Blog

  • China’s First Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center to Generate World-Class Achievement in 5-10 Years, Scientist Says

    China’s First Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center to Generate World-Class Achievement in 5-10 Years, Scientist Says

    (Yicai) July 31 — China’s first multimode trans-scale biomedical imaging facility, one of the country’s key scientific infrastructure projects, was built to generate a world-class original achievement in the next five to 10 years, according to a scientist.

    The National Multimode Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center will support scientific researchers in critical pathological studies, promote the development of China’s biomedicine sector, and incubate about 20 high-tech startups, including one or two unicorns in the next five to 10 years, Chen Liangyi, deputy director of the National Biomedical Imaging Center of Peking University, told Yicai in an interview.

    The National Multimode Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center passed national acceptance in March and recently began trial operation, opening to scientific researchers nationwide. It was jointly initiated by Peking University and the Institute of Biophysics, with a total investment of over CNY1.7 billion (USD237 million).

    So far, the center has already attracted 29 major research projects in digital life sciences, Chen noted, adding that its research efforts will focus on China’s strategic directions, including brain science and tumor diagnosis and treatment.

    The core technology of the National Multimode Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center is a miniaturized two-photon microscope, which weighs only 2.2 grams. Compared to conventional microscopes that can only observe anesthetized or restrained animals, miniaturized microscopes can be attached to the head of active mice to conduct real-time brain observations, Chen explained.

    A baby has more than 10 million neurons, which is as many as there are celestial bodies in the Milky Way, Chen said. Therefore, human beings need super powerful observation devices both on the macroscopic and microscopic levels, just as astronomical telescopes are required to study celestial activities.

    The National Multimode Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center can support national scientific research projects aiming at enhancing the efficiency of basic and clinical research, boost the upgrading of life sciences research paradigms, and cultivate talents in emerging sectors, according to Chen.

    Mankind still cannot figure out the pathogenesis of various complex diseases, such as rare genetic illnesses, diabetes, tumors, and Alzheimer’s Disease, and is unable to find suitable targets for drug treatment, mainly because there are huge technological challenges in the cross-scale analysis of life activities, he pointed out.

    Despite that, scientific researchers have accomplished breakthroughs in some rare diseases and regarding neural mechanisms of medicine addiction in the brain through imaging technology for living cells with super-high resolution in recent years.

    Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione

    Continue Reading

  • Thursday briefing: How ​global ​preparedness ​prevented a ​tsunami ​tragedy | Earthquakes

    Thursday briefing: How ​global ​preparedness ​prevented a ​tsunami ​tragedy | Earthquakes

    Good morning. Yesterday one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded hit a sparsely populated region in far east Russia.

    It triggered a tsunami that started crossing the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour. What followed was a race against time – early warning systems went into alert mode as waves fanned out towards the coastlines of Japan, Hawaii and the US west coast.

    The damage appears to have been minor so far and this is (in part) thanks to a global and highly successful disaster response effort. More than three million people were successfully warned to evacuate their homes.

    At the centre of this remarkable response was the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) based in Hawaii; founded in 1949, by the 1960s ​it was monitoring tsunamis across the entire ocean. A small team of experts identified the size and depth of the earthquake, and a tsunami warning was triggered straight away. The whole thing worked like clockwork – their speed and accuracy may have saved thousands of lives, with temporary evacuees now allowed to return home.

    But this type of work could be under threat. The PTWC is part of a US government agency that has faced cuts from Trump’s government. To understand why the response was so effective, and why funding such warning systems is so valuable, I spoke to Ilan Kelman, professor of disasters and health at University College London. That’s after the headlines.

    Five big stories

    1. Travel | The head of the UK’s air traffic control company is facing calls to resign after hundreds of flights were delayed when the system went down for about 20 minutes on Wednesday.

    2. Israel-Gaza war | A British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than 15 months has accused Keir Starmer of “moral failure” after he set the UK on course to recognise a Palestinian state. Emily Damari, 29, who was released in January, said the prime minister was “not standing on the right side of history” and should be ashamed.

    3. UK news | The co-founder of Palestine Action can bring a legal challenge to the home secretary’s decision to ban the direct action group under anti-terrorism laws, a high court judge has ruled.

    4. Environment | Ethnic minorities and people living in the most deprived areas of England are at increased risk of dying due to excess heat, according to new research.

    5. Technology | Five million extra online age checks a day are being carried out in the UK since the Online Safety Act introduced age-gating for pornography sites, according to new data from the Age Verification Providers Association.

    In depth: ‘Lives were saved by drawing on past experience’

    The Klyuchevskoy volcano on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s far east has started erupting after Wednesday’s powerful earthquake. Photograph: Yuri Demyanchuk/AP

    The 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early yesterday morning. The rupture happened along hundreds of kilometres of a fault line where the Pacific plate is sinking below the North American plate. This is one of the largest faults on earth (it’s called a megathrust fault) and parts of it are underwater, which means there is always a tsunami risk.

    The earthquake was 47 kilometres (30 miles) beneath sea level and sent shock waves at a range of 300 kilometres (200 miles). Tsunamis travel across the ocean at about 500mph, the speed of a jumbo jet, so some communities had a just few minutes warning, while those on the other side of the ocean had a few hours. Unlike in the movies, when it’s typically one massive wave, tsunamis are often several waves which will continue to travel around the world for days.

    What has the damage been and where?

    The epicentre was near the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000 people. Residents fled inland as ports flooded, while 200 miles north the Klyuchevskoy volcano (above) erupted, with lava descending its western slope.

