Latest Updates

Middle Eastern consortium offers $200mn to finance Genmin's Gabon iron ore project via JV

Genmin has also received an expression of interest from a Shanghai-listed Chinese group seeking at least a 51% stake, alongside offering construction financing, technical support.

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US–China Summit: A strategic moment for stabilizing bilateral relations

US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on May 13 for a new round of face-to-face talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping from May 14 to 15, a meeting arriving at a particularly delicate moment in global politics and the international economy.

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Yermak consulted fortune-teller on key Ukraine government personnel appointments

In one of the more sensational details emerging from the unfolding corruption investigation into Ukraine’s elite, it emerged that former head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, consulted a fortune teller called Veronica Feng Shui.

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Trump, Xi open high-stakes Beijing talks

The agenda for the talks spans a range of topics including tariffs, intensifying US–China competition over emerging technology, the Iran war and Taiwan.

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Crisis - and opportunity - in the Bangladeshi RMG sector

Bangladesh's textile sector stands at a cyclical low but structural opportunity peak. The current crisis, while severe, has created exceptional entry valuations for investors with the expertise and capital to execute complex turnarounds.

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Russia's September election: United Russia will win but the sands are shifting under its feet

Russia goes to the polls on September 18-20 for its first State Duma elections since the invasion of Ukraine. The lowed house of the Duma is up for grabs and the outcome is not in doubt: United Russia. But who comes second is a lot more unclear.

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Russia deploys Poseidon nuclear torpedoes and Satan II ICBMs

Russia has launched a Khabarovsk special-purpose submarine to carry the Poseidon nuclear-powered torpedo system and debuted the super heavy Sarmat ICBM that can hit any target on the planet.

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Russia trims growth outlook as economy skirts stagnation

Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has delivered a notably downbeat assessment of the country’s economic trajectory on May 12, signalling that growth is likely to stall over the next two years.

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Western allies split over future of peace envoy role in Bosnia

Georgia’s drift from the West opens a strategic window for Armenia on Europe-Asia trade routes

VISEGRAD BLOG: Hungary’s post-Orban reckoning

Western allies split over future of peace envoy role in Bosnia

Christian Schmidt's resignation as high representative prompts debate on institution's future with US position edging closer to Russia's.

Georgia’s drift from the West opens a strategic window for Armenia on Europe-Asia trade routes

South Caucasus' strategic value has risen since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but Georgia's importance is in question as relations with the West deteriorate, says OSW report.

VISEGRAD BLOG: Hungary’s post-Orban reckoning

PM Peter Magyar pledged to dismantle the institutional and financial legacy of Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule, with implications beyond Hungary’s borders.

News

Iran defends seizure of US tankers as legal under international law

Iran's judiciary has defended the seizure of American oil tankers in Iranian waters as legitimate under domestic law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said on May 14.

Xi warns Trump of collision if Taiwan mishandled

The warning follows Beijing's fierce condemnation of a massive US arms sale to Taipei valued at $11.1bn, which stands as the largest weapons deal ever approved for the island.

Washington approves Nvidia sales as Trump visits Beijing

Washington has authorised 10 Chinese technology giants to purchase Nvidia’s high-end H200 artificial intelligence processors.

Stressed dog or happy dog? Social media divided by parachute jump of Kazakh special forces canine Arisha

The Belgian Malinois thrives in active service conditions, defence officials say in response to backlash.

Serbia dissatisfied with MOL’s revised NIS offer, talks to continue

Revised offer failed to address concerns over the Pancevo oil refinery and its role in supplying the domestic market, Energy Minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said.

Iran defends seizure of US tankers as legal under international law

18 minutes ago

Xi warns Trump of collision if Taiwan mishandled

2 hours ago

Washington approves Nvidia sales as Trump visits Beijing

2 hours ago

Stressed dog or happy dog? Social media divided by parachute jump of Kazakh special forces canine Arisha

4 hours ago

Serbia dissatisfied with MOL’s revised NIS offer, talks to continue

5 hours ago

More News

Tech

Poland to advance 3% digital tax despite US criticism

Finance Minister Andrzej Domański says tech companies must pay taxes in Poland, "just like everyone else".

Central Asia lagging in AI diffusion – report

Adoption rates, however, are among highest in Asia.

Iraqi hackers claim cyber attacks on US tech giants eBay and Spotify

A pro-Iran hacking group calling itself Team 313 has claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on eBay and Spotify, causing millions in losses.

