Features
Jury remains out on Tokayev’s “de-oligarchisation” of Kazakhstan
Government talks of having recovered ill-gotten gains amounting to a few billion dollars. Sceptics think it should have a few billion more to boast about by now.
Romanian geothermal expert Green Tech International has dual listing in sight after Bucharest IPO
Company aims to triple its active geothermal capacity, double installed capacity to 1 GWt by 2028 and expand into downstream business lines, COO Dragoș Gavriluță tells bne IntelliNews.
Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs will accelerate BRICS bloc trade cooperation
BRICS avowedly seeks to challenge Western-dominated institutions of global economic governance, as well as to displace the US dollar from its entrenched role in the world economy. Its job just got easier thanks to Trump.
US tariffs could undermine Viktor Orban's dream of golden economic era with US
Hungary's heavily export-oriented, manufacturing-driven economy is among the more vulnerable EU member states in the transatlantic trade war, according to analysts.
The rise of war-hardened Balkan crime groups in South America’s cocaine market
Global Initiative report reveals organised crime groups from the Western Balkans have firmly embedded themselves in South America’s cocaine trade.
COMMENT: EU’s foreign policy chief Kallas’ releases a white paper on European Defence sector plans
EU foreign policy chief and former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas recently unveiled a controversial White Paper on the “Future of European Defence: Readiness 2030”, but it received a very mixed reception from EU member states.
EU-Central Asia: Preparing for first-of-its-kind summit aimed at bolstering trade
Caution evident in build-up to gathering.
INTERVIEW: "It's risky to invest in Ukraine now. But it's more risky not to invest" – AmCham Ukraine
An interview with the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine
Russian household well-being reaches highest level in a decade – BOFIT
The well-being of Russian households has reached its highest level in a decade, a survey carried out by the Bank of Finland institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT) found.
Indonesians push back as military enters civilian government
Student groups protested outside the Blitar DPRD office under a heavy police presence, demanding the law’s repeal and calling for press freedom. Activists pointed to past instances of media suppression, warning about potential threats to journalists
Revolution, resistance and regime collapse in Damascus
The end of the 54-year rule of Syria’s Assad regime came so quickly that many refused to believe it.
Democracy nosedives as authoritarian grip tightens on Georgia
Brutal police crackdowns on pro-EU street protesters have given way to a targeted campaign of repression seemingly intent on throttling every dimension of the Georgian civil resistance movement.
Putin’s upcoming India visit indicates deeper ties despite global shifts
Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to visit India in the near future, marking his first trip to the South Asian nation since December 2021
What exactly is Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision for the transactional multipolar world?
Did Russian President Vladimir Putin just endorse US President Donald Trump’s plan to annex Greenland? And what exactly is Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision for a multipolar world?
Trump's promises of Russian sanctions relief are easier said than done
Friedrich Nietzsche said: “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” and Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that Western sanctions have only strengthened Russia’s economy. But he still wants to get them lifted.
Trump and Carthage: The end of history revisited
What has gone wrong with the world? Protests and wars have broken out across the globe. Analysts are warning that weak countries could face problems but the strong ones are suffering from a deeper long term rot that will change the world order.
Halyk pushes forward Kazakhstan’s digital banking revolution
Kazakhstan’s oldest financial institution has developed a digital ecosystem that integrates banking with government services and lifestyle features.
EU holds trump card in Rosselkhozbank sanctions delisting
The EU's jurisdiction over the SWIFT messaging service is a major obstacle to US-Russian proposals to lift sanctions on Russia’s Rosselkhozbank, according to Yuliia Pavytska, head of the sanctions programme at the KSE Institute.
Indian defence reforms stymied by lack of funds
India’s plans to modernise its military and strengthen domestic defence production are facing mounting challenges due to financial constraints, despite a net boost in the country’s defence budget.
Malaysian government under scrutiny over Sapura Energy financial crisis
The company’s debt started ballooning due to aggressive expansion strategies that started in 2018, when it sought external financing to sustain operations, taking on multi-currency loans from various financial institutions.