NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Crackdown on those who assist in self-harm

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Crackdown on those who assist in self-harm

    To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill will protect vulnerable people who are encouraged or assisted to self-harm

    • New laws to protect vulnerable people at risk of self-harm
    • Those who provide the tools for self-harm face up to 5 years behind bars, helping to cut crime and deliver the government’s plan for change
    • Perpetrators face prosecution even if no self-harm takes place

    Vulnerable people who are encouraged or assisted to harm themselves will have greater protection under a new offence being introduced as part of the Crime and Policing Bill. 

    To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the government is pushing ahead with vital new measures to further protect those at risk – with recent NHS data showing self-harm hospital admissions among young people have soared by a third. 

    The government is going further to strengthen safeguards – broadening the law to capture more malicious behaviour, bringing parity between the online and offline world and protect people who are at risk of suicide or self-harm.

    The new laws will make it a criminal offence to directly assist someone to self-harm – such as giving someone a blade or sending them pills – whether it is done in person or online. This will build on existing laws that already prevent people encouraging or assisting suicide or self-harm through content online.  

    Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), Alex Davies-Jones, said  

    The prevalence of serious self-harm, especially in young people, is hugely concerning. It is an awful truth that some people encourage or assist such behaviour, and one I wanted to draw attention to during Mental Health Awareness Week. 

    Whether encouragement is by communication, or more directly by assistance, the outcome is the same. We are determined that anybody intending to see others harm themselves is stopped and dealt with in the strongest way.

    Under this broader offence, someone can also be prosecuted if their intention is to cause serious self-harm even when this does not result in injuries to the vulnerable person. Those found guilty face up to 5 years in prison.  

    Self-harm can occur at any age. A recent study on people aged 13 to 15 reported that prevalence was greater among girls (22.7%) than boys (8.5%).  

    There is also increasing evidence of links between internet usage and self-harm, with one study finding that, among self-harm hospital presentations, the prevalence of suicide and self-harm related internet use was 26% among children and adolescents.    

    Anybody struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts is urged to get in touch with their GP or get advice and emotional support from organisations such as the Samaritans, Mind, or SANEline. 

    Background information

    • To avoid criminalising vulnerable people who share their experiences of self-harm publicly, if a person does not intend to encourage or assist serious self-harm then they will not be prosecuted as they did not mean to cause any harm to others. This enables the issue to continue to be discussed openly, for awareness and therapeutic purposes, without fear of repercussion.  
    • Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 12 to 18 May 2025 
    • The Online Safety Act 2023 gave partial effect to the Law Commission recommendation to create an offence, modelled on the offence of encouraging and assisting suicide, to tackle the encouragement of self-harm. It did so by introducing a new offence of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm by means of verbal or electronic communications, publications or correspondence  
    • The Crime and Policing Bill will repeal the existing offence and replace it with a broader offence of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm to cover all means by which serious self-harm broader may be encouraged or assisted, including by any means of communication and in any other way 
    • The offence contains two key elements to ensure that the offence does not disproportionately impact vulnerable people who harm themselves and constrains the offence to only the most culpable offending. These are (1) that the defendant’s act must be intended to encourage or assisting the serious self-harm of another person; and (2) that the defendant’s act is capable of encouraging or assisting the serious self-harm of another person. The offence therefore targets those who intend by their act to cause another person to seriously self-harm Sharing experiences of self-harm, or simply discussing the issue, without such intention will not be a criminal offence 
    • For more information on hospital admission breakdown data visit: Hospital admissions related to self harm, with age and geographical breakdowns – NHS England Digital

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Royal College of Psychiatrists Report – Co-occurring substance misuse and mental health

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    For those who have both ongoing mental illness alongside substance use disorders, it can be particularly hard to access the most effective treatment and support. This group has poorer physical and mental health, poorer social and occupational functioning, poorer treatment engagement, and higher mortality rates. They represent one of the most vulnerable groups seen by mental health services with the highest risk of violence and suicidal acts. Despite this, mental health and substance use services tend to function independently with poor co-ordination of care for those who need support from both services. Outcomes for this group have been getting progressively worse, and too many lives are being lost.

    Opportunities to deliver the best care possible are being missed. This is a real concern for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and their report makes practical recommendations for clinicians, commissioners and Government.

    Journalists came to the SMC to hear from authors of this report into co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders on:

    -What is co-occurring substance use, what does it look like, how common is it, and why is it so complex to manage?

    -Why has this become a priority issue for the Royal College of Psychiatrists?

    -What is the evidence of how best to treat this group and is this currently happening in all countries across the UK?

    -What must be done to improve support and outcomes with these conditions and who is responsible for this?

    Speakers included:

    Dr Lade Smith CBE, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

    Prof Owen Bowden-Jones, Lead author of the report and Consultant in Addiction Psychiatry

    Dr Emily Finch, co-author of the report and Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Addictions Faculty

    Dr Jenny Drife, co-author of the report and Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist with a focus on homelessness

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Housing Statistics for Scotland, 2023-24 An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland.

    Source: Scottish Government

    The latest compendium annual housing statistics have been published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

    Total New Housing Supply (new build, rehabilitations, and net conversions)

    • New housing supply decreased by 16.4% (3,984 homes) in 2023-24, with 20,364 homes supplied compared to 24,348 in 2022-23.
    • Of the total new housing supply, 97.9% (19,943 homes) were new builds, 0.3% (57 homes) were rehabilitations, and 1.8% (364 homes) were net conversions in 2023-24.

    Housing Stock by tenure

    • As of 31st March 2023, there were 2.7 million dwellings estimated in Scotland. Of these, 60% were owner-occupied, 3.7% were vacant or second homes, 13.2% were privately rented or lived in rent-free, and 23% were social rented properties.

    Social housing stock

    • The total social sector housing stock increased by 6,102, reaching 633,030 dwellings as of 31st March 2024 compared with 626,928 dwellings in the previous year. There were 325,477 local authority dwellings and 307,553 housing association dwellings as of 31st March 2024.
    • In March 2024 there were 21,085 supported houses for older people and 29,813 supported houses for people with physical disabilities provided by local authorities. There was an increase (1.2%) in supported housing for older people and a decrease (-1.2%) in housing for people with physical disabilities between March 2023 and March 2024.

    Local authority lettings, evictions, and housing list applications

    • During 2023-24 there were 25,423 permanent local authority lettings made, an increase of 1,773 lets (7.5%) compared to the previous year. Of all the local authority lettings made in 2023-24, 49% were to homeless households, 26% were to those on a housing waiting list, 21% were transfers to existing tenants, and 3% classified as other.
    • There were 16,640 notices of eviction proceedings in 2023-24 relating to council tenants, an increase of 10.2% since 2022-23. The latest figure is 32.2% lower than pre-pandemic levels (2019-20). There were 561 proceedings resulting in evictions or abandonments in 2023-24, with the majority (91%) of these due to rent arrears as opposed to antisocial behaviour or other reasons, this percentage is higher than in 2022-23 (85%).
    • As of 31st March 2024, 177,264 applications were recorded on 26 local authority or common housing register housing lists. This was a 1.2% increase compared with March 2023 (2,172 more households). It should be noted that people can apply to more than one local authority, and they also can apply for both council and Registered Social Landlords housing, leading to multiple counting on housing lists.

    Local Authority licences

    • As of 31st March 2023, there were a total of 15,274 houses in multiple occupation licences in force, a decrease of 160 (1.0%) since the previous year.

    Local authority scheme of assistance grants

    • In 2023-24 6,038 local authority scheme of assistance grants were paid to householders, a 5% decrease (or 315 fewer grants) than 2022-2023. Scheme of Assistance grants totalled almost £37 million.
    • The majority of these were for disabled adaptations, 4,194 grants which is 9% less than the 2022-23 figure of 4,602. Disabled adaptation grants in 2023-24 totalled £22.2 million which is an increase on the 2022-23 figure of £21.7m.

     Background

    Commentary on more recent data on house building completions as well as house building starts and approvals can be found in the housing statistics quarterly update publications.

    Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply to end December 2024 – gov.scot

    Background information including Excel tables and explanatory information on data sources and quality can be found in the Housing Statistics webpages.

    Official statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Milestone reached – £65 million invested in nature projects

    Source: Scottish Government

    Nature Restoration Fund extended following success.

    The Scottish Government has invested over £65 million in projects across Scotland through its groundbreaking Nature Restoration Fund. 

    Established in 2021, it has funded hundreds of projects helping Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery.

    This years’ Programme for Government has committed to extend the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) in 2026-27 to enable funding of a further round of multi-year projects. The extension will help ensure the priorities set out in the Biodiversity Strategy are met.

    Among the already successful projects is Highland Amphibians Reptile Project (HARP) which has boosted the survival rate of the Highland Great Crested Newt from 2% to 13%. This breeding success enabled the translocation of the UK’s rarest newts, which is thought to be a first in Europe.

    Additionally, work is being carried out by Scottish Entanglement Alliance (SEA), to reduce the entanglement of whales and basking sharks in fishing equipment, preventing their death or unnecessary suffering. Solutions currently being trialled could see the entanglement of some species reduced by 80% while preserving low impact creel fishing which supports coastal communities and livelihoods.

    Announcing the achievement at the NRF-funded Brerachan Water Restoration Project near Pitlochry, Climate Action Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said:

    “With more than 250 projects benefitting from the Nature Restoration Fund so far and our commitment to extend again this year, there can be no denying how serious we are about protecting and restoring our planet for future generations.

    “This funding goes a long way in helping to tackle the twin nature-climate crises, working to restore Scotland’s biodiversity at the same time as increasing our resilience to climate change, all while improving the health and wellbeing of local communities.

    “It’s fantastic to see how the work that has been completed here at Brerachan not only enhances habitats by planting native riparian trees but also introduces meander bends to improve the river’s connectivity to its floodplain. The benefits of projects like this will have a profound immediate effect on the local community but will continue to be felt for years to come.”

    Richard Lockett, Director of Lockett Agri-Environmental who managed the Brerachan Water Restoration Project said:

    “The Nature Restoration Fund was the key to the success of the Brerachan Water Restoration Project. The NRF funding enabled work to re-connect the Brerachan Water to its floodplain, restoring 25 hectares of outstanding, wildlife rich floodplain habitat.

    “The design involved the creation of a chute channel which takes water from the river onto the floodplain. In addition, sections of the existing open drainage network were infilled to help hold water across the site.  A number of ponds and backwater features were also created to further enhance and diversify habitats and maximise benefits to wildlife. 

    “This work has been highly successful. It has restored a drained and degraded flood plain into a rich and varied wetland habitat which will also help store flood water and reduce downstream flood risk.”

    NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said:

    “The Nature Restoration Fund has come at a critical time and made a real difference, supporting hundreds of projects to take positive action for nature. As a result of this funding, people have been restoring saltmarshes and wetlands, enhancing rivers, creating woodlands and removing invasive non-native species to help our plants and wildlife flourish.

    “The range of projects that have been completed is impressive. They have helped to protect sharks and whales, allowed the return of water voles to parts of our rivers, created new areas of Scotland’s rainforest, and established pollinator networks across our towns and cities.

    “Over the past four years much has been achieved, but with nature in crisis across Scotland there is still a great deal more to be done. We need to continue to invest in Scotland’s nature to halt and reverse its decline, to build resilience to future climate shocks and to give people the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits that nature brings us. Let’s make Scotland richer in nature by 2030.”

    Background

    In July 2021, the Scottish Government launched the Nature Restoration Fund, which provides additional funding for multi-year, multi-partner large scale nature restoration projects to deliver significant improvements in biodiversity.

    £19.55 million was invested in 2025-26.

    The Nature Restoration Fund makes grants available through two main strands:

    The open competitive strand, administered by NatureScot; and

    The Edinburgh Process strand, which provides direct allocations from the Scottish Government to Local Authorities and National Parks.

    The Fund’s priority themes are:

    1. Habitat and species restoration: Management for enhancement and connectivity
    2. Freshwater restoration, including restoration of natural flows in rural catchments
    3. Coastal and marine initiatives which promote restoration, recovery, enhancement or resilience
    4. Control of invasive non-native species (INNS) impacting on nature
    5. Urban: Enhancing and connecting nature across, and between, towns and cities.

    Climate change makes all factors more significant in impact. All project proposals must demonstrate how the project will help to address climate change and/or its impacts.

