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Category: housing

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump’s ‘Riviera’ plan for Gaza heralds an age of naked fascism

    COMMENTARY: By Sawsan Madina

    I watched US President Donald Trump’s joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week in utter disbelief. Not that the idea, or indeed the practice, of ethnic cleansing of Palestine is new.

    But at that press conference the mask has fallen. Recently, fascism has been on the march everywhere, but that press conference seemed to herald an age of naked fascism.

    So the Palestinians have just been “unlucky” for decades.

    “Their lives have been made hell.” Thank God for grammar’s indirect speech. Their lives have been made hell. We do not know who made their lives hell. Nothing to see here.

    Trump says of Gaza: “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out and create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area . . . ”

    I wonder who are those lucky “people of the area” he has in mind, once those “unlucky” Palestinians have been “transferred” out of their homeland.

    Trump speaks of transforming Gaza into a magnificent “Riviera of the Middle East”. Obviously, the starved amputees of Gaza do not fit his image of the classy people he wants to see in the Riviera he wants to build, on stolen Palestinian land.

    No ethnic cleansing questions
    After the press conference, I did not hear a single question about ethnic cleansing, genocide, occupation or international law.

    Under the new fascist leaders, just like under the old ones, those words have become old-fashioned and are to be expunged from the lexicon.

    The difference has never been more striking between the meek who officially hold the title “journalist” and the brave who actually work to hold the powerful to account.

    Now, more than ever, independent journalists are a threatened species. We should treasure them, support them and protest every attempt to silence them.

    Gaza is now the prototype. We can forget international laws and international organisations. We have the bombs. You do as we wish or you will be obliterated.

    Who now dares say that the forced transfer of a population by an occupying power is a war crime under the Geneva Convention? But then again, Trump and Netanyahu are not really talking about “forced transfer”. They are talking about “voluntary transfer”.

    Once the remaining Israeli hostages have been freed, and water and food have been cut off again, those unlucky Palestinians will climb voluntarily onto the buses waiting to transport them to happiness and prosperity in Egypt and Jordan.

    Or to whatever other client state Trump manages to threaten or bribe.

    Can the International Criminal Court (ICC) command a shred of respect when Netanyahu is sharing the podium with Trump? Or indeed when Trump is at the podium?

    Dismantling the international order
    Recently, fascist leaders have been dismantling the international order by accusing its organisations and officials of being “antisemitic” or “working with terrorists”. Tomorrow they will defund and delegitimise these organisations without the need for an excuse.

    I listen to Trump speak of combatting antisemitism and deporting Hamas sympathisers and I hear, “We will combat anti-Israel views and we will deport those who protest Israel’s crimes.

    “And we will continue to conflate antisemitism and anti-Israel’s views in order to silence pro-Palestinian voices.”

    I watch Trump and Netanyahu, the former reading the thoughts of a real estate developer turned into a president’s speech and the latter grinning like a Cheshire cat — and I am gripped by fear. Not just for the Palestinians, but for all humanity.

    If we think fascism is only coming for people on a distant shore, we ought to think again.

    I watch Netanyahu repeating lies that investigative journalists have spent months debunking. Why would he care? The truth about his lies will not make it to mainstream media and the consciousness of the majority of people.

    Lies taking hold, enduring
    And the more he repeats those lies, the more they take hold and endure.

    I wonder how our political leaders will spin our allies’ new, illegal and immoral plans. For years, they have clung to the mantra of the two-state solution while Israel continued to make every effort to render this solution unfeasible.

    What will they say now? With what weasel words will they stay on the same page as our friends in the US and Israel?

    Netanyhu praises Trump for thinking outside the box. Here is an idea that Israel has spent billions on arms and propaganda to persuade people that it is dangerously outside the box.

    Instead of asking Egypt and Jordan to take the Palestinians, why not make Israel end the occupation and give Palestinians equal rights in their own homeland?

    Sawsan Madina is former head of Australia’s SBS Television. This article was first published by John Menadue’s public policy journal Pearls and Irritations and is republished with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Help keep our city tidy

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    The Council is asking everyone to help keep our city tidy by using bins provided for litter and dog waste, or taking waste home with them, to avoid the risk of being issued with a fixed penalty notice (fine).

    City wardens are to be given support to help tackle dog fouling and littering following calls from citizens for increased action against offenders.
    Aberdeen City Council has entered into an agreement with National Enforcement Solutions (NES), which will be empowered to issue fixed penalty notices from Wednesday (12 February).

    “Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “We have heard the feedback from our residents and share the frustration about the problems caused by littering and dog fouling. Dog waste can be harmful, especially to young people. 

    Littering is unacceptable and unsightly. Litter pollutes the environment and is harmful to wildlife. We all share responsibility of looking after our city. It is important to dispose of refuse carefully to keep streets and open spaces clean and to avoid receiving a penalty notice.”  

    Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “The National Enforcement Solutions team will support our wardens – the message to the people of Aberdeen remains the same. Please look after our environment by picking up after your pets, and using the litter bins provided, or take your waste home.”

    The NES team, and City Wardens, will both use digital technology to issue on-the-spot fines for littering, and dog fouling. City Wardens can also issue on-the-stop fines for fly tipping offences. 

    Community Safety Officers will also be undertaking investigations where reports require more in-depth investigation.  

    Where notices are handed out, they will include information on the different methods of payment and dates by which they should be paid so these should be read carefully.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. (TSX: GRID; OTCQX: TNTLF), a technology company dedicated to helping utilities modernize their distribution grids by harnessing the power of data, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

    Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “TNTLF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    “Accessing the OTCQX Market highlights Tantalus’ dedication to transparency and operational excellence while also strengthening our access to U.S. investors,” said Peter Londa, President & CEO of Tantalus. “Given that the vast majority of our utility customers and revenue is generated from the United States, we believe cross-trading between the TSX and OTCQX will enhance liquidity and reinforces our commitment to delivering long-term value for our shareholders.”

    About Tantalus Systems Holding Inc.
    Tantalus is a technology company dedicated to helping utilities modernize their distribution grids by harnessing the power of data across all their devices and systems deployed throughout the entire distribution grid. We offer a grid modernization platform across multiple levels: intelligent connected devices, communications networks, data management, enterprise applications and analytics. Our solutions provide utilities with the flexibility they need to get the most value from existing infrastructure investments while leveraging advanced capabilities to plan for future requirements. Learn more at http://www.tantalus.com/.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GigaCloud Technology Inc Strengthens Its B2B Marketplace with Leading Furniture Suppliers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EL MONTE, Calif., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GigaCloud Technology Inc (Nasdaq: GCT) (“GigaCloud” or the “Company”), a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise, today announced a strong lineup of new suppliers joining its GigaCloud Marketplace, further solidifying its position as a trusted global B2B wholesale platform.

    New suppliers to the GigaCloud Marketplace include Purple Innovation Inc. (Nasdaq: PRPL), Homestyles, a brand of Flexsteel Industries Inc. (Nasdaq: FLXS), Corsicana Mattress Company, Restonic, Walker Edison, GhostBed, Simpli Home and others. These newly added suppliers have joined the GigaCloud Marketplace as new 3P sellers, encompassing a broad range of home furnishings, including living room furniture, bedroom bedding and furniture, dining room sets, and home office solutions. Many are known for their thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and versatility, appealing to a range of styles from contemporary to traditional.

    “This latest wave of new suppliers highlights the value and trust our platform brings to the evolving B2B market, demonstrating GigaCloud’s commitment to accelerating growth and product diversity,” said Larry Wu, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of GigaCloud. “By welcoming these esteemed suppliers, we continue to enhance our market leadership in large-parcel B2B ecommerce—empowering suppliers with expanded market reach, providing resellers with a broader selection of trusted products, and facilitating seamless global wholesale trade for businesses of all sizes.”

    “Partnering with GigaCloud has opened up exciting new avenues for Purple to extend our market presence,” said Mason Stephens, Vice President, Head of Wholesale at Purple Innovation Inc. “GigaCloud’s robust marketplace provides an efficient way to connect with a broader reseller base, enabling us to further drive our growth and bring Purple’s innovative comfort solutions to more businesses and their customers. We look forward to a promising future of growth and collaboration with GigaCloud.”

    “We are excited to partner with GigaCloud to bring our Homestyles brand to an innovative digital marketplace,” said Andrew Surdyka, VP of Strategic Accounts at Flexsteel Industries Inc. “This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity for us to enhance our digital presence and reach new customers while maintaining the high standards of quality and service that Flexsteel Industries is known for.”

    About GigaCloud Technology Inc 

    GigaCloud Technology Inc is a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise. The Company’s B2B ecommerce platform, the “GigaCloud Marketplace,” integrates everything from discovery, payments and logistics tools into one easy-to-use platform. The Company’s global marketplace seamlessly connects manufacturers, primarily in Asia, with resellers, primarily in the U.S., Asia and Europe, to execute cross-border transactions with confidence, speed and efficiency. GigaCloud offers a comprehensive solution that transports products from the manufacturer’s warehouse to the end customer’s doorstep, all at one fixed price. The Company first launched its marketplace in January 2019 by focusing on the global furniture market and has since expanded into additional categories, including home appliances and fitness equipment. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.gigacloudtech.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements  

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements reflect our current view about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC. 

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact: 

    GigaCloud Technology Inc 
    Investor Relations 
    ir@gigacloudtech.com 

    PondelWilkinson, Inc. 
    Laurie Berman (Investors) – lberman@pondel.com 
    George Medici (Media) – gmedici@pondel.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK ‘Order, order’ your tickets for a tour in Speaker’s House and take a peek beyond the Chair…

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Experience the history of the role of Speaker of the House of Commons up close over Easter recess.

    Find out more: https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2025/january/easter-speakers-house-tours/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncGkocmTPoQ

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to South African government again pressuring Taiwan to relocate liaison office

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to South African government again pressuring Taiwan to relocate liaison office

    February 2, 2025

    Since last October, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has been in communication with South Africa through diplomatic channels. In accordance with the principles of parity and dignity, MOFA has engaged with the South African government, seeking to understand its views on future bilateral relations while still staunchly refusing to accept unilateral changes to the status quo. In late January, however, the South African government sent another letter to the Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa (TLO) demanding that it leave the capital city of Pretoria before the end of March. The South African government also attempted to downgrade the status of the TLO and have it renamed a trade office.

    Federal Chairperson Ivan Meyer of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, was recently sanctioned by the Chinese government for visiting Taiwan. That the South African government has yet again set a deadline for the TLO’s relocation out of Pretoria—despite ongoing negotiations with Taiwan—demonstrates that China is ramping up efforts to suppress Taiwan in South Africa. 

    Upon receiving a TLO report regarding the South African government’s repeated demand to relocate the office, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung again promptly convened a task force to discuss contingency measures. He remained in constant contact with the relevant MOFA officials both at home and abroad during the Lunar New Year holiday. He also instructed Director General Anthony Chung-yi Ho of the Department of West Asian and African Affairs to summon Representative Zakhele Mnisi of the Liaison Office of South Africa in Taiwan to convey the government’s serious concerns.

    MOFA reiterates that the Taiwan government remains steadfast in its refusal to accept the South African government’s unilateral violation of their bilateral agreement and that it will continue communicating with South Africa on the principles of parity and dignity. In line with the Taiwan government’s objectives, MOFA will adopt contingency measures depending on the South African government’s responses. It will also apprise the Taiwanese people and media of future developments at the appropriate times.

    MOFA once again solemnly urges the government of South Africa, which will host this year’s Group of 20 summit, to abide by the legal framework for bilateral relations signed in 1997. And before a consensus is reached through negotiations with Taiwan, MOFA calls on South Africa not to use coercive measures against the TLO or take any other action that could interfere with the TLO’s operations or services that it provides for Taiwanese abroad. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Principality of Andorra: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    February 11, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Andorra La Vella – February 11, 2025

    The Andorran economy is doing well. This provides a window of opportunity to address substantial long-term challenges. The authorities have consolidated the country’s macro-financial framework and reinforced buffers. However, Andorra’s real GDP per capita—while high in absolute terms—has remained flat over the last 50 years, with growth largely driven by population increases. Going forward, population aging is both an economic and a fiscal concern, and climate change challenges an economic model largely dependent on winter tourism. Ambitious structural reforms are needed to unlock investment and lift productivity.

    Economic Outlook

    The Andorra economy continues to show resilience and to grow above its potential. Growth in 2024 surprised slightly on the upside, at an estimated 2.1 percent, driven by the service, banking and construction sectors. Inflation is subsiding gradually, reaching 2.6 percent at the end of 2024, despite limited economic slack and a still tight labor market. The current account surplus remains very large, estimated at 15.1 percent of GDP in 2024. The strong performance of banks continued in 2024 supported by high interest margins and increased fees and commissions.

    Going forward, GDP is expected to slow to the level of potential growth. Real GDP growth is forecasted at 1.7 percent in 2025 and 1.5 percent from 2027 onwards. Inflation is projected to stabilize at 1.7 percent over the medium term. Short-term risks are balanced: greater uncertainty in the global economy and the potential for adverse shocks such as deepening geoeconomic fragmentation, supply disruptions, recurrent commodity price fluctuations and a reversal of monetary policy loosening are downside risks to growth and inflation. On the upside, Andorra, like other service-oriented economies in Europe, could benefit from stronger demand, and grow faster than projected. Solid buffers mitigate risks.

