Latest news with #31
Economic Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
NYT Connections hints May 31, 2025: Decode the Saturday challenge #720 with these clues and answers
Synopsis The Connections puzzle, like its predecessors, showcases the elegance of wordplay. Its rise to popularity echoes the success of other NYT games like Wordle and Spelling Bee. The New York Times' popular daily word game, Connections , continues to challenge and entertain its growing global audience. As the month comes to a close, the Connections May 31 puzzle offered a set of clues that pushed players to think laterally across categories. For enthusiasts seeking clarity, below are hints and solutions that may help decode today's grid while maintaining the spirit of the challenge. ADVERTISEMENT Connections , developed by The New York Times, tasks players with grouping 16 seemingly unrelated words into four connected sets of four. Each set represents a category, with the objective being to identify commonalities that aren't always immediately obvious. The game, which refreshes daily, has quickly become a fixture for word game lovers who enjoy logic, language, and a touch of diving into the answers, players seeking a gentle nudge may benefit from categorized clues. As with every edition, the sets differ in difficulty, from the straightforward to the truly hints reveal that May 31's categories include themes drawn from popular culture, nature, and abstract ideas, as mentioned in a report by Beebom. While one group may seem familiar, another might require a deeper grasp of metaphor or multiple meanings. For instance: ADVERTISEMENT One group links synonyms for anger. Another relates to elements associated with water or the sea. A third taps into titles from classic literature or film. The final group draws from words related to precious materials or stones. These clues are designed to give just enough to spark insight without spoiling the experience for those who prefer to solve independently. For those who have made multiple attempts and are still puzzled, here is the full breakdown of NYT Connections answers for May 31 puzzle #720, as per a report by Beebom: Yellow Category — Emotions (Synonyms for Anger): ADVERTISEMENT Green Category — Marine Life/Water Elements: Blue Category — Titles or Iconic Names: ADVERTISEMENT Hamlet Gatsby Sherlock Huckleberry Purple Category — Precious Substances or Materials:Each category had a unifying thread that, while subtle, became more apparent upon closer inspection. The yellow set relied on emotional vocabulary; the green set shared kinetic associations with water; the blue group referenced fictional characters, and the purple category pointed toward valuables and is a daily word puzzle by The New York Times that challenges players to group 16 words into four sets of four based on shared themes or categories. ADVERTISEMENT You must identify four groups of four words that are connected by a common theme, such as emotions, famous names, or natural elements. The connections can be straightforward or cryptic. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates. NEXT STORY
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Love for VB: Community invited to ceremony honoring lives lost in May 31, 2019 mass shooting
Above is WAVY coverage from 2019 remembering the victims of the Virginia Beach mass shooting. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The City of Virginia Beach is inviting the community to show ' in remembrance of the lives lost in a mass shooting at the Municipal Center Complex on May 31, 2019. The city is hosting a six-year remembrance ceremony on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in honor of those killed and the survivors still healing from the unthinkable tragedy. The gathering will begin at 4 p.m. at the Mary C. Russo Volunteer Recognition Gazebo behind City Hall. The address is 2401 Courthouse Drive. Saturday's ceremony is open to the public and will take place rain or shine, the city said. The community is invited to wear blue, the color of remembrance, on Saturday and to participate in a moment of silence at 4:06 p.m., which is the time the first 911 call was received. 12 people were killed and four others were seriously injured in the Municipal Center Complex on May 31, 2019. A 5/31 memorial is currently under construction. It is being built at the corner of Princess Anne Road and Nimmo Parkway and is expected to be finished next year. Complete Coverage: Virginia Beach Mass Shooting For more information, visit . On May 30, 2025, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin ordered that all U.S. and Commonwealth of Virginia flags be flown at half-staff on all state and local buildings in memory of the victims of May 31 shooting. I hereby order that the flags shall be lowered at sunrise on Saturday, May 31, 2025, and remain at half-staff until sunset. Gov. Glenn Youngkin Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
State Secured Record FDIs Last Financial Year, Surge To Continue: CM
