NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU is represented in 10 RAEX subject rankings

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Yesterday, the RAEX agency for the fourth time published subject rankings of the “Three University Missions” family. The lists of the best included 166 universities from 40 regions of Russia. This year, ratings were prepared in 35 subject areas – mathematics, a wide range of natural science and engineering specialties, social and humanitarian areas, etc. The ratings were formed on the basis of only objective data, the results of expert surveys were not used. NSU is represented in 10 ratings – 2 more than in 2024. Among the new areas in which the university is positioned are “information technology” and “mechanical engineering and robotics”.

    NSU took the highest positions in the areas of “biology” and “chemistry”: the university entered the top 3 best universities in Russia. NSU is also in 5th place in “physics” and in 6th place in “mathematics”. The university’s positions in these four subject areas have not changed compared to last year.

    The university improved its position in “information technology”: last year NSU was not positioned in this area, and compared to 2023, it rose by 2 positions and took 17th place. In “history and archeology”, it rose by one position and entered the top 10; in “sociology” – by 3 positions and took 11th place. For the first time this year, NSU is positioned in “mechanical engineering and robotics”: the university took 11th place.

    — Novosibirsk State University traditionally occupies high positions in the natural sciences. The Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Physics Department and the Mechanics and Mathematics Department are known at the federal and global level, so applicants from all over the country come to us. Thus, at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the share of out-of-town students exceeds 70%. The university also has strong training in the field of information technology, and NSU is currently actively developing such a promising area as artificial intelligence and machine learning. In the new educational model, we pay attention to the engineering research track. We have achieved significant results in this area, which is confirmed by our fairly high positions in the subject ranking for “mechanical engineering and robotics”, which we entered for the first time this year, — commented NSU Rector, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.

    Reference:

    Subject rankings are based on the assessment of three university missions: educational, scientific, and social. When assessing the first — educational — mission of universities, the quality of training of enrolled applicants, the university’s staffing, the competitiveness of the master’s program, the amount of funding, the results of students’ performance at Russian student Olympiads, and the number of massive online courses are assessed.

    The indicators of the Science group include bibliometric indicators (publications and their citations), according to the Web of Science and RSCI databases, research income adjusted for scale, the scale of training highly qualified personnel (postgraduate studies), the number of dissertation defenses, as well as the share of extra-budgetary sources in the total volume of expenditure on scientific research and development.

    When assessing the third, public mission of universities, both subject and institutional indicators related to the university as a whole were taken into account. For example, the university’s contribution to training personnel for the region, the share of students in the field on a national scale, the share of target students, the share of first-year students from other regions.

    The methodology of subject rankings is developed taking into account the characteristic features of different spheres. Therefore, subject rankings use different sets of indicators and different weights. Thus, for the natural sciences and engineering areas, the weight of the “Science” group is 35%, while for the social and humanitarian spheres it is 25%. The weight of the “Education” group indicators for the natural sciences and engineering areas is 40%, while for the social and humanitarian spheres it is 50%. All indicators of the third group, “Society”, in both cases are 25%.

    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 Security: Man who had bomb-making guide on his phone jailed

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who admitted possessing extreme right-wing terrorism documents, including a bomb-making guide, has been jailed, after an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

    As part of an investigation into indecent images of children being posted online, police raided the home address of Vitor Dias, 21 (04.03.2003) of Willesden, on 17 May 2022.

    Dias was not arrested but two mobile phones were seized and the contents were downloaded and analysed.

    A large amount of extreme right-wing terrorist material was recovered, including guides on how to make explosives, firearms and ammunition.

    Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This case demonstrates that we will arrest and prosecute anyone accessing terrorist material.

    “I am grateful to the work of colleagues in the Wembley Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation unit who uncovered Dias’s offending after his phones were seized.

    “This case was also a successful example of the use of risk management software installed on the devices of those convicted of sexual offences.

    “This case demonstrates that units from across the Met are committed to safeguarding vulnerable victims and specialist resources from counter terrorism will support the excellent work of officers and staff. Their excellent work allowed my officers to uncover the threat Dias posed.”

    Dias was arrested on 8 September 2022 and subsequently charged on 3 October 2023 with four counts of possessing a document containing information useful for a terrorist purposes, contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

    He pleaded guilty to these charges at the Old Bailey on 5 August 2024.

    PC Merima Salkovic of North West BCU JIGSAW team ran a parallel investigation in to Dias leading to him being charged with two counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image, one count of making an indecent photograph of a child, category B and one count of making an indecent photograph of a child category C.

    Dias appeared at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 17 December 2024 and pleaded guilty to the first three charges. The making indecent images of a child, category C, will remain on file.

    He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 24 April to a total of three years in jail. He was also made subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

    Dias was convicted on 31 March 2023 for the making of indecent images of children, and possession of prohibited images of children. He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years and was managed by Wembley Jigsaw Unit.

    As part of his conviction he was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting for five years, which meant he had various prohibitions placed upon him, including risk management software to be installed on his electronic devices.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister for European Union Relations’ Lecture at the Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Minister for European Union Relations’ Lecture at the Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe

    A lecture delivered by the Minister for European Union Relations, The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds, at the Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe, University of Cambridge

    Introduction

    It’s a pleasure to be here with you all. Before I begin, I would like to thank the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies for hosting this important conference.

    I would also like to thank my friend Charles Clarke, not only for the invitation to speak here today.

    [political content removed]

    As part of that career, his time as Home Secretary, he had to deal daily with the implications of a complex and dangerous world, encapsulated by the heinous 7/7 attacks.

    While the nature of the threats our country faces have evolved since then – we know that the threats to our security, our economy and way of life are as pronounced now as they have been at any time in post war history.

    And these challenges do not just face the UK – or any one of our allies – alone; we face them, together. Therefore, it is crucial to ask how we can leverage our longstanding international relationships – and build upon them – to face these challenges together.

    The United Kingdom and the Baltic States enjoy an alliance built on shared values, on open trade, on a strategic, robust approach to defence.

    We respect one another, and it is through this respect that we work alongside each other – whether directly or through international organisations – to the benefit of our societies.

    Our citizens not only celebrate freedoms, but also realise that they are hard won and must be defended.

    I believe that – through the UK’s mission to go beyond the status quo with the European Union and grow our strategic alliance with our biggest trading partner – we could build on our relationship even further, to make us more prosperous, safer and better defended.

    I should clarify that – in the spirit of this broad alliance – while I will mainly be talking about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, I will also be touching on the Baltic Sea States, the other countries that share the same icy waters, including Sweden, Poland and Finland, which I understand follows the remit of this centre.

    Relationship with the Baltics

    Just over a month ago, the Times journalist Oliver Moody gave a talk at this university – at the Centre for Geopolitics – about his book ‘Baltic: The Future of Europe’.

    He spoke about the remarkable journey that the Baltic Sea States have taken over the last century: not just armed conflict, but the push and pull between independence, occupation and independence again.

    Reflecting on where we are now, he said: “This is the most coherent that north-eastern Europe has ever been. You have the Nordic and Baltic States working on a more equal footing than ever before, you have Poland starting to look north, and Germany is getting more involved”. He capped his remarks off by saying that this teamwork would have delighted the former Prime Minister of Estonia – Jaan Tonisson – who campaigned for a Scandinavian Superstate in 1917. Moody said that this cooperation is nothing short of “Jaan Tonisson’s dream, on steroids”.

    That claim is probably for the experts in this room to take a view on, but what is clear is the sheer depth of the shared objectives, opportunities and challenges.

    When you consider the history of these countries, this state of play is all the more remarkable. After all, to study the 20th Century developments of the Baltic States is to study world history. I am proud to say that, in many ways, the United Kingdom has been a positive part of that history, especially with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

    When the British public were rejoicing throughout the UK on Armistice Day in 1918, the Royal Navy had no time to rest, as they started their campaign in the Baltic. They were playing their part to establish an independent Estonia and Latvia, providing weapons, ammunition and much-needed support, where over 100 naval servicemen bravely lost their lives for Baltic independence. In May 2022, the UK and Lithuania agreed a Joint Declaration to mark 100 years of bilateral relations, but it also looked towards the future. It outlined an agreement to boost defence and security collaboration, build closer trade ties, and promote people-to-people links.

    We already start from a strong place, as the UK is a home to many Baltic people – well over 350,000 of them.

    We host Latvia’s largest diaspora, as well as Lithuania’s and Estonian’s largest European diaspora. Our trading relationship is positive, which accounts for over £6bn in goods and services – up from last year. Who would have thought, from just over thirty years of Estonian independence, that there would be an Estonian bank running offices in London, Manchester and Leeds, or an Estonian defence company setting up a production facility for air defence missiles in Wales.

    I greatly admire the spirit, the fortitude and the determination of the Baltic States; they have known what it is to lose their freedom, their independence and – as a result – are embracing its benefits. The Baltic tech sector – for example – has one of the strongest and most innovative ecosystems within Europe, a fact elegantly demonstrated at this year’s Oscars, when a wholly digitally designed film from Latvia won the Best Animated Feature, against long-established studios like the US’s Pixar and the UK’s Aardman Animations.  

    Many Baltic firms are key investors in the UK, and have excelled in areas where others have stumbled, because they have had a clear focus on innovation and progress.

    Indeed, I have deeply appreciated my time with the Baltic Sea States. Last year, in Opposition, I visited Estonia – to meet with various leaders who are working tirelessly to defend their homeland. I was struck not only by the scale of the Russian threat their face – especially in areas like cyber-warfare – but also by their determination to rise to that challenge.

    Also, during a visit to Stockholm, I went to the SAAB Headquarters – who recently announced that they will be supplying the Latvian Government with a short-range ground-based air defence system. We spoke openly about the importance of cross-Europe defence, and they were very grateful for the UK’s renewed focus on European defence, and the Prime Minister’s leadership.

    Ukraine

    This historic collaboration – these well-defined relationships – only adds to our collective strength when we consider countering the complex situation, facing the world reshaped by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    Of course, to many of the Baltic Sea States, Russian aggression is nothing new. Indeed, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are ardent supporters of the Ukrainian fighters seeking to overcome this illegal Russian invasion. And they have shown this support in many ways – including as key hosts for Ukrainian refugees. According to the U.S. think tank The Wilson Centre, Estonia has hosted approximately 40,000 Ukrainian refugees, Latvia has around 50,000, and Lithuania has issued more than 50,000 visas.  A record of support that the UK also shares, and I am proud of the role my own constituency is playing in hosting Ukrainian families.

    In stepping up to defend the freedoms the UK and Baltic nations enjoy we recognise the hard-won sovereignty and dignity which the Baltic States have worked so hard to secure.

    I know from my own personal experience from meeting those defence officials – many with frontline experience on their border with Russia and Ukraine – that the threat they feel is not theoretical, it is existential. The defence of the Baltic Sea is – unquestionably – as important now as ever. That is why NATO takes this issue so seriously, launching the ‘Baltic Sentry’ mission to increase surveillance of ships crossing those cold waters.

    The UK also takes the security of the Nordic and Baltic states incredibly seriously. It’s why we were so supportive of NATO expansion for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – and others – in 2004. As the then UK Prime Minister – and Charles’s former boss – Tony Blair, said these invitations meant “a significant contribution to European security, and secures the place of the new Allies in the Euro-Atlantic community”.

    It’s also why we formed – with our Baltic counterparts and Nordic countries – the Joint Expeditionary Force, set up in 2018. To ensure our commitment to European security and international stability remains strong.

    It was only in November last year that we demonstrated the effectiveness of this Force with ‘Exercise Joint Protector’. More than 300 personnel were deployed to Liepāja in Latvia, and worked with staff in the UK. This – and the many other exercises the Force has undertaken – shows just how ready we and our partners are to respond to crises in the Baltic and Nordic regions.

    Keir visited British troops serving with NATO in December 2023 in Estonia.  There is an incredibly powerful image of him on that trip – standing with our brave troops.  Showing how committed he is to supporting the vital work they do, working with NATO allies to keep this continent safe.

    [Political content removed]

    The UK and Euro-Atlantic Security

    Here in the UK, we have been unequivocal about the need to bolster security across the European continent. We must look at how we safeguard each other – through our alliances; NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force and through direct country-to-country connections too.

    We need to work better together on key issues facing our continent’s security. I mean everything – from how we improve our defence capabilities to ensuring we have the technological edge in conflict, how we finance these improvements, to how we bolster our industrial capacity across the continent. The Prime Minister will make this point on the world stage at the Joint Expeditionary Force Summit in Oslo next month, and NATO’s Hague Summit in June.

    Much of this work is underway. You may have seen His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visit British troops in Estonia last month, who – under Operation Cabrit – are providing a deterrent to Russian aggression, bolstering NATO’s presence in Europe.

    At the centre of this is our absolute commitment to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Prime Minister has been clear that for this plan to succeed, it must have strong US backing – and he is working closely with President Trump on this. I know other leaders – including those in the Baltics – have joined the chorus demanding that Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.

    The importance of this cannot be overstated. Indeed, it was a point the Prime Minister made absolutely clear at the ‘Leading the Future’ Summit hosted here in the UK. There, he convened the ‘Coalition of the Willing’, building on our efforts to put pressure on Putin, keep military aid flowing to Ukraine and strengthen sanctions on the Russian war machine. This was followed by the announcement from the Defence Secretary of an additional £450m to Ukraine, which will fund hundreds of thousands of new drones, anti-tanks mines and supplies to make necessary repairs to military vehicles.

    This work is of vital importance. When Europe is under threat, then the Europeans have to – and are – stepping up on defence and security.

    We are living through a generational moment in the history of our continent. This is a point I made at a recent Baltic Breakfast event where I welcomed the further expansion of NATO to include Finland and Sweden. With both these countries, we are building on our defence and security relationship – whether it’s the strategic partnership we share with Sweden or the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Finland on civil nuclear, strengthening our energy security.

    The UK knows we have a responsibility to help secure the continent and that, even though we have left the EU, we would never turn our back on our allies in Europe. That’s why we have committed to reaching 2.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2027, with an ambition to achieve 3% in the next parliament. In practice, that means spending over £13 billion more on defence every year from 2027. This is the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, and it will safeguard our collective security and fund the capabilities, technology and industrial capacity needed to keep the UK and our allies safe for generations to come.

    It has been good to see other European nations doing the same, especially across the Baltic States. Lithuania continues to set the standard within NATO. Your desire to increase defence spending to 5% or even 6% GDP is admirable. Latvia now spends 3.45% of its GDP on defence, and is investing heavily in areas, such as air and coastal defence. And Estonia is aspiring to increase defence spending to 5% of its GDP.

    Given the political context, it is of vital importance for European countries to take on responsibility for their own security. As one of Europe’s leading NATO powers, it is essential that the UK and the EU work together to strengthen European security. We have substantial shared interests and objectives and, crucially, we both have the means and influence to effect change on a global stage.

    But we cannot shy away from the reality of the situation we find ourselves in. Europe faces war on the continent, as well as an urgent need to ramp up our collective defence capabilities, and we have already seen a step-change in European cooperation.

    At the same time the UK and EU are facing global economic challenges. These are shared problems which require a collective response, with mutual interests.

    And I believe a firm alliance between the UK and the EU is undeniably a part of that – and mutually beneficial. We need to put an end to ideology and build a new strengthened partnership with Europe.

    Now, Charles, I promise not to make a point of mentioning you throughout my lecture, but I wanted to touch on something from the recent past.

    After he left Government, Charles became the Visiting Professor at the University of East Anglia for their School of Political, Social and International Studies, where – during a series of lectures – he posited the idea of the ‘Too Difficult Box’, the place where important political decisions get put when things got too complicated to solve.

    As he explained in a lecture eleven years ago at the University of South Wales – just south of my constituency of Torfaen – plenty of short-term challenges face politicians when they are trying to solve the long-term problems this country faces, which means decisions get delayed, politicians don’t feel empowered or convinced enough to act, the ‘Too Difficult Box’ fills up.

    I think everyone in this room can recognise at least one important national decision that has been left to grow dust in the ‘Too Difficult Box’.

    Which is why this Government has chosen to behave differently towards our national interests. Indeed, it is precisely the difficulty of our challenges which urges us to act. The ‘Plan for Change’ recognises the complex world we live in and redefines the way that Central Government responds to the problems of the day, to work across-Departments to tackle some of the most challenging problems we face – whether it’s breaking down the barriers to opportunity, making the UK a clean energy superpower, or building an NHS that is fit for the future.

    At the heart of all of this work are what we call our ‘Strong Foundations’, which are economic stability, secure borders and national security. To me, these priorities are inseparable; you cannot have one without the other two.

