NewzIntel.com

Category: Statistics

  • MIL-OSI China: New museums explore Xinjiang’s ethnic unity, ancient Chinese roots

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

    Aerial photo taken on March 22, 2021 shows the ruins of the Subax buddhist temple in Kuqa City of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Su Chuanyi)

    China opened two new museums in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday, showcasing artifacts that highlight the region’s rich history as a hub of ethnic integration and cultural exchange, as well as the diversity of Chinese civilization.

    One of the museums, the Museum of the Western Regions Frontier Command in Luntai County, stands on the site of a Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-8 AD) protectorate first established in 60 BC to govern the Xinjiang area, which marked the official incorporation of the area into the Chinese territory.

    Spanning 5,120 square meters of exhibition space with galleries divided into five sections, the museum features more than 460 artifacts (some grouped as sets) including pottery, bronze and iron wares and silk fragments. It uses immersive exhibits such as multimedia reconstructions of ancient scenes to illustrate how imperial Chinese authorities governed Xinjiang and fostered cultural exchange over two millennia.

    In 2018, with approval from the National Cultural Heritage Administration, a joint archaeological team from Peking University’s School of Archaeology and Museology and the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology launched excavations at the Zorkut site in Luntai.

    Professor Chen Ling from Peking University explained that the unique triple-walled structure of the Zorkut ancient city ruins, along with the discovery of Han Dynasty-style building materials and valuable artifacts, provided key evidence that it was the seat of the Western Regions Frontier Command.

    Through the latest archaeological findings and unearthed artifacts, the museum reveals how the Xinjiang area evolved under successive central governments amid enduring interaction, cultural exchange and integration among ethnic groups in the area, said Chen Ying, head of the bureau of cultural heritage of the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin, where Luntai is located.

    Turgun Jelili, a villager from the nearby town of Karabag, said he felt extremely proud to see such a modern museum in his home region. “The architecture is stunning, and the exhibits are truly impressive. It left a deep impression on me,” he said, adding that he plans to bring his daughter to visit soon.

    Also on Sunday, Luntai inaugurated the Zorkut ancient city archaeological park, creating an integrated cultural experience for visitors to explore both museum treasures and the actual ruins.

    In Kuqa City, some 100 kilometers west of Luntai, the newly constructed Qiuci Museum commenced its public opening on the same day, housing 700 cultural relics (some grouped as sets), among which 96 fall under China’s three-tiered heritage protection system, including a Tang Dynasty (618-907) stone Buddha carving, Qiuci manuscripts, a silver coral-beaded veil and a painted clay sculpture.

    The museum, named after the ancient kingdom of Kucha (“Qiuci” is its Chinese pinyin form), features galleries exploring Kucha’s legacy through its history, urban development and Buddhist art displays, plus rotating special exhibitions.

    The ancient Kucha region, centered on present-day Kuqa City, spanned the mid-southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the northern rim of the Tarim Basin. Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), this strategic crossroads served as both a military-administrative hub for Chinese governance in the Western Regions and a cultural melting pot where Eastern and Western civilizations converged, according to Feng Wei, vice curator of the museum.

    The region preserves the extraordinary cultural heritage that embodies the enduring historical ties between the Western Regions and the central plain areas, once the heartland of ancient China, Feng noted.

    Statistics from the regional culture and tourism department show that Xinjiang’s 150 registered museums received over 13 million visits in 2024, 3.5 million of which were from young people. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Something borrowed, something blue? Why the reign of the traditional wedding dress may be over

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology

    Wedding Rebellion Workshop, London Ellie Cooper/unsplash

    The family and friends are all gathered, wedding bells are ringing, and the bride walks down the aisle in her beautiful bubblegum pink wedding dress.

    Twenty years ago, this would have raised some eyebrows. But not so much now, as a growing number of women opt to buck the traditional bridal gown for more unique and colourful finery.

    The origins of the white wedding dress

    The white wedding gown tradition wasn’t cemented in the West until the 19th century. Before then, brides across Europe wore all manner of hues on their wedding day, including reds, blues, yellows, and even black (often in cases where the bride was mourning a close family member).

    Diggers wedding in Melbourne, 1869.
    ST Gill 1852/State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, CC BY-NC

    During the Victorian era (1837–1901), fashion trends were heavily influenced by the wealthy, and especially by the royal families. So it was Queen Victoria’s 1840 wedding that truly kicked off the white wedding gown trend.

    In a bridal context, the colour white often came to be associated with “purity” – symbolism that can be traced back to ancient Rome, where white was worn by brides and by “vestal virgins” – the priestesses who served in the cult of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth.

    In the decades following Queen Victoria’s wedding, we continued to see British royal brides adorned in shades of white, and particularly ivory, cementing what a traditional wedding dress should look like.

    Breaking the mould

    That said, this tradition might now be on its way out, reflecting broader shifts in societal attitudes towards marriage.

    Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show a steady long-term decline in the percentage of people getting married – as well as an increase in the median marriage age for both men and women.

    Australia has also become increasingly multicultural. And with more multicultural marriages comes a unique blend of marriage traditions and colour palettes. For instance, in many Asian cultures, including Chinese and Vietnamese, it is customary to wear red due to its positive associations with luck, joy and happiness.

    Religious adherence also has a role to play in the overall aesthetic of modern weddings. A growing number of young Australians are identifying as non-religious, which means they’re less likely to partake in a church wedding with a puffy white tulle dress.

    Without religious protocols to follow, young couples are expressing their own youthful values at their weddings – and this often includes a more laid-back approach to dressing.

    The legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2017 has also prompted bridal stores to cater to a wider market by offering a greater variety of non-traditional colours and silhouettes.

    Meanwhile, social media and the rise of celebrity culture adds pressure to think outside the box.

    For decades, celebrities have been innovators delivering shock value on their special day. Back in 1954, Marilyn Monroe wore a dark brown suit to her second wedding with Joe DiMaggio. Some 15 years later, Audrey Hepburn got married in a pink Givenchy minidress.

    Today’s stars are following suit. In 2018, singer Mandy Moore donned a pink dress on her wedding day, while model Emily Ratijowsky chose a bright yellow Zara pantsuit.

    In Australia, designers have spent decades distancing themselves from the typical European influence to forge their own fashion identity. One such person, Akira Isogawa, helped develop the bridal landscape throughout the 1990s, by pushing the boundaries of the “traditional bride”.

    The Japanese-born designer brings his own flavour to bridal dresses by infusing them with Eastern elements such as different coloured silks, hand-embroidered motifs, unique beading and even woven fabric. He has also showcased his designs internationally, helping expand Australia’s fashion identity on a world stage.

    Impacts on the industry

    Despite the move away from traditional wedding gowns, bridal stores are expected to grow their revenue over the next few years. And the industry as a whole will likely continue to contribute to overconsumption by capitalising on the shift away from tradition.

    Many stores have changed their business model to cater for more women picking off-the-rack gowns due to financial pressures. According to one industry report, about 17% of brides in 2024 had a custom wedding dress made, compared to 75% purchasing a dress off-the rack, and 7% purchasing a second-hand dress.

    At the same time, a number of new fashion technologies are supporting the next generation of onshore manufacturing by allowing the creation of hyper-personalised dresses. In the future, it may be common for brides to co-design their off-the-rack wedding dress.

    Recycled and upcycled bridal dresses
    have been slow to gain popularity, despite growing pressure on the industry to be more sustainable.

    A broader cultural shift

    This may just be the tip of the iceberg of the non-traditional bridal movement. Australian weddings are starting to take their own shape, becoming less about formality and more about celebrating what couples value the most.

    While we won’t see every bride walking down the aisle in colours like fuchsia pink, we can expect to see more brides opt for softer pastels over shades of white.

    Ideally, the bridal industry would slow down in adopting new trends and instead focus on “localism” practices, wherein consumers are looped into the process of how their clothes are made. This would emphasise sustainability through local production and consumption, while also contributing to local fashion cultures.

    Jye Marshall is a member of The Australian Fashion Council and Ethical Clothing Australia Accreditation.

    – ref. Something borrowed, something blue? Why the reign of the traditional wedding dress may be over – https://theconversation.com/something-borrowed-something-blue-why-the-reign-of-the-traditional-wedding-dress-may-be-over-254806

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ Budget 2025: economic forecasting is notoriously difficult, but global uncertainty is making it harder

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Waikato

    Javier Ghersi/Getty Images

    This year’s budget will be one of the tightest in a decade, with the New Zealand government halving its operating allowance – the new money it has available to spend – from NZ$2.4 billion to $1.3 billion.

    The cut reflects weaker than expected growth owing to global economic turmoil. It also highlights just how difficult it is to predict what is going to happen when it comes to the economy.

    Economies are dynamic systems where relationships between variables shift. Even the current state of the economy is uncertain due to data revisions and lags in reporting.

    Despite this uncertainty, governments have to assume paths for revenue and expenditure to make meaningful plans.

    Based on the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023), the National Party announced plans to achieve an operating surplus in the year ending June 2027 during the 2023 election campaign.

    As forecasts changed, so did those plans. By the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU 2024), released in December 2024, the goal of an operating surplus had been pushed back to 2029.

    The table below shows the change in the 2027 forecasts for key economic indicators between the two fiscal updates.

    Nominal gross domestic product (GDP) measures the value of goods and services produced within a country during a specific period. It is a key determinant of tax revenue. Real GDP measures the volume of output of the New Zealand economy.

    Ultimately, the 2027 nominal GDP forecast at the half-year update was weaker than expected. This weakness was driven by lower than expected output, not by changes in prices.

    The 2027 forecast tax revenue fell even more sharply than the nominal GDP forecast. This was in part due to the government’s personal income tax cuts which have been costed at $3.7 billion a year.

    Finance Minister Nicola Willis has warned that the 2025 budget will be very tight, reflecting uncertainty in the global economy.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    More changes afoot

    We’re likely to see further downward revisions in economic growth. The Treasury has already lowered its economic growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026, in part due to the expected impact of global tariffs.

    While the direct effects of the tariffs on New Zealand may be limited, the indirect effects – particularly through increased global economic uncertainty – are likely to be substantial.

    Research has shown that United States-based uncertainty spills over into the New Zealand economy by making firms more pessimistic about the future. This pessimism leads to firms delaying investment, ultimately reducing potential output in the future.

    Potential output is important as it represents the economy’s capacity to grow without generating inflation. Potential GDP is affected by productivity, which has also been weaker than expected and one of the reasons Treasury lowered its forecasts after the pre-election fiscal update.

    The lesson from all of this

    New Zealand is running a structural budget deficit. That means the government is spending more than it earns, even accounting for the fact that governments automatically spend more and tax less in economic downturns.

    These deficits add to government debt, which can limit future spending and taxation choices. High debt can also hamper the government’s ability to assist in counteracting the next downturn if the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate is already near zero.

    It can also limit the ability of the government to respond to external shocks such as disasters or extreme weather events. These concerns are possibly behind the government’s goal of returning to surplus by 2029.

    But there are counter-arguments. With pressing needs in many areas, some argue the government should be spending more now to boost productivity and growth. These contrasting views reflect a legitimate debate about values and priorities.

    Still, one point is clear: weaker than expected economic growth since the pre-election update has made the trade-offs between present and future fiscal choices more acute.

    The takeaway is that economic growth is essential for expanding the resources available to both households and governments. This is so they can spend money on things they deem important both now and in the future.

    A growing economy is not just about producing more for prestige – it’s about creating the economic and fiscal resources to improve lives both now and in the future.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. NZ Budget 2025: economic forecasting is notoriously difficult, but global uncertainty is making it harder – https://theconversation.com/nz-budget-2025-economic-forecasting-is-notoriously-difficult-but-global-uncertainty-is-making-it-harder-256469

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tianjin handled over 240 China-Europe/China-Central Asia freight trains in first four months of 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) — A freight train carrying 110 containers of auto parts departed from the Xingangbei railway station of the port city of Tianjin (north China) on Thursday. The train will cross the state border at the Khorgos checkpoint in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (northwest China) and arrive in Uzbekistan, the Tianjin Daily newspaper reported.

    According to statistics, in the first four months of 2025, the number of freight train departures on China-Europe/China-Central Asia international freight routes from Tianjin Port was 241. The trains carried 26,000 standard containers of cargo, up 1.9 percent year-on-year.

    Since the beginning of this year, under the supervision of the customs service, Tianjin Port has handled a total of 14 trains to Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries in the mode of multimodal rail-sea transportation, which transported 1,546 TEU of cargo. In April alone, 10 such trains were dispatched, transporting 1,108 TEU of goods.

    According to Wang Huan, general manager of a local company engaged in transportation by China-Europe /China-Central Asia/ freight trains, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries have always been an important direction for the company to expand its business. This year, the number of freight trains heading to Central Asian countries will be increased, and the aspect of mixed freight transportation by sea and rail will be further developed. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UK economy beats expectations in Q1, but challenges loom ahead

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

    People prepare to leave after watching the military procession held in London, Britain, on May 5, 2025.  (Xinhua/Li Ying)

    The UK economy in the first quarter of 2025 has exceeded market expectations with GDP rising by 0.7 percent quarter on quarter, showed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.

