Latest Updates

The return of the Silk Road as the “C6”, a key geopolitical link between Europe and Asia

There is a map that used to hang in the offices of Soviet central planners in Moscow, showing the five republics of Central Asia as a single administrative unit with all roads pointing to Moscow. Today the arrows point in all directions at once.

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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.

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Three-way race tests Colombia's shifting political order

A leftist senator, a far-right flamboyant provocateur and a conservative dynast vie to define the country's next chapter as Colombians head to the polls on May 31.

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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.

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Trump's Abraham Accords gambit appears doomed to fail, given Iran's regional strength

With Iran making itself a heavily relied upon partner to regional allies, US President Donald Trump's bid to bring Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey into the Abraham Accords with Israel appears destined to fail.

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UPDATE: US launches strikes on Iranian targets near Strait of Hormuz

The strikes came as the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai said some progress had been made in recent talks with Washington, although a deal to end the conflict was “not imminent”.

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US suspends Taiwan’s $14bn weapons deal as Trump buckles under Beijing pressure

The Trump administration has paused US arms sales to Taiwan after China’s president Xi Jinping threatened to go to war over the issue at a meeting in Beijing a week ago.

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India as a rising pharmaceutical power

India’s ace in the hole is mainly generic drug manufacturing, a sub-sector of pharmaceutical manufacturing where it holds over 20% of the market by volume. This translates into manufacturing for over 60,000 brands in 60 distinct categories.

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Czech government mulls sale of Semtex producer Explosia

Kenya plans 15% tax on foreign startup-investor exits, targets offshore VC deals

Netanyahu confirms Israel will intensify Hezbollah strikes despite US-Iran talks

Czech government mulls sale of Semtex producer Explosia

Proposed sale of Explosia met with criticism from Czech defence and foreign policy experts who argue the country should not lose control over the strategically important plant.

Kenya plans 15% tax on foreign startup-investor exits, targets offshore VC deals

Kenya plans to introduce a 15% capital gains tax on indirect transfers involving local assets, effectively targeting offshore sales of shares in domestic companies.

Netanyahu confirms Israel will intensify Hezbollah strikes despite US-Iran talks

Israel is intensifying its strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon despite the progression of US-Iran talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed.

News

Lithuania tests Shahed-like drone detection system

Tests are aimed at assessing drone detection capabilities after several drone incursions on Lithuanian territory.

Macron calls Lukashenko as US withdraws from Ukraine ceasefire talks

French President Emmanuel Macron took the unusual step of calling Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko on May 24, which is now housing Russian nuclear weapons.

US signals shift from nation building to economic engagement in Western Balkans

State Department report highlights “partnership-based” policy in Western Balkans, while flagging Russian and Chinese influence.

Xi awards Serbia’s Vucic top honour during Beijing visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping says visit by Aleksandar Vucic will “open a new chapter” in relations with Serbia.

South Africa’s utility Eskom delivers one full year of uninterrupted power supply

On May 16, South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom marked a full year without crippling power outages, or loadshedding, achieving a milestone not seen since September 2018, eight years earlier.

Lithuania tests Shahed-like drone detection system

21 hours ago

Macron calls Lukashenko as US withdraws from Ukraine ceasefire talks

23 hours ago

US signals shift from nation building to economic engagement in Western Balkans

1 day ago

Xi awards Serbia’s Vucic top honour during Beijing visit

1 day ago

South Africa’s utility Eskom delivers one full year of uninterrupted power supply

1 day ago

More News

Tech

Self-driving Turkish bus hit from behind one hour after its public transport launch in Sweden

Smash-up involved an e-ATAK, the first full length autonomous bus in the world, and a tram.

Tau Scaling Law: China on course for 1.4nm microchip breakthrough

China’s tech holding Huawei is rewriting the rules of chip design. A new scaling law unveiled in Shanghai this week proposes replacing half a century of semiconductor orthodoxy with a fundamentally different approach.

Uzbekistan’s tech ambitions moving to “next big step” says Global Tech Weekend co-founder

Country seen as quickly emerging as one of the most promising and dynamic technology markets in the region.

Bulgaria’s TBS eyes €42mn acquisitions across UK, Sweden, Romania

Telelink Business Services' supervisory board has approved plans to acquire majority stakes in five ICT companies in the UK, Sweden and Romania, with total consideration of up to €42.3mn.

Taiwan to manufacture 100,000 drones monthly by 2030

Taiwan projects its drone industry will expand massively to manufacture 100,000 units per month by 2030 and export half of them, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on May 21.

