News
S&P revises Romania rating’s outlook to negative, warns of downgrade risk
S&P said its action was prompted by rising risks to Romania's public finances, as it expects a 7.5% deficit in 2025.
Albania plans Vatican-style state for Bektashi order in Tirana
Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed plans to set set up a sovereign spiritual state in Tirana for the Bektashi Order in move condemned by opposition leader.
Turkey’s role in European security on agenda as top diplomats of Ankara, EU meet
Donald Trump policies could set in motion an attempt at reconfiguring relations.
US sets February 27 deadline for discharging Russian oil tankers
The United States has clarified to India that tankers carrying Russian oil must offload their cargo by February 27 under newly imposed sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow's oil revenue
EU leaders brace for emergency summit if Hungary continues to block extension of Russian sanctions
Hungary has withheld its consent to extend EU sanctions against Russia at the meeting of EU ambassadors on January 24. EU Foreign Ministers will gather on Monday, 27 January, to vote on the issue.
Protests against Fico’s pro-Kremlin turn intensify across Slovakia
The intensification of the pro-Kremlin turn of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico drew the largest crowd of demonstrators to the streets of the Slovak capital Bratislava since protests against Fico's Smer party-led cabinet began in late 2023.
Ukraine offers coal and experts to settle Transnistria’s energy crisis without Russia
If Ukraine solves the energy crisis in Moldova, it would thwart Russian efforts to exploit the crisis to pursue its political interests in Moldova.
Protesters in Montenegro threaten civil disobedience
Wave of protests prompted by mass shooting in Montenegro follows unrest in neighbouring Serbia.
Thoughts of teenagers licking backs of “psychedelic toads” bother MPs in Kyrgyzstan
Lawmakers debate drug trafficking bill that would exclude imports of designated amphibians.
Putin says the Ukraine war "might not have happened" if Trump was president in 2022, as the two leaders flirt ahead of a mooted meeting
Since Trump’s inauguration, Putin has sent several signals that he is ready to open negotiation with the new American president on bringing the war to an end.
Croatian shops nearly empty as boycott gets underway
One-day shopping boycott organised in protest against high prices.
Serbia goes on strike
Large parts of Serbian society are out on strike on January 24, as students, cultural institutions and workers across various sectors stop work in solidarity with ongoing protests against the government.
Bomb threats to schools in Hungary traced to emails sent through Yandex platform, IT experts say
IT security experts said the bomb threats were traced to emails sent through the Russian Yandex platform, suggesting involvement from Russian actors.
President Pellegrini calls situation in Slovakia “serious” in wake of country-wide protests, PM Fico coup plot claims
Slovakia’s President Peter Pellegrini said the situation in the country is “serious” following a security council meeting called after populist Prime Robert Fico claimed a plot to overthrow his government is taking place.
Trump says he wants to meet Putin “as soon as possible”, as Zelenskiy lobbies Davos for support
US President Donald Trump said that he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as soon as possible" to broker an end to the war in Ukraine, speaking to delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos by video link on January 23.
Expected settlement of energy crisis in Transnistria may have a security cost
Pro-Russian separatist region has picked a natural gas trader, Cyprus-based Ozbor Enterprises, to import Russian natural gas through the Turkstream and Trans-Balkan pipelines, and started military drills in the Security Zone.
Japan hikes rates in a move that goes largely unnoticed
In the hour or so after Japan hiked interest rates to what is the highest level in 17 years, nobody seemed to care.
Human rights groups urge Zelenskiy to protect North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine
Human rights organisations advocating for North Korean citizens have called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to refrain from repatriating two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia.
Taiwan set to cull 120,000 green iguanas
Taiwan is planning to cull up to 120,000 green iguanas in a bid to protect its agriculture from the growing menace posed by the invasive species.
Death sentence for Chinese killer
A Chinese court has sentenced Zhou Jiasheng, a 52-year-old man, to death for his role in a brutal knife attack in June 2024.