    I also believe that our relationship with the European Union has an important role in these foundations, we must find pragmatic solutions that work in the national interest.

    The kind of pragmatic approach that Charles promoted with the ‘Too Difficult Box’ is exactly the kind of approach we must take when redefining our relationship with the EU, as we move towards a strengthened partnership with our biggest trading partner.

    So far, by my count, we have seen over seventy different direct engagements between UK Ministers and their EU counterparts.

    This work was exemplified by the meeting the Prime Minister had with the President of the European Commission last October, a meeting where both agreed to put our relationship on a more solid, stable footing. They agreed to work together on some of the most pressing global challenges including economic headwinds, geopolitical competition, irregular migration, climate change and energy prices. In December, the Chancellor attended a meeting of the EU finance ministers – the first time a British Chancellor has been invited to the Eurogroup since Brexit. And I have been having regular meetings with my counterpart Maroš Šefčovič to maintain forward momentum on our shared agendas.

    However, I want to be clear: we fully respect the choice made by the British public to leave the European Union, that was clear in our manifesto.  As were the clear red lines we set out, around the Customs Union, the Single Market and Freedom of Movement.   

    We are also demonstrating our role as good faith actors through the implementation of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and the Windsor Framework.

    But I also believe that this global moment requires us to go further. It is an opportunity to build our partnership – where our continental security is paramount, where our collective safety is guaranteed, where our respective economies flourish together. It is in our mutual self interest. 

    The Three Pillars

    I mentioned that the defining structure of our future relationship with the European Union has three important pillars – prosperity, safety and security.

    On prosperity, we must boost growth and living standards, by creating export and investment opportunities for UK business and reducing barriers to trade with our biggest trading partners.

    Already we have started work on this. We have said that we will seek to negotiate a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement – which is one of the clear barriers to trade across the continent, and it was particularly pleasing to see a number of UK businesses writing in last weekend’s Financial Times supporting this plan.

    Let me turn to safety. Now, of all audiences, I don’t need to explain the importance of a strong and secure border, but we must do all we can to strengthen our continental collective ability to tackle organised crime and criminality, working together on irregular migration. We see – every day – the threats across our continent from criminals with no respect for international borders.  From terrorism, to vile people smuggling gangs and drug smugglers – the threat to our communities is real. If we want to protect our respective borders and keep our citizens safe, then we need to work together.

    Already, we have made important progress on this work. Within the first few weeks of coming into power, the Prime Minister stated that border security would be at the very heart of our plans to reset our relationship with the European Union. We have committed to deepening our partnerships with Europol and its European Migrant Smuggling Centre. But I believe that we can go further in this work. We need to find ways to better coordinate law enforcement. We must do all we can to strengthen the tools available to aid our collective ability to tackle organised crime, which will only lead to more secure borders.

    We recognise that the Baltic states have faced a unique challenge when it comes to irregular migration, Russian led instrumentalisation of migration is an appalling use of human beings for political gain.

    I saw the nature of this myself on a recent visit to the Polish / Belarussian border. We absolutely condemn states instrumentalising human beings and putting them in danger, and support efforts to combat this issue at the EU’s external border. Whilst the UK may face different migration challenges, there are clear commonalities – underlining the imperative of working together on the shared priority of securing our borders.

    Which brings me on to the final point, security. I have made clear throughout this lecture that we must respond to the collective security challenge that we all face. An ambitious UK-EU security and defence relationship must be a part of this.

    All of us in the UK Government appreciate the steps that the EU is taking on this, and we welcome their recent Defence White Paper, which recognises the UK as an “essential European ally”. But we should also recognise the importance of the Baltic Sea States within that Paper.

    As Oliver Moody pointed out in his talk, the significance and the symbolism of that paper cannot be overlooked. He said: “It was presented by an Estonian high representative, a Lithuanian defence commissioner, with a great deal of input from a Latvian economics commissioner, a Polish budget commissioner, a Finnish vice-president of the commission for technological sovereignty and security, all in tandem under the leadership of a German president of the European Commission […] this would have been completely unimaginable in the 1990s.”

    He’s right to point out the importance of this unity, both in the Baltic region and across our continent. 

    We have made it clear to our EU partners that we are ready to negotiate a Security & Defence Partnership with the EU. We believe it should build on the EU’s existing partnership agreements with other third countries, while recognising the unique nature of our security relationship. It will complement NATO and our NATO First approach, while boosting our bilateral cooperation with European partners.

    But we want to go further, trying to create new ways to ramp up our defence industrial capacity, financing and capability development.

    UK-EU Summit

    All of these points I have mentioned will no doubt be crucial discussion points when the UK welcomes European Union leaders to the first UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19th May.

    The Prime Minister will host the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

    The Summit will provide an opportunity to make further progress on our shared priorities and we shall set out further details in due course. What I can tell you now is that this will be the first of regular UK-EU summits, which we committed to when the Prime Minister met the President of the European Commission in October last year. We expect these to take place annually, in addition to regular engagements at Ministerial level, recognising that new agreements will take time to agree.

    Conclusion

    Ladies and gentlemen, it is clear to me that the future of Europe – whether that’s innovative businesses or the most resilient of responses to Russian aggression – has a home in the Baltic.

    The UK wants to be an important part of that future, and we are working hard – right across the Government – to change our relationship with the EU for the mutual benefit of all European states.

    We are living through a time of generational challenge to our very way of life.  I know that in the face of this, an alliance – across our continent, in pursuit of freedom – will be vital.

    So, I thank all of you here for your interest in this vital area, I thank Charles for the invitation to address this group – and I look forward to working with many of you to deliver a secure and prosperous future for our people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Engineers of Victory” was shown in the White Hall

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    For three days, the White Hall hosted a theatrical performance dedicated to the memory of the Polytechnic students and teachers who participated in the Great Patriotic War. Students from all areas of SPbPU training were involved in this large-scale event. The audience and performers were united by the desire to preserve the historical truth and convey it through art.

    The play “Engineers of Victory” became an important part of the events of the Polytechnic University dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

    The contribution of our university to the Victory is great. More than 4.5 thousand Polytechnicians fought at the front, the hydro corps housed a school for riflemen and radio operators, and the main building housed a hospital. Thanks to the engineers of the Polytechnic Institute, some of the best guns in the history of military equipment went on combat duty. From the stage of the White Hall, they told about the graduate of the mechanical engineering faculty Mikhail Koshkin, who created the legendary T-34 tank, about the graduate of the electromechanical faculty Pyotr Kapitsa, who received liquid oxygen and saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, about the Road of Life, about the protection of the navy from the enemy mine threat. But the most poignant moment of the production was the voiced letters from the front line.

    “We listened with special trepidation to the letters of students who went to the front,” shared IMMIT first-year student Sofya Kochkina. “And when you see their portraits with the date of their death, it is impossible to hold back your tears. They were the same age as us!”

    The production about the Polytechnic students of the war years involved today’s students: soloists of the SPbPU pop-symphony orchestra, members of the Student Theatre, the Polyhymnia Youth Choir, the Polytechnic Chamber Choir, and students of the Humanities Institute, which made the performance unusually touching and symbolic.

    Particular attention in the stage action was given to the atmosphere – lighting, video footage, sound effects allowed the audience to immerse themselves in the events of those years, to feel the pain of loss and the joy of Victory.

    “The audience stood up to the sounds of the metronome, because there was no other way to listen to the beats, which became a call to freeze and remember the Polytechnicians, whose portraits floated like a river through the White Hall as the Immortal Regiment. The audience also stood up when the choir performed the final composition, “Where does the Motherland begin?” said Marina Arkannikova, scriptwriter and director of the production “Engineers of Victory”, director of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the State Institute of Culture, artistic director of the Directorate of Cultural Programs and Youth Creativity. “Of course, the production was special for all of us. This is our duty to the fallen heroes of the Great Patriotic War and such an important need today to talk to young people about our great historical past as part of our identity, about our contribution to the present and future of humanity.”

    The production, created by the Directorate of Cultural Programs and Youth Creativity with the support of the Polytechnic Museum, became a living history lesson for students.

    In a few days, the Immortal Regiment will “stand” on the SPbPU campus and on the territory of student dormitories — 80 portraits of polytechnic students who went to the front from their student days — so that everyone can feel that the Great Victory is backed by the lives of those who studied at our university, so that May 9 will forever become not only a date on the calendar, but also the history of every heart.

    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: ZA Miner Introduces Free Cloud Mining Platform for Bitcoin and Dogecoin

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZA Miner offers accessible cloud-based crypto mining for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin, no hardware required.

    MIDDLESEX, United Kingdom , April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZA Miner, a UK-based cloud mining provider, announces the launch of its no-cost cloud mining platform, designed to make cryptocurrency mining more accessible for users of all experience levels. New users receive a complimentary $100 trial mining contract upon registration, allowing them to explore mining without purchasing equipment or paying setup fees.

    The platform supports mining for Bitcoin (BTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Litecoin (LTC), and offers a streamlined experience for users to track their mining activity and performance online. With a focus on simplicity and transparency, ZA Miner enables users to begin mining through a user-friendly dashboard—no prior technical knowledge required.

    “We built ZA Miner to remove the barriers typically associated with cryptocurrency mining,” said a representative of ZA Miner. “By offering an accessible cloud-based platform and a $100 trial contract, we hope to help more individuals understand and participate in the digital asset ecosystem.”

    ZA Miner’s cloud infrastructure operates in locations with energy-efficient resources, such as Kazakhstan and Iceland. These regions are chosen for their access to renewable or low-cost electricity, aligning with the company’s sustainability and affordability goals.

    Key Features:

    • Complimentary $100 trial mining contract for new users
    • Web-based mining for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin
    • No hardware or maintenance required
    • Daily activity updates through a secure online dashboard
    • SSL encryption and anti-DDoS protection for account safety
    • Referral program offering commissions for invited users

    To get started, users can create an account at www.zaminer.com, claim their trial contract, and begin monitoring their mining activity. While returns are not guaranteed and depend on various operational factors, the platform is structured to provide an entry-level introduction to cloud mining.

    About ZA Miner

    ZA Miner is a cloud mining company based in Middlesex, United Kingdom, offering cryptocurrency mining services for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin. The company’s mission is to make crypto mining approachable and cost-effective through user-friendly tools, sustainable operations, and inclusive access to digital assets.

    Media Contact:
    SHEIKH, Anisah Fatema
    ZA FUNDINGS LTD
    info@zaminer.com
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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/14ef95e8-d3e3-4503-a919-c26510ecbeb3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University, Xi’an University Strengthen Cooperation at Anniversary Meeting

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    A delegation from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University visited Xi’an University of Technology. The visit was led by Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Lyudmila Pankova. SPbPU representatives took part in the ceremonial events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of one of the leading technical universities in China.

    This visit was an important step in the development of a long-term strategic partnership between the two universities, which includes joint educational programs, scientific research and academic exchanges. The meeting began with a reception of the SPbPU delegation by the President of STU, Professor Yao Yao, who noted that cooperation between the universities, which officially began in 2018, is developing dynamically. During this time, significant progress has been achieved in joint projects, including the establishment of the Joint Polytechnic Institute in 2023 – a key link in the training of engineering personnel for Russia and China. President Yao Yao proposed expanding cooperation in master’s and postgraduate educational programs.

    Lyudmila Pankova conveyed congratulations from SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy, who in his address called STU “a forge of talents” and emphasized that the joint initiatives of the two universities laid a solid foundation for long-term partnership. In response, the Chinese colleagues expressed gratitude for the support and noted that interaction with the Polytechnic University opens up new opportunities for students and researchers of both countries.

    The central event of the visit was the participation of the SPbPU delegation in a symposium on international education, where Lyudmila Pankova gave a report on “A New Model of Personnel Training to Achieve Technological Leadership”. In her speech, she shared the Polytechnic University’s experience in implementing innovative educational programs aimed at training specialists capable of responding to the challenges of the global economy.

    During the talks with Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs Yan Li and Director of the Joint Polytechnic Institute STU-SPbPU Niu Tongjin, the parties discussed further development of cooperation, including expansion of student exchanges, joint research projects in the field of new materials, artificial intelligence and energy, as well as deepening interaction within the Joint Polytechnic Institute. The SPbPU delegation also visited advanced laboratories and research centers of STU, where they got acquainted with the latest developments of Chinese scientists.

    The visit ended with a constructive dialogue. Representatives of both universities confirmed their interest in further developing cooperation in science, education and technology, emphasizing the importance of sustainable ties between Russia and China.

    “Our cooperation with Xi’an University of Technology is not just an exchange of knowledge, but the creation of a single educational space where breakthrough ideas are born. The joint polytechnic institute has become a living example of how the academic traditions of Russia and the innovative potential of China are united to train highly qualified specialists of the new generation. Those who will determine the technological landscape of tomorrow,” noted Lyudmila Pankova.

    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 United Kingdom: Social care services to 800 adults set to return to the council

    Source: City of Salford

    • Adult social care services delivered by Aspire to return to the council.
    • 10-month transition period until 31 March 2026 to enable the changes to be planned and delivered.
    • Consultation period will ensure that continuity of services remain in place for people receiving support and their families.

    Adult social care services delivered to more than 800 residents in Salford are set to return to be delivered in-house by the city council.

    The services have been delivered by community interest company Aspire for Intelligent Care and Support since 2015, with around 350 staff providing 744,000 hours of care a year for adults with care needs including learning disabilities, dementia and care for older people.

    The decision, made by Salford City Council’s cabinet on Tuesday (22 April), will include a 10-month transition period until 31 March 2026 to enable the changes to be planned and delivered in consultation with staff involved and in partnership with Aspire to ensure that continuity of services remain in place for people receiving support and their families.

    The decision follows on from a pledge in the council’s Corporate Plan 2024-2028 and values the people who work in adult social care while protecting services that support people in living independent and fulfilled lives in Salford.

    Councillor John Merry, cabinet member for adult social care and health, said: “Following our pledge to work toward in-sourcing social care and the commitment in the council’s Corporate Plan 2024-28 to protect services that support our residents in Salford, significant work has been underway to develop recommendations on how to take this forward. The cabinet decision means that adult social care services currently being delivered under contract by Aspire will come back to the council’s adult social care directorate from April 2026. We are committed to working closely with Aspire and all staff involved to successfully manage the transition period.

    “The services delivered by Aspire over the past 10 years have been an asset to the city, and we have seen a dedicated workforce provide high quality care and support to residents. We are excited about welcoming the Aspire team back into the council and learning from all the teams and their wealth of experience in terms of growing the services offered in the city.

    “While we recognise the value the council places on social care and the drive to protect and professionalise the sector, we understand that this will mean a period of change for staff involved and every support will be provided to manage the transition. The knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm of Aspire staff will be of critical importance as we move back under council control and staff views and opinions will continue to be heard through the transition phase, and will continue when the services move back to the council.”

    Lisa Dickinson, chief executive of Aspire for Intelligent Care and Support, said: “We are committed to working with the council through this transition period, while supporting our staff and ensuring that residents continue to receive the high quality of services required to meet their needs.”

    Salford City Council is committed to creating a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city for all. To achieve this vision, it has set out seven interconnected priorities as the focus for our work from 2024 to 2028.

    • Good growth
    • A good home for all
    • Tackling poverty and inequality
    • Creating places where people want to live
    • A child friendly city
    • Responding to climate change
    • Healthy lives and quality of care for all.

    Find out more about our ambitions and how we intend to deliver them in our corporate plan, This is our Salford, at www.salford.gov.uk/this-is-our-salford

    The plan builds on past successes and continues to find new and innovative ways to improve residents’ lives.

    Salford continues its remarkable story of transformation with already much to celebrate as a city – more well-paid jobs, new affordable and social homes, thriving local schools, award-winning green spaces, iconic infrastructure, cleaner transport, more integrated health and care and a vibrant cultural scene.

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    Date published
    Friday 25 April 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Treasure chests’ sent to every Aberdeen primary school to spark Tall Ships fever for city pupils

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Every Council-run primary school in Aberdeen will be sent a “treasure chest” of Tall Ships goodies to spark their imagination and excitement before the 50-strong fleet arrives in the Granite City this July.

    Along with the thrill of the Treasure Boxes and learning packs, each school will adopt one of the magnificent vessels dropping anchor for the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025, including the chance to interact with their captains and crews online and follow their ships as they race toward the north-east shores. Orchard Brae and Stoneywood Schools have each been teamed up with Class A Dutch vessel Wylde Swan.