    Programme for Government 2025 to 2026 – gov.scot

    Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) | NatureScot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Government Overseas Network to Sell Scotland Around the World

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    UK Government Overseas Network to Sell Scotland Around the World

    Scottish Secretary drives forward Brand Scotland with new campaign fund.

    The UK Government’s drive to sell Brand Scotland around the world will get a boost with the launch of a new fund for overseas campaigns. 

    The Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray, is offering the UK’s international network grants of up to £20,000 for innovative and creative activities to market Scotland overseas. 

    One of Ian Murray’s priorities at the Scotland Office is Brand Scotland – promoting Scottish goods and services overseas and encouraging inward investment in Scotland. This is a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

    The US and India free trade agreements signed last week show just how popular Scottish products are overseas. The India deal slashed tariffs for Scotch – great news for our whisky producers who want to expand their overseas markets.

    This new fund will complement an extensive programme of overseas visits planned for Scotland Office ministers over the year, following on from Ian Murray’s recent successful trips to Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Washington and New York.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    “Brand Scotland is a fantastic opportunity to promote all that is great about Scotland around the world, and show investors the opportunities of Scotland. Through the Foreign, Development and Commonwealth Office, the UK has an extensive overseas network, which works day in day out to promote our country. This exciting new fund will boost the overseas network’s ability to promote Scotland and all it has to offer in many key markets. Brand Scotland is a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, to boost growth and put more money in people’s pockets.”

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

    “The UK-India free trade deal slashing whisky export tariffs is a prime example of how the UK Government is unlocking growth opportunities to deliver for people in every corner of the country, as part of our Plan for Change.

    “The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is looking forward to showcasing Brand Scotland around the world as part of our mission to turbo charge the economy and put more money back in people’s pockets.

    “Kickstarting economic growth is in this government’s DNA so my diplomats will be working tirelessly to shout about everything Scotland has to offer, not least its world-beating food and drink.”

    Brand Scotland leverages Scotland’s unique cultural assets and the UK’s soft power. The UK Government’s overseas network will have the opportunity to bid for funds. Projects will support Scotland-focused trade missions and trade events. We expect bids to be creative and go beyond ‘business as usual’.

    Bids will be assessed on their ability to deliver measurable outcomes and foster long-term relationships with stakeholders in host countries. Bids will be reviewed by officials from the Scotland Office, FCDO, and the Department for Business and Trade – with the Scotland Office giving final sign-off.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Market Way car park taken over by council

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Portsmouth City Council is taking over the management of Market Way car park in the city centre from 16 May 2025, bringing it more in line with other council car parks in the area and offering new payment options for people parking and visiting shops.

    This change helps achieve policies set out in the council’s Parking Strategy, and aims to support businesses in the area and strengthen the city’s economy as part of Portsmouth’s integrated transport strategy.

    While the council encourages people to visit the shops on Commercial Road by walking, cycling, taking the bus, or using park and ride, Market Way car park remains a convenient option for those who need to drive.

    Previously managed by National Car Parks (NCP), the car park will now offer cheaper hourly prices for people who need to drive and park in the city centre for short stays (less than four hours). For the first few weeks of the council operating the car park, customers will be able to pay for parking with coins or via the RingGo app, with contactless card facilities being added later in June.

    The car park will now operate on a pay-when-you-park basis, rather than the previous pay-on-exit system. As with other council-owned car parks in Portsmouth, no QR codes will be used on parking machines and disabled people with Blue Badges can park for free.

    Any previous season tickets offered by NCP will no longer be offered at this car park, but other NCP car parks in the city will remain available, and season tickets will also be available from the council. Any queries about NCP season tickets should be addressed to NCP directly at www.ncp.co.uk or by calling 0345 050 7080.

    To make sure the car park is safe and accessible, some improvements need to take place in May, including resurfacing works. The car park will remain open throughout these works, though with a reduced capacity.

    In a first for the city, new solar-powered parking machines will be installed, saving on energy costs and ensuring sustainability where possible. In the future, other sustainable transport options may be offered in the car park as travel within the city evolves, including electric vehicle charging points, rental e-scooter and e-bike docks, and parking for bicycles.

    Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth City Council, said:

    “We’re pleased to take over and improve the Marketway car park, making it more like other council car parks and boosting the Portsmouth city centre economy. We’d still encourage most people to take the bus including Park & Ride, or walk or cycle whenever possible, but for those that need to drive and park, this will help get people to get to shops, businesses and attractions.”

    More information can be found at https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/parking-roads-and-travel/parking/car-parks/ or by emailing parking.permits@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Urgent call to amend crab pot regulations

    Source: City of Plymouth

    The Leader of Plymouth City Council has issued an urgent appeal to the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) to address a critical issue threatening the livelihoods of the fishing community in Plymouth.

    Local fishermen in Devon are grappling with stringent regulations that mandate escape holes in crab pots. These escape holes are allowing octopus to enter, devour the crabs, and leave, resulting in empty pots and no catch for the day. This unique regulation to Devon is placing local fishermen at a significant disadvantage compared to their Cornish counterparts.

    The Leader of Plymouth City Council is advocating for an immediate, temporary amendment to remove the escape hole requirement in crab pots. This change would enable fishermen to catch and sell octopus, offering much-needed relief during these challenging times.

    Councillor Tudor Evans, who has written to IFCA, said: “Our local fishermen are facing an incredibly tough time. The current regulations are not just impractical; they are devastating. These escape holes are allowing octopus to feast on the crabs, leaving our hardworking fishermen with nothing to show for their efforts.

    “We urgently need IFCA to amend this directive and temporarily remove the escape hole requirement. This will allow our fishermen to catch and sell octopus, providing them with a crucial source of income. Once the octopus population stabilises, we can reinstate the escape hole requirement. But for now, this change is essential to support the livelihoods of our local fishing community and ensure they can continue to sustain their families.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pupils will be raising the roof by Singing In The Halls

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Singing In The Halls, organised by Wolverhampton Music Service, will see around 3,000 children from primary and special schools across the city perform at the iconic venue, accompanied by a 14 piece band.

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “This will be a fantastic experience for our children to be able to sing at the city’s biggest performance venue, University of Wolverhampton at The Halls, and for so many schools and performers to be a part of it.

    “Children and teachers have been busy practising their songs in school, ready to give their best performances on the big stage, and it is sure to be a day to remember for everyone involved.

    “Music has the power to inspire, uplift and unite, and through these concerts our Music Service is aiming to foster a sense of community and creativity among young performers, and to inspire them to begin their own musical journeys.”

    Ciaran O’Donnell, head of Wolverhampton Music Service, said: “It’s once again been a pleasure working with primary and special schools for Singing In The Halls and we are delighted that we are able to use the University of Wolverhampton at The Halls again this year.

    “Three thousand children from primary and special schools have signed up across the 2 concerts, which is amazing.

    “Singing In The Halls is not just about vocal talents; it’s a chance for pupils to come together, express themselves creatively, build confidence and celebrate our diverse city, creating lasting memories in a supportive setting. We can’t wait!”

    The concerts will be led by Paul Wilcox, vocal strategy partner for the Music Service, and vocalists will be accompanied by the service band.

    Wolverhampton Music Service provides high quality tuition and musical opportunities for youngsters from schools across the city, including the chance to perform with its flagship groups, Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra and Wolverhampton Youth Wind Orchestra. To find out more, please visit Wolverhampton Music Service.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call out to community groups to manage Portobello Community Centre

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The council owned centre on Hill Road, Willenhall, has been vacant since the previous community association left in December 2023.

    The council remains committed to exploring all options to ensure the building is retained for community use.

    Expressions of interest are being invited to either take on the centre through a community asset transfer of the building or to lease it as a community association.

    Interested parties are advised it is a big commitment to take on a community building and requires time, energy, people resources and finance. The council will therefore thoroughly assess the viability and sustainability of any proposal to ensure an organisation is able to deliver valuable services to the community.

    The centre contains a large activities hall with a 75 person capacity, large lounge, playroom, meeting room, kitchen, storage, office space, and male/female/accessible WCs.

    The deadline for expressions of interest is Saturday 31 May, 2025.

    Councillor Paula Brookfield, Cabinet Member for Governance and Equalities, said: “The council recognises and supports the contribution that the voluntary and community sector brings to the vitality and wellbeing of the city.

    “We are now able to offer Portobello Community Centre to a new community organisation, and I would urge people to come forward with their proposals or simply have a conversation with us about what is possible.

    “We have numerous examples of community asset transfers in recent times that have had a positive impact on communities, and we are supportive of the work community associations do – both routes enable new and innovative means of local service delivery that bring benefits to our communities and contribute towards the council’s aims and objectives.”

    Anyone interested in taking on the centre or finding out more information should email asset.management@wolverhampton.gov.uk

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Find out about your university options at Higher Education Fair

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Visitors will be able to learn more about different university courses and their entrance requirements, how to apply for courses and get information on costs, and get details of grants, bursaries and financial support available for travel and childcare.

    There will also be information about Adult Education Wolverhampton’s Level 3 Access to Higher Education courses to help people prepare for university, and specific schemes, programmes and tester events to ease the transition from Level 3 to degree studies and give prospective students the chance to experience university life first hand.

    The Higher Education Fair will take place at Adult Education Wolverhampton’s Foyer Building, Old Hall Street, on Wednesday 21 May from 10am to 1pm with representatives of universities from across the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Worcestershire on hand to speak to visitors.

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Work, said: “If you’ve ever wanted to go to university, but aren’t sure how you could make it happen or fear you may not have the right qualifications, please come along to Adult Education Wolverhampton’s Higher Education Fair and find out about what the region’s universities could offer you.”

    For more information, please email enquiries@aes.wolverhampton.gov.uk or call 01902 558180. 
     

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: From the lab to the pub for School of Psychology research Researchers from the School of Psychology will showcase their work to the public in a series of talks and events as part of the Pint of Science festival next week.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Researchers from the School of Psychology will showcase their work to the public in a series of talks and events as part of the Pint of Science festival next week.
    Talks organised by the School of Psychology will make up more than a third of the festival’s Aberdeenshire programme, which aims to improve engagement in science and make research accessible to all.
    Kicking off the festival is the Astounding Assumptions event on 19 May at the OGV Taproom at Newburgh Golf Club, in which three talks will investigate how much our perceptions are influenced by what we expect to experience.
    Professor Constanze Hesse will discuss the size-weight illusion: when two objects weigh the same but differ in size, the smaller one feels heavier.
    Dr Martin Giesel will speak about visual illusions interpreted by the eyes, revealing how perception depends on our assumptions and prior experience.
    And Dr Helen Knight’s talk will delve into the phenomena of inattentional blindness (where we fail to notice things happening right in front of us) and change blindness (where even obvious changes go unnoticed).
    The Mind and Body event on 20 May at the OGV Taproom in Aberdeen will see University researchers explore how our memories, experiences and personal identity shape behaviour – and whether our behaviour can shape us in return.
    Dr Bert Timmermans will examine how interactions with others shape how we experience the world as well as ourselves.
    The power of the hippocampus will be the subject of Dr Janine Cooper’s talk, including how it can be impacted when damaged and how we can best look after it.
    And Dr Agnieszka Konopka will explore the benefits of language-learning and being able to speak multiple languages, with a particular focus on memory.
    Dr Doug Martin, Head of the School of Psychology, said: “We are so excited to be a part of this year’s Pint of Science event. The festival is a wonderful opportunity for us to share our world-class research with the local community and demonstrate our commitment to public engagement. Our work spans diverse areas – from language and neuroscience to memory and social interaction – and we cannot wait to share our discoveries!”
    Pint of Science is an annual event that takes place this year from 19 to 21 May. The full Aberdeenshire programme and information on how to get tickets for the talks can be found here.

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  • MIL-OSI Global: Viking pregnancy was deeply political – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marianne Hem Eriksen, Associate Professor of Archaeology, University of Leicester

    Britomart by Walter Crane (1900). Library of Decorative Arts, Paris

    Pregnant women wielding swords and wearing martial helmets, foetuses set to avenge their fathers – and a harsh world where not all newborns were born free or given burial.

    These are some of the realities uncovered by the first interdisciplinary study to focus on pregnancy in the Viking age, authored by myself, Kate Olley, Brad Marshall and Emma Tollefsen as part of the Body-Politics project. Despite its central role in human history, pregnancy has often been overlooked in archaeology, largely because it leaves little material trace.

