“Shlyakhrembud,” a municipal specialized contractor for road repair and construction in Kharkiv, announced a tender on April 24 for compulsory motor third-party liability insurance for owners of land vehicles.
According to the Prozorro e-procurement system, the estimated cost of the services is 7.679 million UAH.
The deadline for submitting bids is May 2.
As previously reported, the winner of a similar tender a year earlier was the insurance company “Kraina.”
Chinese authorities plan to restrict the ability of the country’s technology companies—including its most prominent AI startups—to raise U.S. capital without government approval, according to Bloomberg.
Chinese agencies, including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), have in recent weeks advised a number of private companies to reject U.S.-sourced capital in investment rounds unless they have direct permission from the authorities, the agency’s sources note.
According to them, such instructions were received, in particular, by Moonshot AI—the developer of the Kimi chatbot, which is preparing for an IPO—as well as the AI startup StepFun.
Regulators have also decided to impose similar restrictions on ByteDance Ltd., the owner of TikTok and the country’s most valuable startup. Authorities do not want the company, which also operates one of the country’s most popular chatbots, to allow U.S. investors to participate in secondary share offerings without government approval, sources say.
The main goal of these restrictions is to prevent U.S. investors from acquiring stakes in companies in sensitive sectors where national security is a priority, they note.
The new measures stem from Meta Platforms Inc.’s $2 billion acquisition of the Chinese AI startup Manus, announced last December. Chinese authorities launched an investigation, believing the deal could violate technology export control rules and national security requirements.
Initially, the deal was viewed as a benchmark for startups with global ambitions, but concerns subsequently arose regarding the transfer of valuable AI technologies to a geopolitical rival.
Difficulties in obtaining urban planning conditions and restrictions (UPC) were cited as the key problematic stage for launching projects by 35% of respondents, according to the Ukrainian Association of Developers (UAD) based on the results of the annual study “Administrative Barriers in Residential Construction.”
Urban planning conditions and restrictions (UPC) are a document outlining the basic parameters of future construction: permissible height, building density, setbacks from property lines, lot boundaries, requirements for landscaping, greening, and other planning restrictions. In effect, the UCRs determine exactly what can be designed on a specific land plot and within what parameters.
According to the study’s findings, among more than ten factors hindering the implementation of development projects, difficulties in obtaining UCRs ranked first (35% of respondents). Also among the top administrative barriers are difficulties in land and property relations (30%), instability of permits/cancellation by third parties (24%), and difficulties in obtaining technical specifications (22%).
“The General Urban Plan remains one of the most sensitive stages of construction. Formally, this should be a straightforward document—a digital extract from the master plan detailing the parameters of the future project. However, in practice, it is precisely at this stage that developers often encounter manual administrative procedures, leading to delays, unfounded conditions and rejections, and inconsistent interpretations of the same regulations. “It is critically important for the market to have a clear appeal mechanism,” noted Yevhen Favorov, chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Developers.
The problematic nature of the GUP procedure is confirmed not only by industry data but also by the findings of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention. In the draft Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2026–2030, the NACP noted that the existing procedure for obtaining initial data for design creates conditions for corrupt abuses and illegal construction, and that legislative approaches to issuing GUOs must be systematically reviewed.
Furthermore, in its report, the NACP also noted that while building permits are formally required to replicate the requirements of urban planning documentation at the local level regarding a specific land plot, in practice they are issued by local officials “on a case-by-case basis,” which creates opportunities for procedural delays, unjustified denials, or manipulation of the content of restrictions.
The UAD notes that the study’s findings also highlight a lack of trust in local-level decision-making. According to the survey, respondents’ level of trust in state authorities is relatively higher than in local authorities—5 out of 10 possible points for state authorities versus 3 points for local authorities. Overall, developers tend to view regulatory changes over the past four years positively: 16% believe the situation has definitely improved, 51%—somewhat improved, 11%—remained unchanged, 13% see it as having somewhat worsened, and only 9%—definitely worsened. At the same time, the reform of DAS to GIAG received one of the highest ratings among the indicators measured in the study—7.04 out of 10.
“GIAG has already proven its effectiveness as a reformed body of state architectural and construction control and supervision. It is important for the market that, where there is an unlawful refusal or blocking of the process at the local level, there exists a clear and independent mechanism for appeal and review. This is a matter of fair rules of the game,” added Favorov.
