Ukraine’s international reserves in August, according to preliminary estimates of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), increased by 13.7%, or by $5 billion 98.6 million – to $42 billion 330.5 million.
“Such dynamics is due to significant volumes of receipts from international partners, which exceeded the net sale of foreign currency by the National Bank and the country’s debt payments in foreign currency,” the central bank said in a statement on its website on Friday evening.
At the same time, the NBU’s net international reserves in August even slightly decreased – by $2 million – to $23.301 billion.
According to the Quantitative Performance Criterion (QPC) in the updated EFF Extended Funding Facility, Ukraine’s NIRRs should be at least $28.8 billion at the end of September this year and at least $26.3 billion at the end of the year.
According to the published information, the National Bank sold on the foreign exchange market $2.696 billion and bought back into reserves $0.3 million, the net sale of foreign currency by the NBU in August decreased from $3.05 billion to $2.696 billion.
It is noted that the government’s foreign currency accounts in the National Bank received $8.465 billion, of which $4.553 billion from the EU within the framework of the Ukraine Facility and $3.89 billion through the World Bank.
For servicing and repayment of the state debt in foreign currency, $724.1 million was paid, of which $266.0 million – servicing and repayment of debt to the World Bank; $239.9 million – payments related to the restructuring of Eurobonds, $130.1 million – payments on state derivatives and $88.1 million – payments to other international creditors.
In addition, Ukraine paid $392.4 million to the International Monetary Fund.
“In August, due to revaluation, the value of financial instruments increased by $443 million. The current volume of international reserves provides financing for 5.4 months of future imports,” the regulator stated in a release.
A reception organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the country’s independence was held in Kyiv at the Premier Palace Hotel. The event gathered diplomats, politicians, cultural figures and business representatives who had the opportunity to enjoy Moldovan hospitality, wines and national dishes.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine, Mr. Valeriu Chiver, delivered a solemn speech in which he noted not only the achievements of Moldova since independence, but also expressed gratitude to Ukraine for the fruitful cooperation.
The main points of Valerii Chiverii’s speech:
“I am very pleased to welcome you to the reception on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the Republic of Moldova’s independence. We are grateful to you for joining us on this festive day. We have two important holidays: Independence Day, which we celebrate on August 27, and Romanian Language Day, which is celebrated on August 31. In addition, we recently celebrated National Army Day, which adds another reason to celebrate.
This year, the upcoming presidential elections on October 20 are particularly important, when Moldovans will have the opportunity to choose the European path of the country’s development. We are confident that Ukrainians want the same for their country, which will further strengthen our relations.
Our bilateral relations are now at their highest level ever. Over the past two years, Ukraine has hosted the President of Moldova three times, the Prime Minister twice, and numerous ministerial visits have taken place. Our cooperation covers various multilateral platforms, including the Peace Formula, the Crimean Platform, and other important initiatives.
Moldova has been supporting Ukraine since the very beginning of this unjust war. We have opened our borders to over a million Ukrainians and provided asylum to over a hundred thousand. We believe that the lines of solidarity along which Ukrainian grain is exported will one day become the lines along which goods will be returned to rebuild Ukraine.
Both of our countries are striving to become part of the European family, and we are convinced that this will bring us even closer. Moldovan-Ukrainian cooperation is based on mutual respect and understanding. We are also grateful to the Ukrainian authorities for restoring the historical truth regarding the Romanian language and congratulate all Romanian speakers on their holiday.”
At the end of his speech, Valeriu Chiever thanked his Ukrainian counterparts for their openness and cooperation, and noted the productive trilateral meetings between Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.
Referring to the efforts of Moldovan embassies, consulates and honorary consuls in various regions of Ukraine, he thanked them for promoting bilateral relations and organizing the event, especially emphasizing their work under the pressure of war.
Moldova recognized Ukraine’s independence on December 10, 1991, shortly after Ukraine gained independence. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were established on March 10, 1992.
Pepper’s Club hosted the event “FOOTBALL WORLD, CONTINENT AND OLYMPIC GAMES CHAMPIONS” in honor of the national teams of Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Qatar and Côte d’Ivoire for winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Copa America 2024, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the UEFA European Cup 2024, the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023, the Asian Cup 2023, and the African Cup of Nations 2023.
The event was co-organized and hosted by Pavlo Shilko, a well-known Ukrainian presenter, musician and philanthropist, widely known as DJ Pasha.
About 100 guests enjoyed a wonderful show by the world-famous musician Princess Amuti Binaisa, who performed stunningly together with the Ukrainian band Kazka Band.
The event was also held to raise funds for the International Charitable Foundation “Health of the Ukrainian People” and its #SaveAnImmediateLimb program.
Among the attendees were MPs, Ukrainian government officials, foreign ambassadors and representatives of the most prestigious local institutions. In addition to an incredible show by Princess Amuti Binaisa, they had the opportunity to enjoy traditional Argentine empanadas and Malbec wine.
The event was organized with the support of the Directorate General of Services for Diplomatic Missions and Pepper’s Club.
