Venezuela’s government and opposition have agreed to jointly seek the return of about 31 tonnes of gold, worth roughly US$4.4 billion, held in the Bank of England’s vaults beneath Threadneedle Street to fund reconstruction after June’s earthquakes that killed more than 6,000 people and damaged homes, hospitals and infrastructure. The bullion, about one-fifth of Venezuela’s reported 161-tonne reserves in 2018, has been frozen since 2018 amid UK recognition of Juan Guaidó over Nicolás Maduro. Any release is expected to involve complex UK court proceedings and strict transparency safeguards on reconstruction spending.

Asbestos management consultancy Acorn Analytical Services has expanded its contracts team, promoting long-serving staff member David Kelsey to senior contracts manager and elevating Ellis Bastable and Charlie Dalby to contracts managers. Kelsey, one of Acorn’s first full-time employees with nearly 13 years’ service, will oversee the contracts department, manage two contracts managers and ensure nationwide deployment of asbestos analysts. Bastable and Dalby, both former asbestos analysts who gained BOHS P402 surveying qualifications, will now manage client asbestos portfolios, coordinate removal works and arrange analytical support.

A 15‑year review of the Environment Agency’s Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) Plan finds sea levels in the estuary are rising faster than earlier design assumptions, putting additional pressure on the 520‑square‑kilometre flood risk management area. The findings are expected to trigger earlier or more extensive upgrades to defences including the Thames Barrier, raised tidal walls and embankments, and secondary barriers on tributaries. For geotechnical and civil engineers, this signals a need to revisit crest levels, overtopping criteria, and foundation performance under higher hydraulic loading over the plan horizon to 2100.