    Challenges are concentrated over the medium-term, as stagnating income growth makes it challenging to address the impact of population aging and climate change. With long life expectancy and low fertility rates, Andorra’s population is expected to age rapidly—removing an engine for GDP growth and creating fiscal liabilities over the long term. Fiscal costs from pensions and healthcare will be substantial. More frequent climate shocks can affect the economic cycle in an economy largely reliant on winter tourism, and structurally warmer temperatures will require extensive adaptation.

    Policy priorities

    The solid macroeconomic position and the credibility of the policy framework provide Andorra with an opportunity for implementing far-reaching structural reforms. Diversifying the economy to enhance resilience, unlocking investment and lifting productivity to raise income levels, and addressing the costs of aging and climate change should be driving the policy agenda. The recently negotiated EU Association Agreement (EUAA), if approved by referendum, could offer an opportunity to support the reform momentum, but would also bring challenges.

    Maintaining a solid fiscal framework given spending pressures over the medium term

    Maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy within the fiscal framework is important and will provide room for more public investment. In a microstate that needs fiscal buffers against external shocks, entrenching fiscal space is important. In addition, the credibility of the fiscal framework and the primary surplus provide room for higher public investment to support potential growth and mitigate structural bottlenecks.

    • A balanced 2025 budget focused on economic priorities. The 2025 budget finds a welcome balance between maintaining a conservative fiscal stance but building on the authorities’ structural priorities, with a focus on health, housing, maintaining purchasing power, and education. Overall, the 2025 budget foresees a deficit of 0.9 percent of GDP. Given past practice of adjusting expenditures in line with incoming revenues, staff forecasts a small surplus of about 0.3 percent of GDP.
    • Room for growth-enhancing public spending. The fiscal framework, which prescribes an overall deficit limit of 1 percent of GDP and a central government debt ceiling of 40 percent of GDP, provides room for higher public spending targeted towards growth-enhancing investment. Spending should be focused on the structural needs of the economy: social and affordable housing, upskilling the workforce and addressing labor shortages, connectivity to support economic diversification, and investments to lift potential growth. As under-execution of budgeted public investment is customary, delivering on investment plans should be a policy objective.

    Over the medium term, Andorra faces rising spending pressures from aging, as well as a need to adapt to climate change—engaging reforms early is paramount. Staff estimates that by 2050, pension system expenditures will rise by 6.7 percentage points while healthcare expenditures will increase by 2 percentage points. Acting early on pension and healthcare reforms is needed to anticipate and mitigate the fiscal impact of aging.

    • Pension reform has been on the government’s agenda for some time and is overdue. The menu of options to put the system on the sustainable path is well understood, from increasing contribution rates and reducing conversion rates to increasing the retirement age. Concluding the reform in an expeditious and comprehensive manner is needed to ensure the sustainability of the social security fund in the long run.
    • A reform of the healthcare system should aim to contain long-term costs while raising healthcare revenues . Experience from other advanced economies provides a blueprint for potential measures, in 4 areas: (i) enhance cost efficiency, (ii) strengthen preventive care, (iii) increase revenues for healthcare while preserving equity, and (iv) improve governance. The National Pact brought together stakeholders and should continue its work to strengthen the healthcare system.

    · Beyond direct policies in the pension and healthcare areas, broader measures would be helpful to buffer the additional long-term fiscal costs of aging. Domestic revenue mobilization and migration policies can help.

    • Climate change also exposes the government to future contingent liabilities. Public investment needs to increase to meet Andorra’s climate change mitigation targets and to provide adequate support to the adaptation of the private sector. In addition, fiscal space will be increasingly needed to buffer the negative impact of climate shocks.

    Precautionary borrowing and a rapid reduction in public debt provide the authorities with flexibility in managing the debt profile. The authorities are reaping the benefits of an effective debt management strategy that is projected to bring public debt down to 30 percent of GDP by 2026, that lengthened its maturity to 6.3 years and that keeps public debt service low. The authorities should continue to monitor market conditions for an upcoming debt maturity of €500 million public bonds in 2027, including for further diversifying debt and extending its maturity to decrease rollover risks and mitigate consequences from potential increases in interest rates.

    Consolidating banking performance in a changing environment

    Strengthening further the resilience of the banking system during periods of high profitability is appropriate. The banking sector displays solid fundamentals, with large capital and liquidity buffers. However, given the large size of the banking sector, the supervisor should remain vigilant. Available supervisory tools should complement each other, including by supporting the lender of last resort facility introduced in 2022 by continued close supervision and a well-designed resolution framework to ensure that critical problems are identified and addressed early. The activation of a countercyclical capital buffer in 2024 was timely to increase banking system resilience during high bank profitability.

    The changing financial landscape, notably with the continued international expansion of banks and a possible EUAA, brings opportunities and challenges for Andorran banks. Banks have been growing in the EU where they run independent subsidiaries focused on private banking services, and the EUAA would facilitate this expansion, notably in the asset management business. Domestically, the EUAA has the potential to create a more dynamic domestic market but also to open Andorra to greater competition. The authorities should work closely with banks to prepare for the transition and safeguard financial stability.

    Ambitious structural reforms to unlock investment and lift productivity, support the diversification of the economy and help mitigate climate change.

    A comprehensive set of structural measures is important and should focus on the following:

    • Addressing frictions, notably labor and housing shortages. Public investment in education and well-designed immigration policies can improve knowledge capital in Andorra and raise labor productivity. Multiple housing measures were implemented recently—including the extension of existing rental contracts, the creation of a public affordable housing park, tax incentives for owners who offer affordable housing, suspension of tourist accommodation licenses, fees on empty houses and on real estate purchases by foreigners. The authorities should aim at providing market-based incentives for investing in affordable housing while minimizing distortions.
    • Creating a business environment conducive to higher investment. Recommendations encompass reducing administrative rigidities associated with doing business in Andorra, promoting access to financing, and implementing measures to attract and retain talent.
    • Supporting the development of higher value-added sectors, including the digital economy. With limited space for manufacturing, Andorra can look at the experience of peer countries that have successfully diversified towards the digital economy. Government policies, including the 2022 Law on the digital economy, entrepreneurship, and innovation and the Digitalization Strategy 2020-2030 were welcome initial steps.

    The EUAA could provide further momentum for reforms towards diversification, unlock investment, and raise productivity in Andorra, but is not without its own challenges. The agreement signals a strong commitment to deeper integration with the EU and to reinforce Andorran institutions in their coherence with EU standards. Empirical evidence on the benefits of EU membership provides useful lessons for EU association. It suggests that while the impact can be significant and positive, it builds up over time, and is conditional on well-designed domestic reforms during the accession period. While the impact varies with country-specific circumstances, it materializes through a few channels: structural reforms in the period preceding accession/association, greater capital accumulation, notably FDI, and higher productivity. In Andorra, room for increasing investment and productivity is substantial. Transition periods for key sectors such as telecom and banking mitigate the risks of disruption and fiscal space can cover transition costs. Preparedness is essential to realize the benefits of association, and reduce potential downsides, such as greater regional competition.

    The climate adaptation strategy needs to be accelerated given the macrocriticality of global warming for Andorra. Because of its higher altitude, Andorra is less exposed than other winter tourism locations in the region and should use this window of opportunity to enact needed policies, support the development of higher value-added service sectors and diversify away from winter tourism. The authorities should expedite the development and execution of a climate adaptation strategy.

    *

    The mission thanks the authorities and all our counterparts for a constructive and candid policy dialogue, for engaging in a productive and transparent collaboration, and for their hospitality during the official visit of the IMF to Andorra.

    Andorra: Selected Social and Economic Indicators

    I. Social Indicators

    Population (2023)

    85101

    Population at risk of poverty (percent, 2020)

    13

    Per capita income (2023, euros)

    40511

    Human Development Index Rank (2021)

    40 (out of 189)

    Gini Index (2020)

    32

    Life expectancy at birth (2024)

    83.9

    II. Economic Indicators

    Projections

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND PRICES

    (annual change, percent, unless otherwise indicated)

    Real GDP

    9.6

    2.6

    2.1

    1.7

    1.6

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    Nominal GDP

    14.2

    9.0

    5.0

    3.7

    3.4

    3.3

    3.2

    3.2

    3.2

    GDP deflator

    4.2

    6.3

    2.9

    1.9

    1.8

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    (contribution to nominal GDP growth, percentage points)

    Consumption

    6.5

    7.0

    3.6

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    2.4

    Private

    6.2

    3.5

    1.7

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.4

    1.4

    Public

    0.3

    3.4

    1.9

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    Investment

    6.8

    -2.2

    0.9

    0.5

    0.6

    0.3

    0.3

    0.4

    0.5

    Private 1/

    6.4

    -3.1

    0.2

    0.0

    0.4

    0.1

    0.1

    0.2

    0.3

    Public

    0.4

    0.9

    0.7

    0.5

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    Net exports of goods and services

    0.9

    4.3

    0.7

    0.6

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    Exports

    18.8

    10.4

    4.2

    3.3

    2.8

    2.8

    2.9

    2.9

    2.8

    Imports

    18.0

    6.1

    3.5

    2.7

    2.5

    2.4

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    Prices

    Inflation (percent, period average)

    6.2

    5.6

    3.1

    2.2

    1.8

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    Inflation (percent, end of period)

    7.2

    4.6

    2.6

    2.0

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    Unemployment rate (percent)

    2.1

    1.6

    1.6

    1.6

    1.8

    1.8

    1.9

    2.0

    2.0

    EXTERNAL SECTOR

    (percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    Current account

    11.6

    14.2

    15.1

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    Balance on goods and services

    8.8

    12.0

    12.0

    12.2

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    Exports of goods and services

    80.9

    83.7

    83.7

    83.9

    83.8

    83.9

    84.1

    84.2

    84.3

    Imports of goods and services

    72.2

    71.8

    71.6

    71.7

    71.7

    71.8

    71.9

    72.1

    72.2

    Primary income, net

    4.3

    3.5

    4.3

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    Secondary income, net

    -1.4

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    Capital account

    0.0

    -0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Financial account

    12.7

    13.5

    15.1

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    Errors and omissions

    1.1

    -0.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross international reserves (millions of euros) 2/

    338.4

    338.7

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    FISCAL SECTOR

    (percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    General Government 3/

    Revenue

    39.7

    38.0

    37.9

    37.8

    37.7

    37.8

    37.8

    37.7

    37.8

    Expenditure

    34.9

    35.9

    36.5

    36.7

    36.6

    36.9

    36.9

    37.0

    37.0

    Interest

    0.7

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    0.8

    0.8

    0.8

    0.8

    Primary balance

    5.6

    2.7

    2.0

    1.7

    1.6

    1.6

    1.7

    1.6

    1.6

    Net lending/borrowing (overall balance)

    4.8

    2.1

    1.5

    1.1

    1.1

    0.8

    0.9

    0.8

    0.8

    Public debt

    38.9

    35.5

    33.7

    32.5

    31.5

    30.5

    30.0

    29.5

    29.0

    Central Government 4/

    Revenue

    21.7

    19.8

    21.3

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.9

    Expenditure

    18.7

    19.1

    20.4

    20.5

    20.5

    20.6

    20.7

    20.6

    20.7

    Interest

    0.7

    0.5

    0.5

    0.5

    0.5

    0.7

    0.7

    0.7

    0.7

    Primary balance

    3.6

    1.2

    1.4

    0.8

    0.8

    0.9

    0.8

    0.9

    0.9

    Net lending/borrowing (overall balance)

    2.9

    0.7

    0.9

    0.3

    0.3

    0.2

    0.1

    0.2

    0.2

    Public debt

    37.1

    34.0

    32.3

    31.2

    30.1

    29.2

    28.7

    28.3

    27.9

    BANKING SECTOR5 /

    (percent, unless otherwise indicated)

    Regulatory capital to risk-weighted assets

    20.3

    21.7

    21.2

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Nonperforming loans to total gross loans

    3.3

    2.2

    2.1

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Credit to nonfinancial private sector

    Level (percent of GDP)

    116.4

    101.3

    94.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Corporates

    61.8

    55.1

    51.1

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Households

    54.6

    46.2

    43.4

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth (nominal)

    -1.7

    -5.2

    -2.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Corporates

    2.6

    -2.8

    -2.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Households

    -6.1

    -7.8

    -1.3

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Credit to public sector

    Level (percent of GDP)

    2.2

    1.8

    1.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth (nominal)

    -8.4

    -10.0

    -13.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Memorandum items

    Exchange rate (€/USD, period average) 6/

    0.95

    0.92

    0.92

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    Nominal GDP (millions of euros)

    3,210

    3,501

    3,676

    3,811

    3,942

    4,070

    4,202

    4,338

    4,478

    Sources: Andorran authorities, Eurostat, and IMF staff calculations.

    1/ The contribution of private investment is derived as a residual and includes investments of state-owned enterprises.

    2/ The increase of gross international reserves in 2022 is due to €100 million deposited at the Bank of Spain, €40 million at the Banque de France, and €60 million at the Nederlandsche Bank as gross international reserves. In 2024, additional €60 million reserves were accounted, mainly deposited at the Bank of Spain.

    3/ The general government comprises the central government, local governments, and the social security fund.

    4/ The central government comprises Govern d’Andorra, as well as nonmarket, nonprofit institutional units.

    5/ 2024 data corresponds to 2024Q3.