    Maximum tsunami wave heights of 4 metres (13ft) were observed in Kamchatka. Some buildings on the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk in Russia were swept away, according to local officials. The Kremlin has said alert systems “worked well” in the earthquake response and there were “no casualties”.

    The tsunami prompted warnings and evacuations across the Pacific, including in Japan, US west coast, Hawaii, Canada, Chile, Ecuador and New Zealand. However, the height of the waves turned out to be lower than initially feared. In Hawaii the highest recorded waves reached 1.8 metres (6ft), in California there were surges of just over a metre (3.6ft), and in Japan waves remained under half a metre.

    How good was the warning system?

    Local authorities were clear about how to evacuate and gave specific locations across more than a dozen nations.

    In Hawaii, for example, tsunami warning sirens blared. Evacuations were ordered for some coastal areas as the Honolulu department of emergency management warned: “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected.” People received alerts on their phones. All islands activated emergency operating centres, shelters opened, and people in coastal areas were told to go to higher ground.

    Similar warnings were issued elsewhere. In Japan, almost two million people had been ordered to higher ground. Local media reported one fatality of a woman killed while driving her car off a cliff as she tried to escape. In Chile, authorities conducted what the interior ministry said was “perhaps the most massive evacuation ever carried out in our country” involving 1.4 million.

    “It looks like it’s been very effective. People had that long-term education, and that long-term readiness to know what to do,” says Kelman, estimating that this preparedness saved thousands of lives. At this time of year there is a lot of tourist activity along many Pacific coastlines, and visitors are often unfamiliar with local warning systems or evacuation zones. This can make evacuations more challenging.

    “It appears from places where the tsunami wave has hit, numerous lives were saved by drawing on that past experience,” says Kelman, notably the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which killed more than 200,000 people. At the time there was no regional tsunami early warning system in place, and the Indian ocean was not considered a high-risk area. Some warnings were sent by fax and email, and didn’t reach people in time.

    The 2004 tsunami was also significantly more severe – some waves exceeded 30 metres in height, whereas so far waves from this latest tsunami appear to have reached a maximum of five metres in Russia, says Kelman. In most places waves were less than a metre high, and in many places impacts were negligible so the disaster that was anticipated didn’t arrive. This is another important factor in why damage has been limited.

    What improvements can be made?

    Several international centres send out automatic messages for earthquakes, depending on the location. The Indian Ocean tsunami warning system was set up after 2004. “It was never done before then because it was always too expensive, there were always other priorities, but suddenly it became a priority … It has been tested several times with mixed results, so we have to improve it,” says Kelman. There is no effective equivalent for the Atlantic Ocean.

    The key one that identified this earthquake was the PTWC. “They were on it right away,” says Kelman. “Knowing the size of the earthquake and the depth of the earthquake and the type of the earthquake meant that there was a significant chance of a major tsunami. They issued tsunami warnings and got the messages out there, which were then disseminated by national governments and local authorities.”

    However, the PTWC sits within a US government agency targeted by Elon Musk-led cuts earlier this year. Kelman says this tsunami showed how needed they are. “We would hope that if the cuts did affect them, they will be reversed and that the people who have saved lives today will also get more support for appropriate resources,” he says.

    “It appears that they were nonetheless exceptionally effective, and we owe them so many thanks for issuing appropriate messages and saving many lives.”

    What else we’ve been reading

    Children look at sandbags covering the windows at a preschool in Lviv, Ukraine. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    • This devastating piece details the impact the Russia-Ukraine war has had on Ukrainian children, with almost 3,000 injured or killed. Aamna

    • Every so often we get some sinister message from the deep. Most recently beaked whales – which are among the world’s deepest dwelling – have been washing up in Scotland and the Netherlands. Phoebe

    • My brilliant colleague Sammy Gecsoyler has a problem: he’s addicted to buying Ninja kitchen appliances. This made me chuckle – I’m sure it’ll make you laugh, too. Aamna

    • An amusing read here from Elle Hunt on ten things you may (or may not) want to learn about Gwyneth Paltrow from a new biography on the actor turned wellness entrepreneur. Phoebe

    • Lina Qasem-Hassan is one of many Palestinian doctors in Israel. Despite being persecuted for doing so, she vows to continue speaking out against the killing of medics and patients in Gaza. Aamna

    skip past newsletter promotion

    Sport

    Kim Le Court of Mauritius became the first African to win a stage at the Tour de France Femmes. Photograph: Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images

    Cricket | Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the final Test match of England’s international summer with a grade-three muscle tear in his shoulder, aggravated during the drawn fourth game against India at Old Trafford. Ollie Pope will captain the side in his absence at the Oval on Thursday as England seek to defend their 2-1 lead and complete a series victory.

    Cycling | Kim Le Court (pictured above) won stage five of the Tour de France Femmes, becoming the first African rider to win a stage of the race. The Mauritian also took the yellow jersey from Marianne Vos, who lost time on her rivals after getting dropped by a breakaway.

    Football | Manchester United are interested in signing Ollie Watkins but are unwilling to meet Aston Villa’s valuation of the striker. Arsenal made numerous bids for the England international in January but were knocked back as Villa held out for £60m, a fee they would demand for any sale this summer.

    The front pages

    Photograph: Guardian

    The Guardian leads with “Palestine Action wins right to fight ban in court”. The Times has “Palestine vow breaks law, claim top lawyers”, while the Mail follows the same story with “Shame on you, Starmer”. The i reports “UK plan to get aid trucks into Gaza – as Starmer joins allies in new warning to Israel”.

    The Financial Times has “Fed defies Trump to keep rates steady amid historic split in US policy-setters”. The Mirror leads with the farewell procession for Ozzy Osbourne, under the headline “Sign of love”. The Telegraph has “Heathrow chaos to bring days of delays”, while the Sun follows the same story with “Air we go again”.