    Earlier figures indicated stagnation in January and a 0.5-percent increase in February, and anticipated zero growth in March. However, the latest data revealed a 0.2-percent rise in March, lifting the overall quarterly result.

    The service sector, the primary engine of growth, recorded a 0.7-percent increase, rebounding from just 0.1 percent in the final quarter of 2024, with wholesale, retail, transport and communications services making notable contributions.

    Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that falling shop price indices have been good news for UK households and that declining food prices and fierce competition among retailers helped bring down overall prices, supporting the continued growth of the services sector in the first quarter.

    British manufacturing also surprised markets in the first quarter of 2025, ending three consecutive quarters of decline. According to the ONS, the rebound was largely driven by growth in the automotive and machinery sectors, with machinery manufacturing up 3.8 percent quarter on quarter and transport equipment production rising 2.7 percent. Analysts noted that a surge in output in February was likely due to firms rushing to ship goods ahead of new U.S. tariffs.

    The construction sector, however, remained stagnant, showing no growth compared to the previous quarter and even hinting at a potential contraction.

    The stronger-than-expected economic growth in the first quarter of 2025 has eased pressure on the UK government. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said the results reflected the strength and potential of the UK economy, yet acknowledged that there is still much work to be done.

    This growth, however, was recorded before new U.S. tariffs on UK goods took effect, the impact of which will become evident in the second quarter. Domestically, higher National Insurance rates, increases in the minimum wage and price hikes in some social services have prompted industry groups and research institutions to caution that the first quarter’s performance may be short-lived. The 0.2-percent GDP growth in March was already a noticeable slowdown from February’s 0.5 percent, suggesting tougher challenges ahead.

    Stuart Morrison, research director at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), noted that the 0.7-percent growth exceeded expectations, driven by strong performances in services and manufacturing. However, he cautioned that the impact of higher National Insurance and global trade tensions has yet to surface in the data, warning that the real challenges are still to come.

    Ben Jones, an economist at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said the unexpected growth in March was largely a rebound from February, but the strong GDP growth in the first quarter is likely a temporary phenomenon. He warned that with employment costs set to rise significantly following the autumn budget, UK businesses remain cautious about hiring and investment, and additionally, global economic uncertainty continues to threaten the UK’s recovery.

    Several economic research institutions have recently lowered their UK growth forecasts for 2025. Earlier this month, the Bank of England projected that the UK economy would grow by only 1 percent this year.

    Given this backdrop, some UK research institutions have pointed out that maintaining and boosting economic growth will require stronger ties with the EU, positioning it as a key trading partner. The two sides scheduled a summit for May 19 to address several trade management issues, and institutions urged the UK government to take the opportunity to strengthen relations.

    Noting that the ripple effects of U.S. tariffs are still reverberating through the global trade system and prompting responses from various countries, BCC Director General Shevaun Haviland said Britain and the EU must send a clear signal that open and fair trade is in both sides’ best interests. She stressed that the upcoming summit must go beyond empty talk and clearly demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving trade relations.

    Meanwhile, the upcoming industrial policies are also drawing attention. “The UK government is expected to release a series of notable policies in the coming weeks, including an industrial strategy and a ten-year infrastructure plan,” said Anna Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors. “These could offer businesses a way out of the current difficulties and provide a clearer view of the UK’s economic direction.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Save the Children says Budget 2025 must commit to improving children’s wellbeing

    Source: Save the Children

    Ahead of this week’s Budget announcement, Save the Children is calling on the Government to provide greater investment in children following a damning report showing New Zealand ranks among the lowest countries in the OECD for child wellbeing and mental health.

    UNICEF’s global report card – released this week – shows New Zealand ranks 32nd out of 36 wealthy countries analysed for children’s wellbeing, while also highlighting New Zealand has the highest youth suicide rate among the 36 -nearly three times the average-and ranks last for child and youth mental health. It also shows that bullying remains a widespread issue, with New Zealand posting the second-highest rate of bullying among children.

    Other reports from Save the Children’s own climate modelling showing the impact of climate change on children’s lives, alongside Government statistics, show children’s wellbeing, including their physical and mental health, basic needs including food security, housing and access to healthcare are under threat.

    Additionally, a report released by the Auditor-General, revealed that child-informed budget decisions are critical if we are to avoid harming already vulnerable children and families due to cuts to funding of critical services.

    “Government budget decisions have a direct impact on the lives and wellbeing of every New Zealander,” says Save the Children New Zealand’s Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey.

    “It’s clear that greater investment is needed to improve the wellbeing of our children. If New Zealand is to have a prosperous future, we need to invest to ensure our children live good lives now and have bright futures to look forward to.

    “New Zealand ranking the worst in the world for youth suicides is devasting. Greater government investment in child health, wellbeing and the essentials they need to live good lives now is critical. We need to ensure that as a nation we are making funding decisions that improve the lives of our children and families.”

    Ms Southey says investing in children also means investing in families to ensure they have liveable incomes, healthy and affordable housing, enough healthy food and access to quality healthcare and education for all ages. These are the foundations of a healthy thriving society.

    “The grim reality for many New Zealand families living on the lowest incomes is that they are struggling to afford the very basics. The high cost of housing, food, and electricity, combined with growing unemployment particularly for youth, increased numbers of avoidable hospital admissions and rising child poverty levels are all worrying signs that life is very tough for thousands of New Zealand families, and it is those families who will struggle most in the event of a climate emergency.

    “Targeted investment is needed in ensuring liveable incomes for all families, alongside a greater focus on climate emissions reduction and investing in climate resilient child-critical services.”

    About Save the Children NZ:

    Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.

    Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 must commit to improving children’s wellbeing

    Source: Save The Children

    UNICEF’s global report card – released this week – shows New Zealand ranks 32nd out of 36 wealthy countries analysed for children’s wellbeing, while also highlighting New Zealand has the highest youth suicide rate among the 36 -nearly three times the average-and ranks last for child and youth mental health. It also shows that bullying remains a widespread issue, with New Zealand posting the second-highest rate of bullying among children.
    Other reports from Save the Children’s own climate modelling showing the impact of climate change on children’s lives, alongside Government statistics, show children’s wellbeing, including their physical and mental health, basic needs including food security, housing and access to healthcare are under threat.
    Additionally, a report released by the Auditor-General, revealed that child-informed budget decisions are critical if we are to avoid harming already vulnerable children and families due to cuts to funding of critical services.
    “Government budget decisions have a direct impact on the lives and wellbeing of every New Zealander,” says Save the Children New Zealand’s Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey.
    “It’s clear that greater investment is needed to improve the wellbeing of our children. If New Zealand is to have a prosperous future, we need to invest to ensure our children live good lives now and have bright futures to look forward to.
    “New Zealand ranking the worst in the world for youth suicides is devasting. Greater government investment in child health, wellbeing and the essentials they need to live good lives now is critical. We need to ensure that as a nation we are making funding decisions that improve the lives of our children and families.”
    Ms Southey says investing in children also means investing in families to ensure they have liveable incomes, healthy and affordable housing, enough healthy food and access to quality healthcare and education for all ages. These are the foundations of a healthy thriving society.
    “The grim reality for many New Zealand families living on the lowest incomes is that they are struggling to afford the very basics. The high cost of housing, food, and electricity, combined with growing unemployment particularly for youth, increased numbers of avoidable hospital admissions and rising child poverty levels are all worrying signs that life is very tough for thousands of New Zealand families, and it is those families who will struggle most in the event of a climate emergency.
    “Targeted investment is needed in ensuring liveable incomes for all families, alongside a greater focus on climate emissions reduction and investing in climate resilient child-critical services.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best VPN for iPhone 2025: NordVPN Tops iPhone VPN List

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Portland, May 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    As we venture into 2025, NordVPN has once again solidified its position as the leading choice for iPhone users, earning the top spot in this year’s definitive ranking of the best VPN services for iOS. With a combination of suitable features, NordVPN has managed to outshine its competitors to claim the title of the best iPhone VPN of the year.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE BEST VPN FOR IPHONE: NORDVPN

    The ranking that placed NordVPN as the best VPN for iPhone in 2025 resulted from an evaluation conducted by a panel of cybersecurity experts and independent reviewers, who assessed numerous VPN services across several categories. And in each category, NordVPN emerged as the clear winner thanks to its superior features that outperform the rest in the field.

    “We are incredibly proud to be recognized as the top VPN for iPhone in 2025. This honor is a testament to the relentless work our team puts into ensuring that NordVPN delivers world-class security, exceptional performance, and a flawless user experience on iOS. As threats evolve and mobile usage continues to grow, we remain focused on empowering users with tools that not only protect but enhance their digital lives.”

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE BEST VPN FOR IPHONE: NORDVPN

    One of the significant aspects that greatly contributed to NordVPN’s top ranking as the best VPN service for iPhone in 2025 is its intuitive and polished iOS app. In recognition that not all its users are tech experts, NordVPN curated its platform to strike the perfect balance between simplicity and powerful functionality. Users can access the best VPN for iPhone offerings in 2025 with just a tap. In light of this, users have commended the following steps required for creating an account on the platform. The steps are:

    Alongside its intuitive user interface and simple registration process, NordVPN has a cutting-edge encryption technology that works to keep everything safe. For quite some time now, iPhone users have been increasingly concerned about their data being intercepted over public Wi-Fi or unsecured networks, and, to address this, NordVPN incorporates AES-256 encryption. This is the same encryption technology that is widely used by governments and militaries around the world. With such encryption prowess, iPhone users who have installed NordVPN are guaranteed that all data transmitted through their device is shielded from unwarranted users.

    Another defining strength of NordVPN, as highlighted by industry experts, is its implementation of NordLynx, a proprietary VPN protocol based on the innovative WireGuard framework. This protocol has been designed to maintain high speeds without compromising on security. With it incorporated, iPhone users can stream, browse, download, and game at high speeds without experiencing any buffers, making NordVPN the best for iPhone in 2025.

    Privacy transparency is fundamental when it comes to VPN services, and that is one aspect that sets NordVPN apart in the crowded marketplace. NordVPN operates under a strict no-logs policy, unlike other VPN providers offering vague reassurances. This goes a long way in enabling it to maintain the privacy levels of the highest order, as it does not monitor, collect, or store user activity, browsing history, or connection logs. In addition to having such a policy, NordVPN also goes ahead and allows for frequent audits, which ensure that the policy is adhered to.

    “We believe trust is earned through transparency, which is why we undergo independent audits, run a bug bounty program, and operate in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction.”

    Complementing this privacy stance is NordVPN’s global network, which has over 7,000 servers across more than 100 countries. This gives players a wide range of connection points, which most appreciate. With such an extensive infrastructure, iPhone users have cited that they can bypass geographic restrictions, stream content from other regions, and access services that may be censored in their current location. According to analysts, NordVPN’s global reach is a major factor that will make it the best VPN service for iPhone users in 2025.

    User feedback also points to NordVPN’s seamless compatibility with iCloud and Apple security tools, vouching for its leadership position. As many have noted, NordVPN works smoothly alongside Apple’s iCloud Private Relay and does not interfere with iOS’s native privacy tools; rather, it complements them by offering a second layer of encryption.

    Beyond its technological capabilities, NordVPN also shines when it comes to having a dedicated customer support team and user education. As part of its implementation to be the best VPN for iPhone, NordVPN provides 24/7 live chat and responsive email assistance, plus a library of guides, tutorials, and FAQs specifically for iOS users. Regardless of the issue encountered, users have highlighted that NordVPN’s support team handles everything with the urgency and knowledge required. This support infrastructure helps iPhone users maximize their VPN usage without frustrations.

    The digital landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace, and with it, there are threats to online privacy and freedom. Governments, corporations, and cybercriminals constantly refine their methods to track, restrict, and exploit user data. For iPhone users, who rely on their devices for everything from banking to streaming, the need for a robust VPN solution is non-negotiable, and that is why NordVPN has risen to the occasion, delivering a seamless and secure browsing experience that caters to both novice users and tech-savvy individuals alike.

    NordVPN’s position as the best VPN for iPhone in 2025 is no accident. It is the result of a carefully engineered product that prioritizes security, speed, privacy, and user experience, all of which are tailored to meet the specific needs of iOS users.

    NordVPN Support:

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mongolia’s GDP grew by 2.4 percent in Q1 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ULAN BATOR, May 17 (Xinhua) — Mongolia’s GDP grew 2.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, the country’s National Statistical Committee said Saturday.

    This figure was directly influenced by the increase in added value in the agricultural and service sectors, the official statement said.

    According to the latest forecast of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mongolia’s economy will grow by 6.6 percent in 2025. ADB experts note that economic growth will be ensured by increasing mineral production, in particular by increasing the production of copper concentrate at the Oyu Tolgoi deposit.

    According to the National Statistics Committee, Mongolia’s GDP grew by 4.9 percent in 2024. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    As we mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia this year, I am sadly reminded of how much more still needs to be done.

    The past few years have been difficult and worrying, particularly for trans people. They have been targeted by divisive culture wars, too often stoked by the Conservatives and right-wing media. It’s more important than ever that the Liberal Democrats stand up for trans people – including by pushing the Government to ensure the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t lead to a roll back of trans rights.