    6/ The table reports the exchange rate €/USD because Andorra is a euroized economy.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/11/andorra-cs-2025

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Principality of Andorra: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    February 11, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Andorra La Vella – February 11, 2025

    The Andorran economy is doing well. This provides a window of opportunity to address substantial long-term challenges. The authorities have consolidated the country’s macro-financial framework and reinforced buffers. However, Andorra’s real GDP per capita—while high in absolute terms—has remained flat over the last 50 years, with growth largely driven by population increases. Going forward, population aging is both an economic and a fiscal concern, and climate change challenges an economic model largely dependent on winter tourism. Ambitious structural reforms are needed to unlock investment and lift productivity.

    Economic Outlook

    The Andorra economy continues to show resilience and to grow above its potential. Growth in 2024 surprised slightly on the upside, at an estimated 2.1 percent, driven by the service, banking and construction sectors. Inflation is subsiding gradually, reaching 2.6 percent at the end of 2024, despite limited economic slack and a still tight labor market. The current account surplus remains very large, estimated at 15.1 percent of GDP in 2024. The strong performance of banks continued in 2024 supported by high interest margins and increased fees and commissions.

    Going forward, GDP is expected to slow to the level of potential growth. Real GDP growth is forecasted at 1.7 percent in 2025 and 1.5 percent from 2027 onwards. Inflation is projected to stabilize at 1.7 percent over the medium term. Short-term risks are balanced: greater uncertainty in the global economy and the potential for adverse shocks such as deepening geoeconomic fragmentation, supply disruptions, recurrent commodity price fluctuations and a reversal of monetary policy loosening are downside risks to growth and inflation. On the upside, Andorra, like other service-oriented economies in Europe, could benefit from stronger demand, and grow faster than projected. Solid buffers mitigate risks.

    Challenges are concentrated over the medium-term, as stagnating income growth makes it challenging to address the impact of population aging and climate change. With long life expectancy and low fertility rates, Andorra’s population is expected to age rapidly—removing an engine for GDP growth and creating fiscal liabilities over the long term. Fiscal costs from pensions and healthcare will be substantial. More frequent climate shocks can affect the economic cycle in an economy largely reliant on winter tourism, and structurally warmer temperatures will require extensive adaptation.

    Policy priorities

    The solid macroeconomic position and the credibility of the policy framework provide Andorra with an opportunity for implementing far-reaching structural reforms. Diversifying the economy to enhance resilience, unlocking investment and lifting productivity to raise income levels, and addressing the costs of aging and climate change should be driving the policy agenda. The recently negotiated EU Association Agreement (EUAA), if approved by referendum, could offer an opportunity to support the reform momentum, but would also bring challenges.

    Maintaining a solid fiscal framework given spending pressures over the medium term

    Maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy within the fiscal framework is important and will provide room for more public investment. In a microstate that needs fiscal buffers against external shocks, entrenching fiscal space is important. In addition, the credibility of the fiscal framework and the primary surplus provide room for higher public investment to support potential growth and mitigate structural bottlenecks.

    • A balanced 2025 budget focused on economic priorities. The 2025 budget finds a welcome balance between maintaining a conservative fiscal stance but building on the authorities’ structural priorities, with a focus on health, housing, maintaining purchasing power, and education. Overall, the 2025 budget foresees a deficit of 0.9 percent of GDP. Given past practice of adjusting expenditures in line with incoming revenues, staff forecasts a small surplus of about 0.3 percent of GDP.
    • Room for growth-enhancing public spending. The fiscal framework, which prescribes an overall deficit limit of 1 percent of GDP and a central government debt ceiling of 40 percent of GDP, provides room for higher public spending targeted towards growth-enhancing investment. Spending should be focused on the structural needs of the economy: social and affordable housing, upskilling the workforce and addressing labor shortages, connectivity to support economic diversification, and investments to lift potential growth. As under-execution of budgeted public investment is customary, delivering on investment plans should be a policy objective.

    Over the medium term, Andorra faces rising spending pressures from aging, as well as a need to adapt to climate change—engaging reforms early is paramount. Staff estimates that by 2050, pension system expenditures will rise by 6.7 percentage points while healthcare expenditures will increase by 2 percentage points. Acting early on pension and healthcare reforms is needed to anticipate and mitigate the fiscal impact of aging.

    • Pension reform has been on the government’s agenda for some time and is overdue. The menu of options to put the system on the sustainable path is well understood, from increasing contribution rates and reducing conversion rates to increasing the retirement age. Concluding the reform in an expeditious and comprehensive manner is needed to ensure the sustainability of the social security fund in the long run.
    • A reform of the healthcare system should aim to contain long-term costs while raising healthcare revenues . Experience from other advanced economies provides a blueprint for potential measures, in 4 areas: (i) enhance cost efficiency, (ii) strengthen preventive care, (iii) increase revenues for healthcare while preserving equity, and (iv) improve governance. The National Pact brought together stakeholders and should continue its work to strengthen the healthcare system.

    · Beyond direct policies in the pension and healthcare areas, broader measures would be helpful to buffer the additional long-term fiscal costs of aging. Domestic revenue mobilization and migration policies can help.

    • Climate change also exposes the government to future contingent liabilities. Public investment needs to increase to meet Andorra’s climate change mitigation targets and to provide adequate support to the adaptation of the private sector. In addition, fiscal space will be increasingly needed to buffer the negative impact of climate shocks.

    Precautionary borrowing and a rapid reduction in public debt provide the authorities with flexibility in managing the debt profile. The authorities are reaping the benefits of an effective debt management strategy that is projected to bring public debt down to 30 percent of GDP by 2026, that lengthened its maturity to 6.3 years and that keeps public debt service low. The authorities should continue to monitor market conditions for an upcoming debt maturity of €500 million public bonds in 2027, including for further diversifying debt and extending its maturity to decrease rollover risks and mitigate consequences from potential increases in interest rates.

    Consolidating banking performance in a changing environment

    Strengthening further the resilience of the banking system during periods of high profitability is appropriate. The banking sector displays solid fundamentals, with large capital and liquidity buffers. However, given the large size of the banking sector, the supervisor should remain vigilant. Available supervisory tools should complement each other, including by supporting the lender of last resort facility introduced in 2022 by continued close supervision and a well-designed resolution framework to ensure that critical problems are identified and addressed early. The activation of a countercyclical capital buffer in 2024 was timely to increase banking system resilience during high bank profitability.

    The changing financial landscape, notably with the continued international expansion of banks and a possible EUAA, brings opportunities and challenges for Andorran banks. Banks have been growing in the EU where they run independent subsidiaries focused on private banking services, and the EUAA would facilitate this expansion, notably in the asset management business. Domestically, the EUAA has the potential to create a more dynamic domestic market but also to open Andorra to greater competition. The authorities should work closely with banks to prepare for the transition and safeguard financial stability.

    Ambitious structural reforms to unlock investment and lift productivity, support the diversification of the economy and help mitigate climate change.

    A comprehensive set of structural measures is important and should focus on the following:

    • Addressing frictions, notably labor and housing shortages. Public investment in education and well-designed immigration policies can improve knowledge capital in Andorra and raise labor productivity. Multiple housing measures were implemented recently—including the extension of existing rental contracts, the creation of a public affordable housing park, tax incentives for owners who offer affordable housing, suspension of tourist accommodation licenses, fees on empty houses and on real estate purchases by foreigners. The authorities should aim at providing market-based incentives for investing in affordable housing while minimizing distortions.
    • Creating a business environment conducive to higher investment. Recommendations encompass reducing administrative rigidities associated with doing business in Andorra, promoting access to financing, and implementing measures to attract and retain talent.
    • Supporting the development of higher value-added sectors, including the digital economy. With limited space for manufacturing, Andorra can look at the experience of peer countries that have successfully diversified towards the digital economy. Government policies, including the 2022 Law on the digital economy, entrepreneurship, and innovation and the Digitalization Strategy 2020-2030 were welcome initial steps.

    The EUAA could provide further momentum for reforms towards diversification, unlock investment, and raise productivity in Andorra, but is not without its own challenges. The agreement signals a strong commitment to deeper integration with the EU and to reinforce Andorran institutions in their coherence with EU standards. Empirical evidence on the benefits of EU membership provides useful lessons for EU association. It suggests that while the impact can be significant and positive, it builds up over time, and is conditional on well-designed domestic reforms during the accession period. While the impact varies with country-specific circumstances, it materializes through a few channels: structural reforms in the period preceding accession/association, greater capital accumulation, notably FDI, and higher productivity. In Andorra, room for increasing investment and productivity is substantial. Transition periods for key sectors such as telecom and banking mitigate the risks of disruption and fiscal space can cover transition costs. Preparedness is essential to realize the benefits of association, and reduce potential downsides, such as greater regional competition.

    The climate adaptation strategy needs to be accelerated given the macrocriticality of global warming for Andorra. Because of its higher altitude, Andorra is less exposed than other winter tourism locations in the region and should use this window of opportunity to enact needed policies, support the development of higher value-added service sectors and diversify away from winter tourism. The authorities should expedite the development and execution of a climate adaptation strategy.

    *

    The mission thanks the authorities and all our counterparts for a constructive and candid policy dialogue, for engaging in a productive and transparent collaboration, and for their hospitality during the official visit of the IMF to Andorra.

    Andorra: Selected Social and Economic Indicators

    I. Social Indicators

    Population (2023)

    85101

    Population at risk of poverty (percent, 2020)

    13

    Per capita income (2023, euros)

    40511

    Human Development Index Rank (2021)

    40 (out of 189)

    Gini Index (2020)

    32

    Life expectancy at birth (2024)

    83.9

    II. Economic Indicators

    Projections

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND PRICES

    (annual change, percent, unless otherwise indicated)

    Real GDP

    9.6

    2.6

    2.1

    1.7

    1.6

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    Nominal GDP

    14.2

    9.0

    5.0

    3.7

    3.4

    3.3

    3.2

    3.2

    3.2

    GDP deflator

    4.2

    6.3

    2.9

    1.9

    1.8

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    (contribution to nominal GDP growth, percentage points)

    Consumption

    6.5

    7.0

    3.6

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    2.4

    Private

    6.2

    3.5

    1.7

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    1.4

    1.4

    Public

    0.3

    3.4

    1.9

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    1.0

    Investment

    6.8

    -2.2

    0.9

    0.5

    0.6

    0.3

    0.3

    0.4

    0.5

    Private 1/

    6.4

    -3.1

    0.2

    0.0

    0.4

    0.1

    0.1

    0.2

    0.3

    Public

    0.4

    0.9

    0.7

    0.5

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    0.2

    Net exports of goods and services

    0.9

    4.3

    0.7

    0.6

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    0.4

    Exports

    18.8

    10.4

    4.2

    3.3

    2.8

    2.8

    2.9

    2.9

    2.8

    Imports

    18.0

    6.1

    3.5

    2.7

    2.5

    2.4

    2.5

    2.5

    2.4

    Prices

    Inflation (percent, period average)

    6.2

    5.6

    3.1

    2.2

    1.8

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    Inflation (percent, end of period)

    7.2

    4.6

    2.6

    2.0

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    1.7

    Unemployment rate (percent)

    2.1

    1.6

    1.6

    1.6

    1.8

    1.8

    1.9

    2.0

    2.0

    EXTERNAL SECTOR

    (percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    Current account

    11.6

    14.2

    15.1

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    Balance on goods and services

    8.8

    12.0

    12.0

    12.2

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    12.1

    Exports of goods and services

    80.9

    83.7

    83.7

    83.9

    83.8

    83.9

    84.1

    84.2

    84.3

    Imports of goods and services

    72.2

    71.8

    71.6

    71.7

    71.7

    71.8

    71.9

    72.1

    72.2

    Primary income, net

    4.3

    3.5

    4.3

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    6.1

    Secondary income, net

    -1.4

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    -1.3

    Capital account

    0.0

    -0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Financial account

    12.7

    13.5

    15.1

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    17.0

    Errors and omissions

    1.1

    -0.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross international reserves (millions of euros) 2/

    338.4

    338.7

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    399.0

    FISCAL SECTOR

    (percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    General Government 3/

    Revenue

    39.7

    38.0

    37.9

    37.8

    37.7

    37.8

    37.8

    37.7

    37.8

    Expenditure

    34.9

    35.9

    36.5

    36.7

    36.6

    36.9

    36.9

    37.0

    37.0

    Interest

    0.7

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    0.8

    0.8

    0.8

    0.8

    Primary balance

    5.6

    2.7

    2.0

    1.7

    1.6

    1.6

    1.7

    1.6

    1.6

    Net lending/borrowing (overall balance)

    4.8

    2.1

    1.5

    1.1

    1.1

    0.8

    0.9

    0.8

    0.8

    Public debt

    38.9

    35.5

    33.7

    32.5

    31.5

    30.5

    30.0

    29.5

    29.0

    Central Government 4/

    Revenue

    21.7

    19.8

    21.3

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.8

    20.9

    Expenditure

    18.7

    19.1

    20.4

    20.5

    20.5

    20.6

    20.7

    20.6

    20.7

    Interest

    0.7

    0.5

    0.5

    0.5

    0.5

    0.7

    0.7

    0.7

    0.7

    Primary balance

    3.6

    1.2

    1.4

    0.8

    0.8

    0.9

    0.8

    0.9

    0.9

    Net lending/borrowing (overall balance)

    2.9

    0.7

    0.9

    0.3

    0.3

    0.2

    0.1

    0.2

    0.2

    Public debt

    37.1

    34.0

    32.3

    31.2

    30.1

    29.2

    28.7

    28.3

    27.9

    BANKING SECTOR5 /

    (percent, unless otherwise indicated)

    Regulatory capital to risk-weighted assets

    20.3

    21.7

    21.2

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Nonperforming loans to total gross loans

    3.3

    2.2

    2.1

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Credit to nonfinancial private sector

    Level (percent of GDP)

    116.4

    101.3

    94.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Corporates

    61.8

    55.1

    51.1

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Households

    54.6

    46.2

    43.4

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth (nominal)

    -1.7

    -5.2

    -2.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Corporates

    2.6

    -2.8

    -2.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Households

    -6.1

    -7.8

    -1.3

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Credit to public sector

    Level (percent of GDP)

    2.2

    1.8

    1.5

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth (nominal)

    -8.4

    -10.0

    -13.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Memorandum items

    Exchange rate (€/USD, period average) 6/

    0.95

    0.92

    0.92

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    0.97

    Nominal GDP (millions of euros)

    3,210

    3,501

    3,676

    3,811

    3,942

    4,070

    4,202

    4,338

    4,478

    Sources: Andorran authorities, Eurostat, and IMF staff calculations.