Telekom Srbija raises €1.95bn in record CEE corporate bond sale

Offering drew strong demand of $13.87bn from around 300 international institutional investors.

Iran's vice president criticises continued internet restrictions her own government put in place

Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Zahra Behrouz-Azar has criticised continued restrictions on international internet access.

Poland to advance 3% digital tax despite US criticism

4 hours ago

Central Asia lagging in AI diffusion – report

15 hours ago

Iraqi hackers claim cyber attacks on US tech giants eBay and Spotify

1 day ago

Telekom Srbija raises €1.95bn in record CEE corporate bond sale

1 day ago

Iran's vice president criticises continued internet restrictions her own government put in place

1 day ago

More Tech

Opinion

IMF: Extreme inequality is fuelling a global debt crisis

During the Great Depression, as he saw ordinary people’s purchasing power collapse, Federal Reserve Chairman Marriner Eccles warned that excessive saving by the rich was draining demand and deepening the downturn.

SHEVCHENKO: Donornomics - €90bn for the war, but how much will be needed for peace?

The European Union has finalized a €90bn loan for Ukraine for 2026–2027. This is an important decision. But it should be read correctly. This is not money for Ukraine’s reconstruction. This is money for the war.

RAGOZIN: The Russia doomsday campaign

Stories predicting an imminent crisis in Russia do not reflect political, economic or battlefield reality.

COMMENT: Iran war’s geopolitical risks alone is not enough to cause a global recession

The geopolitical shocks of the Gulf war are dominating headlines and investor sentiment, but these shocks rarely act as the primary engine of global economic downturns, according to a note by Ben May of Oxford Economics.

KSE: Russian oil export revenues surge but budget deficit only normalizes with long conflict

Russia's oil export revenues nearly doubled in March as the Iran war drove global crude prices sharply higher, providing Moscow with a temporary financial lifeline even as underlying economic and fiscal indicators paint a stressed picture.

IMF: Extreme inequality is fuelling a global debt crisis

5 hours ago

SHEVCHENKO: Donornomics - €90bn for the war, but how much will be needed for peace?

5 days ago

RAGOZIN: The Russia doomsday campaign

7 days ago

COMMENT: Iran war’s geopolitical risks alone is not enough to cause a global recession

8 days ago

KSE: Russian oil export revenues surge but budget deficit only normalizes with long conflict

9 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Hungary FX swap move sends forint lower as exporters warn of competitiveness squeeze

Decision to reduce maximum allowable swappoints increases the likelihood of earlier-than-expected interest rate cuts, potentially within months.

Romania’s industrial output shrinks by 2.8% q/q in Q1

Latest figures indicate a return to the longer-term downward trend in Romanian industry after a temporary rebound in 2025.

Czech inflation confirmed at 2.5% in April

Inflation could accelerate further in the coming months as the impact from the conflict in the Middle East still has to fully hit consumer prices.

Romania’s economy contracts by 1.7% y/y in first quarter

Fiscal consolidation measures and weaker domestic demand weighed on activity.

Indian markets snap four day losing streak

The BSE Sensex added 50 points to settle at 74,609, while the NSE Nifty 50 gained 33 points to close at 23,413, with both indices oscillating through positive and negative territory before securing modest gains into the close.

Hungary FX swap move sends forint lower as exporters warn of competitiveness squeeze

1 hour ago

Romania’s industrial output shrinks by 2.8% q/q in Q1

4 hours ago

Czech inflation confirmed at 2.5% in April

5 hours ago

Romania’s economy contracts by 1.7% y/y in first quarter

5 hours ago

Indian markets snap four day losing streak

8 hours ago

More Data

Features

Panama Canal cashes in on Hormuz crisis it cannot control

With Hormuz largely shut and the Cape of Good Hope adding 14 days to voyages, the waterway has become the primary functioning maritime artery of the Western hemisphere — but its own management is not yet counting the money.

Post-Orban Hungary turns inward: warmer on the EU, cooler on Ukraine, no break with Russia

Hungary’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar has inherited a country that remains broadly supportive of closer ties with the European Union but is increasingly cautious about breaking with Russia or deepening support for Ukraine.

PANNIER: New political party gets nod in Kazakhstan. It’s pro-presidential. No surprises there

Only genuine opposition party in country has been trying to register since 2022. The other opposition party appears to be an illusion.

Iran claims anti-radiation missiles blinded US destroyers in Hormuz during Operation Project Freedom clash

Claim and counter claim are flying between Washington and Tehran about what happened during the 48 hours that Operation Project Freedom was in effect. Iranian state media claims it used a sophisticated anti-radar missile to blind three US warships.