    Today gives us an important opportunity to acknowledge the violence and discrimination that too many LGBTQ+ people face, and reflect on what we can do to help change it.

    Because far too many LGBTQ+ people face discrimination, prejudice and abuse, just for being who they are.

    The statistics paint a sobering picture. Two-thirds of LGBTQ+ people report that they have experienced anti-LGBTQ+ violence or abuse. The number of hate crimes recorded against trans people have more than doubled in the last five years.

    The LGBTQ+ community deserves so much better than this – and I believe that us politicians have a responsibility to help push for that positive change. Not just in the language we use, but also in the policies we push for.

    I’m delighted that our party reaffirmed its commitment to LGBTQ+ rights at our Spring Conference. That includes bringing forward a clear plan to tackle anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime. Like ensuring that hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are counted as aggravated offences, and delivering better training for police on preventing and prosecuting anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime.

    It’s not just about hate crime, either. Homophobia, biophobia and transphobia touches on every aspect of people’s lives. We want to see a world where nobody’s life chances are limited by their sexual orientation or gender identity.

    So our new policies would address discrimination wherever it occurs – from addressing the barriers to finding suitable housing and anti-LGBTQ+ bullying in schools, to improving access to healthcare and protecting LGBTQ+ rights abroad.

    Of course, it’s important that we also remember how far we have come. I’m incredibly proud of the role Liberal Democrats have played in delivering the positive change that LGBTQ+ people deserve over the years.

    From being the first party to openly oppose the abhorrent Section 28, to our tireless efforts in getting the Same Sex Marriage Act passed. Milestones like these are not only important policies that take us closer to achieving equal rights. They help shift social attitudes, too.

    If we continue this important work, we can finally build a country where everyone is truly free to be who they are. Which is the only way we can end homophobia, transphobia and biphobia in all its forms.

    So today, my message to the UK’s LGBTQ+ community is clear – I support you. I stand with you. And I will keep fighting for the rights of the entire LGBTQ+ community, until true equality for all is achieved.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of being burnt out

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Addyman, Associate Professor in Project Management, UCL

    Kittirat Roekburi/Shutterstock

    The pressure of decarbonising industrial sectors is weighing on workers.

    The UK’s Labour government seeks a low-carbon and homegrown energy supply by 2030. The scale and pace of this transformation is unprecedented in the country’s power sector, and will involve building twice as much transmission infrastructure (pylons, cables, substations) in the next five years as was built over the last decade.

    Much of the workforce will be drawn from the construction sector, which employs 2.3 million people. Construction forms the dominant supply chain to the 17 major infrastructure projects involved in an overhaul of the electricity grid that will connect new wind farms in the North Sea and northern Scotland to homes and businesses across Great Britain.

    The workers “on the tools” who will carry out much of this transformation are struggling. The latest analysis from the Office for National Statistics suggests that the suicide risk of construction workers is three times higher than the male national average. Scholars of construction project management have identified a toxic workplace culture in the industry, citing aggressive market competition and demanding performance metrics.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    This is a problem that is largely being ignored. When planners at the National Energy System Operator assessed the UK’s capacity to build a clean power sector by 2030, they considered the absolute number of workers needed, the skills required and how employment is changing in the sector.

    Their assessment failed to consider the broader implications for workforce mental health and wellbeing of such a quick and comprehensive upgrade – but it is people who are going through a rapid transition, not just infrastructure.

    Expect more of these in years to come.
    J R Patterson/Shutterstock

    Going green, feeling blue

    Construction workers already endure long hours and stress due to tight deadlines. A rapid transition to green power will substantially increase their workload, unless managed carefully.

    Our report, published July 2024, looked into wellbeing and suicide in the construction industry. We concluded that the UK government, major infrastructure owners such as National Grid and their supply chain partners who provide specialist design and construction services, must work together to solve this problem.

    Major infrastructure owners offer mental health services, such as confidential counselling, legal advice and financial guidance, to help their own employees manage personal or work-related issues. But most workers on the tools are not directly employed by these owners. Most are self-employed, or hired by construction firms, of which 99% are small- and medium-sized enterprises.

    More than 96% of construction firms have fewer than 15 employees. Smaller suppliers of specialist trade skills, like electrical and mechanical installation, have fewer employment protections and more compressed schedules, and are even less likely to have the capacity to provide these services.

    Some infrastructure owners and big construction companies extend their health and wellbeing services to these smaller suppliers. However, in an industry that is dominated by competitive tendering, which favours suppliers that keep costs low, it is no surprise that uptake has been low.

    Owners of infrastructure assets like electricity pylons and substations can drive workplace improvements by adopting procurement models that prioritise suppliers that are offering measures to improve worker wellbeing.

    Research from one of us (Jing Xu) and fellow project management expert Yanga Wu, has shown that the top-down prescriptive approach traditionally applied to health and safety in construction does not work for wellbeing. This requires a bottom-up approach, that makes it easy for workers to tell managers what they are struggling with and what they think would help.

    The construction sector also faces a shortage of workers and skills required for the green transition. The industry training board forecasts that the industry must attract the equivalent of 50,300 extra workers a year to meet expected levels of work over the next five years.

    The UK is not training enough workers to achieve net zero.
    Paya Mona/Shutterstock

    In the power sector, however, there is the additional complication of an ageing workforce, as well as differences in employment conditions between permanent and contract staff. Key expertise is at risk of being lost with retirements. Older workers often face additional pressure, not only to meet performance targets but also to compensate for gaps in expertise, and all within a fast-paced environment.

    To improve mental health and wellbeing among a diverse workforce requires engaging with workers directly and ensuring their voices are heard. This involves more than upgrading technical skills. Research to better understand how organisations can care for their workforce in the context of increasing pressures due to achieving net zero is also vital.

    Further research and collaboration with infrastructure owners and major construction contractors could help manage the risks and provide valuable insights for other sectors that will need to follow suit, such as heating, transport and agriculture.

    It is imperative to consider what a transition means: the technical transition of replacing outmoded technology, as well as the social transition, which prioritises not only skills but workplace mental health. Without a focus on both policy and people, clean power will not be delivered.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Simon Addyman receives funding from University College London.

    Jing Xu receives funding from University College London.

    – ref. Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of being burnt out – https://theconversation.com/britains-net-zero-construction-workforce-is-already-at-risk-of-being-burnt-out-249328

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Strengthening connectivity between China and Russia’s border regions promotes bilateral people-to-people exchanges and trade

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    HARBIN, May 17 (Xinhua) — Sergei Mikhailov from the Far East has just returned from Suifenhe City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, where he went for a medical checkup and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment.

    “I came here on the recommendation of a Chinese friend. After a medical examination, the doctor explained to me where I had problems in my body. Then they prescribed me medication,” the Russian said.

    In recent years, the number of Russians seeking TCM treatment at the Suifenhe People’s Hospital has been steadily growing. Hospital employee Liu Simin noted that many Russians come as part of group tours to undergo medical examinations. “At the hospital, foreigners receive the same quality treatment and at the same prices as the Chinese,” he explained.

    Sergey said he did not have a language barrier because the clinic provides professional medical translators for the convenience of foreign patients, which made it easier for him to communicate with doctors. After visiting the hospital, he enjoyed shopping and trying Chinese cuisine.

    Trucks and tourist buses ply between the busy Suifenhe and Pogranichny checkpoints. Russian travelers love shopping: in Suifenhe they can often be seen with suitcases and bags.

    Meanwhile, Russian goods are also popular in Suifenhe. “Rossa Empire”, the largest Russian commodity distribution center in Suifenhe, has become a landmark of the city with its rich collection of Russian goods and food products.

    “More than 220 foreign trade enterprises are based in the center, where they import more than 5,000 items into China,” said Zhang Jiaqiang, director of the company that runs the center, adding that the center has a live streaming facility to promote international online sales.

    The Suifenhe Bonded Zone has also played an important role as an economic driver for the promotion of cross-border trade.

    Li Wei, CEO of Heilongjiang Zinnbach Biotechnology Co., Ltd., said his company is the first domestic brewery to set up production in the Suifenhe Bonded Zone. The company, which enjoys a tax-favored policy of “customs import and VAT refund,” enjoys zero tariffs on all imported raw materials such as malt, hops and yeast.

    According to statistics from Suifenhe Customs, in 2024, the volume of cargo passing through the local automobile checkpoint exceeded 1 million tons for the first time, reaching 1.225 million tons. This year, the average daily number of vehicles passing through the automobile checkpoint was about 300 vehicles, 50 units more than in 2024.

    In addition, Suifenhe is also an important stop on the China-Europe rail freight route, with nearly 9,000 freight trains carrying around 88,000 TEU (20-foot container equivalent units) passing through every year.

    The local road and rail checkpoints in Suifenhe are among 19 border crossings on the China-Russia border in Heilongjiang Province, according to the provincial government website.

    On May 7, after the ice on the Heilongjiang River completely melted, seasonal river traffic resumed between the three ports along the China-Russia border river, namely Heihe, Tongjiang and Fuyuan, and the three corresponding ports on the Russian side.

    “The annual river service has resumed. The speed of customs clearance has become particularly fast, which is convenient for those of us who frequently travel between China and Russia,” said Jiang Haibo, a resident of Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province, who took the river ferry service at Tongjiang Port.

    Situated just 1 km from the Russian river port of Nizhneleninskoye in the Jewish Autonomous Region, Tongjiang has become an important trade route between China and Russia, with an annual throughput of 500,000 people and 600,000 tons of cargo.

    “I am from the village of Nizhneleninskoye. It takes no more than half an hour to get from Tongjiang to my home by ferry, and here you can quickly and easily go through customs,” said Russian tourist Victoria Figol.

    Tongjiang’s rail network is connected to the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia. Goods exported from Tongjiang via Khabarovsk in Russia can directly reach the interior of Russia and even further afield, to European countries such as Germany. This crossing is 800 km shorter than via the port of Suifenhe. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Costa, Kiggans Push for MORE Nurses to Address National Shortage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Jen Kiggans (VA-02) introduced H.R. 3333 – Magnifying Opportunities to Recruit and Educate (MORE) Nurses Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing the growing nursing shortage nationwide. “The nursing shortage is not just a workforce crisis—it’s a public health emergency,” said Congressman Costa. “In the San Joaquin Valley and across the country, patients are waiting longer for care, and hospitals are operating beyond capacity. My legislation directs the federal government to step up with real solutions to train, recruit, and retain the nurses our communities desperately need.” “As a nurse practitioner, I know the vital role nurses play in communities across the country and have seen firsthand how the ongoing nursing shortage negatively impacts patients,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “America’s nurses work from sun-up to sundown to provide lifesaving care, and we must do our part to provide them the training they need, prevent burnout in their workforce, and encourage more men and women to take up the profession. The MORE Nurses Act is a critical step to identify the root causes of our nation’s nursing shortage and deliver lasting solutions to support and rebuild our nursing workforce. I am proud to join Congressman Costa in introducing this bipartisan legislation to support our healthcare heroes.” BACKGROUNDThe United States is facing a critical shortfall in nurses, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a need for more than 275,000 additional nurses by 2030. California is among the hardest-hit states, and the shortage is even more severe in the San Joaquin Valley, where some communities have the lowest nurse-to-patient ratios in the state. A 2024 study by UCSF-Fresno found that the Valley would need to double its number of registered nurses to meet national benchmarks. The MORE Nurses Act will ensure the federal government is employing all the tools at its disposal to bolster the nursing workforce. This legislation directs the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice to take a comprehensive look at the crisis by:

    Evaluating trends in the nursing workforce and the capacity of nursing schools to train future professionals.
    Identifying barriers contributing to the shortage, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
    Reviewing federal programs that support nursing education and promote diversity in the profession; and
    Recommending concrete policy solutions to strengthen and expand the nursing pipeline.

    The Council’s findings and policy recommendations will be delivered to Congress within one year and made available online to ensure public transparency and engagement from healthcare and education stakeholders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly: ‘Cuts to Medicaid aren’t about saving taxpayer money’

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    House Republicans push $880 billion cut to Medicaid through Energy and Commerce Committee

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02), member of the Energy & Commerce Committee, is committed to protecting Medicaid. Today, Republicans on the committee will try to pass $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid as part of President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”

    “Let’s be clear about what today’s markup is and isn’t about. This isn’t about reducing ‘fraud, waste, and abuse.’ This is about ripping healthcare away from working families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and pregnant women. 

    “Yet my Republican colleagues dismiss our concerns over $880 billion in Medicaid cuts as a ‘misunderstanding.’ But you don’t gut the largest insurer of low-income Americans without real harm. Call it what it is: abandonment, disinvestment, disregard for human life.

    “Cuts to Medicaid aren’t about saving taxpayer money. It’s about who we think is worth the investment of living a long, independent and healthy life.  In Illinois, 3.4 million people are covered by Medicaid. When Illinois implemented Medicaid expansion, the uninsured rate dropped by 44% between 2013 and 2015. These statistics demonstrate the significance of Medicaid for Illinoisans.

    “This committee is tasked with protecting public health, not dismantling it. We need to strengthen our health care system, not use budget gimmicks and add unnecessary requirements to make it harder for people to see a doctor. We owe it to the American people to stop playing games. They deserve affordable health care.”