    The Treasure Boxes and learning packs are packed with fun, maritime-related educational resources containing lessons on the history and significance of Tall Ships, navigation and other sailing skills, marine wildlife, water safety and play-based learning ideas, which organisers hope will spark a “Tall Ships fever” among city pupils. Non-local authority primary schools in the city will receive the digital learning pack as will primary schools in Aberdeenshire.  

    Speaking at a special launch of the Treasure Boxes and Adopt-a-Ship activities at Orchard Brae School, Councillor Martin Greig, Chair of the Tall Ships organising committee and Aberdeen City Council’s Education and Children’s Services Convenor, said: “Today’s launch really helps us to prepare for the arrival of the huge fleet of ships coming to the harbour in July.

    “The Tall Ships Race is an historic experience for all ages to enjoy but with a special focus on young people. Schools which adopt a ship will be able to discover more about the sea and our maritime heritage.

    “The Treasure Boxes are a great way to share stories and fun in advance of the festival. It’s important that the event is as inclusive as possible.”

    The story in the sensory Tall Ships pack for Orchard Brae pupils was written by the school’s Deputy Head Teacher Naomi Farrimond, who said: “The Tall Ships Festival in Aberdeen is one of the biggest events to be held in the city in a long time. It is important that everyone in Aberdeen is able to engage with the festival and enjoy the vibrance and diversity of the global community coming to the city.

    “In order to maximise this engagement for learners across the city, these packs are a excellent stimulus to set the scene for what is to come.  Sensory stories are already used as part of learning at Orchard Brae, they enable learners to engage repeatedly with a story through all of their senses, not just their eyes and ears. The Sensory story is designed to be a stimulus for teachers working with our complex learners. It gives learners the opportunity to experience and develop understanding of the experiences their peers will have when they board the ships in Dunkirk and Aberdeen for the race.

    “We are delighted to have access to a pack designed specifically for learners with complex needs and are looking forward to where our learners take us on their journey to the festival.’

    Pupils were excited about the Treasure Boxes, adopting a ship and the Tall Ships coming to Aberdeen and, of course meeting mascot Dorry the Dolphin.

    Also impressed were Bob Sanguinetti, CEO, Port of Aberdeen and Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired. Mr Sanguinetti said: “It’s fantastic to see young people embracing the spirit of The Tall Ships Races. We’re proud to support this inspiring initiative, which connects our city’s next generation with its rich maritime heritage in such a meaningful and exciting way.” 
    Mr Watson said: “Young people are the heart and soul of the Tall Ships Races and these ‘treasure chests’ and the chance to adopt a ship are fantastic ways to spark the imagination of our primary pupils and, hopefully, start a Tall Ships fever in our schools.

    “Beyond the excitement of the Tall Ships races there is also the aim of telling the next generation of Aberdonians about the rich and fascinating maritime tradition of generations before. Who knows, it might even help some of them plot a course to a future career in the maritime sector still so vital to Aberdeen.”

    The learning packs were created by Aberdeen City Council’s Education team with the valuable assistance of the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland, the Royal Yachting Association, the Association of Sail Training Organisations, the Aberdeen Line Committee and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

    Picture shows Councillor Martin Greig and Orchard Brae Deputy Head Teacher Naomi Farrimond in the foreground with pupils, staff and Tall Ships mascot Dorry the Dolphin at the launch

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: International Book Day at the State University of Management was celebrated with a presentation of an author’s collection and a discussion on the role of AI in literature

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On April 23, 2025, on International Book and Copyright Day, the Scientific Library of the State University of Management held a ceremony to present author’s copies of the collection of creative works “Towards Happiness” based on the materials of the II Inter-University Festival of Book Clubs “Living Hat”.

    Among the authors of the collection were representatives of Russian universities and colleges:

    State University of Management; All-Russian State University of Cinematography named after S.A. Gerasimov; State University of Education; College of Telecommunications of Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics; Moscow Business Academy; Moscow State University of Psychology and Education; Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL); Moscow Financial and Industrial University “Synergy”; National Research Nuclear University MEPhI; Russian University of Sport “GTSOLIFK”; Plekhanov Russian University of Economics; Saint Petersburg State University; Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

    The meeting was opened by the Rector’s Advisor, Head of the Department of State and Municipal Administration, and member of the Union of Writers of Russia, Sergei Chuev.

    “Now every author can publish his work, but being published among the best is a great source of pride for the author,” said Sergei Vladimirovich.

    Director of the Scientific Library of the State University of Management Olga Kharlamova expressed gratitude to the participants for their attention to the Inter-University Festival of Book Clubs “Living Hat” and invited them to join the work of the festival’s organizing committee in November.

    The head of the Literary and Theatre Club “GUUmanist”, a leading specialist of the Institute of Distance Education of the State University of Management Tatyana Rachek noted that such meetings are a huge incentive to support cultural values, to form patriotism in young people, and wished all participants of future competitions and festivals inspiration and new ideas.

    Leading specialist of the Scientific Library Evgeniya Drits invited new clubs to participate in the Festival in 2025.

    After the award ceremony, an interesting discussion took place. One of the main questions was whether it is acceptable to use AI in literature:

    Can neural networks be trusted to create full-fledged works of art? Does AI help develop a writer’s imagination or, on the contrary, hinder the manifestation of creative individuality? Should AI’s work be perceived as a threat to classical creativity or as a useful tool to support the writer?

    The participants spoke openly and sincerely, with many arguments and examples from personal experience. Some said that AI is a new thing, and, like everything new, we are free to treat it with caution. But this does not mean that neural networks are bad. Their use is acceptable in the context of helping the author. Others insisted that the use of neural networks in literature is unacceptable, and AI is only good for pulp novels. Some supported the idea that AI helps to complete images, complement existing ideas. It is just a tool, it does not generate texts entirely and can only help a person, but not replace him. And neural networks that generate images help aspiring authors who want to promote their work, but cannot afford the services of an illustrator. In this case, AI is beneficial, since it helps to promote new talents. Most participants agreed that artificial intelligence can really become an excellent assistant to a writer, complementing and enriching creative ideas. It is important to remember that true art is created by man, and the tools only support the flight of his imagination.

    The authors shared stories about their first attempt at writing, discussed the problem of the author’s responsibility for their readers, and reflected on imitating the style of the greats. They also read their poems and prose. The participants of the event left autographs and good wishes for the Scientific Library of the State University of Management.

    Representatives of book, literary, and poetry clubs highly appreciated the initiative of the Scientific Library of the State University of Management to form an active community that supports cultural values, uniting students who are passionate about reading, and supporting the creativity of young authors.

    The collection “Towards Happiness” is already in the collection of the Scientific Library of the State University of Management.

    Until next time, full of warmth, smiles and interesting conversations!

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/25/2025

    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 Russia: A representative of Setl Group held a master class on the Renga program for the finalists of the TIM Championship

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – During the master class

    In the era of import substitution and well-known geopolitical events, the focus of attention of enterprises, developers, and educational institutions is focused on the transition to domestic digital solutions. The finalists of the All-Russian TIM Championship at SPbGASU. SPO League 2025 developed competition projects in the Renga program – a Russian comprehensive BIM system for automated three-dimensional design using the technology of information modeling of buildings and structures. Therefore, the master class of the chief engineer of the architectural bureau “Setl Group” Dmitry Sergeev aroused keen interest among the contestants.

    “When assessing the situation with foreign vendors, we tested many domestic products. We took into account the labor costs associated with them, time, capabilities, compliance with the standards that we need to organize the work process. Renga was the best choice. But we understood that for objective reasons, third-party libraries would not work for us, because some contain slightly different information, while others do not have what we need at all. Therefore, we created our own library of standard elements that we and our clients use in modeling. A year later, we made it widely available: anyone can download it for use both for educational purposes and for work. As a pilot project, we designed a standard residential complex of varying heights in Renga, the highest section is 23 floors. And then we realized that the existing computers could not handle the full model, so we divided it into sections. Subsequently, we purchased more powerful computers,” said Dmitry Sergeev.

    Using this project as an example, the expert explained the entire design process step by step, including water supply, electricity and other utilities, architectural drawings, and finishing materials. In addition, he clarified how and why the team made this or that decision during the design process.

    “All this work is carried out by teams, which include many young specialists. Our architectural bureau is happy to employ them. There is a mentoring system for adaptation, so we will be glad to see you in our architectural bureau. For internships, employment, you can contact the career start on our company’s website by sending an application,” concluded Dmitry Sergeev.

    Victoria Zinchenko, a student at the Novgorod Construction College, noted that she was pleased to listen to a lecture directly from an industry representative working at Renga.

    “It was interesting to learn how the bureau created all the families for further work in the program. We work on this software at college, and I believe that even with the existing nuances, the program can become a worthy competitor in the market. I am very grateful to the organizers for the opportunity to gain such practical knowledge about it,” Victoria shared.

    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: Digital Transformation of Management: All-Russian Conference Held at GUU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On April 24, the Institute of Information Systems of the State University of Management hosted the VII All-Russian scientific and practical conference “Digital Transformation of Management: Problems and Solutions”.

    Traditionally, the purpose of the conference is to exchange experience, information, and research results between scientists from leading universities, practicing specialists from IT companies, and start-up entrepreneurship, shaping the formation of “education-business-science” clusters.

    The organizers selected the best reports for participation, reflecting the modern scientific and practical interests of scientists from leading Russian universities in the field of developing digital solutions and control automation: State University of Management, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow Aviation Institute, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Saratov State Technical University named after Yu.A. Gagarin, Crimean Federal University named after Vernadsky, Kazan Innovative University, etc.

    The event discussed issues of forming an individualized educational trajectory using a composition of educational technologies, integrating artificial intelligence into management processes, ensuring corporate information security, priorities and drivers of digitalization in agribusiness, using unmanned aerial vehicles and building platform solutions and hybrid DSS for managing processes in agriculture, developing a computer vision model for detecting documentary areas of interest, using mathematical modeling tools for analyzing mortgage lending, labor migration, etc.

    At the conference, Sergei Golovashov, Head of the Competence Center at Bell Integrator, also shared his experience in ensuring corporate information security.

    It is noteworthy that young scientists took an active part in this year’s conference: senior bachelors, master’s students and postgraduates of the IIS SUM.

    Participants of the conference “Digital Transformation of Management: Problems and Solutions” noted that holding such scientific events has great theoretical and practical significance for improving the processes of digitalization of management and solving new problems that arise as challenges to the development of modern society.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/25/2025

    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 Russia: GUU took part in the discussion of the ECG rating and the role of large families in the development of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Director of the Center for Assessment and Development of Management Competencies of the State University of Management Anton Velichko, as part of the national standard project “Index of Business Reputation of Entrepreneurs (EKG-rating)”, took part in the work of the Annual All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference of the D. I. Mendeleyev Institute of Demographic Policy “From the Year of the Family to the Century of the Family”.

    The plenary session of the conference was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy Tatyana Golikova, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District, member of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy Igor Shchegolev, Head of the Presidential Administration for Public Projects Sergei Novikov, Chairman of the State Fund for Support of Participants of the NVO “Defenders of the Fatherland”, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Anna Tsivileva, Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture, Executive Secretary of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy Liliya Gumerova and others.

    The event was attended by more than 400 representatives of government bodies, scientific, educational and public organizations, and businesses.

    The past Year of the Family allowed us not only to focus on the demographic agenda, but also to understand the fact that the Russian family should never again fall out of the sight of the state and society if we are talking about the preservation and development of the Russian nation and statehood.

    The aim of the conference is to find effective solutions in the area of population conservation and improvement of demographic policy, as well as corporate practices to support families with children.

    The annual All-Russian scientific and practical conference of the D. I. Mendeleyev Institute of Demographic Policy “From the Year of the Family to the Century of the Family” is organized with the support of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/25/2025

    Центра оценки и развития управленческих компетенций ГУУ Антон Величко в рамках проекта национальный стандарт «Индекс деловой репутации субъектов предпринимательской деятельности (ЭКГ-рейтинг)» принял участие в работе Ежегодной всероссийской научно-практической конференции Института демографической политики имени Д….” data-yashareImage=”https://guu.ru/wp-content/uploads/IMG_9380-scaled.jpg” data-yashareLink=”https://guu.ru/%d0%b3%d1%83%d1%83-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%bd%d1%8f%d0%bb-%d1%83%d1%87%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b8%d0%b5-%d0%b2-%d0%be%d0%b1%d1%81%d1%83%d0%b6%d0%b4%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%b8-%d1%8d%d0%ba%d0%b3-%d1%80%d0%b5/”>

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Toughest measures yet to protect children from knife content

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Toughest measures yet to protect children from knife content

    Even tougher action to hold tech platforms to account for failing to protect children from harmful knife crime content online, the government has announced.

    Image: Getty Images

    As part of the Plan for Change, tougher sanctions will be brought in to combat the unacceptable content circulating online that advertises deadly and illegal knives and other offensive weapons to young people – or which glorifies or incites violence.  

    The government has already announced a significant fine of up to £10,000 for individual tech bosses whose platforms fail to remove this content within 48 hours following a police warning. Following significant consultation with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, the government is going even further with an additional fine of up to £60,000 to be paid by the company. This means tech platforms and their executives could collectively face up to £70,000 in fines for every post relating to knife crime they fail to remove. 

    A greater range of online platforms will be liable under these new laws to also include online search engines as well as social media platforms and marketplaces, to capture all online providers which might currently be failing to remove content. 

    The move bolsters further measures set out yesterday by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Ofcom, to protect children from a broad spectrum of harmful online content including pornography, suicide and self-harm under the Online Safety Act.  The laws will be some of the most comprehensive online safety protections in the world and mean platforms must protect children from content including suicide, self-harm, and pornography by taking steps such as introducing age checks like photo ID matching or facial age estimation and filtering out harmful content from algorithms.   

    Crime and Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said:  

    The kind of content that young people scroll through every day online is sickening and I will not accept any notion that restricting access to this harmful material is too difficult.

    Our children need more from us. That is why we are now going further than ever to hold to account the tech companies who are not doing enough to safeguard young people from content which incites violence, particularly in young boys.

    Curbing the impact of this kind of content will be key for our mission to halve knife crime, but more widely our Plan for Change across government to do more protect young people from damaging and dangerous content.

    As previously announced, the Home Office will introduce a new system to be carried out by a new policing unit backed by £1.75 million of funding to tackle the sale of knives online. This will operate out of the Met, but on a national scale. They will be responsible for issuing Content Removal Notices which inform the tech platform of illegal content, giving them a 48 hour window in which they must remove it.  

    Failure to comply will now result in a Civil Penalty Notice rather than taking the company to civil court, which include the respective fines for both executives and the wider company. This will mean sanctions can be inflicted much more quickly and is the same penalty that an employer may receive for employing an illegal worker to reflect the vital importance of removing harmful knife related content.     

    Patrick Green CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust said:

    The portrayal of knife crime on social media has significantly hindered efforts to reduce it. Beyond merely normalising, glamorising, and desensitising young people to violence, it has often provided an illegal avenue for purchasing knives without adequate safeguards, such as proper age verification.

    Social media companies and their executives have repeatedly failed to address these issues. Therefore, I welcome today’s announcement from the government to take decisive action and hold these executives accountable.

    I also thank the government for listening to the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and for extending these sanctions to include social media companies, who have a responsibility to keep young people safe on their platforms.

    These sanctions are part of a range of measures being introduced by this government in its mission to halve knife crime in a decade. These include: 

    • banning zombie-style knives and ninja swords, with a nationwide surrender scheme launching in July 

    • introducing stronger 2-step verification for online retailers selling knives online and banning delivery of weapons to alternative addresses that don’t match the buyer 

    • requirement for online retailers to report any bulk or suspicious-looking purchases of knives to the police 

    • launching a consultation in spring on the introduction of a licensing scheme for retailers who wish to sell knives

    • increasing prison sentences for selling weapons to under 18s from 6 months to 2 years

    • introducing a new offence for possessing a weapon with intent for violence with a prison sentence of up to 4 years

    The sanctions for tech platforms will be introduced via an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which was tabled on 24 April for committee stage.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Successes in Reverse Engineering: GUU Project Receives Positive Opinion from RAS

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The research team of the State University of Management, implementing the project “Development of scientific and methodological foundations for managing technological processes of reverse engineering in the transport industry of mechanical engineering”, received a positive conclusion from the Russian Academy of Sciences based on the results of the reporting period in 2024.

    The fundamental research is aimed at developing theoretical and methodological principles of industrial economics, as well as tools for making management decisions to ensure import substitution. The relevance of the research is confirmed by the consideration of issues of managing technological processes of reverse engineering when solving complex problems of import substitution in the transport industry of mechanical engineering of the Russian Federation.

