it easier for consumers and businesses to choose energy-efficient products, helping them reduce energy use and save money, without sacrificing quality or performance.
As a scholar of energy conservation, I have studied the Energy Star program’s development and public impact, including how it has shaped consumer behavior and environmental outcomes.
Products that earn the Energy Star certification typically use significantly less energy than standard models, often between 10% and 50% less. The energy – and financial – savings can add up quickly, especially when homes or buildings have multiple Energy Star appliances and systems.
Energy Star itself does not manufacture or sell products. Instead, it acts as a trusted third-party certifier, providing consumers and businesses with reliable information and clear labeling. It also offers information to help people estimate energy savings and compare long-term costs, making it easier to identify high-performing, cost-effective options. Manufacturers participating in Energy Star seek to improve their environmental reputation and increase their market share, giving them a strong incentive to meet the program’s efficiency criteria.
Today, the label appears on refrigerators, dishwashers, laptops, commercial buildings and even newly built homes. The government says people in more than 90% of American households recognize the label.
Energy Star-certified appliances include upright freezers, clothes washers and many other types of home equipment, which use between 10% and 50% less energy than uncertified items. AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel
People don’t always choose efficient products
Energy Star seeks to tackle a wide range of problems that can result in people deciding not to buy energy-efficient products.
One problem is that efficient models often come with higher up-front costs. While efficient models save money over time, that higher purchase price can discourage buyers. Energy Star helps counter this problem by clearly showing how much money can be saved on energy costs over the lifetime of the product – as compared with noncertified products – and by offering rebates that reduce the initial expense.
Another problem involves what economists call “split incentives.” A landlord might not want to pay a higher price up front for energy-efficient appliances if the tenants are the ones who will save money on the utility bills. And renters may not want to spend a lot of money on appliances or equipment in a place they do not own. Energy Star tries to bridge this divide by promoting whole-building certifications, which encourage landlords to invest in their buildings’ energy efficiency with the goal of making their properties more attractive to tenants.
The countless varieties of refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners and other items on the market can also create confusion. Consumers who just look at manufacturers’ promotional material may find it very hard to determine which appliances truly deliver better energy efficiency. The Energy Star label makes this comparison easier: If the label is there, it is among the most efficient choices available.
And consumers are often skeptical of manufacturers’ claims – especially when it comes to new technologies or environmental promises. Energy Star’s status as a program backed by the government, rather than a private company, gives it a level of independence and credibility that many other labels lack. People know the certification is based on science, not sales tactics.
Lastly, Energy Star helps overcome the problem that many people are not aware of how much energy their appliances consume, or how those choices contribute to climate change. By connecting everyday products to larger environmental outcomes, Energy Star helps consumers understand the effects of their decisions, without needing to become energy experts.
The program delivers real results
Since its inception, more than 800,000 appliance models have earned Energy Star certification based on the criteria for their type of product.
The same principles that make the label valuable for consumer appliances – independent certification, clear metrics and a focus on results – have proved equally effective in real estate. Nearly 45,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned certification. And there have been more than 2.5 million Energy Star-certified homes and apartments built in the U.S.
Energy Star-certified homes are designed to be at least 10% more energy efficient than those built to standard building codes, with more insulation and windows and lights that are energy-efficient, as well as appliances. These enhancements can translate to better quality, comfort and long-term cost savings for homeowners.
Commercial buildings, which account for about 18% of total U.S. energy use, have also benefited substantially. Research I was involved in found that certified commercial buildings use an average of 19% less energy than their noncertified counterparts.
Energy Star’s status as a government-led label contributes to its credibility as a more neutral and science-based source of information than commercial labels.
Energy Star’s government connections also bring scale: By requiring federal purchases to have Energy Star certifications, the federal government can influence manufacturers. For example, a federal executive order in 1993 required government agencies to purchase only computers that had been Energy Star-certified, which required them to have energy-saving sleep functions.
In response, manufacturers began including the feature so they could sell their products to the government. Consumers soon came to expect the sleep feature on all computers.
A quiet success story in energy and climate
Energy Star does not grab headlines. It does not rely on regulation or mandates. Yet it has quietly become one of the most effective tools the U.S. has for improving energy efficiency across homes, offices and public buildings.
That said, the program is not without its limitations. Some critics have pointed out that not all certified products consistently perform at the highest efficiency levels. Other critics note that the benefits of Energy Star are more accessible to wealthier consumers who can afford up-front investments, even with available rebates. And the EPA itself has, at times, struggled to manage the certification process and update standards in line with the latest technological advances.
At a time when energy costs and climate concerns are rising, Energy Star stands out as a rare example of a practical, nonpartisan program that delivers real benefits. It helps individuals, businesses and communities save money, lower emissions and take part in a more sustainable future – one smart decision at a time.
Magali Delmas received funding from the US EPA in 2002 for research on Environmental Management Strategies and Corporate Performance.
The 49 bus connects the Strawberry Mansion, Grays Ferry and University City neighborhoods. Courtesy of SEPTA
When the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority launched the 49 bus route in Philadelphia in early 2019, those who most benefited were older adults and people who already ride the bus – and not commuters who were persuaded to ditch their cars for public transportation, according to our new research.
Some of the largest benefits of Route 49 came in saved time and fewer transfers for existing users of other transit routes.
Route 49 launched in early 2019 and was the first local bus service that SEPTA added to its system in nearly a decade. It connects two residential Philadelphia neighborhoods – Strawberry Mansion in North Philadelphia and Grays Ferry in South Philadelphia – with the job-rich University City area in West Philadelphia.
Public transit agencies often try to court “choice” riders – people who have a reasonable chance of choosing to either drive or use public transportation for a given trip, and who tend to be higher income.
SEPTA, however, didn’t necessarily focus on choice riders with the design of Route 49. But planners at the agency did tell us during our data collection that many commuters to University City don’t take public transit.
We found that early riders of Route 49 tended to be previous transit riders who seldom drove before the line’s launch. They took other SEPTA buses, or did not make that trip.
Riders ages 65 and older, who are less likely to be commuters, were even more likely to have simply switched bus routes to make the same trip they regularly made before the new service line began.
For new bus and rail lines to be financially sustainable, they must attract enough riders. The fares those riders pay allow agencies to run services more regularly and have the line be cost effective.
While it’s always difficult to attract new riders, the past few years have been especially challenging for U.S. transit agencies. National transit ridership remains only about 80% of what it was when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.
Getting people back onto buses and trains will require agencies to understand what attracts people to new transit lines. If public transit agencies want to recapture ridership and echo the success of bus services like Route 49, it may be best for them to talk to current users rather than potential public transit converts.
How we do our work
To understand how new riders used Route 49, we boarded Route 49 buses throughout the route and conducted in-person surveys with over 350 riders in early 2019. We wanted to capture feedback and data from users of the service shortly after it was launched.
In addition to asking riders what they used Route 49 for and how they took the same trip before its launch, we recorded characteristics such as age, income and gender.
What’s next
Drawing on our 2019 survey data, we plan to explore how new Route 49 riders learned about the transit line and decided to begin riding the new service. Did they hear about it from agency flyers or websites? From seeing new bus lines on the road, or from friends discussing it? Analyzing these answers can help transit agencies enhance access for all travelers.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
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.
Reducing diagnoses to address antibiotics resistance.
Thousands of cases of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea could be prevented through a new vaccine programme.
The Scottish Government is funding the programme, which will begin in August, to address increasing health inequalities and growing resistance to antibiotics treatment.
Those eligible include gay and bisexual men at highest risk of infection, those involved in selling or exchanging sex regardless of gender and those who sexual health clinic professionals assess as being at a similar risk level.