    1/ The contribution of private investment is derived as a residual and includes investments of state-owned enterprises.

    2/ The increase of gross international reserves in 2022 is due to €100 million deposited at the Bank of Spain, €40 million at the Banque de France, and €60 million at the Nederlandsche Bank as gross international reserves. In 2024, additional €60 million reserves were accounted, mainly deposited at the Bank of Spain.

    3/ The general government comprises the central government, local governments, and the social security fund.

    4/ The central government comprises Govern d’Andorra, as well as nonmarket, nonprofit institutional units.

    5/ 2024 data corresponds to 2024Q3.

    6/ The table reports the exchange rate €/USD because Andorra is a euroized economy.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

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

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Estonian defense industry delegation

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Estonian defense industry delegation

    • Date：2025-02-05
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    No. 032 

    February 5, 2025 

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a welcome luncheon on February 4 for an Estonian defense industry delegation led by Chair of the Estonia-Taiwan Support Group of the Parliament of Estonia Kristo Enn Vaga. The delegation included senior parliamentarian Kalle Laanet—who previously served as minister of defense, minister of the interior, and minister of justice—as well as representatives of the defense industry. During the event, the two sides exchanged views on cooperation in defense industry innovation, whole-of-society resilience, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other issues. 

     

    Minister Lin noted that Taiwan and Estonia had both experienced authoritarian rule and therefore greatly cherished their hard-won freedoms and democracy. Commenting on authoritarian expansionism in recent years, he pointed out that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, China’s recurrent military exercises in the waters around Taiwan, and frequent incidents of sabotage of underwater cables in the Baltic Sea and the waters off Taiwan underscored the importance of enhancing collaboration among democratic nations. Minister Lin also spoke about having led a delegation of the Taiwanese drone industry to Lithuania last November to demonstrate Taiwan’s determination to build democratic supply chains together with like-minded nations. He welcomed this visit by the Estonian defense industry delegation, which, he said, would open up additional areas for cooperation. 

     

    Chair Vaga stated that the democratic community had realized that if like-minded partners did not work together to establish supply chains, national security could become susceptible to potential threats. Observing that Taiwan and Estonia were both the targets of massive daily disinformation attacks and that underwater cables serving each had recently been damaged, Chair Vaga urged the democratic community to become more united against all manner of threats and challenges. He also pledged to steadily promote relations between Taiwan and Estonia.

     

    At the luncheon, Minister Lin thanked the representatives of Motex Healthcare and Taiwan Comfort Champ Manufacturing for their joint donation of 1.11 million masks to Ukraine and Estonia during the Estonian delegation’s visit to Taiwan, adding that it highlighted the Taiwanese spirit of humanitarian assistance. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs François Chihchung Wu witnessed the donation ceremony on behalf of Minister Lin. 

     

    Deputy Minister Wu said that, since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Taiwan had worked proactively with like-minded countries to support Ukraine. He stated that the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia and the Estonian Centre for International Development had signed a partnership agreement last June, under which Taiwan would donate €1.1 million to support the construction of homes for orphans in Ukraine. Deputy Minister Wu expressed pleasure that Taiwanese companies had shown a commitment to corporate social responsibility and demonstrated that Taiwan could help and that Taiwan was helping. His views were echoed by Chairman of Motex Healthcare Y. C. Cheng and Chairman of Taiwan Comfort Champ Manufacturing Andy Chen, both of whom expressed a willingness to work with the government to assist Ukraine. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding boost to tackle gender-based violence

    Source: Scottish Government

    Delivering Equally Safe Fund increased.

    More than 100 organisations across Scotland working to tackle violence against women and girls will share in a funding uplift of £2.4 million.

    The funding boost will bring the total Scottish Government investment in Delivering Equally Safe, which funds projects to prevent violence and support survivors, up to £21.6 million for the year ahead subject to the 2025-26 Budget being approved.

    Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart announced the funding increase on a visit to SAY Women – a Glasgow charity offering safe accommodation and emotional support for young survivors of sexual abuse who are facing homelessness.

    Ms Stewart said:

    “Grassroots organisations across Scotland are at the heart of tackling violence against women and girls. Their work is fundamental to creating a country free from gender-based abuse.

    “This funding boost will support these organisations, will help prevent abuse occurring and ensure that women and girls who have experienced violence can continue to access the support they deserve.”

    SAY Women CEO Pam Hunter said:

    “SAY Women is delighted to receive the additional funds. This will go towards increasing our investment into projects for the young women within our services.

    “In the face of the rising cost of living, increase in N.I contributions and inflation, the organisation made the challenging executive decision to limit the variety of activities on offer to those in our care so that we may allow the staff to have a fair living wage. This additional funding will reinstate many of the services that were temporarily paused so that SAY Women may continue to do the good work supporting young women affected by sexual violence and homelessness.”

    Background

    The Delivering Equally Safe Fund supports organisations across Scotland in their work to tackle violence against women and girls, and has done since 2021.

    The Delivering Equally Safe fund is the Scottish Government’s funding programme to support third sector organisations and public bodies to contribute to the objectives, priorities and outcomes of the Equally Safe strategy – Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls.

    A £19.2 million funding extension to allow these organisations to continue their work until March 2026 was announced in December 2024, provided the Scottish Budget 2025-26 is approved by parliament: Preventing violence against women and girls – gov.scot

    This funding uplift of £2.4 million brings the fund total for 2025-26 to £21.6 million.

    The organisations funded through Delivering Equally Safe are as follows:

    Organisation

    Aberdeen City Council

    Aberdeen Cyrenians Ltd

    Aberlour Child Care Trust

    Action for Children

    Amina – the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre

    Angus Women’s Aid

    Argyll & Bute Rape Crisis

    Argyll & Bute Violence against Women and Girls Partnership

    Argyll & Bute Women’s Aid SCIO

    ASSIST, Glasgow City Council

    Barnardo’s Tayside

    Barnardo’s Falkirk

    Border Women’s Aid Ltd

    British Red Cross Society

    Caithness & Sutherland Women’s Aid

    CEA Committed To Ending Abuse

    Central Advocacy Partners

    Children 1st

    Clackmannanshire Women’s Aid

    Close the Gap (SCIO)

    Deaf Links

    Dumbarton District Women’s Aid

    Dumfries & Galloway Council

    Dumfries & Galloway Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Support Centre

    Dumfriesshire & Stewartry Women’s Aid

    Dundee City Council

    Dundee International Women’s Centre

    Dundee Women’s Aid

    East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership

    East Ayrshire Women’s Aid

    East Dunbartonshire Association For Mental Health

    East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid SCIO

    East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee

    Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre

    Edinburgh Women’s Aid Ltd

    Edinburgh Women’s Aid Ltd

    EmilyTest

    Engender

    FENIKS Counselling, Personal Development & Support Service Ltd

    Fife Council

    Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre

    Fife Women’s Aid

    Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre

    GEMAP Scotland Ltd

    Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis

    Glasgow Women’s Aid

    Grampian Women’s Aid

    Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid Limited

    INVERCLYDE WOMEN’S AID SCIO

    Inverness Women’s Aid

    JustRight Scotland SCIO

    Kenyan Women in Scotland Association (CIC)

    Kibble Education and Care Centre

    Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project

    Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre

    LGBT Youth Scotland

    Liber8 (Lanarkshire) Ltd

    Lochaber Women’s Aid

    Monklands Women’s Aid

    Moray Rape Crisis

    Moray Women’s Aid

    Motherwell & District Women’s Aid

    Multi-Cultural Family Base

    North Ayrshire Women’s Aid

    North Lanarkshire Council

    Cumbernauld & District Women’s Aid SCIO

    Orkney Rape & Sexual Assault Service (ORSAS) SCIO

    Perth & Kinross Council

    Perthshire Women’s Aid

    Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Perth & Kinross

    Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland

    Rape Crisis Grampian

    Rape Crisis Scotland

    Renfrewshire Council

    Renfrewshire Council, Children’s Services, Women and Children First

    Renfrewshire Women’s Aid SCIO

    Respect

    Ross-Shire Women’s Aid

    Rowan Alba Ltd

    Sacro

    SafeLives

    Saheliya

    Sandyford – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

    SAY Women

    Scottish Borders Council

    Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre (SBRCC)

    Scottish Commission for Learning Disability

    Scottish Women’s Aid

    Shakti Women’s Aid

    Shetland Rape Crisis

    Shetland Women’s Aid (SCIO)

    South Ayrshire Women’s Aid

    South Lanarkshire Council

    South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd

    Stirling & District Women’s Aid

    The Highland Council

    The Improvement Service

    The Star Centre

    The Venture Trust

    West Dunbartonshire Council

    Western Isles Rape Crises Centre

    Western Isles Women’s Aid SCIO

    West Lothian Council

    West Lothian Women’s Aid (WLWA)

    White Ribbon Scotland

    Wigtownshire Women’s Aid

    Women’s Aid East and Midlothian Ltd

    Women’s Aid Orkney

    Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire

    Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee and Angus

    Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee and Angus

    Women’s Support Project

    YWCA Scotland

    Zero Tolerance

    The latest Equally Safe Delivery Plan, published in August 2024, sets out next steps to address violence against women and girls.

    Frontline projects funded through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund have supported 67,004 adults, children and young people since 2021.

    SAY Women is a charity that offers safe semi-supported accommodation and emotional support for young women aged 16 to 25 who are survivors of sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault and who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness.

    SAY Women receive funding through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, and with this uplift this will increase from £52,009 to £58,770 in 2025/26. Funding is in place to support a full Sessional Team to support young women to participate in additional mental health/wellbeing activities contributing to wellbeing improvements aiding in preventing homelessness.

    SAY Women are also supported by the Scottish Government’s Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) Fund. The fund supports 22 organisations across Scotland who work with adult survivors of childhood abuse. SAY Women have been allocated £190,000 for the period of the Fund (1 October 2024 – 31 March 2026) to provide specialised support to young women survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Big Brush Club expands to all primary schools in Devon

    Source: City of Plymouth

    A supervised toothbrushing scheme, known as the Big Brush Club, has been running in some areas of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay since 2023. However, the scheme, which is provided for children aged 3 to 5-years old, is now being rolled out to all primary schools in Devon who have an early years nursery, pre-school or reception class provision.

    Children at Ernesettle School with Bob the Badger, mascot of the Big Brush Club

    It is funded by NHS Devon, in partnership with Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council, and delivered by dentist provider At Home Dental.

    Jonathan Bouwer-Davies, Clinical Dental Adviser for NHS Devon said: “We know a quarter of five-year-olds have tooth decay which can, in severe cases, lead to children needing hospital treatment.

    “Understanding how to brush your teeth properly is an important life skill for children. It takes schools five minutes a day and the benefits can be life-long.

    “I am proud that Devon is the first area in the south west to extend the scheme to all primary schools thanks to the collaboration between NHS Devon, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council.”

    Councillor Mary Aspinall, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care at Plymouth City Council, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the supervised toothbrushing scheme will now be available to all schools across Plymouth.

    “When it comes to dental health, we know that prevention is better than cure and this is exacerbated by the difficulties our residents are experiencing when they try to access NHS dental care, so it’s absolutely vital that children create healthy habits at a young age.

    “We really hope that all schools across the city take up this offer, as it has such a huge benefit for children.”

    L-R: Clare Foster, Project Manager at At Home Dental, Bob the Badger mascot, Councillor Mary Aspinall, Reena Patel, South West Consultant in Dental Public Health at NHS England and Anna Mansfield, Project Facilitator at At Home Dental.

    Under the scheme, teachers hold short, daily toothbrushing sessions for three- to-five-year-olds alongside lessons about self-care, healthy eating and reducing sugar.

    Chief Operations Officer from At Home Dental, Hayley Beaumont, said: “Our team of dental nurses work closely with teachers, pupils and parents to provide advice, support and training on promoting oral health.

    “Each child is provided with a toothbrush and toothpaste pack to take home, encouraging toothbrushing to be a part of their normal daily routine.

    “The children love doing it with their friends and the teachers report that it not only reduces problems with teeth but also school absence.”

    Rapper and health activist Professor Green is helping the NHS raise awareness among families about the importance of children looking after their teeth, by launching an exciting competition to all primary schools across the south west.

    Every child aged between three – five years old has been invited to take part in a competition with a music category and a colouring category. The competition, which will run until the end of May, will give children the chance to win some fantastic prizes for both themselves and their school. Professor Green will join a judging panel for the competition.

    Professor Green said: “I am chuffed to be able to support the NHS supervised toothbrushing in schools scheme, and to be judging a competition which gives young children a creative outlet, while also teaching them the importance of brushing their teeth at least twice a day.”