    Scientific results of the first stage of work:

    The study of the state of the transport industry during the period of import substitution was carried out, risks were identified and solutions were outlined; the role of reverse engineering as a tool for import substitution in the transport engineering industry was substantiated and the main stages of reverse engineering were determined; an overview and assessment of existing reverse engineering technologies for transport engineering products using Russian and imported equipment were proposed; a methodology and an information model in the form of an algorithm were developed that take into account the most frequently used tasks of reverse engineering; a methodology for decision-making and risk assessment was developed that takes into account technical, technological and economic aspects, which allows preventing and minimizing possible negative consequences of reverse engineering; the role of standardization as one of the important tools of import substitution contributing to an increase in the orderliness of production, acting as a guarantor of the quality and competitiveness of products was proven.

    According to experts, the results obtained during the implementation of the first stage of the project are significant for the development of this field of science in Russia and the solution of specific applied problems. The methodology for managing technological processes developed during the study is universal and will be useful not only for industrial enterprises in the transport industry, but also for any enterprises in the mechanical engineering industry.

    “The results of the study may be relevant for optimizing the existing scheme for organizing reverse engineering processes in the transport industry of mechanical engineering, as well as for forming an effectively functioning scheme for organizing the management of reverse engineering processes in the transport industry of mechanical engineering in the short, medium and long term. The significance of the obtained results for specific applied tasks of the Russian Federation is confirmed by the possibility of their use in the educational process when giving lecture courses on industrial policy, supporting government decision-making in the industrial sphere and ensuring national security issues, including import substitution issues, including in the transport industry,” the RAS experts noted.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/25/2025

    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 Russia: Students of Novosibirsk State University will be able to study development using programs from Yandex Education

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The educational modules were developed by Yandex experts and will be integrated into bachelor’s programs for IT specialists and will be enhanced with applied disciplines and company cases. At NSU, the platform for the implementation of the new modules will be Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics. The university will be able to integrate one or several modules: on backend, frontend and mobile development. The program will have an academic supervisor from Yandex, who will be responsible for the content of the module and its adaptation at the university.

    — It is important for us that high-quality IT education is available to students all over Russia, so we are expanding our partnership with regional universities. Universities get access to educational content from the company’s experts and a course for teachers on modern methods of teaching IT disciplines. We also involve Yandex employees in teaching programs. And already in the new curriculum, students from 17 regions of the country will be able to study development on our modules — from Primorsky Krai to Kaliningrad Oblast, — noted Daria Kozlova, Director of Yandex Education.

    Students will master applied development in Python, JavaScript, React or Django, learn to work with API services and manage server infrastructure.

    — The Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics strengthens partnerships with companies. We are glad that this year students of the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics will be able to become full participants in the program from Yandex Education. Now we are recruiting teachers, and then it is up to the students. I know that our students are interested in relevant applied knowledge, but the company’s course is a responsible matter, when choosing it, you need to correctly approach the balance of study time, — emphasized Anastasia Karpenko, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU.

    From September 2025, educational programs from Yandex Education will appear for the first time in 5 new regions: Voronezh, Kaliningrad, Rostov, Tula regions and Krasnoyarsk Krai.

    This initiative is part of Yandex’s large-scale program to develop education. In 2025, Yandex will invest more than 5 billion rubles in training specialists in IT and artificial intelligence, launching new educational programs, and developing solutions for school and higher education. The total number of Yandex partner universities will reach 39, and the number of joint programs with universities will exceed 70. More than 15 thousand students will be able to study in them, which is 50% more than last year.

    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: Digitalist Group Plc’s Business Review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DIGITALIST GROUP PLC                    Stock Exchange Release 25.4.2025 at 9:00

    Digitalist Group Plc’s Business Review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

    January–March 2025 (comparable figures for 2024 in parentheses):

    • Turnover: EUR 4.5 million (EUR 3.9 million), increase of 15.6%. 
    • EBITDA: EUR -0.1 million (EUR -0.4 million), -3.0% of turnover (-10.4%).
    • EBIT: EUR -0.3 million (EUR -0.6 million), -5.9% of turnover (-15.8%). 
    • Net income: EUR -1.0 million (EUR -1.0 million), -23.0% of turnover (-27.0%).
    • Earnings per share (diluted and undiluted): EUR -0.00 (EUR -0.00).
    • Number of employees at the end of the review period: 123 (125), reduction of 1.6%.

    CEO’s review

    I am pleased to report that Digitalist Group has started 2025 with improvements in both turnover and profitability compared to the same period last year. Our turnover for the first quarter reached EUR 4.5 million, up from EUR 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2024 — an increase of nearly 16%. This growth reflects our continuing efforts to grow in both Sweden and Finland, underscoring the resilience of our business in these key markets.

    Regarding profitability, our first quarter 2025 EBITDA came in at EUR -0.1 million, showing an improvement compared to EUR -0.4 million for the first quarter of 2024. Although we are still in the negative range, the decreased loss underscores the positive impact of our targeted cost-saving measures and more efficient collaboration within the group. 

    We continue to see steady demand in our Swedish operations, which remain a major revenue driver. While the Finnish market remains challenging, our longstanding relationships in both the public and private sectors have helped us in increasing revenue. We have been able to deliver impactful solutions, even in a difficult environment.

    Building on the launch of Digitalist Private AI Hub, we remain convinced that applied AI will become a cornerstone across our service areas as we continue to innovate and broaden our solutions portfolio.

    Through continued operational efficiency and cost discipline, we are strengthening our financial performance, and we remain cautiously optimistic for the remainder of 2025.

    I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all our employees for their dedication and agility during this period. Our collective efforts have laid a strong foundation for the months ahead. I also extend my thanks to our clients for their continued trust in our capabilities. Together, we are moving Digitalist Group toward a more profitable and sustainable future.

    CEO Magnus Leijonborg

    FUTURE PROSPECTS

    In 2025, it is expected that turnover and EBITDA will improve in comparison with 2024.

    At the time of the business review, the company expects its working capital to be sufficient to cover its requirements over the next 12 months based on the financing support provided by the main owner if needed. 

    EVENTS SINCE THE REVIEW PERIOD

    There have been no significant events since the end of the review period.

    The stock exchange releases and the AGM Notice are on the company’s website at www.digitalist.global/investors/releases.

    DIGITALIST GROUP OYJ

    Board of Directors

    Additional information:

    Digitalist Group Plc

    CEO Magnus Leijonborg, tel. +46 76 315 8422, magnus.leijonborg@digitalistgroup.com

    Chairman of the Board Esa Matikainen, tel. +358 40 506 0080, esa.matikainen@digitalistgroup.com

    Distribution:

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd

    Major media

    https://digitalist.global

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ZA Miner Launches Free Cloud Mining Service, Opening Doors to Bitcoin and Dogecoin Mining for All

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZA FUNDINGS LTD Image

    MIDDLESEX, United Kingdom, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZA Miner, a leading cloud mining service provider, is proud to announce the launch of its new no-cost cloud mining platform, designed to make cryptocurrency mining more accessible than ever. With no upfront costs, users can now mine Bitcoin (BTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE) directly through the cloud, eliminating the need for expensive hardware, electricity bills, or technical expertise.

    To help users get started, ZA Miner is offering a $100 free mining bonus upon registration, allowing anyone to begin mining immediately without any financial commitment. This groundbreaking initiative is aimed at democratizing cryptocurrency mining, making it simple and free for anyone to participate in the growing digital economy.

    Mining Made Simple – No Hardware, No Fees

    The ZA Miner platform simplifies the process of mining by removing the traditional barriers associated with cryptocurrency mining. Users only need an email address to sign up and can start earning daily payouts through a straightforward and easy-to-use interface. There’s no need to invest in costly mining rigs or worry about maintenance. The platform supports mining for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin, offering a diverse range of options for users.

    “We designed ZA Miner with the goal of creating a solution that eliminates the complexity and costs of cryptocurrency mining,” said a spokesperson for ZA Miner. “Our platform is built to be user-friendly, transparent, and focused on inclusion, enabling everyone, regardless of technical background, to earn passive income through cloud mining.”

    A Global, Sustainable Mining Operation

    ZA Miner operates its mining infrastructure in regions known for their energy efficiency, such as Kazakhstan and Iceland. These strategic locations help the company to minimize energy costs while ensuring that its operations remain environmentally sustainable. By passing on these savings to its users, ZA Miner is able to offer an affordable and eco-conscious mining experience.

    ZA Miner’s mining contracts are tailored to accommodate users of all skill levels.

    Key Features of ZA Miner’s Platform:

    • Free $100 Mining Bonus – Start mining without any initial investment.
    • No Hardware Required – Cloud-based mining ensures you don’t need to buy or maintain any equipment.
    • Daily Earnings – Track your earnings daily and have them paid directly to your wallet.
    • Environmentally Friendly – Powered by sustainable energy sources in energy-efficient locations.
    • Secure & Safe – SSL encryption and anti-DDoS protection ensure a secure mining experience.
    • Referral Rewards – Earn up to 7% commission by inviting others to join the platform.

    How to Get Started:

    1. Visit www.zaminer.com to create your account.
    2. Claim your $100 bonus mining contract.
    3. Start earning daily payouts and track your progress.

    ZA Miner’s free cloud mining model caters to the growing demand for accessible and user-friendly crypto tools. With its reliable performance, global infrastructure, and commitment to environmental sustainability, ZA Miner offers an easy entry point into the world of cryptocurrency mining.

    About ZA Miner:

    ZA Miner is a cloud mining provider based in Middlesex, United Kingdom, specializing in Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin mining. The company focuses on providing accessible, cost-effective, and sustainable mining solutions for individuals worldwide. With a user-friendly platform, ZA Miner is helping to shape the future of the digital asset economy. For more information, visit www.zaminer.com.

    Media Contact:
    SHEIKH, Anisah Fatema
    ZA FUNDINGS LTD
    info@zaminer.com
    https://www.zaminer.com/

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f49bfc42-5f77-432e-8d1d-a9e0bcbf6359

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8afa7cc8-f40f-449c-a000-df91a4f91905

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 23/2025・Trifork Group: Reporting of transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 23 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 25 April 2025

    Reporting of transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities

    Pursuant to the Market Abuse Regulation Article 19, Trifork Group AG (Swiss company registration number CHE-474.101.854) (“Trifork”) hereby notifies receipt of information of the following transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities in Trifork in connection with fixed salaries paid in shares. Reference is made to company announcement no. 1/2025 on 21 January 2025.

    1. Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
    a) Name Jørn Larsen
    2. Reason for the notification
    a) Position/status CEO
    b) Initial notification/
    Amendment    		 Initial notification
    3. Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
    a) Name Trifork Group AG
    b) LEI 8945004BYZKXPESTBL36
    4.1 Details of the transaction(s)
    a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument

    Identification code

    		 Shares

    ISIN CH1111227810
    b) Nature of the transaction A share of 25% of the fixed monthly salary is paid out in shares as described in the company announcement no. 1/2025.
    c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s)
    DKK 0 1,245
    d) Aggregated information
    —
    Aggregated volume —
    Price    		 N/A
    e) Date of the transaction 25 April 2025
    f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue
    1. Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
    a) Name Kristian Wulf-Andersen
    2. Reason for the notification
    a) Position/status CFO
    b) Initial notification/
    Amendment    		 Initial notification
    3. Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
    a) Name Trifork Group AG
    b) LEI 8945004BYZKXPESTBL36
    4.1 Details of the transaction(s)
    a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument

    Identification code

    		 Shares

    ISIN CH1111227810
    b) Nature of the transaction A share of 10% of the fixed monthly salary is paid out in shares as described in the company announcement no. 1/2025.
    c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s)
    DKK 0 332
    d) Aggregated information
    —
    Aggregated volume —
    Price    		 N/A
    e) Date of the transaction 25 April 2025
    f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue

    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Invitation to Q1 2025 results presentation in Oslo on 5 May

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Invitation to Q1 2025 results presentation in Oslo on 5 May  

    BW Energy will release its first quarter 2025 results on Monday, 5 May at 07:30 CEST.  

    The Company will hold a presentation followed by Q&A at Hotel Continental in Oslo, Norway, on the same day at 09:30 CEST. The presentation will include an extended review of optimisation and development projects in Brazil. It will be hosted by CEO Carl K. Arnet, CFO Brice Morlot, CSO Thomas Young, CTO Jerome Bertheau and CCO Thomas Kolanski. 

    You can also follow the presentation via webcast with supporting slides, available on: 

    Viewer Registration • Q1 2025 

    For further information, please contact: 

    ir@bwenergy.no  

     
    About BW Energy: 

    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 599 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2025.  

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LHV Group’s Terms for Own Shares Acquisition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Supervisory Board of AS LHV Group, based on the authorisation granted by the General Meeting of shareholders held on 26 March 2025, approved the following terms for the acquisition of LHV Group’s own shares:

    • The maximum volume of acquisition is up to 3.3 million shares within one year;
    • The acquisition price per share must not exceed: (i) the average market price over the last 30 trading days by more than 50%, and (ii) the closing price on the previous trading day on Nasdaq Tallinn;
    • The authorised agent for the transactions is AS LHV Pank, acting independently and on a market-based basis;
    • All transactions, including shareholder-initiated block trades, will be executed on the regulated market Nasdaq Tallinn;
    • The acquisition may commence on the date of this announcement;
    • Summary data (daily volume and weighted average price) will be disclosed no later than on the seventh trading day after the transaction, and be made available to the Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority, via the Nasdaq Tallinn system, and on LHV Group’s investor website.

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs over 1,160 people. As at the end of March, LHV’s banking services are being used by 465,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 113,000 active customers, and LHV Kindlustus is protecting a total of 174,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Priit Rum
    Communications Manager
    Phone: +372 502 0786
    Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: FF student is the strongest weightlifter in Novosibirsk region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    In the weightlifting competitions within the framework of the 48th Universiade among students of higher educational institutions of the Novosibirsk region, NSU was represented by only one athlete, but he showed the best result in the weight category up to 102 kg.

    Physics student Alexander Burov won a brilliant victory in the biathlon, which includes the clean and jerk and the snatch. Three attempts are given for each exercise, and the total is the sum of the maximum weights lifted.

    Shortly before the Universiade, Alexander also won the Novosibirsk Region Championship, lifting a total of 217 kg.

    Congratulations to the athlete on his gold medals at the regional competitions! We wish him further success in sports and studies!

    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: NSU plans to create specialized international classes to prepare for university admission on the basis of Chinese schools

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Novosibirsk State University plans to begin training Chinese schoolchildren for university admission. For this purpose, specialized “international classes” with a total of 60 people will be created on the basis of Chinese schools. The training will be conducted in the natural sciences, and the curriculum will be built on the model SUNC NSU (Physics and Mathematics Schools). Classes are scheduled to open in September 2025.

    NSU is taking a strategically important step by creating a school-university system for Chinese students. This will not only attract talent to Russia, but also strengthen scientific and educational cooperation between the countries.

    From March 28 to April 4, a working trip of the heads of educational institutions of Novosibirsk and Izhevsk to Henan Province, PRC was organized. The initiators of this project were Novosibirsk State University and Izhevsk State Technical University named after M.T. Kalashnikov. The delegation included: Head of the Education Export Department of NSU E.I. Sagaydak, Director of the Novosibirsk Institute for Monitoring and Development of Education of the Novosibirsk Region N.V. Yaroslavtseva, Deputy Director of the Institute O.V. Nedosyp, Head of the Education Department of the Kochenevsky District Administration A.S. Bobin, Director of the NSTU Engineering Lyceum M.A. Bezlepkina and Director of School No. 112 V.N. Platonov, as well as other directors of schools and lyceums from Izhevsk.

    During the week, the Russian delegation visited several secondary educational institutions, including the school at the Shaolin Monastery, Kaifeng Vocational College and the education departments of the cities of Henan Province: Dengfeng, Zhongmou, Kaifeng and Xinxiang, as well as the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing.

    During the visit, a productive exchange of experience in the field of teaching methods and pedagogical practices took place. Particular attention was paid to the development of a cooperation strategy in the following areas: teaching Russian and Chinese languages, academic mobility of schoolchildren and teachers, and the development of joint educational programs, including the creation of “international classes”.

    Four schools in Henan Province — Zhongmou Foreign Language Middle School, Zhongmu No. 3 Senior School, Xinxiang No. 7 Senior School, and Henan Normal University Affiliated Xinxiang Middle School — held official ceremonies to award these schools a special status: training talents for admission to Novosibirsk State University. These schools will host Olympiads in mathematics, physics, and information technology, and the winners and prize winners will be able to study in Russia at the expense of the Russian Federation budget.