Gonorrhoea can cause significant pain and discomfort and in rare cases, life-threatening sepsis. The number of cases has been rising steadily in recent years and it is the second most common bacterial STI in Scotland. Latest figures show there were 5,999 diagnoses in 2023, a 59% increase on pre-pandemic.
Speaking at the Public Health Scotland Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Conference in Edinburgh, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said:
“This action is urgent and timely since the number of diagnoses has been high and the disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics.
“The science tells us that this vaccine will potentially protect thousands of people and prevent the spread of infection.
“Anything which stops people from contracting gonorrhoea in the first place can have huge benefits, including ensuring our health system remains resilient by reducing the amount of treatment needed.”
Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of the Vaccination and Immunisation Division at PHS, said:
“With gonorrhoea diagnoses having increased in recent years, the offer of the 4CmenB vaccine to those at highest risk of exposure is a welcome new intervention. This vaccination programme is expected to help control and prevent the spread of gonorrhoea.
“Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish Government and colleagues across NHS Boards to finalise plans for the roll out of this targeted vaccination offering to those at increased risk of gonorrhoea from August 2025.”
Background
Ministers accepted the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on the programme, which will be delivered by the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme led by Public Health Scotland.
The £280,000 funding is intended to cover first and second doses of 4CMenB vaccine.
The vaccine is 30-40% effective and will be offered in the clinics alongside those for HPV, hepatitis and the routine mpox vaccination programme.
The majority of the building’s exterior is now exposed for all to see as contractor McLaughlin & Harvey continue to remove the protective covering and scaffolding to unveil the distinctive terracotta coloured cladding.
Construction works are ongoing on the state of the art facility, which forms part of phase 2 of Wolverhampton Council’s masterplan to boost skills and employment.
Situated around the Old Hall Street and St George’s Parade area, incorporating a site on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street where the former Faces nightclub building once stood, the development is also utilising the existing Metro One building – it will open to City of Wolverhampton College students in the autumn.
Alongside improvements to the neighbouring Adult Education Wolverhampton and Central Library facilities, the £61 million scheme – supported by Government funding – will establish new educational provision that will enhance skills and employment outcomes for residents across the city and wider region.
It will offer A Levels in a range of subjects and vocational qualifications in art, design and photography, business and management, catering and hospitality, computing and digital, creative media, games design and e-sports, hair and beauty, health and social care, music technology, performing arts, and science.
Prospective students can find out more about what will be on offer at the new campus at the college’s Open Day this Saturday (14 June), at its existing Wellington Road and Paget Road campuses, between 10am and 2pm. Book your place at Open Events | 14 June 2025 | City of Wolverhampton College.
Construction on phase 1 of the City Learning Quarter masterplan – a new £8.1 million Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre at the college’s Wellington Road campus – has been completed and opened to students in September 2024.
Councillor Chris Burden, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “As we get the first look at the exterior finish of the new City Learning Quarter there is no doubt it is going to provide an inspirational setting for students and staff.
“It will also act as a focal point in the city centre, increasing footfall to support neighbouring businesses, especially with its excellent connectivity to rail, bus, tram and cycle routes.
“The City Learning Quarter has been a long held ambition of the council to drive education and skills in the city and it will unlock opportunities for the people of Wolverhampton and beyond.”
Warinder Juss MP, Wolverhampton West, said: “The development of the City Learning Quarter provides exciting opportunities to not only the students of the college, but also to help with the regeneration of the city centre.”
Paul Davies, Director of Finance at the college, said: “The unveiling of the new City Learning Quarter campus is a major milestone for the college and for education in Wolverhampton. It’s the result of years of planning and investment, and it’s exciting to see the vision becoming a reality.
“Relocating from our long standing Paget Road site to this purpose built, centrally located campus will allow us to deliver a modern, high quality learning experience that has greater accessibility through public transport links. The new facilities will not only benefit our staff, students and apprentices, but also play a key role in supporting skills development and economic growth across the wider region.”
The exciting City Learning Quarter proposals were initially supported by investment from the council with a further £49 million coming through UK Government funding, plus additional government grants and contributions from the college and council.
It will pave the way for City of Wolverhampton College to move from its 1960s Paget Road site, which has been identified as land to build much needed housing.
The college forecasts that over a 10 year period approximately 45,000 people will benefit from learning at the City Learning Quarter and around 7,500 apprenticeships will be started.
Its central location and close proximity to the new £150 million transport interchange will make it easily accessible. It will also boast environmental benefits in line with council’s climate emergency agenda.
It is “the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Americans,” reads an executive order President Donald Trump issued on April 23, 2025. The executive order, titled Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, signals that advancing AI literacy is now an official national priority.
This raises a series of important questions: What exactly is AI literacy, who needs it, and how do you go about building it thoughtfully and responsibly?
The implications of AI literacy, or lack thereof, are far-reaching. They extend beyond national ambitions to remain “a global leader in this technological revolution” or even prepare an “AI-skilled workforce,” as the executive order states. Without basic literacy, citizens and consumers are not well equipped to understand the algorithmic platforms and decisions that affect so many domains of their lives: government services, privacy, lending, health care, news recommendations and more. And the lack of AI literacy risks ceding important aspects of society’s future to a handful of multinational companies.
How, then, can institutions help people understand and use – or resist – AI as individuals, workers, parents, innovators, job seekers, students, employers and citizens? We are a policy scientist and two educationalresearchers who study AI literacy, and we explore these issues in our research.
What AI literacy is and isn’t
At its foundation, AI literacy includes a mix of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are technical, social and ethical in nature. According to one prominent definition, AI literacy refers to “a set of competencies that enables individuals to critically evaluate AI technologies; communicate and collaborate effectively with AI; and use AI as a tool online, at home, and in the workplace.”
AI literacy is not simply programming or the mechanics of neural networks, and it is certainly not just prompt engineering – that is, the act of carefully writing prompts for chatbots. Vibe coding, or using AI to write software code, might be fun and important, but restricting the definition of literacy to the newest trend or the latest need of employers won’t cover the bases in the long term. And while a single master definition may not be needed, or even desirable, too much variation makes it tricky to decide on organizational, educational or policy strategies.
Who needs AI literacy? Everyone, including the employees and students using it, and the citizens grappling with its growing impacts. Every sector and sphere of society is now involved with AI, even if this isn’t always easy for people to see.
Exactly how much literacy everyone needs and how to get there is a much tougher question. Are a few quick HR training sessions enough, or do we need to embed AI across K-12 curricula and deliver university micro credentials and hands-on workshops? There is much that researchers don’t know, which leads to the need to measure AI literacy and the effectiveness of different training approaches.
Ethics is an important aspect of AI literacy.
Measuring AI literacy
While there is a growing and bipartisan consensus that AI literacy matters, there’s much less consensus on how to actually understand people’s AI literacy levels. Researchers have focused on different aspects, such as technical or ethical skills, or on different populations – for example, business managers and students – or even on subdomains like generative AI.
A recent review study identified more than a dozen questionnaires designed to measure AI literacy, the vast majority of which rely on self-reported responses to questions and statements such as “I feel confident about using AI.” There’s also a lack of testing to see whether these questionnaires work well for people from different cultural backgrounds.
Moreover, the rise of generative AI has exposed gaps and challenges: Is it possible to create a stable way to measure AI literacy when AI is itself so dynamic?
In our research collaboration, we’ve tried to help address some of these problems. In particular, we’ve focused on creating objective knowledge assessments, such as multiple-choice surveys tested with thorough statistical analyses to ensure that they accurately measure AI literacy. We’ve so far tested a multiple-choice survey in the U.S., U.K. and Germany and found that it works consistently and fairly across these three countries.
There’s a lot more work to do to create reliable and feasible testing approaches. But going forward, just asking people to self-report their AI literacy probably isn’t enough to understand where different groups of people are and what supports they need.