    He says he only realised later in life how not brushing properly twice a day affected his own physical and mental health – so now takes this seriously with his own son alongside a healthy diet.

    Oral health is seen as a marker of wider health and social care inequalities including poor nutrition and obesity. 

    Prof. Maggie Rae, South West Deputy Public Health Director at the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, concludes: “The Big Brush Club is a fantastic example of forward-thinking, early intervention work that supports the government’s mission to improve the health of the nation.

    “The NHS in the south west is absolutely committed to tackling the many unfair disparities of health outcomes across our society.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Revision to Planning guidance11 February 2025 Enhancing Jersey’s Planning ServiceDeputy Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment, MENV, has introduced revisions to various aspects of planning guidance as part of Goverment CSP to reforming the Island’s… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    11 February 2025

    Enhancing Jersey’s Planning Service

    Deputy Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment, MENV, has introduced revisions to various aspects of planning guidance as part of Goverment CSP to reforming the Island’s planning service. 

    These changes are aimed at creating positive development while ensuring clarity and flexibility in planning policies. 

    Removal of 3,000 sq ft Floorspace Limit 

    The Minister has removed the 3,000 sq ft (279 sqm) floorspace limit on new residential developments, a restriction introduced by the previous administration. 

    Deputy Luce said: “I have been concerned that there is a perception that this is an absolute cap on development, limiting homeowners from extending or improving their dwellings. This is not the case, and the position is more nuanced. 

    “The continuation of this restriction in planning guidance is unhelpful. There is already a robust policy framework within the Island Plan, supplemented by additional planning guidance, which effectively manages the development of new or extended large dwellings across the island.”

    To implement this decision, three pieces of supplementary planning guidance have been revised: 

    • Housing Outside the Built-Up Area 
    • Density Standards 
    • Residential Space Standards 

    Greater Flexibility for Windows and Doors in Listed Buildings

    The Minister has also revised planning guidance to provide more flexibility regarding changes to windows and doors in certain listed buildings. 

    Windows and doors are key elements of Jersey’s historic buildings. In the 1990s, the Island Development Committee introduced controls to regulate their replacement, responding to the widespread installation of modern PVCu windows that resulted in the loss of many original features. 

    With advancements in material performance and adaptability, planning policies for replacing windows in listed buildings have evolved. Greater flexibility already exists for the introduction of double-glazing where original historic windows are beyond repair. The Minister has now further revised planning guidance to allow additional flexibility in replacing plastic windows in listed buildings. 

    Deputy Luce said: “Modern materials and technologies now offer improved thermal performance while better replicating the design and appearance of historic windows and doors. 

    “I want to enable the replacement of existing plastic windows in Grade 3 and Grade 4 listed buildings with windows made from composite materials — provided they deliver an overall improvement to the character and appearance of the building. This ensures improved thermal performance while also repairing the damage caused when original windows were lost.” 

    These revisions aim to balance heritage conservation with modern energy efficiency improvements, ensuring Jersey’s historic buildings can be preserved while adapting to contemporary needs. 

    The revised planning guidelines are available on the government website: 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Russia is a leader in the field of nuclear energy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    February 11, 2025

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    February 11, 2025

    Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko read out Vladimir Putin’s greeting at a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    February 11, 2025

    Director General of the State Corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev at a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    February 11, 2025

    President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov at a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    February 11, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in a joint meeting of the heads of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center and Rosatom, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry.

    Aide to the President of Russia Andrei Fursenko read out a greeting from Vladimir Putin, which, in particular, noted: “It is important that the unique potential and truly inexhaustible innovative capabilities of the nuclear industry today be fully utilized for the purpose of modernizing the national economy, ensuring the country’s defense capability and energy security, and training modern, qualified personnel.”

    Dmitry Chernyshenko thanked the head of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev and the president of the Kurchatov Institute Mikhail Kovalchuk for their systematic and fruitful work on the development of nuclear science and technology. Thanks to the two flagships – Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute – Russia is implementing the most ambitious projects.

    He also noted the contribution of the First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko, under whom the necessary foundations were laid for the transformation of the nuclear industry.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that Russian science has always demonstrated impressive results. This is especially noticeable in the history of the nuclear industry. Among the significant names and events are Igor Afrikantov and the construction of the first nuclear icebreaker “Lenin”, Igor Kurchatov and his invaluable contribution to the Soviet nuclear project, and others.

    “Our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has set a national goal – technological leadership. In the field of nuclear energy, Russia is truly a leader. It is not easy to be a leader, but it is even more difficult to maintain such a position. To do this, we must continue to develop fundamental and applied science, primarily in the nuclear industry, and train young promising specialists, as the head of state said at a meeting of the Council for Science and Education. The guidelines here are the priorities outlined in the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of our country, in the Presidential Decree on priority areas of scientific and technological development and the list of the most important science-intensive technologies,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    The Deputy Prime Minister named the National Center for Physics and Mathematics in Sarov, which is being created on the instructions of the head of state, as an example of successful cooperation between the state, science and business. Modern infrastructure is being built there, including advanced midi-science laboratories and mega-science installations. More than 55 organizations are involved in the cooperation, and the center’s scientific program is currently being implemented by about 2,000 scientists and researchers.

    2025 will be an important stage in the development of the Russian nuclear industry: the national project of technological leadership “New Nuclear and Energy Technologies” has been launched. It includes 10 federal projects, half of which are devoted to nuclear topics. The events were approved at the site of the Commission for Scientific and Technological Development of Russia with the participation of the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov. The implementation of federal projects is of strategic importance for ensuring the technological sovereignty and leadership of Russia.

    One of the key areas is the development of thermonuclear energy. According to the federal project “Thermonuclear Energy Technologies”, it is planned to build a unique installation – a tokamak with reactor technologies. Russia also has a unique nuclear icebreaker fleet and is constantly increasing its potential. Not only powerful nuclear icebreakers have been put into operation on the Northern Sea Route, but also the world’s only floating nuclear thermal power plant “Akademik Lomonosov”, which is of key importance for the development of the Arctic.

    “Dear friends! In the year of the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry, our country looks confidently to the future. Of course, only through joint efforts will we successfully implement the tasks set by the President and strengthen Russia’s position as a world leader in the field of nuclear science and technology,” the Deputy Prime Minister addressed the meeting participants.

    The event took place in the historic building of the Rosatom State Corporation in Moscow. It was attended by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov, President of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center Mikhail Kovalchuk, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, directors and scientific directors of leading industry institutes, outstanding Russian scientists and young specialists.

    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 Global: How to make a change in your life – and stick to it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Abigail Parrish, Lecturer in Languages Education, University of Sheffield

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Is there a change you’d like to make in your life? Perhaps you’d finally like to write the novel you’ve been thinking about for years. Perhaps you think you should start saving for a holiday or a deposit on a house or flat. Maybe you would like to improve your fitness.

    That’s great. But we all know it can be hard to stick to these kinds of changes. Gym membership figures suggest half of new members quit within six months, and many of us have the evidence of once-loved hobbies scattered around our homes.

    To write that book, for instance, you’re going to have to find time to do it, and stick with it when the going gets tough and initial enthusiasm has worn off.

    Ready to make a change? The Quarter Life Glow-up is a new, six-week newsletter course from The Conversation’s UK and Canada editions.

    Every week, we’ll bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.

    First, you should ask yourself why you’re doing it.

    My research looks at the psychology of making changes through the lens of what is known as self-determination theory, which proposes that there are different forms of motivation. These range from, for instance, being motivated to do something because someone is making you do it, to being motivated because you think it’s fun.

    Looked at like this, big changes, such as training for a new career, and smaller ones, like joining a weekly fitness class, are all the same. What matters is the reason you have for doing it.

    Find the right reason

    You might have more than one reason for making a change. Perhaps you want to start something because it’s a TikTok trend and everyone else seems to be doing it, or maybe the suggestion is coming from someone in your life. These are external reasons to do something, and this type of motivation is less likely to lead to success.

    Focus on the ones that are “internalised” – that come from within yourself. If you can find a reason why the change is important to you and you have your own motivation to make it, you’re much more likely to stick with it. It needs to be something that is aligned with your values – something you believe in.

    So what you’re doing doesn’t even have to be something you enjoy, as long as it’s something you feel is important to you.

    Think of deciding to save money, for example. This isn’t an activity that is inherently fun for most people, but the act of saving might be important because of what it represents or leads to – the holiday at the end of it, or the house you could buy with the money you put away. When you start to waver in your goal, thinking of that personal reason will help you keep going.

    You don’t necessarily have to enjoy something to be motivated to keep doing it.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    There are two other important concepts from self-determination theory mixed up in the idea of an action being aligned with personal values. When you do something that comes from your values, you should be acting with autonomy – doing something you want to do, not something other people have made you do.

    That’s a key construct in the theory, but it can be hard to align with things like work or study. Perhaps your goal is to apply yourself at work or to get a good grade in your studies. But most people have a boss, or a supervisor, and their role is to instruct you on what to do.

    If you’re a teacher, you have to work to the school’s timetable, whether you like it or not. But in the jobs where you are most motivated, you will be able to make some choices for yourself. Teaching is an interesting example of when this doesn’t work, because in England this very structured job has become even more so in recent years, coinciding with a recruitment and retention problem in the profession.

    Teacher autonomy is widely studied and considered important even outside of self-determination theory, and a perceived lack of autonomy is likely to be one of the reasons people might want to quit their job.

    Eyes on the goal

    The other really important thing is your goal in making the change. The best kind of goal is an autonomous one, relating to something that is intrinsically important to you. This might be competing at a high level in your sport, because it will give you joy and satisfaction to be the best you can be. This means you will put up with hardships and challenges, and you will keep going even after a bad day.

    By contrast, if your goal is an external one, you might find things more difficult. This includes if you’re doing something for a reward, rather than because something is personally important to you. So if you want to write a bestselling novel to become famous or rich, you may find that as the going gets tough, your motivation slips and work grinds to a halt.

    If you are doing something because other people want you to, even other people who care about you, you will struggle. This may mean that some changes are just not meant to be – or it might mean changing your mindset and how you look at the goals you are aiming for.

    Try to get the support of people who care about you and who you care about, whether this be family and friends, or a new community at your sports club, for example. And finally, keep an eye on your goals. Any change which you are engaging in for yourself because you value it and can see the benefits, is likely to be a lasting one.

    Abigail Parrish does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How to make a change in your life – and stick to it – https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-a-change-in-your-life-and-stick-to-it-237248

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Vanuatu parliament elects Jotham Napat as new prime minister

    Jotham Napat has been elected as the new prime minister of Vanuatu.

    Napat was elected unopposed in Port Vila today, receiving 50 votes with two void votes.

    He is the country’s fifth prime minister in four years and will lead a coalition government made up of five political parties — Leaders Party, Vanua’aku Party, Graon Mo Jastis Party, Reunification Movement for Change, and the Iauko Group.

    Napat is president of the Leaders Party, which secured the most seats in the House after the snap election last month.

    The former prime minister Charlot Salwai nominated Napat for the top job.

    The nomination was seconded by Ralph Regenvanu, president of the Graon Mo Jastis Pati, before the MP for Tanna and president of the Leaders Party accepted the nomination.

    The MP for Port Vila and leader of the Union of Moderate Parties, Ishmael Kalsakau, congratulated Napat on his nomination and said there would be no other nomination for prime minister.

    Who is Jotham Napat?
     Napat, 52, is an MP for Tanna Constituency and is the president of the Leaders Party which emerged from the January 16 snap election with nine seats making it the largest party in Parliament.

    He was born on Tanna in August 1972.

    He heads a five party coalition government with more micro parties likely to affiliate to his administration in the coming days and weeks.

    More than 30 MPs were seated on the government side of the House for today’s Parliament sitting.

    Napat was first elected to the house in 2016.

    He was re-elected in 2020 and again in the snap elections of 2022 and 2025.

    Before entering Parliament he chaired the National Disaster Committee in the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Pam.

    New government facing many challenges
     The incoming government will have a long list of urgent priorities to attend to, including the 2025 Budget and the ongoing rebuild of the central business district in the capital Port Vila after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in December.

    That quake claimed 14 lives, injured more than 200 people, and displaced thousands.

    One voter who spoke to RNZ Pacific during last month’s election said they wanted leaders with good ideas for Vanuatu’s future.

    “And not just the vision to run the government and the nation but also who has leadership qualities and is transparent.

    “People who can work with communities and who don’t just think about themselves.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin: Modern ice arena “Fili” opened in Filevskaya floodplain

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A new ice arena, Fili, has appeared in the Filevsky Park area. Sergei Sobyanin spoke about this in his telegram channel.

    “The two-story sports complex on Filevsky Boulevard houses an ice arena, general physical training and choreography rooms, and a dance hall. Classes in figure skating, hockey, sports acrobatics, rhythmic gymnastics, and other sports are organized here,” the Moscow Mayor noted.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    Ice Arena “Fili”

    The ice arena is located at 38 Filevsky Boulevard. The construction of the modern sports complex on the territory of the Filevskaya Poima was carried out from the third quarter of 2023 to December 2024. The two-story building with an area of about 3.2 thousand square meters was erected at the expense of the investor. It housed an ice arena measuring 26 by 56 meters, a general physical training hall with an area of 100 square meters, a choreography hall with an area of 54 square meters and a dance hall with an area of 40.5 square meters.

