Russia building reserves in assets the West can’t sanction – central bank chief

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said on Tuesday Russia is building its international reserves with assets that cannot be targeted by Western sanctions, the TASS news agency reported. Western countries froze around $300 billion – or half – of Russia’s international reserves after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into…

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US diplomatic convoy fired on in Sudan, prompting warning from Blinken

By Humeyra Pamuk KARUIZAWA, Japan (Reuters) -A U.S. diplomatic convoy came under fire on Monday in Sudan in an apparent attack by fighters associated with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, in an incident he described as “reckless” and “irresponsible”. The incident prompted a direct warning…

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Marketmind: China’s economy gathers pace but markets unimpressed

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin Buckland China’s post-Covid recovery is firmly on track, according to a barrage of data on Tuesday. The economy expanded 4.5% in the first quarter year-on-year, accelerating from the previous 2.9% reading and handily outstripping forecasts for 4% growth. Retail sales surged more…

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China fiscal revenue turns higher in March on recovering economic activity

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s fiscal revenue rose in March, reversing a decline in January-February, as economic activity rebounded following the end of strict COVID curbs, but the finance ministry warned that revenue growth would slow in the second half of the year. Fiscal revenue rose 0.5% in the first three months of 2023 versus the…

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Sudan rival forces battle in capital as UN sees little prospect for mediation now

By Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Sudan’s battling factions both claimed to have made gains on Monday as violence cut power and water in the capital, and the U.N. envoy to Sudan said the two sides showed no signs of being willing to negotiate. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support…

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