    Today in Focus

    Palestinian child Yazan Abu Foul, aged two, is cared for by his mother, Naima, as he suffers from severe malnutrition. Photograph: Haitham Imad/EPA

    How will the UK’s recognition of Palestine help those starving in Gaza?

    Surgeon Nick Maynard describes the unfolding famine he witnessed during his volunteering in Gaza, while our chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison, analyses whether the UK’s proposed recognition of Palestine will alleviate the suffering there at all.

    Cartoon of the day | Stephen Lillie

    Illustration: Stephen Lillie

    The Upside

    A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad

    The premiere of Dreams in Nightmares at the BlackStar film festival in 2024. Photograph: Mochi Robinson

    The BlackStar film festival, often called the “Black Sundance,” returns for its 14th year. This year’s lineup features more than 90 films, from shorts to features, exploring themes of legacy, labour, economics and the power of community.

    Over 15,000 people attended last year, drawn to its boundary-pushing films and its focus on solidarity among Black, brown and Indigenous creators. The festival also stands out for its inclusivity: offering childcare for film-makers, ASL interpreters at events and audio descriptions for some screenings.

    Eight independent film-makers will also pitch new projects to a panel of executives, funders and producers, competing for $75,000 in production support and mentorship from Multitude Films.

    Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday

    Bored at work?

    And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.

    Continue Reading

  • Uranus meets the Pleiades. See the distant world pass underneath the beautiful blue star cluster in August

    Uranus meets the Pleiades. See the distant world pass underneath the beautiful blue star cluster in August

    It’s surprising how rapidly darkness expands in August, which is perfect timing for viewing the planet Uranus, as by the end of the month it’s able to reach a decent altitude above the southeast horizon before the onset of dawn. 

    On 1 August, morning twilight truncates the Uranus observing window at around 02:20 BST (01:20 UT), this distant world only achieving a peak altitude of around 16° on this date.

    For many years, Uranus has been in stellar limbo on the Aries–Taurus border.

    While not particularly difficult to track down, it has lacked bright guiding stars over this period – something that may have put off casual observation.

    For weekly stargazing advice, sign up to receive our e-newsletter and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    Chart showing the location of Uranus near the Pleiades in August 2025. Credit: Pete Lawrence

    Uranus near the Pleiades

    Having drifted further east at a painfully slow rate, the planet is now well and truly within Taurus and much more conveniently located immediately to the south of the Pleiades open cluster.

    On 31 August, the planet’s eastern drift will have moved it into a position 4.5° south-southeast of the centre of the Pleiades.

    As a consequence, any widefield image that includes the Pleiades, Aldebaran and the Hyades at this time will also include Uranus. 

    The Pleiades (top) and the Hyades star cluster (bottom left). Uranus will be passing close to both objects in the night sky, August 2025 Credit: Pete Lawrence
    The Pleiades (top) and the Hyades star cluster (bottom left). Uranus will be passing close to both objects in the night sky, August 2025 Credit: Pete Lawrence

    Observing Uranus in August 2025

    Through binoculars, Uranus looks just like a mag. +5.7 star.

    However, a small telescope makes the planet’s green hue very apparent, with Uranus resembling a shining emerald under low-power views.

    Its disc is tiny at around 3 arcseconds across, but through a small scope using a medium or higher power, it’s evident that this is not a star. 

    Larger instruments may show subtle banding on the planet’s globe, but this can be very difficult to pick out even when using planetary imaging setups.

    Using an imaging arrangement with a high image scale, an extended exposure can be used to reveal the planet’s five brightest moons.

    Photo of Uranus and its moons. Credit: Pete Lawrence
    Uranus’s major moons close to the planet, as seen with the SeeStar S50 smart scope. Credit: Pete Lawrence

    Uranus, August 2025 – quick facts

    • Best time to see: 31 August, 04:00 BST (03:00 UT)
    • Altitude: 48°
    • Location: Taurus
    • Direction: Southeast
    • Features: Colour, subtle atmospheric banding, moons
    • Recommended equipment: 200mm or larger

    If you do manage to observe or photograph near the Pleiades in August 2025, we’d love to hear from you! Email us via contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com

    Continue Reading

  • Frauen Loan Watch: Two loanees make permanent moves to England

    Frauen Loan Watch: Two loanees make permanent moves to England

    Bayern Munich Frauen have announced that two of last season’s loanees have made permanent moves to their teams in England’s Women’s Super League: Sam Kerr to Liverpool and Jill Baijings to Aston Villa.

    Kerr joined Bayern from Rangers in Summer 2023. She played 18 matches across all competitions in her first season at Bayern and 11 in the first half of last season before going on loan in January. She did not score a goal playing with Bayern. Kerr played 14 matches for Liverpool, recording one assist in league play and one goal in the FA Cup.

    Baijings joined Bayern in 2023 and helped them win the league that season. She recorded two assists in league play and had a goal in a DFB-Pokal match. She spent last season at Aston Villa where she played 12 league matches matches, starting in eight of them, and recorded one assist. She also had a goal in three matches in the FA Cup.

    Best of luck to both Kerr and Baijings with their new teams!

    Check out the latest edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show where we hit these topics:

    • Luis Díaz has arrived in Munich, passed his physical, and signed his deal. A new era begins…
    • Will Vincent Kompany hand Díaz the job or will he have to battle Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman?
    • Is there any chance that Coman or Gnabry get sold this summer?
    • Why Paul Wanner, Aleksandar Pavlović, and Josip Stanišić need to win the preseason.
    • A mini-rant on João Félix.
    • Tottenham Hotspur could be ready to pay €52 million for João Palhinha.