Approaches to building AI literacy
Governments, universities and industry are trying to advance AI literacy.
Finland launched the Elements of AI series in 2018 with the hope of educating its general public on AI. Estonia’s AI Leap initiative partners with Anthropic and OpenAI to provide access to AI tools for tens of thousands of students and thousands of teachers. And China is now requiring at least eight hours of AI education annually as early as elementary school, which goes a step beyond the new U.S. executive order. On the university level, Purdue University and the University of Pennsylvania have launched new master’s in AI programs, targeting future AI leaders.
Despite these efforts, these initiatives face an unclear and evolving understanding of AI literacy. They also face challenges to measuring effectiveness and minimal knowledge on what teaching approaches actually work. And there are long-standing issues with respect to equity − for example, reaching schools, communities, segments of the population and businesses that are stretched or under-resourced.
Next moves on AI literacy
Based on our research, experience as educators and collaboration with policymakers and technology companies, we think a few steps might be prudent.
Building AI literacy starts with recognizing it’s not just about tech: People also need to grasp the social and ethical sides of the technology. To see whether we’re getting there, we researchers and educators should use clear, reliable tests that track progress for different age groups and communities. Universities and companies can try out new teaching ideas first, then share what works through an independent hub. Educators, meanwhile, need proper training and resources, not just additional curricula, to bring AI into the classroom. And because opportunity isn’t spread evenly, partnerships that reach under-resourced schools and neighborhoods are essential so everyone can benefit.
Critically, achieving widespread AI literacy may be even harder than building digital and media literacy, so getting there will require serious investment – not cuts – to education and research.
There is widespread consensus that AI literacy is important, whether to boost AI trust and adoption or to empower citizens to challenge AI or shape its future. As with AI itself, we believe it’s important to approach AI literacy carefully, avoiding hype or an overly technical focus. The right approach can prepare students to become “active and responsible participants in the workforce of the future” and empower Americans to “thrive in an increasingly digital society,” as the AI literacy executive order calls for.
Funding from Google Research helped to support part of the authors’ research on AI literacy.
Funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the funding code 16DHBKI051 helped to support part of the authors’ research on AI literacy.
Arne Bewersdorff 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.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Christopher Wong, one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s foremost experts on cryptocurrency investigations, has joined TRM Labs.
Wong served with the FBI for ten years, most recently as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Bureau’s Virtual Assets Unit. In that role, he led and supported some of the most complex cryptocurrency-related investigations in US law enforcement, including multi-year efforts to disrupt North Korea’s use of digital assets to finance its weapons programs.
Wong, in partnership with now-TRM colleague Chris Janczewski — then a special agent with IRS-Criminal Investigation — led the FBI’s investigation into the 2016 Bitfinex hack, resulting in the recovery of approximately USD 3.6 billion in cryptocurrency, the largest seizure in US history. He also played a critical role in the US government’s response to the USD 600 million Axie Infinity Ronin Bridge hack, attributed to North Korea’s Lazarus Group. That incident became a watershed moment in US national security policy on crypto threats, driving a coordinated interagency response and leading to the first-ever sanctions on cryptocurrency mixing services.
Most recently, Wong supported the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture action involving over USD 7.7 million in cryptocurrency linked to a North Korean IT worker laundering network. That investigation uncovered a sophisticated global scheme in which DPRK operatives used false identities to gain employment in the tech sector and funnel illicit earnings back to Pyongyang.
In addition to his investigative work, Wong has trained law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges in dozens of countries, helping to build international capacity to respond to crypto-enabled crime.
“I’m incredibly proud of the mission I served at the FBI — supporting agents, partners, and prosecutors as we tackled some of the most impactful crypto investigations in the world,” said Wong. “At TRM, I have the opportunity to continue that mission — this time by helping amplify the work law enforcement is doing globally to disrupt illicit finance and protect victims.”
“Chris is one of the most respected agents in the space,” said Esteban Castaño, co-founder and CEO of TRM Labs. “He combines elite investigative skill with a deep sense of purpose, and his work has shaped how governments respond to nation-state cyber threats and financial crime. We’re honored to welcome him to TRM as we expand our support for public sector partners and the broader mission of safeguarding the financial system.”
Wong joins a growing team of former law enforcement and national security officials at TRM Labs working to detect, investigate, and prevent illicit activity involving digital assets.
About TRM Labs
TRM Labs provides blockchain analytics solutions to help law enforcement and national security agencies, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency businesses detect, investigate, and disrupt crypto-related fraud and financial crime. TRM’s blockchain intelligence platform includes solutions to trace the source and destination of funds, identify illicit activity, build cases, and construct an operating picture of threats. TRM is trusted by leading agencies and businesses worldwide who rely on TRM to enable a safer, more secure crypto ecosystem. TRM is based in San Francisco, CA, and is hiring across engineering, product, sales, and data science. To learn more, visit www.trmlabs.com.
The upcoming U.S.-Africa Energy Forum (USAEF) in Houston is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the EnerGeo Alliance, a global trade association for the geoscience and exploration industries. This partnership marks a significant step forward in advancing collaborative energy development between the U.S. and Africa, and in strengthening stakeholder engagement within the natural gas and geoscience sectors.
Under the partnership, EnerGeo Alliance will support USAEF’s mission by facilitating direct introductions between EnerGeo’s member organizations and USAEF, enabling targeted sponsorship opportunities and fostering deeper industry participation in USAEF’s programming and events.
With members active in more than 50 countries – including key African markets such as Namibia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola and South Africa – EnerGeo Alliance plays a vital role in supporting upstream energy development through advanced geoscience, seismic surveying and data-driven exploration. The partnership with USAEF strengthens the shared mission to connect U.S. and African stakeholders, facilitate energy investment and promote natural gas as a reliable, lower-carbon transition fuel.
“This partnership reflects our commitment to strengthening collaboration between the geoscience community and energy stakeholders across Africa,” said Nikki Martin, President & CEO of EnerGeo Alliance. “With our members actively engaged in key markets across the continent, we see this as an opportunity to elevate upstream dialogue, support data-driven exploration, and help shape pragmatic solutions to Africa’s energy needs.”
EnerGeo Alliance has been especially active in advocating for natural gas as a sustainable and cost-effective solution to meet growing power demand across Africa. In a recent policy brief, the organization spotlighted South Africa’s natural gas prospects and emphasized the role of upstream data in de-risking exploration and reducing environmental impacts. Their work complements USAEF’s goal of catalyzing partnerships that accelerate infrastructure growth and increase access to reliable energy across the continent.
The partnership is expected to play a pivotal role in USAEF 2025, where EnerGeo Alliance will engage with delegates to spotlight the role of geoscience in upstream investment and showcase how seismic technologies can reduce risk and improve environmental outcomes in natural gas development. By aligning their networks and resources, USAEF and EnerGeo Alliance aim to create new pathways for investment, knowledge exchange and industry growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Partnering with EnerGeo Alliance allows USAEF to bridge U.S. technology and expertise with African energy ambitions in a meaningful way. We’re not only expanding access to strategic geoscience players, but also enhancing opportunities for investment, sponsorship and long-term collaboration in Africa’s gas and energy value chains,” said James Chester, CEO of Energy Capital & Power.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and more information, please contactsales@energycapitalpower.com. Join us in Houston this August to connect with the leaders shaping Africa’s energy landscape and experience the momentum that drives ECP’s events worldwide.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LIS Technologies Inc. (“LIST” or “the Company”), a proprietary developer of advanced laser technology and the only USA-origin and patented laser uranium enrichment company, today announced that it has appointed Brent Park, Ph.D., as its Executive Director of Nuclear Security and Safeguards Policy.