The Association emphasizes that local authorities must retain their role in shaping urban planning policy, approving documentation, and determining territorial development. At the same time, in cases where an authorized body unreasonably refuses to issue a building permit or fails to make a decision within the established timeframe, businesses need a tool to protect a lawful project.
“The industry demands the creation of an appeal mechanism for cases of unlawful refusals. There is no question here of taking away powers from communities. There must be a safeguard against inaction or abuse. If a project complies with legislation and urban planning documentation, it should not be blocked for months. For such cases, an independent and transparent appeal mechanism is needed,” Favorov emphasized.
Full digitization and automation of the permitting process are cited as a strategic solution for the sector. In its recommendations, the NACP also identified the automation of administrative decisions and the transformation of the analog permitting process into a digital one as one of the key tools for minimizing corruption risks. The Association emphasizes that since the development market is in greater need of reformed state oversight, the appeal mechanism through the State Agency for Urban Development (SAUD) could be a good interim solution until the full automation of the GOU. The UAD believes that reducing corruption risks in the housing allocation procedure, creating a clear appeal mechanism, and further digitizing procedures will facilitate the launch of new housing projects and, consequently, increase the supply of housing for those who need it—namely, military personnel, people with disabilities, and other categories eligible for purchase benefits.
CONSTRUCTION, corruption risks, DEVELOPERS, housing sector, MOU
According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market maintained a moderately positive sentiment last week, although growth slowed toward the end of the period. Bitcoin traded around $77,800 on Friday, while Ethereum traded around $2,310, according to market data as of April 24.
The market saw its strongest movement in the middle of the week. According to Reuters, on April 22, Bitcoin rose to $78,866, gaining 4.13% for the day, while Ethereum climbed to $2,398, up 3.48% on the day. This occurred amid an improvement in global risk appetite and a general rise in stock markets.
However, momentum weakened in the second half of the week. On April 23, Reuters noted a pullback in cryptocurrencies amid rising oil prices, tensions in the Middle East, and more cautious investor sentiment: at that time, Bitcoin fell to $77,682, and Ethereum to $2,316. By April 24, the market had stabilized, but without a new strong upward surge.
Institutional money remained the key support factor for Bitcoin this week. According to industry publications, the inflow of funds into spot Bitcoin ETFs continued, and Strategy purchased an additional 34,164 BTC for approximately $2.54 billion, marking its largest purchase since late 2024. This reinforced the perception of Bitcoin as an asset that continues to be actively bought up by major players, even following the March-April recovery.
Another positive signal for the sector was the continued push by traditional financial firms toward the crypto market. Reuters previously reported that Charles Schwab plans to launch spot cryptocurrency trading, which the market interprets as another step toward the further institutionalization of digital assets.
Ultimately, the week ended on a somewhat bullish note for the crypto market, though without a full-fledged breakout. Bitcoin managed to hold near $78,000 and remained close to the week’s local highs, while Ethereum showed less resilience and retreated from the $2,400 range by the end of the period. If the external backdrop does not deteriorate, the market may continue its attempts to rise, though dependence on geopolitics and investors’ overall risk appetite remains high.
Demography is increasingly becoming one of the main factors that will determine the economy, politics, and the global balance of power in the 21st century. A new video by the Experts Club analytical center, dedicated to changes in the population of the 20 largest countries in the world, shows that the demographic center of gravity is gradually shifting from East Asia to South Asia and Africa. This conclusion generally coincides with the latest UN estimates: under the baseline scenario, the world’s population will grow from 8.2 billion in 2024 to approximately 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s, after which it will reach a plateau and begin to decline slowly.
The main change has already taken place at the top of the global ranking. India has overtaken China and secured its status as the most populous country in the world. At the same time, the further trajectories of these countries diverge: India will remain at very high levels for some time, while China has already entered a phase of long-term demographic decline.
Looking at the top twenty more broadly, it becomes clear that the former demographic balance of the world is becoming a thing of the past. China, Japan, Russia, and a number of European countries are facing either stagnation or population decline, while Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other rapidly growing countries of the Global South are strengthening their positions. The UN directly points out that population growth until the end of the century will increasingly be concentrated in sub-Saharan African countries, while a number of large countries in Asia and Europe have already begun or are expected to undergo a sustained decline in the number of inhabitants.