Self-driving Turkish bus hit from behind one hour after its public transport launch in Sweden

18 hours ago

Tau Scaling Law: China on course for 1.4nm microchip breakthrough

1 day ago

Uzbekistan’s tech ambitions moving to “next big step” says Global Tech Weekend co-founder

1 day ago

Bulgaria’s TBS eyes €42mn acquisitions across UK, Sweden, Romania

2 days ago

Taiwan to manufacture 100,000 drones monthly by 2030

4 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

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.

COMMENT: Turkey’s opposition leader scales water cannon. Round of applause, but autocracy looks here to stay

Barring an exceptional turn of events, ‘Action man’ Ozel is too little too late. Democracy took a knife to the back long ago.

EU’s foreign policy boss Kallas is undermining Europe’s credibility

Kaja Kallas has done it again. The EU’s top foreign policy high representative called China a “cancer” that needs decisive treatment with chemotherapy rather than temporary relief with morphine.

COMMENT: Russia and China deepen strategic alignment as partnership reaches “highest level in history”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping set out an expansive vision for their bilateral relationship in a joint statement issued during a state visit to Beijing this week, marking 30 years of strategic partnership.

ASH: UK cocks up on Russian sanctions

At the least a PR disaster for the UK around its Russia sanctions regime. At the worst the UK has been pushed by Trump’s war on Iran to easing up sanctions on Russia.

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

1 day ago

COMMENT: Turkey’s opposition leader scales water cannon. Round of applause, but autocracy looks here to stay

1 day ago

EU’s foreign policy boss Kallas is undermining Europe’s credibility

4 days ago

COMMENT: Russia and China deepen strategic alignment as partnership reaches “highest level in history”

5 days ago

ASH: UK cocks up on Russian sanctions

5 days ago

More Opinion

Data

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.

Moldova’s trade deficit narrows 2.7% y/y in Q1 on stronger crop exports

Higher exports were partly offset by more expensive imports of natural gas and electricity, with the quarterly trade gap at 8.9% of GDP.

Ukraine overtakes Moldova in income race to the title of Europe's poorest country

For years, Ukraine and Moldova have vied for the dubious honour of being the poorest country in Europe. The contest was close enough to be largely academic and they regularly traded last and second to last places for years. That symmetry is over.

Poland expected to top EU growth in 2026 as momentum offsets impact of Middle East turmoil

Poland’s economy is expected to remain among the European Union’s strongest performers in 2026, second only to Malta, European Commission says.

Moldova’s industry grows 6.1% y/y in Q1 but fails to show sustained upward trend

Despite the solid annual growth, the figures continue to reflect a short-term recovery cycle rather than a sustainable medium-term expansion.

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

12 hours ago

Moldova’s trade deficit narrows 2.7% y/y in Q1 on stronger crop exports

12 hours ago

Ukraine overtakes Moldova in income race to the title of Europe's poorest country

1 day ago

Poland expected to top EU growth in 2026 as momentum offsets impact of Middle East turmoil

1 day ago

Moldova’s industry grows 6.1% y/y in Q1 but fails to show sustained upward trend

1 day ago

More Data

Features

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Former MP alleges longstanding Turkish intelligence interference in main opposition party

Stark claims made as critics warn events of recent days mean CHP now essentially headed by a palace appointee.

Mexico and the EU rewrite their trade relationship with farms at the heart of it

Mexico-EU interim trade deal locks in agricultural liberalisation decades in making. Cheese quotas, meat phase-outs, 568 protected foods. Both sides call it a hedge against US tariff uncertainty.

CBR governor Nabiullina’s terms expires next year and replacement list is short – The Bell

The third and last term of CBR governor Elvira Nabiullina expires on June 24, 2027 and the list of possible replacements is short, The Bell reports, based on sources in the Kremlin.

Eastern EU faces mounting demographic strain as populations shrink and age, Eurostat says

While the EU’s total population rose slightly, many eastern member states continued to lose population over the longer term through emigration, low fertility and high mortality rates.

Western Balkans face rising trade barriers despite deeper EU integration, Bruegel says

Businesses operating in the Western Balkans say the practical costs of accessing EU markets remain high.

BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Former MP alleges longstanding Turkish intelligence interference in main opposition party

18 hours ago

Mexico and the EU rewrite their trade relationship with farms at the heart of it

20 hours ago

CBR governor Nabiullina’s terms expires next year and replacement list is short – The Bell

1 day ago

Eastern EU faces mounting demographic strain as populations shrink and age, Eurostat says

1 day ago

Western Balkans face rising trade barriers despite deeper EU integration, Bruegel says

4 days ago

More Features

Blogs

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.

MOSCOW BLOG: Trump eats humble pie in Beijing

US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing ends today and he has been forced to eat humble pie after coming out of the gate last year with an extremely aggressive policy on China.

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.

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.