“LIST’s technology arrives at a pivotal moment, as the United States accelerates efforts to build a secure, domestic nuclear‑fuel supply chain,” said Brent Park, Ph.D., Executive Director of Nuclear Security and Safeguards Policy of LIS Technologies Inc. “This proprietary technology can be a key step toward reducing reliance on foreign sources of enriched uranium and strengthening our national energy independence. I’m honored to join the Company and look forward to advising the leadership team as they advance the CRISLA technology from revival to commercialization.”
Brent is a nuclear physicist and a former government official with demonstrated leadership experience at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Nevada Test Site (NTS), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Between 2018 and 2021, with Senate confirmation just 6 weeks after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump, Brent served as Deputy Administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). He led Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation programs to support the nation’s efforts in nonproliferation treaties and international arms control, international nuclear security, safeguards, and export control policies. Prior to joining NNSA, Brent was Associate Laboratory Director at ORNL, leading the science-to-application efforts for national security programs. Research topics are wide-ranging, with particular focus on materials science and engineering, cybersecurity, high-performance computing and big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and nuclear science and engineering.
Figure 1 – LIS Technologies Inc. Appoints Brent Park, Ph.D., as its Executive Director of Nuclear Security and Safeguards Policy.
Previously, Brent was the director of NNSA’s Remote Sensing Laboratory, where he led efforts to advance and field cutting-edge diagnostics and communications instruments in support of counterterrorism and radiological incident response for the nation. As the NNSA’s non-proliferation chief, he led efforts and engagements to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation and to reduce the threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism around the world. Earlier, Brent managed and contributed to basic and applied research programs at LANL in the areas of physics and engineering, modeling and analysis, and nuclear weapons physics and engineering in support of stockpile stewardship, as well as nuclear emergency response and nuclear facility operations. Brent earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics at Illinois State University and a master’s degree in physics with an emphasis on remote sensing at Indiana State University. Later he shifted the direction of his research to nuclear physics and earned a master’s degree at Indiana University. Brent performed a thesis experiment using the spallation neutron source at LANL and earned a PhD in physics at Ohio University. He held a prestigious Physics Division postdoctoral fellowship at LANL before becoming a technical staff member.
“Brent steps into this role with real enthusiasm, and we’re honored to welcome him to our team,” said Jay Yu, Executive Chairman and President of LIS Technologies Inc. “A distinguished leader, public official, and scientist, he brings a depth of experience that will benefit the Company both now and well into the future. During his tenure at the NNSA, Brent worked with some of the most advanced nuclear technologies in the industry. Now, his decision to join LIST reflects the promise of our patented, proprietary and U.S.-based CRISLA technology and the dedication that has shaped our company’s growth.”
“Brent’s depth of experience and extensive network are a testament to his distinguished career, and it is a pleasure to welcome him to LIS Technologies,” said Christo Liebenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of LIS Technologies Inc. “His technical expertise, combined with his longstanding relationships across key institutions, will be instrumental as we navigate complex licensing, regulatory and non-proliferation pathways and advance our CRISLA technology through testing, demonstration activities and eventually to commercialization.”
About LIS Technologies Inc.
LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST) is a USA based, proprietary developer of a patented advanced laser technology, making use of infrared lasers to selectively excite the molecules of desired isotopes to separate them from other isotopes. The Laser Isotope Separation Technology (L.I.S.T) has a huge range of applications, including being the only USA-origin (and patented) laser uranium enrichment company, and several major advantages over traditional methods such as gas diffusion, centrifuges, and prior art laser enrichment. The LIST proprietary laser-based process is more energy-efficient and has the potential to be deployed with highly competitive capital and operational costs. L.I.S.T is optimized for LEU (Low Enriched Uranium) for existing civilian nuclear power plants, High-Assay LEU (HALEU) for the next generation of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Microreactors, the production of stable isotopes for medical and scientific research, and applications in quantum computing manufacturing for semiconductor technologies. The Company employs a world class nuclear technical team working alongside leading nuclear entrepreneurs and industry professionals, possessing strong relationships with government and private nuclear industries.
In Dec 2024, LIS Technologies Inc. was selected as one of six domestic companies to participate in the Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Enrichment Acquisition Program. This initiative allocates up to $3.4 billion overall, with contracts lasting for up to 10 years. Each awardee is slated to receive a minimum contract of $2 million.
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For LIS Technologies Inc., particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following which are, and will be, exacerbated by any worsening of global business and economic environment: (i) risks related to the development of new or advanced technology, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, development of competitive technology, loss of key individuals and uncertainty of success of patent filing, (ii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations and (iii) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to commercially deploy a competitive laser enrichment technology, (iv) risks related to the impact of government regulation and policies including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in this and our other filings with the SEC. Only after successful completion of our Phase 2 Pilot Plant demonstration will LIS Technologies be able to make realistic economic predictions for a Commercial Facility. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.
Headline: Thales ranked No.1 most attractive employer among engineering students in France in 2025
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Thales has secured the top spot in the 2025 ranking of the most attractive employers for engineering students in France, in a survey conducted by the Universum research institute. The survey covered 23,376 students, including 11,556 from engineering schools. Thales also ranked 4th among IT students.
Students notably praised the Group’s capacity for innovation and the wide range of career development opportunities it offers. As a global leader in high technology across Defence, Aerospace, Cybersecurity and Digital Identity, Thales provides the opportunity to work in critical environments involving artificial intelligence, quantum technologies or cloud computing. The company offers a very broad array of career paths, backed by a strong industrial and academic presence across 68 countries. For the past three years, Thales has also invested heavily in a global upskilling initiative called the “Learning Company” programme, delivered by 2,000 in-house trainers. It brings together 13 Domain Academies (Radar, Radio, Naval, Tubes, Pyrotechnics…) and 19 Functional Academies (Engineering, Industry, HR, Finance, Communications…).
The preference expressed by young engineering students for Thales also reflects the Group’s efforts to reach out to younger generations. Last year, Thales engaged with over 150,000 young people through 600 events. In 2025, in France alone, the Group expects to welcome more than 3,000 interns and apprentices in higher education, with around 25% going on to secure permanent or fixed-term roles. Nearly 1,500 students in Year 10 and Year 11 will also be welcomed for short-term work experience across around 40 Thales sites in mainland France, helping to spark interest in science and technology careers.
“Attracting engineers – and diverse talent more broadly – to Thales is essential to staying at the forefront of innovation. We firmly believe that mathematics and science are key to understanding the world around us and tackling society’s greatest challenges. Joining Thales means continuing to learn throughout your career and helping to address the major societal challenges we are working on through our activities.” Patrice Caine, Chairman & CEO of Thales
On 19 June, join experts and community leaders for the hybrid event GLF Africa 2025: Innovate, Restore, Prosper. Explore opportunities for the continent to reverse land degradation, biodiversity loss and the climate crisis.
Nairobi, Kenya (12 June 2025) – GLF Africa, hosted by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) and CFOR-ICRAF, returns for its 7th edition on 19 June, held online and in person in Nairobi, Kenya, in English, French and Swahili.
Bringing together leading voices from diverse sectors and backgrounds, this hybrid conference will spotlight Africa’s progress, priorities and possibilities in building healthy, resilient and prosperous landscapes, communities and economies.
Africa holds two-thirds of the world’s arable land and the youngest population on Earth. GLF Africa 2025: Innovate, Restore, Prosper will highlight how science and traditional knowledge are guiding local action towards an economy that keeps the continent’s land healthy for future generations.
The event will cover four key themes:
Forest and landscape restoration
Land and tree use rights and livelihoods
Natural capital and sustainable finance
AI, technology and data for intelligent landscapes
Building Africa’s nature economy
Africa faces a triple environmental crisis of land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change, but current policies, funding and land rights fall short of what’s needed.