Nagpur: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday that the state secured an unprecedented Rs1,64,875 crore in foreign direct investment (FDI) for the financial year 2024-25. This accounts for 40 percent of India's total FDI inflow and marks a 32 percent increase over the previous year. "This year, Maharashtra has broken its own records for the last decade," Fadnavis said in a post on X. He added that the state had already surpassed its previous high within the first nine months of the fiscal year, crediting the surge to the 'leadership of deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and the collective effort of the state cabinet'. The chief minister highlighted that the final quarter alone — from January to March 2025 — brought in Rs25,441 crore in FDI, solidifying Maharashtra's position as India's top destination for foreign investment. "Under the leadership of my colleagues Shinde, Pawar and the cabinet, this race for our Maharashtra will continue," Fadnavis said. Official data shared by the chief minister showed Maharashtra's FDI trajectory over the past decade, with major fluctuations: Rs61,482 crore in 2015-16, rising to Rs1,31,980 crore in 2016-17, and rebounding to Rs1,19,734 crore in 2020-21 after brief dips. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรด CFDs ด้วยเทคโนโลยีเทรดสุดล้ำ และ รวดเร็วกว่า IC Markets อ่านเพิ่มเติม Undo The figure for 2024-25 marks the highest to date. Industry experts attribute Maharashtra's continued success in attracting foreign investment to its robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and investor-friendly policies, even amid broader economic uncertainties. Mumbai's longstanding role as India's financial capital has also bolstered the state's appeal to global investors. The record-breaking figure comes as the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, readies for local elections later this year. The FDI milestone is likely to feature prominently in the ruling alliance's pitch to voters, with Fadnavis presenting it as evidence of the state's economic resilience and growth. According to data compiled by the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) through December 2024, Maharashtra leads the country in FDI inflow, followed by Karnataka and Gujarat. The final quarter of the financial year, Fadnavis noted, will only further strengthen Maharashtra's standing. "Of course, there is still one quarter left in this financial year," he added.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The UK defense industry's biggest problem isn't just cash — it's also companies like Amazon
Like much of the world, the UK is ramping up its defense spending. But defense companies are now competing with an expanding talent-hungry tech sector for scarce skills. "We need a sea of talent," a defense sector insider told BI. "At the moment, it's a puddle." When Calvin Bailey — a member of the UK parliament — was a squadron commander in the country's Royal Air Force, he saw a shift in how his engineering-heavy workforce changed careers. In the early 2010s, people would leave the service "like for like," he told Business Insider — meaning they were leaving the military for complementary roles in the defense and aerospace industry. However, by around 2017, he said, a new sprawl of high-tech companies and major infrastructure projects created a demand for skills that the military had nurtured, such as robotics, advanced engineering, and logistics. Bailey wrote in a recent piece for War on the Rocks that he watched as the military "hemorrhaged" certified aircraft engineers. "I found myself competing with unlikely adversaries: Amazon logistics hubs," he wrote. As the UK attempts to redress the effects of decades of reduced military spending, it's not just a steep price tag that has experts worried. It's a shrunken — and highly competitive — skills pipeline. Bailey still doesn't think the UK is spending enough, he told BI. But even if the country throws money at it, "you haven't got the skills base with which to go and do the work that's required." Paul Oxley, a spokesperson for UK defense trade association ADS Group, told BI that demand for skilled workers now presents the defense industry's "largest barrier for growth." This covers everything from traditional skills like welding and high-end engineering, to growing fields like cybersecurity, digital, and AI capabilities. Oxley said that surveys of ADS members have seen the issue of talent leapfrog energy prices to become the top worry for many companies. These concerns come amid an increased commitment by the UK to defense spending — to 2.5% of GDP — that has defense-related industries looking out for new orders. Big projects are already in the works. Dreadnought-class submarines, the Tempest fighter jet, and Type 26 and 31 frigates are due to come into service in the next decade or so. Yet in March, Kevin Craven, the head of ADS Group, warned lawmakers that skills shortages are "combining to a point where both the defence and aerospace industry cannot fulfil the demand that they have." These warnings also come as the government prepares to publish its latest Defence Industrial Strategy, which a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said will help the UK have the "capability, skills and industrial resilience" for warfighting. Multiple skills initiatives are already underway, they added. The UK's defense sector pays an average of £39,900, Oxley said, which is about $53,000 and around 14% higher than the national average. But even that can't always compete with other sectors, Bailey, the MP, said. Meanwhile, many companies, like Amazon, actively recruit UK veterans as part of a government program pledging to support post-service careers. Amazon declined to comment when approached by BI. Bailey shared that other competing industries include infrastructure projects, such as the recent nationwide rollout of electric smart meters. He told BI those leaving the RAF for such companies "would find an easier job — because it's less regulated and