    You can get the show on Patreon, Acast, Spotify, any leading podcast distributor, or below:

    Continue Reading

  • British and Irish Lions 2025: Blair Kinghorn and James Ryan in for final Test in Australia

    British and Irish Lions 2025: Blair Kinghorn and James Ryan in for final Test in Australia

    Australia: Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Pietsch, Lynagh, White; Slipper, Porecki, Tupou, Frost, Skelton, Hooper, McReight, Wilson

    Replacements: Pollard, Bell, Nonggorr, Williams, Gleeson, McDermott, Donaldson, Kellaway

    British and Irish Lions: Keenan, Freeman, Jones, Aki, Kinghorn, Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Itoje, Ryan, Beirne, Curry, Conan

    Replacements: Kelleher, Genge, Stuart, Chessum, Morgan, Earl, Mitchell, Farrell

    Continue Reading

  • BMW Group on track to meet full-year targets

    BMW Group on track to meet full-year targets

    Munich. The BMW Group showed strong resilience in the
    first half of the year – building on a solid foundation of consistent
    strategy, robust customer demand, sustained cost discipline and high
    flexibility. With sales volumes stable at over 1.2 million premium
    vehicles, and with potential for further growth, the company reported
    Group earnings before tax of more than € 5.7 billion and an EBT margin
    of 8.5% in the first six months of 2025.

     

    The Automotive Segment EBIT margin came in at 6.2%, placing it in the
    upper half of the 5.0-7.0% annual target range, published in March.
    The segment’s free cash flow for the first half-year was € 2.345
    billion. At the six-month mark, the BMW Group is therefore on track to
    meet its targets for the year.

    “Our performance in the first half of 2025 once again
    underscores the robustness of our business model. Our success today,
    as well as in the future, is based on three strong pillars: our global
    footprint, our strength in innovation, and our technology-neutral
    approach with highly attractive products,” said Oliver
    Zipse, Chairman of the Board of BMW AG    . “In September,
    we will begin a new era for BMW when the first vehicle of the NEUE
    KLASSE makes its debut at the IAA Mobility. With the BMW iX3*, we are
    kicking off an unprecedented product ramp-up: by 2027, we will launch
    more than 40 new and revised models across all segments and drive
    types. Each vehicle will embody the innovative technology clusters and
    the new design language. This way, we connect technological
    advancement and exciting products with strategic foresight and
    economic efficiency.”

     

    By offering different drive technologies and a comprehensive range of
    models, the premium manufacturer from Munich is able to meet diverse
    customer preferences, reporting growth across numerous markets:
    Outside of China, BMW deliveries rose across all sales regions, with
    the brand recording slight growth of +4.7%.

     

    Benefiting from full availability of the New MINI Family, the British
    cult brand reported significant growth of 17.4% in
    the first half of the year, with a total of 133,838
    vehicles sold. MINI deliveries increased in all regions of the world.

     

    In Europe, the BMW Group posted solid sales growth
    of +8.2%, with 498,670 units sold
    (Q2 deliveries: 256,487 units; +10.2%).
    In the
    Americas region, deliveries increased by
    +3.4% to 237,972 vehicles (Q2: 123,254 units; +1.7%).

     

    Deliveries in the US market rose by
    +2.7% year-on-year, with a total of
    193,826 vehicles delivered to customers (Q2: 98,856
    units; +1.4%).

     

    Electrified models and BMW M vehicles with increased sales volumes

    With a 26.4% share (Q2: 26.0%) of total sales in the first six
    months, more than one in four BMW Group vehicles delivered – precisely
    319,031 units – was electrified. Europe recorded the highest growth
    rates for BEVs and PHEVs, at 34,8%.

     

    Alongside electrified vehicles (+6.5%), the
    high-performance models of the BMW M brand were the main growth
    drivers for the BMW brand: With nearly
    106,000 vehicles sold (+6.5% compared to HY1 2024),
    BMW M GmbH reported the highest first-half-year sales in its history.
    The BMW M3* and BMW M3 Touring*, together with the BMW M5* and BMW M5
    Touring* introduced at the start of the year, made a significant
    contribution to this result.

     

    MINI grows with BEV models

    MINI’s sales growth also stemmed mainly from MINI
    BEVs    : the MINI Cooper Electric*, the MINI Aceman Electric*
    and the MINI Countryman Electric*. With a 34.3% share
    in the first half-year, more than one in three MINIs delivered to
    customers worldwide was battery-electric.

     

    In the first half of 2025, the Rolls-Royce brand
    built on the previous year’s strong sales performance, delivering
    2,796 handcrafted luxury motor cars to customers
    (-0.8%). In the second quarter, it increased its sales by
    +9.4% year-on-year to 1,415 units.

     

    The growing percentage of electrified vehicles confirms the BMW
    Group’s successful approach of offering its customers a broad range of
    models, all available with different drive technologies. More than 15
    fully-electric vehicles and 12 PHEVs are currently available. In the
    second quarter of 2025, the BMW Group reached a major milestone in its
    drive train strategy, with the delivery of its 1.5-millionth
    BEV     since the launch of the first BMW i3 in 2013.

     

    Group EBT margin of 8.5% in first half-year

    Group
    revenues for the first half-year totalled
    € 67,685 million(2024: € 73,558
    million/-8.0%; adjusted for currency translation effects: -7.1%;
    Q2: € 33,927 million; Q2 2024: € 36,944 million;
    -8.2%; adjusted for currency translation effects: -5.5%).

