Latest Updates

Europe pulls back from peacekeeper plans as unworkable

European leaders are pulling back from the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, admitting that the idea is unworkable, Reuters reported on March 26.

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The ‘Squad’ looks at adding two new members to counter China in the Indo-Pacific

The Philippines is seeking to expand the informal security alliance known as the ‘Squad’ by including India and South Korea, in an effort to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

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LATAM BLOG: Mass graves and denial in Mexico as families seek justice

The discovery of human remains at Rancho Izaguirre in Teuchitlán, Jalisco, has once again highlighted the brutal violence that dominates parts of Mexico.

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Green energy debts could derail Ukraine's green transition

A chronic debt crisis is threatening to undermine Ukraine’s efforts to attract investment into renewable energy sources.

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BREAKING: Four American soldiers missing after exercise in Lithuania found dead in swamp

The four American troops who went missing during an exercise at the Pabrade training area in Lithuania on March 25 are dead, and their vehicle has been found in a swamp.

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Protesters in Budapest rally against amendment to assembly law, blocking bridges

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Budapest on March 25 to demand the withdrawal of a controversial amendment to Hungary's assembly law and against what organisers called techno fascism.

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COMMENT: What impact will a raft of protests across the Emerging Markets have?

A spate of protests across several emerging markets is reigniting concerns over economic stability and long-term financial health. From Turkey to Indonesia, social unrest has flared up that threaten countries with weak fundamentals.

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Russia, US discussing restarting Nord Stream gas deliveries to Europe

Moscow and Washington are currently in talks on the possibility of restarting Nord Stream gas pipelines deliveries to Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russia’s Channel One in an interview on March 26.

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Kremlin demands sanctions relief in temporary Ukraine conflict ceasefire deal

The White House said that both Russia and Ukraine have agreed to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea and will “develop instruments” to ban strikes on energy assets in two separate statements after a second round of negotiations wound up.

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Poland tightens asylum rules

Myanmar junta chief to attend regional summit in Bangkok

Human negligence suspected in South Korea’s devastating wildfires

Poland tightens asylum rules

Poland has imposed a 60-day restriction on asylum applications at its border with Belarus, with the measure taking effect immediately on March 27.

Myanmar junta chief to attend regional summit in Bangkok

Myanmar's military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is expected to attend a regional summit in Thailand in April, marking his first visit to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations member state since 2021.

Human negligence suspected in South Korea’s devastating wildfires

Raging wildfires, among the most severe South Korea has ever faced, have swept through the southern regions, leaving at least 26 dead, over 200 structures destroyed, and forcing 27,000 people to flee.

News

Hungary to expand energy cooperation with Russia, FinMin says in live stream from Red Square

Hungary views the operations of its oil company MOL in Russia as highly successful and expects further expansion, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated after meeting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow on March 26.

Indonesia joins BRICS' new development bank

Indonesia has formally decided to become a member of the BRICS-affiliated New Development Bank, just months after fully integrating into the China-led economic alliance

The Red Terror Returns: Quarter of Russians say they are willing to snitch on neighbours for criticising military 

Nearly one in four Russian citizens would report a neighbour for criticising the country’s armed forces, according to a new survey conducted by the government-aligned Public Opinion Foundation.

Turkey seizes three more companies as part of Imamoglu crackdown

Government has a long track record of using deposit insurance fund TMSF as a tool for wealth transfer.

New US legislative bill targets security risks from Syria

Bipartisan lawmakers in the US House of Representatives introduced a new bill on March 25 to evaluate potential terrorism threats originating from Syria.

Hungary to expand energy cooperation with Russia, FinMin says in live stream from Red Square

43 minutes ago

Indonesia joins BRICS' new development bank

4 hours ago

The Red Terror Returns: Quarter of Russians say they are willing to snitch on neighbours for criticising military 

10 hours ago

Turkey seizes three more companies as part of Imamoglu crackdown

10 hours ago

New US legislative bill targets security risks from Syria

17 hours ago

More News

Tech

Russia's VK Plans to launch a copycat of China's WeChat

Russian tech giant VK, which has recently disclosed significant losses, is planning to introduce a “super-app” in an effort to replicate the functionalities of China’s widely used WeChat app.

Albanian journalists and rights groups challenge TikTok ban in court

The government ordered internet providers to block TikTok for one year from March 13, citing safety concerns.

IMF: How Artificial Intelligence can boost productivity in Latin America

Latin America and the Caribbean has long been a region with one of the most informal labour markets. A large part of the workforce is outside of the formal economy, leaving many people without access to benefits and protections.

Indonesia to launch national data centre by April 2025

Equipped with 25,000 core processors, 200 terabytes of memory, and 40 petabytes of storage, the facility will operate with an initial electricity capacity of 20 megawatts, expandable to 80 MW.

Tether emerges as a key crypto for Russia's foreign trade.

Recent reports indicate that Russia has been increasingly using the crypto stablecoin Tether in international transactions in a bid to circumvent Western sanctions.

Russia's VK Plans to launch a copycat of China's WeChat

10 hours ago

Albanian journalists and rights groups challenge TikTok ban in court

21 hours ago

IMF: How Artificial Intelligence can boost productivity in Latin America

2 days ago

Indonesia to launch national data centre by April 2025

7 days ago

Tether emerges as a key crypto for Russia's foreign trade.

7 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

COMMENT: Is the EU going to fall apart?

Is the EU about to break apart under the stress of taking over the full weight of supporting Ukraine, the need to rearm and the hundreds of billions that must be invested if it is to become competitive again?

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Imamoglu’s construction company also ‘detained’

Investigators appear to have set out to sell the idea of a web of corruption and misdeeds to the public as they attempt to justify taking Erdogan’s main rival into custody.

ASH: Trump delivers on Putin’s plan to ensure Ukraine fails

Trump’s peace plan is proceeding at breakneck pace but the problem is that it is Ukraine’s neck that is on the line here.

COMMENT: Rail and logistics firms bet on Middle Corridor as key Eurasian route

As the Trans-Caspian International Transport route grows in importance, rail operators and other companies have committed to boosting traffic along the route.

COMMENT: Meeting protesters’ demands would improve Serbia’s investment climate

Serbian officials have accused protesters of damaging the economy, but meeting the demands for more efficient institutions and a stronger judiciary would improve the investment climate in the long-term.

COMMENT: Is the EU going to fall apart?

5 days ago

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Imamoglu’s construction company also ‘detained’

6 days ago

ASH: Trump delivers on Putin’s plan to ensure Ukraine fails

6 days ago

COMMENT: Rail and logistics firms bet on Middle Corridor as key Eurasian route

8 days ago

COMMENT: Meeting protesters’ demands would improve Serbia’s investment climate

11 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Czech central bankers keep interest rate at 3.75%

Czech National Bank (CNB) kept the interest rate unchanged at 3.75%, meeting wide market expectations. The rate is the lowest since January 2022.

Turkey burns through towards $30bn in reserves after detaining Imamoglu

Regime has struggled to stabilise the financial markets but, as things stand, the situation does not threaten its survival.

Polish retail sales disappoint in February

Polish retail sales fell 0.5% year on year in constant prices in February, defying the consensus, which expected a 3.2% annual increase.

Kosovo’s trade gap up 13.6% y/y in February

Exports dropped by 4.3% y/y to €67.3mn in February, while imports were up 10.9% to €518.6mn.

Polish industrial production fall 2% y/y in February

Poland’s industrial production contracted 2% year on year at constant prices in February (chart), after a revised fall of 0.9% y/y the preceding month, unadjusted data from the statistical office GUS showed.

Czech central bankers keep interest rate at 3.75%

10 hours ago

Turkey burns through towards $30bn in reserves after detaining Imamoglu

12 hours ago

Polish retail sales disappoint in February

2 days ago

Kosovo’s trade gap up 13.6% y/y in February

2 days ago

Polish industrial production fall 2% y/y in February

6 days ago

More Data

Features

Rule of law in EU deteriorates, with decline concentrated in eastern members

Liberties report finds collapse of democratic standards in Hungary, and strong deteriorations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Romania and Slovakia.

COMMENT: Why Iran remains wary of Trump's negotiation overtures

The contemporary wellspring of Iranian scepticism derives from the collapse of the nuclear agreement, which Tehran views as the definitive proof of American diplomatic unreliability.

Is Ukraine heading towards Finlandisation?

A frustrated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for action, not protracted negotiations on March 22, ahead of the next round of US-Russia ceasefire talks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Indonesia’s military reforms leave millions on edge

The law’s ratification has sparked widespread anxiety across Indonesia and has served to revive memories of the authoritarian ‘New Order’ era of 1966 - 1998 under former President Suharto.

Welcome to the new transactional world order

Welcome to the new world order. Values and liberal democracy is giving way to a world run on the basis of deals.

Rule of law in EU deteriorates, with decline concentrated in eastern members

2 days ago

COMMENT: Why Iran remains wary of Trump's negotiation overtures

2 days ago

Is Ukraine heading towards Finlandisation?

4 days ago

Indonesia’s military reforms leave millions on edge

5 days ago

Welcome to the new transactional world order

5 days ago

More Features

Blogs

ISTANBUL BLOG: Imamoglu protest police knock undercover colleague to ground, attempt to detain him

Main opposition party continues to play the fool, acting like some laws are still in effect in the country.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Make no mistake, if this regime feels threatened it is ready to kill

So far, however, the response mounted by the opposition to the jailing of its challenger Imamoglu to Erdogan has not engendered fear.

TEHRAN BLOG: Financial hardship weighs heavily on Persian New Year festivities

Nowruz holidays come this year as the rial faces its biggest struggle against the US dollar.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Thousands protest against Imamoglu detention, but there’s no sense of critical mass

Cocksure authorities even assure public they will pick up those who tweet-protest from their homes.

TEL AVIV BLOG: Israeli society reacts to resumption of Gaza conflict and ceasefire collapse

Israeli society is torn over the latest early morning airstrikes on Gaza, with those connected with the abducted urging calm.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Imamoglu protest police knock undercover colleague to ground, attempt to detain him

14 hours ago

ISTANBUL BLOG: Make no mistake, if this regime feels threatened it is ready to kill

3 days ago

TEHRAN BLOG: Financial hardship weighs heavily on Persian New Year festivities

3 days ago

ISTANBUL BLOG: Thousands protest against Imamoglu detention, but there’s no sense of critical mass

6 days ago

TEL AVIV BLOG: Israeli society reacts to resumption of Gaza conflict and ceasefire collapse

8 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

Central Asian states drained rivers at lower-than-expected levels in 2024

Aral Sea inflow falls short.

Energy demand surges, renewables increase substantially

The latest report from the International Energy Agency has revealed a significant rise in global energy demand in 2024, driven primarily by a sharp increase in electricity consumption.

Glaciers are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, says UN agency

Mass loss of ice from the world’s 19 glacier regions was 450bn tonnes in 2024, says a new report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation.

More than 2bn people’s food and water supplies set to be disrupted by melting glaciers

The food and water security of approximately 2bn people will be negatively affected by the rapid retreat of glaciers, the United Nations has warned, and accelerating melt rates are expected to have severe and unpredictable consequences.

Global energy demand doubled in 2024 driven by extreme temperatures, but renewables covered 80% of the increase, says IEA

Global energy demand growth surged in 2024 to almost twice its recent average, driven by rapidly rising electricity use, the International Energy Agency said in its global energy review 2025 report on March 23.

Central Asian states drained rivers at lower-than-expected levels in 2024

9 hours ago

Energy demand surges, renewables increase substantially

1 day ago

Glaciers are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, says UN agency

2 days ago

More than 2bn people’s food and water supplies set to be disrupted by melting glaciers

2 days ago

Global energy demand doubled in 2024 driven by extreme temperatures, but renewables covered 80% of the increase, says IEA

2 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

Hungary views the operations of its oil company MOL in Russia as highly successful and expects further expansion, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated after meeting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow on March 26.

Indonesia has formally decided to become a member of the BRICS-affiliated New Development Bank, just months after fully integrating into the China-led economic alliance

Nearly one in four Russian citizens would report a neighbour for criticising the country’s armed forces, according to a new survey conducted by the government-aligned Public Opinion Foundation.