    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new analysis determining 13.7 million Americans would lose healthcare under President Trump’s and Republicans’s budget cuts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Praises Trump Admin’s Border Security Efforts at Hearing with Secretary Noem

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus and current vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee — delivered remarks on the Trump administration’s swift success in securing the border and questioned Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the importance of passing House Republicans’ reconciliation bill.

    Click to watch

    Transcript of Vice Chair McCaul’s Interaction with Secretary Noem:

    Vice Chair McCaul: Madam Secretary, it was great to serve with you in Congress. It was an honor, and it’s an honor to see you as secretary of this important department. Let me say on behalf of my state of Texas, thank you for what you’ve done in a very short period of time.

    I’ve worked on this issue — as a federal prosecutor [and] as chairman of this committee — for over 25 years. I never saw the border more broken, more chaotic, than I did under the prior administration. Yet within months, you have restored order to the border, and the stats speak for themselves. And I want to commend you and President Trump for that.

    You know, on day one, [the Biden administration] rescinded the Remain in Mexico policy, which led to the chaos. It said, we’re open for business, come on in. And they did. Over 10 million encounters, 2 million gotaways. Yet within months of your administration, that number [of encounters] has gone down 93%.

    Catch and release. I’ve been fighting that one for years [through solutions like Remain in Mexico]. The Biden administration did away with it. Now we’re decreased to 99.99%. Almost zero catch and release. A very dangerous policy. Remain in Mexico’s [underlying statute] has been on the books for 30 years. Yet I marked it up on the Foreign Affairs Committee last year as part of the Secure the Border Act.

    Most offensively, and the reason I was an impeachment manager against Mayorkas, was his dereliction of duty to basically prioritize allowing aggravated felons into the country, even though Congress, by federal law, said “shall detain” aggravated felons. Yet, what did he do? He told his agents, that’s discretionary. You can release these dangerous criminals into our society.

    What have you done within months? [In the first] 50 days, you have 14,000 criminal aliens arrested, some of the most brutal gang members like MS-13 and TDA, and it’s making this country safer.

    Fentanyl, each year more Americans die from fentanyl than the number of Americans who died in the Vietnam War over 20 years. You recently had the largest massive seizure of these deadly drugs just this last couple weeks [that were being trafficked] by the Sinaloa cartel. And again, my state thanks you for that.

    Terrorism. You said 250 known or suspected terrorists have been deported. We saw after Afghanistan, the debacle of the collapse of Afghanistan, when Bagram was shut down, the prisons were unleashed, ISIS-K went to the Khorasan region, crossed into the United States, and eight were found plotting in this country.

    You are making this country safer by your actions. The Biden administration made it dangerous, and it didn’t take a bunch of new laws. It [took] new leadership, which you have provided and the president has provided as well.

    My question to you is, as you know, you need resources. And nobody knows that better than I do. We marked up a bill — about $70 billion — that can be put into your department to [enforce] these laws already passed by the Congress. The Foreign Terrorist Organization designation [for cartels] was huge.

    Let me just ask you this. How will this bill, the reconciliation bill, assist you in your efforts to continue and promote safety in the United States?

    Secretary Noem: Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate all of your leadership on our national security issues in the past and still continue in the future to focus on that.

    The reconciliation bill is imperative to our future in securing our nation. For years previous, the Department of Homeland Security has been neglected. It’s one of the larger agencies in the federal government with one of the smallest budgets. And certainly under the previous administration, the Coast Guard was hollowed out. Border Patrol and ICE were not allowed to do their jobs. They were not allowed to invest in new technologies that they could utilize for interdiction. Also, our borders need surveillance and technology to make sure that we know who’s coming into this country and why. Our ports of entry need new scanners so that we’re truly scanning our shipping containers and much of our air freight. We don’t know what’s coming in by air either.

    Those kinds of adjustments and technology and software upgrades are needed to compete, but also to secure our country with the threats that we face. And we don’t just face threats from gangs and cartels. It’s from China and the PRC and Iran and hackers that come into our system. Salt and Volt Typhoon have taught us that we’re extremely vulnerable to these kinds of attempts in the future.

    In fact, one of the most alarming things I heard as soon as I was nominated for this position, I was in a briefing from CISA that told me that they knew with salt typhoon that we had been hacked, but they also said they didn’t know how it happened or how to stop it in the future. Now the main goal of CISA is to hunt and to harden our systems. Hunt bad actors and harden our systems for our small and medium sized critical infrastructure. Department of Homeland Security has 10 of the 16 components of critical infrastructure, and that’s what we need to focus our resources on.

    Vice Chair McCaul: Thank you.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Five championships will unite 350 thousand of the most professional people of the country

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    A meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin and Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov took part in it.

    Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin noted that the championships form the basis for the development of the personnel market. He emphasized that close attention is paid to such events. For example, President Vladimir Putin met with the winners.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko reported that five championships will unite 350 thousand of the most professional people in the country.

    “Thanks to the federal project “Professionality”, which has been implemented since this year within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, the training of a new generation of personnel is ensured in close cooperation with enterprises of key sectors of the economy. One of the instruments of cooperation between education and business is the holding of such championships. They are aimed at realizing the potential of each person, developing their talents, raising a patriotic and socially responsible person, which is one of the national goals of our country’s development set by President Vladimir Putin,” he said.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also thanked the state fund for supporting participants in the special military operation “Defenders of the Fatherland” for its active contribution to the development of the Abilympics movement.

    2025 has been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. On the instructions of the President, this year, for the first time, a championship in professional skills for participants in a special military operation with disabilities will be held within the framework of the Abilympics championships.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko instructed to provide assistance in the completion of student internships, employment of graduates, to think over incentives for companies – partners of the movement, participants of the championship movement, to link competencies with areas of technological leadership and to expand regional participation in championships, including reunited regions.

    Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov noted that the Government has approved the concept of mentoring.

    “It is important for us that the topic of mentoring is reflected as much as possible in the events of all championships. The key area is working with prize winners and winners. Championships help us identify our future highly qualified specialists. It is necessary to organize further support for the guys until they are employed at the country’s leading enterprises,” the minister noted.

    According to survey results, 60% of students of secondary vocational education institutions participated in professional championships and competitions. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education of Russia, at present, with the exception of first- and last-year students, every fourth student is involved in championship movement events.

    The main report was given by Deputy Minister of Education Vladimir Zhelonkin. The meeting was also attended by Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov, Acting Governor of Novgorod Oblast Alexander Dronov, representatives of federal and regional authorities, public associations, and partner companies.

    Partner companies play a key role in the development of the championship movement. They participate in the development of tasks, provide venues for events, and act as experts. This format makes it possible to train specialists for high-tech industries. Thus, Olga Golodets, Deputy Chairman of the Board of PJSC Sberbank, said that the company is focusing on the high-tech championship.

    The final of the Professionals championship in 2025 will be held in three cities at once. In May, the events will be held in Nizhny Novgorod. In August, the final will be held in Kaluga, and in December, the final events will be held in St. Petersburg. In 2025, more than 300 thousand contestants have already taken part in the championship competitions. In September, the final of the high-tech championship is scheduled in Veliky Novgorod. In October, the final of the championship for people with disabilities and disabilities “Abilympics” will be held. This year, as part of “Abilympics”, in July, for the first time, a championship in professional skills for participants of the SVO in the Republic of Tatarstan will be held.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosstat has preliminary estimated Russia’s GDP growth in the first quarter of 2025 at 1.4 percent.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, May 16 (Xinhua) — Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1.4 percent year-on-year in January-March this year, according to a preliminary estimate released by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) on Friday.

    “The index of physical volume of gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2025 relative to the corresponding period of 2024, according to a preliminary estimate, amounted to 101.4 percent,” Rosstat said in a statement.

    In April, Rosstat raised its estimate of Russia’s GDP growth in 2024 to 4.3 percent from its first estimate of 4.1 percent, which was published in February of this year. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of burnt out

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Addyman, Associate Professor in Project Management, UCL

    Kittirat Roekburi/Shutterstock

    The pressure of decarbonising industrial sectors is weighing on workers.

    The UK’s Labour government seeks a low-carbon and homegrown energy supply by 2030. The scale and pace of this transformation is unprecedented in the country’s power sector, and will involve building twice as much transmission infrastructure (pylons, cables, substations) in the next five years as was built over the last decade.

    Much of the workforce will be drawn from the construction sector, which employs 2.3 million people. Construction forms the dominant supply chain to the 17 major infrastructure projects involved in an overhaul of the electricity grid that will connect new wind farms in the North Sea and northern Scotland to homes and businesses across Great Britain.

    The workers “on the tools” who will carry out much of this transformation are struggling. The latest analysis from the Office for National Statistics suggests that the suicide risk of construction workers is three times higher than the male national average. Scholars of construction project management have identified a toxic workplace culture in the industry, citing aggressive market competition and demanding performance metrics.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    This is a problem that is largely being ignored. When planners at the National Energy System Operator assessed the UK’s capacity to build a clean power sector by 2030, they considered the absolute number of workers needed, the skills required and how employment is changing in the sector.

    Their assessment failed to consider the broader implications for workforce mental health and wellbeing of such a quick and comprehensive upgrade – but it is people who are going through a rapid transition, not just infrastructure.

    Expect more of these in years to come.
    J R Patterson/Shutterstock

    Going green, feeling blue

    Construction workers already endure long hours and stress due to tight deadlines. A rapid transition to green power will substantially increase their workload, unless managed carefully.

    Our report, published July 2024, looked into wellbeing and suicide in the construction industry. We concluded that the UK government, major infrastructure owners such as National Grid and their supply chain partners who provide specialist design and construction services, must work together to solve this problem.

    Major infrastructure owners offer mental health services, such as confidential counselling, legal advice and financial guidance, to help their own employees manage personal or work-related issues. But most workers on the tools are not directly employed by these owners. Most are self-employed, or hired by construction firms, of which 99% are small- and medium-sized enterprises.

    More than 96% of construction firms have fewer than 15 employees. Smaller suppliers of specialist trade skills, like electrical and mechanical installation, have fewer employment protections and more compressed schedules, and are even less likely to have the capacity to provide these services.

    Some infrastructure owners and big construction companies extend their health and wellbeing services to these smaller suppliers. However, in an industry that is dominated by competitive tendering, which favours suppliers that keep costs low, it is no surprise that uptake has been low.

    Owners of infrastructure assets like electricity pylons and substations can drive workplace improvements by adopting procurement models that prioritise suppliers that are offering measures to improve worker wellbeing.

    Research from one of us (Jing Xu) and fellow project management expert Yanga Wu, has shown that the top-down prescriptive approach traditionally applied to health and safety in construction does not work for wellbeing. This requires a bottom-up approach, that makes it easy for workers to tell managers what they are struggling with and what they think would help.

    The construction sector also faces a shortage of workers and skills required for the green transition. The industry training board forecasts that the industry must attract the equivalent of 50,300 extra workers a year to meet expected levels of work over the next five years.

    The UK is not training enough workers to achieve net zero.
    Paya Mona/Shutterstock

    In the power sector, however, there is the additional complication of an ageing workforce, as well as differences in employment conditions between permanent and contract staff. Key expertise is at risk of being lost with retirements. Older workers often face additional pressure, not only to meet performance targets but also to compensate for gaps in expertise, and all within a fast-paced environment.

    To improve mental health and wellbeing among a diverse workforce requires engaging with workers directly and ensuring their voices are heard. This involves more than upgrading technical skills. Research to better understand how organisations can care for their workforce in the context of increasing pressures due to achieving net zero is also vital.

    Further research and collaboration with infrastructure owners and major construction contractors could help manage the risks and provide valuable insights for other sectors that will need to follow suit, such as heating, transport and agriculture.

    It is imperative to consider what a transition means: the technical transition of replacing outmoded technology, as well as the social transition, which prioritises not only skills but workplace mental health. Without a focus on both policy and people, clean power will not be delivered.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Simon Addyman receives funding from University College London.

    Jing Xu receives funding from University College London.

    – ref. Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of burnt out – https://theconversation.com/britains-net-zero-construction-workforce-is-already-at-risk-of-burnt-out-249328

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Horrific, bizarre, lonely: how women going through the menopause describe their experiences

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jessica Piasecki, Associate Professor in Exercise Physiology, Sport Science Department, Nottingham Trent University

    New Africa/Shutterstock

    Oestrogen and progesterone are the primary sex hormones in females, playing powerful roles throughout life – from puberty and periods to pregnancy and eventually menopause.

    During adolescence, these hormones surge, kick-starting the menstrual cycle. In adulthood, they fluctuate month to month, driving ovulation and menstruation. But between the ages of 45 and 55, their levels start to decline.

    This signals the beginning of perimenopause – the transitional phase leading to menopause, which is officially marked when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a period. After that, hormone levels settle at a lower, steady baseline, ushering in the postmenopausal stage.

    However, this hormonal journey is far from one-size-fits-all. Each woman’s hormonal profile is as individual as her fingerprint: pregnancy, breastfeeding, contraceptive use and lifestyle choices can all influence hormone levels in unique ways.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Oestrogen and progesterone don’t just affect the reproductive system, they also act directly on the brain. Both hormones can cross the blood-brain barrier and influence neural function. Oestrogen tends to excite brain activity, enhancing alertness and mood, while progesterone is more calming and balancing.