    Compared with the previous year, revenues were pressured by currency
    translation headwinds and the expected subdued demand in China. The
    positive impact of strong growth in new leasing business at BMW Group
    Financial Services resulted in higher revenue eliminations between
    segments, which dampened Group revenues.

     

    Following a peak in R&D spending and capital expenditure in 2024,
    this trend was reversed, as expected, in the first half of the year –
    without compromising the premium manufacturer’s commitment to
    innovation leadership.

    Driven by a strong operating performance, the BMW Group’s
    expenditure for research and development totalled €
    4,020 million
     in the first six months of the year (2024: € 4,169
    million/-3.6%). This figure was down slightly on the previous year,
    despite intensive preparations for the upcoming models of the NEUE
    KLASSE, including the BMW iX3 and other successor models. R&D
    spending focused on digitalisation of the vehicle fleet and
    electrification across all model series. As planned, administrative
    and sales expenses were reduced, and capital expenditure for property,
    plant and equipment also declined.

     

    Between January and June, the BMW Group reported pre-tax
    earnings (EBT)     of € 5,727 million (2024: €
    8,023 million/-28.6%; Q2: € 2,614 million; Q2 2024: €
    3,861 million; -32.3%).

    The EBT margin for the first half year was
    8.5% (2024: 10.9%; in Q2: 7.7%; Q2
    2024: 10.5%). Group net profit for the first half of
    the year totalled €
     4,015 million (2024: € 5,656
    million/-29.0%; Q2: € 1,842 million/-31.9%).

     

    Automotive Segment EBIT margin within annual target range

    In the first half of the year, the Automotive Segment
    generated revenues of € 58,654
    million     (2024: € 63,009 million/-6.9%; adjusted for currency
    translation effects: -5.9%; Q2: € 29,443 million;
    -8.2%; adjusted for currency translation effects: -5.3%). This
    year-on-year decrease was mainly due to currency translation headwinds
    and due to the expected decline in sales revenues in China. 

     

    Segment
    earnings before financial result (EBIT) for the first
    half-year amounted to €
    3,626 million (2024: € 5,394 million/-32.8%;
    Q2: € 1,602 million; -40.3%). The EBIT
    margin     came in at 6.2% (2024: 8.6%; Q2:
    5.4%). Excluding depreciation and amortisation from the BBA
    purchase price allocation    , the EBIT margin
    for the first half-year was 7.3%. The impact
    of tariff increases     – particularly the European
    Commission’s anti-subsidy measures on Chinese BEVs and the sharp rise
    in US tariff duties – created headwinds in the automotive segment
    corresponding to the amount of around 1.5%-points of
    its EBIT margin in the first half-year.

    “Even despite higher tariffs, the BMW Group’s business model remains
    intact – our popular premium vehicles, global competitive strength and
    high level of resilience provide us with a strong and sustainable
    foundation. Our footprint in the US is helping us limit the impact of
    tariffs,” said Walter Mertl, member of the Board of Management
    responsible for Finance,     during the quarterly conference
    call in Munich. “Thanks to precise financial control, based on
    calculated forecasts, we are firmly on track to achieve our targets
    for the year at the six-month mark. Higher efficiency and optimised
    cost structures also contribute to achieving our financial goals.”

     

    Free cash flow of € 2,345 million in Automotive Segment in YTD June

    After six months, free cash flow in the Automotive Segment totalled €
    2,345 million (2024: € 2,289 million) and was thus on
    track for the annual guidance. 

    The BMW Group is still targeting a free cash flow of > € 5
    billion     in the Automotive Segment for the full year.

     

    From January to June, capital expenditure for property, plant and
    equipment and intangible assets amounted to € 2,736
    million     (2024: € 3,456 million/-20,8%). The capex
    ratio     came in at 4.0% (Q2: 4.5%; HY1 2024:
    4.7%; Q2 2024: 5.8%).

     

    Dynamic performance continues in Financial Services Segment

    In the Financial Services Segment, dynamic growth in
    new leasing business continued in the first six months of the year:
    The volume of new leasing business rose significantly (+9.5%), with
    the leasing share of total new business increasing to 40.0% (2024:
    35.5%/+4.5% percentage points). The segment concluded a total of
    824,672 new financing and leasing
    contracts worldwide in the first half of the year
    (2024: 849,908 contracts/-3.0%). This represents a slight year-on-year
    decrease, owing to the lower number of new contracts concluded in China.

    The percentage of new BMW Group vehicles leased or financed by the
    Financial Services Segment reached 43.7% by the end
    of the reporting period (2024: 41.2%/+2.5 percentage points).

    Thanks to a higher financed amount per vehicle, the
    volume of new business remained stable at €
    31,893 million     in the first half of 2025 (2024: € 31,677 million/+0.7%).

     

    In the six-month period, the Financial Services Segment achieved
    earnings before tax of €
    1,192 million (2024: € 1,481 million/-19.5%). In
    addition to allocations to provisions, the decline in earnings was
    primarily driven by lower income from the resale of end-of-lease
    vehicles in the year-on-year comparison, with the number of such
    vehicles remaining below the previous year’s level.

    During the reporting period, the credit loss ratio
    stood at 0.27% across the entire loan portfolio
    (2024: 0.25%).