    — One of the tasks that NSU sets for itself is to increase the number of foreign students, including those from China. We strive to select the most talented and gifted schoolchildren. Therefore, NSU is selecting strong secondary schools in China to create specialized “international classes” where joint training of schoolchildren will be organized for early career guidance and preparation for admission to our university, — noted Evgeniy Sagaydak, Head of the NSU Education Export Department.

    Teaching in “international classes” will be conducted in the last three years of school: in the first year, students will study Russian with a visiting teacher from Russia; in the second year, they will study mathematics, physics and chemistry under the guidance of teachers from the NSU SUNC; in the third year, students will study at home or be invited to the NSU SUNC. The students will be trained in the natural sciences using the model of early entry into science, which has been successfully implemented and used for over 60 years at the NSU Physics and Mathematics School.

    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 USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Kudlow on Fox Business to Discuss Russia-Ukraine War, Tariff Negotiations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations, Banking, and Foreign Relations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today joined Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss the ongoing negotiations to bring a peace deal to the Russia-Ukraine war, along with President Donald Trump’s strength in tariff negotiations with China.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on Trump’s toughness against Russia: “President Trump has continued not only to retain sanctions in place, but actually enforced them, which the Biden Administration never did. The Biden Administration talked tough, but they did not enforce sanctions. What President Trump has done is actually gone into secondary sanctions. I think you read about the fact that President Trump has gone in and sanctioned a Chinese refinery, the buyer of Russian crude [oil]. That is the way to deal with this. That’s the way to put maximum pressure on Russia, their banks, the purchasers of crude oil. That’s the way to deal with this. He’s doing it. The pressure has been maintained and mounting on Vladimir Putin.”
    Hagerty on weakening Russia by regaining U.S. energy independence: “You’re absolutely right, Dave. And President Trump’s been extremely clear about not only wanting to get back to energy independence, but energy dominance for America. That’s bad for Russia, that’s bad for Iran, that’s bad for Venezuela, but it’s great for our allies and for us.”
    Hagerty on the need to end the Russia-Ukraine war: “I think about the fact that [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent traveled to Ukraine to put in place a deal for critical minerals that would’ve engaged our economy with theirs. Zelenskyy said, of course I’ll sign it, but I’d like to wait [until] I get to meet with Vice President [JD] Vance in Munich. He goes to Munich—Vice President Vance is courteous enough to meet with him—and he tells Vice President Vance, I’d like to actually sign it with the president at the White House. We accede to that. We let him come to the White House, and what does he do? He tries to re-trade the deal on international TV in front of everybody. I think it really is amazing. I think how congenial President Trump has been in dealing with both of these parties. He wants to bring this to an end, and I’d like to say this: Dave, every week this waits, we’re losing roughly another 5,000 lives. It’s time for both parties, Russia and Ukraine, to get to the table and bring this to an end […] I don’t know the answer in terms of who’s advising Zelenskyy, and I would say this: had it been [Former President] Joe Biden in that Oval office, in that meeting, it would’ve worked, but it certainly is not going to work with President Trump. He wasn’t going to tolerate that sort of behavior. He wasn’t so hungry for a deal to be celebrating it in the Rose Garden. He sent Zelenskyy home, and he should have.”
    Hagerty on Trump’s strength against Iran’s terror regime: “Well, Dave, I’ll remind you that everyone said that the Abraham Accords couldn’t be done, but President Trump was able to deliver on that. If anybody can deliver peace in the Middle East, it’s Donald Trump. I think the Iranians should understand and appreciate the fact that President Trump is not going to take this anymore. It’s going to be maximum pressure. They are the greatest state sponsors of terror, not only in the region, but in the world. They’re in a very difficult place right now. You mentioned, Dave, oil prices are coming down. That’s not good for Iran, right? We started enforcing sanctions, rather than just talking about it the way the Biden Administration said, that’s not good for Iran. Their economy’s in a tough spot right now. Now is the time to negotiate. Now is the time to end this program of terror, to end their nuclear program, and bring peace back to the Middle East.”
    Hagerty on the tariff negotiations between the U.S. and China: “[China tends] to overplay their hand, whether it’s their use of the Belt and Road Initiative, or whether it’s the situation they find themselves in now, again, retaliating against President Trump when he warned them not to, and find themselves in an extraordinarily difficult box. China has a very export dependent economy. They’ve also not played by the same rules that every other major economy does. They steal intellectual property. They subsidize industries. They need to come to the table now and look to actually make a deal […] I worked very closely with the team that negotiated the phase one deal in the first Administration, because they worked with me on the two trade deals that we did with Japan. They committed, at that point, to $200 billion worth of purchases from America. They fell short. China needs to keep its word; China needs to step up. If you think about what happened during the Covid crisis, if you think about the spy balloon that flew across America, there’s a real issue of trust right now. That issue needs to be resolved. China needs to prove that it’s a reliable partner.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Larson, Hayes, 100+ Lawmakers Demand Social Security Head Keep Field Offices Open

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01) and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) joined a coalition of over 100 Congressional Democrats in writing to the Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Leland Dudek, to demand that he keep Social Security field offices open. Americans will also deliver the letter in-person to Social Security field offices across the country today, in a show of support for Social Security workers and the services they provide.
    Multiple reports have revealed that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) directed SSA to close field offices across the country — only to reverse course after public backlash and deny the plans altogether. Given the lack of transparency surrounding the status of field offices nationwide, the lawmakers pressed Dudek to ensure that DOGE does not close the offices that so many Social Security beneficiaries rely on for services and assistance.
    Approximately 170,000 Americans visit a Social Security field office for assistance with Social Security benefits each day. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has threatened to close dozens of these offices as part of its attack on the SSA. In Connecticut, this could affect field offices in Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, Willimantic, New London, New Haven, New Britain, Stamford, Meriden, Torrington, Danbury, Ansonia, East Hartford, Middletown, and Norwich.
    “[B]eneficiaries need the opportunity to seek assistance from SSA in person…Closing any of these field offices will make it harder for individuals to access their benefits,” the lawmakers wrote. 
    The lawmakers include a list of every SSA field office across the country and press Dudek to commit to keeping every single one of them open. 
    On Thursday, Social Security Works, Indivisible, P Street, and AFGE organized volunteers to deliver copies of the lawmakers’ letter to field offices across the country — in blue, red, and purple counties — in support of the field offices and their staff. Volunteers plan to visit at least 50 offices in Arizona, Nebraska, California, New Jersey, Colorado, Nevada, Florida, New York, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Oregon, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maryland, Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
    The initiative is part of Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
    U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Me.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) also signed the letter.
    U.S. Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), John Mannion (D-N.Y.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Dave Min (D-Calif.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Josh Riley (D-N.Y.), Deborah Ross (D-Pa.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) also signed the letter.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Sherman Statement on the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

    Sherman Oaks, California – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman issued the following statement in observance of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

    “Today marks the 110th anniversary of the murder of 1.5 million Armenians, Greeks and other Christians by the Ottoman Empire. 110 years later, too many still deny the first genocide of the 20th century. My heart is with the Armenian people, who continue to face anti-Armenian hatred up until this very day.”

    ###
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Press Briefing Transcript: Middle East and Central Asia Department, Spring Meetings 2025

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    April 24, 2025

    Speaker: Mr.Jihad Azour, Director of Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF

    Moderator: Ms. Angham Al Shami, Communications Officer, IMF

    MS. AL SHAMI: Good morning. Thank you for joining us in this press briefing on the Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia. My name is Angham Al Shami, from the Communications Department here at the IMF. 

    If you’re joining us online, we do have Arabic and French interpretations that you can access on the IMF Regional Economic Outlook webpage and the IMF Press Center as well.  And for those of you in the room, you also have equipment to access that. 

    Today I’m joined by Jihad Azour, the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, who will give us an overview of the outlook of the region, and then we will open the floor for your questions. With that, over to you, Jihad.

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much, Angham. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the IMF 2025 Spring Meetings. Before answering your questions, I will briefly outline the economic outlook for the Middle East and North Africa as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia.  Let me first start with a few words on the recent developments.

    The global economy stands at a delicate crossroads.  The global recovery of recent years faces new risks as governments reorder their policy priorities.  The recent escalation in trade tensions has already damaged global growth prospects while triggering intense financial volatility.  More broadly, the extraordinary increase in global uncertainty associated with trade policy and increased geopolitical fragmentation will continue to erode confidence for quite some time and represents a serious downside risk to global growth.

    For MENA and CCA economies, these developments are adding to existing regional source of uncertainty, including ongoing conflicts, pockets of political instability and climate vulnerability.  We continue to assess the impact of recently announced U.S. tariffs on MENA and CCA economies.  While the direct effects are expected to be modest, giving limited trade exposure and exemptions for energy products, the indirect effects could be more pronounced.  Slower growth will weaken external demand and remittances, while tighter financial conditions may challenge countries with elevated public debts.  Oil exporting economies could also see fiscal and external positions deteriorate due to the lower oil prices.  Some countries may benefit from trade diversion, but such gains could be short lived in a broader environment of trade contraction. 

    Let me now turn to the Middle East and North Africa.  Last year was particularly challenging for the region.  Conflict caused severe human and economic costs.  Regional growth in 2024 reached 1.8 percent, a downgrade revision of 0.2 percentage point from the October World Economic Outlook forecast.  Conflicts weigh on growth in some oil importing countries and extended OPEC+ voluntary production cuts continue to dampen activity in oil exporting economies.  For GCC countries, strong non-oil growth and diversification efforts were largely offset by oil production cuts. 

    Despite these challenges and high uncertainty, growth is projected to pick up in 2025 and 2026, assuming oil output rebounds, conflict related impacts stabilize, progress is made on structural reform and implementation.  However, expectations have been revised down compared to the October 2024 Regional Economic Outlook, reflecting weaker global growth and more modest effect of these drivers.  We now project growth at 2.6 percent in 2025 and 3.4 percent in 2026, a downward revision of 1.3 and 1 percentage points, respectively.  Inflation is projected to continue declining across MENA economies, remaining elevated only in few cases. 

    Let me now turn to the outlook for the Caucuses and Central Asia.  In contrast, economic activity in the CCA exceeded expectations in 2024, growing by 5.4 percent, driven by spillover effects from the war in Ukraine, which boosted domestic demand.  However, as these temporary effects normalize over the next few years, growth is expected to moderate due to weaker external demand, plateauing growth of hydrocarbon production, and reduced fiscal stimulus.  Despite the moderation in overall growth, inflation is expected to increase somewhat across the region and remain elevated in a few cases, reflecting still strong domestic demand. 

    Let me now turn to the risks to the outlook.  These projections are subject to extraordinary uncertainty and the risks to the baseline forecast remain tilted to the downside.  Four key risks stand out.  First, trade tension as a further escalation could dampen global demand, delay in oil production recovery, and tighten financial conditions.  Our analysis shows that persistence spikes in uncertainty triggered by global shocks are associated with large output losses both in MENA and CCA.  The second risk is geopolitical conflict.  The third one is climate shocks.  And the last one is the reduction in official development assistance.  This could further exacerbate food insecurity and humanitarian conditions in low-income and conflict-affected economies.  However, upside risks also exist.  The swift resolution of conflict and accelerated implementation of structural reforms could substantially improve regional growth prospects.  The implications of a potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine for the CCA region also remain uncertain. 

    Now the question is what are the policies that we recommend for countries and how they should prioritize them.  In the face of extraordinary uncertainty, MENA and CCA economies should respond along two key dimensions, manage short term instability, and use the opportunity to advance structural reforms for long-term growth.  The first priority is adapt to the new environment.  Countries must take steps to shield their economies from the impact of worst-case scenarios and prioritize safeguarding macroeconomic and financial stability.  The appropriate policy response will vary depending on each country’s initial conditions and vulnerability to risk. 

    Turning to more the long-term, countries should transform their economies.  Recent developments underscore the urgent need to accelerate the long-discussed structural reforms agenda across the region.  To reduce vulnerabilities to shocks and seize opportunities arising from the evolving global trade and financial landscape, it is essential to enhance governance, invest in human capital, advance digitalization, and foster a dynamic private sector.  Establishing strategic trade and investment corridors with other regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, as well as within the region, including between GCC and Central Asia or GCC and North Africa, can help mitigate exposure to external uncertainty, enable greater risk sharing, and drive sustainable economic development. 

    We will delve into these policy priorities at the launch of our Regional Economic Outlook in Dubai next week and in Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, where on May 3 we are organizing jointly with the Uzbek government a GCC-CCA Economic Conference where Ministers of Finance and Governors of Central Banks from both regions, as well as representatives of IFIs and private sectors, will discuss deepening economic ties between these two regions.  We also invite you to join us tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the Atrium for a public panel discussion on the economic consequences of the high uncertainty in the MENA and CCA regions. 

    Before I open the floor to questions, I want to underscore the IMF’s deep commitment to supporting countries throughout the region with policy advice, technical assistance, and, in many cases, financial support.  Since early 2020, we have approved almost $50 billion in financing to countries across the MENA region, Pakistan, and the CCA, of which 14.8 have been approved since early 2024. 

    In closing, I want to highlight our engagement to post-conflict economies.  Strengthening economic fundamentals and rebuilding institutions will be essential to successful recovery.  The IMF, in coordination with the World Bank and regional partners, has established an informal coordination group to support recovery in conflict-affected states in the Middle East.  Our focus will be on capacity building, policy guidance, and financial assistance.  We are also working closely with authorities to help stabilize their economies, restore confidence, and lay foundations for sustainable growth. 

    Again, thank you very much for joining us this morning, and now I would like to welcome your questions.               

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you very much, Jihad, and now we will take your questions. And let’s start with the gentleman here in the first row, please.

    QUESTIONER: Thank you, Angham and Jihad.  I’m Amir Goumaa from Asharq Bloomberg.  IMF raised the gross forecasting for Egypt dispIte the regional downgrade.  Why is that?  And how can the MENA region turn the country trade disputes into opportunities? 

    MR. AZOUR: Excuse me?

    QUESTIONER: How can the MENA region turn the current trade disputes and tariffs into opportunities?  Like how can they make the best use of it? 

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much for your question.

    MS. AL SHAMI: Should we take more questions on Egypt? Perhaps should we take more questions on Egypt. We’ll start with this gentleman and then the gentleman in the back.  This one first. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello everyone.  My name is Ahmad Yaqub.  I’m the managing editor of Al Youm Al-Sabah Egyptian Newspaper.  I have two questions about Egypt.  The first one is about the expected exchange rate of the Egyptian pound against the U.S. dollar by the end of 2026, the next year, and the expected inflation rate and the economic growth rate of Egypt.  The second question is the next trench of the program, current program with the Egyptian authorities.  What is the timing of the next trench and the total amount of it?  Thank you so much. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: And then the gentleman here.

    QUESTIONER: Ramy Gabr from Al-Qahera News.  The global economic outlook carries good news.  Maybe for Egypt in terms of the economic growth in 2025.  How do you see that and what’s the facts and numbers led to this outlook?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Over to you.

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much. Yes, please.

    QUESTIONER: I’m Lauren Holtmeier from S&P Global.  I wanted to ask about the fiscal break-even prices for oil production, specifically for the countries with high fiscal break-even prices like Saudi Arabia and Iraq.  And how will the lowered expectations for oil prices over the next couple of years affect their ability and their economic outlook?  And I recognize that the answer for those two countries might be very different. 

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much. I had three sets of questions. One on trade and the impact of the recent trade developments on the region and how those could be turned into an opportunity.  The second set of questions were on Egypt, and the third one was on the GCC and the oil market.  Let me start with the first one. 

    Countries of the region have limited trade dependence on the U.S., and therefore the recent trade and tariff decisions will have limited direct impact on those economies.  Yet it’s important also to highlight that there would be indirect impact.  And also those indirect impact may take different channels.  One impact is the impact that this could have on financial stability and capital flows.  We saw widening of spreads over the last few years, which is an issue that could affect the capacity of emerging economies and middle-income countries who have high levels of debt.  The second potential impact is impact on oil market.  We saw some softening in the oil price, as well as the forwards of oil price are showing a certain extension of those softening over the year.  And the third type of effect is the second-round impact due to trade diversion. 

    I will maybe go into more details about what are the policies that we recommend for countries to address those challenges.  Few countries have more exposure to the U.S. trade like Pakistan or Jordan, and those are specific cases.  I can address those.  Opportunities, of course, in any change there are opportunities, and over the last few years we saw successive shocks and transformation on the geopolitical front and the geoeconomic front, and those have affected the region.  The region stands at the crossroads between East and West, and therefore trade routes, connectivity, as well as also opportunities go through this region.  This would require, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, for countries in the region to seek new opportunities in terms of strengthening their economic relationships and trade ties with regions close to them, as well as also within countries in the region, which will call for new way of increasing connectivity and cooperation in the region. 

