Latest Updates

Georgia’s Western honeymoon – coming to an end?

For the Georgian Dream government, its failure to respond to far-right mobs hunting LGBTQ activists and beating journalists was a PR disaster. Critics say it’s time for US and EU to wake up to its shift towards illiberalism.

Read Story

Fires engulf parts of North Macedonia due to extremely hot weather

Fires caused by the extremely hot weather are still active in parts of North Macedonia, but have caused no deaths or injuries, while firefighters and the army are trying to bring all of them under control.

Read Story

HESS: Europe goes sectoral on Belarus

Sectoral sanctions have arguably been the most significant innovation in the sanctions tool box over the last decade. Despite reticence over Russia, Brussels now leads the way on expanding their use beyond the Ukrainian conflict, targeting Belarus.

Read Story

Uzbekistan after the storm

A V-shaped recovery will support incomes and job creation, and resolve any lingering impact in the banking sector, says Uzbekistan's Deputy Finance Minister Odilbek Isakov.

Read Story

Turkey evacuates thousands of tourists amid hellish wildfire scenes

Heat intensity of infernos measured with satellite data reportedly four times higher than anything on record for the nation.

Read Story

VISEGRAD BLOG: The EU finally gets tough with Hungary and Poland

The Commission now has the tools and the evidence to confront Poland and Hungary; the question therefore is whether it will stand firm this time.

Read Story

MACRO ADVISORY: Buckle up, August is coming

Russia’s recent history has repeatedly shown that August is a month when surprises, usually bad, can happen more often than in any other month.

Read Story

Climate change is shortening Central Asia’s growing season – study

It’s bad news for plans to expand farming, but even worse for herders.

Read Story

bneGREEN: EU takes carbon pricing initiative with CBAM

The EU on 14 July unveiled the details of its proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which aims to protect EU CO2 emitters from carbon leakage by making exporters to the EU market pay for the CO2 they produce.

Read Story

Lithuania to push back undocumented migrants to Belarus

Bulgaria’s ITN presents proposed ministers amid uncertain support

UK navy declares incident involving apparent Gulf of Oman tanker hijacking 'over'

Lithuania to push back undocumented migrants to Belarus

Interior minister says migrants intentionally trying to cross the state border in banned places should be considered persons who plan to commit a criminal act.

Bulgaria’s ITN presents proposed ministers amid uncertain support

There Are Such People refuses to sign pledge to undertake specific reforms and proposes 'take it or leave it' cabinet lineup.

UK navy declares incident involving apparent Gulf of Oman tanker hijacking 'over'

Armed men have left vessel says UKMTO.

News

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova talks to Dozhd ahead of her trial on charges of attempting a coup

The trial of Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova started on August 4 where she is charged with attempting a coup d'état and faces up to 12 years in jail if convicted in what she claims is a politically motivated case.

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova in court to face attempted coup charges

Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of mass street protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year, went on trial on Wednesday. If found guilty she faces up to 12 years in prison on charges of extremism.

Navalny ally and Russian opposition leader Sobol sentenced to 1.5 years of movement restrictions, barred from running in the Duma elections

Russian opposition leader Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of jailed anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, has been sentenced to 1.5 years of curfew and movement restrictions for her role in organising mass protests in January

Turkey’s central bank in a bind as official inflation moves to 5 bps below policy rate

Some analysts now see prospect of rate cuts during remainder of year as off the table.

Exiled Belarusian House activist who disappeared found hanged in woods in Kyiv

Belarusian opposition activist and head of Belarusian House Vitaliy Shishov, who disappeared in Kyiv on August 2, after an extensive search by police has been found hanged in a Kyiv park not far from his home.

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova talks to Dozhd ahead of her trial on charges of attempting a coup

2 hours ago

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova in court to face attempted coup charges

16 hours ago

Navalny ally and Russian opposition leader Sobol sentenced to 1.5 years of movement restrictions, barred from running in the Duma elections

1 day ago

Turkey’s central bank in a bind as official inflation moves to 5 bps below policy rate

1 day ago

Exiled Belarusian House activist who disappeared found hanged in woods in Kyiv

2 days ago

More News

Tech

Turkey’s Getir in partnership talks with local car rental app MOOV

Online groceries delivery player has followed an aggressive expansion strategy that has this year taken it to London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris.