    Pregnancy has perhaps been particularly overlooked in periods we mostly associate with warriors, kings and battles – such as the highly romanticised Viking age (the period from AD800 until AD1050).

    Topics such as pregnancy and childbirth have conventionally been seen as “women’s issues”, belonging to the “natural” or “private” spheres – yet we argue that questions such as “when does life begin?” are not at all natural or private, but of significant political concern, today as in the past.

    In our new study, my co-authors and I puzzle together eclectic strands of evidence in order to understand how pregnancy and the pregnant body were conceptualised at this time. By exploring such “womb politics”, it is possible to add significantly to our knowledge on gender, bodies and sexual politics in the Viking age and beyond.

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    First, we examined words and stories depicting pregnancy in Old Norse sources. Despite dating to the centuries after the Viking age, sagas and legal texts provide words and stories about childbearing that the Vikings’ immediate descendants used and circulated.

    We learned that pregnancy could be described as “bellyful”, “unlight” and “not whole”. And we gleaned an insight into the possible belief in personhood of a foetus: “A woman walking not alone.”

    Helgi and Guðrún in the Laxdæla saga, as depicted by Andreas Bloch (1898).
    Wiki Commons

    An episode in one of the sagas we looked at supports the idea that unborn children (at least high-status ones) could already be inscribed into complex systems of kinship, allies, feuds and obligations. It tells the story of a tense confrontation between the pregnant Guðrún Ósvífrsdóttir, a protagonist in the Saga of the People of Laxardal and her husband’s killer, Helgi Harðbeinsson.

    As a provocation, Helgi wipes his bloody spear on Guđrun’s clothes and over her belly. He declares: “I think that under the corner of that shawl dwells my own death.” Helgi’s prediction comes true, and the foetus grows up to avenge his father.

    Another episode, from the Saga of Erik the Red, focuses more on the agency of the mother. The heavily pregnant Freydís Eiríksdóttir is caught up in an attack by the skrælings, the Norse name for the indigenous populations of Greenland and Canada. When she cannot escape due to her pregnancy, Freydís picks up a sword, bares her breast and strikes the sword against it, scaring the assailants away.

    While sometimes regarded as an obscure literary episode in scholarship, this story may find a parallel in the second set of evidence we examined for the study: a figurine of a pregnant woman.

    This pendant, found in a tenth-century woman’s burial in Aska, Sweden, is the only known convincing depiction of pregnancy from the Viking age. It depicts a figure in female dress with the arms embracing an accentuated belly — perhaps signalling connection with the coming child. What makes this figurine especially interesting is that the pregnant woman is wearing a martial helmet.

    The figurine of a pregnant woman that was analysed in the study.
    Historiska Museet, CC BY-ND

    Taken together, these strands of evidence show that pregnant women could, at least in art and stories, be engaged with violence and weapons. These were not passive bodies. Together with recent studies of Viking women buried as warriors, this provokes further thought to how we envisage gender roles in the oft-perceived hyper-masculine Viking societies.

    Missing children and pregnancy as a defect

    A final strand of investigation was to look for evidence for obstetric deaths in the Viking burial record. Maternal-infant death rates are thought to be very high in most pre-industrial societies. Yet, we found that among thousands of Viking graves, only 14 possible mother-infant burials are reported.

    Consequently, we suggest that pregnant women who died weren’t routinely buried with their unborn child and may not have been commemorated as one, symbiotic unity by Viking societies. In fact, we also found newborns buried with adult men and postmenopausal women, assemblages which may be family graves, but they may also be something else altogether.

    Interpretative drawing of a grave from Fjälkinge, Sweden, of an adult woman buried together with newborn placed between her thighs. Note that the legs of the woman’s body have been weighed down by a boulder.
    Matt Hitchcock / Body-Politics, CC BY-SA

    We cannot exclude that infants – underrepresented in the burial record more generally – were disposed of in death elsewhere. When they are found in graves with other bodies, it’s possible they were included as a “grave good” (objects buried with a deceased person) for other people in the grave.

    This is a stark reminder that pregnancy and infancy can be vulnerable states of transition. A final piece of evidence speaks to this point like no other. For some, like Guđrun’s little boy, gestation and birth represented a multi-staged process towards becoming a free social person.

    For people lower on the social rung, however, this may have looked very different. One of the legal texts we examined dryly informs us that when enslaved women were put up for sale, pregnancy was regarded as a defect of their bodies.

    Pregnancy was deeply political and far from uniform in meaning for Viking-age communities. It shaped – and was shaped by – ideas of social status, kinship and personhood. Our study shows that pregnancy was not invisible or private, but crucial to how Viking societies understood life, social identities and power.

    Marianne Hem Eriksen leads the BODY-POLITICS project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 949886).

    This research was also supported by The Leverhulme Trust through a Philip Leverhulme Prize awarded to Marianne Hem Eriksen (PLP-2022-285).

    – ref. Viking pregnancy was deeply political – new study – https://theconversation.com/viking-pregnancy-was-deeply-political-new-study-254738

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbekistan and the European Union will continue a systematic and constructive dialogue on Afghan settlement issues

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Tashkent, May 13 /Xinhua/ — Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev met with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Eduard Stiprais, Dunyo news agency reported on Tuesday.

    According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, current issues of regional security, the situation in Afghanistan and prospects for deepening cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU were discussed during the talks.

    The parties reportedly confirmed their mutual interest in continuing a systemic and constructive dialogue on Afghan settlement issues and agreed to maintain regular consultations. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: Brazil to Work with China to Strengthen Voice of Global South – President

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    RIO DE JANEIRO, May 13 (Xinhua) — Brazil is seeking to work with China to strengthen the voice of the Global South in defense of multilateralism and free trade, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in an interview with Chinese media ahead of his visit to China.

    The two countries can use platforms such as the China-CELAC Forum, BRICS and the upcoming UN climate conference COP30 to move forward together, he said.

    “Brazil sees China as a political partner, an economic partner and a very strong strategic partner in this turbulent world of the 21st century,” the president stressed.

    The visit to China is a continuation of the good bilateral relations established in recent years, said L.I. Lula da Silva, adding that they continue to improve and are increasingly gaining strategic importance.

    “We do not want one country to be superior to others. We do not want one currency to be superior to others. We want trade to be fair and balanced, and for everyone to be able to sell and buy fairly,” the president said.

    According to him, Brazil is committed to defending peace, multilateralism and a fair trading system. There is no doubt that together with China and other countries of the Global South, it can have a greater impact on the world, L.I. Lula da Silva added.

    “I believe that the Global South is a political novelty of the 21st century. I am very proud that we have arrived where we are. And even greater growth is possible because there are many people who want to join the Global South,” the head of state said.

    On trade, he noted that Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America, has significant trade with China. However, the rapid growth of trade relations between the two points to even greater potential for trade exchanges and investment, the president added.

    L.I. Lula da Silva said that a group of Brazilian business leaders will travel to China with him to establish new partnerships with Chinese entrepreneurs, especially in areas such as infrastructure, mining and energy.

    He would also like to expand scientific and technical cooperation, particularly in the field of space. The President hopes to improve the existing joint program on satellites for studying the earth’s resources.

    Brazil wants to discuss AI issues with China “to ensure that artificial intelligence serves all of humanity and not just a few countries,” the head of state said.

    Brazil is preparing to host COP30 this year and hopes to establish a strong partnership with China, L. I. Lula da Silva noted. China has made significant progress in combating climate change and can share its experience in transforming energy needs at the conference, he added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of Chinese tourists visiting Cambodia’s Angkor Park increased by 29 percent in the first four months of the year.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    PHNOM PENH, May 13 (Xinhua) — The number of Chinese tourists visiting Cambodia’s famous Angkor archaeological park has increased significantly in the first four months of 2025, an official statement said Monday.

    A total of 36,368 Chinese tourists visited Angkor Park between January and April this year, up 29 percent from the same period last year (28,172 people), according to a report by state-owned Angkor Enterprise.

    China ranked fourth in the number of tourists visiting Angkor, behind the United States, France and Britain, the report added.

    According to the report, about 474,810 foreigners from 171 countries and regions visited the ancient park in the first four months of this year, bringing gross ticket revenue to US$22.2 million.

    With 2025 declared the Cambodia-China Year of Tourism, a significant influx of Chinese tourists to the Angkor Archaeological Park is expected, said Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute of International Studies and Public Policy at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

    “The growth is likely to be driven by increased bilateral cooperation, promotional campaigns and increased accessibility through direct flights and group tour packages,” he told Xinhua. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two children killed by unexploded ordnance in western Afghanistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    KABUL, May 13 (Xinhua) — Two children were killed late on Monday when an explosive device left over from previous wars went off in Qadis district of Badghis province in western Afghanistan, a local police official said on Tuesday.

    According to provincial police spokesman Sediqullah Sediqi, the children found a toy-like object and started playing with it. The device exploded, killing the children instantly.

    In April, officials from the National Disaster Management Authority said about 1,150 square kilometers of Afghanistan remained contaminated by mines and unexploded explosive devices.

    Afghanistan is one of the world’s most mine-contaminated countries, where dozens of people, mostly children, are killed and injured every month by unexploded ordnance left over from decades of war. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales’s Green Flag Orchestrator solution successfully deployed in Brest and Reims, France, supporting sustainable Air Traffic Management

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales’s Green Flag Orchestrator solution successfully deployed in Brest and Reims, France, supporting sustainable Air Traffic Management

    • After the success of the deployment in Brest in March, Thales’s Green Flag Orchestrator tool has been implemented at the Reims Area Control Centre (ACC) in France, reducing the consumption of fuel per optimised flight by 200 to 300kg.
    • Green Flag Orchestrator provides Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs) with more eco-friendly ‘opportunities’, allowing airlines to optimize flight plans, thereby reducing plane fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
    • This initiative is part of the EU-funded SESAR JU CONCERTO project, which aims to optimize CO2 reduction opportunities and integrate sustainable air traffic control practices.
    CRNA Est, Reims” id=”image-76de5ad8-ec92-4c8f-bc2e-170cbbf8070d” data-id=”76de5ad8-ec92-4c8f-bc2e-170cbbf8070d” data-original=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/76de5ad8-ec92-4c8f-bc2e-170cbbf8070d/-/inline/no/123.jpg” data-mfp-src=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/76de5ad8-ec92-4c8f-bc2e-170cbbf8070d/-/format/auto/” alt=”CRNA Est, Reims”/>
    CRNA Est, Reims

    Thales and France’s Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA) announce the successful implementation of the Green Flag Orchestrator solution at the Reims Area Control Centre (ACC) in France. This milestone marks a new significant step towards more sustainable aviation and aligns with the European Union’s environmental goals to reduce 90% of CO2 emissions by 2040.

    Using advanced decision-making algorithms, Thales’s Green Flag Orchestrator is a tool for ANSPs to manage ATC (Air Traffic Control)  ‘constraints’ – restrictions imposed by ATC to ensure the safe and efficient movement of aircraft through controlled airspace, such as altitude restrictions. This tool automatically identifies and suggests ‘opportunities’ to relax some of these ‘constraints’, which are then proposed to airlines, enabling them to optimise their flight plans, thus reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. By ensuring automation and digital coordination, this solution optimizes ANSPs’ workload, while maintaining the same levels of safety and capacity.

    This deployment is part of the EU-funded SESAR JU CONCERTO project, which focuses on integrating new technologies and concepts to reduce CO2 emissions and introduce non-CO2 impact management into daily operations. As part of this project, all CONCERTO partners are working to integrate green air traffic control capabilities into the system, balancing capacity and environmental performance.

    “The integration of the Green Flag concept at Brest and Reims ACCs aligns with our commitment to promoting a greener aviation industry. This initiative is a crucial step in our environmental strategy and supports our goal of reducing the sector’s carbon footprint.” Florence Serdot-Omer, Head of Unit Validation of Concept and new Technologies at DSNA.