    When these hormone levels begin to fluctuate during perimenopause, they can disrupt many of the systems they regulate, especially in the brain. Common symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, memory problems, mood swings, poor sleep and even depression are not just nuisances. They’re signs that the central nervous system is being affected.

    These neurological symptoms can have a domino effect on physical and mental health. In fact, research shows that women are more likely than men to experience frailty and cognitive decline in later life – a trend that may be linked to the hormonal shifts around menopause.

    That’s why it’s so important to approach menopause as a whole-body, whole-brain experience and not just a reproductive event.

    Experiences of menopause

    Along with colleagues from Nottingham Trent and Northumbria universities, I conducted research that explored how women describe their personal experiences of menopause. The findings were eye opening.

    When asked to sum up menopause in one word, participants offered responses like:
    “Anxiety.” “Horrific.” “Bizarre.” “Depression.” Many expressed frustration at the lack of clear, trustworthy information and a feeling of isolation. One woman said: “I don’t know what my body is capable of doing from one minute to the next … the pain, it’s just horrible.”

    Another described overwhelming fatigue: “I haven’t got the energy I had when I was young.” While others reported profound mental health struggles: “I had this thing where I hated myself”, “I would have a rage within me, which wasn’t me normally”, “I had depressive episodes and was very poorly.” One participant reported that she was “feeling overwhelmed and panicked about doing anything, even leaving the house”.

    These stories reveal the reality behind the statistics – menopause can be deeply destabilising, and for some women, life altering.

    The more symptoms women experience, the more their quality of life can be affected. But there is hope. Research shows that higher levels of physical activity are linked to fewer and less severe menopausal symptoms.

    That’s why our research team has taken our findings beyond the lab. Through public events and workshops, we’re helping women learn about how nutrition, brain health, and exercise can support them through the menopausal transition. And the impact goes beyond biology: gaining knowledge has been shown to boost self-confidence and help women feel more in control and less alone.

    There’s still much to learn about the full impact of menopause on the brain and body, but one thing is clear: supporting women through this major life stage is not optional – it’s essential.

    By continuing to share knowledge, break taboos and support one another, we can change the story of menopause from one of confusion and isolation to one of empowerment, understanding and resilience.

    Jessica Piasecki receives funding from The Royal Society and MyAge. She is affiliated with Power Group — National Institute of Women’s Health and Performance and Relative Energy .Deficiency-Sport (RED-S) interest group

    – ref. Horrific, bizarre, lonely: how women going through the menopause describe their experiences – https://theconversation.com/horrific-bizarre-lonely-how-women-going-through-the-menopause-describe-their-experiences-255996

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From M&S to Duolingo: banter between brands on social media gets people buying – but there’s a catch

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Zoe Lee, Reader (Associate Professor) in Marketing, Cardiff University

    The owl that came back from the dead. daily_creativity/Shutterstock

    The line between entertainment and advertising is increasingly blurred thanks to social media. People no longer just consume content, they experience it – laughing, sharing and commenting. And brands have caught on.

    The days when people sat through a 30-second TV ad because they had no choice are long gone. Now they can quickly swipe past anything that feels too much like selling.

    What tends to grab attention are things that feel spontaneous, real or funny. That’s where brand-to-brand banter comes in.

    Instead of posting directly to consumers, brands increasingly engage with each other. They crack jokes, offer praise and even poke fun at competitors. Brands are becoming more human in their interactions – especially with each other.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Brand “banter” doesn’t feel like an ad (even though it has a commercial purpose). It can feel unscripted, human and weirdly fun, cutting through in a way traditional advertising can’t.

    Our research shows that consumers are more likely to notice and engage with these interactions. The content feels less like marketing and more like shared digital culture. It can feel unexpected and entertaining, and invites audiences into a “moment”.

    Humour, especially online, is a powerful emotional hook. It invites people to share the content – great news if you have a product to sell. In a noisy digital world where brands compete for eyeballs, humour helps to get people’s attention.

    But it also fosters emotional connection, and can make brands feel human-like to consumers. When we see brands behaving playfully or being especially complimentary towards each other, our research shows they are more like to engage and remember them. It turns passive scrolling into active participation.

    A good example is the Duolingo Death meme. The brand’s chaotic cartoon owl faked its death on Instagram and the result was viral engagement.

    The post was liked by more than 2.1 million people. Other brands such as Walmart, FedEx, Kellogg’s and Five Guys joined in. Even pop star Dua Lipa paid tribute on X. What felt like spontaneous chaos was actually a smart, strategic move that tapped into meme culture, humour and community trends.

    The same can be said for the caterpillar cake battle between supermarket Aldi and Marks & Spencer. This public brand-to-brand feud over their respective cakes exploded into a public spectacle and legal action from M&S. Despite being locked in a trademark row, Aldi and M&S ribbed each other with witty social media posts.

    But rather than harming either brand, the playful roasting humanised them, drawing attention and affection from consumers.

    In on the joke

    Our research also found that when brands talk to each other, (rather than just talking at consumers), it can be an effective marketing device. These exchanges are more engaging than traditional brand-to-consumer posts because they feel unexpected and unscripted.

    We found that people don’t just enjoy the interactions. They walk away with more positive feelings towards the brand and are more likely to buy from them. These interactions break the “fourth wall” of advertising and let consumers feel like they’ve been let in on a joke.

    Humour often works by violating expectations. But whether consumers find something funny or awkward depends on how we interpret that violation. And there’s a catch: it needs to feel benign rather than malign.

    American fast food chain Wendy’s is renowned for its sharp-witted social media presence, often engaging in playful jabs at competitors like McDonald’s. But one post, in response to McDonald’s promise to use fresh beef in all of its quarter pounders, apparently went too far.

    Wendy’s posted: “So you’ll still use frozen beef in MOST of your burgers in ALL of your restaurants? Asking for a friend.” While many customers found the remark humorous, others viewed it as mean-spirited and unprofessional.

    So banter – when it verges on being aggressive – can risk alienating consumers who prefer respectful brand interactions.

    Of course, the line between clever and cringe-worthy is thin. When brands try too hard to be funny or provocative, they risk being perceived as inauthentic, self-serving or out-of-touch. Worse, they can alienate audiences or trivialise serious issues. The performative nature of online branding means that missteps are both public and memorable.

    And brands must be self-aware. It’s crucial that they understand their brand purpose and identity, their “cool” factor, and who their real customers are.

    As brands seek their place in a saturated landscape, characterised by constant content overload and fleeting consumer attention, these moments of humour and light-hearted engagement can serve as relief valves. But they’re also strategic tools. Brands are using playfulness to build emotional connection, cultural relevance and visibility in an overcrowded digital space.

    So the next time a brand makes you laugh, pause and consider: Was it just a joke, or was it also a very clever move?

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. From M&S to Duolingo: banter between brands on social media gets people buying – but there’s a catch – https://theconversation.com/from-mands-to-duolingo-banter-between-brands-on-social-media-gets-people-buying-but-theres-a-catch-256521

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: FDIC Announces Retirement of Arthur J. Murton, Deputy to the Chairman for Financial Stability and Director of Division of Complex Institutions Supervision and Resolution

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the retirement of Arthur J. (Art) Murton, Deputy to the Chairman for Financial Stability and Director of the Division of Complex Institution Supervision and Resolution (CISR) on May 31, 2025, following a distinguished 39-year career at the agency.

    The FDIC Board of Directors appointed Mr. Murton as Deputy to the Chairman for Financial Stability in October 2019. In that role, he advised FDIC Chairmen and Board members on key policy issues affecting the FDIC and the banking system. Mr. Murton was also named Director of CISR in October 2023, where he oversaw the FDIC’s responsibilities related to systemically important financial institutions and insured depository institutions with assets above $100 billion. Mr. Murton held several other leadership roles at the agency over his career, including as Director of the Division of Insurance, the Division of Insurance and Research, and the Office of Complex Financial Institutions. 

    “Art’s experience and depth of knowledge have helped navigate the FDIC through critical times in our agency’s history,” said Travis Hill, FDIC Acting Chairman. “He is also a valued colleague who has mentored and helped further the careers of those who have worked with him. We are grateful for his dedication and exemplary service to the FDIC.”

    Mr. Murton joined the FDIC in January 1986 as a financial economist in the former Division of Research and Statistics. His time at the agency spanned the banking crises of the 1980s, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the regional bank failures in the spring of 2023. In each of these, Mr. Murton played a significant role in handling bank failures and in maintaining the liquidity and solvency of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). Additionally, during the global financial crisis, he led the design and implementation of the Temporary Liquidity Guaranty Program. 

    Mr. Murton also helped shape the reforms that followed these crises. For example, following the 1980s, the FDIC established a risk-based premium system to maintain the adequacy of the DIF. Following the 2008 crisis, the FDIC began requiring the largest banks to develop resolution plans and establishing tools to resolve the largest financial firms in an orderly way without taxpayer funds. Mr. Murton was instrumental in the implementation of these and other reforms.

    Mr. Murton also helped to establish the International Association of Deposit Insurers and was the FDIC’s first representative to that group. He has also worked extensively with the Financial Stability Board and has helped the FDIC develop strong bilateral relationships with key resolution authorities around the world.

    Mr. Murton holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Virginia.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “In the next 20 years we will stop aging”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Jose Luis Cordeiro

    © Higher School of Economics

    Leading Russian and Western scientists gathered at the anniversary XXV Yasin (April) International Scientific Conference. One of the guests at the special foresight session was Doctor of Philosophy Jose Luis Cordeiro, member of the World Academy of Art and Science, chairman of the Venezuelan node of the Millennium Project, former professor at MIPT and HSE, author of the book Death Must Die.

    — Dear Jose Luis, we are glad that you accepted our invitation to participate in the foresight session dedicated to the future of AI. This is not your first visit to HSE. How would you rate your experience of cooperation with our university?

    — I am always happy to return to HSE, which, by the way, many call the Russian Harvard, because I sincerely believe that it is one of the best universities in Russia, in Europe and in the world. All research and all academic work here is conducted at the highest level. And so I am inspired and happy to collaborate in any way possible.

    — Which areas of research and topics covered during the foresight session seem most relevant today?

    — I am interested in following the path from narrow AI to general AI and going even further, looking into the area of artificial superintelligence. Because this will be a level of AI that surpasses human in everything. I think this is inevitable and we need to be prepared for it.

    — Artificial intelligence causes both fear and excitement in society. What does this new technology generate more — threats or opportunities?

    — Every technology can be used for good and for bad, starting with one of the first human technologies, fire, which was probably developed by humans about half a million years ago. Obviously, it could be used for many good things, like cooking, heating, and so on. But it could also be used to kill, destroy, and burn cities. Same with nuclear energy. It can be used to make electricity or to make nuclear weapons. So all technologies can be used for good or for bad. But again, in general, technologies are used for good purposes. They are developed by people for people in cooperation with other people. So I am actually very inspired by the incredible capabilities of artificial intelligence.

    Maybe I’m not so afraid of AI because I’m more worried about human stupidity. Human stupidity is really my main concern! And so if we can become smarter with AI, I’ll be very happy about it.

    — Each person draws a certain image of the future, preferable, possible or undesirable, clear or vague, a certain picture where he places himself. What place does artificial intelligence occupy in your image of the future?

    — AI will be everywhere, it will assist us in everything constantly and continuously. It will be as natural as mobile phones are now, or earlier — the Internet, and even earlier — just ordinary landline phones.

    So AI will be everywhere. It is a general purpose technology, like electricity, which is everywhere today.

    — What, in your opinion, are the most important challenges facing humanity today? Have they changed much in recent years?

    — Look, there are different challenges in different historical periods. This is reasonable. Once, you know, fire was a big challenge. And a few thousand years later, nuclear weapons became a challenge. For a long time after World War II, humanity lived in fear of the constant threat of nuclear destruction. Until biochemical weapons were added to it. And now there are two challenges. But today, it seems to me, in terms of the greatest threat, environmental challenges are in the foreground. I believe that they are the main modern problem for humanity.

    But AI, like all technology, is actually more of a help than a problem. So I’m very optimistic about AI and I’m looking forward to AI finally helping us solve previous problems and challenges before it becomes a problem itself.

    — During the foresight session, some speakers criticized foresight, claiming that it is experiencing a decline in public interest because it is too old-fashioned. Do you agree with this statement?

    — I think that foresight and future studies in general, on the contrary, are becoming more and more relevant, because the world is changing faster and faster. When things, ways of life and technologies had not changed for centuries, when everything happened very slowly, then foresight was not so important. But now, when everything happens almost instantly, we need more, not less foresight.

    So no, I don’t think it’s old-fashioned. In fact, I think foresight is coming into fashion and it should become even more common in the future. Well, look, it’s like saying that mathematics is old-fashioned or physics is outdated. Well, they’re not, they’re not old-fashioned. We need mathematics, we need physics, and we need foresight. And I repeat: we need it more than ever.

    — You were one of the founders of the Millennium Project, which unites futurologists from all over the world. HSE Foresight Center is also active in futures research. In what areas do you see the greatest synergy from collaboration?