controlled and demanding on their skills — paying equal or more than they would expect on the general market." In addition, security clearances make it hard to hire from abroad — and in any case, the UK's nearest European defense industry neighbors are themselves in a scramble for talent. The expansion of a talent-hungry tech sector compounds a much longer-running skills issue. Andrew Kinniburgh, a spokesperson for manufacturing industry trade body Make UK, told the Defence Select Committee in March that the country is in an "arms race" for engineers. Campaigners say STEM has been neglected from the earliest schooldays up, causing a shortage that has seen all sectors — not just military — competing for talent. That situation wasn't helped by the Apprenticeship Levy, a 2016 attempt to invigorate private sector investment in training. It was so cumbersome that schemes fell by 172,000 across all sectors in its first year, according to HR industry body CIPD. The government now says it's streamlining the process. Industry experts told BI that another reason defense sector workforce skills have atrophied is a long-term lack of investment in the military that began in the 1990s. The defense ministry spokesperson told BI that the current government is addressing the country's security "after years of hollowing out." People like naval architects and high-level engineers take decades to nurture, and when orders dry up, "you have skill fade in these areas quite quickly," said Sam Cranny-Evans, a freelance defense analyst and associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. "Once they're gone, they're gone," he told BI. "Standing them up again is really hard." COVID-19 lockdowns haven't helped. Suddenly, people with 10 to 15 years left in their careers decided to accelerate their retirement plans, leaving what Oxley called a "handover cliff edge" and a decadelong knowledge gap. The problem has come to a head before. In the early 2000s, BAE Systems took over a contract to produce the Astute-class submarine, following a 10-year gap since the development of the earlier Vanguard-class sub. Dated skills — among other factors — became a major problem, forcing the UK to bring in General Dynamics Electric Boat, a US company, to help at an eventual cost of about $145 million. The project ran years late, exceeded its budget by hundreds of millions of pounds, and spurred multiple reckonings that still reverberate today. Janet Garner, BAE Systems' future workforce director for submarines, told BI the company is focused on ensuring it has a strong submarine workforce. She highlighted its $33.5-million training center and said early careers programs are "up to record levels." An analysis by Navy Lookout highlighted lessons learned, saying that the next-generation Dreadnought went into production with a much more experienced workforce. But across the industry, there's a long road ahead. Oxley and Bailey say there's a lot more to be done, and that skills need to be addressed at the level of education. Both are calling for schools and colleges to develop applied STEM curricula showcasing the appeal of working in defense. Encouraging a much more flexible career structure, allowing people to "zig-zag" between the military and civilian sectors and making the relationship complementary rather than competitive, is also among the suggestions being made. Tan Dhesi, a lawmaker heading up the UK parliament's Defence Select Committee, declined to comment in detail while the inquiries continue, but said that he had seen "clear and consistent" evidence that the issue needs addressing. "We need a sea of talent," Oxley said. "At the moment, it's a puddle." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
The UK defense industry's biggest problem isn't just cash — it's also companies like Amazon
Like much of the world, the UK is ramping up its defense spending. But defense companies are now competing with an expanding talent-hungry tech sector for scarce skills. "We need a sea of talent," a defense sector insider told BI. "At the moment, it's a puddle." When Calvin Bailey — a member of the UK parliament — was a squadron commander in the country's Royal Air Force, he saw a shift in how his engineering-heavy workforce changed careers. In the early 2010s, people would leave the service "like for like," he told Business Insider — meaning they were leaving the military for complementary roles in the defense and aerospace industry. However, by around 2017, he said, a new sprawl of high-tech companies and major infrastructure projects created a demand for skills that the military had nurtured, such as robotics, advanced engineering, and logistics. Bailey wrote in a recent piece for War on the Rocks that he watched as the military "hemorrhaged" certified aircraft engineers. "I found myself competing with unlikely adversaries: Amazon logistics hubs," he wrote. As the UK attempts to redress the effects of decades of reduced military spending, it's not just a steep price tag that has experts worried. It's a shrunken — and highly competitive — skills pipeline. Bailey still doesn't think the UK is spending enough, he told BI. But even if the country throws money at it, "you haven't got the skills base with which to go and do the work that's required." A skills shortage in the defense industry Paul Oxley, a spokesperson for UK defense trade association ADS Group, told BI that demand for skilled workers now presents the defense industry's "largest barrier for growth." This covers everything from traditional skills