TNT – “Tidbits From TNT” Saturday 2-3-2024

Tishwash:  3 Arab countries top the list of world banks in purchasing gold during 2023

Recent data issued by the World Gold Council revealed that three Arab countries, including Iraq, found themselves among the top ten in the list of world banks that made the largest purchases of gold during the year 2023, and this comes in the context of these countries strengthening their reserves of the yellow metal as a means of confronting crises. Current economic and geopolitical.

In detail, global central bank purchases of gold decreased last year to 1,037.4 tons. However, they still represent the second highest level in more than 55 years.

The People’s Bank of China topped the list by purchasing 224.88 tons of gold in 2023, followed by the Central Bank of Poland and then the Central Bank of Singapore.

What is striking in the list is that Libya ranks fourth, as the Central Bank of Libya purchased 30.01 tons of gold in 2023, in the first purchase since 1998-1999, raising their total reserves of the yellow metal to 147 tons.

As for the Central Bank of Iraq and Qatar, they came in seventh and eighth places, respectively, by purchasing 12.25 tons and 7.44 tons of gold, respectively.

This comes as global central banks continue to enhance their gold reserves as a safe haven, amid the current economic and geopolitical conditions.  link

CandyKisses:  Sudanese adviser: Iraq is living better in its financial history thanks to high foreign exchange reserves

The Prime Minister’s financial adviser, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, announced on Saturday a significant improvement in the efficiency of Iraq’s foreign exchange reserves, stressing that it indicates that Iraq’s financial situation is the best in its history.

Saleh explained, in an interview with the official agency, followed by NRT Arabia, that Iraq’s oil revenues will remain the main source for the growth of the country’s foreign currency reserves, pointing to the high efficiency indicators in these reserves.

Saleh pointed out that Iraq’s oil revenues constitute up to 98% of the assets of the investment portfolio of foreign currency reserves, indicating that all indicators indicate that Iraq is currently living in its best financial conditions, and that these reserves are booming and increasing with the growth of the current account index of the balance of payments.

He stressed that there are standard investment mechanisms and evidences in line with global standards in the management of Iraq’s foreign exchange reserves, stressing that with the increasing cycle of oil assets, the size of Iraq’s foreign reserves increases and rises in its investment portfolio.

https://www.nrttv.com/ar/detail3/22885

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Spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief: The US strikes are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a threat whose consequences will be dire

Baghdad / Nina / The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasul Abdullah, said: “The US strikes are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a threat whose consequences will be dire for security and stability.”

He said in a statement: “The cities of Al-Qaim and the Iraqi border areas are subjected to air strikes by the United States of America, as these strikes come at a time when Iraq is striving to ensure the stability of the region.”

He added: “These strikes are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, and a threat that drags Iraq and the region to the unfortunate consequences, and its consequences will be dire for security and stability in Iraq and the region.”

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CandyKisses:  White House: We Informed The Iraqi Government Before The Start Of The Strikes

Earth News- White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed on Saturday that the Iraqi government had already been informed before the air strikes.

“The American response began tonight, and it will not end tonight,” Kirby said.

“We believe the strikes were successful, and we don’t know how many militants may have been killed or wounded,” the U.S. official said.

The White House confirmed that all airstrikes had hit targets in Iraq and Syria.

“The facilities that have been targeted are being used by groups affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to target US forces in the Middle East,” Kirby said.

“There have been no contacts with Iran since the killing of 3 US soldiers in northeastern Jordan,” he said.

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CandyKisses:  US Central Command: We hit 85 targets in Iraq and Syria

Baghdad Today – Baghdad

The US Central Command announced at dawn on Saturday (February 3, 2024), strikes on Iraq and Syria, noting that more than 85 targets were hit.

The command said in a statement received by “Baghdad Today”, that “at 4:00 pm. (EDT) February 02, Central Command (CENTCOM) forces have launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.

US military forces have struck more than 85 targets, with many aircraft including long-range bombers from the United States. The airstrikes used more than 125 precision munitions.”

“The hit facilities included command and control operations, intelligence centers and centers, missiles and missiles, unmanned vehicle warehouses, logistics supply chain facilities and ammunition for militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against US and coalition forces,” it said.