Germany approves 2025 budget, marking new spending era
Germany's parliament approved on Thursday the nation's first annual budget since sweeping reforms to loosen fiscal rules were passed earlier this year...
The Swiss government announced on Tuesday that the value of Russian assets frozen in the country has risen to 7.4 billion Swiss francs ($8.38 billion) by the end of March 2025, up from 5.8 billion francs last year, due to newly identified funds and ongoing investigations into sanctions violations.
The Swiss government has reported a significant increase in the value of Russian assets frozen within the country, reaching 7.4 billion Swiss francs ($8.38 billion) by March 2025, up from 5.8 billion francs the previous year. Officials attribute the rise to the identification and blocking of additional funds.
According to ISNA, the Swiss economy ministry linked much of this increase to a criminal investigation by the Swiss attorney general’s office into alleged sanctions violations and money laundering. While the ministry did not disclose specific details regarding the individuals or entities involved, it referenced an ongoing case that became public in August 2024. At that time, Swiss media, including Le Temps, reported that Switzerland had seized 1.3 billion francs and was investigating four individuals connected to sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Karimov.
The economy ministry also noted that multiple cases are under investigation involving potential sanctions breaches by Swiss companies using foreign subsidiaries in the goods sector. Among the frozen assets are real estate, luxury vehicles, private aircraft, and valuable artworks.
Switzerland, traditionally known for its neutral stance, has faced increasing international pressure to prevent sanctions circumvention, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Germany's parliament approved on Thursday the nation's first annual budget since sweeping reforms to loosen fiscal rules were passed earlier this year, securing record investments to revive the economy while committing to an increase in defence spending.
European shares nudged up on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered borrowing costs for the first time since December, while shares of SIG plummeted after the Swiss-based company issued a profit warning.
Meta Platforms on Wednesday launched its first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in display, seeking to extend the momentum of its Ray-Ban line, one of the early consumer hits of the artificial intelligence (AI) era.
Entrepreneur Nelson Yang is reaching back into Taiwan's history to turn the humble banana plant into an unlikely sustainable textile. Taiwan is now the world's dominant producer of advanced semiconductors but the yellow fruit, still widely grown on the island, was once a source of patriotic pride.
Google said on Tuesday it would make £5 billion pounds ($6.80 billion) in new investments into Britain ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to the country, which is expected to feature a flurry of business deals and partnerships.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment