Ghanaian supporters of Russian mercenary group Wagner arrested for allegedly plotting coup

At least five Ghanaians linked to Russia-backed mercenary group Wagner have been arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

Hungarian government finally raises 2023 deficit target from 3.9% to 5.2%

Government bows to reality after deficit hits 6.3% in first half.

European Commission and Hungary deny report of deal with Hungary over EU funds

Reported deal would unfreeze Hungary's EU funds in order to win Budapest's approval for the increase of the EU budget to aid Ukraine.

Poland and Czechia to reintroduce controls on border with Slovakia

Migration control has emerged as a central theme in both Poland’s and Slovakia's general election campaigns.

Serb List official detained in Serbia following Banjska incident in Kosovo

Kosovo will formally request the extradition from Serbia of all individuals involved in the planning and execution of the recent "terrorist incident".

Konzum launches Croatia's first automated supermarket

Konzum’s store is one of a growing number of entirely cashierless shops in Europe as international retailers explore the potential of AI technology.

Top IT company IBS Group is the heart of Russia's digital transformation now

IBS Group is best known as the leading provider of IT solutions for Russian businesses and regional governments. Since the war in Ukraine started its importance as a source of software has spiked.

Erdogan asks Musk for Tesla gigafactory during meeting in New York

Also offers entrepreneur cooperation in artificial intelligence and Starlink satellite internet services.

Slovenia reports strong growth in ICT sector

Enterprises in the sector generated €742mn more net turnover and €216mn more value added year on year in 2022.

Romanian startup Druid raises $30mn in series B round

Funding to help Druid accelerate its international expansion, particularly in the US market.

IMF: Geoeconomic fragmentation threatens Food security and clean energy transition

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 fragmented major commodity markets. Countries have since restricted trade in commodities, with a more than twofold increase in new policy measures relative to 2021.

COMMENT: Russia would be the only winner from conflict in Kosovo

Many questions about the violent clashes in north Kosovo on September 24 — including whether there was foreign involvement — remain unanswered.

ING: Hungarian risks accumulating

HESS: Nagorno-Karabakh shows up the myth of a “rules-based international order”

The tragic situation in Nagorno-Karabakh – where, at of the time of writing, more than 93,000 of the region’s estimated 120,000 ethnic Armenian residents have fled -- shows that there is no such thing as a rules-based international order.

COMMENT: Pashinyan is unpopular but the opposition looks too weak to oust him

Armenian premier has ridden out worse storms and he may now be able to use Western links to raise his standing.

Russia’s service sector PMI slows slightly in September, but expansion remains a very robust 55.4

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Russia Services PMI Business Activity Index registered an extremely strong 55.4 in September, but was down slightly from 57.6 in August.

Russia's ruble breaks through RUB100 to the dollar barrier again

The Kremlin called for calm as the ruble fell below the psychologically important RUB100 to the dollar mark for the second time this year on October 3.

Turkey reports official inflation of 62% y/y in September

However, according to the Istanbul-based ENAG research group of economists, inflation was 130% y/y.

Kazakhstan’s CPI inflation eases to 11.8% in September

Figure within lower range of central bank's year-end target range of 11-14%.

Czech GDP fell 0.6% y/y in Q2, according to refined estimate

New y/y reading is 0.2 percentage points worse than previous one, while q/q reading is 0.1 pp worse at zero.

Digital propaganda revolution dominates Slovak election campaign

President Zuzana Caputova has been repeatedly warning that her country is in an “information storm”.

Slovak election goes right down to the wire

Slovaks head to the polls on September 30 in an early election that is both vital for the country’s future and perhaps the future of Central Europe.

"The worst is over," says Russia's economic elite

After a horrendous start to the year with excruciating new oil sanctions that led to the largest January deficit on record, the Kremlin is starting to sound increasingly optimistic about the health of the Russian economy by the end of the year.

Plans for doubling Azerbaijan's gas flows to Europe on hold

Expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor pipelines carrying Azerbaijani gas to Europe is on hold pending confirmation that Europe will buy the gas. Baku's offensive to retake Nagorno-Karabakh could further complicate things.

Ukraine releases 2024 budget plan, more spending on military, but raising enough funding will be tough

The Ukrainian government has published a draft budget for 2024, but raising enough money to fund the war effort and keep the economy working is going to be a struggle.

Turkmenistan: What Serdar does in the shadows

Russian diplomacy and Turkmenistan's evolving foreign relations amidst president Berdimuhamedov’s growing influence. And more in this week's Eurasianet Akhal-Teke Bulletin.

Will the Iran-US prisoner swap lead to better relations?

A rare deal came through between Iran and the US on September 18 that could potentially pave the way for further de-escalation in the historically tense bilateral ties.

TEHRAN BLOG: Iran's challenges remain daunting, one year after Amini's death

The causes of the protests – discontent with the theocratic ruling system, economic grievances, the fight for women’s rights – remain relevant one year on from her death in the custody of the country's morality police.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: How many of the Russians who fled Putin’s war machine for Kazakhstan stayed there?

Issue a sensitive one for the Kremlin and Central Asian country’s Tokayev administration.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Brass-necked Erdogan doesn’t bat an eyelid during screeching U-turn on rates

Turkey’s modern-day sultan is now unsaying what he’s been saying for years. Can he get away with it? Of course, he can. The autocrat is not big on accountability.

Europe’s war on CO2 emissions goes global

The EU has launched the first system anywhere to impose CO2 emissions tariffs on imported goods including iron and steel, cement, aluminium, electricity and hydrogen. These are all carbon-intensive goods.

Bulgaria adopts plan on transition for coal-mining regions despite protests

Miners block roads in protest against plans to close down coal mines by 2038.

US steel company makes plans for nuclear fusion

US steel company Nucor and Helion Energy plan to develop a 500-MWe nuclear fusion plant at one of Nucor’s steel manufacturing plants.

Europe’s toxic air – “severe public health crisis”

Europe faces a “severe public health crisis” with dangerous levels of pollution across the continent, according to an investigation by the Guardian newspaper.

Microsoft mulling advanced nuclear strategy

Tech giant Microsoft is getting more heavily into small-scale advanced nuclear power for its data centres.