     

    BMW Motorrad half-year EBIT margin reported at 12.0%

    In the year to the end of June, BMW Motorrad delivered
    105,909 motorcycles and scooters to customers (2024:
    113,072 units; -6.3%). The segment EBIT margin came
    in at 12.0% (2024: 11.6%) 

     

    BMW AG continues share repurchase programme

    The Annual General Meeting in May 2025 authorised the Board of
    Management to buy back up to 10% of BMW AG’s share capital over the
    next five years. Based on this new authorisation, the Board of
    Management has approved a third share repurchase
    programme     with a volume of up to € 2 billion,
    to be completed no later than 30 April 2027. Acquisition of
    the first tranche of € 750 million began in May 2025 and will be
    completed no later than December 2025. This underlines the consistent
    execution of the company’s shareholder return strategy.

     

    BMW Group on course to meet guidance

    The latest forecasts of IMF expect a global economic growth of 3.0%
    this year – eventually impacted by current trade disputes, the
    potential for higher inflation and ongoing uncertainties among
    companies and consumers.

     

    The BMW Group expects increasing demand in many markets in 2025,
    driven by a stabilizing inflation rate and further moderate interest
    rate cuts. In China, high competition alongside with significant
    growth are further forecasted, particularly within the lower price segments.

    In the USA, permanent tariffs could manifest in rising inflation. US
    trade policy and potential countermeasures from other countries may
    lead to slower global economic development.

     

    The forecast published in the BMW Group Report 2024** in March 2025
    took into account all tariff increases that had come into effect by
    March 12, 2025. Following the announcements on July 27, 2025, an
    agreement between the USA and the EU regarding the customs situation
    has been reached. Based on this, the BMW Group expects a partial
    reduction of the currently applicable mutual tariffs for automobiles
    and production parts from 1 August 2025. Due to the dynamic
    developments and ongoing negotiations, the expected tariff effects for
    the current fiscal year can still only be represented through
    assumptions regarding continuing negotiations. The forecast also
    includes mitigating measures to dampen the impact of the increased
    tariffs. In the fiscal year 2025, the BMW Group expects a
    tariff-related impact of approximately to 1.25 percentage points on
    the EBIT margin in the Automotive segment.

     

    Given the sustained demand for its attractive premium vehicles, the
    BMW Group is able to confirm its guidance for the year.

    The company expects slight growth in sales, with the share of fully
    electric vehicles in deliveries rising slightly.

    Due to the factors mentioned above, Group earnings before
    tax     are expected to be on a par with the previous
    year    .***The EBIT margin for the
    Automotive Segment is forecast to be within the
    range of 5.0-7.0%. RoCE should be between 9-13%.

     

    In the Financial Services Segment, RoE is projected
    to be between 13-16%.

    In the Motorcycles Segment, a slight
    increase in sales     and an EBIT margin
    within the range of 5.5-7.5%are forecast, with a RoCE
    of 13-17%.

    The above targets will be achieved with the current number of employees.

     

    The BMW Group’s actual business performance may deviate from the
    expectations described above – for example, due to changes in
    political and macroeconomic conditions. Earnings risks could arise,
    among other things, from changes in customs policy, while
    opportunities lie in a reduction of existing tariffs or their validity
    period. The company continues to monitor macroeconomic developments
    very closely.

     

    The BMW Group – an overview:
    IN Q2
    2025

     

    IN Q2 2025

    IN Q2 2024

    Change in %

    Deliveries to customers

     

     

     

     

    Automotive1

    units

    621,477

    618,743

    0.4

    thereof:
    BMW

    units

    550,839

    565,490

    -2.6

    MINI

    units

    69,223

    51,959

    33.2

    Rolls-Royce

    units

    1,415

    1,294

    9.4

    Motorcycles

    units

    61,300

    66,638

    -8.0

     

     

     

     

     

    Employees (as of 31 Dec. 2024)

     

    159,104

     

     

    EBIT margin
    Automotive Segment

    percent

    5.4%

    8.4%

    -3.0%-Pts.

    EBIT margin
    Motorcycles Segment

    percent

    14.2%

    11.1%

    +3.1%-Pts.

    EBT margin BMW Group2

    percent

    7.7%

    10.5%

    -2.8%-Pts.

     

     

     

     

     

    Revenues

    € million

    33,927

    36,944

    -8.2

    thereof:
    Automotive

    € million

    29,443

    32,070

    -8.2

    Motorcycles

    € million

    961

    989

    -2.8

    Financial
    Services

    € million

    9,978

    9,742

    2.4

    Other
    Entities

    € million

    3

    3

    0.0

    Eliminations

    € million

    -6,458

    -5,860

    10.2

     

     

     

     

     

    Profit before financial result
    (EBIT)

    € million

    2,661

    3,877

    -31,4

    thereof:
    Automotive

    € million

    1,602

    2,684

    -40,3

    Motorcycles

    € million

    136

    110

    23.6

    Financial
    Services

    € million

    591

    725

    -18.5

    Other
    Entities

    € million

    -3

    -8

    -62.5

    Eliminations

    € million

    335

    366

    -8.5

     

     

     

     

     

    Profit before tax (EBT)

    € million

    2,614

    3,861

    -32,3

    thereof:
    Automotive

    € million

    1,613

    2,627

    -38,6

    Motorcycles

    € million

    136

    110

    23.6

    Financial
    Services

    € million

    542

    751

    -27.8

    Other
    Entities

    € million

    177

    295

    -40.0

    Eliminations

    € million

    146

    78

    87.2

     

     

     

     

     

    Group income taxes

    € million

    -772

    -1,156

    -33,2

    Net profit

    € million

    1,842

    2,705

    -31,9

    Earnings per share of common
    stock

    €

    2.85

    4.15

    -29.6

    Earnings per share of preferred
    stock3

    €

    2.86

    4.16

    -29.6

    1 Deliveries include the joint venture BMW
    Brilliance Automotive Ltd., Shenyang.

    2 Ratio of Group earnings before taxes to Group revenues

    3 Common/preferred shares. Earnings per share of
    preferred stock are calculated by distributing the earnings
    required to cover the
       additional dividend of € 0.02
    per preferred share proportionally over the quarters of the
    corresponding financial year.