    The second set of questions is on Egypt.  Over the last year, growth in Egypt has improved, and we expect growth for the fiscal year 2025 to reach 3.8 percent.  For comparison, in 2024 it was 2.4 percent, and we expect that the growth will keep improving in 2026 and reach 4.3 percent.  Also, inflation went down from 33 percent on average for fiscal year 2024 to 19.7 percent in 2025, and we expect it to reach 12 percent in 2026, despite the various shocks.  Those positive developments reflect the implementation of the reform program that was supported by the IMF and was augmented back in March last year in order also to help Egypt address some of the external shocks, in particular the decline in revenues from the Suez Canal. 

    As you remember, the program is based on four pillars.  One, macroeconomic stability by addressing inflation that constitutes the main issue for economic stability through tightening the monetary policy.  The second is to address the debt issue by improving the primary surplus and also through an active debt management strategy and strengthening debt management organization to reduce gradually the debt and the weight of the debt through the debt service on the economy.  The third important pillar is to preserve the economy from external shocks, and this is the role of the flexibility in the exchange rate.  Flexibility in the exchange rate in a time of high level of uncertainty plays an important way to protect the Egyptian economy from external shocks, and its flexibility has proven to be beneficial to the stability of the Egyptian economy.  The fourth pillar is growing the economy and give a bigger weight to the private sector, and we encourage the authorities to strengthen and accelerate the reinvestment strategy that would allow more investment to come to the Egyptian economy, would give more space to the private sector, and will help the Egyptian economy and the Egyptian people get better opportunities in a time where those international changes would require an acceleration of economic transformation.  The review has been completed in March, and as you know, we had also another facility that was provided to Egypt to help Egypt deal with climate issues, and our engagement with the authorities remain very active.  Shall I move to GCC? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Yes.

    MR. AZOUR: The next trench will be with the next review. On the GCC, well, of course the direct impact of the trade shock on the region has been limited except that with the prospect of the decline in oil price, it comes at a time where we see a resumption of increase of oil production with the implementation of what has been agreed, though at a slower pace, of the December decision of the OPEC+ agreement.

    As you know, countries of the GCC have different fundamentals and different level of buffers, and therefore there is no one break-even point for all countries.  Our estimates are showing, though, that a decline in oil price of $10 would weaken the fiscal situation by somewhat between 2.3 to 2.7 percent of GDP, and it also, it has similar impact on the external account between 2.5 to 2.7 percent of GDP. 

    I would like to highlight two additional points that some countries have used the opportunity of their diversification strategy to both reduce their dependence on oil as a source of income, but also to diversify fiscally and reduce the impact of oil revenues, which we encourage other countries to follow suit. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you, Jihad. So we’ll take another round of questions from the room, and then we will turn to online. The lady in the first row, please. 

    QUESTIONER: Dr. Jihad, thank you for taking my question.  Nour Amache from Asharq Bloomberg.  I wanted to ask about Lebanon and Syria and to follow up on what my colleagues here asked about Egypt.  They were asking about the next review, if it’s in June, and the next tranche in June, if we can elaborate on that.  Now, regarding Lebanon, today the parliament passed the law of lifting bank secrecy.  Will this make or will this make the program with the IMF faster?  Will this increase the prospects of a program with Lebanon anytime soon, especially since I know the Lebanese authorities represented by the Finance Minister, the Economy Minister, and the Central Bank Governor are all here in Washington, and a lot of meetings have been undergoing?  That’s regarding Lebanon.  And regarding Syria, also a big Syrian delegation is here.  What has been reached so far with the Syrian counterparts?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. One more question. Maybe we’ll go to the gentleman in the front here. 

    QUESTIONER: Thank you.  Mohammad Al-Lubani from Jordan Al-Mamlaka TV.  I’d like to ask in Arabic.  In light of our dependence on American exports, [ESQUAH] said that 25 percent of the exports go to the United States.  How would the tariffs affect Jordan, and are there any estimates of these losses by the Fund?  And what are the recommendations of the Fund in order to face these challenges? 

    MR. AZOUR: The discussions are, you know, continuing, and the engagement with the authorities is taking place during the Spring Meetings. As I mentioned earlier, we look forward to the next review to see an acceleration of the divestment strategy that is one of the key priorities because of its critical impact on sustaining growth in Egypt, providing opportunities to the private sector, and also helping in the effort that Egypt is pursuing in reducing the debt. In the context of high interest rate, it’s very important to address debt service issue, and this would be accelerated by reducing the debt.  Therefore, we look forward to see progress on the authorities’ plan in terms of divestment.

    On Lebanon, the Fund has been supportive of Lebanon, and a staff-level agreement has been reached in 2022.  Lebanon staff, Lebanon team, is and remained actively engaged with the authorities, providing technical assistance.  And recently, we had two staff visits to Lebanon and the authorities have engaged with our team in order to reactivate a potential program.  They have expressed their interest for that.  The Lebanese economic and financial situation has been made

    more challenging with the recent implications of the war and the massive destruction that in addition to the need to address the financial and economic situation, Lebanon is also facing the need to deal with the reconstruction. 

    The pillars of the program will remain valid as they were negotiated.  Macroeconomic stability, based on addressing the legacy of the financial sector.  The legacy of debt, address the debt issue.  Second pillar is to deal with the macroeconomic stability through fiscal consolidation.  Third pillar is to strengthen governance by reforming SOEs and also increasing and improving the confidence factor.  And third is to address social issues, especially now with issues related to the reconstructions.  Discussions are taking place and staff is on active dialogue with the Lebanese authorities. 

    We are in discussion and therefore I think the discussions that we are having during the Spring Meetings are giving the opportunity for us to understand what are the reform priorities of the Lebanese government.  As you know, staff had a couple of visits in the last few weeks, and we will keep our active engagement with the Lebanese authorities.

    On Syria.  Of course, Syria has been absent for the last 15 years due to the war, and their engagement with the institution has been fairly limited since 2011.  The last Article IV consultation with Syria took place in 2009.  The international community and the regional community has been actively engaged in order to see how we could help Syria recover from a long period of war. 

    We had a preparatory meeting preparatory meeting in AlUla back in February where regional institutions and the international community have agreed to have another follow-up coordination meeting that took place last Tuesday where representatives from international institutions, bilaterals, have convened in order to assess the needs of Syria and also to develop a framework of coordination.  The Fund is engaged to support the international community in its engagement with Syria.  We have already started our assessment of the macroeconomic situation, the institutional capacity, and we look forward to continue our engagement with the Syrian authorities. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Then you have one more question on Jordan.

    MR. AZOUR: Yes, Jordan. In Arabic?  Okay.  Jordan is one of the countries that have been affected by the tariffs, but this is still limited because of the kind of exports or the relationship between Jordan and the United States.  And Jordan managed to overcome, in the recent years, to overcome several shocks, including shocks related to the variability and volatility and the effect of the Gaza issues on the economy of Jordan.  And the latest reviews emphasized the need for Jordan to keep stability and also, despite the external shocks, to take the needed measures in order to improve the macroeconomic situation and to reinforce the economy.  And there has been discussions about supporting Jordan through a new mechanism, the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, in order to help Jordan in the measures that would help it improve adaptation with the climate change and other shocks and other pandemics.  There is actually progress in this regard.  And there will be a review next month by the Executive Board of the Fund about Jordan. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: We’ll turn to Dania, who’s on Webex online. Dania, please go ahead. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello, can you hear me? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Yes, you can hear you.

    QUESTIONER: Hi.  Hello Dr. Jihad, I just have a follow-up question on the break-even oil prices for the Gulf.  In the October report, countries like Saudi Arabia had a very high break-even price of around 90.  I think it was the second biggest highest in the GCC after Bahrain.  I just wanted to see, this figure is likely to increase given the high expenditures, the lower oil prices.  How will the lower oil prices — you mentioned about the impact on GDP, but the prices, I think, since the beginning of the year have dropped by more than $10.00.  So, the impact has it been considered in the Regional Economic Report?  And especially because I don’t know the report, did it include the impact of the tariffs and the impact of the increase in OPEC production from May, which is accelerated?  And just one clarification, with regards to Saudi break-even, some analysts include the expenditure of the Public Investment Fund.  Is that part of the IMF estimates for the break-even?  What’s included in the break-even?  Thank you very much. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. Any additional questions on GCC? Okay, let’s take the gentleman in the middle. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello Mr. Azour, Madame Al Shami, thank you for the opportunity.  Philippe Hage Boutros from L’Orient-Le Jour, Lebanon.  How does the IMF assess the potential impact of declining oil revenues stemming from a possible drop in prices amid the tariff crisis on the capacity and willingness of the Gulf countries to fund international aid, particularly for countries like Lebanon and Syria that urgently need reconstruction financing?  Does it anticipate a significant or relatively limited effect?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. And we had one more question on Saudi that we received online. In light of the global trade repercussions, what is the effect on the Saudi market, especially on inflation and growth?  This question comes from Mohammed Al Sulami from Al Akhbariyah in Saudi Arabia. 

    MR. AZOUR: Let me start with Dania’s question. Dania, let me start by saying that over the last few years from a fiscal perspective, Saudi has made a significant improvement through various reforms in order to diversify revenues outside oil and also reduce certain expenditures, including on the subsidy side. And this effort to diversify revenues has led to an increase of non-oil revenues in the GDP for Saudi.  Of course, the last couple of years have been beneficial in terms of providing Saudi and other GCC countries with surplus in the fiscal as well as also in the current account, which have led to increase in buffers.  Of course, still the oil sector represent an important source of revenue and it’s still also an important source of foreign currencies. 

    Coming to the fiscal strategy, Saudi has established a medium-term fiscal framework that anchors policies and also help them deal with the volatility in oil price and become less pro cyclicals.  Of course, the increase in oil price, sorry, the decline in oil price will have impact on the fiscal and will lead to a potential additional drop in fiscal situation. 

    As I mentioned earlier, a decline of $10.00 per barrel or a decline of $1 million of production will have an impact on the fiscal between 2 to 3 percent.  The decline in oil price is accompanied with a recovery in oil production and Saudi was one of the largest, I would say, contributor to the voluntary drop in oil export. 

    When it comes to the link between fiscal and the investment strategy, the investment strategy has been also put in the medium-term framework in the context of the Vision 2030 and regularly there are updates, recalibration and also phasing, based on the capacity to implement and the priorities.

    In our projections, although developments were taking place almost at the time when we were releasing our outlook, we took into consideration the new assumptions on the oil price for this year as well as also on the growth projections. 

    The second question related to Saudi.  The impact of the latest developments on the Saudi economy.  Undoubtedly, the trade relations regarding the non-oil sector is limited with the United States and therefore the impact will also be limited on trade related to tariffs, especially as oil and gas are exempt from the increase in tariffs.  But there will be an indirect impact, as we’ve said.  Saudi Arabia also has a dollarized economy, whether on the side of exports or imports, and therefore the impact will be limited. 

    On the other hand, the reduction or the depreciation of the dollar will affect services, especially tourism.  And this is a sector that Saudi Arabia is trying to develop by establishing new expansion for tourism in Saudi Arabia.

    The other related question on support to the reconstruction in the region.  Let me first say two things.  One, ODA has declined over the last few years, and more recently with the decisions to stop some of the international assistance by USAID and others.  This will have an important impact, especially on countries in fragility who depend heavily on aid.  Countries like Somalia, Sudan, countries like Yemen.  And this represents a risk not only on the fiscal side, but also on the humanitarian side on food security.  This is the first point. 

    The second point is the region is, we’re talking here about the Levant, is going through an important prospect of post-conflict recovery.  Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and hopefully, Yemen, and Sudan.  This would require strong international and financial assistance.  Of course, this also would require to accelerate certain number of reforms that will allow the private sector to provide financing.  Those countries have strong diasporas, and the recovery could also be co-led by international assistance, also by private sector support.  And some of the reforms, be it in Lebanon or in Syria, are very important to regain confidence and will allow private sector to play its key role in recovering those economies. 

    The region has been very supportive.  And when we look at the official assistance and the interest that is being shown by several countries in the region, be it in the recent meeting that took place in Saudi Arabia, in Al Ula, where ministers of finance from the GCC and regional institutions convened in order to explore opportunities to provide more assistance to those countries. 

    Again, I think it’s very important also to highlight that assistance has to accompany reform programs that will lay the ground to strong institutions will provide confidence for both citizens and also international, private and public community, in order to accelerate the recovery. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you, Jihad. We’ll take one more round of questions.  The lady on the second row here, please. 

    QUESTIONER:  Hello, I’m Mariam Ali from Dawn News Pakistan.  My question is how will the global tariff war uniquely impact Pakistan?  Any need of buffers in place to mitigate risks to the country?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. Let’s take maybe one more question. The gentleman here sitting in the front. 

    QUESTIONER: Thank you, , Director Azour.  My question is on Yemen.  Igor Naimushin, RIA News Agency, D.C. Bureau.  So, last week U.S. struck Ras Isa fuel part in Yemen.  I would like to ask you to outline what repercussions this strike will have on energy security and economic situation in Yemen and broadly in region?  And if you could, provide any details how the IMF — what is the IMF view on longer-term risks for the region as U.S. operation on Yemen continues to unfold?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. We’ll take one more question from the gentleman here in the –.

    QUESTIONER: Hi, my name is Magnus Sherman.  I wanted to return to Lebanon.  The new Prime Minister has pledged to not touch the hard currency deposits.  Does the IMF support that position? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. And we have an online question from Camille Faris Abu Rafael. How can low- and middle-income countries in MENA balance urgent social needs with long-term fiscal sustainability amid rising debt and global uncertainty and persistently high interest rates?  We’ll take these questions, and we’ll take another round.  Thank you. 

    MR. AZOUR: On Pakistan. Pakistan made significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability over the last 18 months and the numbers are, for Pakistan, are showing improvement both in terms of growth as well as also in inflation that dropped from 12.6 percent last year in 2024 fiscal year to 6.5 percent this year, expected to stay at this level for next year.  Debt is also stabilizing in the case of Pakistan, and recently Pakistan has been upgraded by rating agencies. 

    Of course, trade tensions will affect relatively Pakistan maybe more than the average in the region.  But I would say the impact on Pakistan directly can be offset by other measures that would allow the Pakistani economy to reposition itself in a world that is in the midst of one of the largest transformation in terms of trade, economic opportunities, and to reposition itself in order to address any risks, but also to potentially benefit from change in the trade routes. 

    The question on Yemen the situation on Yemen is extremely preoccupying at the humanitarian level, both in terms of food security as well as also in terms of human suffering.  And this situation has been inflicting heavy toll on the Yemeni people for a long period of time.  Of course, broadly speaking, instability has been one of the main issues that the region is dealing with.  Instability is one of the key sources of uncertainty for the region.  Addressing this instability is key in providing security for people to improve their living conditions, providing stability for the trade routes, and also provide opportunities for people to rebuild and reconstruct.  The Fund is engaged to (A) keep a very strong contacts with Yemen, provide technical assistance at a time where we cannot provide because of the security situation, financial assistance.  Therefore, we are actively supporting through technical assistance.  And we are also in regular engagement with the authorities. 

    Our next plan is to reengage through Article IV in order to assess the economic situation in Yemen, help the internationally recognized government assess the overall debt situation and the debt liabilities in order, later on, to help Yemen deal with the debt situation, and provide right assessment for the donor community to provide assistance. 

    Political stabilization security is very important to preserve human and social conditions, and the Fund stands ready to help Yemen as well as also other countries facing fragility and conflicts in the region.  And this is something that we are increasing our resources to provide support to those countries. 

    Lebanon.  Lebanon problems are complex in terms of how to address the overall financial challenge.  The solution has to deal through a comprehensive approach with all the financial issues that Lebanon is facing.  A piecemeal approach is not what Lebanon needs today.  A reform package that restores confidence, addresses the legacy of the past, provides opportunities for the economy to recover, by also promoting the capacity of the financial system to finance the recovery, mobilize international assistance to help Lebanon dealing with the reconstruction needs, and also support the reforms are priorities that our team is currently discussing with the Lebanese authorities. 

