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Polytechnicians performed excellently at the interregional stage of the Professionals championship

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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Students of the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University showed excellent results at the interregional stage of the Professionals professional skills championship in two competencies.

Veliky Novgorod hosted competitions in the "Design and Manufacturing of Prostheses and Orthoses" competency, in which representatives from 12 regions of Russia took part. The contestants completed complex tasks: scanned and created 3D models, assembled the mechanical part of the prosthesis, connected it to the control controller and programmed the system.

ISPO student Violetta Molodtsova won a gold medal, confirming the highest level of preparation.

This stage allowed me to assess my weaknesses and became a challenge. It was necessary to bring the task to an ideal result. Now I have time to prepare, to correct the shortcomings and show an even higher level in the final, – Violetta shared.

Expert mentor Daria Bolotnova noted that the programming module turned out to be the most difficult, which, however, is the team's strong point. Now the main task is to strengthen the other areas in order to compete worthily at the final in Kaluga.

Earlier, Kaluga also hosted competitions in the "Automation of Business Processes of Organizations" competency, where St. Petersburg was represented by the SPbPU team – student Polina Pavlova, expert mentor Lyubov Shavrova and coach Alexander Shavrov. Over the course of several days, Polina demonstrated professional skills in designing, programming and supporting information systems. The jury paid special attention to understanding the automated business processes, including accounting, analysis, planning and control. As a result, Polina entered the top 15 best and was awarded a medallion for professionalism.

From August 25 to 30, the final of the Professionals championship will be held in Kaluga at the Federal Technopark of Professional Education. More than 230 finalists will take part in it, including college students, schoolchildren from 14 years old and young specialists, as well as more than 250 experts, including representatives of leading employers.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Britain calls on Israel to halt settlement construction in West Bank

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

LONDON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday called on Israel to stop building settlements in the West Bank, warning that the move would constitute a "flagrant breach of international law" and seriously undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

"The UK is firmly opposed to the Israeli government's plans to build settlements in the E1 area, which would split a future Palestinian state in two," the Foreign Secretary said, adding that "these plans must be stopped immediately."

Earlier, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich presented a plan to build about 3,500 housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank. The official said the project would “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state.

Area E1, located between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, is considered particularly controversial because if Israelis settled there, East Jerusalem would be effectively cut off from the northern part of the West Bank. Plans for construction in the area have been frozen for many years, largely due to international protests.

Lammy, along with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, also discussed the need for “an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, an influx of aid and a plan to establish a lasting peace” in Gaza.

Britain, along with several other countries, is signalling a willingness to formally recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel meets key conditions such as agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.

“The situation in Gaza is dire,” Lammy wrote on social media on Thursday, warning that Israel’s actions were further undermining the prospect of a “two-state solution.” –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Uzbekistan plans to expand waste recycling

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Tashkent, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — Uzbekistan intends to advance work on expanding waste recycling, the press service of the head of state reported on Thursday.

“On August 14, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on measures to expand waste recycling,” the statement said.

It is reported that modern approaches are being introduced in this area, which is of great importance for the improvement of the country and the protection of public health. Last year, the Agency for Waste Management and Circular Economy Development was created. The area, which was previously a state monopoly, was opened to entrepreneurship, and a favorable business climate was created.

It is noted that during the presentation, responsible persons informed about the progress of projects and plans for the future.

"Projects for generating energy by burning waste are supported. Chinese investors are building such plants in six regions. The state undertakes to not only pay for waste disposal, but also to purchase the energy produced," the statement said.

As reported, an order was given to develop a two-year program for the full provision of social institutions and mahallas with waste containers. The importance of forming an environmental culture in society, starting with kindergartens and schools, was noted. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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UK GDP growth slows to 0.3 percent in Q2

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

LONDON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — Britain's gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent in the second quarter of 2025, slowing from 0.7 percent in the first quarter, the country's Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.

Among the three main sectors of the economy, construction increased by 1.2 percent, becoming the main source of growth during the period. In this sector, good performance was noted for new infrastructure projects, as well as repair and maintenance of private housing.