    — In many. If you remember, I already mentioned that HSE, ISSEK, Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge. — Ed.) and the Foresight Center are at the forefront of modern scientific forecasting. They have achieved incredible success in the field of technological and scientific foresight. I like their forecasting tool for processing big data (iFORA. — Ed.). By the way, iFORA is something we could collaborate on, we could help promote it on the market, already at the international level. iFORA is just one example.

    Now, as part of the Millennium Project, we are working on developing State of the Future Indexes. We are creating indices of the future states of companies, cities, countries, industrial sectors and the world as a whole. So, since HSE is very strong in statistics, we could collaborate on state of the future indices. Choose a direction and create an index.

    Or a third example: we are assembling a navigator for Futures Research Methodologies. And a Foresight Center that develops such methodologies and has most of the foresight methods in its arsenal would be indispensable in our work.

    And finally, we conduct international Delphi surveys annually, now online surveys. And of course, we want to involve Russian scientists in our expert circle. Russia is one of those countries in the world where a lot of expertise has been collected in various technological areas, and we will be very happy to include it in our Delphi surveys.

    So, a lot, a lot of things. The future is open, and foresight and future research are the future.

    — Could you tell us about your current research interests?

    — Right now I am mainly interested in three areas. The first is space. Space is an important part of the history and future of humanity. And in the next decade we will have space colonies on the Moon and Mars. Life on other planets will radically change the attitude and view of our own tiny planet Earth. So space is very important. And of course, Russia, remaining one of the leading countries in space research, will participate in this space expansion.

    The second area that interests me is artificial intelligence and the transition to superintelligence. As soon as we create a new machine-human civilization, the world around us will change radically. For this, we will need a lot of intelligence, both natural and artificial. I really want to look into the future, in which superintelligence operates.

    And the third area of my interest is biotechnology, health and longevity. Now with new medical technologies we have the ability to increase the life expectancy of people, and soon we will be able to rejuvenate people. It seems incredible, but the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012 was awarded to Shinyo Yamanaka, who discovered a way to reprogram cells to change their biological age. After that, other scientists began to do this at the organ level, in 12 years we moved from cells to organs. And now many people are working on the transition from organs to whole organisms, to animals. Of course, they usually start with simpler and smaller animals, and then move on to more complex and larger ones, so that eventually we can try it on people. I believe that in the next 20 years we will stop aging. We will take control of the aging process and begin to rejuvenate people. This was the first dream of mankind – immortality. And now we are very close to making it come true thanks to biotechnology. And so I’m very excited about this. So, three areas: space, artificial intelligence and longevity.

    The interview was prepared by Sergey Sychev, leading expert of the Department of Science Statistics ISSEK HSE

    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: Trump’s battle with elite universities overlooks where most students actually go to college

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amy Li, Associate Professor of Higher Education, Florida International University

    There are nearly 20 million undergraduate college students in the United States. Anadolu/Getty Images

    Headlines often mention the ongoing power struggle between President Donald Trump’s administration and private colleges such as Columbia University and Harvard University.

    But such elite universities educate only a small portion of America’s total undergraduate population, which stood at 20 million in fall 2024.

    As an associate professor of higher education, I have published research on policies that affect college access, retention and graduation. My work has examined data across different types of higher education institutions.

    The Ivies and other elites

    Less than 1% of American college students attend elite private colleges.

    A small group of colleges, consisting of Ivy League schools and other highly selective universities known as “Ivy-Plus,” fit in this category.

    The Ivy League consists of eight private schools that formed an athletic conference in the 1950s. The member universities are known for their academic excellence.

    The Ivy-Plus are highly prestigious colleges located across the country with similar reputations for outstanding academics such as Stanford University, Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    These colleges have extremely competitive admissions, often accepting less than 10% of applicants.

    They enroll students from high-income backgrounds more than any other type of institution. Students from upper-income families represent 60% to 70% of attendees at elite privates.

    Elite private universities confer undergraduate and graduate degrees and focus on research.

    Elite public colleges

    Elite public colleges, such as the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Virginia, are near the top of the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings. They also are often the flagship university in their state, such as the University of Michigan.

    These colleges have highly selective admissions processes as well and often accept about 10% to 20% of applicants.

    The largest portion of revenue at public universities, roughly 40%, comes from government sources that include federal, state and local government grants, contracts and appropriations, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

    Students from upper-income families constitute 50% to 55% of attendees at elite public colleges.

    Like elite private colleges, elite public colleges confer undergraduate and graduate degrees and focus on research.

    Community colleges

    There are 1,024 community colleges in the U.S., serving 39% of undergraduate students.

    These public, two-year colleges grant associate degrees and occasionally bachelor’s degrees. They also offer certificates, workforce training and noncredit courses to prepare students for college-level courses.

    Community colleges have a strong teaching focus and a mission to serve their communities. They tend to guarantee admission to anyone who wants to enroll and offer lower tuition and fees.

    Community colleges are also critical entry points for students from lower-income households and those who identify as racial or ethnic minorities or who are the first in their family to attend college.

    Like other public institutions, community colleges depend heavily on state funding, as well as local property taxes.

    Regional universities

    Roughly 70% of undergraduate students who attend public, four-year institutions enroll at regional public universities.
    Newsday RM via Getty Images

    Of all undergraduates who attend public, four-year institutions, roughly 70% enroll in regional institutions.

    They include colleges in state-run systems such as the State University of New York and California State University.

    There is wide variation in acceptance rates among regional public universities, but they tend to be moderately selective, accepting between half and 70% of applicants.

    Regional public universities offer a wide range of academic programs mostly at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. They also depend heavily on state funding.

    Small private colleges

    Small, less selective private colleges often have acceptance rates of 60% or higher and enroll 3,000 or fewer students.

    Their budgets depend primarily on tuition and fees.

    Some of these types of colleges have suffered from enrollment declines since the early 2000s, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Many of these institutions lacked the large endowments that allowed elite privates to weather the financial challenges brought on by the pandemic.

    A number of small private colleges, such as Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts, have closed or merged with other universities due to financial difficulties.

    These small private colleges often offer academic programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

    Private for-profit

    About 5% of students attend private for-profit colleges.

    These colleges offer courses in convenient formats that may be attractive to older adult students, including those with full-time jobs.

    For-profit college students disproportionately identify as older, Black and female. Students who attend these colleges are also more likely to be single parents.

    In recent years, the federal government has cracked down on false promises some for-profit institutions made about their graduates’ job and earnings prospects and other outcomes.

    The enforcement led to the closure of some colleges, such as ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges.

    Minority-serving institutions

    Minority-serving institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities, have a mission to serve certain populations.
    Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    Minority-serving institutions have a mission to serve certain student populations.

    Minority-serving institutions include historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, such as Morehouse College; Hispanic-serving institutions, or HSIs, such as Florida International University; Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, or AANAPISIs, such as North Seattle College; and tribal colleges and universities, or TCUs, such as Blackfeet Community College, which serve Native American students.

    The federal government determines which colleges fit the criteria.

    These are primarily two- and four-year colleges, but some grant graduate degrees.

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

    – ref. Trump’s battle with elite universities overlooks where most students actually go to college – https://theconversation.com/trumps-battle-with-elite-universities-overlooks-where-most-students-actually-go-to-college-254680

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Codere Online Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Total revenue was €54.3 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue1 was €57.0 mm in the period, 8% above Q1 2024 (17% in constant currency terms).
    • Mexico revenue was €27.6 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue was €30.5 mm in the period, 15% above Q1 2024 (34% in constant currency terms).
    • Net loss was €0.7 mm in Q1 2025 versus a net income of €3.4 mm in Q1 2024.
    • Total cash position of €41.8 mm as of March 31, 2025.
    • Reiterating 2025 net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA2 outlook of €10-15 million.
    • Repurchased $0.5 million of the Company’s shares under the Company’s $5.0 million share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Madrid, Spain and Tel Aviv, Israel, May 16, 2025 – (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Codere Online (Nasdaq: CDRO / CDROW, the “Company”), a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, has released its preliminary unaudited3 financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Below are the main financial and operating metrics of the period.

      Quarter ended March 31
      2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Net Gaming Revenue (EUR mm)1      
    Spain 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    Mexico 26.6 30.5 15%
    Other 4.1 4.5 10%
    Total 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Avg. Monthly Active Players (000s)4      
    Spain 50.0 52.0 4%
    Mexico 62.5 82.0 31%
    Other 30.6 27.2 (11%)
    Total 143.2 161.3 13%

    Aviv Sher, CEO of Codere Online, stated, “We are off to a good start in 2025, with net gaming revenue reaching €57.0 million in the first quarter, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. In Mexico, net gaming revenue grew 15% to €30.5 million, despite the 16% devaluation of the Mexican peso. Meanwhile, net gaming revenue in Spain was slightly below last year’s at €21.9 million.”

    Oscar Iglesias, CFO of Codere Online, commented, “We are very pleased with our performance in Mexico and the underlying trends in local currency. Also, our portfolio of active customers grew by an impressive 31% versus the prior year quarter which is quite encouraging”.

    Mr. Iglesias added, “Based on these results, we believe that we are on track to meet our net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA outlook of €10-15 million that we provided to investors earlier this year.”

    Recent Events

    Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Requirements

    • On May 1, 2025, the Company filed its 2023 annual report (ahead of the May 12th deadline) and on May 15th, Nasdaq informed the Company that it had regained compliance with applicable listing requirements.
    • The Company is actively working to complete the audit of its 2024 financial accounts and expects to file the 2024 annual report by the end of this month. However, as we did not file by May 15th (i.e. within the 15-day grace period provided for), we expect that a delisting notice from Nasdaq is forthcoming.
    • Upon receipt of said delisting notice, the Company will promptly request a hearing with the Nasdaq Hearings Panel and seek a stay of any trading suspension; however, the Company expects to file the 2024 annual report and regain compliance with Nasdaq requirements ahead of any hearing.

    Repurchases under the Share Buyback Plan

    • At a general meeting held on March 3, 2025, Codere Online shareholders authorized the repurchase of up to 1 million of the Company’s ordinary shares over a one-year period (for a total investment of up to $5.0 million, as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors).
    • The Company repurchased 68,384 shares at an average price of $6.63 under the authorized share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Conference Call Information

    Codere Online’s management will host a conference call to discuss the results and provide a business update at 8:30 am US Eastern Time today, May 16, 2025. Dial-in details as well as the audio webcast and presentation will be accessible on Codere Online’s website at www.codereonline.com. A recording of the webcast will also be available following the conference call.

    Reconciliation of Revenue (IFRS) to Net Gaming Revenue (non-IFRS)

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Total      
           
    Revenue 50.4 54.3 4%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.6 2.6 69%
    Net Gaming Revenue 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Spain      
           
    Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 – – n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
           
    Mexico      
           
    Revenue 23.8 27.6 16%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.7 2.9 7%
    Net Gaming Revenue 26.6 30.5 15%
           
    Other      
           
    Revenue 4.3 4.8 (30%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 (0.2) (0.3) n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 4.1 4.5 10%

    Reconciliation of Net Income (IFRS) to Adj. EBITDA (non-IFRS)6

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg.
           
    Net Income (Loss) 3.4 (0.7) (3.4)
    (+/-) Provision for Corporate Income Tax 0.5 0.2 (0.1)
    (+/-) Interest Expense / (Income) (4.8) 1.1 5.8
    (+/-) Var. In Fair Value of Public Warrants 1.9 0.5 (1.4)
    (+) D&A 0.0 0.2 0.2
    EBITDA 0.9 1.3 1.1
    (+) Employee LTIP Expense 0.6 0.5 (0.6)
    (+/-) Other Accounting Adjustments 0.2 0.0 (0.4)
    Adj. EBITDA (Pre Non-Recurring Items) 1.7 1.8 0.1
    (+) Non-Recurring Items 0.0 0.0 0.0
    Adj. EBITDA 1.7 1.8 0.1

    About Codere Online

    Codere Online refers, collectively, to Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries. Codere Online, launched in 2014 as part of the renowned casino operator Codere Group, offers online sports betting and online casino through its state-of-the art website and mobile applications. Codere Online currently operates in its core markets of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Argentina; this online business is complemented by Codere Group’s physical presence in Spain and throughout Latin America, forming the foundation of the leading omnichannel gaming and casino presence.

    About Codere Group
    Codere Group is a multinational group devoted to entertainment and leisure. It is a leading player in the private gaming industry, with four decades of experience and with presence in seven countries in Europe (Spain and Italy) and Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay).

    Note on Rounding. Due to decimal rounding, numbers presented throughout this report may not add up precisely to the totals and subtotals provided, and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Codere Online”) or Codere Online’s or its management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, for example, statements about Codere Online’s financial performance and, in particular, the potential evolution and distribution of its net gaming revenue; any prospective and illustrative financial information; and changes in Codere Online’s strategy, future operations and target addressable market, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans as well as he Company’s expectations about the timing of completion and filing of the Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (the “2024 Annual Report”), and statements related to the Company’s plan, timing and actions taken to regain compliance with the Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).