    Athletes and visitors have comfortable locker rooms, a sports shop, equipment rental and a café at their disposal. The complex has a medical office. A parking lot for 106 cars has been arranged on the adjacent territory. The sports complex can accommodate up to 100 people at a time.

    The Fili Ice Arena opened on December 10, 2024. It hosts figure skating, hockey and other sports. The new sports complex hosts training sessions for the Razryad, Khrustalny Konek, I Like Ice, Khrustalny Led and Megapolis figure skating schools, the Sytye Volki hockey team, sports acrobatics, rhythmic gymnastics, karate, pilates and capoeira sections, as well as dance classes for the Helios variety theater and the Padede ballet studio.

    The Fili Ice Arena is the first modern sports complex in the Filevskaya Poima microdistrict. It will become a new attractive place for sports activities for residents of the Filevsky Park district and adjacent neighborhoods.

    Development of sports infrastructure in Moscow

    Since 2011, 327 sports facilities have been built in Moscow, of which 168 facilities, or 51 percent, were built at the expense of investors. Plans call for the construction of another 101 sports facilities by 2027, of which 91 percent will be built at the expense of investors.

    Sobyanin announced the opening of a new football arena in NovogireyevoConstruction of the sports and recreation complex “Gorizont” in Kryukovo has been completed

    “My District”. Filevsky Park

    The goal of the “My District” program, developed on the initiative of Sergei Sobyanin, is to create comfortable living conditions in all areas of the capital, regardless of their distance from the center.

    More than 112 thousand Muscovites live in the Filevsky Park district, located in the Western Administrative District of the capital. Today, it has become the site of one of the largest technological infrastructure development projects in Russia — the creation of a national space center. In addition, comprehensive work is being carried out in the district to improve and develop transport and engineering infrastructure.

    In 2019, the ground metro arrived here. The first Moscow Central Diameter (MCD-1) “Belorussko-Savelovsky” included the Fili station. The rolling stock on the Filyovskaya metro line was completely updated, the vestibules and platforms of the Fili and Filyovsky Park stations were renovated. The North-West Chord gave residents of the district additional options for fast and convenient travel around the city.

    Bagration Avenue, which was put into operation in 2023, also became part of the capital’s new transport framework. The six-lane outbound highway not only improved transport links in the western districts of the city, but also relieved congestion on neighboring highways, including Kutuzovsky Avenue and Mozhaisk Highway.

    In addition, in the Filevsky Park area, the overpass over the MCD-1 tracks and Bagration Avenue was renovated with the reconstruction of Barklaya Street, Promyshlenniy and Bagrationovsky Proezds. An underground pedestrian crossing on Barklaya Street (near house 5, building 2) was opened for local residents.

    The improvement of traffic in the area was facilitated by the construction of a new street – Projected Passage No. 2017, which connected Bolshaya Filevskaya Street with Beregovoy and Novofilevskiy Passages, and a section of the road from Bolshaya Filevskaya Street to the Third Transport Ring (along Projected Passages No. 2123 and 1033).

    In December 2024, a new bridge across the Moskva River was opened in the line of Myasishchev Street. It connected the Filevskaya and Mnevnikovskaya floodplains. Now, in the line of Beregovoy Proyezd, a bridge across the Moskva River is being built with the reconstruction of the adjacent street and road network from Novozavodskaya Street to 3rd Magistralnaya Street. Another bridge across the Moskva River is being built near Novozavodskaya Street. It will provide transport links between the Filevsky Park district and the North-West Chord.

    For the convenience of residents, 13 new routes of ground city transport were organized in the area, and about 50 modern bus stops were installed. The first regular route of river electric transport was extended to the Park Fili pier.

    Three electric charging stations of the city project “Moscow Energy” have been equipped. Electric vehicle drivers can find the nearest one and plan a convenient route using the “Moscow Transport” application. Fans of cycling can use 25 bicycle parking areas and eight city bike rental stations.

    A large-scale project to improve the urban environment is the comprehensive improvement of the Fili children’s park. Kastanaevskaya, Krylatskaya and Myasishcheva streets, Bagrationovsky proezd and the proezd from Barklaya street to maternity hospital No. 2 have become more comfortable for walking and relaxing. The Moscow River coastline in the Beregovoy proezd area has been improved.

    In the district, 85 courtyards, more than 120 playgrounds and sports grounds were put in order. 360 outdoor lighting poles were installed, more than 5.2 thousand trees and shrubs were planted.

    In 2025, the area plans to improve Oleko Dundich Street, Filevsky Boulevard near building 10, and pedestrian approaches to the Fili Park pier.

    In addition, the embankment of the Moscow River from Filevsky Park to the territory of the P.N. Fomenko Workshop Theatre is being reconstructed. The work is planned to be completed in 2026.

    To improve the quality and accessibility of outpatient care in the district, a reconstruction was carried out of branch No. 2 of the Clinical Diagnostic Center No. 4 on Fizkulturny Proezd (building 6) and branch No. 4 of Polyclinic No. 220 on Filevsky Boulevard (building 18), which also houses branch No. 5 of Children’s Polyclinic No. 30.

    The building of the My Documents center on Novozavodskaya Street (building 25, block 1) was completely renovated. Comfortable conditions for receiving government services and related services were created there.

    For older residents, there is a Moscow Longevity Center (2-ya Filevskaya Street, Building 7, Block 7). Here you can engage in your favorite hobby, maintain physical activity, communicate and gain new knowledge.

    There is a single support center in Beregovoy Proezd that provides comprehensive assistance to participants in the special military operation and their relatives.

    Thanks to the major renovation of the premises, new opportunities for creative education were given to the pupils of the A. A. Alyabyev Children’s Art School on Bolshaya Filevskaya Street (building 6). In addition, the Gnessin Children’s Music School on Bolshaya Filevskaya Street (building 29) was undergoing routine renovation in the district.

    They renovated Children’s Library No. 203 on Kastanaevskaya Street (building 7), Library No. 213 named after Lesya Ukrainka on Bolshaya Filevskaya Street (building 19/18, building 1) and Novozavodskaya Street (building 2, building 5), as well as two branches of the territorial club system “Brigantina” on Kastanaevskaya Street (building 9, building 2 and building 26).

    The sports infrastructure of the district was expanded with a volleyball arena on Vasilisy Kozhina Street (building 13) and a sports complex with a skating rink made of lightweight structures on Filevsky Boulevard (building 12, building 4). The major overhaul of the premises of the sports complex of the Moscow Complex Sports School of the Olympic Reserve “West” on Bolshaya Filevskaya Street (building 6) was completed.

    Under the My School program, the building of the Proton educational center on Filevsky Boulevard (house 3, block 2) is being modernized. A comprehensive school for 375 students is being built in Bagrationovsky Proezd.

    Implementation of the renovation program

    In the Filevsky Park area, 35 buildings were included in the renovation program. 6.5 thousand Muscovites will move into new modern apartments.

    Stages of resettlement:

    — the first stage (2020–2024) — 11 houses. It is 100 percent complete, six houses have been or are being resettled, five houses have been demolished;

    — the second stage (2025–2028) — 22 houses, two of which are in the process of resettlement;

    — third stage (2029–2032) — two houses.

    Residential complexes have been built and handed over for occupancy in the area at the following addresses: Beregovoy Proezd, Buildings 1a and 1b, Bolshaya Filevskaya Street, Building 6a, and Promyshlenniy Proezd, Building 4. Another new building is currently being erected. In addition, design and urban planning documentation is being prepared for three residential properties.

    Sobyanin: About 20.6 thousand residents of the Western Administrative District received modern housing under the renovation program

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12372050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BP’s polluting and profiteering is destroying our planet

    Source: Scottish Greens

    11 Feb 2025 Climate

    It is time to leave fossil fuels behind.

    More in Climate

    The astronomical profits of BP and other oil and gas giants are destroying our planet and chaining us to a broken energy market, says the Scottish Greens’ climate spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP.
     
    Mr Ruskell’s comments come as BP has published profits for Q4 2024.
     
    Mr Ruskell said:

    “Households and families across our country are suffering from eye-watering bills and a broken energy market, while BP and other fossil fuel giants are reporting astronomical profits.
     
    “Our reliance on fossil fuels is hammering household budgets, and it is destroying our planet. Global temperatures are breaking records while extreme weather events are becoming the new normal.
     
    “Yet, at the same time, as these companies have been raking in obscene profits, they have squandered the opportunity to invest in renewables. They have stuck to a broken system that is harmful for people and planet.
     
    “It is time for Labour to close the loopholes in the windfall tax and ensure that these climate wreckers are paying their fair share so that we can support people who are being trapped in fuel poverty.”

     
    Mr Ruskell added:

    “Our best defence against global oil and gas prices is to make the investment that is needed in clean, green renewable energy so that we can have proper energy security and lower bills.
     
    “Leaving fossil fuels in the ground and going green is the only way that we can ensure a liveable future for generations to come.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Home Office ‘clickbait’ deportation videos are exploitative and cruel

    Source: Scottish Greens

    11 Feb 2025 Equality

    Labour are normalising hatred and division through state sponsored scapegoating.

    More in Equality

    The Home Office’s decision to share footage of people being deported is “exploitative” and “obscene” says Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman.
     
    Ms Chapman has accused the UK government of using the cruel footage as clickbait as part of its hostile environment agenda.
     
    Ms Chapman said:

    “Even by the disgraceful standards of the Home Office this is obscene. Our migrant communities are not a prop to be dehumanised and exploited by Keir Starmer in these sickening videos.
     
    “How did the Labour leader go from being a human rights lawyer to using exploitative footage of people being deported as clickbait?
     
    “It is the oldest and most cynical trick in the book. Labour are pointing the finger at marginalised people at the same time as they are attacking pensioners by cutting winter fuel payments and hammering households with even greater energy costs.
     
    “Nigel Farage will be rubbing his hands together. The last thing we need is more state sponsored scapegoating, racism and division, but that is all that Labour is offering.
     
    “The policies and the practices of the Home Office are an affront to human rights and the values that Labour is supposed to stand for.
     
    “It is impossible to defeat the far right by normalising their hatred and implementing all of their policies for them.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A house will appear on Magadanskaya Street under the renovation program

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    As part of the renovation program, a new apartment building will appear in the Losinoostrovsky district. This was reported by Juliana Knyazhevskaya, Chairman of the Committee for Architecture and Urban Development of Moscow.

    “Moskomarkhitektura has issued an urban development plan for a land plot of 0.34 hectares for the construction of a house under the renovation program at the address: Magadanskaya Street, Building 12. The maximum area of the new building will be 6.5 thousand square meters,” said Yuliana Knyazhevskaya.

    In addition to the construction of new housing, the renovation program is aimed at improving the urban environment and creating social and transport infrastructure near the houses. The house will have everything necessary for a comfortable life. Schools, kindergartens, clinics and a park are located nearby.

    The first floors of new buildings under the renovation program are made non-residential – they are intended for the placement of social and commercial facilities. The courtyards are landscaped, children’s and sports grounds appear there, as well as places for recreation.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin congratulated The 200,000th resident who began resettling under the program.

    The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million city residents and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Moscow Mayor instructed to double the pace of implementation of the renovation program.

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

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

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149939073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Master classes, performances, games: the Moskino cinema park’s weekend program

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Film conferences with directors, actors and scriptwriters, master classes and games for children, family film screenings and film expeditions, screenings of the multimedia performance “Cathedral Square” – all this and much more awaits guests of the Moskino cinema park on February 15 and 16. We tell you how to spend the coming weekend interestingly and usefully.

    Film meetings, performances and games

    On Saturday and Sunday from 13:00 to 17:00 on the second floor of the educational center there will be a forum “Film Fairy Tale”. The creators of famous fantasy films will talk about the specifics of the genre, the filming process and the use of modern technologies in film production. There will also be master classes in makeup, acting and creating a film costume. In addition, you can attend creative evenings with the participation of an actor and a screenwriter.

    At the chromakey, everyone will meet the cameraman, who will share the secrets of applying filters during filming. And in the decorations of “Moscow in the 1940s”, guests will learn how to create a video blog.

    On February 15 and 16 from 13:00 to 16:40, guests of the cinema park will be offered to watch the play “Mermaids and Legends”. The plot will take viewers to a magical land inhabited by ancient Greek heroes, brave sailors, dragons and other characters. Viewers will enjoy a show with shadow theater, puppets, tricks and sand animation to songs performed by Anna Morozova.

    The chromakey will also host animation games: young participants will roll balls through a wooden labyrinth, build houses from blocks, shoot at targets from a children’s bow, assemble coats of arms from puzzles, and also perform other tasks that require speed and attention.

    Historical adventures

    At 18:30 and 20:00, fans of historical adventures will be able to attend the play “Cathedral Square”. Kuzma Minin, Dmitry Pozharsky, Patriarch Hermogenes, False Dmitry II, Marina Mnishek and other heroes of the Time of Troubles will appear before the audience. On different days, famous theater and film actors Dmitry Pevtsov, Elena Zakharova, Anna Bolshova, Yulia Takshina, Valery Nikolaev, Evklid Kurdzidis, Olga Kabo and other artists will take part in the performances. Incredible color projections, action-packed dramaturgy and musical compositions written especially for the play will leave unforgettable impressions of the weekend.

    The performance is one hour long and is intended for audiences over six years old. Shows will run until February 23 on weekends. Tickets can be purchased here.

    Quests and master classes

    Guests will be able to gain new knowledge and see real film sets during the excursion “Cinema Expedition”, in which participants will be accompanied by a guide. And for lovers of leisurely walks, the quest “The Road Leads” in the fairy tale park will suit.

