1, Jul 2026
IV Obninsk NEW‑2026 Youth Forum Wraps Up with Record International Turnout
Over 700 delegates from 85 countries gathered in Russia’s first science city
Moscow, July 01: The fourth Obninsk NEW‑2026 International Youth Forum has concluded in Obninsk, Kaluga Region. The event focused on building a skilled workforce for the global nuclear power industry and was supported by Rosatom, the Government of the Kaluga Region, and the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.
More than 700 participants fr om 85 countries took part in person, alongside high‑level delegations from 10 nations. Thousands more students joined online through 25 partner broadcasting platforms, making this year’s forum the largest to date.
The speaker line‑up underscored the forum’s growing international prestige. Attendees heard addresses from Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Russian Government; Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA; and Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association. A high‑level plenary session featured IAEA Deputy Director General Mikhail Chudakov, as well as heads of national nuclear agencies from partner countries, including Almasadam Satkaliev (Kazakhstan) and Azim Akhmedhadzhaev (Uzbekistan).
The programme was split into two parts. The morning sessions explored youth engagement: how young communities are reshaping the nuclear industry, what joint projects can emerge from international cooperation, and what role Obninsk could play in building a global network of young nuclear leaders. The afternoon was given over to expert panel discussions with representatives from various nuclear organisations. One standout contribution came from Alexander Alekseev, Deputy Director of the Science and Integration Department at the ITER Organization, who spoke about the importance of thermonuclear research and voiced his hope that fusion would become a lifelong mission for talented scientists and engineers.
The forum also served as the centrepiece of a 10‑day educational marathon for young professionals from around the world who are building careers in nuclear and related fields. As part of that marathon, the first modules were launched of the joint Rosatom Academy–IAEA programme on human resource management for newcomer countries, the Obninsk Tech Summer University, and the international female camp “Invisible Force”.
Tangible outcomes included two agreements signed in the presence of Rosatom, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, and Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha. The documents are designed to promote Russian engineering education in nuclear technologies abroad and to give further momentum to the Obninsk Tech project, which is being developed with IAEA support.
A separate highlight was the meeting between Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and the new members of the Impact Team 2050 International Youth Council – 13 young leaders from 13 countries. They discussed ways to spread the message of peaceful atomic energy among younger generations and to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Another notable event was the presentation of the book Principles in Action – a collection of real‑life stories and practices showing how the ideas of the Youth Declaration of Nuclear Cooperation have been applied in education, science, medicine and environmental protection.
Alexey Likhachev: “Our mission is to meet the global challenge of training qualified specialists for the nuclear industry. The world’s growing reliance on nuclear power requires not only new technologies, but also a robust international education system. In Obninsk – Russia’s first science city – we are building exactly that kind of open, modern, forward‑looking environment. The Obninsk Tech international education cluster is already taking shape here with IAEA support, and the agreements signed today will help us scale up Russian nuclear engineering education abroad.”
Vladimir Shevchenko, Rector of MEPhI: “The world is changing tectonically, and we cannot afford to be passive observers. I am confident that Obninsk Tech will become a place wh ere our own and international students not only study, but also regularly exchange experience and build the horizontal ties that turn a group of individuals into a team of creators. This is more than just a MEPhI campus project – it is a national‑scale effort involving leading universities, especially members of the Rosatom partner university consortium. By bringing together the best programmes, faculty and practices for working with international students, Obninsk Tech will strengthen Russia’s nuclear leadership through educational leadership.”
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- By Neel Achary
1, Jul 2026
InvestYadnya Appoints Former Kotak Mahindra Bank’s DIFC Branch Dubai CEO Amul Sharma to Strengthen Financial Leadership and Growth Strategy
India, July 01 : InvestYadnya, a rapidly growing investment advisory and wealth management platform, has announced the appointment of Amul Sharma, former CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s DIFC Dubai branch, to its leadership advisory ecosystem as the company looks to strengthen its financial leadership and accelerate long-term growth initiatives.
With over two decades of experience across banking, wealth management, strategic business leadership, and financial governance, Sharma brings extensive expertise spanning Indian financial markets, investor-focused banking, and global financial ecosystems. His appointment marks a significant milestone for InvestYadnya as it continues to strengthen its research-led and investor-centric approach in India’s evolving wealth management landscape.
