Passengers are living digital-first lives. They manage their finances, health, and mobility from their phones. But when it’s time to fly, they’re still asked to queue, print, and repeat. This year’s Travelers’ Voice, SITA Passenger IT Insights 2025 reveals a clear disconnect: travelers are ready for easy, smart journeys. And they’re asking the aviation industry to accelerate its transformation.

The report channels the voices of more than 7,500 real passengers, surveyed at airports in 25 countries around the world, just before takeoff and right after landing. These are authentic, in-the-moment insights from people living the journey. And they’re speaking up: they want air travel to match the pace of their lives.

Passengers’ demands are clear: they want journeys that are simple, trusted, and sustainable. Simplicity means shorter waits, seamless intermodal trips, and real-time updates they can manage from their phones. Nearly two in three say they want faster airport processing, while 42% want a single ticket covering air, rail, and road. Mobile is already the hub, with usage up 20 points since 2020. And digital-first generations, now the main driver of growth, are setting the baseline for what travel must deliver next.

The organizers of the World Championship of Russian Language for Foreigners 2025 have reported strong interest taken in the competition globally. A total of 455 teams from 58 countries have already applied, thus exceeding last year’s figures, the Championship’s press service reported.

The geographic coverage embraces all parts of the world: from Mongolia and China to Cuba, Nicaragua, France, and Italy. The largest group (277 teams) represents the CIS countries, with active involvement revealed by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova. 78 teams come from Asia and Oceania, 40 from Africa, 39 from the Americas, with another 21 representing Europe.

“The number of participants this year has exceeded our expectations — over 2,600 people from all over the world have signed up, including 375 mentors. A series of online workshops for mentors is currently underway and will continue until October 10, to be followed by the qualifying round. We remind everyone that the registration deadline has been extended until October 15, so there is still time to join the competition,” – Ksenia Starygina, Championship Coordinator, was quoted as saying. (Press release)

For the first time, the International Greenhouse Gas & Animal Agriculture Conference (GGAA) is being held in Africa, a continent that is home to one-third of the world’s livestock. The 9^th edition of the conference is taking place in Nairobi Kenya, marking a pivotal shift towards inclusive, globally representative dialogues on mitigating livestock emissions while bolstering food security and rural economies.

Co-hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), GGAA2025 convenes over 500 leading scientists, policymakers, industry experts, and civil society representatives to address one of agriculture’s most urgent challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock while ensuring food security, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience.

Hosting GGAA2025 in Nairobi underscores the continent’s central role in shaping a sustainable future for the sector. Africa is home to one-third of the world’s livestock, which contribute up to 80% of national GDP in some countries and account for nearly 0.8 gigatons of annual emissions. This move amplifies the voice of Low- and middle-income countries in global climate discussions and provides a critical platform to address the unique opportunities and constraints faced by the hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers who form the backbone of livestock production in the region. (Press release)

The first final of the Global HackAtom international student championship has been recently held with the support of Rosatom as part of the World Atomic Week youth programme in Moscow. Over 50 winners of national rounds from Russia and nine other countries took part in the event, united by one theme — space exploration powered by nuclear technology.

Among the standout participants were talented students from Namibia and Rwanda — representing the growing scientific potential of the African continent. Their performance in the national rounds, held at the University of Namibia in Windhoek and the University of Rwanda in Kigali, showcased how Africa’s young minds are embracing nuclear science as a pathway to innovation, clean energy, and sustainable development. As part of the global finalist pool, they symbolise the continent’s bright and determined future in tech fields.

“Today, you took a look into the future and presented projects that could make a breakthrough in human space exploration through the use of nuclear technology. You are already the best! You are the shining example and future engineering and technological elite of your countries!” noted Rosatom Deputy Director General for Human Resources Tatyana Terentyeva. (Press release)