Africa attracts particular attention in this context. According to UN forecasts, Nigeria will secure its place among the world’s largest countries during the 21st century and become one of the most important demographic centers of the planet. At the same time, the populations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia are growing very rapidly. This means that in a few decades it will be African states that will have a much stronger influence on global demand, labor markets, urbanization, food consumption, and investment flows.
“We are entering an era when demography is once again becoming a strategic force. Not oil, not gas, and not even individual technologies, but precisely population size, age structure, and population dynamics will determine where new markets, new centers of production, and new political leaders of the world will emerge. Countries that are increasing their populations today will tomorrow claim greater influence in the global economy and international politics,” said Maksym Urakin, co-organizer of the Experts Club analytical center and Candidate of Economic and Historical Sciences.
For the global economy, this is not just statistics. Demographic growth creates future consumer markets, but at the same time requires jobs, infrastructure, education systems, and healthcare systems. In countries where the population is growing rapidly, the main challenge is turning demographic mass into an economic resource. In countries where the population is shrinking and aging, the problem is different — pressure on pension systems, labor shortages, and a slowdown in domestic demand. UN materials emphasize that dozens of countries have already passed their population peak, and this will increasingly affect the economic architecture of the world.
Against this background, the Experts Club video emphasizes another important idea: the question is no longer only how many people live in a country today, but also which direction the trend is moving in. Some states remain in the top 20 by inertia for now, but will gradually lose demographic weight. Others, by contrast, are only rising in the global ranking, but it is they who are shaping the new architecture of the 21st century. This is especially visible in the example of China and India, as well as Nigeria, Pakistan, and the DRC.
Experts Club separately draws attention to the Ukrainian case. According to a recent study published by Open4Business with reference to a Visual Capitalist visualization based on UN data, Ukraine has become the world leader in population decline since 2000. In the top 10 countries by population decline in 2000–2025, Ukraine ranked first with a figure of -32.5%. It is followed in this anti-ranking by the Marshall Islands, Bulgaria, Latvia, Moldova, Lithuania, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, and Albania.
For Ukraine, this result is particularly alarming, since it is no longer simply a matter of natural demographic decline, but a combination of low birth rates, population aging, emigration, and the consequences of the full-scale war. Open4Business also notes that in 2022–2023 alone, net migration from Ukraine amounted to about 6 million people, which further intensified demographic pressure on the country.
“Ukraine today is one of the most illustrative examples of how a demographic crisis turns into a question of the national future. If a country becomes the world leader in population decline over a quarter of a century, this is no longer a social anomaly, but a fundamental challenge for the economy, the labor market, the education system, the pension model, and even post-war recovery. Demography has already become a matter of economic security, and in the coming years its importance will only grow,” Urakin emphasized.
For Ukraine and Europe, such global shifts mean increasing competition for human capital, investment, and markets. If Europe remains a space of aging and low birth rates, the Global South is becoming a space of large-scale demographic expansion. As a result, the political and economic weight of the world will be redistributed ever more noticeably in favor of those countries where the population continues to grow rapidly. This is no longer a hypothesis, but a long-term trend confirmed by international demographic studies.
That is why demography is becoming one of the central topics for strategic analysis. Changes in the population size of the world’s largest countries are at the same time a story about the economy, geopolitics, and the future of the global system as a whole. The Experts Club video shows this transformation in a visual form: the world of the 21st century will not simply be more populous, but different in terms of its demographic center of gravity.
The volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China’s economy in the first quarter decreased by 7.3% compared to the same period last year—to 249.6 billion yuan ($36.35 billion), according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The manufacturing sector attracted 71.46 billion yuan, while the services sector attracted 174.6 billion yuan. In particular, investment in high-tech industries rose by 30.7% to reach 102.73 billion yuan.
Luxembourg nearly doubled its FDI (by 96.8%), Switzerland increased it by 50.4%, France by 42.3%, and South Korea by 35.2%, according to data from the ministry cited by Xinhua News Agency.
In January–March, 13,987 new enterprises with foreign capital were registered in China, an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
As reported, FDI volume for 2025 decreased by 9.5% to 747.7 billion yuan.