    Another game with tasks called “Film! Film! Film!” will take place in the “Center of Moscow” decoration. Participants will create a film project and participate in all stages of the film production.

    In the central square, guests will be treated to familiar songs performed by cover bands. In Chalet No. 1, master classes for children will be held: children will learn how to make cards from colored soap and tubes, create paintings using texture paste, and sculpt figures of fairy-tale characters from airy plasticine. In Chalet No. 2, young guests will be able to paint a movie clapperboard.

    New releases at the Moskino Kinopark cinema

    The Moskino Kinopark cinema is set to feature premieres of the week. The drama The Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin tells the story of the great poet’s life, his ups and downs, his search for love, and his creative path. The leading role is played by Yuri Borisov, the first Russian actor nominated for an Oscar. In addition, visitors to the cinema park will be able to watch the family comedy Manyunya: Ba’s Birthday. This is a touching story about how the characters try to organize their grandmother’s anniversary, but everything goes wrong. Will they be able to save the holiday and maintain their friendship? Find out the showtimes andbuy tickets You can find it on the website of the Moskino cinema park.

    You can get to the cinema park by car or by free buses from the Salaryevo metro station (route MK2, exit No. 3) and the Teply Stan metro station (route MK1, exit No. 6). They run every 25 minutes.

    The Moskino Cinema Park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project and an object of the Moscow film cluster. The first stage of development has already been completed here: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built. Among them are the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow of the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Moscow Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, Partisan Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.

    The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino Film Park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino Film Factory, the Moskino Cinema Network, the Film Commission and the Moskino Film Platform.

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

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149944073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Fox Business: The Democrats “Don’t Know What to Do”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined The Bottom Line on Fox Business to discuss the Democrats flip-flopping on their bipartisan promises, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) personnel to protect the border, why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs major reform, and the current status of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees.

    [embedded content]

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On the Democrats reversing course on bipartisanship:
    “It looks like my friends across the aisle will work with anybody whose name is not Donald Trump. The way I see it up here right now, if this were an MMA fight, the Democrats would be tapping out. It’s like Donald Trump has hit them with body flip, body jab after body jab, and now they’re folding. They’ve lost their confidence. They don’t know what to do.”
    “This turn of bipartisanship is just a turn of convenience. But now we have Donald Trump doing what he said he was going to do. He’s going to get rid of waste, fraud, abuse, and incompetence, and now they’ve lost it, and Donald Trump is winning this fight.”
    “Yeah, take USAID, for instance. Congress asked multiple times – open these books up for us and show it to us. We’ve asked the Pentagon to assess their own spending as well, and it never happens. It’s taken someone like an Elon Musk to work for President Trump to do exactly what Americans ask him to do – and that’s get rid of this waste, fraud, and abuse.”
    On FEMA needing large-scale reform:
    “It’s been four months since hurricane Helene. We still have 3500 North Carolina families that don’t have a home. Something’s not working right here. Here’s a former Governor, Governor Noem there, saying, look, let’s let the Governors use some of that money and put it to work in the right way as well. So we’ve got to do something differently.”
    “Let’s not forget, it wasn’t too long that FEMA used over a billion dollars to take care and house people that were here illegally as well. So we need a redo there at FEMA. We need to start over. We need to pause and figure out how to do this the right way.”
    On deputizing and deploying IRS agents to the U.S. southern border at the request of DHS:
    “Promises made, promises kept here. President Trump said all hands on deck. I think most Americans would agree with me that the most significant initial concern to our country right now is this open southern border. So let’s use the IRS agents to chase the money. Think about this, all the human trafficking, all the fentanyl poisoning… behind that is money laundering. Who would be better than the IRS agents to track down that money laundering and work with the DHS agents? I think this is very good use of our resources as well.”
    “I just want to emphasize goodness, we’re losing 200 people Americans every day from fentanyl poisoning, and the money used for that is being laundered by the Chinese triad, this Chinese organized crime group, and using a crypto a lot of at times as well. So we need to unleash all the resources we have to secure our borders, but then chase the bad guys, as they say. And I think the IRS is very equipped to do this. Let’s work together. If, wherever the you know the hemorrhaging is going, let’s stop that hemorrhaging. And that’s exactly what President Trump’s doing here.”
    On President Trump’s Cabinet nominees advancing through confirmations: 
    “I want to brag on John Thune – Leader John Thune – and the job that he’s doing. We’re way ahead of Biden’s pace for getting people approved. I think we’re right there even with Barack Obama, his pace getting things approved, so we’re making progress.”
    “This is a big week. We have Tulsi Gabbard and Bobby Kennedy Jr. up in front of us today. I think those are probably the two toughest hurdles we’ve got going on. Kash Patel will be a little bit of a hurdle as well, but I think we’re making excellent progress.”
    “I think the senators up here are hearing Americans out there – they’re hearing across the country that they want Bobby Kennedy to be a game changer, to be a disrupter as well. You know, I saw something interesting this week that President Trump’s numbers with younger people especially went up like 10% – 10 points here in the past week or two. I think a lot of that is because of people like Tulsi Gabbard, people like Bobby Kennedy, Jr, Kash Patel, that relate to younger people as well. So it’s a great week. It’s a great month to be up here working with President Trump.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft Preserves Rare Languages of Indigenous Peoples of the North

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    RN-Purneftegaz (part of the Rosneft oil and gas production complex) summed up the results of a grant competition for scientific, educational and research projects aimed at solving social issues of the indigenous peoples of the North living in the Purovsky District of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The winner of the competition was a project to develop teaching aids for children in the language of the Forest Nenets, presented by the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    The project includes the development of a teaching aid and a simulator for online learning, as well as the publication of a book for reading and a workbook for completing practical assignments for elementary grades.

    The language of the Forest Nenets is characterized by a complex system of rules for constructing and changing words. With the participation of linguists, it is planned to develop a methodological base, test questions and answers, on the basis of which teachers will be able to form tasks of varying degrees of complexity. An online trainer will help children complete homework, as well as practice declension and conjugation forms for correct word formation.

    Currently, the language of the Forest Nenets is endangered and is spoken by about a thousand people. The language of the Forest Nenets differs significantly from the language of the Tundra Nenets, which is spoken by most of the indigenous people of Yamal. The grant project of RN-Purneftegaz is aimed at preserving the unique language and national identity of the Forest Nenets.

    With the support of RN-Purneftegaz, a project to develop the practice of preparing children for school directly in the places where families live – in nomadic kindergartens – has already been successfully implemented. Based on the results of a scientific study conducted by the Yakut branch of the Federal Institute of Native Languages, a collection of methodological materials “Trends in nomadic education” was compiled. It included development programs in the Nenets language, unique practices and lesson plans for pre-school preparation of pupils of nomadic groups of northern peoples. Training was also conducted for educators working in nomadic kindergartens of the district. The project made it possible to select new methods and forms of organizing pre-school education for children from nomadic families.

    Preservation of the national culture of the indigenous peoples of the North and their traditional way of life is one of the significant areas of Rosneft’s social policy. The Company’s enterprises implement many social projects in the regions of their operations, develop the infrastructure of northern villages, help reindeer herder families, improve the material and technical base of educational institutions, social and medical facilities in the areas of original residence of indigenous peoples.

    Reference:

    RN-Purneftegaz is one of the main oil and gas production centers of Rosneft in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, carrying out production activities in 16 license areas. The company’s cumulative production exceeds 280 million tons of oil.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft February 11, 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 Asia-Pac: President Lai expresses concern and condolences following bus accident in Guatemala

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    President Lai expresses concern and condolences following bus accident in Guatemala
    On February 10 local time, a bus in Guatemala City, Guatemala fell into a ravine, resulting in the unfortunate loss of many of its passengers. On February 11, Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that President Lai Ching-te, on behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and his sincere prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.
    Spokesperson Kuo stated that President Lai, upon first learning of the accident, directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Guatemala to contact the Guatemalan government and convey the president and the people’s concern and condolences for this tragic incident, as well as to offer any help necessary. Spokesperson Kuo said the president has also expressed hope for smooth rescue and recovery operations and that Taiwan is with Guatemala as it goes through this difficult time.  

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: More than 172 thousand people have moved from dilapidated housing in the Urals Federal District

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the city of Uray

    February 11, 2025

    Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the city of Uray

    February 11, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the city of Uray

    Active work is underway in the regions to resettle people from dilapidated housing. In particular, in the Urals Federal District, more than 2.7 million square meters of dilapidated housing have been resettled since 2019, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.

    “Comfortable living conditions are one of the basic needs of a person. In Russia, on the instructions of the President, a state program was launched, thanks to which people living in dilapidated houses can move to new ones. This program is being implemented in 84 regions in all federal districts. Including in the Urals Federal District, 172.9 thousand people have moved from dilapidated housing since 2019. I would like to note the activity of the regions in resolving the issue of resettling dilapidated housing. Of the total number of resettled people, 82.2 thousand citizens improved their housing conditions under programs that are implemented at the expense of budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    He noted that the top three regions in terms of the volume of resettled dilapidated housing were the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra (901.8 thousand sq. m), the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (805.4 thousand sq. m) and the Sverdlovsk Region (429.1 thousand sq. m).

    The Ministry of Construction is the curator of the program for resettling citizens from dilapidated housing, and the operator is the PPK “Territorial Development Fund”.

    “Of the six regions of the Ural Federal District, three have already completed the resettlement of emergency housing, recognized as such before January 1, 2017, and have begun resettling citizens from houses recognized as unfit for habitation in the period from January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2022. These are the Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, as well as the Chelyabinsk Region, where 8.7 thousand people have been resettled from such housing with a total area of 145.6 thousand square meters,” said Ilshat Shagiakhmetov, General Director of the Territorial Development Fund.

    It should be noted that since 2019, the resettlement of emergency housing in the regions has been carried out within the framework of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment”. Now large-scale work continues under the new national project “Infrastructure for Life” launched this 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 Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Estonian defense industry delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Estonian defense industry delegation

    Date：2025-02-05
    Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    No. 032 
    February 5, 2025 

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a welcome luncheon on February 4 for an Estonian defense industry delegation led by Chair of the Estonia-Taiwan Support Group of the Parliament of Estonia Kristo Enn Vaga. The delegation included senior parliamentarian Kalle Laanet—who previously served as minister of defense, minister of the interior, and minister of justice—as well as representatives of the defense industry. During the event, the two sides exchanged views on cooperation in defense industry innovation, whole-of-society resilience, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other issues. 
     
    Minister Lin noted that Taiwan and Estonia had both experienced authoritarian rule and therefore greatly cherished their hard-won freedoms and democracy. Commenting on authoritarian expansionism in recent years, he pointed out that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, China’s recurrent military exercises in the waters around Taiwan, and frequent incidents of sabotage of underwater cables in the Baltic Sea and the waters off Taiwan underscored the importance of enhancing collaboration among democratic nations. Minister Lin also spoke about having led a delegation of the Taiwanese drone industry to Lithuania last November to demonstrate Taiwan’s determination to build democratic supply chains together with like-minded nations. He welcomed this visit by the Estonian defense industry delegation, which, he said, would open up additional areas for cooperation. 
     
    Chair Vaga stated that the democratic community had realized that if like-minded partners did not work together to establish supply chains, national security could become susceptible to potential threats. Observing that Taiwan and Estonia were both the targets of massive daily disinformation attacks and that underwater cables serving each had recently been damaged, Chair Vaga urged the democratic community to become more united against all manner of threats and challenges. He also pledged to steadily promote relations between Taiwan and Estonia.
     
    At the luncheon, Minister Lin thanked the representatives of Motex Healthcare and Taiwan Comfort Champ Manufacturing for their joint donation of 1.11 million masks to Ukraine and Estonia during the Estonian delegation’s visit to Taiwan, adding that it highlighted the Taiwanese spirit of humanitarian assistance. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs François Chihchung Wu witnessed the donation ceremony on behalf of Minister Lin. 
     
    Deputy Minister Wu said that, since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Taiwan had worked proactively with like-minded countries to support Ukraine. He stated that the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia and the Estonian Centre for International Development had signed a partnership agreement last June, under which Taiwan would donate €1.1 million to support the construction of homes for orphans in Ukraine. Deputy Minister Wu expressed pleasure that Taiwanese companies had shown a commitment to corporate social responsibility and demonstrated that Taiwan could help and that Taiwan was helping. His views were echoed by Chairman of Motex Healthcare Y. C. Cheng and Chairman of Taiwan Comfort Champ Manufacturing Andy Chen, both of whom expressed a willingness to work with the government to assist Ukraine. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Overpass over SZKh near Novozavodskaya Street to be completed in 2026

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The construction of the overpass across the main route of the North-West Chord (NWCH) towards Rublevskoye Highway is planned to be completed in 2026. This was reported by Sergei Sobyanin in his telegram channel.

    The 155-meter-long overpass is being built as part of the Targeted Investment Program. It will provide an exit from the residential and public areas of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain to the main route of the North-West Chord.

    “Thanks to the overpass and the new bridge across the Moskva River in line with Novozavodskaya Street, we will be able to create an additional exit to the SZH and a new route to the Filevsky Park area, to the National Space Center and the Khrunichev site of the Technopolis Moscow SEZ,” wrote Sergei Sobyanin.

    According to the architects’ idea, the artificial structure will harmoniously fit into the surrounding floodplain development: the same lighting masts as in the neighboring blocks will be installed on the overpass. The V-shaped supports with smooth rounding were developed individually for each span, while maintaining a uniform style.