Time is running out to tackle these challenges – which is why the continent must start building a powerful nature economy today. This means unlocking its vast natural capital –its forests, biodiversity, land and water – combined with its deep knowledge systems, good governance, meaningful partnerships, AI and big data.
The event will feature more than 60 inspiring speakers, including:
Balbina Andrew, Indigenous community leader from Tanzania, Executive Director of Nourish Africa and Coordinator of the locally-led initiative GLFx Mwanza.
Kate Kallot, Founder and CEO of Amini AI, recognized for expanding access to technology across Africa and named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI.
Ngobi Joel, Co-Founder of the School Food Forest Initiative, 2025 GLF Forest Restoration Steward and activist focused on climate, education and rural development in Uganda.
Peter Minang, Africa Director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and an expert in climate-smart landscapes.
Rekia Foudel, Founder and Managing Partner of Barka Fund, one of the GLF’s 8 Women with a New Vision for Earth 2025, bringing innovative financing to African startups.
Sellah Bogonko, Co-Founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, working to activate 30 million green jobs across Africa by 2033.
Solange Bandiaky-Badji, President of the Rights and Resources Group (RRG) and Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), who spearheaded RRI’s Gender Justice program.
These leaders will be joined by many other changemakers in youth-led action, research, storytelling, academia, gender equity, sustainable finance and policy to discuss topics such as:
Powering Africa’s future – the promise of nature-centered economies
Confronting challenges to secure rights, land restoration and livelihoods
Scaling up farmer-managed natural regeneration: Action in Ethiopia and Kenya
Bridging knowledge domains for inclusive landscape restoration
Financing frontline action for climate, nature and livelihoods
How Africa can lead agri-tech transformation
From vision to action – A roadmap for Africa’s nature economy.
Alongside GLF Africa 2025, the GLF will engage youth and local leaders from across the continent in collaborative in-person experiences during:
Africa Restoration Week (20–21 June)
The Stakeholder Engagement with Evidence training (23–25 June)
The Landscape Leadership Camp (16–18 June)
The workshops, interactive learning and peer networking will bridge community experience, scientific research and regional insights on policy, evidence-based restoration action, inclusive decision making, landscape approaches, breaking silos, climate justice, fundraising and more.
ABOUT THE GLF
The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, connecting people with a shared vision to create productive, profitable, equitable and resilient landscapes. It is led by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with its co-founders UNEP and the World Bank, and its charter members. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org.
From as early as 4 years old we knew that our daughter, Josephine, would most likely need an operation to correct her scoliosis. The thought of the procedure, which involves screwing metal rods into the vertebrae down most of the spine to straighten it out, filled us with terror. We did everything to avoid it — physical therapy twice a week, horse-riding, swimming, and even an innovative dynamic spine brace that was much more comfortable than the traditional hard braces.
But after the pandemic disrupted travel to London for her regular brace adjustments, the scoliosis got worse and even the classic hard brace that went down to her hips did nothing. When it became clear that surgery was the only option to stop the S-shaped curve of her spine getting worse and compressing her organs, we set out to find the best orthopaedic surgeon. We met several excellent surgeons in Brussels before trying UZ Leuven, a university hospital about 30 kilometres east of Brussels in Flanders.
With roots that trace back to 1160, UZ Leuven is one of the largest and oldest teaching hospitals in Europe. KU Leuven, the 600-year-old university to which it is attached, is the oldest in the low countries and considered the most prestigious in Belgium. Turning off the motorway and seeing the massive campus for the first time, I thought we’d arrived at a town rather than a hospital. Impressed by the doctor and the facilities, and relieved that the staff were happy to communicate in English and French, we chose to go ahead with the procedure.
Some months later in 2024, when my daughter was recovering from her successful operation in the new paediatric wing, I remember looking around at the great facilities, which included a rooftop playground, and a well-appointed playroom with events for patients led by staff, and thinking, “I wonder if this place has had EIB funding? It looks like the sort of thing we’d do…”
I didn’t know at the time that the Bank would soon sign a €230 million loan to help fund the hospital’s Health Sciences Campus 2.0 Masterplan. This gave me the chance to write about the plan and have many of my own questions answered about the whole hospital.
Yes, the building that my daughter spent five days in had received EIB funding. The paediatric wing was financed in part with a €325 million loan from the Bank in 2008 under the first phase of the university hospital’s redevelopment. The new loan signed in 2025 is for the second phase of that vision.
In his office. Dr Wim Tambeur, operations director at UZ Leuven, explained the hospital’s Health Sciences Master Plan. “About 20 years ago, we started to think about and redefine our vision of what a university hospital should be and how we envisioned our role,” he says.
“We clearly said that a university hospital is quite unique in its setting because it creates innovation by R&D. We should invent better healthcare and better healthcare models, implement them in daily care, and teach the innovation to our students.”
UZ Leuven is not just a hospital campus but a “city of innovation” integrating clinical care, research, and teaching, he said.
This approach is reflected in many ways that we noticed during our stay. Our daughter’s doctor, for example, was also a professor at KU Leuven. “A lot of our medical staff are also appointed as professors at the university, so that already creates close interaction,” explained Dr Tambeur. “The real innovation is that our research is really focused on how we can improve clinical practice.”
As a practical example, Dr Tambeur pointed to the nuclear medicine building on the campus, which will be expanded with funding from the new loan as one part of the plan. The centre develops specialised radioactive molecules for scans that help doctors in the hospital and scientists from the pharmaceutical industry with which they work to get a precise view of the targets where drugs are working in the body. Such molecules have very short lifespans so need to be produced on site to reduce transport times.
Back at the paediatric wing where my daughter stayed was another great example of how the university hospital combines clinical research with innovation in patient care. The hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit has a unique design in which each baby gets its own quiet little room where parents and family can visit.
Typically, neonatal units, such as the one where my daughter spent five weeks after being born in Brussels, are like busy intensive care wards for adults with bright lights and machines constantly beeping. Access even for families is tightly controlled to limit crowding.
“Neonatal care has improved dramatically in recent decades but has become a lot more intensive,” says Dr Tambeur. “The babies are so surrounded by technical equipment you can barely see them and all the noise and activity is very disturbing for them.”
Dr Tambeur’s ward is designed in concentric circles, with a bay of individual rooms around a central staffing zone and an outer ring of rooms where brothers, sisters, grandparents and so can visit. “It allows for a lot of family involvement without disturbing the care processes,” he says. “And the monitors beep at the nurse’s station rather than the baby’s bed.”
Health outcomes for the newborns seem to have improved and the neonatal care department is studying the long term effects of the new care process design, says Dr Tambeur.
About one year on from the operation, Josephine, who is 15, is rid of her brace, her back is straight, her scar is discreet, and she’s four centimetres taller. We’ve been back to UZ Leuven several times and each time I feel proud to know that the European Investment Bank supports this kind of project.
As Jaws marks its 50th anniversary this year, sharks continue to get a bad rap. Film after film portrays them as terrifying hunters, the bane of surfers and swimmers.
But in Indonesia, sharks are the hunted. It’s the world’s largest shark-fishing nation, with more species of sharks found in Indonesian waters than in any other country. It’s estimated that one in three species of shark and their close relatives, including rays, are threatened with extinction.
Indonesia was the ideal place for conservation scientist Hollie Booth and her colleagues at a local NGO that she founded called Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan (an Indonesian phrase meaning “togetherness for the ocean”), to test out a new idea: would paying fishermen to release any sharks and rays caught accidentally in their nets help to keep more alive?