Estonia’s Bolt closes €600mn funding round

Largest capital injection so far raises valuation to $4bn and will be used to fund grocery delivery business.

European Commission approves acquisition of Telekom Romania by Orange, subject to conditions

Deutsche Telekom is selling its 54% stake in Romanian fixed line operator Telekom Romania Communications to Orange’s local subsidiary.

Russia will reportedly tighten e-commerce regulations

E-commerce platforms in Russia will have to disclose their ranging algorithms and guarantee participants a possibility to control prices, according to proposals currently considered by the federal anti-monopoly service.

Belarus' IT sector continues downward spiral

Almost one year after heavy political crackdowns began in Belarus, its IT industry faces extremely uncertain prospects.

Turkey’s Getir in partnership talks with local car rental app MOOV

10 hours ago

Estonia’s Bolt closes €600mn funding round

2 days ago

European Commission approves acquisition of Telekom Romania by Orange, subject to conditions

7 days ago

Russia will reportedly tighten e-commerce regulations

7 days ago

Belarus' IT sector continues downward spiral

8 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

COLCHIS: Where is Strategic Communications Headed in Georgia?

Dramatically rising prices, rioting over the Tbilisi pride and protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party are undermining the country’s reputation as a liberal reformer and weakening the government’s ability to communicate with voters

COMMENT: Why has China’s foreign minister spent three days in Damascus? Probably not having trade discussions

A few days ago China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spent three days visiting President Bashar al Assad in Syria, the first foreign dignitary the Syrian president has hosted since the start of his new term.

HOMANS: Putin's Epistle to the Ukrainians

On July 12, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, released an epistle entitled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians" that has set the cat amongst the pigeons

Perspectives | Blame it on Russia? The danger of geopolitical takes on Georgia’s far right

Framing Georgia’s far right as a unified pro-Russian actor obscures complex local problems.

COMMENT: Uzbekistan will have to host Afghan refugees in the near future

Issue one of many to be addressed by July 15-16 conference, "Central and South Asia: regional dependence. Threats and opportunities", convened on initiative of Uzbek president.

COLCHIS: Where is Strategic Communications Headed in Georgia?

2 hours ago

COMMENT: Why has China’s foreign minister spent three days in Damascus? Probably not having trade discussions

10 days ago

HOMANS: Putin's Epistle to the Ukrainians

16 days ago

Perspectives | Blame it on Russia? The danger of geopolitical takes on Georgia’s far right

22 days ago

COMMENT: Uzbekistan will have to host Afghan refugees in the near future

22 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Chunky inflation growth takes Georgia’s headline rate to 11.9% y/y in July

Arguments in favour of a rate hike have accumulated.

Watcom shopping index almost back to normal in July

The Russian Watcom shopping index that measures foot traffic in Moscow’s leading shopping malls is almost back to normal as the effects of last year’s lockdown work their way through the results.

Turkey’s manufacturing PMI hits six month high in July as virus brake removed

Coronavirus cases are, however, again on the rise. Analysts fear growth plans could once more be hindered.

PMI: Russian manufacturing sees dive in demand in July

Russia’s manufacturing sector saw a deterioration of operating conditions in July 2021, seeing a fall in production and a steeper decline in new orders, and overall weak client demand, latest PMI report by IHS Markit shows.

Russia's GDP catches up with pre-COVID level

Russia's GDP increased by 4.6% y/y in H1 2021, with growth accelerating to 10.1% in the second quarter.

Chunky inflation growth takes Georgia’s headline rate to 11.9% y/y in July

1 day ago

Watcom shopping index almost back to normal in July

2 days ago

Turkey’s manufacturing PMI hits six month high in July as virus brake removed

2 days ago

PMI: Russian manufacturing sees dive in demand in July

2 days ago

Russia's GDP catches up with pre-COVID level

6 days ago

More Data

Features

Azerbaijan’s top cleric under fire for pro-Iran remarks

The remarks earned the country’s senior Islamic official a rebuke from a senior adviser to Turkey’s president and a smear campaign in Azerbaijani pro-government media.

INTERVIEW: Making privatisation work in Uzbekistan

Despite the pandemic conditions Uzbekistan accelerated its privatisation drive this spring. The head of the State Assets Management Agency Akmalkhon Ortikov explains how.

Azerbaijani government silent on phone spying revelations

The list of journalists and activists reportedly spied on using the Israeli-made Pegasus software continues to grow. But Baku is keeping quiet.