The services sector grew by 0.4 percent, with software and medical services the main drivers. Wholesale and retail trade fell sharply. Industrial production fell by 0.3 percent.

“We saw better-than-expected growth at the start of the year, largely due to inventory build-up ahead of the US tariffs. However, domestic tax burdens and uncertain global trade conditions created a very challenging environment for UK SMEs in the second quarter,” said Stuart Morrison, research manager at the British Chambers of Commerce.

In a recent report, forecasting organisation EY ITEM Club said that ongoing global economic uncertainty, fiscal tightening and a weak labour market will continue to weigh on the UK economy, with the country's GDP growth expected to remain weak until 2027. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Death toll rises as Israeli attacks on Gaza residential areas intensify – UN

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) — Israel's escalating attacks on residential areas in Gaza are causing a high number of casualties, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Thursday.

According to him, over the past two days, airstrikes and shelling have intensified in some areas of Gaza City, and attacks are also continuing in Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis.

“If Israel’s announced ground operation in Gaza City begins, thousands of families already in dire humanitarian conditions could be pushed into even greater dire straits,” OCHA said. “With 86 percent of the Strip currently under Israeli military action or eviction orders, humanitarian organizations lack access and the supplies to meet urgent needs at the levels they need,” it said.

It is also noted that in recent days the air temperature has risen sharply, and hundreds of thousands of people have been left without protection from the heat.

“Virtually all Gazans have been displaced at least once since the war began, and the makeshift shelters they managed to build or obtain have often fallen into disrepair or had to be abandoned in the rush to flee,” OCHA said.

The Office once again called for “a ceasefire, the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access.” –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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UN chief calls on Israel to immediately stop building settlements in the West Bank

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on Israeli authorities to immediately halt plans to build settlements in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“Our position is clear: Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them were established and maintained in violation of international law,” he said in a note to the media.

“Settlements further entrench the occupation, fuel tensions and systematically undermine the viability of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution,” the note said.

It is noted that construction in the E1 area will lead to the separation of the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, which will seriously undermine the prospects for the creation of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state.

Area E1, located between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, is considered particularly controversial because if Israelis settled there, East Jerusalem would be effectively cut off from the northern part of the West Bank. Plans for construction in the area have been frozen for years, largely due to international outcry. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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The probability of failure of the meeting with V. Putin in Alaska is 25 percent – D. Trump

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

ANCHORAGE, USA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that there is a 25 percent chance that his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska will fail.

In an interview with Fox News Radio, he said that the meeting with V. Putin was like a “chess game.” According to the head of the White House, the Russian leader will come with the intention of making progress in reaching an agreement on the conflict with Ukraine.

If positive progress is made in the talks, it will lay the groundwork for a second meeting, which will also include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said.

On Wednesday, the US president warned that Russia would face “very serious consequences” if Vladimir Putin refused to agree to a ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine.

The meeting between V. Putin and D. Trump is scheduled to take place on Friday in the city of Anchorage, Alaska. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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EU calls on Israel to abandon West Bank settlement plan

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BRUSSELS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on Thursday called on Israel to abandon its plan to build settlements in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, warning that the move would violate international law and cause irreparable damage to the prospects for realizing the "two-state solution."

“If the plan is implemented, the construction of settlements in this area will permanently destroy the geographical and territorial contiguity between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and will also sever the connection between the north and south of the West Bank,” the statement said.

Israeli settlement policies, including demolitions, forced displacements, evictions and home confiscations, must end, Kallas stressed. Such measures, along with settler violence and military operations, increase tensions and undermine opportunities for peace, she added.

The EU "calls on Israel to abandon this decision, noting its far-reaching consequences and the need to take measures to protect the viability of the two-state solution," Kallas said.

Area E1, located between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, is considered particularly controversial because if Israelis settled there, East Jerusalem would be effectively cut off from the northern part of the West Bank. Plans for construction in the area have been frozen for years, largely due to international outcry. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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NSU astronomers talk about the most striking events of August and the first half of September

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The Perseid meteor shower is the brightest astronomical event of August. The activity of this shower is observed for about a month – from mid-July to August 20, but it is uneven. The maximum level of activity falls on the night of August 12-13.