     

     

     

    The BMW Group – an overview: 
    In HY1
    2025

     

    HY1 2025

    HY1 2024

    Change in %

    Deliveries to customers

     

     

     

     

    Automotive1

    units

    1,207,594

    1,213,276

    -0.5

    thereof: BMW

    units

    1,070,960

    1,096,423

    -2.3

    MINI

    units

    133,838

    114,034

    17.4

    Rolls-Royce

    units

    2,796

    2,819

    -0,8

    Motorcycles

    units

    105,909

    113,072

    -6.3

     

     

     

     

     

    Employees (as of 31 Dec. 2024)

     

    159,104

     

     

    EBIT margin Automotive
    Segment

    percent

    6.2%

    8.6%

    -2.4%-Pts.

    EBIT margin Motorcycles
    Segment

    percent

    12.0%

    11,6%

    +3.4%-Pts.

    EBT margin BMW Group2

    percent

    8.5%

    10.9%

    -2.4%-Pts.

     

     

     

     

     

    Revenues

    € million

    67,685

    73,558

    -8.0

    thereof: Automotive

    € million

    58,654

    63,009

    -6.9

    Motorcycles

    € million

    1,767

    1,861

    -5.1

    Financial Services

    € million

    20,104

    19,267

    4.3

    Other Entities

    € million

    6

    7

    -14.3

    Eliminations

    € million

    -12,846

    -10,586

    21.3

     

     

     

     

     

    Profit before financial result
    (EBIT)

    €
    million

    5,803

    7,931

    -26.8

    thereof: Automotive

    € million

    3,626

    5,394

    -32,8

    Motorcycles

    € million

    212

    216

    -1.9

    Financial Services

    € million

    1,243

    1,439

    -13.6

    Other Entities

    € million

    -9

    -13

    -30.8

    Eliminations

    € million

    731

    895

    -18.3

     

     

     

     

     

    Profit before tax (EBT)

    € million

    5,727

    8,023

    -28,6

    thereof: Automotive

    € million

    3,517

    5,330

    -34,0

    Motorcycles

    € million

    211

    216

    -2.3

    Financial Services

    € million

    1,192

    1,481

    -19.5

    Other Entities

    € million

    472

    696

    -32.2

    Eliminations

    € million

    335

    300

    11.7

     

     

     

     

     

    Group income taxes

    € million

    -1,712

    -2,367

    -27.7

    Net profit

    € million

    4,015

    5,656

    -29.0

    Earnings per share of common
    stock

    €

    6.23

    8.57

    -26.5

    Earnings per share of preferred
    stock3

    €

    6.24

    8.58

    -26,5

     

    1 Deliveries include the joint venture BMW
    Brilliance Automotive Ltd., Shenyang.

    2 Ratio of Group earnings before taxes to Group revenues

    3 Common/preferred shares. Earnings per share of
    preferred stock are calculated by distributing the earnings
    required to cover the
       additional dividend of € 0.02
    per preferred share proportionally over the quarters of the
    corresponding financial year.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    **see BMW Group Report 2024, p.261.

    ***As of 1 January 2025, the forecast range for Group EBT has been
    adjusted. For details, please refer to the glossary in the BMW Group
    Report 2024.

     

    GLOSSARY – explanatory comments on key performance indicators

     

    BEV

    Battery Electric Vehicle.

    Deliveries to customers

    A new or used vehicle is recorded as a delivery once it is handed
    over to the end user (which also includes leaseholders under lease
    contracts with BMW Financial Services). In the US and Canada, end
    users also include (1) dealers when they designate a vehicle as a
    service loaner or demonstrator vehicle and (2) dealers and other third
    parties when they purchase a company vehicle at auction and dealers
    when they purchase company vehicles directly from the BMW Group.
    Deliveries may be made by BMW AG, one of its international
    subsidiaries, a BMW Group retail outlet, or independent third-party
    dealers. The vast majority of deliveries – and hence the reporting of
    deliveries to the BMW Group – is made by independent third-party
    dealers. Retail vehicle deliveries during a given reporting period do
    not correlate directly to the revenues that the BMW Group recognises
    in respect of that particular reporting period.

    EBIT

    Profit before financial result. Profit before financial result
    comprises revenues less cost of sales, less selling and administrative
    expenses and plus/minus net other operating income and expenses.

     

    EBIT margin

    Profit/loss before financial result as a percentage of revenues.

     

    EBT

    EBIT plus financial result.

     

    EBT Margin

    Profit/loss as a percentage of revenues.

     

    PHEV

    Plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

     

    RoCE

    Return on capital employed (RoCE). RoCE in the Automotive and
    Motorcycles segments is measured on the basis of relevant segment
    profit before financial result and the average amount of capital
    employed – at the end of the last five quarters – in the segment
    concerned. Capital employed corresponds to the sum of all current and
    non-current operational assets, less liabilities that generally do not
    incur interest.

     

    RoE

    Return on equity (RoE). RoE in the Financial Services segment is
    calculated as segment profit before taxes, divided by the average
    amount of equity capital – at the end of the last five quarters –
    attributable to the Financial Services segment.