    “Combining advanced algorithms and collaborative tools, the Green Flag Orchestrator empowers Air Navigation Service Providers and airlines to make environmentally conscious decisions, and unlock numerous opportunities for flight path optimization, paving the way for a more sustainable future in air traffic management.” David Antonello, ATM Green Operations Lead at Thales, and CONCERTO project leader

    “Congratulations to Thales and DSNA for the successful deployment of the Green Flag Orchestrator in Reims and Brest. This achievement, delivered through the SESAR CONCERTO project, is a great example of the SESAR innovation pipeline in action—transforming promising ideas into tools that deliver immediate environmental benefits. By accelerating the uptake of eco-efficient solutions like this, we are helping to make Europe’s skies more sustainable, flight by flight.” Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR Joint Undertaking.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales celebrates 50 years in Greece

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales celebrates 50 years in Greece

    On the occasion of DEFEA, Greece’s premier defence exhibition, Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital sectors, celebrates its 50th anniversary of operations in Greece. This milestone underscores Thales’ enduring commitment to fostering technological advancement and contributing to the nation’s economic growth and security.

    Pascale Sourisse and Laurence Auer, French Ambassador in Greece, on the occasion of DEFEA and Thales’s 50th anniversary in Greece. ” id=”image-4840937d-79e6-483b-af1e-44c108955785″ data-id=”4840937d-79e6-483b-af1e-44c108955785″ data-original=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4840937d-79e6-483b-af1e-44c108955785/-/inline/no/RGB-140.jpg” data-mfp-src=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4840937d-79e6-483b-af1e-44c108955785/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/” alt=”Pascale Sourisse and Laurence Auer, French Ambassador in Greece, on the occasion of DEFEA and Thales’s 50th anniversary in Greece. “/>
    Pascale Sourisse and Laurence Auer, French Ambassador in Greece, on the occasion of DEFEA and Thales’s 50th anniversary in Greece.

    Since establishing its presence in Greece 50 years ago, Thales has been at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions tailored to the needs of the Greek market. From cutting-edge avionics and state-of-the-art defence systems to secure communications and air traffic management systems, Thales has been instrumental in supporting Greece’s infrastructure and capabilities.

    Thales is a long-time supplier of major systems to the Hellenic Armed Forces, and today services a significant installed base in the country. This includes avionics and mission systems for the Dassault Aviation Rafale and Mirage 2000/2000-5 combat aircraft, as well as large-scale air defence systems. Thales combat systems are deployed by the Hellenic Navy on board surface vessels, including the FDI Hellenic Ship (HS) naval program. Furthermore, Thales tactical radios, electronic warfare, optronic systems and surveillance radars are in service with the Army.

    In civil markets, Thales has supplied much of the country’s air traffic management systems. Thales Hellas has also developed a local cybersecurity capability thanks to European support programs and the Thales Group’s experience in the cyber domain. Locally, Thales Hellas operates a Cyber Lab, serving Greek authorities as well as local universities and competence centres.

    Core to Thales’s growth story in Greece is collaboration with local industry. Thales is developing partnerships with Greek defence and technology companies to leverage local expertise and enhance the capabilities of the Greek defence and aerospace eco-system. In April, Thales Hellas held its first Innovation & Partnership event welcoming more than 120 participants from 75 Greek companies. Additionally, Thales is contributing to the development of Greek industry through a network of local SMEs and participates in European Programs in cooperation with Greek Universities and Research Centres.

    “This 50 year anniversary milestone comes at a pivotal moment for the future of Europe and its strategic autonomy. Thales fully supports Greece’s vision to develop sovereign capabilities and increase its defence industry involvement, playing a strong role within European and NATO nations. We stand ready to further deepen our ties with Greek industry in developing our local capability in Greece – growing our defence services, air traffic management and cyber footprint. Through our continued investments in local teams, strong collaborations, and innovation in the country, we will continue to play our part developing a robust Greek industry.” , said Pascale Sourisse, President & CEO, Thales International.

    “Our journey has been defined by a steadfast dedication to helping Greece protect its critical infrastructure through advanced technology and continuous collaboration. We look forward to further strengthening our ties and continuing our legacy of innovation and excellence for many more years to come.”‘, declared Vincent Megaides, Country Director Thales Greece, Cyprus and Malta.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

    The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

    Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

    About Thales in Greece

    Thales has been active in Greece for 50 years, expanding its historical presence in Defence, to serve Air Traffic Control, Transport and Space markets.

    Thales is long-standing partner to the Hellenic Armed Forces, providing avionics and mission systems for the Mirage 2000 and Rafale aicraft, as well as large-scale air defence systems for the Air Force and the Navy. Thales tactical radios, optronic systems and surveillance radars are also in service with the Army.

    Thales has also implemented the ACCS system in Larissa for NATO with its local engineers. Thales has supplied much of the country’s air traffic control systems as transport solutions. In the Space domain, Thales also supplies the Hellasat 3 communications satellite, which entered into service in 2017.

    Thales is also a leader in civil identity and biometric solutions.

    Coopération locale

    Thales soutient un écosystème de partenaires industriels locaux dans des projets de développement en Grèce. Le Groupe est aussi membre actif de plusieurs organisations industrielles, dont SEV (Fédération hellénique d’entreprises), HASDIG (Hellenic Aerospace & Defence Industries Group) et EVIDITE (Association spatiale grecque).

    Thales Hellas est un fournisseur accrédité de systèmes de défense auprès du ministère grec de la Défense et a signé un protocole d’accord avec HAFA (Hellenic Airforce Academy).

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Made in China’ attracts global shoppers as favorable policies boost travel rush

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Tourists exchange currency at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As Dean Dubois, a tourist from France, explored the ancient, enchanting shops of Guanqian Street in Suzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, he couldn’t resist a shopping spree.

    “This is my second time shopping in China, and every time I feel like I can’t buy enough,” he said, after stuffing his already brimming suitcase with traditional Chinese attire, embroidered scarves, handcrafted teacups, and a brand-new smartphone.

    With the rise of “China tours” on social media in recent years, shopping sprees in China are fast becoming a global consumer trend. An increasing number of international tourists are now visiting the country with shopping as a key motivation.

    A growing attraction 

    According to data from the National Immigration Administration (NIA), during this year’s May Day holiday, the number of foreign nationals entering and exiting China reached around 1.12 million, marking a 43.1 percent year-on-year increase.

    “Make sure to bring an empty suitcase to China!” This tongue-in-cheek travel tip has recently gone viral on overseas social media platforms. A growing number of foreign tourists are embracing the “tourism plus shopping” model.

    Some overseas consumers have even formed “shopping groups” that fly to China specifically to stock up on popular items. On social media, one blogger posted a “mutual assistance shopping” invitation, saying: “If you’re going to China this week, could you help me buy something? Next time I go, I’ll return the favor!”

    In Shanghai alone, foreign spending reached 455 million yuan (about 63.2 million U.S. dollars) between April 30 and May 4, marking a staggering year-on-year increase of 211.6 percent.

    “Look at this wallet. Every thread is hand-stitched!” South African blogger Sarah excitedly shared with her followers on a video platform, showing off the treasures she picked up during her recent trip to China. She went on to share: “And this is a thermos cup that can automatically brew tea — such an amazing design!”

    Foreign tourists’ shopping preferences are evolving. Data from China’s payment platforms showed that foreign tourists are increasingly drawn to local supermarkets, trendy cultural products and specialty foods.

    “Before, I would buy little souvenirs and cheaper T-shirts, but now I want to take home items with cultural significance,” said Dubois, noting that his shopping list includes silk products, ceramics, traditional Chinese clothing, and smart products.

    The continued relaxation of visa policies has made it easier for “China tours” to turn into shopping tours. Data released by the NIA last month showed that since the implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit program, the number of foreign arrivals in China had increased by 40.2 percent, with the proportion of visa-free visitors reaching 71.3 percent.

    “I can stay longer in China, so of course, shopping is a must-do. And I can explore nearby cities as well,” said Italian tourist Giancarlo Marino.

    More tax refunds 

    China has introduced a series of measures to stimulate shopping, including lowering the threshold for tax refunds from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, raising the cash refund limit to 20,000 yuan, adding more tax refund stores at tourist hubs, and expanding the “buy-and-refund” service nationwide.

    Chen Youping, financial director at a shopping mall in Wuxi City, Jiangsu, explained that with a tax refund rate of 11 percent, a foreign tourist purchasing goods of 10,000 yuan could save 900 yuan after deducting a 2 percent handling fee. “This is particularly attractive for consumers purchasing luxuries or high-end electronic products, which could also encourage them to spend more.”

    “It’s like a discount right on the spot,” said Marino, who received nearly 1,000 yuan in tax refunds through the “buy-and-refund” service at Nanjing Deji Plaza. “You can do it all on your phone, and it’s super convenient! It prompts me to buy more unique products.”

    Statistics showed that in 2024, the tax refund scale in 10 pilot areas increased by 22 times compared to the previous year.

    Meanwhile, the increased coverage of foreign card POS systems and the continued upgrades in mobile payment services have made transactions smoother. Some regions have offered “tap-and-go” payment options for foreign tourists.

    The items in shopping carts also reflect the global appeal of “Made in China.” Folding screen phones, drones and smart home devices are consistently capturing attention. “The quality, design, and iteration speed of Chinese products are truly impressive,” Dubois said.

    Zhang Chunlong, director of the Institute of Social Policy, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, found that Chinese products are growing more attractive in the global market.

    “High quality and cost-effectiveness have led foreign tourists to continue visiting China to buy good products,” Zhang said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Congratulations to Marina Burmistrova on her new appointment!

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 13, Marina Burmistrova, a graduate of the State University of Management, was appointed Minister of Culture and Archives of the Komi Republic.

    Dear Marina Eduardovna! On behalf of the State University of Management, we congratulate you on your appointment to this responsible position. We are confident that your knowledge and experience will serve as a reliable foundation for the cultural prosperity of the Komi Republic. We hope that we will continue to see you often within the walls of your native university. We wish you interesting challenges, a loyal team, and successful project implementation!

    Marina Burmistrova graduated from the Russian State Social University in 2008 with a degree in Social Pedagogy. In 2009, she completed professional retraining in the Organization Management and Entrepreneurship programs at the State University of Management. From 2019 to 2021, she improved her knowledge in courses at various educational institutions. In 2023, she graduated from the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at the Moscow State University of Management named after Yu. M. Luzhkov.

    From 2007 to 2016, she worked in the corporate sector; in 2016, she moved to work in the cultural sphere of Moscow, where she rose from the head of a club formation to the general director of the Association of Cultural Centers of the North-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow (55 addresses, more than 500 people on staff).

    In addition to her main job, Marina Burmistrova teaches at the Moscow State University of Management, is a member of the Eurasian Women’s Forum under the Federation Council, acts as an expert at major cultural events (book fairs, forums, festivals), participates in the work of university examination committees, including being the chairperson of the state examination committee for the defense of master’s theses at the Department of Public and Municipal Administration at the State University of Management.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 05/13/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: JD.com Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BEIJING, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: JD and HKEX: 9618 (HKD counter) and 89618 (RMB counter), the “Company” or “JD.com”), a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net revenues were RMB301.1 billion (US$141.5 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 15.8% from the first quarter of 2024.
    • Income from operations was RMB10.5 billion (US$1.5 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB7.7 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Operating margin was 3.5% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.0% for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP2income from operations was RMB11.7 billion (US$1.6 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP operating margin was 3.9% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.4% for the first quarter of 2024. Operating margin of JD Retail before unallocated items was 4.9% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 4.1% for the first quarter of 2024.
    • Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was RMB10.9 billion (US$1.5 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB7.1 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 3.6% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 2.7% for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was RMB12.8 billion (US$1.8 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 4.2% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.4% for the first quarter of 2024.
    • Diluted net income per ADS was RMB7.19 (US$0.99) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB4.53 for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP diluted net income per ADS was RMB8.41 (US$1.16) for the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB5.65 for the first quarter of 2024.

    “We saw a strong start to the year, with solid results on both the top and bottom lines in Q1,” said Sandy Xu, Chief Executive Officer of JD.com. “Our performance was supported by improving consumer sentiment and continued enhancements to JD’s supply chain capabilities and user experience. User growth was particularly strong during the quarter, reflecting the increasing trust and mindshare JD has earned from consumers and further strengthening our ecosystem. We are also seeing encouraging signs from new initiatives, and we believe these emerging opportunities will further position us for long-term, high-quality growth.”

    “In the first quarter, both our product and service revenues achieved double-digit growth year-on-year, further accelerating on a sequential basis, while bottom line also continued to expand steadily,” said Ian Su Shan, Chief Financial Officer of JD.com. “In particular, we maintained and further enhanced robust momentum of our core JD Retail business, while exploring exciting new opportunities for our long-term success. We also remained very committed to shareholder returns. We completed our annual dividend payout in April, and further executed upon our share repurchase program during the first quarter.”