Da Vinci fund III aims to deRussify its portfolio companies and make them more valuable

Da Vinci Capital, one of Russia’s biggest private equity investors, has been helping its portfolio companies to build up a more international business that will increase their valuation. Now it has launched a new fund that excludes Russia entirely.

DATACRUNCH: demographic disaster in Russia, but a catastrophe in Ukraine

Russia is facing two decades of stagnation thanks to its shrinking population caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union. But in Ukraine the problem is far worse, as the population has shrunk to levels last seen in the '50s.

Azerbaijan’s top cleric under fire for pro-Iran remarks

8 days ago

INTERVIEW: Making privatisation work in Uzbekistan

12 days ago

Azerbaijani government silent on phone spying revelations

13 days ago

Da Vinci fund III aims to deRussify its portfolio companies and make them more valuable

17 days ago

DATACRUNCH: demographic disaster in Russia, but a catastrophe in Ukraine

21 days ago

More Features

Blogs

ISTANBUL BLOG: Reduced to tossing bags of tea, Erdogan’s having a bad wildfire crisis

Turks stunned to find country has no firefighting planes. Presidential aide appears tone deaf as he gripes #HelpTurkey campaign is meant to make the state look “incapable”.

BALKAN BLOG: Southeast Europe heatwave a sign of climate change to come

Southeast Europe is suffering under a heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring to 40°C or higher.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Burger King ‘set to battle for Uzbek crown with Tashkent arrival’

Hamburger heavyweight will want more than a flash-in-the-pan success.

Turkmenistan: Tokyo story

Turkmenistan sees Japan as an important source of technical knowhow and investment, and the enthusiasm is mutual. Eurasianet’s weekly briefing.

BALKAN BLOG: Head prosecutor Stoianoglo is first target and first test for new pro-EU government in Moldova

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu wants to resume the judicial reforms she started in 2019, beginning with exactly what led to her dismissal as prime minister: the appointment of new head prosecutors.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Reduced to tossing bags of tea, Erdogan’s having a bad wildfire crisis

2 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: Southeast Europe heatwave a sign of climate change to come

3 days ago

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Burger King ‘set to battle for Uzbek crown with Tashkent arrival’

4 days ago

Turkmenistan: Tokyo story

7 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: Head prosecutor Stoianoglo is first target and first test for new pro-EU government in Moldova

13 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

Czech industry ministry signs memorandum to back country's first EV battery plant

€2bn battery factory to be built by state-owned utility CEZ with Germany's VW or South Korea's LG.

bneGREEN: Global investors turn to green energy and away from fossil fuels

The world’s largest global debt and equity investors are continuing to invest in renewable energy despite the pandemic, driven by the wealth of investment opportunities, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said.

bneGREEN: BlackRock raises $250mn to fund climate transition in emerging markets

BlackRock has raised $250mn from a consortium of ten institutional investors, governments and charities for its flagship blended finance fund, which aims to help emerging market economies reduce carbon emissions.

bneGREEN: EU carbon pricing set for radical reforms

The European Commission is to publish legislation on July 14 that will detail the EU’s plans, dubbed “Fit for 55,” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 as part of wider reforms to European energy and climate laws.

Kazakhstan unveils ambitious green-hydrogen project

Kazakhstan hopes to build the world’s largest green-hydrogen project, which could – in the distant future – help Nur-Sultan meet its clean-energy promises.

Czech industry ministry signs memorandum to back country's first EV battery plant

8 days ago

bneGREEN: Global investors turn to green energy and away from fossil fuels

14 days ago

bneGREEN: BlackRock raises $250mn to fund climate transition in emerging markets

22 days ago

bneGREEN: EU carbon pricing set for radical reforms

23 days ago

Kazakhstan unveils ambitious green-hydrogen project

26 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

The trial of Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova started on August 4 where she is charged with attempting a coup d'état and faces up to 12 years in jail if convicted in what she claims is a politically motivated case.

Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of mass street protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year, went on trial on Wednesday. If found guilty she faces up to 12 years in prison on charges of extremism.

Russian opposition leader Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of jailed anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, has been sentenced to 1.5 years of curfew and movement restrictions for her role in organising mass protests in January

Some analysts now see prospect of rate cuts during remainder of year as off the table.

