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"Kupecheskoe Razdolye" won: Polytechnic students won the Governor's Culinary Cup

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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Egor Ivanov and Ekaterina Romanova, students of the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education at SPbPU, won the 5th St. Petersburg Governor's Cup "Best Junior of St. Petersburg Cuisine 2025."

Professional chefs and students (juniors) from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Orenburg, and Kostroma participated in the anniversary Governor's Cup.

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was represented by students from the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education, Yegor Ivanov and Ekaterina Romanova. They demonstrated excellent professional preparation and determination in a thrilling competition.

The competition task involved preparing "Novomikhaylovsky cutlets" and a dessert—two dishes from St. Petersburg cuisine, served in a restaurant setting, using recipes from 19th-century cookbooks. One of the requirements was to use a specific list of ingredients, such as chicken and fresh lemons.

The competition jury consisted of leading chefs, restaurateurs, and recognized experts in the culinary arts and hospitality industry from St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia. Among the jury members were ISPO teacher Tatyana Tsvetkova — expert of the "St. Petersburg Cuisine" project and curator of the St. Petersburg Museum of the History of Public Catering.

Our talented juniors presented a set of dishes called "Merchant's Expanse." To prepare the main course, "Novomikhaylovsky cutlets with mashed potatoes, wine apples on a cheese bed, and creamy mushroom sauce," we adapted Pelageya Alexandrova-Ignatyeva's recipe from the book "Practical Foundations of Culinary Art." The chicken was chopped using a food processor rather than by hand, the cutlets were baked in a combi-oven, and served as a side dish: mashed potatoes with sautéed onions garnished with olives; apples poached in dry red wine with sugar; cheese mousse with fresh dill; choux pastry chips; and a creamy mushroom sauce made from dried porcini mushroom powder.

The "Catherine's Ring" dessert was based on Ignatius Radetsky's recipe for "Viennese Sponge Cake" from the book "St. Petersburg Cuisine." It was complemented with a ring of mango mousse, frozen in a blast freezer, strawberry sauce, and mascarpone cream for a delicate touch. It was garnished with mint leaves, blueberries, and dragon fruit cubes, representing the dice on the merchants' tables.

The jury praised the originality of the concept and execution. As a result, Yegor and Ekaterina became winners of the 5th St. Petersburg Governor's Cup "Best Junior of St. Petersburg Cuisine – 2025."

Egor Ivanov shared his impressions of the competition with us: "I'd like to commend the top-notch organization. It was very important for me to participate in the Governor's Cup final, as our institute is actively developing "St. Petersburg cuisine." The path to victory was very challenging: passing an internal selection process, searching for and refining historical recipes numerous times. My greatest thanks go to my assistant, Ekaterina Romanova, as well as the entire coaching staff for their collaboration, and to the students, faculty, and my family for their help and support.

Teacher Anna Selifontova and mentor Alexander Kulgin organized and prepared the students for the competition. They made a significant personal contribution and demonstrated exceptional skill during training and in developing the competition dishes. The institute also thanks Tatyana Pishtokova, Head of the Department of Catering, Economics, and Service, for the opportunity for students to prepare for and participate in professional skills competitions, and Nikita Baklanov, a student, for his assistance in organizing and assembling the team.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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The first training course in Russia for "qualified customers and contractors" was held at the Polytechnic University.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) has completed a unique continuing education program, "Qualified Customer – Qualified Contractor: Digital Modeling in Industry." The program was developed by experts from SPbPU and the Institute of Problems of Regional Economy (IPRE RAS) with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and the Priority 2030 program. The program was led by Yuri Fomin, SPbPU Vice-Rector for Research.

The program's primary objective is to improve skills in developing technical specifications for digital modeling projects in industry and to train qualified university specialists. Particular attention was paid to the application of artificial intelligence in digital modeling processes.

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Denis Sekirinsky, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Stepan Kalmykov, First Vice-Rector of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University Vitaly Sergeev, Director of the Institute of Regional Economic Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Shmatko, and others.

At the President's direction, we are implementing a major program to develop a talent pool for management in science, technology, and higher education. The fourth cohort has already launched. The program proposed by Polytechnic University should be a key operational and substantive element of the extensive personnel work we are undertaking at the President's direction as part of the Decade of Science and Technology, Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, told the program participants.

The speaker hoped that the audience would not only gain relevant knowledge and make useful connections, but also hoped that the training would provide impetus for the development of new projects for the benefit of Russian industry. The program is aimed at training key specialists—"qualified customers"—who are able to competently formulate technical specifications for the most complex research and development projects. Without these skills, Russia will not achieve technological leadership.

The very concept of a "qualified customer" was enshrined in the federal law "On Technology Policy in the Russian Federation" in 2024. However, St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has been building its interactions with high-tech companies through the format of qualified partnerships for a long time. Moreover, we not only adapted to the new norm, but also developed and successfully defended our own proven model of such partnerships at a strategic session before the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the development of our course is, on the one hand, timely, as it ultimately allows both customers and contractors to operate under the same concepts and speak the same language. On the other hand, it is a significant step in formalizing the very concept of a "qualified customer" and a direct consequence of our previous work, commented Yuri Fomin, Vice-Rector for Research at SPbPU, on the relevance of the course.