    Updates of Share Repurchase Program

    Pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase program of up to US$5.0 billion adopted in August 2024 and effective through August 2027, the Company repurchased a total of approximately 80.7 million Class A ordinary shares (equivalent to 40.4 million ADSs) for a total of approximately US$1.5 billion from January 1, 2025 to the date of this announcement. The remaining amount under the share repurchase program was US$3.5 billion as of the date of this announcement.

    The total number of shares repurchased by the Company from January 1, 2025 to the date of this announcement amounted to approximately 2.8% of its ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 20243. All of these ordinary shares were repurchased from both Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange pursuant to the share repurchase program.

    Business Highlights

    • JD Retail:In the first quarter, JD.com deepened its strategic partnerships with leading digital product manufacturers such as Xiaomi. The collaborations focus on product innovation, marketing initiatives, and other key areas, aiming to capture the emerging market opportunities driven by consumption support policies and the rise of AI large language models. Together with its partners, JD.com is committed to providing its users with more intelligent and diverse product offerings, along with enhanced purchasing and service experience.

      In the first quarter, JD.com debuted a range of new products online from renowned fashion brands, such as La Prairie, Crocs, and Massimo Dutti. Leveraging its platform advantages and integrated supply chain capabilities, JD.com is dedicated to offering an enriched selection of fashionable products and superior shopping experience for a wide range of consumers.

      In April, JD.com announced the launch of an export-to-domestic sales program. JD.com aims to procure no less than RMB200 billion worth of export-oriented goods for domestic sales. Through this initiative, JD.com will work with Chinese manufactures to strengthen their presence in the domestic market and provide consumers with more better and cheaper products.

    • New Business:In February 2025, JD.com officially launched its food delivery business. Starting from core retail, JD is expanding into on-demand retail and food delivery, meeting users’ demands in various scenarios. Rooted in the Company’s ecosystem, JD Food Delivery is not a stand-alone business. It operates in a market with big opportunities and demands, such as users’ demand for quality meals, merchants’ need for reasonable commissions, and riders’ desire for better protections. JD has the right strength, culture and advantage to address such opportunities and demands, particularly with its “better and cheaper” user mindshare, the “thirty-five cents” principle that insists on only reasonable profit margins, and its strong logistics operation and management capabilities. JD Food Delivery is set to generate synergetic effects with the Company’s existing businesses, including enriching location-based product supplies, upgrading last mile fulfillment network, and contributing to user growth and engagement. JD Food Delivery has achieved substantial progress in a very brief time, a proof of the great potentials of the food delivery industry and JD’s precise grasp of the industry demands and strong execution capabilities.
    • JD Health:In the first quarter, JD Health further strengthened its position as the first online marketplace for new and specialty medicine launches. It debuted several innovative medicines online during the quarter from pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Esteve, Innogen, and others, broadening treatment options for patients. In addition, JD Health also deepened its collaborations with leading healthcare product companies, including By-Health, Yan Palace, and LifeStyles, driving synergies in product innovation, digitalization of supply chain, and precision marketing.

      In the first quarter, JD Health made significant progress in medical AI, continuously promoting the application of AI in healthcare services, specialized diagnosis and treatment, and health management. JD Health Online Hospital has seen over 80% of its medical consultation orders aided with AI services. Its AI nutritionist has also achieved a user satisfaction rate of 91%.

    • JD Logistics:In the first quarter, JD Logistics (“JDL”) continued to expand its global footprint. In January, JDL officially launched an international air cargo route between Shenzhen, China, and Bangkok, Thailand, enabling more efficient cross-border flow of goods. In March, JDL’s second warehouse in Warsaw, Poland commenced operations, offering integrated supply chain and logistics services to support both Chinese enterprises and local European businesses with streamlined and efficient logistics solutions.

      On March 24, 2025, JDL officially launched its operations center in Hong Kong, marking a significant step-up in expanding the coverage of its express delivery network and boosting service efficiency in the region. Since upgrading its services in Hong Kong in October 2023, JDL has been persistently deepening its footprint in the market. It has been providing premium express delivery services to consumers, and at the same time, cultivating a mutually beneficial ecosystem in collaboration with local businesses.

    Environment, Social and Governance

    • Starting from March 1, 2025, JD.com has begun to contribute the social insurances and the housing fund for its full-time food delivery riders, including both portions that are to be contributed by employers and individuals. In addition, JD.com will also provide accident and health insurances for its part-time food delivery riders. JD.com has become the first platform in China to provide such extensive social benefit coverage for full-time food delivery riders.
    • As a testament to JD.com’s unwavering commitment to creating more jobs and making contribution to the society, the total personnel under the JD Ecosystem4 was approximately 700,000 as of March 31, 2025, including the Company’s employees, part-time staff and interns, as well as the personnel of the Company’s affiliates in the JD Ecosystem. The total expenditure for such human resources, together with the expenditure for external personnel who work for the JD Ecosystem, amounted to RMB128.8 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Net Revenues. Net revenues increased to RMB301.1 billion (US$41.5 billion) by 15.8% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB260.0 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Net product revenues increased by 16.2%, while net service revenues increased by 14.0% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024.

    Cost of Revenues. Cost of revenues increased to RMB253.2 billion (US$34.9 billion) by 15.0% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB220.3 billion for the first quarter of 2024.

    Fulfillment Expenses. Fulfillment expenses, which primarily include procurement, warehousing, delivery, customer service and payment processing expenses, increased to RMB19.7 billion (US$2.7 billion) by 17.4% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB16.8 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 6.6% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 6.5% for the first quarter of 2024.

    Marketing Expenses. Marketing expenses increased to RMB10.5 billion (US$1.5 billion) by 13.9% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB9.3 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Marketing expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 3.5% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.6% for the first quarter of 2024.

    Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses increased to RMB4.6 billion (US$0.6 billion) by 14.6% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB4.0 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Research and development expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 1.5% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 1.6% for the first quarter of 2024.

    General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased to RMB2.4 billion (US$0.3 billion) by 22.2% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB2.0 billion for the first quarter of 2024. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenues remained stable at 0.8% for the first quarter of 2025 and 2024.

    Income from Operations and Non-GAAP Income from Operations. Income from operations increased to RMB10.5 billion (US$1.5 billion) by 36.8% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB7.7 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Operating margin was 3.5% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.0% for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP income from operations increased to RMB11.7 billion (US$1.6 billion) by 31.4% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP operating margin was 3.9% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.4% for the first quarter of 2024. Operating margin of JD Retail before unallocated items for the first quarter of 2025 was 4.9%, compared to 4.1% for the first quarter of 2024.

    Non-GAAP EBITDA. Non-GAAP EBITDA increased to RMB13.7 billion (US$1.9 billion) by 27.0% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB10.8 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was 4.6% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 4.1% for the first quarter of 2024.

    Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders and Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders. Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased to RMB10.9 billion (US$1.5 billion) by 52.7% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB7.1 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 3.6% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 2.7% for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased to RMB12.8 billion (US$1.8 billion) by 43.4% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB8.9 billion for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 4.2% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.4% for the first quarter of 2024.

    Diluted EPS and Non-GAAP Diluted EPS. Diluted net income per ADS increased to RMB7.19 (US$0.99) by 58.7% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB4.53 for the first quarter of 2024. Non-GAAP diluted net income per ADS increased to RMB8.41 (US$1.16) by 48.8% for the first quarter of 2025 from RMB5.65 for the first quarter of 2024.

    Cash Flow and Working Capital

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments totaled RMB203.4 billion (US$28.0 billion), compared to RMB241.4 billion as of December 31, 2024. For the first quarter of 2025, free cash flow of the Company was as follows:

        For the three months ended
        March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025
        RMB RMB US$
        (In millions)
         
    Net cash used in operating activities   (11,315 )   (18,262 )   (2,517 )
    Less: Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow   (1,281 )   (1,018 )   (140 )
    Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds   (2,880 )   (2,323 )   (320 )
    Capital expenditures for development properties   (1,360 )   (915 )   (126 )
    Other capital expenditures*   (1,520 )   (1,408 )   (194 )
    Free cash flow   (15,476 )   (21,603 )   (2,977 )
                       

    * Including capital expenditures related to the Company’s headquarters in Beijing and all other CAPEX.

    Net cash provided by investing activities was RMB16.2 billion (US$2.2 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, consisting primarily of net cash received from maturity of time deposits and wealth management products and cash received from disposal of equity investments and investment securities, partially offset by cash paid for capital expenditures.

    Net cash used in financing activities was RMB7.3 billion (US$1.0 billion) for the first quarter of 2025, consisting primarily of net cash paid for repayment of borrowings and cash paid for repurchase of ordinary shares.

    For the twelve months ended March 31, 2025, free cash flow of the Company was as follows:

        For the twelve months ended
        March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025
        RMB RMB US$
        (In millions)
         
    Net cash provided by operating activities   69,813     51,148     7,048  
    (Less)/Add: Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow   (1,191 )   131     18  
    Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds   (18,045 )   (13,666 )   (1,883 )
    Capital expenditures for development properties   (11,332 )   (6,841 )   (943 )
    Other capital expenditures   (6,713 )   (6,825 )   (940 )
    Free cash flow   50,577     37,613     5,183  
                       

    Supplemental Information

    The Company reports three reportable segments, JD Retail, JD Logistics, and New businesses. JD Retail, including JD Health and JD Industrials, among other operating segments, mainly engages in online retail, online marketplace and marketing services in China. JD Logistics includes both internal and external logistics businesses. New Businesses mainly include Dada, JD Property, Jingxi and overseas businesses.

      For the three months ended  
      March 31,
    2024     		   March 31,
    2025     		   March 31,
    2025    		  
      RMB RMB US$  
      (In millions, except percentage data)  
    Net revenues:        
    JD Retail 226,835     263,845     36,359    
    JD Logistics 42,137     46,967     6,472    
    New Businesses 4,870     5,753     793    
    Inter-segment eliminations* (13,793 )   (15,483 )   (2,134 )  
    Total consolidated net revenues 260,049     301,082     41,490    
    Less: cost of revenues:        
    JD Retail (190,062 )   (219,395 )   (30,234 )  
    JD Logistics (39,052 )   (43,785 )   (6,034 )  
    New Businesses (4,031 )   (4,586 )   (632 )  
    Inter-segment eliminations* 12,892     14,539     2,004    
    Less: operating expenses:        
    JD Retail (27,448 )   (31,604 )   (4,355 )  
    JD Logistics (2,861 )   (3,037 )   (418 )  
    New Businesses (1,509 )   (2,494 )   (344 )  
    Inter-segment eliminations* 901     944     130    
    Income/(loss) from operations:        
    JD Retail 9,325     12,846     1,770    
    JD Logistics 224     145     20    
    New Businesses (670 )   (1,327 )   (183 )  
    Total segment income from operations 8,879     11,664     1,607    
    Unallocated items** (1,179 )   (1,131 )   (156 )  
    Total consolidated income from operations 7,700     10,533     1,451    
    Share of results of equity investees (730 )   1,330     183    
    Interest expense (601 )   (600 )   (82 )  
    Others, net 2,696     2,079     287    
    Total consolidated income before tax 9,065     13,342     1,839    
             
    YoY% change of net revenues:        
    JD Retail 6.8 %   16.3 %      
    JD Logistics 14.7 %   11.5 %      
    New Businesses (19.2 )%   18.1 %      
             
    Operating margin:        
    JD Retail 4.1 %   4.9 %      
    JD Logistics 0.5 %   0.3 %      
    New Businesses (13.8 )%   (23.1 )%      
                     

    * The inter-segment eliminations mainly consist of revenues from supply chain solutions and logistics services provided by JD Logistics to JD Retail, on-demand delivery and retail services provided by Dada to JD Retail and JD Logistics, and property leasing services provided by JD Property to JD Logistics.

    ** Unallocated items include share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements, and impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, which are not allocated to segments.

    The table below sets forth the revenue information:

      For the three months ended  
      March 31,
    2024    		   March 31,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		 YoY%
    Change
      RMB   RMB   US$  
      (In millions, except percentage data)
    Electronics and home appliances revenues 123,212   144,295   19,884 17.1 %
    General merchandise revenues 85,296   98,014   13,507 14.9 %
    Net product revenues 208,508   242,309   33,391 16.2 %
    Marketplace and marketing revenues 19,289   22,320   3,076 15.7 %
    Logistics and other service revenues 32,252   36,453   5,023 13.0 %
    Net service revenues 51,541   58,773   8,099 14.0 %
    Total net revenues 260,049   301,082   41,490 15.8 %
                   


    Conference Call

    JD.com’s management will hold a conference call at 8:00 am, Eastern Time on May 13, 2025, (8:00 pm, Beijing/Hong Kong Time on May 13, 2025) to discuss the first quarter 2025 financial results.

