Purchases were the highest on record in January-September, the World Gold Council has said Central banks bought 800 tons of gold from January to September this year, the highest on record for the nine-month period, according to the World Gold Council.

Germany is weighing the prospect of expropriating or nationalizing local subsidiaries of Russian energy majors Gazprom and Rosneft due to concerns over energy security amid anti-Russia sanctions and Moscow’s demand for gas payments in rubles.

Moldova has turned down the “offer” to capture its breakaway region of Transnistria by force floated by Kiev, stating that it seeks to reintegrate the self-proclaimed republic only through political means.