“ Nobody’s ever done a randomised control trial of an incentive-based marine conservation programme before,” Booth, a researcher at the University of Oxford, told The Conversation Weekly podcast, “ and it is the best way to get good evidence on what is and isn’t working.”
Booth and her colleagues were delighted that the vessels taking part in the trial were sending back videos of fishermen releasing sharks and rays caught up in their nets.
But when they had enough data to really analyse what had been happening, they realised that the incentive programme had some unintended consequences. “ It wasn’t all quite as positive and rosy as we’d originally hoped,” says Booth. “I felt like a fraud.”
Listen to Hollie Booth and her colleague M. Said Ramdlan discuss their new study on The Conversation Weekly podcast.
This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware with production assistance from Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts.
Hollie Booth is the founder and Chair of Kebersamaan Untuk Lautan. The program and this research was funded by Save Our Seas Foundation and the UK Darwin Initiative. M Said Ramdlan works as a project coordinator and secretary for Kebersamaan untuk Lautan and has received research funding from the Save Our Sea Foundation.
In the run-up to International Yoga Day on June 21, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs organised a yoga workshop in New Delhi on Wednesday. Led by Dr. Ramesh Kumar, a professor in the Department of Yoga Science at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, the session focused on promoting stress management and workplace wellness through the practice of yoga.
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr Satya Prakash, Additional Secretary in the Ministry, who highlighted the importance of incorporating yoga into daily life, particularly for professionals engaged in high-pressure administrative roles.
Dr Kumar led participants through various asanas and pranayama techniques, while also offering insights into how short, mindful yoga practices during office hours can help boost concentration and reduce anxiety.
Senior officials, including Directors A.B. Acharya and Sanjeev (NIC), Deputy Secretaries Mukesh Kumar and S.S. Patra, along with other officers and staff of the Ministry, took part in the session.
The initiative is part of the ministry’s efforts to encourage holistic health and well-being among its personnel, in line with the broader objectives of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday organised a yoga workshop in the national capital. Conducted under the guidance of Dr Ramesh Kumar, Professor at the Department of Yoga Science, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, the session aimed to promote stress management and workplace wellness through yoga.
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr Satya Prakash, Additional Secretary in the Ministry, who highlighted the importance of incorporating yoga into daily life, particularly for professionals engaged in high-pressure administrative roles.
Dr Kumar led participants through various asanas and pranayama techniques, while also offering insights into how short, mindful yoga practices during office hours can help boost concentration and reduce anxiety.
Senior officials, including Directors A.B. Acharya and Sanjeev (NIC), Deputy Secretaries Mukesh Kumar and S.S. Patra, along with other officers and staff of the Ministry, took part in the session.
The initiative is part of the ministry’s efforts to encourage holistic health and well-being among its personnel, in line with the broader objectives of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June.
New Delhi, 01 May 2025 – As a life-threatening heat wave unravels in South Asia, more than 10 groups representing at lakhs of workers across Indian, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal have signed a Polluters Pay Pact, calling on governments to introduce new taxes on oil, coal and gas corporations to fund solutions and help communities worldwide.
A Greenpeace India’s qualitative research report titled “Ground Zero: Climate Experiences among Informal Workers in Delhi,” released on this occasion found that street vendors suffer from immense productivity loss and health risks during peak summer months. The study noted that for every 1°C rise in temperature, informal workers’ earnings can fall by up to 19%, with income losses reaching up to 40% due to unbearable midday heat and reduced business. Simultaneously, medical expenses increase by around 14%—illustrating the devastating climate-health-economic nexus. The report mentions that street vendor’s daily earnings, once averaging Rs. 1000, now fluctuate between Rs 300-1200 due to climate disruption and market instability.
Workers across South Asia observed the International Workers’ Day, in a series of simultaneous events where they wrote messages about the impacts of extreme weather and their demands on sarees, a six-yard-long unstitched cloth draped by women in South Asia. The initiative, titled ‘Sarees for Solidarity’, carries messages of workers union leaders addressing the role of oil and gas corporations and their responsibility for the climate crisis which will be taken to the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP30), scheduled to be held in Balem, Brazil.
An event held today in New Delhi also marked the launch of the Workers’ Collective for Climate Justice – South Asia, which emerged as the key outcome of the discussions by worker groups and civil society organisations on growing threats to workers from extreme weather events, fuelled by the oil and gas industry. Participants included the Youth Organization for Democratic Development and Help in Action (YODDHA) and Joint Hawker Action Committee for street vendors, the Basti Suraksha Manch union for waste pickers, the Telengana Gig and Platform Workers Union, Amazon Workers’ Union, domestic workers, construction workers and indoor-based factory workers.
“As temperatures rise, we must do the same. City infrastructure needs to match the adaptation needs of everyone. Vendors, who work outside through the heatwave, are in urgent need of cooling centers, shaded areas, water, and medical care to survive this heatwave season,” said Sandeep Verma of the Youth Organisation for Democratic and Help in Action (YODDHA). “In the scorching heat, Indian workers have nowhere to hide, while the oil executives fueling this crisis are safely seated in air conditioned offices. This injustice must end by applying the polluter pays principle to those responsible for the climate crisis we’re in.”
“When the heat rises, it’s not the CEOs of oil and gas companies who suffer—it’s the informal workers out on the streets, with little infrastructure and safety net for adaptation. Our Ground Zero report shows just how devastating this is: income drops, health risks soar, and yet no one’s held accountable. That’s why we’re backing the Polluters Pay Pact, said Amruta S. Nair, Climate and Energy campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Governments must impose taxes on Big Oil, the proceeds of which should be redirected for inclusive adaptation measures for vulnerable communities. Climate justice must begin by protecting those who are least responsible for this crisis, but who pay the heaviest price every day.”
”As momentum builds up to make oil and gas corporations pay for a crisis fuelled by their emissions, the industry responds with attacks against those calling them out. Emblematic of this assault on free speech is a multi-millions US$ meritless lawsuit by U.S. company Energy Transfer against Greenpeace U.S. and Greenpeace International. The Polluters Pay Pact shows that while polluters engage in intimidation, the climate movement can’t be silenced. Greenpeace organisations worldwide are committed as ever to resist the corporate polluters and the billionaire takeover of democracy.
This Youth Month, the South African Police Service (SAPS) proudly celebrates the dynamic young men and women in uniform, who go above and beyond the call of duty.
Among them is 27-year-old Constable Roycolle Naicker, a trailblazing drone pilot based in Johannesburg District, Gauteng.
Armed with a qualification in Forensic Science and Technology, Naicker is part of a new generation of officers using innovation to fight crime. He joined the SAPS in 2019 at just 21 years old, trading in his previous role in the motor industry as a fitter and turner for a life of public service.
Policing runs in Naicker’s blood. Growing up surrounded by family members in the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies, he was inspired by their dedication and courage. Their example lit a fire in him to serve and protect his country.
Following basic police training, Naicker quickly expanded his skillset. In 2020, he completed Crime Intelligence training, and two years later, earned his licence as a drone pilot. His work now takes him to the skies, providing critical aerial support for operations on the ground.
From capturing high-definition footage during crime prevention missions to collecting evidence that strengthens investigations, Naicker’s drone expertise plays a vital role. These flying tools offer a bird’s eye view that helps officers plan ahead, track suspects, and access hard-to-reach areas.
In search and rescue missions, drones equipped with thermal cameras even allow officers to detect movement in the dark, giving the SAPS a powerful edge.
Drones have revolutionised police operations, allowing them to monitor high risk areas, predict suspects’ movements, and respond faster than ever before.
Although he is passionate about drones, Naicker’s heart remains rooted in his forensic background. He hopes to one day join the SAPS Forensic Division, where he believes his technical skills and drone expertise can further strengthen crime scene investigations.
