Latest Updates

Mexico to discuss SWIFT alternative for dollar-free trade with Russia

Syrian central bank extends currency exchange deadline to end-July

Russia reports fuel facility fires in Saratov and Rostov after Ukrainian drone attack

News

France seeks emergency UN meeting after Israeli advance in Lebanon

France has sought an emergency UN Security Council meeting after Israeli forces seized Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, with Netanyahu vowing to push deeper against Hezbollah.

Russia's Dmitriev says Europe needs Russia to survive

Russia's Kirill Dmitriev said Europe needs Russia to survive amid an energy crisis, after Bloomberg reported the EU is weighing a temporary freeze of its $44.10 price cap on Russian oil over the Iran war.

Iran launches vehicle transit through Jask, its strategic Gulf of Oman port

Oman clears cars for re-export to Iran following the UAE's decision to cut off Tehran from southern imports as tensions continue between Gulf neighbours.

Gulf War III squeezes tourism-dependent economies across Southeast Asia

War-driven fuel costs and ceasefire uncertainty are squeezing tourism across Southeast Asia, with Thailand's Middle Eastern arrivals down 57% and airlines raising surcharges sharply.

Protesters target Albanian coastal development linked to Trump family

Albanian police have brought criminal charges against 17 people following clashes between protesters and private security personnel at a disputed coastal development site near the village of Zvërnec.

France seeks emergency UN meeting after Israeli advance in Lebanon
1 hour ago
Russia's Dmitriev says Europe needs Russia to survive
4 hours ago
Iran launches vehicle transit through Jask, its strategic Gulf of Oman port
5 hours ago
Gulf War III squeezes tourism-dependent economies across Southeast Asia
6 hours ago
Protesters target Albanian coastal development linked to Trump family
7 hours ago
More News

Tech

From Soviet antihistamine to Alzheimer's breakthrough: a UK biotech bets on a molecule the world forgot

A small UK-registered biotech company believes it has found an Alzheimer's treatment that is safer, cheaper and more effective than anything currently on the market — and it has done so by revisiting a molecule first synthesised by Soviet chemists.

Japanese groups weigh backing SoftBank-led AI venture

According to people familiar with the matter cited by the agency, the companies are examining plans to invest tens of millions of yen each, equivalent to several hundred thousand US dollars.

Russian state banks buy into e-commerce with Sber and Ozon deal next

Sberbank negotiates purchase of Ozon stake, after VTB and fellow e-commerce platform Wildberries confirm partnership deal.

BC Partners faces legal challenge over United Media sale

United Group founder and former CEO have launched legal proceedings against private equity firm BC Partners, seeking to block the planned sale of United's Southeast European media assets.

Argentina unveils ‘Super RIGI’ bill to attract billion-dollar technology investments

Argentina's government has sent to Congress a new investment incentive bill dubbed "Super RIGI", targeting projects worth at least $1bn in sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors and advanced biotechnology.

From Soviet antihistamine to Alzheimer's breakthrough: a UK biotech bets on a molecule the world forgot
2 days ago
Japanese groups weigh backing SoftBank-led AI venture
2 days ago
Russian state banks buy into e-commerce with Sber and Ozon deal next
2 days ago
BC Partners faces legal challenge over United Media sale
3 days ago
Argentina unveils ‘Super RIGI’ bill to attract billion-dollar technology investments
4 days ago
More Tech

Opinion

BERTRAND: Thucydides trap is not real, but threat of WWIII is

I actually suspect that no-one seriously believes in the existence of the "Thucydides trap": not the Chinese, not the West, and probably not even Graham Allison, the author of the concept (he's too smart for this).

RAGOZIN: Melnyk reburial signals ideological shift in Ukraine

During his seven years as president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s attitude to Ukraine’s history has changed radically.

COMMENT: Now there’s a thing – Deutsche Welle circulates Erdogan regime’s line in English but butters up opposition in Turkish

Core tenet of German foreign policy means a public veneer of democratic solidarity, but a reality of accommodating strongmen.

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Defiant Ozel declares Erdogan will be ousted by 60% of voters in snap poll

Unfortunately, as per usual, the CHP does not appear to be living in the real world.

Millions of Ukrainians may remain in EU for years even after war ends

Ukrainian refugees are likely to remain in the European Union for years – and possibly permanently – even if the war with Russia ends, according to a new report by the Clingendael Institute.

BERTRAND: Thucydides trap is not real, but threat of WWIII is
40 minutes ago
RAGOZIN: Melnyk reburial signals ideological shift in Ukraine
2 days ago
COMMENT: Now there’s a thing – Deutsche Welle circulates Erdogan regime’s line in English but butters up opposition in Turkish
2 days ago
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Defiant Ozel declares Erdogan will be ousted by 60% of voters in snap poll
4 days ago
Millions of Ukrainians may remain in EU for years even after war ends
6 days ago
More Opinion

Data

China’s economic growth leaves Japan in the dust.

Thirty years ago in its heyday Japan’s economy was bigger than the whole of Asia combined. Today it is the size of just three Chinese coastal regions.

North Macedonia retail sales growth slows to 2.1% in April

Data points to continued resilience in household consumption, although the pace of overall retail growth moderated significantly from the previous month.

Uzbekistan’s foreign trade grows 6% to $26bn in Jan to April

Exports of $10bn and imports of $16.4bn produce trade deficit of $6.4bn.