Over the course of his career within the Kotak Mahindra Group, Sharma has held leadership responsibilities across retail banking, wealth advisory, customer relationship management, and strategic business transformation. His experience in understanding investor behaviour, building long-term financial relationships, and navigating evolving market dynamics is expected to contribute meaningfully to InvestYadnya’s vision of enabling informed investing and sustainable wealth creation for Indian investors.
“Amul Sharma Sir’s leadership experience and deep understanding of financial markets bring tremendous strategic value to Invest Yadnya,” said Parimal Ade, Founder – InvestYadnya.in. “His perspective on investor trust, wealth management, and long-term value creation aligns closely with our mission of building a transparent and future-ready investment platform for Indian investors.”
Commenting on his association with Invest Yadnya, Amul Sharma said, “India’s investment ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation as more individuals actively participate in wealth creation and financial planning journeys. InvestYadnya has built a strong foundation around research, transparency, and investor education. I look forward to contributing to its next phase of growth and supporting its vision of creating long-term value for investors through credible and research-backed financial insights.”
As India witnesses rising retail participation in capital markets and increasing awareness around long-term financial planning, InvestYadnya sees Amul Sharma’s appointment as an important step toward enhancing its strategic capabilities, investor engagement, and research-driven financial ecosystem.
Amul Sharma has also played key leadership and governance roles across international financial centres, including serving as CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) branch. In addition, he has been associated with board-level oversight responsibilities across entities in Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM) and Mauritius, bringing valuable experience in regulatory governance, cross-border financial ecosystems, and strategic growth frameworks.
With Amul Sharma joining its advisory leadership ecosystem, InvestYadnya aims to further strengthen its capabilities across investment research, investor education, strategic growth initiatives, and technology-led financial innovation for the Indian market.
1, Jul 2026
IMD Issues Thunderstorm, Lightning Alert for 14 Odisha Districts
Bhubaneswar, July 1 (UDN): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a nowcast warning for 14 districts of Odisha, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning, light to moderate rainfall, and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph over the next three hours.
The districts likely to be affected are Angul, Ganjam, Kendrapara, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Puri, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Jajpur, and Cuttack, including Cuttack city.
The weather office has advised residents to remain alert as conditions may change rapidly. People are encouraged to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid open areas, and take shelter away from tall trees, electric poles, and other vulnerable structures to minimize the risk of lightning strikes.
Motorists should exercise caution while driving, as rainfall may lead to poor visibility and slippery road conditions. Farmers, outdoor workers, and travellers are also advised to monitor local weather updates and postpone non-essential outdoor activities until the weather improves.
Authorities have urged the public to follow safety advisories and remain vigilant throughout the warning period.
1, Jul 2026
Government Says E20 Fuel Still in Experimental Phase
New Delhi, July 1 (UDN): The Central Government has clarified that the use of E20 fuel—a blend of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol—remains in an experimental and transition phase, with efforts underway to assess its long-term performance and compatibility across different vehicle categories.
Representational image
The government said the phased rollout of E20 fuel is aimed at reducing dependence on imported crude oil, lowering carbon emissions and promoting the use of domestically produced ethanol. Vehicle manufacturers have been encouraged to produce E20-compatible models, while studies on the fuel’s impact on engines, fuel efficiency and emissions continue.
Officials said consumers should use E20 fuel only in vehicles certified or recommended by manufacturers for such blends. The government added that feedback from automakers, fuel retailers and consumers will be considered before wider implementation of the programme.
The E20 initiative forms part of India’s broader strategy to expand the use of biofuels, strengthen energy security and support environmental sustainability.
1, Jul 2026
Mapping the Risk Factors for Mother-Infant Bonding Disorder
University of Toyama researchers find three factors that predict mother-to-infant bonding difficulties in the absence of postnatal depression
July 1: Mother-to-infant bonding difficulties (MIBD) are commonly associated with postnatal depression. MIBD has been linked to developmental delays and child abuse. Researchers found that about half of MIBD cases in Japan involve mothers who did not experience postpartum depression. Difficulty holding a fussy baby, lack of happiness about pregnancy, and low social support predict an increased risk of MIBD. Clinicians observing these signs should intervene to ensure maternal and child well-being.
A strong emotional bond between a mother and her child is vital during early infancy. However, some mothers experience indifference, aloofness, or anger when interacting with their infants, a phenomenon called mother-to-infant bonding difficulties (MIBD). MIBD has been linked to inappropriate child-rearing and developmental delays in children. Therefore, it becomes crucial for medical professionals to intervene and help mothers bond better with their infants.