Schisandra berries, or Chinese lemongrass, are gradually gaining recognition among health food and phytopharmacology enthusiasts for their unique healing properties. The healthy lifestyle trend is promoting schisandra (Schisandra chinensis), known in Asia as Wu Wei Zi, writes EastFruit.
This ancient ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine boasts a range of health benefits that make it a contender for superfood status.
What is schizandra?
Schisandra is the fruit of the Schisandra chinensis vine, which grows naturally in northeastern China, Japan, Korea and Eastern European countries. In Asian and European countries, lemongrass is also cultivated in gardens and urban squares, where it is used for ornamental purposes and more.
The berries of this liana, resembling bunches of grapes, have a rich red color and a bright aroma. In traditional Chinese medicine, these berries are known for their adaptogenic properties, that is, their ability to help the body adapt to stress and increased stress.
Schizandra is a dicotyledonous climber that prefers warm climates and fertile soils. The plant is hardy but does not tolerate drought. It can reach 15 meters in height under favorable conditions, winding around tree trunks. The leaves of lemongrass have an elliptical or inverted ovoid shape with pronounced innervation and a sharp tip. When torn, they emit a pleasant lemon scent. The flowers of the plant hang on long pedicels and are white or whitish-pink in color. Fruits ripen in late August – early September and are juicy, red berries with lemon flavor, collected in bunches of 10-40 pieces.
Healing Schizandra in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Schizandra holds a special place in traditional Chinese medicine due to its unique properties that benefit the five organs – spleen, liver, heart, lungs and kidneys. Depending on their flavors – sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty – schizandra berries balance different aspects of health, helping to restore harmony between body, mind and spirit.
In China, the plant is used almost entirely, from the bark and leaves to the fruit. Lemongrass is known for its “five flavors”: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and astringent. This makes it unique not only in cooking, but also in medicine. The fruits and seeds of the plant are used to make various medicines and tinctures.
Useful and therapeutic properties of the liana are a merit of its unique composition. Substances that are contained in the berries, act on the body as a tonic and antioxidant, which in addition helps to strengthen its defenses.
The lemongrass fruit is high in vitamins C and E. The former is an antioxidant that helps immunity and eases the course of respiratory infections. The second is also an antioxidant, cardioprotective, protects cell membranes from damage and regulates the consumption of oxygen by cells. Of the minerals in lemongrass there are calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, iodine and others. Their content is not very high, but the main properties of the berry it does not harm.
IC “Express Insurance” (Kiev) in January-August 2024 made payments in the amount of UAH 340,2 million, which is 64,6% or UAH 133,5 million more than the indicator for the same period of 2023, according to the insurer’s website.
Including payments on hull insurance amounted to UAH 287.5 million (+59.1%), on MTPL – UAH 44.4 million (2.4 times more), on voluntary health insurance – UAH 3.8 million (-14.7%), payments under other insurance contracts – UAH 4.6 million (+36.4%).
At the same time, the company reports that in August 2024 payments to clients amounted to UAH 53.1 mln (+94.4%) more than in August 2023. In particular, under hull insurance contracts the company paid UAH 45,3 mln (+94,2%), under CMTPL insurance – UAH 6,8 mln (growth in 2,5 times).
Express Insurance ALC was founded in 2008 and is a part of UkrAVTO group of companies. The company specializes in automobile insurance. Stable high speed of events settlement in IC is provided by optimal interaction with partner service stations.
Since April, 2012 IC “Express Insurance” is an associated member of the Motor Transport Insurance Bureau of Ukraine.
The main tasks of the agrarian sector are the formation of deep processing, increasing the production of raw materials for it, expanding the geography of exports of agro-products and food security, Vitaliy Koval said even before his appointment as Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food at a parliamentary session on Thursday.
“As a candidate for the post of Minister of agrarian policy and food I guarantee that the agricultural sector – it will be a sector of deep processing, and the Ukrainian land will be the foundation for us to grow products on it, products processed, exported to the maximum number of countries, ensure food security, and the agricultural complex has become truly agro-industrial ”, – he said.
Koval urged MPs to support all initiatives aimed at transforming Ukraine into an agro-industrialized country, so that “agrarian of Ukraine” would sound proudly around the world”.
Among the greatest challenges facing the agrarian sector, he named ensuring foreign currency earnings, growth of the agro-economy and restoring the confidence of agrarians in the government.
“The programs that we approved with you, we must fill not only with budgetary funds, but also with the funds of our partners so that the products were competitive and we could ensure food security on all continents,” Koval stressed.
At the same time, he promised to restore the subjectivity of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy so that the agro-industrial complex would be a driver of development of the entire economy, especially in related machine-building and industries that will allow import substitution.
Koval emphasized that he would pay special attention to the livestock sector.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday appointed as Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food ex-head of the State Property Fund Vitaly Koval. His candidacy was supported by 251 people’s deputies. Before that, since September 9, 2019, he headed the Rivne regional state administration, and from February 24, 2022 he headed the Rivne regional military administration.