    The question related to balancing short-term and medium-term.  I think it’s a very important question.  We live currently in a world of high uncertainty and in our outlook this spring we have — and I would encourage you to read it,  it’s very interesting piece — we have tried to assess the impact of uncertainty on the region and the uncertainty is of multiple layers.  A global uncertainty, regional, geopolitical and conflict situation, but also internal or local uncertainties.  Those are important issues for countries to address. 

    In very brief, countries need to in the short term to preserve stability and that would require to increase their buffers.  And for those who have limited buffers to accelerate fiscal consolidations to reduce the risk, address some of their financing issues, especially countries who have high level of debt and for those who have buffers, preserve those and use them when they need.  But I think what is really important, especially given the lasting negative impact of uncertainties on countries, is to address the medium-term issues.  And addressing the medium-term issues will help unlock growth, accelerating structural reforms, improving economic conditions, provide stronger social protection framework by moving from untargeted subsidies to something that is more meaningful in terms of social support would be extremely beneficial for countries in the region. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you very much, Jihad and I’m afraid we have run out of time. Thank you all for participating with us today and as always, we will be posting the transcript online.  But just a reminder that we will be launching our report next week on May 1 so stay tuned for that.  And as Jihad mentioned, please join us tomorrow at 2:30 for the seminar on how countries can navigate uncertainties.  Jihad, any last words? 

    MR. AZOUR: Only to say thank you. And thanks to our friends here, the journalists. We look forward to provide you with more details in Dubai next week with all the details, as well as also country-specific information on our Regional Economic Outlook.  And two days after that, in Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, on the outlook for Caucasus and Central Asia.  Thank you very much. 

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Press Briefing Transcript: Middle East and Central Asia Department, Spring Meetings 2025

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 24, 2025

    Speaker: Mr.Jihad Azour, Director of Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF

    Moderator: Ms. Angham Al Shami, Communications Officer, IMF

    MS. AL SHAMI: Good morning. Thank you for joining us in this press briefing on the Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle East and Central Asia. My name is Angham Al Shami, from the Communications Department here at the IMF. 

    If you’re joining us online, we do have Arabic and French interpretations that you can access on the IMF Regional Economic Outlook webpage and the IMF Press Center as well.  And for those of you in the room, you also have equipment to access that. 

    Today I’m joined by Jihad Azour, the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, who will give us an overview of the outlook of the region, and then we will open the floor for your questions. With that, over to you, Jihad.

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much, Angham. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the IMF 2025 Spring Meetings. Before answering your questions, I will briefly outline the economic outlook for the Middle East and North Africa as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia.  Let me first start with a few words on the recent developments.

    The global economy stands at a delicate crossroads.  The global recovery of recent years faces new risks as governments reorder their policy priorities.  The recent escalation in trade tensions has already damaged global growth prospects while triggering intense financial volatility.  More broadly, the extraordinary increase in global uncertainty associated with trade policy and increased geopolitical fragmentation will continue to erode confidence for quite some time and represents a serious downside risk to global growth.

    For MENA and CCA economies, these developments are adding to existing regional source of uncertainty, including ongoing conflicts, pockets of political instability and climate vulnerability.  We continue to assess the impact of recently announced U.S. tariffs on MENA and CCA economies.  While the direct effects are expected to be modest, giving limited trade exposure and exemptions for energy products, the indirect effects could be more pronounced.  Slower growth will weaken external demand and remittances, while tighter financial conditions may challenge countries with elevated public debts.  Oil exporting economies could also see fiscal and external positions deteriorate due to the lower oil prices.  Some countries may benefit from trade diversion, but such gains could be short lived in a broader environment of trade contraction. 

    Let me now turn to the Middle East and North Africa.  Last year was particularly challenging for the region.  Conflict caused severe human and economic costs.  Regional growth in 2024 reached 1.8 percent, a downgrade revision of 0.2 percentage point from the October World Economic Outlook forecast.  Conflicts weigh on growth in some oil importing countries and extended OPEC+ voluntary production cuts continue to dampen activity in oil exporting economies.  For GCC countries, strong non-oil growth and diversification efforts were largely offset by oil production cuts. 

    Despite these challenges and high uncertainty, growth is projected to pick up in 2025 and 2026, assuming oil output rebounds, conflict related impacts stabilize, progress is made on structural reform and implementation.  However, expectations have been revised down compared to the October 2024 Regional Economic Outlook, reflecting weaker global growth and more modest effect of these drivers.  We now project growth at 2.6 percent in 2025 and 3.4 percent in 2026, a downward revision of 1.3 and 1 percentage points, respectively.  Inflation is projected to continue declining across MENA economies, remaining elevated only in few cases. 

    Let me now turn to the outlook for the Caucuses and Central Asia.  In contrast, economic activity in the CCA exceeded expectations in 2024, growing by 5.4 percent, driven by spillover effects from the war in Ukraine, which boosted domestic demand.  However, as these temporary effects normalize over the next few years, growth is expected to moderate due to weaker external demand, plateauing growth of hydrocarbon production, and reduced fiscal stimulus.  Despite the moderation in overall growth, inflation is expected to increase somewhat across the region and remain elevated in a few cases, reflecting still strong domestic demand. 

    Let me now turn to the risks to the outlook.  These projections are subject to extraordinary uncertainty and the risks to the baseline forecast remain tilted to the downside.  Four key risks stand out.  First, trade tension as a further escalation could dampen global demand, delay in oil production recovery, and tighten financial conditions.  Our analysis shows that persistence spikes in uncertainty triggered by global shocks are associated with large output losses both in MENA and CCA.  The second risk is geopolitical conflict.  The third one is climate shocks.  And the last one is the reduction in official development assistance.  This could further exacerbate food insecurity and humanitarian conditions in low-income and conflict-affected economies.  However, upside risks also exist.  The swift resolution of conflict and accelerated implementation of structural reforms could substantially improve regional growth prospects.  The implications of a potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine for the CCA region also remain uncertain. 

    Now the question is what are the policies that we recommend for countries and how they should prioritize them.  In the face of extraordinary uncertainty, MENA and CCA economies should respond along two key dimensions, manage short term instability, and use the opportunity to advance structural reforms for long-term growth.  The first priority is adapt to the new environment.  Countries must take steps to shield their economies from the impact of worst-case scenarios and prioritize safeguarding macroeconomic and financial stability.  The appropriate policy response will vary depending on each country’s initial conditions and vulnerability to risk. 

    Turning to more the long-term, countries should transform their economies.  Recent developments underscore the urgent need to accelerate the long-discussed structural reforms agenda across the region.  To reduce vulnerabilities to shocks and seize opportunities arising from the evolving global trade and financial landscape, it is essential to enhance governance, invest in human capital, advance digitalization, and foster a dynamic private sector.  Establishing strategic trade and investment corridors with other regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, as well as within the region, including between GCC and Central Asia or GCC and North Africa, can help mitigate exposure to external uncertainty, enable greater risk sharing, and drive sustainable economic development. 

    We will delve into these policy priorities at the launch of our Regional Economic Outlook in Dubai next week and in Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, where on May 3 we are organizing jointly with the Uzbek government a GCC-CCA Economic Conference where Ministers of Finance and Governors of Central Banks from both regions, as well as representatives of IFIs and private sectors, will discuss deepening economic ties between these two regions.  We also invite you to join us tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the Atrium for a public panel discussion on the economic consequences of the high uncertainty in the MENA and CCA regions. 

    Before I open the floor to questions, I want to underscore the IMF’s deep commitment to supporting countries throughout the region with policy advice, technical assistance, and, in many cases, financial support.  Since early 2020, we have approved almost $50 billion in financing to countries across the MENA region, Pakistan, and the CCA, of which 14.8 have been approved since early 2024. 

    In closing, I want to highlight our engagement to post-conflict economies.  Strengthening economic fundamentals and rebuilding institutions will be essential to successful recovery.  The IMF, in coordination with the World Bank and regional partners, has established an informal coordination group to support recovery in conflict-affected states in the Middle East.  Our focus will be on capacity building, policy guidance, and financial assistance.  We are also working closely with authorities to help stabilize their economies, restore confidence, and lay foundations for sustainable growth. 

    Again, thank you very much for joining us this morning, and now I would like to welcome your questions.               

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you very much, Jihad, and now we will take your questions. And let’s start with the gentleman here in the first row, please.

    QUESTIONER: Thank you, Angham and Jihad.  I’m Amir Goumaa from Asharq Bloomberg.  IMF raised the gross forecasting for Egypt dispIte the regional downgrade.  Why is that?  And how can the MENA region turn the country trade disputes into opportunities? 

    MR. AZOUR: Excuse me?

    QUESTIONER: How can the MENA region turn the current trade disputes and tariffs into opportunities?  Like how can they make the best use of it? 

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much for your question.

    MS. AL SHAMI: Should we take more questions on Egypt? Perhaps should we take more questions on Egypt. We’ll start with this gentleman and then the gentleman in the back.  This one first. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello everyone.  My name is Ahmad Yaqub.  I’m the managing editor of Al Youm Al-Sabah Egyptian Newspaper.  I have two questions about Egypt.  The first one is about the expected exchange rate of the Egyptian pound against the U.S. dollar by the end of 2026, the next year, and the expected inflation rate and the economic growth rate of Egypt.  The second question is the next trench of the program, current program with the Egyptian authorities.  What is the timing of the next trench and the total amount of it?  Thank you so much. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: And then the gentleman here.

    QUESTIONER: Ramy Gabr from Al-Qahera News.  The global economic outlook carries good news.  Maybe for Egypt in terms of the economic growth in 2025.  How do you see that and what’s the facts and numbers led to this outlook?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Over to you.

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much. Yes, please.

    QUESTIONER: I’m Lauren Holtmeier from S&P Global.  I wanted to ask about the fiscal break-even prices for oil production, specifically for the countries with high fiscal break-even prices like Saudi Arabia and Iraq.  And how will the lowered expectations for oil prices over the next couple of years affect their ability and their economic outlook?  And I recognize that the answer for those two countries might be very different. 

    MR. AZOUR: Thank you very much. I had three sets of questions. One on trade and the impact of the recent trade developments on the region and how those could be turned into an opportunity.  The second set of questions were on Egypt, and the third one was on the GCC and the oil market.  Let me start with the first one. 

    Countries of the region have limited trade dependence on the U.S., and therefore the recent trade and tariff decisions will have limited direct impact on those economies.  Yet it’s important also to highlight that there would be indirect impact.  And also those indirect impact may take different channels.  One impact is the impact that this could have on financial stability and capital flows.  We saw widening of spreads over the last few years, which is an issue that could affect the capacity of emerging economies and middle-income countries who have high levels of debt.  The second potential impact is impact on oil market.  We saw some softening in the oil price, as well as the forwards of oil price are showing a certain extension of those softening over the year.  And the third type of effect is the second-round impact due to trade diversion. 

    I will maybe go into more details about what are the policies that we recommend for countries to address those challenges.  Few countries have more exposure to the U.S. trade like Pakistan or Jordan, and those are specific cases.  I can address those.  Opportunities, of course, in any change there are opportunities, and over the last few years we saw successive shocks and transformation on the geopolitical front and the geoeconomic front, and those have affected the region.  The region stands at the crossroads between East and West, and therefore trade routes, connectivity, as well as also opportunities go through this region.  This would require, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, for countries in the region to seek new opportunities in terms of strengthening their economic relationships and trade ties with regions close to them, as well as also within countries in the region, which will call for new way of increasing connectivity and cooperation in the region. 

    The second set of questions is on Egypt.  Over the last year, growth in Egypt has improved, and we expect growth for the fiscal year 2025 to reach 3.8 percent.  For comparison, in 2024 it was 2.4 percent, and we expect that the growth will keep improving in 2026 and reach 4.3 percent.  Also, inflation went down from 33 percent on average for fiscal year 2024 to 19.7 percent in 2025, and we expect it to reach 12 percent in 2026, despite the various shocks.  Those positive developments reflect the implementation of the reform program that was supported by the IMF and was augmented back in March last year in order also to help Egypt address some of the external shocks, in particular the decline in revenues from the Suez Canal. 

    As you remember, the program is based on four pillars.  One, macroeconomic stability by addressing inflation that constitutes the main issue for economic stability through tightening the monetary policy.  The second is to address the debt issue by improving the primary surplus and also through an active debt management strategy and strengthening debt management organization to reduce gradually the debt and the weight of the debt through the debt service on the economy.  The third important pillar is to preserve the economy from external shocks, and this is the role of the flexibility in the exchange rate.  Flexibility in the exchange rate in a time of high level of uncertainty plays an important way to protect the Egyptian economy from external shocks, and its flexibility has proven to be beneficial to the stability of the Egyptian economy.  The fourth pillar is growing the economy and give a bigger weight to the private sector, and we encourage the authorities to strengthen and accelerate the reinvestment strategy that would allow more investment to come to the Egyptian economy, would give more space to the private sector, and will help the Egyptian economy and the Egyptian people get better opportunities in a time where those international changes would require an acceleration of economic transformation.  The review has been completed in March, and as you know, we had also another facility that was provided to Egypt to help Egypt deal with climate issues, and our engagement with the authorities remain very active.  Shall I move to GCC? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Yes.

    MR. AZOUR: The next trench will be with the next review. On the GCC, well, of course the direct impact of the trade shock on the region has been limited except that with the prospect of the decline in oil price, it comes at a time where we see a resumption of increase of oil production with the implementation of what has been agreed, though at a slower pace, of the December decision of the OPEC+ agreement.

    As you know, countries of the GCC have different fundamentals and different level of buffers, and therefore there is no one break-even point for all countries.  Our estimates are showing, though, that a decline in oil price of $10 would weaken the fiscal situation by somewhat between 2.3 to 2.7 percent of GDP, and it also, it has similar impact on the external account between 2.5 to 2.7 percent of GDP. 

    I would like to highlight two additional points that some countries have used the opportunity of their diversification strategy to both reduce their dependence on oil as a source of income, but also to diversify fiscally and reduce the impact of oil revenues, which we encourage other countries to follow suit. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you, Jihad. So we’ll take another round of questions from the room, and then we will turn to online. The lady in the first row, please. 

    QUESTIONER: Dr. Jihad, thank you for taking my question.  Nour Amache from Asharq Bloomberg.  I wanted to ask about Lebanon and Syria and to follow up on what my colleagues here asked about Egypt.  They were asking about the next review, if it’s in June, and the next tranche in June, if we can elaborate on that.  Now, regarding Lebanon, today the parliament passed the law of lifting bank secrecy.  Will this make or will this make the program with the IMF faster?  Will this increase the prospects of a program with Lebanon anytime soon, especially since I know the Lebanese authorities represented by the Finance Minister, the Economy Minister, and the Central Bank Governor are all here in Washington, and a lot of meetings have been undergoing?  That’s regarding Lebanon.  And regarding Syria, also a big Syrian delegation is here.  What has been reached so far with the Syrian counterparts?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. One more question. Maybe we’ll go to the gentleman in the front here. 

    QUESTIONER: Thank you.  Mohammad Al-Lubani from Jordan Al-Mamlaka TV.  I’d like to ask in Arabic.  In light of our dependence on American exports, [ESQUAH] said that 25 percent of the exports go to the United States.  How would the tariffs affect Jordan, and are there any estimates of these losses by the Fund?  And what are the recommendations of the Fund in order to face these challenges? 

    MR. AZOUR: The discussions are, you know, continuing, and the engagement with the authorities is taking place during the Spring Meetings. As I mentioned earlier, we look forward to the next review to see an acceleration of the divestment strategy that is one of the key priorities because of its critical impact on sustaining growth in Egypt, providing opportunities to the private sector, and also helping in the effort that Egypt is pursuing in reducing the debt. In the context of high interest rate, it’s very important to address debt service issue, and this would be accelerated by reducing the debt.  Therefore, we look forward to see progress on the authorities’ plan in terms of divestment.

    On Lebanon, the Fund has been supportive of Lebanon, and a staff-level agreement has been reached in 2022.  Lebanon staff, Lebanon team, is and remained actively engaged with the authorities, providing technical assistance.  And recently, we had two staff visits to Lebanon and the authorities have engaged with our team in order to reactivate a potential program.  They have expressed their interest for that.  The Lebanese economic and financial situation has been made

    more challenging with the recent implications of the war and the massive destruction that in addition to the need to address the financial and economic situation, Lebanon is also facing the need to deal with the reconstruction. 

    The pillars of the program will remain valid as they were negotiated.  Macroeconomic stability, based on addressing the legacy of the financial sector.  The legacy of debt, address the debt issue.  Second pillar is to deal with the macroeconomic stability through fiscal consolidation.  Third pillar is to strengthen governance by reforming SOEs and also increasing and improving the confidence factor.  And third is to address social issues, especially now with issues related to the reconstructions.  Discussions are taking place and staff is on active dialogue with the Lebanese authorities. 

