Iran’s new security chief to visit Iraq, Lebanon as part of his first foreign trip
A newly appointed Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani has arrived in Baghdad on Monday for his first official visit ...
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has disclosed the full impact of UK sanctions on Russia, reporting that more than £25 billion in Russian assets have been frozen.
"We will continue to robustly enforce our financial sanctions as part of our wider response to Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine," - said UK Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds.
Together with its allies, the UK has enforced the toughest sanctions Russia has ever faced. These sanctions have had a significant impact on Russia’s economy, stripping it of over $400 billion since February 2022—an amount equivalent to four years of the country's military spending.
The UK government has designated 2,001 individuals and entities under its Russia sanctions regime.
"Russia’s overall financial standing has weakened, with the federal budget expected to remain in deficit until at least 2026. The rouble has depreciated significantly, and Russia is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, further straining the economy. Inflation is rising, with rates far exceeding targets, while high interest rates and economic isolation have made borrowing costly," - OFSI's Annual Review stated.
As a result of UK sanctions, Russia’s military has been forced to turn to rogue states like North Korea and Iran for critical supplies.
The £25 billion figure is based on OFSI’s Russian Frozen Assets In-Year Reporting. This is where relevant firms are obliged to report to OFSI as soon as practicable, information concerning funds or economic resources belonging to, held, or controlled by a designated person.
An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held, or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
South Korea and Vietnam have pledged to boost annual trade to $150 billion by 2030, signing 10 cooperation deals as new U.S. tariffs disrupt global supply chains.
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged China to greatly boost soybean imports from the U.S. to help reduce its trade deficit. However, experts say a sharp increase is unlikely due to ongoing trade tensions and China’s changing buying habits.
Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) H20 chips present security risks for China, according to a social media account linked to Chinese state media, which made the claim on Sunday after Beijing raised concerns about potential backdoor access in the chips.
De-dollarisation, the move away from the U.S. dollar in global trade and finance, is no longer a fringe idea. As geopolitical tensions rise and new financial tools emerge, could this shift really transform the global economy?
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
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