     

    If you have any questions, please contact:

    BMW Group Corporate Communications

     

    Dr Britta Ullrich, Finance Communications

    Telephone: +49 151 601 18364

    Email: britta.ullrich@bmwgroup.com

     

    Sebastian Keßler, Communications BMW Group, Strategy

    Telephone: +49 89 382-21616

    Email: Sebastian.KE.Kessler@bmwgroup.com

     

    Max-Morten Borgmann, head of Communications BMW Group, Finance, Sales

    Telephone: +49 89 382-24118

    Email: Max-Morten.Borgmann@bmwgroup.com

     

    Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com/deutschland

    Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

     

    The BMW Group

     

    With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the
    BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles
    and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW
    Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide;
    the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

     

    In 2024, the BMW Group sold 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more
    than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
    financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to €
    142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce
    of 159,104 employees.

     

    The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
    thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key component of
    the BMW Group’s corporate strategy – from the supply chain through
    production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

     

    www.bmwgroup.com

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

    X: https://www.x.com/bmwgroup

     


    Continue Reading

  • From the Operating Room to the Dental Chair: Collaborative Prosthodontics in Craniofacial Rehabilitation

    From the Operating Room to the Dental Chair: Collaborative Prosthodontics in Craniofacial Rehabilitation


    Continue Reading

  • SNB Reports Loss as Dollar Slump From Trump’s Tariffs Hits Central Bank Portfolio

    SNB Reports Loss as Dollar Slump From Trump’s Tariffs Hits Central Bank Portfolio


    This content was published on

    (Bloomberg) — Switzerland’s central bank swung to a loss as a slump in the dollar caused by Donald Trump’s tariff policies dented its large foreign-currency portfolio.

    Results for the first six months of the year showed a loss of 15.3 billion francs ($19 billion) on Thursday, the Swiss National Bank said in a statement on Thursday.

    That compares with a 6.7 billion-franc profit in the first quarter and is in line with an estimate from UBS Group AG, where economists predicted a 10-20 billion-franc shortfall.

    The SNB’s asset hoard, usually the top earner, yielded a loss of 22.7 billion francs. That couldn’t be offset by a valuation gain of 8.6 billion francs on the institution’s gold holdings, which are traded in dollars. The greenback depreciated more than 10% against the Swiss currency in the three months through June, driven by the US president’s tariff policies and the franc’s appeal as a haven.

    The central bank also saw losses of 1 billion from positions in Swiss francs, mainly because it had to pay interest on deposits of commercial banks. After policymakers cut borrowing costs to zero last month, these expenses are set to disappear in coming quarters.

    UBS economists Alessandro Bee and Florian Germanier warned ahead of the results that a half-year shortfall could threaten the SNB’s ability to make a payout to the government and cantons for 2025. That already was the case for 2022 and 2023, when annual distributions were skipped due to losses linked to the institution’s outsized balance sheet.

    The SNB’s assets have triggered international warnings. Its balance sheet ballooned because of years of asset purchases to weaken the franc — though the central bank has largely refrained from such moves more recently. As of last month, foreign-currency reserves stood at 713 billion francs.

    Due to the volatility of financial markets against the current geopolitical backdrop, the UBS economists refused to make a call whether the SNB will manage to make a profit — and therefore a payout — for 2025.

    SNB earnings are calculated by comparing asset prices at the start and end of each period. Interim announcements therefore have little bearing on the central bank’s result for the full year.

    The numbers also have no link to Swiss monetary policy. Nine-month earnings are due on Oct. 31.

    –With assistance from Kristian Siedenburg.

    ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

    Continue Reading

  • Emergency Endovascular Rescue Using Fenestration for False Lumen Deployment of the Frozen Elephant Trunk in Aortic Rupture

    Emergency Endovascular Rescue Using Fenestration for False Lumen Deployment of the Frozen Elephant Trunk in Aortic Rupture


    Continue Reading

  • Dozens of Palestinians killed seeking aid, Gaza civil defence ministry says

    Dozens of Palestinians killed seeking aid, Gaza civil defence ministry says

    Israeli gunfire killed at least 30 Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency.

    A Gaza civil defence spokesperson told the AFP news agency that Israeli fire wounded around 300 more people. Israel said details of the incident “are still being examined”.

    The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they fired “warning shots” after Gazans gathered around aid trucks 3km southwest of the Zikim crossing, but they were “not aware of any casualties” from IDF gunfire.

    Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, said his facility had received 35 bodies following the incident, according to AFP.

    Later, the hospital said at least 48 Palestinians were killed, according to the Associated Press.

    Separately, Gaza hospital sources told the BBC that six Palestinians were killed near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution centre in the Rafah area of Gaza on Wednesday morning.

    The GHF told the BBC no killings took place at or near its sites on Wednesday.

    The Israel Defense Force (IDF) told the BBC a “gathering of suspects” it said posed a threat to its troops were told to move away, and subsequently the army fired “warning shots” at a distance of “hundreds of metres away” from the distribution centre.

    The military also said “an initial review suggests that the number of casualties reported does not align with the information held by the IDF”.

    According to the UN human rights office, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to access food aid since late May.

    More than 150 people have died of malnutrition since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, including 89 children, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says.

    It comes as a group of UN-backed global food security experts warned that the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out” in Gaza, despite Israel this week announcing a series of “tactical pauses” in military operations to allow aid into the territory.

    Israel says it is not imposing restrictions on aid entering Gaza, claims rejected by some European nations and the UN.

    This week, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the “trickle of aid” into Gaza “must become an ocean”.

    “Food, water, medicine and fuel must flow in waves and without obstruction. This nightmare must end,” he added.

    On Thursday, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Israel to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    Witkoff’s visit comes as Canada followed France and the UK in announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September – the third G7 nation to do so.

    More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli’s military campaign in Gaza since October 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including 18,592 children and 9,782 women.

    Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage.

    Continue Reading