    We are in discussion and therefore I think the discussions that we are having during the Spring Meetings are giving the opportunity for us to understand what are the reform priorities of the Lebanese government.  As you know, staff had a couple of visits in the last few weeks, and we will keep our active engagement with the Lebanese authorities.

    On Syria.  Of course, Syria has been absent for the last 15 years due to the war, and their engagement with the institution has been fairly limited since 2011.  The last Article IV consultation with Syria took place in 2009.  The international community and the regional community has been actively engaged in order to see how we could help Syria recover from a long period of war. 

    We had a preparatory meeting preparatory meeting in AlUla back in February where regional institutions and the international community have agreed to have another follow-up coordination meeting that took place last Tuesday where representatives from international institutions, bilaterals, have convened in order to assess the needs of Syria and also to develop a framework of coordination.  The Fund is engaged to support the international community in its engagement with Syria.  We have already started our assessment of the macroeconomic situation, the institutional capacity, and we look forward to continue our engagement with the Syrian authorities. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Then you have one more question on Jordan.

    MR. AZOUR: Yes, Jordan. In Arabic?  Okay.  Jordan is one of the countries that have been affected by the tariffs, but this is still limited because of the kind of exports or the relationship between Jordan and the United States.  And Jordan managed to overcome, in the recent years, to overcome several shocks, including shocks related to the variability and volatility and the effect of the Gaza issues on the economy of Jordan.  And the latest reviews emphasized the need for Jordan to keep stability and also, despite the external shocks, to take the needed measures in order to improve the macroeconomic situation and to reinforce the economy.  And there has been discussions about supporting Jordan through a new mechanism, the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, in order to help Jordan in the measures that would help it improve adaptation with the climate change and other shocks and other pandemics.  There is actually progress in this regard.  And there will be a review next month by the Executive Board of the Fund about Jordan. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: We’ll turn to Dania, who’s on Webex online. Dania, please go ahead. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello, can you hear me? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Yes, you can hear you.

    QUESTIONER: Hi.  Hello Dr. Jihad, I just have a follow-up question on the break-even oil prices for the Gulf.  In the October report, countries like Saudi Arabia had a very high break-even price of around 90.  I think it was the second biggest highest in the GCC after Bahrain.  I just wanted to see, this figure is likely to increase given the high expenditures, the lower oil prices.  How will the lower oil prices — you mentioned about the impact on GDP, but the prices, I think, since the beginning of the year have dropped by more than $10.00.  So, the impact has it been considered in the Regional Economic Report?  And especially because I don’t know the report, did it include the impact of the tariffs and the impact of the increase in OPEC production from May, which is accelerated?  And just one clarification, with regards to Saudi break-even, some analysts include the expenditure of the Public Investment Fund.  Is that part of the IMF estimates for the break-even?  What’s included in the break-even?  Thank you very much. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. Any additional questions on GCC? Okay, let’s take the gentleman in the middle. 

    QUESTIONER: Hello Mr. Azour, Madame Al Shami, thank you for the opportunity.  Philippe Hage Boutros from L’Orient-Le Jour, Lebanon.  How does the IMF assess the potential impact of declining oil revenues stemming from a possible drop in prices amid the tariff crisis on the capacity and willingness of the Gulf countries to fund international aid, particularly for countries like Lebanon and Syria that urgently need reconstruction financing?  Does it anticipate a significant or relatively limited effect?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. And we had one more question on Saudi that we received online. In light of the global trade repercussions, what is the effect on the Saudi market, especially on inflation and growth?  This question comes from Mohammed Al Sulami from Al Akhbariyah in Saudi Arabia. 

    MR. AZOUR: Let me start with Dania’s question. Dania, let me start by saying that over the last few years from a fiscal perspective, Saudi has made a significant improvement through various reforms in order to diversify revenues outside oil and also reduce certain expenditures, including on the subsidy side. And this effort to diversify revenues has led to an increase of non-oil revenues in the GDP for Saudi.  Of course, the last couple of years have been beneficial in terms of providing Saudi and other GCC countries with surplus in the fiscal as well as also in the current account, which have led to increase in buffers.  Of course, still the oil sector represent an important source of revenue and it’s still also an important source of foreign currencies. 

    Coming to the fiscal strategy, Saudi has established a medium-term fiscal framework that anchors policies and also help them deal with the volatility in oil price and become less pro cyclicals.  Of course, the increase in oil price, sorry, the decline in oil price will have impact on the fiscal and will lead to a potential additional drop in fiscal situation. 

    As I mentioned earlier, a decline of $10.00 per barrel or a decline of $1 million of production will have an impact on the fiscal between 2 to 3 percent.  The decline in oil price is accompanied with a recovery in oil production and Saudi was one of the largest, I would say, contributor to the voluntary drop in oil export. 

    When it comes to the link between fiscal and the investment strategy, the investment strategy has been also put in the medium-term framework in the context of the Vision 2030 and regularly there are updates, recalibration and also phasing, based on the capacity to implement and the priorities.

    In our projections, although developments were taking place almost at the time when we were releasing our outlook, we took into consideration the new assumptions on the oil price for this year as well as also on the growth projections. 

    The second question related to Saudi.  The impact of the latest developments on the Saudi economy.  Undoubtedly, the trade relations regarding the non-oil sector is limited with the United States and therefore the impact will also be limited on trade related to tariffs, especially as oil and gas are exempt from the increase in tariffs.  But there will be an indirect impact, as we’ve said.  Saudi Arabia also has a dollarized economy, whether on the side of exports or imports, and therefore the impact will be limited. 

    On the other hand, the reduction or the depreciation of the dollar will affect services, especially tourism.  And this is a sector that Saudi Arabia is trying to develop by establishing new expansion for tourism in Saudi Arabia.

    The other related question on support to the reconstruction in the region.  Let me first say two things.  One, ODA has declined over the last few years, and more recently with the decisions to stop some of the international assistance by USAID and others.  This will have an important impact, especially on countries in fragility who depend heavily on aid.  Countries like Somalia, Sudan, countries like Yemen.  And this represents a risk not only on the fiscal side, but also on the humanitarian side on food security.  This is the first point. 

    The second point is the region is, we’re talking here about the Levant, is going through an important prospect of post-conflict recovery.  Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and hopefully, Yemen, and Sudan.  This would require strong international and financial assistance.  Of course, this also would require to accelerate certain number of reforms that will allow the private sector to provide financing.  Those countries have strong diasporas, and the recovery could also be co-led by international assistance, also by private sector support.  And some of the reforms, be it in Lebanon or in Syria, are very important to regain confidence and will allow private sector to play its key role in recovering those economies. 

    The region has been very supportive.  And when we look at the official assistance and the interest that is being shown by several countries in the region, be it in the recent meeting that took place in Saudi Arabia, in Al Ula, where ministers of finance from the GCC and regional institutions convened in order to explore opportunities to provide more assistance to those countries. 

    Again, I think it’s very important also to highlight that assistance has to accompany reform programs that will lay the ground to strong institutions will provide confidence for both citizens and also international, private and public community, in order to accelerate the recovery. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you, Jihad. We’ll take one more round of questions.  The lady on the second row here, please. 

    QUESTIONER:  Hello, I’m Mariam Ali from Dawn News Pakistan.  My question is how will the global tariff war uniquely impact Pakistan?  Any need of buffers in place to mitigate risks to the country?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. Let’s take maybe one more question. The gentleman here sitting in the front. 

    QUESTIONER: Thank you, , Director Azour.  My question is on Yemen.  Igor Naimushin, RIA News Agency, D.C. Bureau.  So, last week U.S. struck Ras Isa fuel part in Yemen.  I would like to ask you to outline what repercussions this strike will have on energy security and economic situation in Yemen and broadly in region?  And if you could, provide any details how the IMF — what is the IMF view on longer-term risks for the region as U.S. operation on Yemen continues to unfold?  Thank you. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. We’ll take one more question from the gentleman here in the –.

    QUESTIONER: Hi, my name is Magnus Sherman.  I wanted to return to Lebanon.  The new Prime Minister has pledged to not touch the hard currency deposits.  Does the IMF support that position? 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you. And we have an online question from Camille Faris Abu Rafael. How can low- and middle-income countries in MENA balance urgent social needs with long-term fiscal sustainability amid rising debt and global uncertainty and persistently high interest rates?  We’ll take these questions, and we’ll take another round.  Thank you. 

    MR. AZOUR: On Pakistan. Pakistan made significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability over the last 18 months and the numbers are, for Pakistan, are showing improvement both in terms of growth as well as also in inflation that dropped from 12.6 percent last year in 2024 fiscal year to 6.5 percent this year, expected to stay at this level for next year.  Debt is also stabilizing in the case of Pakistan, and recently Pakistan has been upgraded by rating agencies. 

    Of course, trade tensions will affect relatively Pakistan maybe more than the average in the region.  But I would say the impact on Pakistan directly can be offset by other measures that would allow the Pakistani economy to reposition itself in a world that is in the midst of one of the largest transformation in terms of trade, economic opportunities, and to reposition itself in order to address any risks, but also to potentially benefit from change in the trade routes. 

    The question on Yemen the situation on Yemen is extremely preoccupying at the humanitarian level, both in terms of food security as well as also in terms of human suffering.  And this situation has been inflicting heavy toll on the Yemeni people for a long period of time.  Of course, broadly speaking, instability has been one of the main issues that the region is dealing with.  Instability is one of the key sources of uncertainty for the region.  Addressing this instability is key in providing security for people to improve their living conditions, providing stability for the trade routes, and also provide opportunities for people to rebuild and reconstruct.  The Fund is engaged to (A) keep a very strong contacts with Yemen, provide technical assistance at a time where we cannot provide because of the security situation, financial assistance.  Therefore, we are actively supporting through technical assistance.  And we are also in regular engagement with the authorities. 

    Our next plan is to reengage through Article IV in order to assess the economic situation in Yemen, help the internationally recognized government assess the overall debt situation and the debt liabilities in order, later on, to help Yemen deal with the debt situation, and provide right assessment for the donor community to provide assistance. 

    Political stabilization security is very important to preserve human and social conditions, and the Fund stands ready to help Yemen as well as also other countries facing fragility and conflicts in the region.  And this is something that we are increasing our resources to provide support to those countries. 

    Lebanon.  Lebanon problems are complex in terms of how to address the overall financial challenge.  The solution has to deal through a comprehensive approach with all the financial issues that Lebanon is facing.  A piecemeal approach is not what Lebanon needs today.  A reform package that restores confidence, addresses the legacy of the past, provides opportunities for the economy to recover, by also promoting the capacity of the financial system to finance the recovery, mobilize international assistance to help Lebanon dealing with the reconstruction needs, and also support the reforms are priorities that our team is currently discussing with the Lebanese authorities. 

    The question related to balancing short-term and medium-term.  I think it’s a very important question.  We live currently in a world of high uncertainty and in our outlook this spring we have — and I would encourage you to read it,  it’s very interesting piece — we have tried to assess the impact of uncertainty on the region and the uncertainty is of multiple layers.  A global uncertainty, regional, geopolitical and conflict situation, but also internal or local uncertainties.  Those are important issues for countries to address. 

    In very brief, countries need to in the short term to preserve stability and that would require to increase their buffers.  And for those who have limited buffers to accelerate fiscal consolidations to reduce the risk, address some of their financing issues, especially countries who have high level of debt and for those who have buffers, preserve those and use them when they need.  But I think what is really important, especially given the lasting negative impact of uncertainties on countries, is to address the medium-term issues.  And addressing the medium-term issues will help unlock growth, accelerating structural reforms, improving economic conditions, provide stronger social protection framework by moving from untargeted subsidies to something that is more meaningful in terms of social support would be extremely beneficial for countries in the region. 

    MS. AL SHAMI: Thank you very much, Jihad and I’m afraid we have run out of time. Thank you all for participating with us today and as always, we will be posting the transcript online.  But just a reminder that we will be launching our report next week on May 1 so stay tuned for that.  And as Jihad mentioned, please join us tomorrow at 2:30 for the seminar on how countries can navigate uncertainties.  Jihad, any last words? 

    MR. AZOUR: Only to say thank you. And thanks to our friends here, the journalists. We look forward to provide you with more details in Dubai next week with all the details, as well as also country-specific information on our Regional Economic Outlook.  And two days after that, in Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, on the outlook for Caucasus and Central Asia.  Thank you very much. 

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/24/tr-04242025-mcd-press-briefing-sms-2025

    MIL OSI

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Congressman Jim McGovern and Family Upon the Passing of Molly McGovern

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

    WASHINGTON—Congressman Jim McGovern, his wife Lisa McGovern, and their son Patrick McGovern released the following statement upon the passing of Congressman McGovern’s daughter, Molly McGovern:

    “Molly radiated pure joy. She lit up every room with her beaming smile—full of laughter, endless warmth, and a sharp wit that could disarm you in an instant. She was unbelievably funny, fiercely loyal, and wise beyond her years. Molly had a rare gift: She made everyone feel special, because she genuinely believed everyone was special. She treated people with compassion and kindness—always standing up for the underdog, and making fast friends wherever she went. Her love for the Boston Bruins was fierce, but it was no match for the love she gave so freely to her family and friends. If you ever met Molly, you carried a piece of her light with you. She had that kind of effect on people.

    “Even as she faced a rare cancer diagnosis, she did so with relentless courage, optimism, and tenacity—refusing to let her illness slow her down. She had just finished a semester abroad in Australia. She passed away unexpectedly in Italy while visiting a good friend and his family.

    “Molly will always be the soul of our family. We are so proud of her, and so glad that so many people were touched by her incredible life. We love you, Molly. We miss you already.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Engineering Biology – a Government Office for Science Foresight Report

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A new report from the government’s chief scientific adviser aims to communicate the benefits that Engineering Biology (EngBio) might bring to our society and economy over the next 10-15 years. It highlights the potential applications of EngBio across a range of distinct areas via a set of 5 expert-authored ‘aspiration papers’: bio-synthetic fuels, nitrogen-fixing crops, future clothing, lab-grown blood, and microbial metal factories.

    These papers provide examples of the potential of EngBio across various industry sectors to address problems faced by people and the planet.

    Journalists came to this briefing to hear from the CSA plus two of the chapter authors and put their questions to them.

    Speakers will include:

    Prof Dame Angela McLean FRS, Government Chief Scientific Adviser

    Prof Nigel Scrutton FRS, Professor of Molecular Enzymology, Chemical Biology and Biological Chemistry at the University of Manchester and founder of C3 Biotech

    Prof Louise Horsfall, Chair of Sustainable Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Joint Statement by Saudi Finance Minister, IMF Managing Director, and World Bank Group President on Syria

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 24, 2025

    Washington, DC: Mohammed AlJadaan, Finance Minister of Saudi Arabia; Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group (WBG) issued the following statement:

    “On the sidelines of the 2025WBG/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, we co-hosted a high-level roundtable for Syria, bringing together the Syrian authorities, finance ministers and key stakeholders from multilateral and regional financial institutions, as well as economic and development partners.

    “Building on earlier discussions –including at the Paris Conference on Syria (February 13), the Al Ula roundtable on February 16 (See Press Release), and Brussels IX conference (March 17)— this event provided a platform for the Syrian authorities to present their ongoing efforts to stabilize and rebuild their country, reduce poverty, and achieve long-term economic development.

    “There was broad recognition of the urgent challenges facing the Syrian economy and a collective commitment to support the authorities’ efforts for recovery and development. Priority will be given to efforts to meet the critical needs of the Syrian people, institutional rebuilding, capacity development, policy reforms, and the development of a national economic recovery strategy. The IMF and WBG were called upon to play a key role in providing support in line with their mandates and reflecting shareholders’ support, in close coordination with multilateral and bilateral partners.

    “We welcome the efforts to help Syria reintegrate with the international community and unlock access to resources, to support the authorities’ policy efforts, address early recovery and reconstruction needs, and promote private sector development and job creation. We also support the Syrian authorities’ efforts to strengthen governance and increase transparency as they build effective institutions that deliver for the people of Syria.

    “We extend our gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions and commitment to support efforts by the Syrian authorities to rebuild Syria and improve the lives of the Syrian people. We look forward to reconvening, by the Annual Meetings of the IMF and WBG in October 2025, to monitor the progress achieved and harmonize global efforts in advancing Syria’s economic-recovery and prosperity.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Wafa Amr

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/24/pr25120-syria-joint-statement-by-saudi-finance-minister-imf-md-wbg-president

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