A total of 68 applications were submitted for participation in the program, of which 30 were selected—representatives of academia (including representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science's personnel reserve), high-tech and knowledge-intensive businesses (for example, Gazprom Neft, Power Machines, and JSC UEC-Klimov), and the Ministry of Education and Science's personnel reserve.

A qualified client isn't just about science and development. We believe that any technology implementation should be accompanied by qualified training. Formulating a comprehensive request that integrates all aspects is the goal of developing technical specifications for students, added Dmitry Tikhonov, Vice Rector for Continuing and Pre-University Education at SPbPU.

Over the course of four days, participants attended lectures on computer modeling of materials and industrial AI. In particular, Alexander Sitov, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovation, and Trade, delivered a lecture on the role of the state in forming strategic partnerships between qualified customers and scientific organizations. Alexey Borovkov, Director of the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School and Chief Designer of the key scientific and technological area of "System Digital Engineering," spoke about the role of qualified customers and contractors in implementing advanced digital technologies at enterprises, presenting the experience of the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School.

The course's students also participated in discussions on the role of the state and grant funding mechanisms. They engaged in practical work in teams supervised by leading scientists, including experts from Skoltech and the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia.

Additionally, program participants visited Geoscan's high-tech UAS production facility. As a result, program graduates acquired key competencies in developing technical specifications for complex research and development projects, deepened their knowledge of computer modeling and industrial artificial intelligence, and explored grant funding mechanisms. Through practical teamwork under the guidance of leading scientists and visits to high-tech production facilities, they learned how to build effective industrial and educational partnerships to achieve technological sovereignty in accordance with the requirements of the "qualified partnership" concept.

Participating in the program was a truly meaningful and practical experience for me. It provided a clear understanding of how clients can effectively work with contractors, and how contractors can accurately interpret the client's needs and offer well-founded solutions. The combination of analytical sessions and practical case studies was complemented by teamwork on preparing technical specifications for research and development, which allowed me to go through the entire process—from problem formulation to structuring requirements and coordinating the parties' positions. Understanding the university's role as a platform for experts, project teams, and industrial partners to meet was particularly important. I am grateful to the organizers for the high-quality content and practical focus of the training," said Leyla Gamidullaeva, Head of the Management and Public Administration Department at the Institute of Economics and Management at PSU.

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UN workers have begun collecting supplies at the Zikim crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

UN, November 18 /Xinhua/ — UN workers began collecting supplies unloaded at the recently reopened Zikim crossing in the northern Gaza Strip over the weekend, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday.

From Thursday to Sunday, OCHA and its partners collected more than 5,400 tons of humanitarian aid at three open checkpoints, including food, tents, tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, medicines, and animal feed.

On Wednesday, the agency confirmed that Israel was reopening the Zikim crossing, the only operational point for delivering humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip.

OCHA stated that following heavy rains on Friday, humanitarian teams conducted a rapid assessment of the situation in the affected areas over the weekend and provided initial assistance. Flooding is estimated to have affected more than 13,000 families.

"According to our shelter partners, they helped distribute at least 9,000 tents, 83,000 tarpaulins, and 59,000 blankets over the weekend, with thousands more planned for distribution in the coming days," the office said in a statement. "While we and our partners have responded quickly to the situation in rain-affected areas, our efforts remain limited by the insufficient quantities of shelter materials and other essential supplies authorized for delivery through the UN-coordinated mechanism," OCHA emphasized.

The Office said that with the cold weather and winter fast approaching, it is essential to allow humanitarian organisations to expand their shelter activities to meet a wide range of needs across the Gaza Strip. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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A joint Syrian-Russian delegation visited military facilities in southern Syria.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

Damascus, November 18 (Xinhua) — A joint Syrian-Russian military delegation visited several military bases and facilities in southern Syria on Monday as part of expanding cooperation between the two countries, according to the Media and Communications Department of the Syrian Ministry of Defense.

According to the department's statement, the purpose of the visit was to study the situation on the ground in the southern region and assess operational conditions within the framework of ongoing coordination between the two armed forces.

No further details are given about the specific locations visited.

The trip took place the day after the head of the Syrian transitional government's Ministry of Defense, Murhaf Abu Qasr, met in Damascus with a high-level Russian military delegation led by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

During the meeting, areas of military cooperation and strengthening coordination mechanisms in the interests of both countries were discussed.

Recently, Syria and Russia have resumed active contacts, with high-ranking officials from both sides making mutual visits.

On October 15, Syria's interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, made his first official visit to Russia since taking office earlier this year. On October 28, M. Abu Kasra met in Moscow with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov to discuss military cooperation.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Dialogue between the peoples of China and the United States highlights the important role of people-to-people exchanges

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) — The 2025 China-US People's Dialogue opened here on Sunday, with participants emphasizing the important role of people-to-people and cultural exchanges in strengthening stable bilateral relations.