Researchers have long known that postnatal depression is a strong predictor of MIBD. However, mothers without postnatal depression make up a very large proportion of mother-child pairs affected by MIBD. “The prevalence of MIBD is reported to be 11%–12%, but to our knowledge, there are relatively few reports on the prevalence of MIBD without postnatal depression,” says Ms. Hitomi Inano from the Department of Nursing Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan. “It is highly likely that maternal bonding difficulties are involved in the steadily increasing incidence of child abuse and developmental disorders in recent years,” she adds.
Ms. Inano led a study on MIBD in mothers without postnatal depression. This study was supported by Dr. Akiko Tsuchida, Dr. Hidekuni Inadera, and Professor Tomomi Hasegawa from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toyama, as well as Dr. Kenta Matsumura from the Aomori University of Health and Welfare. Using data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), the researchers studied the overall prevalence of MIBD and factors associated with increased MIBD risk. Their findings were made available online on June 3, 2026, in Volume 29 of the journal Archives of Women’s Mental Health.
The research team found that MIBD was present in 11.6% of all mother-child pairs in the JECS dataset, which was consistent with previous studies. While MIBD prevalence was only 7.7% in mother-child pairs where the mother did not have postnatal depression, this group still accounted for nearly half of all cases of MIBD in the dataset. Next, the team looked at the prevalence of the two components of MIBD, namely lack of affection (LA) and anger and rejection (AR). 38.2% of mothers gave at least one affirmative response to LA-related items, compared with 51.8% for AR-related items.
What aspects of pregnancy and postpartum increase the risk of MIBD? The team analyzed 30 variables across six dimensions: child factors, maternal physical factors, maternal lifestyle factors, maternal psychological factors, maternal social and economic factors, and healthcare or medical intervention factors. Of these, three variables showed the strongest associations with MIBD.
The strongest predictor was a mother reporting difficulty in holding her infant due to crying, fussiness, or back-arching at one month postpartum; these mothers were 3.45 times more likely to experience MIBD at one year postpartum. The second strongest predictor was a mother reporting any emotion other than happiness upon pregnancy confirmation—confusion, upset, or neutrality were associated with a 2.42-fold increase in MIBD risk. Conversely, mothers reporting high social support during their pregnancy had a 55% lower likelihood of experiencing MIBD.
Ms. Inano highlights the need for active monitoring and intervention. “Mothers with bonding difficulties who screen negative for postnatal depression are unlikely to be identified by healthcare professionals and are therefore often overlooked as potential recipients of support,” she says. Clinicians should strongly consider intervening if a mother reports difficulty in handling her baby when the baby is cranky or arching their back, even if the mother shows no signs of postnatal depression.
Ms. Inano hopes that these findings will lead to more mothers receiving timely support, thus ensuring their own well-being and the healthy development of their children.
1, Jul 2026
Uber Launches Record My Ride and Ambulance Assistance in Major Safety Push
Chandigarh, July 01: Uber today continued its effort to raise the bar on safety with new and industry-first safety features designed to make every trip safer for riders and drivers. The company has introduced Record My Ride, an industry-first feature that enables drivers to securely record encrypted in-cab video within the Uber app during trips using their own phones. Additionally, in an initiative to strengthen emergency response, Uber has partnered with medical logistics provider Dial 4242 to integrate Ambulance Assistance directly within its platform.
The new launches build on Uber’s continued leadership in safety innovation in recent years, with industry-first features such as Audio Recording, Women Rider Preference, Helmet Selfie Verification and Seatbelt Reminders, alongside a suite of other technology-led and human interventions designed to improve safety and accountability on every trip.
Beyond technology, Uber continues to invest in partnerships and programmes that promote safer mobility. The company has been a proud partner to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways on the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan using its platform to spread awareness on prioritising safety over speed, while continuing to strengthen safety for drivers and build dedicated experiences for families through products such as Uber for Teens and Uber for Seniors.
Union Minister for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, said, “Following traffic rules, wearing seat belts and helmets, sound simple but play a big role in reducing fatalities in road accidents. Technology can play an important role in spreading awareness and making our roads safer. I appreciate Uber’s continued partnership on Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan and its efforts to introduce innovations that promote safer road behaviour and improve support during emergencies.”
Sooraj Nair, Head – Safety Operations, Uber India & South Asia, said, “What feels innovative today becomes expected tomorrow. That’s exactly how safety should evolve. Our belief is simple: safety innovation should become the industry’s baseline, not remain a differentiator. Our industry-first safety features and partnerships highlight our commitment to continually raise the bar. As expectations evolve, we hope the industry will rise up to meet them.”
New features:
- Record My Ride: Drivers can now securely record encrypted in-cab video using their own phones within the Uber app if they feel unsafe during a trip. The recording remains compliant with applicable laws, encrypted, meaning neither the driver nor Uber can access them and is only accessible if the driver chooses to submit it as part of a safety report, ensuring strong privacy protections.
- Ambulance Assistance: In partnership with Dial 4242, Uber has introduced Ambulance Assistance to help riders and drivers quickly request medical support following an accident during a trip on the platform. The feature is available through Uber’s existing 24×7 Safety Line.
- Don’t Type & Drive: To mitigate distracted driving, the Uber driver app will restrict manual typing functionalities while the vehicle is in motion, prompting drivers to pull over safely before responding to messages.
- Set Your Own PIN: Riders can now manually customize, manage, and mandate their own unique trip-verification PINs, ensuring full control over the trip validation process.
Alongside these new features, Uber continues to offer a range of safety features that have helped shape the expectations of ride-hailing experience over the years. Features such as RideCheck, 24×7 Safety Line, Safety Preferences, Phone and Address Anonymisation, continue to support riders and drivers before, during and after every trip. Many of these innovations were first introduced by Uber and have since become part of what riders increasingly expect from mobility platforms.
These initiatives reinforce Uber’s dedication to enhanced safety through use of technology and collaboration with experts.
1, Jul 2026
As the World Races to Make More Chips, the Next Bottleneck May Be Femtosecond Lasers
Nikolajus Gavrillinas, co-founder and CEO of LITILIT. (Source: LITILIT)
July 1, Vilnius, Lithuania. Last week, Apple announced that it would increase prices for its MacBooks and iPads by 20%, making it the latest company to raise electronics prices amid soaring chip costs and shortages. According to experts, the solution to increasing chip production lies not only in expanding manufacturing capacity but also in securing the right precision tools.
At the end of June, Apple said that it would raise prices for its devices due to chip shortages, noting that it had “never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.” Other tech companies, including Microsoft, Sony, Dell and HP have also increased prices or are planning to do so. The pressure is being felt across the whole electronics market: over the past year, memory chip prices have spiked approximately six-fold, according to a Morgan Stanley report quoted by Reuters.
The main reason for the price hikes is the AI boom, which has driven memory chip costs to levels that manufacturers can no longer absorb.
According to experts at LITILIT, a startup manufacturing femtosecond lasers, as chip demand grows, the world may also face a shortage of precision tools to manufacture them. Nikolajus Gavrilinas, CEO of LITILIT, says that femtosecond lasers are increasingly used in manufacturing the latest generation of semiconductors due to highly accurate processing with minimal thermal impact.
“On a modern chip node, even sub-microscopic thermal damage makes a component unusable. As chips become more complex, manufacturers turn to femtosecond lasers that can remove material without causing any thermal damage to the surrounding structure. Since femtosecond lasers are also increasingly used in the production of the equipment for the data centers and many other advanced applications, the world might also face a bottleneck, as femtosecond laser production remains concentrated in a small number of facilities worldwide,” Gavrilinas says.
Gavrilinas notes that having strong domestic femtosecond laser production capacity is especially important for Europe, which has recently proposed Chips Act 2, aiming to double the EU’s global semiconductor market share from 10% to 20% by 2030. Similarly, the US and China are also pushing to increase local chip manufacturing.
To address the potential shortage of femtosecond lasers, LITILIT has just broken ground on a new femtosecond laser factory in Vilnius. The factory targets a production capacity of 3,000 lasers per year within a couple of years of launch, making it the highest-capacity femtosecond laser facility in the world.
The company is producing lasers based on a few patented inventions (link to patent 1, link 2), made by Kęstutis Regelskis, Nerijus Rusteika, and Gavrilinas, in close collaboration with the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) in Vilnius. The company’s long-term vision is to bring femtosecond lasers to massive-scale applications, with similar cost, integration simplicity, and reliability as nanosecond fiber lasers.
“Typical femtosecond lasers can deliver exceptional application performance, but are notoriously difficult to manufacture and require highly qualified specialists in production. We developed lasers with reduced component complexity, a purpose-built design, a high level of automation, and production processes adapted to serial manufacturing. This makes them ideal for serial production at the scale required for manufacturing semiconductors and other components that demand high-precision tools,” Gavrilinas explains.
According to Gavrilinas, the lesson from the current chip shortage is that advanced manufacturing depends on more than the capacity of the lithography process. It also requires access to other enabling tools behind next-generation production: from femtosecond lasers to advanced packaging and precision material-processing systems.
1, Jul 2026
Peer-Reviewed Study Identifies Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap as Best-Performing for Facemask Impact Protection
Sports protective leader Guardian Sports & Stanford founded SoftShox achieves up to a 35% reduction in Head Acceleration Response Metric
ATLANTA (July 01) – Guardian Sports, the company leading sports safety at all levels of play, announces its inclusion in a new peer-reviewed study published in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering, highlighting statistically significant effects of the Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap, including up to a 35% reduction in HARM (Head Acceleration Response Metric) during laboratory testing.
In 2024, the NFL found that 44% of in-game concussions were caused by facemask-to-facemask blows, and 50% of all impacts are facemask-to-facemask. The facemask zone is the most underdeveloped impact location on the modern football helmet. The new Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap aims to address that gap.
The new publication evaluated fourteen different chinstraps as part of official laboratory impact testing, with head kinematics recorded to calculate HARM rates. The results demonstrated statistically significant impact reductions among bottom straps compared to top straps, as well as thicker chin cup liners compared to thinner models.
The study found that the Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap achieved a 35% reduction in HARM at 3.0 m/s and a 31% reduction in HARM at 7.3 m/s, providing peer-reviewed evidence of its impact-mitigating performance.
Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson shares, “This study marks a major milestone in sports safety & our quest to improve athlete protection & performance, providing scientific validation for the safety benefits of the Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap. We’re thankful to collaborate with the innovative team at SoftShox to achieve this milestone and look forward to seeing the Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap on football fields across the country this Fall.”
With teams across the U.S., from high school athletes to professional leagues, planning to wear the chinstrap during the upcoming 2026 season, this new data is expected to further support adoption.
1, Jul 2026
Engineering the next generation of semiconductor materials, one layer at a time
News Release: Engineering the next generation of semiconductor materials, one layer at a time
July 1, 2026 — Silicon is an essential element for creating semiconductors, the building blocks of all modern-day computing technologies. However, as devices continue to shrink, engineers are approaching the limits of what silicon can achieve.
It’s time for some new materials.
As a Ph.D. student in the Advanced Devices and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ADSEL), Sengunthar Karthikeyan is helping to reinvent the foundation of semiconductors at the atomic level.
“The aim is to address the challenges in incorporating novel semiconductors in the future,” Karthikeyan said. “I’ve really enjoyed the hands-on research, growing material systems that have the potential to create different types of electronic and photonic devices, such as transistors, lasers, and photodetectors on the same platform.”
Creative solutions
Semiconductors are materials such as silicon with the ability to conduct or insulate against electricity. They serve as the microscopic on/off switches inside all modern electronics. As components have shrunk, engineers have encountered new challenges: electrons leaking through physical barriers in a process called tunneling and power density causing overheating. Silicon is also inefficient at emitting light, limiting its usefulness for photonic applications.
In the ADSEL group, Karthikeyan, his advisor Mantu Hudait, professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and fellow Ph.D. students experiment with elements such as indium, gallium, aluminum, tin, and germanium to create new materials that can replace silicon in future electronic systems. Components forged from new materials made from various combinations — such as indium-gallium-aluminum-
“ADSEL has given me an opportunity to analyze and understand the science behind the structure properties and co-relate them to device performance metrics,” said Karthikeyan. “I’ve been inspired to investigate numerous creative solutions before letting logistics interfere.”
For example, Karthikeyan spent nearly 14 hours carefully etching through a semiconductor layer to reach a target interface just nanometers thick. After missing the area on his first attempt, he repeated the experiment. He was able to successfully capture data used to characterize the material for future laser and photodetector applications. The efforts were detailed in his inaugural paper, Lattice‑matched GeSn with enhanced carrier confinement, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C.