World oil inventories falling fast towards hard operational floor

The world's oil buffer is disappearing faster than at any point in recorded history. Two months into the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global inventories are drawing down at a pace that has already exceeded the previous quarterly record.

Panama Canal cashes in on Hormuz crisis it cannot control

1 day ago

Post-Orban Hungary turns inward: warmer on the EU, cooler on Ukraine, no break with Russia

1 day ago

PANNIER: New political party gets nod in Kazakhstan. It’s pro-presidential. No surprises there

2 days ago

Iran claims anti-radiation missiles blinded US destroyers in Hormuz during Operation Project Freedom clash

2 days ago

World oil inventories falling fast towards hard operational floor

2 days ago

More Features

Blogs

MOSCOW BLOG: Russia's social contract has broken down

Something has quietly shifted in Russia. Not the social and economic meltdown Western pundits have been confidently predicting almost continuously for the last two decades. But something has changed and the people are not happy.

BALKAN BLOG: Wave of Trump-linked Balkan investments sparks transparency concerns

Mega deals announced by Trump-linked companies brings up concerns over corruption and environmental impact similar to those raised over Chinese and Middle Eastern investments in the past.

MOSCOW BLOG: EU unblocks Ukrainian loan, twentieth sanctions package, as Kyiv builds a robot army

Phew. That was an effort. EU leaders met in Brussels yesterday and signed off on releasing the €90bn loan for Ukraine that will keep it in the fight with Russia for another two years. They also passed the twentieth sanctions package on Russia,

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: There are those who swear Tokayev just auditioned for the UN top job

Rumours have swirled for months that Kazakhstan’s president wants to succeed Antonio Guterres. An appearance at an event in Turkey did his chances no harm at all.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Message for the CHP. The number of jailed opposition mayors in Turkey has reached 24

Party leader Ozgur Ozel has so far proven so ineffective that president Erdogan finds him entirely tolerable outside of a prison cell.

MOSCOW BLOG: Russia's social contract has broken down

1 day ago

BALKAN BLOG: Wave of Trump-linked Balkan investments sparks transparency concerns

13 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: EU unblocks Ukrainian loan, twentieth sanctions package, as Kyiv builds a robot army

20 days ago

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: There are those who swear Tokayev just auditioned for the UN top job

21 days ago

ISTANBUL BLOG: Message for the CHP. The number of jailed opposition mayors in Turkey has reached 24

22 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

Tehran water consumption hits 3bn litres a day as Iran braces for crisis summer

Daily water consumption in Tehran has reached nearly three billion litres before the start of summer, with reservoirs at just 22% of capacity, as Iran braces for an early heatwave amid post-conflict strain on infrastructure.

Russia offers Indonesia full-spectrum nuclear cooperation package

Rosatom has said it is ready to offer Indonesia a comprehensive framework for developing its nuclear energy programme, spanning gigawatt-scale reactors, small modular units and floating nuclear power plants.

Norwegian companies mull €1bn hydrogen plant in Estonia

Hydrogen development across the Baltic states is accelerating as governments seek to reduce emissions, expand offshore wind capacity and cut dependence on Russian energy.

Central Asian states adapt to irreversible Aral Sea disaster, official says

IFAS chairman says efforts to restore the sea must move on to tackling environmental, agriculture and health care fallout.

Return of large grazers to curb steppe fires and restore ecosystems in Kazakhstan

Reintroduction of saiga antelopes had broader implications for the overall health of the steppe ecosystem.

Tehran water consumption hits 3bn litres a day as Iran braces for crisis summer

7 minutes ago

Russia offers Indonesia full-spectrum nuclear cooperation package

8 hours ago

Norwegian companies mull €1bn hydrogen plant in Estonia

14 hours ago

Central Asian states adapt to irreversible Aral Sea disaster, official says

19 hours ago

Return of large grazers to curb steppe fires and restore ecosystems in Kazakhstan

22 hours ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

Iran's judiciary has defended the seizure of American oil tankers in Iranian waters as legitimate under domestic law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said on May 14.

The warning follows Beijing's fierce condemnation of a massive US arms sale to Taipei valued at $11.1bn, which stands as the largest weapons deal ever approved for the island.

Washington has authorised 10 Chinese technology giants to purchase Nvidia’s high-end H200 artificial intelligence processors.

The Belgian Malinois thrives in active service conditions, defence officials say in response to backlash.

Revised offer failed to address concerns over the Pancevo oil refinery and its role in supplying the domestic market, Energy Minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said.

Tech

Finance Minister Andrzej Domański says tech companies must pay taxes in Poland, "just like everyone else".

Adoption rates, however, are among highest in Asia.

A pro-Iran hacking group calling itself Team 313 has claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on eBay and Spotify, causing millions in losses.

Offering drew strong demand of $13.87bn from around 300 international institutional investors.

Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Zahra Behrouz-Azar has criticised continued restrictions on international internet access.

Opinion

During the Great Depression, as he saw ordinary people’s purchasing power collapse, Federal Reserve Chairman Marriner Eccles warned that excessive saving by the rich was draining demand and deepening the downturn.

The European Union has finalized a €90bn loan for Ukraine for 2026–2027. This is an important decision. But it should be read correctly. This is not money for Ukraine’s reconstruction. This is money for the war.

Stories predicting an imminent crisis in Russia do not reflect political, economic or battlefield reality.

The geopolitical shocks of the Gulf war are dominating headlines and investor sentiment, but these shocks rarely act as the primary engine of global economic downturns, according to a note by Ben May of Oxford Economics.

Russia's oil export revenues nearly doubled in March as the Iran war drove global crude prices sharply higher, providing Moscow with a temporary financial lifeline even as underlying economic and fiscal indicators paint a stressed picture.

Data

Decision to reduce maximum allowable swappoints increases the likelihood of earlier-than-expected interest rate cuts, potentially within months.

Latest figures indicate a return to the longer-term downward trend in Romanian industry after a temporary rebound in 2025.

Inflation could accelerate further in the coming months as the impact from the conflict in the Middle East still has to fully hit consumer prices.

Fiscal consolidation measures and weaker domestic demand weighed on activity.

The BSE Sensex added 50 points to settle at 74,609, while the NSE Nifty 50 gained 33 points to close at 23,413, with both indices oscillating through positive and negative territory before securing modest gains into the close.

Features

With Hormuz largely shut and the Cape of Good Hope adding 14 days to voyages, the waterway has become the primary functioning maritime artery of the Western hemisphere — but its own management is not yet counting the money.

Hungary’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar has inherited a country that remains broadly supportive of closer ties with the European Union but is increasingly cautious about breaking with Russia or deepening support for Ukraine.

Only genuine opposition party in country has been trying to register since 2022. The other opposition party appears to be an illusion.

Claim and counter claim are flying between Washington and Tehran about what happened during the 48 hours that Operation Project Freedom was in effect. Iranian state media claims it used a sophisticated anti-radar missile to blind three US warships.

The world's oil buffer is disappearing faster than at any point in recorded history. Two months into the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global inventories are drawing down at a pace that has already exceeded the previous quarterly record.

Blogs

Something has quietly shifted in Russia. Not the social and economic meltdown Western pundits have been confidently predicting almost continuously for the last two decades. But something has changed and the people are not happy.

Mega deals announced by Trump-linked companies brings up concerns over corruption and environmental impact similar to those raised over Chinese and Middle Eastern investments in the past.

Phew. That was an effort. EU leaders met in Brussels yesterday and signed off on releasing the €90bn loan for Ukraine that will keep it in the fight with Russia for another two years. They also passed the twentieth sanctions package on Russia,

Rumours have swirled for months that Kazakhstan’s president wants to succeed Antonio Guterres. An appearance at an event in Turkey did his chances no harm at all.

Party leader Ozgur Ozel has so far proven so ineffective that president Erdogan finds him entirely tolerable outside of a prison cell.

bneGREEN

Daily water consumption in Tehran has reached nearly three billion litres before the start of summer, with reservoirs at just 22% of capacity, as Iran braces for an early heatwave amid post-conflict strain on infrastructure.

Rosatom has said it is ready to offer Indonesia a comprehensive framework for developing its nuclear energy programme, spanning gigawatt-scale reactors, small modular units and floating nuclear power plants.

Hydrogen development across the Baltic states is accelerating as governments seek to reduce emissions, expand offshore wind capacity and cut dependence on Russian energy.

IFAS chairman says efforts to restore the sea must move on to tackling environmental, agriculture and health care fallout.

Reintroduction of saiga antelopes had broader implications for the overall health of the steppe ecosystem.

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Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte warned that the West needs to prepare of the possibility that Chinese President Xi Jinping will ....

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