True to his values, Naicker lives by the principle of doing good even when no one is watching. It’s this quiet integrity that he hopes to pass on to South Africa’s youth.
“You can do anything you put your mind to,” said Naicker to the youth of South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
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 12 (Xinhua) — The Second Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting was held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Wednesday, chaired by Yin Hejun, head of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, according to a statement posted on the ministry’s official website.
Speaking at the event, Yin Hejun said that the Chinese government has so far signed bilateral intergovernmental agreements on scientific and technological cooperation with more than 80 countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. The construction of more than 70 Belt and Road joint laboratories and 10 international technology transfer centers has been launched.
In addition, according to him, China is actively developing scientific, technical and humanitarian exchanges and cooperation in the field of technology parks, organizing the implementation of special plans for cooperation in the fields of technologies for sustainable development, geospatial research, poverty reduction through scientific and technical achievements, innovative entrepreneurship, etc.
These measures will ensure the flow of innovative energy for high-quality construction of the Belt and Road, Yin Hejun emphasized.
The meeting was attended by science, technology and innovation ministers and their representatives from 41 Belt and Road member countries.
The meeting participants had an in-depth exchange of views, focusing on issues of unleashing new potentials and forming new models of scientific and technological cooperation, as well as jointly building the Belt and Road innovation and technology community. The broad discussion was devoted to deepening cooperation in such key areas as artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies, green and low-carbon solutions, as well as improving the global scientific and technological governance system.
After more than 20 months of devastating violence in Gaza, the right-wing Israeli government’s pursuit of two irreconcilable objectives — “destroying” Hamas and releasing Israeli hostages — has left the coastal strip in ruins.
At least 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military, close to two million have been forcibly displaced, and many are starving. These atrocities have provoked intense moral outrage around the world and turned Israel into a pariah state.
Meanwhile, Hamas is resolved to retain control over Gaza, even at the cost of sacrificing numerous innocent Palestinian lives for its own survival.
Both sides have been widely accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and mainly in Israel’s case, genocide.
While the obstacles to ending the fighting remain stubbornly difficult to overcome, a troubling pattern has become increasingly apparent.
The very outrage that succeeded in mobilising, sustaining and swelling international opinion against Israel’s actions — a natural psychological response to systematic injustice — has also reinforced a “siege mentality” already present among many in its Jewish population.
This siege mentality may have undermined more proactive Israeli Jewish public support for a ceasefire and “day-after” concessions.
A toxic cocktail of emotions
Several dominant groups have shaped the conflict’s dynamics, each driven by a distinct set of emotional responses.
For many Israeli Jews, the massacres of October 7 have aggravated longstanding feelings of victimhood and mistrust, fears of terrorist attacks, perceptions of existential threats, intergenerational traumas stemming from the Holocaust, and importantly, the strong sense of siege mentality.
Together, these emotions have produced a toxic blend of anger, hatred and intense desire for revenge.
For the Palestinians, Israel’s devastation of Gaza has followed decades of oppressive occupation, endless rights violations, humiliation and dispossession. This has exacerbated feelings of hopelessness, fear and abandonment by the world.
The wider, global pro-Palestinian camp has been driven by moral outrage over the atrocities being committed in Gaza, alongside empathy for the victims and a sense of guilt over Western governments’ complicity in the killings through the provision of arms to Israel.
Similarly, for Israel’s supporters around the world, anger and resentment have led to feelings of persecution, and in turn, victimisation and a sense of siege.
Many on both sides have become prisoners of this moral outrage. And this has suppressed compassion for the suffering of the “other” — those we perceive as perpetrators of injustice against the side we support.
Complaints of bias and content omissions
Choosing sides in a conflict translates almost inevitably into biases in how we select, process and assess new information.
This tendency also increases our sensitivity to omissions of facts we deem important for our cause.
Since early in the crisis, voices in the two camps have accused the mainstream media in the West of biased coverage in favour of the “other”. These feelings have added fuel to the moral outrage and sense of injustice among both sides.
Outrage in the pro-Israel camp has focused mainly on a perceived global conspiracy to absolve Hamas of any responsibility.
In that view, Israel has been singled out as the only culpable party for the killings in Gaza. This is despite the fact Hamas unleashed the violence on October 7, used the Gazan population as human shields while hiding in tunnels, and refused to release all the Israeli hostages to end the fighting.
On both sides, then, significant focus has been placed on omissions of facts that could support one’s own narrative or cause.
A siege mentality in Israel
Many Israelis continue to relive October 7 while remaining decidedly blind to the daily horrors their military inflicts on Gaza in their name. For them, the global outrage has reinforced a long-existing and potent siege mentality.
The so-called “ring of fire” created around Israel by Iran and its proxies —Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Houthis — has further amplified this siege mentality. Their stated objective is the destruction of Israel.
I’ve conducted an exploratory study of Israeli media, government statements and English Jewish diaspora publications from October 2023 to May 2025, reviewing some 5,000 articles and video clips.
In this research, I’ve identified strong, consistent uses of siege mentality language, phrases such as:
In a detailed analysis of 65 English articles from major Israeli outlets, such as The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, and Jewish publications in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, I found siege mentality language in nearly nine out of ten searches.
Importantly, nearly half of these occurrences were in response to pro-Palestinian rhetoric or advocacy: campus protests and actions targeting Israelis or Jews, university groups refusing to condemn October 7, or foreign governments’ recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The sharp increase in attacks on Jews and Jewish installations since October 7 has also sparked global debates over rising antisemitism. Distinguishing honest critiques of Israel’s actions in Gaza from antisemitic rhetoric has become contentious, as has the use of antisemitism claims by Israeli leaders to dismiss much of this criticism.
Moving forward
When viewed through the prism of injustice, the strong asymmetry between Israeli and Palestinian suffering has long been apparent. But it’s grown even wider following Israel’s brutal responses to October 7.
The culpability of Israel’s government and Hamas for the atrocities in Gaza is incontestable. However, many in the Israeli-Jewish public must also share some of the blame for refusing to stand up to – or by actively supporting – their extremist government’s policies.
The pro-Palestine movement’s justice-driven campaigns have done much to combat international bystanding and motivate governments to act. At the same time, the unwillingness to unite behind a clearer unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ massacres may have been a strategic mistake.
By ignoring or minimising the targeting of civilians, the hostage-taking and the reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas, a vocal minority of advocates has weakened the movement’s otherwise strong moral authority with some of the audiences it needed to influence most. First and foremost, this is people in Israel itself.
My research suggests that while injustice-based outrage can be effective at generating attention and engagement, it can also produce negative side effects. One adverse impact has been the polarisation of the public debate over Gaza, which, in turn, has contributed to the intensification of Israelis’ siege mentality.
Noam Chomsky, a well-known Jewish academic and fierce critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, once noted in relation to Palestinian advocacy:
You have to ask yourself, when you conduct some tactic, what the effect is going to be on the victims. You don’t pursue a tactic because it makes you feel good.
The question, then, is how to harness the strong mobilising power of moral outrage for positive ends – preventing bystander apathy to atrocities – without the potential negative consequences. These include polarisation, expanded violence, feeding a siege mentality (when applicable), and making peace negotiations more difficult.
The children in Gaza and elsewhere in the world deserve advocacy that will prioritise their welfare over the release of moral outrage — however justified.
So, what approaches would most effectively help end the suffering?
Most immediately, the solution rests primarily with Israel and, by extension, the Trump administration as the only international actor powerful enough to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt the killings.
Beyond that, and looking toward the future, justice-based activism should be grounded in universal moral principles, acknowledge all innocent victims, and work to create space for both societies to recognise each other’s humanity.
