Features
International highway tears through Bosnia’s rural heartlands
Corridor Vc has been portrayed as a panacea for Bosnia’s economic woes, but local residents say it threatens their hard-won peace and prosperity.
Russia's political repressions intensify in 2024
Political repression continued in Russia in 2024, as “justification of terrorism” overtook “discrediting the Russian army” as the most prosecuted “crime,” according to a detailed report by Russian civil rights groups.
Fukushima's forgotten victims as Japan shifts back to nuclear power
A controversial shift in Japan's energy policy has sparked outrage among those still reeling from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
FDI in Emerging Europe hit by geopolitical uncertainty and German slowdown
wiiw report warns lower investment trend could continue as Central and Eastern Europe's role as a production hub for Western companies is waning.
Balancing growth and sustainability: Southeast Asia’s energy dilemma
With its rapidly growing economies, booming populations, and increasing urbanisation, Southeast Asia is witnessing a tremendous surge in energy demand
More help needed for Ukraine’s ravaged energy sector
A multi-million-euro fund launched by Ukraine’s European allies to help the war-ravaged energy sector is running low on cash as power providers struggle to keep the lights on this winter.
Bureks vs. Big Macs
International fast-food chains are expanding in the Western Balkans, but can they rival local offerings on taste or price?
COMMENT: Will the US exit Syria, return its oil fields?
The United States is now confronting a complex decision about its military presence in the country's oil-rich northeast.
Uzbekistan’s universities claim places in prestigious rankings for first time
Enrollment in country’s higher education system has surged from 9% in 2016 to 38%, or 1.3mn students, this year.
How Assad turned Syria into a narco-state
A video circulating on social media this week shows a warehouse in Syria filled with Captagon. This highly addictive amphetamine-based drug has transformed the country into a narco-state under the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad.
COMMENT: Could Iran open new fronts against Israel and Azerbaijan?
Hikmat Hajiyev, assistant to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, met with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Jerusalem on December 9. in what could be a historic meeting.
Presidential election to entrench Georgia’s growing constitutional crisis
President Salome Zourabichvili says she will not leave when her term ends on December 16, arguing that an "illegitimate" parliament cannot elect her successor.
COMMENT: A stable Syria could become a major energy hub
It’s been a pipe dream for decades, but with the fall of the Assad regime a stable Syria means a pipeline connecting Qatar to Turkey is possible, which would connect the gas fields of the Middle East to Europe.
For the Baltic states, bigger defence spending may never be enough
The significant increase in the Baltic states’ defence spending is already starting to strain their economies.
Belarus tests new BUK missile system as a low-key arms race in Eastern Europe gathers momentum
Belarus conducted a test launch of a new Buk-MB2 air defence missile near its border with Ukraine on December 10, Ukrinform reports, as all parties to the Ukraine war ramp up their missile development and production capacity.
INTERVIEW: Jeet Chandan, co-founder of Indian investment platform BizDateUp
The electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments have the highest growth potential in the overall India electric vehicle (EV) space, Jeet Chandan, co-founder of investment platform BizDateUp told bno Intellinews in an interview.
Czechs choose the nuclear option
Given the huge cost of this nuclear drive, environmental and energy analysts warn that the investments will influence the shape of the entire Czech energy transformation.
Prolonged protests and backtrack on EU accession threaten Georgia’s economic stability
Georgia's decision to delay its EU accession progress until 2028, coupled with ongoing mass protests, has damaged investor sentiment.
INTERVIEW: Giorgi Gakharia, Georgian opposition leader
Gakharia tells bne IntelliNews the government has "effectively killed" Georgia's European future, but people are fighting back.
Where does nuclear power-use stand in post-COP29 Asia?
It is now a month since COP29 opened its doors to delegates from around the world in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan on November 11