The three-day event, jointly organized by the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR), was designed to provide experts, scholars, and practitioners from both countries with a constructive platform to exchange views, share experiences, and explore practical ways to strengthen mutual understanding and trust at the societal level, according to a press release from CISS at Tsinghua University.

This year's event, themed "Bridging the Cultural and Information Divide," covers a wide range of topics, including higher education, artificial intelligence, pop culture, social media, and the Chinese-American community. More than 30 experts from academia, business, technology, and the cultural sectors are participating.

The dialogue was previously held in New York in 2023 and in Beijing in 2024.

At a press briefing before the start of the dialogue, Tsinghua University Council Vice Chairman Yang Bin said the 2025 dialogue aims to explore new paths and mechanisms for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and promote the formation of rational and constructive public opinion in the United States.

He noted that this year's event featured an innovative "group dialogue" format, building on the experience of the first two dialogues. The format includes plenary discussions, breakout sessions, site visits, and exchanges with international students, allowing for more diverse perspectives, more focused topics, and deeper dialogue outcomes.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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The EU expects moderate economic growth

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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, November 18 (Xinhua) — Driven by a sharp increase in exports in anticipation of higher U.S. tariffs, the European Union's economy maintained growth and will continue to expand at a moderate pace in the near future, according to the European Commission's autumn economic outlook report to 2025, published on Monday.

EU GDP is expected to grow by 1.4 percent in 2025, while the eurozone's growth rate is expected to be 1.3 percent. Economic growth in 2026 is projected at 1.4 percent for the EU and 1.2 percent for the eurozone, slightly below May expectations.

Analysts believe that overall inflation in the eurozone will decline from 2.4 percent in 2024 to 2.1 percent this year. Inflation in the EU is expected to decline from 2.6 percent in 2024 to 2.2 percent in 2027, remaining slightly above the eurozone level.

According to the forecast, due to increased defense spending, the EU budget deficit will increase from 3.1 percent of GDP in 2024 to 3.4 percent in 2027. The debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU will increase from 84.5 percent in 2024 to 85 percent in 2027, and in the eurozone from about 88 percent to 90.4 percent.

The report notes that trade barriers have reached historic highs worldwide, with the EU currently facing higher average tariffs on exports to the US than forecast in the spring. Continued trade policy uncertainty continues to weigh on economic activity, with tariffs and other restrictions potentially constraining EU economic growth more than expected. Any escalation of geopolitical tensions could exacerbate supply shocks, the report notes.

"Given the challenging external environment, the EU must take decisive action to stimulate domestic growth. This means accelerating our work to boost competitiveness, including by simplifying regulations, creating the Single Market, and fostering innovation," said EU Commissioner for the Economy Valdis Dombrovskis. –0–

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Hezbollah leader accuses US and Israel of destabilizing Lebanon

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

BEIRUT, November 18 (Xinhua) — Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem in a televised address on Monday accused the United States of deepening the economic crisis in Lebanon and Israel of escalating tensions on the country's southern border.

He said US policy contributed to Lebanon's economic collapse, leading to bank failures, the devaluation of the Lebanese pound, and persistent fuel and electricity shortages.

The Hezbollah leader accused Washington of manipulating local political groups to advance its own interests. He described certain Lebanese elites as "proxy forces" serving foreign interests at the expense of national sovereignty.

N. Qassem also criticized the recent US-backed sanctions against Hezbollah, saying they don't target the group but harm broad segments of the population, including social institutions and charities. "These measures are aimed at putting pressure on the party [Hezbollah], but ultimately they limit aid and services for all citizens," he said.

N. Qassem described recent events in southern Lebanon as "deliberate provocations" by Israel aimed at worsening the country's military, political, and economic situation. He condemned Israel's alleged violations of the Blue Line and accused UNIFIL peacekeepers of failing to prevent them. Any Lebanese who cooperate with Israel is effectively assisting the occupation forces and undermining national independence, N. Qassem emphasized.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached between Hezbollah and Israel in November 2024, Israel has intensified airstrikes in recent weeks, accusing Lebanon of failing to disarm the group. Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected demands to disarm, stating that it remains committed to resisting Israeli actions and defending Lebanon's territorial integrity.

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G331: The Road Promotes Development

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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

The G331 (Dandong-Altai) Highway, with a total length of 9,333 kilometers, is the second-longest national road in China. Passing through six provinces and autonomous regions in northeast, north, and northwest China, it has been named the "Most Scenic Border Road." Along its sections in Liaoning and Jilin provinces, this highway connects numerous villages and landmarks.

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Rapid development of pastoral livestock farming at the foot of the Qilianpan Mountains

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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

Qilian County in Haibei Xizang Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, is located on the southern slopes of the Qilian Mountains, home to vast pastures and grazing cattle. In recent years, local livestock farming, using modern technologies and developing production chains, has embarked on a path to environmentally friendly and efficient development.

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Xi Jinping called for opening new horizons in building a “rule-based China”

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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

BEIJING, November 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for upholding the organic unity of Party leadership, the people's position as masters of the country, and the rule of law in national governance, and making joint efforts to open up new horizons in building a "rule-based China."

Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the call while giving instructions on work to fully implement the rule of law in national governance.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.