    Please register in advance of the conference using the link provided below and dial in 15 minutes prior to the call, using participant dial-in numbers, the Passcode and unique access PIN which would be provided upon registering. You will be automatically linked to the live call after completion of this process, unless required to provide the conference ID below due to regional restrictions.

    PRE-REGISTER LINK: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10046856-37hfgr.html

    CONFERENCE ID: 10046856

    A telephone replay will be available for one week until May 20, 2025. The dial-in details are as follows:

    US: +1-855-883-1031
    International: +61-7-3107-6325
    Hong Kong: 800-930-639
    Chinese Mainland: 400-120-9216
    Passcode: 10046856
       

    Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the JD.com’s investor relations website at http://ir.jd.com.

    About JD.com

    JD.com is a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider. The Company’s cutting-edge retail infrastructure seeks to enable consumers to buy whatever they want, whenever and wherever they want it. The Company has opened its technology and infrastructure to partners, brands and other sectors, as part of its Retail as a Service offering to help drive productivity and innovation across a range of industries.

    Non-GAAP Measures

    In evaluating the business, the Company considers and uses non-GAAP measures, such as non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders, non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders, free cash flow, non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP EBITDA margin, non-GAAP net income/(loss) per share and non-GAAP net income/(loss) per ADS, as supplemental measures to review and assess operating performance. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company defines non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations as income/(loss) from operations excluding share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements, gain on sale of development properties and impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets. The Company defines non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders as net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders excluding share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements and non-compete agreements, gain/(loss) on disposals/deemed disposals of investments and others, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, loss/(gain) from fair value change of long-term investments, impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets and investments, gain on sale of development properties and tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines free cash flow as operating cash flow adjusting the impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow and capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds. Capital expenditures include purchase of property, equipment and software, cash paid for construction in progress, purchase of intangible assets, land use rights and asset acquisitions. The Company defines non-GAAP EBITDA as non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations plus depreciation and amortization excluding amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions. Non-GAAP basic net income/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the periods. Non-GAAP diluted net income/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares and dilutive potential ordinary shares outstanding during the periods, including the dilutive effects of share-based awards as determined under the treasury stock method and convertible senior notes. Non-GAAP net income/(loss) per ADS is equal to non-GAAP net income/(loss) per share multiplied by two.

    The Company presents these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by management to evaluate operating performance and formulate business plans. Non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations, non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders and non-GAAP EBITDA reflect the Company’s ongoing business operations in a manner that allows more meaningful period-to-period comparisons. Free cash flow enables management to assess liquidity and cash flow while taking into account the impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow and the demands that the expansion of fulfillment infrastructure and technology platform has placed on financial resources. The Company believes that the use of the non-GAAP financial measures facilitates investors to understand and evaluate the Company’s current operating performance and future prospects in the same manner as management does, if they so choose. The Company also believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses, gain/loss and other items that are not expected to result in future cash payments or that are non-recurring in nature or may not be indicative of the Company’s core operating results and business outlook.

    The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect the Company’s operations or not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. Further, these non-GAAP measures may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited. The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating performance. The Company encourages you to review the Company’s financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

    CONTACTS:

    Investor Relations
    Sean Zhang
    +86 (10) 8912-6804
    IR@JD.com

    Media Relations
    +86 (10) 8911-6155
    Press@JD.com

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as JD.com’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. JD.com may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in announcements made on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about JD.com’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: JD.com’s growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; its ability to attract and retain new customers and to increase revenues generated from repeat customers; its expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; trends and competition in China’s e-commerce market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; the expected growth of the Chinese e-commerce market; laws, regulations and governmental policies relating to the industries in which JD.com or its business partners operate; potential changes in laws, regulations and governmental policies or changes in the interpretation and implementation of laws, regulations and governmental policies that could adversely affect the industries in which JD.com or its business partners operate, including, among others, initiatives to enhance supervision of companies listed on an overseas exchange and tighten scrutiny over data privacy and data security; risks associated with JD.com’s acquisitions, investments and alliances, including fluctuation in the market value of JD.com’s investment portfolio; natural disasters and geopolitical events; change in tax rates and financial risks; intensity of competition; and general market and economic conditions in China and globally. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JD.com’s filings with the SEC and the announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided herein is as of the date of this announcement, and JD.com undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    JD.com, Inc.
    Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (In millions, except otherwise noted)
         
        As of
        December 31,
    2024    		   March 31,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025
        RMB   RMB   US$
    ASSETS            
    Current assets            
    Cash and cash equivalents   108,350   96,778   13,336
    Restricted cash   7,366   9,279   1,279
    Short-term investments   125,645   97,385   13,420
    Accounts receivable, net (including consumer financing receivables of RMB2.0 billion and RMB1.3 billion as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)(1)   25,596   31,380   4,324
    Advance to suppliers   7,619   6,140   846
    Inventories, net   89,326   95,434   13,151
    Prepayments and other current assets   15,951   15,712   2,165
    Amount due from related parties   4,805   3,344   461
    Assets held for sale   2,040   1,778   245
    Total current assets   386,698   357,230   49,227
    Non-current assets            
    Property, equipment and software, net   82,737   83,054   11,445
    Construction in progress   6,164   7,039   970
    Intangible assets, net   7,793   7,510   1,035
    Land use rights, net   36,833   36,820   5,074
    Operating lease right-of-use assets   24,532   25,621   3,531
    Goodwill   25,709   25,709   3,543
    Investment in equity investees   56,850   52,138   7,185
    Marketable securities and other investments   59,370   71,755   9,888
    Deferred tax assets   2,459   2,430   335
    Other non-current assets   9,089   8,556   1,179
    Total non-current assets   311,536   320,632   44,185
    Total assets   698,234   677,862   93,412
                 
    JD.com, Inc.
    Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (In millions, except otherwise noted)
         
        As of
        December 31,
    2024    		   March 31,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025
        RMB   RMB   US$
    LIABILITIES            
    Current liabilities            
    Short-term debts   7,581   4,230   583
    Accounts payable   192,860   176,736   24,355
    Advance from customers   32,437   34,055   4,693
    Deferred revenues   2,097   2,166   299
    Taxes payable   9,487   5,496   757
    Amount due to related parties   1,367   2,954   407
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   45,985   50,626   6,976
    Operating lease liabilities   7,606   7,801   1,075
    Liabilities held for sale   101   65   9
    Total current liabilities   299,521   284,129   39,154
    Non-current liabilities            
    Deferred revenues   502   424   58
    Unsecured senior notes   24,770   24,758   3,412
    Deferred tax liabilities   9,498   8,440   1,163
    Long-term borrowings   31,705   31,492   4,340
    Operating lease liabilities   18,106   19,151   2,639
    Other non-current liabilities   835   797   110
    Total non-current liabilities   85,416   85,062   11,722
    Total liabilities   384,937   369,191   50,876
                 
    MEZZANINE EQUITY   484   263   36
                 
    SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY            
    Total JD.com, Inc. shareholders’ equity (US$0.00002 par value, 100,000 million shares authorized, 2,981 million shares issued and 2,883 million shares outstanding as of March 31, 2025)   239,347   234,322   32,291
    Non-controlling interests   73,466   74,086   10,209
    Total shareholders’ equity   312,813   308,408   42,500
                 
    Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity   698,234   677,862   93,412
                 
    (1)   JD Technology performs credit risk assessment services for consumer financing receivables business and absorbs the credit risk of the underlying consumer financing receivables. Facilitated by JD Technology, the Company periodically securitizes consumer financing receivables through the transfer of those assets to securitization plans and derecognizes the related consumer financing receivables through sales type arrangements.
     
    JD.com, Inc.  
    Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations  
    (In millions, except per share data)  
       
      For the three months ended  
      March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025    		  
      RMB RMB US$  
    Net revenues        
    Net product revenues 208,508     242,309     33,391    
    Net service revenues 51,541     58,773     8,099    
    Total net revenues 260,049     301,082     41,490    
    Cost of revenues (220,279 )   (253,234 )   (34,897 )  
    Fulfillment (16,806 )   (19,737 )   (2,720 )  
    Marketing (9,254 )   (10,543 )   (1,453 )  
    Research and development (4,034 )   (4,621 )   (637 )  
    General and administrative (1,976 )   (2,414 )   (332 )  
    Income from operations(2)(3) 7,700     10,533     1,451    
    Other income/(expenses)        
    Share of results of equity investees (730 )   1,330     183    
    Interest expense (601 )   (600 )   (82 )  
    Others, net(4) 2,696     2,079     287    
    Income before tax 9,065     13,342     1,839    
    Income tax expenses (1,700 )   (2,063 )   (285 )  
    Net income 7,365     11,279     1,554    
    Net income attributable to non-controlling interests shareholders 235     389     53    
    Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders 7,130     10,890     1,501    
             
    Net income per share:        
    Basic 2.28     3.76     0.52    
    Diluted 2.27     3.59     0.50    
    Net income per ADS:        
    Basic 4.56     7.51     1.04    
    Diluted 4.53     7.19     0.99    
                       
    JD.com, Inc.
    Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (In millions, except per share data)
     
        For the three months ended
        March 31,
    2024    		   March 31,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025
        RMB   RMB   US$
                 
    (2) Includes share-based compensation as follows:
    Cost of revenues     (26 )     (7 )     (1 )
    Fulfillment     (110 )     (71 )     (10 )
    Marketing     (83 )     (62 )     (9 )
    Research and development     (175 )     (217 )     (30 )
    General and administrative     (365 )     (410 )     (56 )
    Total     (759 )     (767 )     (106 )
                             
    (3) Includes amortization of business cooperation arrangement and intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions as follows:  
    Fulfillment     (103 )     (49 )     (7 )
    Marketing     (219 )     (279 )     (38 )
    Research and development     (66 )     (36 )     (5 )
    General and administrative     (32 )     —       —  
    Total     (420 )     (364 )     (50 )
                             
    (4) “Others, net” consists of interest income; gains/(losses) related to long-term investments without significant influence, including fair value changes, acquisitions or disposals gains/(losses), and impairments; government incentives; foreign exchange gains/(losses); and other non-operating income/(losses).  
    JD.com, Inc.  
    Unaudited Non-GAAP Net Income Per Share and Per ADS  
    (In millions, except per share data)  
       
      For the three months ended  
      March 31,
    2024    		   March 31,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		  
      RMB   RMB   US$  
                 
    Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders 8,899   12,758   1,758  
                 
    Non-GAAP net income per share:  
    Basic 2.85   4.40   0.61  
    Diluted 2.83   4.21   0.58  
                 
    Non-GAAP net income per ADS:  
    Basic 5.69   8.80   1.21  
    Diluted 5.65   8.41   1.16  
                 
    Weighted average number of shares:            
    Basic 3,126   2,898      
    Diluted 3,144   3,035      
                 
    JD.com, Inc.    
    Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Free Cash Flow    
    (In millions)    
         
      For the three months ended  
      March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025    		  
      RMB RMB US$  
             
    Net cash used in operating activities (11,315 )   (18,262 )   (2,517 )  
    Net cash provided by investing activities 28,414     16,236     2,237    
    Net cash used in financing activities (7,445 )   (7,288 )   (1,004 )  
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (130 )   (345 )   (47 )  
    Net increase/(decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 9,524     (9,659 )   (1,331 )  
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period, including cash and cash equivalents classified within assets held for sale 79,451     115,716     15,946    
    Less: Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash classified within assets held for sale at beginning of period (53 )   —*     —*    
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 79,398     115,716     15,946    
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period, including cash and cash equivalents classified within assets held for sale 88,922     106,057     14,615    
    Less: Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash classified within assets held for sale at end of period (3 )   —*     —*    
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period 88,919     106,057     14,615    
             
             
    Net cash used in operating activities (11,315 )   (18,262 )   (2,517 )  
    Less: Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow (1,281 )   (1,018 )   (140 )  
    Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds (2,880 )   (2,323 )   (320 )  
    Capital expenditures for development properties (1,360 )   (915 )   (126 )  
    Other capital expenditures (1,520 )   (1,408 )   (194 )  
    Free cash flow (15,476 )   (21,603 )   (2,977 )  
                       

    *Absolute value is less than RMB1 million or US$1 million.