I served as a counterterrorism specialist with the Israeli Defence Forces in the 1980s.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
InvestHK and London ETO strengthen HKSAR-UK innovation ties at London Tech Week 2025 As the official Founders Fuse Partners at London Tech Week, InvestHK and the London ETO hosted a series of fireside chats moderated by the Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion at InvestHK London Office, Ms Daisy Ip. Speakers included members of InvestHK’s Innovation and Technology teams, who outlined Hong Kong’s strengths as a hub for global start-ups, research and development and business expansion. The Senior Manager, New Ventures Development at Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Ms Josephine Chan, and Associate Director of Ecosystem Development (Artificial Intelligence) at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited Mr Sean Chen also shared the latest developments in the region’s vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem.
Complementing these were case studies from UK-based founders who have successfully entered the Hong Kong market with support from InvestHK. Featured speakers included the Founder of Comms8, Ms Carol Chan; Co-founder and Managing Director of HOMETAINMENT, Mr Antoine Melon; Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Assureful, Mr Rohit Nair; Chief Executive Officer and Founder of upLYFT, Mr Aalok Rai; Founder of Owl + Lark, Mr Hafiz Shariff; Chief Executive Officer of Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, Ms Yang Ming; Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Guildhawk, Ms Jurga Zilinskiene. Their experiences reflect the diversity of sectors, from artificial intelligence (AI) and lifestyle to technology-enabled marketing and consumer products, where British businesses are thriving in Hong Kong’s vibrant and globally connected economy.
InvestHK also co-organised a networking reception with the London ETO on June 9 (London time) for participants of the London Tech Week to promote business opportunities in Hong Kong, attracting over 130 participants from the UK Government, as well as the financial, innovation and technology, and business sectors.
Ms Ip said, “Hong Kong is a dynamic launch pad for British entrepreneurs to Asia’s fastest-growing markets in innovation, backed by over HK$200 billion in government support for technology growth in AI, biotech, Web3, and more. With initiatives like the Top Talent Pass Scheme and access to the 87 million consumers with a Gross Domestic Product of US$2 trillion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong offers start-ups and scale-ups unparalleled opportunities. This week’s engagement reflects the strong appetite for collaboration between our two technology ecosystems. We see great potential for long-term partnerships that drive global innovation and growth.”
According to InvestHK’s 2024 Startup Survey, the UK is the second-largest source of international start-up founders in Hong Kong, underscoring the city’s strong appeal among British entrepreneurs. Issued at HKT 15:10
The NATO STO has announced the winners of the Women & Girls in Science 2025 (WGS25) Challenge, an initiative aimed at promoting scientific excellence across the Alliance. The WGS25 Finale, held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 6 June, brought together 12 finalists from 11 NATO Nations to present research proposals that address key challenges in defence and security.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) reflects a shared commitment to deepening economic ties and fostering inclusive growth across regions.
Speaking at the India-Sweden High-Level Trade and Investment Policy Forum, Goyal underlined the potential for increased collaboration between India and Sweden. The forum was attended by members of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprises and leading Swedish and Indian businesses.
“The joint paper on the proposed India-EU FTA, released at the event, underscores our collective commitment to strengthening economic ties and fostering inclusive growth. The India-Sweden partnership is a model of how two diverse economies can create mutual benefit through shared vision and cooperation. I look forward to translating these deliberations into concrete opportunities,” Goyal said.
During his visit, Goyal also met Marie Sandin, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Sweden, and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in sustainable packaging solutions. The two sides explored opportunities for expanding research and development initiatives in India and strengthening capabilities in advanced equipment manufacturing.
In an interaction with Swedish business leaders at a dinner reception hosted by the Sweden-India Business Council and the Embassy of India, Goyal highlighted India’s growing appeal as an investment destination. He cited the country’s steady progress in sustainable development and its Zero Defect, Zero Effect manufacturing philosophy as key drivers of economic opportunity.
“I emphasised the remarkable progress India has made in technology, innovation, and R&D, backed by the strength of our skilled and talented workforce. I encouraged Swedish businesses to explore opportunities in India, where there is immense potential for collaboration and mutual growth,” he said.
Goyal also participated in the concluding session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Indo-Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation, alongside Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa. The ministers discussed how capital, talent, and technology exchanges continue to shape the strategic partnership between the two countries, with science and innovation at the forefront.
The robotic Solar Orbiter spacecraft has obtained the first images ever taken of our sun’s two poles as scientists seek a deeper understanding of Earth’s host star, including its magnetic field, its 11-year cycle of activity and the solar wind.
The European Space Agency on Wednesday released images taken in March using three of Solar Orbiter’s onboard instruments. They show the sun’s south pole from a distance of roughly 40 million miles (65 million km), obtained at a period of maximum solar activity. Images of the north pole are still being transmitted by the spacecraft back to Earth.
Solar Orbiter, developed by ESA in collaboration with the U.S. space agency NASA, was launched in 2020 from Florida.
Until now, all the views of the sun have come from the same vantage point – looking face-on toward its equator from the plane on which Earth and most of the solar system’s other planets orbit, called the ecliptic plane.
Solar Orbiter used a slingshot flyby around Venus in February to get out of this plane to view the sun from up to 17 degrees below the solar equator. Future slingshot flybys will provide an even better view, at beyond 30 degrees.
“The best is still to come. What we have seen is just a first quick peek,” said solar physicist Sami Solanki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, who heads the scientific team for the spacecraft’s Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager instrument.
“The spacecraft observed both poles, first the south pole, then the north pole,” Solanki said. “The north pole’s data will arrive in the coming weeks or months.”
Solar Orbiter is gathering data on phenomena including the sun’s magnetic field, its activity cycle, and the solar wind, a relentless high-speed flow of charged particles emanating from the sun’s outermost atmospheric layer that fills interplanetary space.
“We are not sure what we will find, and it is likely we will see things that we didn’t know about before,” said solar physicist Hamish Reid of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UK co-principal investigator of Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument.
The sun is a ball of hot electrically charged gas that, as it moves, generates a powerful magnetic field, which flips from south to north and back again every 11 years in what is called the solar cycle.
The magnetic field drives the formation of sunspots, cooler regions on the solar surface that appear as dark blotches. At the cycle’s beginning, the sun has fewer sunspots. Their number increases as the cycle progresses, before starting all over again.
“What we have been missing to really understand this (solar cycle) is what is actually happening at the top and bottom of the sun,” Reid said.
The sun’s diameter is about 865,000 miles (1.4 million km), more than 100 times wider than Earth.
“Whilst the Earth has a clear north and south pole, the Solar Orbiter measurements show both north and south polarity magnetic fields are currently present at the south pole of the sun. This happens during the maximum in activity of the solar cycle, when the sun’s magnetic field is about to flip. In the coming years, the sun will reach solar minimum, and we expect to see a more orderly magnetic field around the poles of the sun,” Reid said.
“We see in the images and movies of the polar regions that the sun’s magnetic field is chaotic at the poles at the (current) phase of the solar cycle – high solar activity, cycle maximum,” Solanki said.
The sun is located about 93 million miles (149 million km) from our planet.
“The data that Solar Orbiter obtains during the coming years will help modelers in predicting the solar cycle. This is important for us on Earth because the sun’s activity causes solar flares and coronal mass ejections which can result in radio communication blackouts, destabilize our power grids, but also drive the sensational auroras,” Reid said.
“Solar Orbiter’s new vantage point out of the ecliptic will also allow us to get a better picture of how the solar wind expands to form the heliosphere, a vast bubble around the sun and its planets,” Reid added.
A previous spacecraft, Ulysses, flew over the solar poles in the 1990s.
“Ulysses, however, was blind in the sense that it did not carry any optical instruments – telescopes or cameras – and hence could only sense the solar wind passing the spacecraft directly, but could not image the sun,” Solanki said.
