The Ministry of Education’s Department of Basic Education director Tian Zuyin said on Sept 23 at a State Council Information Office press briefing that China will implement nationwide at least half-day per week off-campus practical teaching, guiding localities and schools to adapt arrangements by school stage and to include it in school education and teaching plans. Xinhua.

European Commission president Von der Leyen arrived at the UN General Assembly.

Todd Boehly, U.S. billionaire and former Chelsea chairman, is leading a bid for Russian oil company Lukoil’s international assets with backing from the U.S. government and Gulf capital reportedly linked to the Trump family. The assets, placed for sale after Lukoil faced U.S. sanctions last year, were written down to about $20 bln in March and span oil and gas fields from Central Asia to Mexico, thousands of service stations and substantial European refining capacity. Insiders say Boehly’s consortium includes the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. (DFC), which would take roughly a 15% stake, UAE presidential brother Sheikh Tahnoon and Qatar’s Al-Hayat family; Boehly has been preparing for months and seeks to displace U.S. buyout giant Carlyle, which had earlier agreed to acquire the assets. Boehly has not finalized terms with Lukoil; the proposal is advanced but the parties’ negotiation status is unclear.