like welding and high-end engineering, to growing fields like cybersecurity, digital, and AI capabilities. Oxley said that surveys of ADS members have seen the issue of talent leapfrog energy prices to become the top worry for many companies. These concerns come amid an increased commitment by the UK to defense spending — to 2.5% of GDP — that has defense-related industries looking out for new orders. Big projects are already in the works. Dreadnought-class submarines, the Tempest fighter jet, and Type 26 and 31 frigates are due to come into service in the next decade or so. Yet in March, Kevin Craven, the head of ADS Group, warned lawmakers that skills shortages are "combining to a point where both the defence and aerospace industry cannot fulfil the demand that they have." These warnings also come as the government prepares to publish its latest Defence Industrial Strategy, which a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said will help the UK have the "capability, skills and industrial resilience" for warfighting. Multiple skills initiatives are already underway, they added. An 'arms race' for skills The UK's defense sector pays an average of £39,900, Oxley said, which is about $53,000 and around 14% higher than the national average. But even that can't always compete with other sectors, Bailey, the MP, said. Meanwhile, many companies, like Amazon, actively recruit UK veterans as part of a government program pledging to support post-service careers. Amazon declined to comment when approached by BI. Bailey shared that other competing industries include infrastructure projects, such as the recent nationwide rollout of electric smart meters. He told BI those leaving the RAF for such companies "would find an easier job — because it's less regulated and controlled and demanding on their skills — paying equal or more than they would expect on the general market." In addition, security clearances make it hard to hire from abroad — and in any case, the UK's nearest European defense industry neighbors are themselves in a scramble for talent. A shortage decades in the making The expansion of a talent-hungry tech sector compounds a much longer-running skills issue. Andrew Kinniburgh, a spokesperson for manufacturing industry trade body Make UK, told the Defence Select Committee in March that the country is in an "arms race" for engineers. Campaigners say STEM has been neglected from the earliest schooldays up, causing a shortage that has seen all sectors — not just military — competing for talent. That situation wasn't helped by the Apprenticeship Levy, a 2016 attempt to invigorate private sector investment in training. It was so cumbersome that schemes fell by 172,000 across all sectors in its first year, according to HR industry body CIPD. The government now says it's streamlining the process. The looming threat of 'skill fade' Industry experts told BI that another reason defense sector workforce skills have atrophied is a long-term lack of investment in the military that began in the 1990s. The defense ministry spokesperson told BI that the current government is addressing the country's security "after years of hollowing out." People like naval architects and high-level engineers take decades to nurture, and when orders dry up, "you have skill fade in these areas quite quickly," said Sam Cranny-Evans, a freelance defense analyst and associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. "Once they're gone, they're gone," he told BI. "Standing them up again is really hard." COVID-19 lockdowns haven't helped. Suddenly, people with 10 to 15 years left in their careers decided to accelerate their retirement plans, leaving what Oxley called a "handover cliff edge" and a decadelong knowledge gap. The problem has come to a head before. In the early 2000s, BAE Systems took over a contract to produce the Astute-class submarine, following a 10-year gap since the development of the earlier Vanguard-class sub. Dated skills — among other factors — became a major problem, forcing the UK to bring in General Dynamics Electric Boat, a US company, to help at an eventual cost of about $145 million. The project ran years late, exceeded its budget by hundreds of millions of pounds, and spurred multiple reckonings that still reverberate today. Janet Garner, BAE Systems' future workforce director for submarines, told BI the company is focused on ensuring it has a strong submarine workforce. She highlighted its $33.5-million training center and said early careers programs are "up to record levels." An analysis by Navy Lookout highlighted lessons learned, saying that the next-generation Dreadnought went into production with a much more experienced workforce. But across the industry, there's a long road ahead. A 'puddle' of talent Oxley and Bailey say there's a lot more to be done, and that skills need to be addressed at the level of education. Both are calling for schools and colleges to develop applied STEM curricula showcasing the appeal of working in defense. Encouraging a much more flexible career structure, allowing people to "zig-zag" between the military and civilian sectors and making the relationship complementary rather than competitive, is also among the suggestions being made. Tan Dhesi, a lawmaker heading up the UK parliament's Defence Select Committee, declined to comment in detail while the inquiries continue, but said that he had seen "clear and consistent" evidence that the issue needs addressing. "We need a sea of talent," Oxley said. "At the moment, it's a puddle."