    Currently, the construction readiness of the overpass is 70 percent.

    Development of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain area

    Today Mnevnikovskaya floodplain— one of the largest development centers of the city. It is planned to build about three million square meters of real estate here. The construction of a modern urban area with residential areas, educational facilities, sports centers, a surf park and numerous green recreation areas is underway.

    One of the largest sports clusters in Moscow, with an area of about 500 thousand square meters, is being created on the territory of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain. It will include an ice palace, the Alexander Ovechkin International Hockey Academy, a training center for the Russian national football team, a multifunctional building with a curling arena, as well as the CSKA basketball club and a rowing base with the necessary infrastructure.

    Currently, over 200 thousand square meters of various real estate have been put into operation, including residential buildings, an educational complex for 925 students, an ice palace and other facilities.

    Large-scale work continues creation of a modern transport infrastructure. In 2021, two stations of the Big Circle Line of the metro were opened in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain: Mnevniki and Terekhovo. The reconstruction of Nizhnie Mnevniki Street (North-West Chord) was carried out with the construction of bridges across the Moskva River and locks. In December 2024, a bridge was opened across the Moskva River in line with Myasishchev Street, which connected the Filevskaya and Mnevnikovskaya floodplains, as well as an underground pedestrian crossing in the area of the junction with Myasishchev Street.

    A project to develop the local street and road network is currently being implemented, within the framework of which streets will appear to provide access to residential areas under construction, sports facilities and metro stations. They are also building a road bridge across the Moskva River in line with Novozavodskaya Street, an overpass across the main route of the SZH towards Rublevskoye Highway, two bicycle and pedestrian bridges across the Moskva River to Ostrovnaya Street (Krylatskoye district) and towards Fili Park. In addition, they will make two pedestrian crossings, including one overground (across the SZH in the area of the Moskvoretsky Arboretum) and one underground (in the area of the Moskvoretsky Natural and Historical Park). The plans include the reconstruction of the embankments of the Moskva River with a total length of about seven kilometers.

    In total, they plan to build 17 kilometers of roads on the territory of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain.

    Four pedestrian bridges will be built in Moscow by the end of 2027The new bridge in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain will have spectacular arches — Sergei SobyaninSergei Sobyanin opened a unique ice palace in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplainConstruction of the International Hockey Academy continues in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12371050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: European Parliament plenary debate on the European Central Bank Annual Report

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    It is a great pleasure to take part in this plenary session and discuss your draft resolution on the ECB’s Annual Report.

    At the ECB, we are deeply committed to transparency and accountability, particularly in how we communicate with the public and their elected representatives in the European Parliament. In fact, in the last parliamentary term we interacted with this Parliament even more frequently than in previous terms.1

    At the same time, we greatly value the opportunity to hear the Parliament’s views. Your resolution and debate are an important pillar of the ECB’s accountability framework and a key channel for you to share your views with us – and we listen. For instance, next week will mark ten years since the ECB started publishing the accounts of the Governing Council’s monetary policy meetings2, a major step in enhancing our monetary policy communication and one that this Parliament had called for.

    This year’s draft resolution covers key issues that are central to the ECB’s mandate and the future of the euro area, including our response to inflation, the digital euro and the ECB’s role in supporting the EU’s broader economic policies. It also reflects the dynamic challenges we face in Europe today, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on all of these issues and having a constructive dialogue with you.

    But let me first start by outlining our view on the current economic situation in the euro area and our monetary policy stance. I will then address the broader economic challenges we are facing and their implications for monetary policy.

    The euro area economy and the ECB’s monetary policy

    The euro area economy grew modestly in 2024. While output stagnated in the fourth quarter, it was still 0.9% higher than at the end of 2023. Surveys indicate that manufacturing continues to contract while services activity is expanding. Consumer confidence is fragile and, despite rising real incomes, households are hesitant to spend more.

    Nevertheless, the conditions for a recovery remain in place. A solid job market and higher incomes should strengthen consumer confidence and allow spending to rise. More affordable credit should boost consumption and investment over time. Exports should also support the recovery as global demand rises, although this is conditional on developments in international trade policies.

    Inflation stood at 2.5% in January and has recently developed broadly in line with staff projections. Core inflation has remained at 2.7% in recent months, reflecting a sideways movement in both services and goods inflation. Wage growth is moderating as expected, although it remains elevated, while profits are partially buffering the impact of wage increases on inflation.

    Inflation is set to return to our 2% medium-term target in the course of this year, with risks on both the upside and the downside. Greater friction in global trade would make the euro area inflation outlook more uncertain.

    In total, the ECB has lowered interest rates by 125 basis points since last June, and the deposit facility rate – the rate through which we steer the monetary policy stance – now stands at 2.75%. At our last meeting in January, we decided to lower our key interest rates by 25 basis points, based on an updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. In particular, the disinflation process in the euro area is well on track. Most measures of underlying inflation suggest that inflation will settle at around our target on a sustained basis. And while financing conditions continue to be tight, our recent interest rate cuts are gradually making borrowing less expensive.

    We are determined to ensure that inflation stabilises sustainably at our 2% medium-term target. We will follow a data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach to determining the appropriate monetary policy stance. We are not pre-committing to a particular rate path.

    A challenging economic environment for monetary policy

    Let me now turn to the broader economic environment and its implications for monetary policy.

    Europe has faced a series of unprecedented challenges in recent years, each with its own far-reaching impact. From the COVID-19 pandemic to surging energy prices and the geopolitical upheaval caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have navigated our way through a storm of supply shocks. As we look ahead, the frequency of these shocks is likely to remain high.

    While we have weathered these crises, the past few years have also revealed missed opportunities and underinvestment in areas such as the digital transformation and the green transition – and the uncertainty surrounding trade and economic policy continues to weigh on consumption and investment.3 As a result, and as highlighted in reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, Europe finds itself lagging behind international competitors in productivity and growth.

    In a world driven by shifting global dynamics and rapid technological change, Europe must strike a delicate balance between achieving strategic autonomy and preserving its openness to the global economy. As President Ursula von der Leyen and I highlighted in a recent article, Europe’s response to these challenges must be bold and strategic. While the outlook may seem daunting, the prospects are more promising than they might appear.4

    One of Europe’s first priorities should be to deepen the Internal Market. By removing remaining barriers within the Single Market – barriers that effectively function like tariffs – we can unlock economies of scale, encourage innovation and reduce costs for consumers and producers alike. We are already home to a wealth of ideas and innovators. Our challenge is to transform these ideas into technologies that fuel economic growth. To do so, we need to reduce administrative burdens and foster an innovation-friendly environment.

    Another critical area is enhancing Europe’s autonomy in payments, which form the backbone of our economy and our single currency. At present, a few foreign providers dominate Europe’s payments landscape, leaving us vulnerable to external pressures. As we face an increasingly digital future, we must prepare the ground for a digital euro. This will ensure the resilience and public good nature of our payment systems. It will also provide a platform for private innovation in digital payments.

    With substantial savings at its disposal, Europe must channel more resources into private investment and scale up financing to support its innovators. A genuine capital markets union designed for citizens and businesses alike will be instrumental here.

    More broadly, investment must be the cornerstone of Europe’s economic transformation. The focus must be on investing in physical and digital infrastructure, research and development, and green technologies. These are not optional but essential investments required to drive productivity and guarantee Europe’s competitiveness on the global stage. Moreover, they will address our energy dependence and help us meet our climate goals – both pressing imperatives.

    In this regard, we welcome the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass as a concrete roadmap for action, which will also support the ECB in maintaining price stability by reducing Europe’s susceptibility to supply shocks.

    That said, the ECB is not standing idle. We are committed to learning from the experiences of recent years. As part of the ongoing assessment of our monetary policy strategy, we are preparing for the risk of an increasingly volatile future. We are taking stock of a changed inflation environment and economic context. We are also focusing on the implications for monetary policy, our experiences with our evolving policy toolkit, our reaction function and how to better deal with risk and uncertainty in policy setting and communications. While the ECB continuously evaluates and adapts its economic models – a topic raised in your resolution – assessing new analytical needs will be one component of this assessment.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    The challenges facing Europe are immense, but solutions are within our reach. Our opportunity lies in more Europe.

    As Konrad Adenauer said 70 years ago, “European unity was the dream of a few. It became the hope for many. Today it is a necessity for all of us.” This sentiment rings true today more than ever.

    To jointly tackle Europe’s challenges, I am counting on the Parliament’s commitment. Within its mandate, the ECB will play its part. Ever since the introduction of the euro, the ECB has continuously adapted to changing economic environments to fulfil its mandate. We remain fully committed to delivering on this mandate. We are equally committed to maintaining our active and meaningful dialogue with the Parliament.

    Thank you for your attention. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of self-employed in Moscow has exceeded 1.9 million

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the capital, the number of payers of the professional income tax at the beginning of 2025 exceeded 1.9 million people. This was reported by Maria Bagreeva, Deputy Mayor of Moscow, Head of the Department of Economic Policy and City Development.

    “Moscow’s large consumer market and the support measures provided by the city allow entrepreneurs to develop their businesses in the directions and formats that are attractive to them. In 2024, the number of self-employed people working in the capital increased by almost 350 thousand and exceeded 1.9 million people. 16 percent of Russian registered professional income taxpayers work in Moscow. Over the entire period of this tax regime, which has been in effect in the capital since January 1, 2019, they have earned almost 1.5 trillion rubles, including 536 billion rubles in 2024,” noted Maria Bagreeva.

    Last year, the self-employed transferred 15.1 billion rubles to the Moscow budget – 46 percent more than in 2023. Over the entire period of the special tax regime, more than 39 billion rubles in professional income tax have already been received by the capital’s budget.

    In 2024, 181 million checks were issued to clients — twice as many as the year before. This indicates an increase in business activity among the self-employed in Moscow. At the same time, the average check size at the end of 2024 was 3,152 rubles.

    The advantages of this tax regime are the ease of registration and the automated mode of transferring information about the income received. In addition, the self-employed person is not required to submit tax reports or use cash registers.

    According to the Federal Tax Service, in 2024, the most popular types of activity among the capital’s self-employed, which they indicated during registration, were passenger and freight transportation, delivery, apartment rental, construction, advertising and marketing.

    Moscow has a developed modern infrastructure for professional self-realization, including those who choose the entrepreneurial scenario. On Shchepkina Street (house 38, building 1) there is a center for innovative personnel services “Professions of the Future”Here you can master one of 75 in-demand specialties in various sectors of the economy, get help in finding a job or start your own business. All this will take a maximum of 3.5 months.

    At the flagship center “My work” (Shabolovka Street, Building 48) a unique full-cycle ecosystem, “Self-Employment in Hands,” has been created. Here you can get advice on starting your own business, take part in career guidance classes and develop entrepreneurial skills.

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149931073/

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: A modern multifunctional space will be created in Kommunarka under the KRT program

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In Kommunarka, a 3.13-hectare site will be reorganized under the integrated territorial development program (ITD). A draft of the corresponding decision already published on the mos.ru portal. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “A modern multifunctional space will be created on the territory between Edvarda Griga and Lipovy Park streets. The project involves the construction of a sports cluster and other public and business facilities here. Investments in the development of the site will amount to 7.6 billion rubles, and the annual budget effect will be 169.14 million rubles. As a result, the city will receive over 270 jobs,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    The reorganized territory has high transport accessibility – the Potapovo metro station and the Solntsevo-Butovo-Varshavskoye Shosse highway are nearby.

    “The development area of the site in Kommunarka will be 40.6 thousand square meters. It is planned to create a sports cluster here, which will include, among other things, an extreme sports center and an open sports ground. A medical center and a parking lot for 550 cars will also appear on the territory. The implementation of the project will provide local residents with the necessary infrastructure,” said the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of City Property

    Maxim Gaman.

    According to the program of integrated development of territories, multifunctional city blocks are created, where roads, comfortable housing and all necessary infrastructure are designed on the site of former industrial zones and inefficiently used areas. Currently, 302 KRT projects with a total area of about 4.2 thousand hectares are at various stages of development and implementation in Moscow. This work is carried out on behalf of Sergei Sobyanin.

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149933073/

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Schools and kindergartens: what social facilities will appear on the territory of the former Tushino airfield

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Educational facilities with an area of over 150 thousand square meters will appear on the site of the former Tushino airfield in the Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo area. The development project for the territory also provides for the construction of over 300 thousand square meters of commercial and public-business infrastructure facilities. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “The territory of the former Tushino airfield is actively developing: residential buildings are being built, social and public-business infrastructure is being created. In total, it is planned to build more than 450 thousand square meters of commercial, public-business and social infrastructure there. By now, two schools, five kindergartens and a number of sports facilities have already appeared on the territory. Four educational institutions are currently under construction, and plans include the construction of five more,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

    The area now has the Lukoil Arena stadium, a training base with six open football fields, the Chkalov Arena sports complex, which includes an ice rink, a multi-purpose sports hall, dance halls and other venues.

    “Currently, two schools with a total of 1.7 thousand places and a total area of over 45 thousand square meters and the same number of kindergartens with a total area of over 10 thousand square meters are being built on the territory of the Tushino airfield. In addition, it is planned to build a shopping and entertainment center with an area of over 17 thousand square meters,” noted the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of the City of Moscow

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Previously Sergei Sobyanin said on the completion of construction of a school on Volokolamsk Highway.

    In 2024, 44 schools and kindergartens were built in the capital

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149934073/

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