Government has a long track record of using deposit insurance fund TMSF as a tool for wealth transfer.

Bipartisan lawmakers in the US House of Representatives introduced a new bill on March 25 to evaluate potential terrorism threats originating from Syria.

Tech

Russian tech giant VK, which has recently disclosed significant losses, is planning to introduce a “super-app” in an effort to replicate the functionalities of China’s widely used WeChat app.

The government ordered internet providers to block TikTok for one year from March 13, citing safety concerns.

Latin America and the Caribbean has long been a region with one of the most informal labour markets. A large part of the workforce is outside of the formal economy, leaving many people without access to benefits and protections.

Equipped with 25,000 core processors, 200 terabytes of memory, and 40 petabytes of storage, the facility will operate with an initial electricity capacity of 20 megawatts, expandable to 80 MW.

Recent reports indicate that Russia has been increasingly using the crypto stablecoin Tether in international transactions in a bid to circumvent Western sanctions.

Opinion

Is the EU about to break apart under the stress of taking over the full weight of supporting Ukraine, the need to rearm and the hundreds of billions that must be invested if it is to become competitive again?

Investigators appear to have set out to sell the idea of a web of corruption and misdeeds to the public as they attempt to justify taking Erdogan’s main rival into custody.

Trump’s peace plan is proceeding at breakneck pace but the problem is that it is Ukraine’s neck that is on the line here.

As the Trans-Caspian International Transport route grows in importance, rail operators and other companies have committed to boosting traffic along the route.

Serbian officials have accused protesters of damaging the economy, but meeting the demands for more efficient institutions and a stronger judiciary would improve the investment climate in the long-term.

Data

Czech National Bank (CNB) kept the interest rate unchanged at 3.75%, meeting wide market expectations. The rate is the lowest since January 2022.

Regime has struggled to stabilise the financial markets but, as things stand, the situation does not threaten its survival.

Polish retail sales fell 0.5% year on year in constant prices in February, defying the consensus, which expected a 3.2% annual increase.

Exports dropped by 4.3% y/y to €67.3mn in February, while imports were up 10.9% to €518.6mn.

Poland’s industrial production contracted 2% year on year at constant prices in February (chart), after a revised fall of 0.9% y/y the preceding month, unadjusted data from the statistical office GUS showed.

Features

Liberties report finds collapse of democratic standards in Hungary, and strong deteriorations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Romania and Slovakia.

The contemporary wellspring of Iranian scepticism derives from the collapse of the nuclear agreement, which Tehran views as the definitive proof of American diplomatic unreliability.

A frustrated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for action, not protracted negotiations on March 22, ahead of the next round of US-Russia ceasefire talks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The law’s ratification has sparked widespread anxiety across Indonesia and has served to revive memories of the authoritarian ‘New Order’ era of 1966 - 1998 under former President Suharto.

Welcome to the new world order. Values and liberal democracy is giving way to a world run on the basis of deals.

Blogs

Main opposition party continues to play the fool, acting like some laws are still in effect in the country.

So far, however, the response mounted by the opposition to the jailing of its challenger Imamoglu to Erdogan has not engendered fear.

Nowruz holidays come this year as the rial faces its biggest struggle against the US dollar.

Cocksure authorities even assure public they will pick up those who tweet-protest from their homes.

Israeli society is torn over the latest early morning airstrikes on Gaza, with those connected with the abducted urging calm.

bneGREEN

Aral Sea inflow falls short.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency has revealed a significant rise in global energy demand in 2024, driven primarily by a sharp increase in electricity consumption.

Mass loss of ice from the world’s 19 glacier regions was 450bn tonnes in 2024, says a new report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation.

The food and water security of approximately 2bn people will be negatively affected by the rapid retreat of glaciers, the United Nations has warned, and accelerating melt rates are expected to have severe and unpredictable consequences.

Global energy demand growth surged in 2024 to almost twice its recent average, driven by rapidly rising electricity use, the International Energy Agency said in its global energy review 2025 report on March 23.

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In this episode of the Emerging Global Podcast, Ruthie Blum, former advisor to the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan....

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