Author: Steven Sahiounie

Transactions for imports of Russian commodities are now settled in the Chinese currency, the outlet said Almost all of Beijing’s purchases of crude oil, gas, coal and certain metals from Moscow are now settled in Chinese yuan, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing trading executives. China has been pushing for wider international use of its currency for more than a decade but the level of global settlements in yuan had remained relatively low until recently. The country’s currency, also known as the renminbi (RMB), has been used occasionally in big Chinese commodity deals as most global trading in energy and…

The sector has been under pressure since March after the collapse of several regional lenders Shares of US PacWest Bancorp nosedived on Thursday after the struggling regional lender reported that deposit outflows had resumed in the first week of May. The stock was down as much as 33% in opening trade, dragging down shares in other regional banks, including Western Alliance Bancorp, KeyCorp and Zions Bancorp. PacWest revealed in a securities filing on Thursday that its deposits declined almost 10% during the week of May 5, following reports it was exploring strategic options. According to the filing, the bank was…

The gap has widened so far this year although recent trends have indicated stabilization, the Finance Ministry has said Russia’s budget deficit surged in the first four months of the year, surpassing the government’s full-year target as energy revenues dropped under pressure from Western sanctions, the Finance Ministry reported on Wednesday. The budget gap rose to 3.42 trillion rubles ($45 billion) in January-April, exceeding the planned figure of 2.9 trillion ($37.7 billion), according to the ministry. Revenues fell by 22% to 7.8 trillion rubles ($101 billion), while spending increased by 26% to 11.2 trillion rubles ($145.6 billion) compared to the…

The ministry stressed that the general situation in the area of ​​the special military operation is under control The Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday denied reports that its defenses were breeched in some spots of the engagement line. “The statements circulating on some Telegram channels and alleging breaches of defense in various sections of the engagement line are not true,” the ministry said. It said the situation in the area of the special military operation is generally under control. Source: Tass

Kiev’s troops have struck Russian positions northwest of the city of Artyomovsk in Donbass, according to sources Ukrainian forces have breached Russian defenses northwest of the city of Artyomovsk in Donbass, Russian war correspondent Evgeny Poddubny reported on Thursday evening. He believes it’s the beginning of Kiev’s much-touted spring offensive. The attackers appear to have launched a series of simultaneous strikes north and south of Artyomovsk, also known as Bakhmut, several other Russian war reporters added. The city has been the scene of intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops for months. In addition, Kiev’s troops have reportedly used tanks to strike…

According to the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the US authorities have created a precedent for the confiscation of funds from objectionable foreign citizens, contrary to their own laws The seizure of the US assets of Konstantin Malofeyev, the founder of the Tsargrad television channel, is “outright robbery,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Thursday. “This much is obvious to everybody who isn’t willing to obediently follow US guidelines: This is outright robbery that’s politically motivated. Through illegitimate machinations, the US is engaged in the confiscation of assets belonging to foreign citizens who…

Israeli media report that PIJ has restored its confidence in the recent attack on the settlement of “Rehovot”. After a salvo of rockets from Gaza targetted the “Rehovot” settlement killing an Israeli settler and injuring others, Israeli media reported that the PIJ has restored its confidence.  “The missile that was fired in the direction of Rehovot was equipped with high-precision technology, and the Israeli air defenses could not shoot it down bypassing the David’s Sling and Iron Dome systems,” Israeli media reported. “The Iron Dome provides good protection, but it is not impenetrable,” the commander of the so-called Home Front…

The Palestinian Resistance factions continue to bomb the Israeli settlements as part of Operation Avenging the Free. One Israeli settler was killed and 10 others were injured as a result of the Palestinian resistance’s rockets that hit the Israeli settlement of “Rehovot”, Israeli media reported on Thursday. Israeli media said a rocket landed near a building in Rehovot, dealing heavy damages to the structure and its vicinity due to its massive warhead. Another salvo of rockets launched toward the Gaza Envelope wounded one Israeli settler in Ashkol, Israeli media reported. Meanwhile, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the resistance in the Gaza…

A Palestinian was killed tonight in an Israeli airstrike on the village of Ezbet Abd Rabo, in the northern Gaza Strip, according to medical sources. WAFA correspondent said the latest victim of the Israeli aggression was killed in a drone strike which targeted a group of Palestinians in the village, bringing the death toll of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since Tuesday to 29, including at least seven children. At least 90 Palestinians have also been injured, some of them seriously, since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression on the coastal enclave Tuesday dawn. Since the beginning…

A Palestinian who was shot during the Israeli raid on Nur Shams camp has reportedly passed away as a result of his wounds. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported the death of Ghazi Yousef Mustafa Shehab (66 years old) who succumbed to his wounds after being shot by the IOF during the raid against the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank.  Earlier today, Israeli military bulldozers, backed by the occupation forces, stormed Nour Shams camp, east of Tulkarm. In a joint statement, the IOF and the Shin Bet announced the arrest of 25 PIJ affiliates in the West…