Hungarian central bank remains cautious, keeps base rate on hold at 6.25%

MNB says global risks remain elevated due to energy and commodity price volatility and disruption in global supply chains.

Romania’s banking system profitability falls to four-year low in Q1

The sector’s profitability indicators dropped to their lowest levels in four years, after remaining well above the average of other European banking systems in recent years.

China’s economic growth leaves Japan in the dust.
10 hours ago
North Macedonia retail sales growth slows to 2.1% in April
3 days ago
Uzbekistan’s foreign trade grows 6% to $26bn in Jan to April
4 days ago
Hungarian central bank remains cautious, keeps base rate on hold at 6.25%
4 days ago
Romania’s banking system profitability falls to four-year low in Q1
5 days ago
More Data

Features

Tbilisi counts the cost of Trump Tower

Local residents fear development will destroy "green lungs" of Tbilisi, as their government encourages Trump Tower project to mend relations with Washington.

Indonesia bets on resource nationalism to plug fiscal gaps

Mineral export bans and upcoming windfall taxes have become the country’s overarching strategy - one that is increasingly running up against regulatory bottlenecks, illegal capital leakages, and local governance deficits.

Ukraine’s budget comes under strain as defence financing pressures build - KSE

Ukraine’s fiscal position remained broadly stable on the revenue side in the first quarter of 2026, but rising defence needs and delays in external financing increased pressure on public finances as the quarter progressed.

Global oil inventories falling at record pace, critical storage threshold about to be breached - IEA

Global oil inventories are declining at a record rate as the market absorbs a major Middle East supply disruption, raising the risk of sharp price increases if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to the International Energy Agency.

How effective are Ukraine’s drone strikes at destroying Russian refinery production?

Wrangling over how effective Ukraine’s drone strikes of Russian refineries has broken out amidst conflicting reports of just how much damage is being done to Russia’s key oil infrastructure.

Tbilisi counts the cost of Trump Tower
1 day ago
Indonesia bets on resource nationalism to plug fiscal gaps
1 day ago
Ukraine’s budget comes under strain as defence financing pressures build - KSE
2 days ago
Global oil inventories falling at record pace, critical storage threshold about to be breached - IEA
2 days ago
How effective are Ukraine’s drone strikes at destroying Russian refinery production?
2 days ago
More Features

Blogs

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Water “insecurities” are rumbling under the surface of regional diplomacy

Kyrgyzstan wants more infrastructure maintenance funds. Afghanistan is preparing to divert river flows for irrigation. Disagreements could mount.

BALKAN BLOG: Is Serbia’s president really on his way out?

Is Aleksandar Vučić finally running out of road? In Serbia, it is the question that follows every large protest.

BALKAN BLOG: Great powers’ competing agendas for the Western Balkans

EU sidelined as Washington warns over China and Russia's influence in new strategy document, while Xi Jinping honours Serbia’s president in Beijing.

CAUCASUS BLOG: Russia's South Ossetia treaty edges toward annexation

New treaty amounts to de facto annexation of separatist Georgian republic, analysts and Georgian opposition figures say.

Venezuela unveils draft oil rules to guide foreign investment push, economy expands

Venezuela has begun circulating draft regulations linked to its newly approved hydrocarbons law.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Water “insecurities” are rumbling under the surface of regional diplomacy
3 days ago
BALKAN BLOG: Is Serbia’s president really on his way out?
5 days ago
BALKAN BLOG: Great powers’ competing agendas for the Western Balkans
5 days ago
CAUCASUS BLOG: Russia's South Ossetia treaty edges toward annexation
9 days ago
Venezuela unveils draft oil rules to guide foreign investment push, economy expands
11 days ago
More Blogs

bneGREEN

Locust army swarms Iran as farmers battle to save their crops

Billions of Moroccan locusts have swarmed eastern Iran at four to five times last year's density, with farmers and officials racing to save crops and livelihoods across 1,000 hectares of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Asia’s coal comeback complicates energy transition across region

Taiwan has struggled to secure LNG supplies through May and finalised contracts covering roughly half of June demand, but additional procurement costs are expected to reach into the billions of US dollars to complete.

Ørsted completes cable works at Taiwan offshore wind farm

The developer said all 42 turbines at the project’s second phase, the 583-MW Greater Changhua 4 wind farm, are now connected to Taipower’s grid and generating electricity.

Estonian firm to invest €100mn in hybrid energy park in Latvia, partner with Rolls-Royce

Sunly has emerged as one of the Baltic region’s fastest-growing renewable energy developers, focusing on solar, wind and storage projects across the Baltics and Poland.

South Korea builds nuclear-solar supergrid to prevent blackouts

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is building a multi-tiered power network to secure national electricity supplies, the Gyeongbuk-based utility has announced.

Locust army swarms Iran as farmers battle to save their crops
6 hours ago
Asia’s coal comeback complicates energy transition across region
2 days ago
Ørsted completes cable works at Taiwan offshore wind farm
2 days ago
Estonian firm to invest €100mn in hybrid energy park in Latvia, partner with Rolls-Royce
2 days ago
South Korea builds nuclear-solar supergrid to prevent blackouts
3 days ago
More bneGREEN

Follow Us On

Most Read

Podcasts


Reports

Dismiss
liveChat() ?>