    These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this document and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Codere Online’s or its management team’s views as of any subsequent date, and Codere Online does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

    As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, Codere Online’s actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Codere Online does not presently know or that Codere Online currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include (i) changes in applicable laws or regulations, including online gaming, privacy, data use and data protection rules and regulations as well as consumers’ heightened expectations regarding proper safeguarding of their personal information, (ii) the impacts and ongoing uncertainties created by regulatory restrictions, changes in perceptions of the gaming industry, changes in policies and increased competition, and geopolitical events such as war, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and identify and realize additional opportunities, (iv) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Codere Online operates, (v) the risk that Codere Online and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Codere Online’s services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (vi) the risk that Codere Online may never achieve or sustain profitability, (vii) the risk that Codere Online will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (viii) the risk that Codere Online experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (ix) the risk that third-party providers, including the Codere Group, are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations, (x) the risk that the online gaming operations will not provide the expected benefits due to, among other things, the inability to obtain or maintain online gaming licenses in the anticipated time frame or at all, (xi) the risk that Codere Online is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property, (xii) the risk that Codere Online’s securities may be delisted from Nasdaq and (xiii) the possibility that Codere Online may be adversely affected by other political, economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Codere Online’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Codere Online or other matters and attributable to Codere Online or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

    Financial Information and Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    Codere Online’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), which can differ in certain significant respects from generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

    This document includes certain financial measures not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS (“non-GAAP”), such as, without limitation, net gaming revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and constant currency information. These non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of financial performance in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS and may exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing Codere Online’s financial results. Therefore, these measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to revenue, net income, cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. You should be aware that Codere Online’s presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies. In addition, the audit of Codere Online’s financial statements in accordance with PCAOB standards, may impact how Codere Online currently calculates its non-GAAP financial measures, and we cannot assure you that there would not be differences, and such differences could be material.

    Codere Online believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends in comparing Codere Online’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expense and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable measure under IFRS are included herein.

    This document may include certain projections of non-GAAP financial measures. Codere Online is unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS financial measures without unreasonable effort, due to the inherent difficulty and variability of accurately forecasting the occurrence and financial impact of the various adjusting items necessary for such comparable measures or such reconciliation that have not yet occurred, are out of our control, or cannot be reasonably predicted, ascertained or assessed, which could have a material impact on its future IFRS financial results. Consequently, no disclosure of estimated comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS measures is included and no reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures is included.

    Use of Projections
    This document contains financial forecasts with respect to Codere Online’s business and projected financial results, including net gaming revenue and adjusted EBITDA. Codere Online’s independent auditors have not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the projections for the purpose of their inclusion in this document, and accordingly, they did not express an opinion or provide any other form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of this document. These projections should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. The assumptions and estimates underlying the prospective financial information are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the prospective financial information. See “Forward-Looking Statements” above. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the prospective results are indicative of the future performance of Codere Online or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the prospective financial information. Inclusion of the prospective financial information in this document should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the prospective financial information will be achieved.

    For further information on the limitations and assumptions underlying these projections, please refer to Codere Online’s filings with the SEC.

    Preliminary Information
    This document contains figures, financial metrics, statistics and other information that is preliminary and subject to change (the “Preliminary Information”). The Preliminary Information has not been audited, reviewed, or compiled by any independent registered public accounting firm. This Preliminary Information is subject to ongoing review including, where applicable, by Codere Online’s independent auditors. Accordingly, no independent registered public accounting firm has expressed an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect to the Preliminary Information. During the course of finalizing such Preliminary Information, adjustments to such Preliminary Information presented herein may be identified, which may be material. Codere Online undertakes no obligation to update or revise the Preliminary Information set forth in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. The Preliminary Information may differ from actual results. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance upon this Preliminary Information. The Preliminary Information is not a comprehensive statement of financial results, and should not be viewed as a substitute for full financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, the Preliminary Information is not necessarily indicative of the results to be achieved in any future period.

    No Offer or Solicitation
    This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

    Trademarks
    This document may contain trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights of Codere Online or other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, some of the trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights referred to in this document may be listed without the TM, SM, © or ® symbols, but Codere Online will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the rights of the applicable owners, if any, to these trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights.

    Industry and Market Data
    In this document, Codere Online relies on and refers to certain information and statistics obtained from publicly available information and third-party sources, which it believes to be reliable. Codere Online has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any such publicly-available and third-party information, does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of such data and does not undertake any obligation to update such data after the date of this document. You are cautioned not to give undue weight to such industry and market data.

    Contacts:

    Investors and Media
    Guillermo Lancha
    Director, Investor Relations and Communications
    Guillermo.Lancha@codere.com
    (+34) 628.928.152

    1 Net Gaming Revenue is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Net Gaming Revenue to Revenue at the end of the report.

    2 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income at the end of the report. Net gaming revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlooks are forward-looking non-IFRS measures; please see important disclaimers at the end of the report.
    3 See “Preliminary Information” below.        

    4 Average Monthly Active Players include real money (i.e. exclude free bets) sports betting and casino actives.

    5 Figures primarily reflect differences in recognition of revenue related to certain partner and affiliate agreements in place in Colombia, VAT impact from entry fees in Mexico and the impact from the application of inflation accounting (IAS 29) in Argentina.

    6 Please refer to page 26 of our Q1 2025 Earnings Presentation for further details regarding this reconciliation.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Taiwan women’s power takes flight internationally; gender equality achievements showcased in New York

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Taiwan women’s power takes flight internationally; gender equality achievements showcased in New York

    Date：2025-03-04
    Data Source：Department of NGO International Affairs

    March 4, 2025No. 056The 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will be held in New York from March 10 to 21. This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in continued collaboration with Taiwanese nongovernmental organizations, has arranged for Taiwan Gender Equality Week (TGEW) to be held in New York at the same time. CSW69 will focus on the gender equality outcomes of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women. In line with this, TGEW’s theme will be “Resilient Leadership & Free Expression,” demonstrating to the world Taiwan’s long-standing efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and gender equality.The highlight of this year’s TGEW will be Taiwan Women’s Power and Culture Night, to be held at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York at 18:00 on March 12. The event, themed “Taiwan Main Stage: Celebrating Women’s Resilience and Progress,” will showcase Taiwan’s gender equality achievements. A number of distinguished guests will be invited to share their perspectives on Taiwan’s implementation of gender mainstreaming and international commitments in recent years as Taiwan has responded to global trends. In addition, the event will feature Ambassador-at-Large Liu Po-chun, World Winner of the 2019 International Olympic Committee Women and Sport Award. Using her personal experiences in Taiwan as a starting point, she will invite the international community to discuss in depth the next steps for global gender equality. And Chair of the Egret Cultural and Educational Foundation Lu Chia-hui will hold a multimedia piano concert, expressing Taiwanese women’s concern for and contributions to environmental protection, cultural inclusion, and peace via the performing arts. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Women’s Power Exhibition will employ statistics to illustrate milestones along Taiwan’s path to gender equality. The event will be live streamed on MOFA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.This year, over 60 representatives from more than 40 Taiwanese NGOs and local governments will hold 32 parallel events during the NGO CSW Forum. They will share Taiwan’s gender equality initiatives and policy implementation experiences with the international community.Since 2020, MOFA and the Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (FWRPD) have coorganized TGEW. Moving forward, the government will continue to work hand in hand with civil society, leveraging Taiwan’s advantages in gender equality to make Taiwan’s voice heard on the world stage. During TGEW, everyone is welcome to participate in the FWRPD’s gender equality campaign on X at @WomensRightsTW and use the hashtags #TaiwanforHer and #EqualityTaiwan to spread the word. And by following MOFA’s Facebook page and X account, together we can raise awareness about Taiwan’s gender equality achievements and call for global sustainable development through gender equality. For more information, visit https://www.tgew.org/. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: EngageLab Supercharges Global E-commerce with Smart Push and Push Plan Features for AppPush & WebPush, Boosting Click-Through Rates by Over 30%

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As global e-commerce gears up for a series of major shopping seasons, EngageLab, a leading customer engagement solutions provider recently launched two powerful new features for its AppPush and WebPush products: Smart Push and Push Plan. These enhancements are designed to help global e-commerce businesses significantly improve user engagement, marketing efficiency, and conversion rates, with early adopters already reporting click-through rate increases of over 30%.

    With major sales events like TikTok’s multi-country Summer Sale (June-July), Amazon Prime Day (July), the North American Back-to-School season (July-September), and Southeast Asia’s mega-sales (September) on platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop rapidly approaching, e-commerce businesses are seeking more intelligent ways to cut through the noise and maximize their marketing ROI. EngageLab’s new features directly address the challenges of optimizing message delivery and managing complex promotional campaigns.

    Feature 1: Smart Push – Deliver Messages at the “Golden Moment”
    EngageLab’s new Smart Push capability eliminates the guesswork in scheduling push notifications. By analyzing users’ recent activity patterns and usage habits, the smart feature predicts the optimal time each user is most likely to be active and engaged. Messages are then delivered precisely according to the user’s local time zone, ensuring notifications arrive at their personal “golden moment.”

    Key Advantages:

    • Higher Click-Through Rates: Delivering messages when users are most active significantly increases visibility and interaction. Clients testing this feature have seen click-through rates improve by over 30%.
    • Increased Conversion Efficiency: Capturing user attention at peak engagement times leads to more effective down-funnel conversions.
    • Enhanced User Experience: Avoids inopportune interruptions, fostering positive brand perception.
    • New User Friendly: For users without historical data, businesses can still opt for immediate delivery, a specific scheduled time, or a time based on the end-user’s local time zone.

    This feature is now available for a limited-time free trial via the EngageLab dashboard.

    Feature 2: Push Plan – Masterful Management for Large-Scale Promotion Campaigns
    Managing the multi-wave, multi-segment, and multi-content push notification strategies required for major global e-commerce campaigns can be complex. The new Push Plan feature provides a centralized command center for these intricate operations.

    Key Advantages:

    • Centralized Campaign Management: Group multiple push tasks targeting the same campaign (e.g., pre-heat, launch, and retargeting phases for a summer sale) into a single “Push Plan” for clear, stage-by-stage communication strategy management.
    • Holistic Performance Insights: Move beyond fragmented data from individual pushes. Push Plan offers consolidated analytics, precisely tracking key metrics like delivery rate, click rate, and conversions across the entire campaign lifecycle.
    • Flexible Operation: Full support via API and Web Portal allows both developers and marketing operators to easily create, manage tasks, track data, and optimize strategies within their Push Plans.
    • Data-Driven Optimization: A clear dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of overall marketing campaign effectiveness, offering robust data support for future strategy refinements.
      • Push Statistics: Detailed tracking of delivery, clicks, and more.
      • Summary Statistics: Comprehensive analysis of conversion rates and overall campaign impact.

    These two new features for AppPush and WebPush are designed to empower businesses with smarter technology and more efficient tools for managing customer engagement. By optimizing message delivery and streamlining campaign management, EngageLab helps businesses enhance user communication, boost marketing efficiency, and achieve sustainable growth in the competitive global marketplace.

    About EngageLab
    EngageLab is a world-leading AI-powered omnichannel customer engagement solution provider, unites technology and versatility to offer seamless customer interactions and marketing automation across every channel, including AppPush, WebPush, Email, OTP, SMS and WhatsApp Business. It empowers businesses to build lasting relationships and achieve higher conversions and retention. With a strong focus on innovation and performance, EngageLab supports businesses in over 220 countries and regions, delivering more than 1 million messages every second across various channels.

    For more information about EngageLab and its suite of solutions, visit www.engagelab.com.

    For Media Inquiries:
    Contact: marketing@engagelab.com 
    Website: www.engagelab.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d1c343b-3c76-486c-859f-5f6be53f41fd

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2721f75-5dd9-4180-8af7-a221cf79e385

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Thundery Showers Mostly Between Early Hours And Morning In The Coming Week

    Source: Government of Singapore

    Singapore, 16 May 2025 – Inter-monsoon conditions are expected to continue in the second fortnight of May 2025, with winds mainly light and variable in direction, and blowing from the southeast or southwest on some days. 

    2          In the first week of the fortnight, Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds between the early hours and morning on some days. Thereafter, localised short-duration thundery showers are expected over parts of the island on a few afternoons. The total rainfall for the second fortnight of May 2025 is forecast to be near average over most parts of the island.

    3          The daily maximum temperatures are likely to be around 34 degrees Celsius on most days, and reach 35 degrees Celsius on a few days..

    4          For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.

     REVIEW OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (16 – 29 APRIL 2025)

    5          Inter-monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region in the first fortnight of May 2025. The prevailing winds were generally light and variable in direction.

    6          Moderate to heavy thundery showers fell over parts of Singapore on most days. On 5 May 2025, regional convergence of winds brought heavy thundery showers over many areas of Singapore in the early afternoon. The daily total rainfall of 99.4 mm recorded at Bukit Timah that day was the highest rainfall recorded for the first fortnight of May 2025.

     7          The daily maximum temperatures in the first fortnight of May 2025 were above 34 degrees Celsius on most days. The highest daily maximum temperature of 35.4 degree Celsius was recorded at Paya Lebar on 3 May 2025.

     8          Most parts of Singapore recorded above average rainfall in the first fortnight of May 2025. The rainfall around Bukit Timah was about 170 per cent above average and the rainfall around Tengah about 60 per cent below average.

    CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS

     Long-term Statistics for May
     (Climatological reference period: 1991-2020)
    Average daily maximum temperature: 32.3      °C
    Average daily minimum temperature: 25.7 °C
    Average monthly temperature: 28.6 °C
         
    Average rainfall: 164.3 mm
    Average number of rain days: 15  
    Historical Extremes for May
     (Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
    Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature: 33.6  °C (1997)
    Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature: 23.5  °C (1974)
         
    Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded:  386.6  mm (1892)
    Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded: 41.6  mm (1997)

     
    METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE SINGAPORE
    16 May 2025

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: May 2025 issue of “Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics” now available

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    May 2025 issue of “Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics” now available 
         Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains a feature article entitled “Currency Composition of Hong Kong’s International Investment Position, 2020 to 2024”.
     
    “Currency Composition of Hong Kong’s International Investment Position, 2020 to 2024”
     
         International Investment Position (IIP) is an important statistic in the system of macroeconomic accounts that summarises the external position of an economy with the rest of the world. It is a balance sheet showing an economy’s stock of external financial assets and liabilities at a particular time point. The difference between the total value of external financial assets and liabilities is the net IIP of an economy, which provides a measure of net financial claims on non-residents plus gold bullion held as monetary gold.
     
         In recent years, international community, such as the G20 Data Gap Initiative co-ordinated by the International Monetary Fund, has been advocating for the compilation of currency composition of IIP. In response to the initiatives and the needs of data users, the Census and Statistics Department has compiled and disseminated the statistics on the currency composition of Hong Kong’s IIP on a quarterly basis since the reference period of the first quarter of 2020, with data series backcasted to the reference period of the first quarter of 2017.
     
         This feature article briefly introduces the data source for compiling the statistics in Hong Kong and the use of the statistics in assessing the external position. It also highlights the salient features of the currency composition of Hong Kong’s IIP from 2020 to 2024.
     
         For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Balance of Payments Branch (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 6990; email: bop@censtatd.gov.hk 
         Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 130 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest at the website of the C&SD (    www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1010002&scode=460 
         Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Dissemination Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email:     gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Economic performance in first quarter of 2025 and latest GDP and price forecasts for 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government released today (May 16) the First Quarter Economic Report 2025, together with the revised figures on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2025.
     
         The Acting Government Economist, Dr Cecilia Lam, gave an account of the economic performance in the first quarter of 2025 and the latest GDP and price forecasts for 2025.
     
    Main points
     
    ＊ The Hong Kong economy expanded solidly in the first quarter of 2025, mainly supported by visible increases in exports of goods and services, as well as the resumption of moderate growth in overall investment expenditure. Yet, private consumption expenditure continued to register a modest decline. Real GDP expanded by 3.1% year-on-year in the first quarter, picking up from the 2.5% growth in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, real GDP grew visibly by 1.9%.

    ＊ The global economy maintained steady growth in the first quarter. With broadly sustained external demand, as well as some front-loading of shipments in anticipation of tariff hikes by the United States in early April, Hong Kong’s total exports of goods saw visibly accelerated growth, up 8.4% year-on-year in real terms. Meanwhile, thanks to the further increase in visitor arrivals, growth in cross boundary traffic, and notable increase in cross-boundary financial and fund raising activities, total exports of services continued to expand visibly in the first quarter, by 6.6% year-on-year in real terms.

    ＊ Domestically, overall investment expenditure resumed moderate growth, rising by 2.8% year-on-year in real terms, underpinned by a visible increase in expenditure on acquisitions of machinery, equipment, and intellectual property products, as well as a sharp rise in costs of ownership transfer due to a markedly higher number of property transactions compared to the same period last year. Yet, private consumption expenditure continued to register a small decline of 1.1%, reflecting the lingering impact of changes in residents’ consumption patterns. 

    ＊ The labour market remained tight in the first quarter. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed low at 3.2%, slightly higher than the 3.1% in the preceding quarter. The underemployment rate remained at a low level of 1.1%. Employment earnings continued to record solid growth.

    ＊ The local stock market once rallied in the first quarter, driven by the Mainland’s breakthrough development in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Central Government’s measures to stimulate the domestic economy as unveiled at the “two sessions”. However, the market cooled down towards the end of the quarter amid concerns over the United States’ trade policy outlook. The residential property prices remained soft. 

    ＊ Consumer price inflation stayed modest in the first quarter. The underlying Composite Consumer Price Index (Composite CPI) increased by 1.2% over a year earlier, same as the increase in the preceding quarter. Price pressures on various major components stayed largely contained. Including the effects of the Government’s one-off relief measures, the headline Composite CPI increased by 1.6% over a year earlier, higher than the 1.4% increase in the preceding quarter. 

    ＊ As international trade tensions have eased somewhat of late, the headwinds and uncertainties in the external environment have lessened to some extent. This may relieve part of the downward pressure on the global economic outlook. Moreover, the sustained steady growth of the Mainland economy amid more proactive fiscal policies and the moderately accommodative monetary policies should bode well for the performance of merchandise exports in Asia including Hong Kong. Sustained international trade flows, coupled with improving inbound tourism, are also expected to benefit Hong Kong’s exports of services. However, uncertainties in the trade policies of the United States persist, and its monetary policy trajectory going forward is still complicated. These may affect global financial conditions and investment sentiment. Apart from this, the change in consumption patterns of residents and visitors would still pose constraints on driving consumption in the domestic market, though sustained increase in employment earnings and the SAR Government’s various policies to promote mega events and tourism would help boost consumption sentiment.

    ＊ Taking into account the actual outturn in the first quarter and the latest developments of the global and local situation, the real GDP growth forecast for 2025 as a whole is maintained at 2%-3%, the same as that announced in the Budget. The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation.

    ＊ On the inflation outlook, overall inflation should remain modest in the near term as pressures from domestic costs and external prices should stay broadly in check. Considering that the inflation situation in the first quarter was broadly in line with earlier expectations, the forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation rates for 2025 are maintained at 1.5% and 1.8% respectively, the same as those announced in the Budget.
     
    Details
     
    GDP
     
         According to the revised figures released today by the Census and Statistics Department, real GDP grew by 3.1% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025 (same as the advance estimate), having increased by 2.5% in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, real GDP rose by 1.9% in the first quarter (revised from the advance estimate of 2.0%), after a 0.9% increase in the preceding quarter (Chart).
     
         The latest figures on GDP and its major expenditure components up to the first quarter of 2025 are presented in Table 1. Developments in different segments of the economy in the first quarter are described below.
     
    External trade
     
         Supported by broadly sustained external demand as well as some front loading of shipments in anticipation of tariff hikes by the United States in early April, total exports of goods posted accelerated year-on-year growth of 8.4% in real terms in the first quarter, following a 1.3% increase in the preceding quarter. Analysed by major market and by reference to external merchandise trade statistics, exports to the Mainland grew strongly in the first quarter over a year earlier. Exports to the United States rose back, while those to the European Union fell further. Exports to ASEAN markets soared, while those to high-income Asian economies showed mixed performance. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, total exports of goods increased notably by 10.2% in real terms in the first quarter.
     
         Exports of services continued to expand visibly by 6.6% in real terms in the first quarter over a year earlier, after growing by 6.5% in the preceding quarter. Exports of all major service groups rose further. Specifically, exports of travel and transport services continued to expand, supported by the further increase in visitor arrivals and growth in cross-boundary traffic. Exports of financial services rose sharply, thanks to the notable increase in cross-boundary financial and fund raising activities. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, exports of services were virtually unchanged in real terms in the first quarter.
     
    Domestic sector
     
         Private consumption continued to be subject to the lingering impact of changes in residents’ consumption patterns in the first quarter. Private consumption expenditure declined modestly by 1.1% in real terms from a year ago, after a marginal decline of 0.2% in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter to quarter basis, private consumption expenditure decreased by 1.6% in real terms. Meanwhile, government consumption expenditure increased by 1.2% in real terms in the first quarter over a year earlier, after rising by 2.1% in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter to quarter basis, government consumption expenditure increased by 0.5% in real terms.
     
         Overall investment expenditure in terms of gross domestic fixed capital formation resumed moderate growth in the first quarter, rising by 2.8% year-on-year in real terms, after a modest decline of 0.7% in the preceding quarter. Within the total, expenditure on machinery, equipment, and intellectual property products increased visibly. The costs of ownership transfer rose sharply due to a markedly higher number of property transactions compared to the same period last year. Yet, expenditure on building and construction declined moderately.
     
    The labour sector
     
         The labour market remained tight in the first quarter of 2025. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed low at 3.2%, slightly higher than the 3.1% in the preceding quarter. The underemployment rate remained at a low level of 1.1%. The median monthly employment earnings of full-time employees in nominal terms increased by 6.4% year-on-year in the first quarter.
     
    The asset markets
     
         After staying largely range-bound in January 2025, the local stock market rallied after the Chinese New Year holidays through mid-March, as market sentiment was fuelled by the Mainland’s breakthrough development in AI and the Central Government’s measures to stimulate the domestic economy as unveiled at the “two sessions”. However, the market cooled down towards the end of the quarter amid concerns over the United States’ trade policy outlook. The Hang Seng Index (HSI) hit a three-year high of 24 771 on March 19, before retreating somewhat to close the first quarter at 23 120, up 15.3% from end-2024. In early April, trade tensions escalated abruptly due to the significant increase in import tariffs by the United States, and the global financial markets were volatile at that time. The HSI also fell in tandem, but it has recently resumed its uptrend.
     
         The residential property prices remained soft in the first quarter. Market sentiment turned more cautious towards the end of March amid growing external uncertainties from the United States’ trading and monetary policies. Overall flat prices fell by 2% in the first quarter. The index of home purchase affordability improved slightly further to around 59% in the first quarter alongside easing flat prices during the quarter, but remained above the long-term average of 56% over 2005 2024. The number of transactions, in terms of the total number of sale and purchase agreements for residential property received by the Land Registry, retreated by 19% from the preceding quarter to 12 193 in the first quarter, but was 24% higher than the level a year ago. On the other hand, overall flat rentals continued to show resilience, edging up by 0.4% during the first quarter. As to the non-residential property market, it remained generally weak in the first quarter, with trading activities across major market segments showing mixed performance, as well as prices and rentals declining further.
     
    Prices
     
         Consumer price inflation stayed modest in the first quarter of 2025. The underlying Composite CPI increased by 1.2% over a year earlier in the first quarter, same as the increase in the preceding quarter. Within this, food prices as a whole increased mildly. Private housing rentals saw a slightly accelerated increase. Price pressures on other major components stayed largely contained. Including the effects of the Government’s one-off relief measures, the headline Composite CPI increased by 1.6% over a year earlier, higher than the 1.4% increase in the preceding quarter. The headline inflation rate was higher than its underlying counterpart in the first quarter, as the electricity charges subsidy provided by the Government was smaller compared with the same period last year.
     
    Latest GDP and price forecasts for 2025
     
         As international trade tensions have eased somewhat of late, the headwinds and uncertainties in the external environment have lessened to some extent. This may relieve part of the downward pressure on the global economic outlook. Moreover, the sustained steady growth of the Mainland economy amid more proactive fiscal policies and the moderately accommodative monetary policies should bode well for the performance of merchandise exports in Asia including Hong Kong. Sustained international trade flows, coupled with improving inbound tourism, are also expected to benefit Hong Kong’s exports of services. However, uncertainties in the trade policies of the United States persist, and its monetary policy trajectory going forward is still complicated. These may affect global financial conditions and investment sentiment. Apart from this, the change in consumption patterns of residents and visitors would still pose constraints on driving consumption in the domestic market, though sustained increase in employment earnings and the SAR Government’s various policies to promote mega events and tourism would help boost consumption sentiment.
     
         Taking into account the actual outturn in the first quarter and the latest developments of the global and local situation, the real GDP growth forecast for 2025 as a whole is maintained at 2%-3%, the same as that announced in the Budget (Table 2). The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation. For reference, the latest growth forecasts by private sector analysts range between 1.0% to 2.5%.
     
         On the inflation outlook, overall inflation should remain modest in the near term as pressures from domestic costs and external prices should stay broadly in check. Considering that the inflation situation in the first quarter was broadly in line with earlier expectations, the forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation rates for 2025 are maintained at 1.5% and 1.8% respectively, the same as those announced in the Budget (Table 2).
     
         The First Quarter Economic Report 2025 is now available for online download, free of charge at www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/situation/index.htm. The Report of the Gross Domestic Product by Expenditure Component, which contains the GDP figures up to the first quarter of 2025, is also available for browse and download, free of charge on the homepage of the Census and Statistics Department, www.censtatd.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s rail passenger traffic hits record high in January-April 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) — China’s rail passenger traffic rose 5.9 percent year-on-year to a record 1.46 billion person-times from January to April, data released by China State Railway Corporation (CSRC) showed Thursday.

    According to the KGZhK, in January-April the average daily number of passenger trains running in the country was 11,224, which is 7.1 percent more than a year earlier.

    In order to meet market demand, KGZhK sent 367 special tourist trains.

    According to the results of the first four months of this year, KGZhK served about 5.69 million foreign passengers, which is 32.1 percent more in annual terms, statistics show. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –