Smolensk region's agricultural financing from the federal budget has tripled, with total state support for the agro-industrial complex exceeding 2.4 billion rubles by the end of 2025. Production reached 170 billion rubles, with significant increases in grain, potato, and rapeseed yields, as well as egg and milk production.
Intesa Sanpaolo's IMI Corporate & Investment Banking division financed over €170 billion in Europe in 2025, excluding Italy. The bank, celebrating 50 years in Luxembourg, highlighted its leading role in project finance and bond issuances, aiming for further growth driven by EU investments.
Kazakhstan's Altyn Bank, backed by China Citic Bank, is seeking partnerships with Hong Kong financial institutions and investors to develop new financing channels for Central Asia via the city's offshore renminbi market. The bank's chairman noted three clients are exploring dim sum bond issuance.
Oracle reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings and revenue, but its stock fell 5% after hours due to plans to raise $40 billion for AI infrastructure. The company also raised its full-year profit forecast.
Trad.Fi plans to bring $650M in private credit onchain over 48 months to digitize US equipment financing, reducing approval times to one business day. An onchain investment pool will offer investors exposure, excluding US investors initially.
The UK, alongside Australia, France, and Norway, has imposed sanctions on seven entities involved in financing West Bank settler violence. However, the UK stopped short of a trade ban, issuing updated advice to businesses instead, drawing criticism for being "too little too late."
CIS Anti-Terrorism Center reports prevention of over 2,500 terrorism/extremism-related crimes in 2025, including 300 thwarted terrorist acts and dismantling of 200 terrorist cells across CIS countries.
Promomed and the Fund for Development of Industry (FRP) signed an agreement at SPIEF to launch small-batch drug production. FRP will provide 940 million rubles in preferential financing for the project, which aims to produce 47,000 packages annually by 2031.
A Russian court sentenced Sagid Murtazaliev, former head of Dagestan's Pension Fund and Olympic wrestling champion, to life imprisonment in absentia for orchestrating a murder, attempted murder, and financing an illegal armed group. He is currently on an international wanted list.
Organized crime groups like PCC, Comando Vermelho, and militias are increasingly financing candidates, impacting election security and voter choice. In Rio de Janeiro, 53 polling stations were relocated in 2024 to protect voters from threats and coercion, with more planned for 2026. Cases in Rio and Santa Catarina reveal vote-buying schemes involving cash and drugs, linked to candidates and state agents.
Federal prosecutors charged four suspects, including two Mexican nationals and two Americans, with trafficking over a ton of cocaine for the Jalisco New Generation cartel. They allegedly used a fake retail store in San Diego as a front for a sophisticated tunnel leading to Tijuana, Mexico.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Nobitex, Iran's largest crypto exchange, and three other platforms for allegedly facilitating terrorist financing and sanctions evasion. The Treasury claims these exchanges processed hundreds of millions of dollars in stablecoins to support the Iranian rial and fund illicit activities linked to the IRGC.
Hong Kong authorities plan a three-year reform for the struggling Hongkong Post, considering options like privatization or departmentalization. A HK$4.6 billion cash injection aims to buy time for this comprehensive review of its operating model.
Lotte E&C announced the finalization of PF financing worth 1.5 trillion KRW for its mixed-use development project on the former Homeplus Bucheon Sangdong store site. This resolves 228 billion KRW in contingent liabilities.
South Korean companies raised 22.62 trillion won ($14.94 billion) in April through direct financing, a 13.2% increase from March, driven by a significant rise in corporate bond sales.
Sabancı Holding's subsidiary, Sabancı Renewables Inc., has secured $382 million in project financing and $151 million in tax equity investment for its Lucky 7 and Pepper solar energy projects in Texas, USA. The projects, with a total capacity of 286 MW, are expected to be operational by Q3 2027.
Investors anticipate larger hotel conversion transactions as financing improves, with a shift towards institutional-grade assets attracting insurers, sovereign wealth funds, and private equity firms.
Indian rooftop solar startup SolarSquare is nearing a $55M-$60M Series C funding round, potentially valuing it at $450M-$500M. B Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners are expected to co-lead the round.
India's government offers various housing schemes like PMAY-U, PMAY-G, DDA, YSR Jagananna, KHB, RGHCL, Ambedkar Awas Yojana, and TNHB to help citizens, especially EWS/LIG, achieve homeownership amidst rising costs.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has launched a $10 billion facility to support member countries dealing with the economic impacts of the US-Israel war on Iran, providing fast-disbursing budget support and financing for critical imports.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has launched a $10 billion facility to support member countries facing development impacts from the US-Israel war's effects on Iran. The aid will provide fast-disbursing budget support, finance critical imports, and offer liquidity.
Şimşek highlights financial innovation's risks, especially crypto assets and stablecoins, in terrorism financing. He stresses consistent FATF standard implementation and Turkey's proactive AML/CFT measures, including crypto ATM bans and transfer limits.
France is revisiting local government financing with a new parliamentary working group. Despite multiple past reports and ongoing political challenges, including upcoming presidential elections, efforts aim to bolster financial autonomy for local authorities.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the regulation of cryptocurrencies, warning they are increasingly used for terrorism and organized crime financing. Speaking at the "No Money for Terror" conference in Paris, he urged an end to the "Wild West" of unregulated digital assets, emphasizing the need for transparency to combat illicit flows.