Composite image from the night of August 10/11, a total of 20 meteors, including 8 Perseids. Taken near the village of Novopichugovo, about 50 km from Novosibirsk, from 23:55 to 3:44, Pentax KP camera, shutter speed 13 seconds, focal length 16 mm.

A meteor shower is an ordered flow of particles in space, ejected from cometary matter and rotating around the parent comet. If we talk about the Perseid shower, its particles were once ejected by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle under the influence of heating by the Sun.

When the Earth, in its orbit, crosses such a stream, it encounters many particles that fly in nearly parallel courses along a radiant from some prominent constellation. Meteors generated by such particles appear in the sky as if they were flying from a single point, called the radiant of the meteor shower. The radiant of the Perseids during the period of activity drifts through the constellation Cassiopeia, whose bright stars form a W-shaped figure in the sky, and the constellation Perseus, from which the stream takes its name.

Another parameter is ZHR, the zenith hourly number, which characterizes the activity of the shower. It shows how many meteors an observer will be able to see under ideal conditions. For the Perseids, the ZHR is usually around 120, meaning that under ideal conditions, amateur astronomers can observe up to 2 meteors per minute.

The Perseids are one of several meteor showers visible from the Earth's surface, but one of the strongest. In addition, its visibility from Earth coincides with the summer period, when conditions for observation are most comfortable. These factors determine its greatest fame and popularity.

This year, the maximum activity level of the Perseids almost coincides with the full moon. Thus, the light from the full moon will interfere with meteor observations. You can go out of town at least 50 km for better visibility. It is definitely not worth missing the opportunity to observe one of the most powerful meteor showers. Especially since we still have about a week to enjoy an unforgettable spectacle. And although the intensity of the shower will weaken, it will be more visible without the light from the full moon, which will wane over time and reduce the light.

This month we can see the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Venus, which had a minimum separation on August 12 and 13. The planets were photographed on August 11 with a Pentax KP camera, 77 mm lens, 20 seconds exposure, ISO 500. In the photo, the planets look larger than we subjectively evaluate them visually through our eyes, because they are bright and the signal from the recorded photons "spreads" across the matrix.

Photo of the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus

Of the nearest interesting astronomical events – in September there will be the second lunar eclipse of 2025, it will be total, like the first, and will occur on the night of September 7-8 from 22:28 to 3:55 Novosibirsk time, the shadow phase – from 23:27 to 2:56, and the total eclipse will last from 0:31 to 1:52. The maximum shadow phase will be observed at 1:12 and will be 136.8%. This is a fairly deep phase, near the maximum of the eclipse the Moon will probably have a dark red color, although the exact brightness of the lunar disk will depend on how much the earth's atmosphere is saturated with dust, refracting sunlight, and to a greater extent its red component, which gives a crimson-red tint to the lunar disk during total lunar eclipses. For Novosibirsk, the time of the eclipse is very favorable, it will be visible in its entirety when the Moon is high above the horizon. Also, the eclipse will be visible in its entirety or almost in its entirety over most of Russia, with the exception of the extreme western regions of the country and the Far East, where it will be partially visible. And in general, the eclipse will be clearly visible over most of the territory of the eastern hemisphere of the Earth.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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A number of events were held within the framework of the SCO

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

The Tenth Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the SCO Member States, the SCO Media and Analytical Centers Summit, the Dialogue of Civilizations between the SCO Countries – 2025… Recently, a number of events have been held within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Since July last year, when China assumed the rotating presidency of the SCO, the Chinese side, guided by the motto of “Promoting the Shanghai Spirit: SCO in Action”, has been systematically implementing the presidency program, achieving significant success.

At present, more than 100 events have been completed, of which almost half are of institutional nature. The events cover many areas such as politics, security, military, economics and trade, investment and cultural exchanges, and contribute to strengthening unity and mutual trust, sharing experiences and mutually beneficial cooperation among the SCO countries.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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