What’s ahead
After completing his internship at Intel this summer, Karthikeyan will join the front end of line in the semiconductor industry, where he’s excited to bridge the gap between fundamental materials research and practical technology. His ultimate goal is to develop a way for transistors, lasers, and photodetectors to be manufactured together on the same semiconductor wafer.
“Karthikeyan’s contributions have strengthened our research in meaningful ways,” said Hudait. “His future impact will be significant. I’m excited to see him carry forward the curiosity, discipline, and integrity he has shown in our research group.”
Original study: DOI.10.1039/D3TC01018J
1, Jul 2026
Abraham Accords, IMEC corridor: 53 local authorities across Northern Israel unite in a historic, unprecedented alliance to shape the region’s future
Against the backdrop of profound regional transformations, driven by the Abraham Accords and the development of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), 53 local authorities in northern Israel have, for the first time, forged an unprecedented regional alliance aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating economic development.
This regional initiative, named the “Next Bay 53-City Alliance,” brings together 53 local authorities stretching from Haifa Bay to the Beit She’an Valley and the Galilee, a strategic geographic, economic and social region home to more than 2 million residents, including Jewish, Arab, Druze, Bedouin, Circassian, Bahá’í, and Ahmadi communities.
The alliance aims to strengthen northern Israel’s position as the country’s gateway to regional connectivity, foster cooperation among local authorities, and leverage the opportunities created by the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) to promote economic growth, innovation, job creation, and regional development.
Thanks to its strategic location and infrastructure, northern Israel, including the Port of Haifa, one of the largest ports in the Eastern Mediterranean, is a key logistics hub along the IMEC Corridor. As Israel’s maritime gateway to the region, it represents a major strategic asset for expanding trade and connectivity between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The Next Bay 53-City Alliance was jointly founded by the Haifa Bay Local Authorities Cluster, the Kinneret Valleys Cluster, the Galilee and Valleys Cluster, the Municipality of Haifa, the Municipality of Beit She’an, and the Emek HaMaayanot Regional Council.
Last Thursday, their respective leaders signed the Alliance’s founding charter. The signing ceremony was followed by a panel discussion featuring senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy, Interior, Energy, Transport, Communications, and Regional Cooperation, focusing on the policy priorities and collaborative actions needed to position northern Israel within the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Earlier this month, Frank Melloul was appointed Ambassador of the Next Bay 53-City Alliance to help raise the Alliance’s international profile and promote its vision and objectives on the global stage.
David Even Tzur, Chairman of the Haifa Bay Local Authorities Cluster and Mayor of Kiryat Yam, said: “Haifa Bay and northern Israel are home to a unique human mosaic. By bringing our local authorities together, we will be better positioned to seize the opportunities created by the Abraham Accords and the IMEC Corridor, driving economic growth, innovation, and regional development. The potential is tremendous.”
Munir Zbeidat, Head of the Basmat Tivon Local Council and Chairman of the Forum of Bedouin Local Authorities in Northern Israel, said: “The Arab, Bedouin, and Circassian communities are committed to being an integral part of the regional vision advanced by the Forum of 53 Local Authorities. We want to be full partners in this initiative, contributing to its economic development momentum and working together to create jobs, foster growth, and expand opportunities for all residents of northern Israel.”
Yaakov Peretz, Mayor of Kiryat Ata, said: “The IMEC Corridor is a powerful example of the strategic opportunities emerging for our region, reinforcing northern Israel’s position as a major engine of growth for the country. This initiative has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs, strengthen economic resilience, attract new investment, and accelerate regional development for the benefit of all residents of northern Israel.”
Yona Yahav, Mayor of Haifa, said: “The IMEC Corridor is far more than an infrastructure and transport project. It is a strategic opportunity to create high-quality jobs, attract international investment, strengthen the local economy, and improve the quality of life for millions of people. As Israel’s leading northern metropolis, Haifa is proud to play a central role in this initiative.
For decades, Haifa—and the wider region—has served as Israel’s gateway to the world: a port city, a center of trade, research, industry, innovation, and multiculturalism.”
Shlomit Shihor Reichman, Vice Chair of the Galilee and Valleys Cluster and Head of the Emek Yizreel Regional Council, said: “The IMEC initiative is far more than an economic or transport corridor. It is a regional opportunity to strengthen partnerships, advance infrastructure, innovation, employment, and tourism, and create new engines of growth for the benefit of the region’s residents. Broad cooperation among local authorities and partners across sectors is the key to unlocking this potential.”
