Syria and DP World sign $800mn MoU to develop Tartus Port

Syria's new government has signed a deal with Dubai-based DP World to rebuild Tartus port on the Mediterranean Sea.

BYD moves European HQ to Hungary, sets up €250mn business and development

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD will relocate its European headquarters from the Netherlands to Hungary as part of a newly signed strategic cooperation agreement with the Hungarian government on May 15.

Viktor Orban's "bullet shield" and long-time chief prosecutor leaves post to secure job at Constitutional Court

Peter Polt is stepping down as chief prosecutor after more than two decades in the role, three years before his mandate was due to end, to take up a seat on the Constitutional Court, an institution already stacked with figures loyal to Viktor Orban.

Albanian PM shoots down Starmer’s hopes of asylum seeker “return hub”

Edi Rama firmly rejects allowing the UK to set up a “return hub” on Albanian territory, saying Tirana will only host migrants for Italy.

Syria’s Foreign Minister al-Shaibani meets US Secretary Rubio in Antalya amid sanctions lift announcement

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on May 15 that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, to discuss the details of lifting sanctions on Syria.

Malaysia’s chip sector navigates tariff turmoil and rising regional competition

The Southeast Asian nation, the world’s sixth-largest semiconductor exporter, faces mounting pressure to retain investment and relevance in a fast-evolving global tech landscape.

Iran, Russia launch second phase of banking payment system integration

Iran and Russia rolled out the second phase of their Shetab-Mir payment network integration, strengthening financial ties between the two nations

Saudi Crown Prince launches Humain AI company under PIF

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced the launch of Humain, a company owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Indonesia’s data centre industry: huge market, limited infrastructure

Under President Prabowo’s administration, the government has pledged support for the development of the data centre sector to accelerate digital transformation and drive a technology-based economy.

Amazon to build $4bn data centres and cloud infrastructure in Chile

Amazon's cloud computing division has announced plans to invest $4bn in Chile to build its first data centres and cloud infrastructure in the country.

COMMENT: Amid shrinking civic space, will the EBRD still uphold its democratic mandate?

As the global Democracy Index recorded a historic low in 2024, institutions tasked with upholding democratic values are under increasing pressure to adapt.

COMMENT: Taiwan is playing with darkness by abandoning nuclear power

Japan has restarted many of its nuclear reactors, recognising their role in energy security and climate targets. South Korea has also reinstated nuclear as a core component of its energy strategy. Taiwan, by contrast, is marching backwards.

In Kurdish peace moves, expect ailing founder Ocalan to get Turkish Riviera house arrest and “Real PKK” splinter to emerge, says analyst

Ankara thinks it can “mop up” those who continue fighting, adds Soner Cagaptay.

COMMENT: China’s quiet power play in Southeast Asia

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Who's to say PKK guns won't be used under a different name?

And anyway, despite what you are reading, the militants' so-called name has not been in use since 2002.

Polish economy grows 3.8% in first quarter as momentum holds steady

Polish GDP grew 3.8% year on year in the first quarter of 2025, slightly below the revised 3.9% increase recorded in the previous three months, seasonally adjusted data from the Central Statistical Office showed in a flash estimate on May 15.

Uzbekistan’s 1Q passenger car imports plummet to 6,950 units from 22,210 a year earlier

Non-tariff barriers have taken a big toll.

Slovak inflation eases to 3.7% y/y in April

Czech unemployment stagnates at 4.3% in April

Czech unemployment remained at 4.3% in April, the same level as in March. Year on year, the unemployment increased by 0.6 percentage point, or by 38,462 persons.

Romania pays 8.45% on 14-month Treasury bonds as presidential elections damage investor sentiment

The landslide win by far-right presidential candidate George Simion in the first round of the presidential elections has rattled investors.

United States has image problem in Central Asia

Public perceptions toward Washington rapidly swing from positive to negative.

What next for Bangladesh in an undeclared India–China tug-of-war?

While India may hold historical and cultural sway, China’s presence in Bangladesh is growing in more visible ways. Beijing has poured billions into infrastructure, energy, and digital connectivity projects under its Belt and Road Initiative.

PANNIER: Will we ever see Kyrgyzstan's airlines back in EU skies?

Bishkek has spent nigh on 20 years trying to get off the bloc’s air safety blacklist. Officials say they are closer than ever to the breakthrough.

Afghanistan: Grappling with fall-out of dwindling foreign aid

Almost all US assistance terminated.

EBRD2025: Croatia seeks to build on decade of economic progress

Finance Minister Marko Primorac details Zagreb’s objectives including an overhaul of state owned enterprises, accession to the OECD and revitalisation of the local capital market.

ASIA BLOG: Beijing’s South China Sea strategy is about Taiwan — and the world needs to sit up and take notice

Even as Taiwan is described as potentially the most dangerous flashpoint in Asia, it is actually the fulcrum upon which the future of the Indo-Pacific — and by extension the global balance of power — may pivot.

MOSCOW BLOG: A muted V-day parade on Red Square

I have just been watching the Victory Day parade on Red Square. A few observations.

LATAM BLOG: Gold, murder and the collapse of the Peruvian State

The massacre of thirteen miners in Peru's Pataz exposes a state paralysed by its own laws, captured by criminal economies, and sustained by complicit politicians in the country's collapsing fight against illegal mining.

BLOG: The EU’s glacial push to eliminate Russian LNG

The EU is continuing to grapple with the complex challenge of eliminating its remaining oil and gas imports from Russia, as the European Commission prepares to unveil a roadmap this week outlining how to achieve that goal, hopefully by 2027.

LATAM BLOG: Mexico has changed – but for whom?

Under Mexico City's gentrified surface, the wounds of Tlatelolco and Ayotzinapa remain unhealed. After 11 years, the author finds a quieter nation with booming foreign investment, yet questions if democracy has truly triumphed over cartels.

Dust storm blankets Tehran after hitting Iraq

A severe dust storm, originating in southern Iraq, swept eastward on May 15 reaching as far north as Iran's capital city of Tehran.

Middle East braces for intense heatwave, with temperatures set to surpass 50°C

The Middle East is bracing for another intense heatwave set to grip the region from May 17, with temperatures likely to easily surpass 50 degrees Celsius in the next few days.

Middle East braces for intense heatwave with temperatures set to surpass 50°C (122°F)

The Middle East is bracing for another intense heatwave set to grip the region from May 17, with temperatures likely to easily surpass 50 degrees Celsius in the next few days.

EBRD2025: EBRD backs Azerbaijan’s green transition with rising investments

Lender’s total investment in Azerbaijan now exceeds $4bn, as eyes hydrogen, connectivity and energy efficiency.

EBRD2025: What’s next for the Baltic energy sector after disconnecting from Russia?

Representatives of the energy sectors in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania outlined their plans for the coming years at the EBRD annual meeting in London.