The Department for Transport has refused a freedom of information request to disclose what port facilities Chinese state-owned Cosco Shipping operates in the UK, after US officials alleged the firm has enabled Beijing to monitor US military communications. The decision limits public visibility of Cosco’s role in UK container terminals, logistics hubs and potential access to critical maritime data infrastructure such as fibre links and port management systems. Port planners, marine engineers and security consultants may face tighter scrutiny on future concessions, terminal upgrades and digital systems involving Chinese operators.

The UK government is creating a Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce alongside a £10.5bn funding commitment for flood defences between 2024 and 2036. The programme will target long‑term protection against extreme rainfall and prolonged dry spells, signalling sustained investment in river embankments, coastal defences, storage reservoirs and urban surface‑water schemes. Civil and geotechnical teams can expect a steady pipeline of appraisal, design and upgrade work, with closer integration of hydrological modelling, asset condition data and climate‑change allowances in line with current Environment Agency practice.

Expanding Canada’s mining tax incentives to include engineering, feasibility and technical studies as Canadian exploration expenses could lift exploration spending by up to US$1.1 billion (C$1.6 billion) per year, EY estimates for the Association for Mineral Exploration. EY projects this could advance three to five additional mines, adding C$5.2–12.2 billion to GDP from exploration and a further C$12.9–21.4 billion over mine construction plus 15–20 years of operations, against C$6.6 billion in forgone tax revenue over a decade. Budget 2025 currently proposes excluding feasibility-related costs, despite support for broader eligibility from six provinces and Yukon.