Belarusian opposition activist and head of Belarusian House Vitaliy Shishov, who disappeared in Kyiv on August 2, after an extensive search by police has been found hanged in a Kyiv park not far from his home.

Tech

Online groceries delivery player has followed an aggressive expansion strategy that has this year taken it to London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris.

Largest capital injection so far raises valuation to $4bn and will be used to fund grocery delivery business.

Deutsche Telekom is selling its 54% stake in Romanian fixed line operator Telekom Romania Communications to Orange’s local subsidiary.

E-commerce platforms in Russia will have to disclose their ranging algorithms and guarantee participants a possibility to control prices, according to proposals currently considered by the federal anti-monopoly service.

Almost one year after heavy political crackdowns began in Belarus, its IT industry faces extremely uncertain prospects.

Opinion

Dramatically rising prices, rioting over the Tbilisi pride and protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party are undermining the country’s reputation as a liberal reformer and weakening the government’s ability to communicate with voters

A few days ago China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spent three days visiting President Bashar al Assad in Syria, the first foreign dignitary the Syrian president has hosted since the start of his new term.

On July 12, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, released an epistle entitled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians" that has set the cat amongst the pigeons

Framing Georgia’s far right as a unified pro-Russian actor obscures complex local problems.

Issue one of many to be addressed by July 15-16 conference, "Central and South Asia: regional dependence. Threats and opportunities", convened on initiative of Uzbek president.

Data

Arguments in favour of a rate hike have accumulated.

The Russian Watcom shopping index that measures foot traffic in Moscow’s leading shopping malls is almost back to normal as the effects of last year’s lockdown work their way through the results.

Coronavirus cases are, however, again on the rise. Analysts fear growth plans could once more be hindered.

Russia’s manufacturing sector saw a deterioration of operating conditions in July 2021, seeing a fall in production and a steeper decline in new orders, and overall weak client demand, latest PMI report by IHS Markit shows.

Russia's GDP increased by 4.6% y/y in H1 2021, with growth accelerating to 10.1% in the second quarter.

Features

The remarks earned the country’s senior Islamic official a rebuke from a senior adviser to Turkey’s president and a smear campaign in Azerbaijani pro-government media.

Despite the pandemic conditions Uzbekistan accelerated its privatisation drive this spring. The head of the State Assets Management Agency Akmalkhon Ortikov explains how.

The list of journalists and activists reportedly spied on using the Israeli-made Pegasus software continues to grow. But Baku is keeping quiet.

Da Vinci Capital, one of Russia’s biggest private equity investors, has been helping its portfolio companies to build up a more international business that will increase their valuation. Now it has launched a new fund that excludes Russia entirely.

Russia is facing two decades of stagnation thanks to its shrinking population caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union. But in Ukraine the problem is far worse, as the population has shrunk to levels last seen in the '50s.

Blogs

Turks stunned to find country has no firefighting planes. Presidential aide appears tone deaf as he gripes #HelpTurkey campaign is meant to make the state look “incapable”.

Southeast Europe is suffering under a heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring to 40°C or higher.

Hamburger heavyweight will want more than a flash-in-the-pan success.

Turkmenistan sees Japan as an important source of technical knowhow and investment, and the enthusiasm is mutual. Eurasianet’s weekly briefing.

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu wants to resume the judicial reforms she started in 2019, beginning with exactly what led to her dismissal as prime minister: the appointment of new head prosecutors.

bneGREEN

€2bn battery factory to be built by state-owned utility CEZ with Germany's VW or South Korea's LG.

The world’s largest global debt and equity investors are continuing to invest in renewable energy despite the pandemic, driven by the wealth of investment opportunities, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said.

BlackRock has raised $250mn from a consortium of ten institutional investors, governments and charities for its flagship blended finance fund, which aims to help emerging market economies reduce carbon emissions.

The European Commission is to publish legislation on July 14 that will detail the EU’s plans, dubbed “Fit for 55,” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 as part of wider reforms to European energy and climate laws.

Kazakhstan hopes to build the world’s largest green-hydrogen project, which could – in the distant future – help Nur-Sultan meet its clean-energy promises.

Follow Us On

Most Read

Podcasts

On May 23 Belarus scrambled a MiG-29 fighter to force down a Ryanair passenger plane flying over its territory and arrested a pass....

Reports

Cookies on the bne IntelliNews website