    JD.com, Inc.  
    Supplemental Financial Information and Business Metrics
    (In RMB billions, except turnover days data)    		  
     
        Q1 2024   Q2 2024   Q3 2024   Q4 2024   Q1 2025
    Cash flow and turnover days                    
    Operating cash flow – trailing twelve months (“TTM”)   69.8   74.0   52.8   58.1   51.1
    Free cash flow – TTM   50.6   55.6   33.6   43.7   37.6
    Inventory turnover days(5) – TTM   29.0   29.8   30.4   31.5   32.8
    Accounts payable turnover days(6) – TTM   51.8   57.0   57.5   58.6   57.6
    Accounts receivable turnover days(7) – TTM   5.4   5.7   5.8   5.9   6.4
    (5) TTM inventory turnover days are the quotient of average inventory over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to cost of revenues of retail business for the last twelve months, and then multiplied by 360 days.

    (6) TTM accounts payable turnover days are the quotient of average accounts payable for retail business over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to cost of revenues of retail business for the last twelve months, and then multiplied by 360 days.

    (7) TTM accounts receivable turnover days are the quotient of average accounts receivable over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to total net revenues for the last twelve months and then multiplied by 360 days. Presented are the accounts receivable turnover days excluding the impact from consumer financing receivables.
     
    JD.com, Inc.  
    Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results    
    (In millions, except percentage data)  
       
      For the three months ended
      March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025
      RMB RMB US$
           
    Income from operations 7,700     10,533     1,451
    Add: Share-based compensation 759     767     106
    Add: Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions 309     252     35
    Add: Effects of business cooperation arrangements 111     112     15
    Non-GAAP income from operations 8,879     11,664     1,607
    Add: Depreciation and other amortization 1,908     2,038     281
    Non-GAAP EBITDA 10,787     13,702     1,888
           
    Total net revenues 260,049     301,082     41,490
           
    Non-GAAP operating margin 3.4 %   3.9 %    
           
    Non-GAAP EBITDA margin 4.1 %   4.6 %    
           
    JD.com, Inc.
    Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results
    (In millions, except percentage data)
     
      For the three months ended
      March 31,
    2024    		     March 31,
    2025    		     March 31,
    2025
      RMB RMB US$
           
    Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders 7,130     10,890     1,501  
    Add: Share-based compensation 592     650     90  
    Add: Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions 143     186     26  
    Add: Reconciling items on the share of equity method investments(8) 370     964     133  
    Add: Impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, and investments 558     437     60  
    (Reversal of)/Add: (Gain)/Loss from fair value change of long-term investments (8 )   874     120  
    Reversal of: Gain on disposals/deemed disposals of investments and others (22 )   (1,172 )   (162 )
    Add: Effects of business cooperation arrangements 111     112     15  
    Add/(Reversal of): Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments 25     (183 )   (25 )
    Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders 8,899     12,758     1,758  
           
    Total net revenues 260,049     301,082     41,490  
           
    Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders 3.4 %   4.2 %    
           
    (8) To exclude the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity method investments and share of amortization of intangibles not on their books.
     

    __________________

    1   The U.S. dollar (US$) amounts disclosed in this announcement, except for those transaction amounts that were actually settled in U.S. dollars, are presented solely for the convenience of the readers. The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into US$ in this announcement is based on the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of March 31, 2025, which was RMB7.2567 to US$1.00. The percentages stated in this announcement are calculated based on the RMB amounts.
    2   See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Measures” and “Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this announcement.
    3   The number of ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024 was approximately 2,903 million shares.
    4   JD Ecosystem is a closely integrated business network providing comprehensive service for customers and comprises the Company and certain affiliates who share the “JD” brand name, currently including Jingdong Technology Holding Co., Ltd. and Allianz Jingdong General Insurance Company Ltd..

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dialogue between Science and Business: Polytechnic and Rostelecom Discuss IT Development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Representatives of Rostelecom visited the Polytechnic University: Deputy President and Chairman of the Board Darius Khalitov, Advisor to the President Alexey Sergeev, Director of the North-West Macroregional Branch Alexander Loginov and Deputy General Director of RTK IT Roman Khazeev.

    The guests were met by the Advisor to the Rector’s Office of SPbPU Vladimir Glukhov, Vice-Rector for Information Technology Andrey Lyamin, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies Maxim Pasholikov and Head of the Public Relations Department Marianna Dyakova.

    At the Technopolis Polytech research building, the Rostelecom delegation visited the Supercomputer Center and met with university scientists engaged in developments in the field of computer and AL technologies.

    At the meeting, the Director of the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity Dmitry Zegzhda presented the institute’s capabilities in training personnel for the industry and conducting research in the interests of industrial partners. The head of the ICSSC noted that knowledge of information technology is necessary for representatives of all professions today. All specialties of the institute, where more than 4.5 thousand students study, are in demand, on average, the competition is 30 people per place. In its development strategy, the institute is focused on interaction with industry and the public sector, continuity of education and interdisciplinarity, opening laboratories and centers of end-to-end information technology.

    Lev Utkin, Chief Researcher at the Higher School of Artificial Intelligence Technologies, spoke about research and developments used, for example, to diagnose diseases, and about the use of predictive analytics and explanatory intelligence both in medicine and in solving various production problems. Vladimir Mulyukha, Director of the Higher School of Artificial Intelligence Technologies, recalled joint projects with Rostelecom and outlined opportunities for expanding cooperation.

    In his response, Rostelecom Deputy President Darius Khalitov noted that the company can cooperate with Polytech in training personnel, using new technologies in the field of AI and in the expert assessment of Polytech scientists. Darius Ravilevich was especially interested in technologies using predictive analytics, which are based on the institute’s own neural networks based on the LLM model of learning on concepts.

    I found the programs in the field of artificial intelligence and cyberpsychology very promising, I have not seen anything like that anywhere else. In a sense, IT is becoming a cross-cutting discipline that will permeate applied areas, and there will be many reasons for cooperation, – summed up Darii Khalitov.

    Then Rostelecom representatives visited the Youth Trajectory Center “Polytech Tower”, where they met with the student team “Omnivorous” – the bronze prize winner of the international championship “Battle of Robots”. The conversation turned out to be very informative and productive, because Rostelecom is the sponsor of our team, and they have something to discuss with the guys. In particular, they talked about the possibility of creating their own track for training, so as not to go to Moscow every time for this with a 110-kilogram robot.

    At the end of the visit, Darii Khalitov became a guest of the live broadcast of the Lepota project in the Polytechnic TV studio. The broadcast was dedicated to Radio Day, which is celebrated on May 7, because it was the invention of radio that became, as they say now, a breakthrough into the world of unlimited possibilities for the development of information transmission technologies. Today it is already digital technologies, tomorrow – artificial intelligence, and the day after tomorrow…

    So, answering a question from one of the viewers How do new communication technologies affect the security of users’ personal data? Darius Khalitov said: In the flow of information in which we exist, one of the trends of telecommunications companies is cyber privacy. For us, citizens who use digital services every day, cyber privacy in 10-15 years will become, in a sense, a luxury for which we will be willing to pay. More and more services will appear that allow you to limit the distribution or receipt of information.

    To the question “Is it possible for a global communications provider to emerge?” the guest on the air answered that given the current excess of information, a hybrid between distributed data storage technologies and centralized management would be appropriate in the future. “You can’t concentrate everything in one place,” the expert explained. “Communications are the information bread of the 21st century, and the first thing we do when we wake up is watch the news on our phone, and only then do we go to breakfast. Therefore, access to information is already a critical infrastructure. And it must be fault-tolerant.”

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow schoolchildren learn about admission to pre-professional classes at open day

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On May 17, Moscow schools will host the first open day, “Enroll in pre-professional!” Ninth-graders and their parents will be able to learn about six areas of pre-professional classes — from engineering to media classes, about the admission conditions and the educational route “school — college — university — industrial partner.” This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “We strive to ensure that every child can receive not only deep knowledge but also their first practical skills in high school. Studying in pre-professional classes provides many opportunities – from excursions to the sites of Moscow enterprises to working on projects and research in the country’s leading universities. Thus, schoolchildren undergo comprehensive training based on the principle of “school – college – university – industrial partner”. This approach has already proven its effectiveness: it helps Moscow high school students not only make a more conscious choice of profession, but also get high results on exams. About a quarter of all 100-point students are graduates of pre-professional classes. On May 17, we will hold an open day for the first time so that ninth-graders and their parents can learn about the advantages of this format of education, see modern educational spaces, including medical, engineering and IT laboratories,” noted Anastasia Rakova.

    More than a third of the capital’s high school students study in engineering, medical, psychological and pedagogical, entrepreneurial, IT and media classes. This is about 44 thousand schoolchildren.

    To attend an open day, students and parents need to choose a venue and register on the project website. Participants will be told about the training programs in pre-professional classes and schools where they are open. The children will hear stories of successful graduates, learn what subjects they will study in depth and what they will learn in special courses, what enterprises offer excursions and what professions they can get in college without interrupting their studies in the 10th grade.

    Thus, in medical classes they study anatomy and physiology, learn patient care and first aid. In engineering classes they get acquainted with modern production technologies, study technical drawing and control of drones. In IT classes they learn to program, configure personal computers and work safely on the Internet. In media classes they immerse themselves in different genres of journalism and media communications, try themselves in photography, video shooting or graphic design, and in entrepreneurial classes they develop their own business projects and learn to consult on banking products.

    Today, pre-professional classes are open in 70 percent of Moscow schools. Education in them is combined with a large-scale career guidance program that helps high school students choose their future profession, get acquainted with the industry of interest, and prepare for admission to a university in a certain field. You can learn more about pre-professional education on the website “School.Moscow”, as well as in the telegram channel “Mospredprof”.

    Education in pre-vocational classes promotes early career guidance for schoolchildren and is consistent with the objectives of the national project “Youth and Children”.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153744073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Thematic excursions and lighting shows: the Moscow Model pavilion will join the Night at the Museum event

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The exhibition pavilion “Moscow Model”, located on the Sirenevaya Alley of VDNKh, will traditionally join the “Night at the Museum” event with a special thematic program. This was announced by the Minister of the Moscow Government, the head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of the capital Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    The annual citywide event “Night at the Museum” will take place in Moscow on May 17. Residents of Russia can visit special events prepared by museums, galleries and theaters across the country for free.

    “The key theme of the “Night at the Museum” event this year is the heroes of the Great Patriotic War in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. On the festive Saturday, the employees of the “Moscow Model” pavilion will conduct a thematic excursion “Muscovites – defenders of the hero city” for all comers. Guests will be told about the city residents who saved buildings and were involved in camouflaging the architectural objects of the capital,” said Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Free tours will take place at 12:10, 15:10 and 18:10. Every half hour, visitors to the exhibition will be treated to bright light shows.

    On the day of the event, the pavilion will continue to host the eponymous thematic photo exhibition with historical photos of the capital during the Great Patriotic War. 12 light screens clearly display the life of Muscovites.

    The Moscow Model Pavilion is open for free admission daily from 10:00 to 20:00 (except Monday). You can find detailed information, view the schedule of lighting shows, and sign up for excursions on the website and through the mobile application “Moscow Model”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153731073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Yauza Gates was equipped with architectural and artistic lighting

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Specialists from the city services complex equipped the building of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Yauzskiye Vorota in the Tagansky District of the capital with architectural and artistic lighting. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “We developed a special concept for organizing the lighting of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Yauza Gate, built in 1700-1702. The main task was to emphasize the beauty and architectural features of the building, which is a cultural heritage site of federal significance and an important part of the compositional and planning structure of the block,” said Pyotr Biryukov.

    When creating the light image of the temple, the emphasis was placed on the details and elements of the structure. Power engineers of JSC “OEK” installed 100 modern lighting fixtures on the smooth surfaces of the facade of the building, built in the Moscow Baroque style. They used LED lamps emitting cold and warm white light. This combination highlights the architectural form of the temple at night. In addition, the lighting on the lower part of the facade makes pedestrian areas near the building brighter and safer.

