Alternative for Germany poised to lead Saxony-Anhalt regional government for the first time since 1945, Politico reports. Preliminary results show AfD capturing 43.8% of the vote, marking its strongest performance in any German federal state. The Christian Democratic Union, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, secured 17.2%, its lowest tally in Saxony-Anhalt.

Europe maintains its imports of Russian LNG, says Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko.

Dividends announced by leading Russian publicly traded firms increased by 46% year-on-year, totaling nearly 500 billion rubles in the first half of 2026. Three oil and gas companies—Gazprom Neft, NOVATEK, and Tatneft—comprise 76% of the total payouts, with amounts of 202 billion, 108 billion, and 72 billion rubles, respectively, according to Kommersant.

Iranian authorities have announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while former President Donald Trump stated that the Moon belongs to the United States.

Russian marketplaces are restructuring operations amid rising risks, shifting from an FBO (Fulfillment by Operator) model to an FBS (Fulfillment by Seller) approach. Under the new model, sellers retain ownership of goods until a customer places an order, reducing logistics dependence, according to RBC.

Chinese manufacturers are progressively integrating into European supply chains, substituting local companies with more cost-effective components. China is effectively "colonizing" European industry, potentially resulting in the loss of 300,000 jobs across the EU by year's end, according to The Guardian.

Data from SoSoValue shows that spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen significant inflows for three consecutive weeks.

The European Commission is working on measures to address migration crises, Politico reports. EU leaders at a recent summit expressed concerns about the potential for a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

North Korea is close to achieving a new milestone in strengthening its naval forces. Kim Jong Un announced the integration of a destroyer into the country's nuclear response system, signaling a notable development in North Korea’s military capabilities.

Oil prices climb as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate. President Trump reports that oil flows through the Strait have nearly recovered to 18 million barrels per day from pre-conflict levels of 20 million. U.S. Energy Secretary Wright cites current volumes around 9 million barrels per day. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asserts the Strait is closed to vessels violating Iran’s navigation regulations, while Axios notes substantial tanker volumes and Reuters reports traffic has decreased to approximately four vessels daily.

Japan sold $88 billion in foreign securities last month, the largest such sale on record, as part of efforts to intervene in the yen, according to Bloomberg. Most proceeds are believed to have been used for currency intervention. Japan continues to be the world’s largest holder of U.S. Treasuries.

The ratio of France's national debt to GDP is approaching the level of Greece's debt-to-GDP ratio during the 2009 European debt crisis, according to analysts.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has directed the creation of additional incentives to stimulate business growth within the country, according to PRAIM.

Rosseti Sibir's board of directors is scheduled to discuss the share buyback price today.

Germany’s elections intensify as CDU leader Friedrich Merz advocates for fundamental reforms. Meanwhile, Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel warns that the country may face bankruptcy as a result of Merz’s policy proposals.

Ukraine urges European Commission to expedite release of frozen Russian assets in Belgium amid Belgian resistance to using funds for reparational loan, says EU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari.

DBS and Citi executed the first cross-border USD transaction between Singapore and the US using tokenized deposits on a new blockchain ledger, SWIFT.

Two individuals connected to the case of PJSC Eurotrans Chairman Martyshev have been detained for two months, facing charges of large-scale embezzlement, according to law enforcement authorities.

Hunter Biden is set to launch his meme coin, LAPTOP, on September 8, according to the Wall Street Journal. For additional information, visit WSJ.

PIK's Board of Directors has approved the delisting of its shares. The buyback price for dissenting shareholders has been increased to 551.4 rubles per share from a previous 537.9 rubles, following a correction in the company's announcement. The updated information is available here. The general shareholders meeting is scheduled for October 13.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the U.S. is examining options for de-escalation during winter, including the potential for Ukraine and Russia to take steps toward easing hostilities and resuming negotiations for a broader peace agreement, Zelensky disclosed in an interview with Axios.