    The head of the city economy complex recalled that over the past 13 years, the level of illumination in the capital has doubled, and the number of buildings with architectural and artistic lighting has quadrupled.

    Today, Moscow is illuminated by more than a million lamps. At the same time, energy consumption is reduced thanks to the use of LEDs.

    Get the latest news quickly the city’s official telegram channel Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153754073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sports complex with rugby arena to appear in Khoroshevo-Mnevniki

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The city will allocate a site in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain for the construction of a multifunctional complex with a rugby arena. This was announced by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    A modern cluster is being formed in the Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district, which will include several sports complexes. Ice arenas, a training center for national football teams, a tennis center and other facilities will appear there. For their construction, the city provides investors with land for rent to implement large-scale investment projects.

    “A rugby stadium with accompanying infrastructure will be built as part of the sports cluster on the territory of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain as part of the implementation of a large-scale investment project. For this, the city will provide 4.34 hectares of land. The future investor will also be able to build a public and business complex on the site. The total area of the facilities will be 140 thousand square meters,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    The land plot will be provided on Nizhnie Mnevniki Street next to the Alexander Ovechkin International Hockey Academy complex, which is already under construction.

    “The land plot will be allocated to the investor for five years – this is the maximum term for the project. It is planned to build a rugby arena here with a field measuring 122 by 80 meters and stands for three thousand seats. The area of the business part of the stadium and the premises under the stands will be 20 thousand square meters. A multifunctional complex with an area of 120 thousand square meters will appear nearby, which will include office, retail real estate and a hotel,” she noted.

    Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Moscow Department of City Property.

    The city provides land plots to investors if their project meets the criteria for implementing large-scale investment projects. This mechanism of interaction between the city and business has been used in the capital since 2016 and applies to industrial production, social, sports, business and transport infrastructure facilities.

    Construction of the International Hockey Academy continues in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplainSergei Sobyanin: Accessible mass sports will become Moscow’s calling cardThe city has allocated land plots for the construction of three sports complexes in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain

    Earlier about construction in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the construction of social facilities, as well as the creation of business and sports clusters.

    The construction of social facilities in Moscow corresponds to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153733073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin named new areas that will appear in colleges from September

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    New areas of study are appearing in Moscow educational institutions. Modernization of colleges is one of the main projects in the field of education, Sergei Sobyanin wrote in his blog.

    “New equipment for laboratories and workshops, more practical classes, active cooperation with future employers, increasing student admissions and, of course, expanding the areas of study – these are the main priorities of our work. Today, city colleges train specialists in more than 150 in-demand specialties – from cooking and tourism to information technology and medicine,” said the Mayor of Moscow.

    In the 2025/2026 academic year, the choice of educational programs will become even wider. For example, several new areas of study are offered by the College of Communications No. 54 named after P.M. Vostrukhin. In particular, for the first time, enrollment will be opened for the Quantum Communications program. Students will learn to work with optical and measuring devices, master the unique quantum key distribution system, which is the basis for creating secure communication channels. They will study in modern laboratories equipped with advanced equipment.

    The students will undergo industrial practice with the college’s partners: PJSC Moscow City Telephone Network, JSC Russian Railways, Rosatom State Corporation, PJSC Rostelecom, JSC Gazprombank and others. Graduates will be able to work as designers, installers and administrators of quantum networks, commissioning engineers.

    The same college begins to train operators of automatic assembly lines for electronic equipment and devices. At the same time, students will receive an additional qualification – assembler of electronic equipment and devices. The students will undergo practical training at the largest enterprises of the electronics industry in Moscow: JSC Scientific and Production Organization Orion (holding Russian Space Systems), OOO Biforkom Tek, OOO SMTekh, OOO M-Plata, OOO Nexta, GUP Gamma, AO Ostec and others. Graduates will be able to work at enterprises producing electronics.

    The P.M. Vostrukhin College of Communications No. 54 and the Moscow State College of Electromechanics and Information Technology will open enrollment for the Intelligent Integrated Systems program. Students will learn how to create smart energy systems, manage traffic flows, implement precision farming projects, and develop intelligent systems for smart homes.

    The guys will be expected to do their internships in such companies as JSC InfoTeKS and Astra Group, IEK Group LLC, Wiren Board LLC, NVP Bolid CJSC, Universal Rectek LLC and Droneskhab LLC. Young specialists will create artificial intelligence models and work with systems based on them.

    The Moscow State College of Electromechanics and Information Technology will open recruitment for the specialty of developer of computer games, augmented and virtual reality. Students will undergo practical training at Aeroplan JSC, Addon LLC and Modum Lab LLC. Graduates will be able to develop game projects, create interactive applications, VR and AR technologies, and also work in visual effects and animation studios.

    The N.N. Godovikov College is opening a new course called “Technical Operation of Electrified and Flight-Navigation Complexes”. There you can study to become an aircraft mechanic, an electrical equipment fitter and an electronic device fitter. The students will have the opportunity to work in an electrical installation workshop and an aviation equipment laboratory, and will do their practical training at PAO Yakovlev. Graduates will be able to get jobs at airports and aviation technical bases.

    The Moscow Transport College will introduce a new program called “Automation and Telemechanics in Transport”. Students will gain skills in designing, installing, adjusting and operating automated systems that ensure the smooth and safe movement of metro trains. Starting from their first year, they will undergo practical training at the facilities of the Moscow Metro, the college’s key partner and main employer. Graduates will be able to work as technicians, electrical mechanics and adjustment engineers.

    “A diploma from a Moscow college is a guarantee of employment in a sought-after and promising specialty,” concluded Sergei Sobyanin.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12665055/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rescue, training, volunteering: how Moscow student rescuers help people

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Moscow City Branch of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps (MGO VSKS) is one of the largest in the country. Students of the capital’s universities have been helping to maintain public safety since 2001. The branch includes more than 400 volunteers from 19 units of higher and secondary vocational educational institutions.

    “Each volunteer is not just a volunteer, but a qualified assistant to rescue services, ready to act in the most difficult situations. He can participate in humanitarian missions, support military personnel, and most importantly, carry out ongoing work to improve the safety of city residents. MGO VSKS is an example of responsibility and unity,” said

    Ekaterina Dragunova, Chairman of the capital’s Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy.

    School of Goodness and Safety

    All Moscow student rescuers are trained to provide qualified assistance to special services. Young volunteers take an active part in humanitarian missions and support servicemen in the special military operation (SVO) zone. In addition, they regularly conduct informational and preventive work with residents of the capital.

    Volunteers undergo professional training, acquiring the skills of rescuers, first aid instructors, industrial climbers and rescue sailors. Students conduct various events, open lessons and master classes in Moscow for residents and guests of the capital on behavior in emergency situations and first aid.

    The Moscow City Branch of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps includes nine school rescue teams. Its instructors train children in fire and rescue disciplines on a regular basis.

    Trainees from various regions of Russia, including the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, are trained at the headquarters of the MGO VSKS. In 2024, 122 volunteers from other regions were trained here.

    The Moscow city branch of VSKS is rapidly developing, popularizing the culture of safety among Muscovites and involving people in volunteer activities during emergencies. The organization is becoming increasingly important in the sphere of ensuring security in the capital, forming a personnel reserve for responding to challenges.

    The main areas of its work remain raising the level of citizens’ life safety culture, participation in the elimination of emergency situations and their consequences, training volunteers for this, organizing humanitarian missions, ensuring security at mass events of various levels, as well as organizing and conducting emergency recovery operations.

    Professionalism and dedication

    In 2024–2025, volunteers took part in such work in the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as in humanitarian missions to the cities of Kursk, Belgorod, Rostov-on-Don, and Toropets. They delivered humanitarian aid as part of the State University of Management’s “GUU-SVOim” project, participated in the liquidation of the consequences of an oil spill in the city of Anapa, and made trench candles and camouflage nets for servicemen participating in the SVO.

    Recently, the capital’s volunteer rescuers and volunteers of the ANO “Center “Pomoshch”” returned from the Kirzhach district of the Vladimir region, where they helped residents affected by the fire. They were engaged in emergency recovery work and landscaping of the territory. In parallel with this, students at the humanitarian headquarters sorted humanitarian aid in order to quickly deliver necessary things and food to people.

    “Volunteer rescuers from Moscow worked shoulder to shoulder with the local branch of VSKS, rescuers and volunteers. We know how important every trained pair of hands is in such a situation. The volunteers who provided assistance have the necessary skills and experience in emergency situations. Moscow volunteers promptly delivered humanitarian aid and transported volunteer rescuers. Logistics was organized in such a way as to use the available resources as efficiently as possible,” said Maxim Dzhetygenov, deputy of the Moscow City Duma and head of the Moscow city branch of VSKS.

    Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the development of volunteer activities in MoscowCreative and patriotic camps have been prepared for Moscow youth

    Detailed information about the activities of the Moscow City Branch of VSKS can be found in the community “VKontakte”. His work is supported by the “Youth of Moscow” project of the city Committee on Public Relations and Youth Policy. You can find out about the opportunities for young Muscovites in the capital on the portal project, as well as on its pages in social networks.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: A new technology park will appear in Nekrasovka as part of a large-scale investment project

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    As part of the implementation of a large-scale investment project (MaIP), a modern industrial and technology park will appear in Nekrasovka. The corresponding agreement will be concluded based on the results of the tender, said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov.

    “The key task for further industrial development set by Sergei Sobyanin is the creation and scaling of high-tech production in the city. Thus, in the south-east of the capital, as part of a large-scale investment project, a modern industrial technology park with an area of more than 5.3 thousand square meters will appear. Here it will be possible to place enterprises of high-tech industries that ensure a high level of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of production,” said Maxim Liksutov.

    Since 2024, land plots for the construction of new enterprises can be obtained under simplified conditions based on the results of tenders. In this case, an urban development plan for the site is prepared, the maximum area of the future enterprise is determined, and the necessary types of permitted land use are established.

    “This is already the second land plot intended for the construction of an industrial facility within the framework of the MAIP, which was sold through a bidding mechanism. The first agreement concluded as a result of the bidding provides for the construction of an industrial technology park with an area of about 14 thousand square meters in the Novokosino district,” noted the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Investment and Industrial Policy

    Anatoly Garbuzov.

    The investor will be able to build an industrial facility at the intersection of Projected Drives No. 83 and 4296.

    According to Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property, the agreement on the implementation of a large-scale investment project in the Nekrasovka district, which the city will conclude following the results of the auction, provides for the subsequent lease of 0.7 hectares of land at a preferential rate of one ruble per year. Such a support measure will allow the investor to reduce the costs of creating jobs, as well as to quickly establish the production of products important for the life and economy of the city.

    The site intended for the implementation of a large-scale investment project has a convenient location, which will allow the entrepreneur to build optimal routes for the delivery of materials during construction. The Kazan direction of the Moscow Railway is in close proximity, and the North-Eastern Chord and Novorizhanskoye Highway are also nearby.

    The implementation of such projects allows for the development of urban infrastructure, the creation of jobs and thus the maintenance of high dynamics of business activity. This is especially important in areas of promising development, such as Nekrasovka.

    Today, about 100 MAIPs have been approved or are being implemented in the capital, within the framework of which industrial enterprises will appear in different areas of the city and about 60 thousand jobs will be created.

    Investors received 53 plots from the city at a preferential rate of one ruble per year

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: A house will appear on Volgogradsky Prospekt under the renovation program

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The project of an apartment building under the renovation program has been approved, which will appear at the address: Volgogradsky Prospekt, land plot No. 138/14/4. This was reported by the Chairman of the Moscow City Committee for Pricing Policy in Construction and State Expertise of Projects (Moskomexpertiza) Ivan Shcherbakov.

    “According to the project, a single-section house with two non-residential extensions will be built on Volgogradsky Prospekt. The building will have 184 apartments,” Ivan Shcherbakov said.

    The non-residential extensions will house commercial and public premises with separate entrances from the street, including an office for the information centre for resettlement under the renovation programme.

    The entrance to the residential part will have a lobby with a through passage between the street and the courtyard, an elevator hall, a stroller room, a concierge room, and a room for mailboxes.

    The residential building construction project was prepared taking into account the criteria of a barrier-free environment and complies with all fire safety standards.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told about resettlement under the renovation program in the Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo area.

    Renovation program approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. At one time, Sergei Sobyanin instructed to double the pace of implementation of the renovation program.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction volumes. High rates of housing construction correspond to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153751073/

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