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

4 days ago

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

6 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: Trump eats humble pie in Beijing

11 days ago

VISEGRAD BLOG: Hungary’s post-Orban reckoning

12 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: Russia's social contract has broken down

14 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

Tehran Energy Exchange prepares to list first solar power plant project fund

Iran's Energy Exchange is preparing to list the country's first solar power plant project investment fund, with subscription expected to open within a month, the exchange's market development deputy has said.

Wind and solar overtake coal in Turkey’s power generation for first time - EMBER

Wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal in Turkey for the first time in April 2026, marking a milestone in the country’s energy transition as strong rainfall also boosted hydroelectric output, according to Ember.

Romania seeks to secure €771mn RRF grant tied to renewable energy land reform

Romania is still on track to meet a key Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) milestone linked to a €771mn grant for renewable energy investments, acting Agriculture Minister Tanczos Barna said.

Vietnam plans 270MW floating solar across hydropower reservoirs

Vietnam’s state-owned power producer EVNGENCO1 has proposed adding 270MW of floating solar capacity across three hydropower reservoirs in southern Vietnam

Taiwan’s renewable energy push is a combination of ambition, delays, and dependence

The government originally targeted a 2025 electricity mix of 20% renewables, 50% LNG and 30% coal. That target has since quietly slipped, with officials now acknowledging that the 20% renewables goal will likely not be reached until after 2026.

Tehran Energy Exchange prepares to list first solar power plant project fund

4 days ago

Wind and solar overtake coal in Turkey’s power generation for first time - EMBER

5 days ago

Romania seeks to secure €771mn RRF grant tied to renewable energy land reform

5 days ago

Vietnam plans 270MW floating solar across hydropower reservoirs

7 days ago

Taiwan’s renewable energy push is a combination of ambition, delays, and dependence

7 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

Tests are aimed at assessing drone detection capabilities after several drone incursions on Lithuanian territory.

French President Emmanuel Macron took the unusual step of calling Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko on May 24, which is now housing Russian nuclear weapons.

State Department report highlights “partnership-based” policy in Western Balkans, while flagging Russian and Chinese influence.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says visit by Aleksandar Vucic will “open a new chapter” in relations with Serbia.

On May 16, South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom marked a full year without crippling power outages, or loadshedding, achieving a milestone not seen since September 2018, eight years earlier.

Tech

Smash-up involved an e-ATAK, the first full length autonomous bus in the world, and a tram.

China’s tech holding Huawei is rewriting the rules of chip design. A new scaling law unveiled in Shanghai this week proposes replacing half a century of semiconductor orthodoxy with a fundamentally different approach.

Country seen as quickly emerging as one of the most promising and dynamic technology markets in the region.

Telelink Business Services' supervisory board has approved plans to acquire majority stakes in five ICT companies in the UK, Sweden and Romania, with total consideration of up to €42.3mn.

Taiwan projects its drone industry will expand massively to manufacture 100,000 units per month by 2030 and export half of them, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on May 21.

Opinion

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.

Barring an exceptional turn of events, ‘Action man’ Ozel is too little too late. Democracy took a knife to the back long ago.

Kaja Kallas has done it again. The EU’s top foreign policy high representative called China a “cancer” that needs decisive treatment with chemotherapy rather than temporary relief with morphine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping set out an expansive vision for their bilateral relationship in a joint statement issued during a state visit to Beijing this week, marking 30 years of strategic partnership.

At the least a PR disaster for the UK around its Russia sanctions regime. At the worst the UK has been pushed by Trump’s war on Iran to easing up sanctions on Russia.

Data

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.

Higher exports were partly offset by more expensive imports of natural gas and electricity, with the quarterly trade gap at 8.9% of GDP.

For years, Ukraine and Moldova have vied for the dubious honour of being the poorest country in Europe. The contest was close enough to be largely academic and they regularly traded last and second to last places for years. That symmetry is over.

Poland’s economy is expected to remain among the European Union’s strongest performers in 2026, second only to Malta, European Commission says.

Despite the solid annual growth, the figures continue to reflect a short-term recovery cycle rather than a sustainable medium-term expansion.

Features

Stark claims made as critics warn events of recent days mean CHP now essentially headed by a palace appointee.

Mexico-EU interim trade deal locks in agricultural liberalisation decades in making. Cheese quotas, meat phase-outs, 568 protected foods. Both sides call it a hedge against US tariff uncertainty.

The third and last term of CBR governor Elvira Nabiullina expires on June 24, 2027 and the list of possible replacements is short, The Bell reports, based on sources in the Kremlin.

While the EU’s total population rose slightly, many eastern member states continued to lose population over the longer term through emigration, low fertility and high mortality rates.

Businesses operating in the Western Balkans say the practical costs of accessing EU markets remain high.

Blogs

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

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

US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing ends today and he has been forced to eat humble pie after coming out of the gate last year with an extremely aggressive policy on China.

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

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.

bneGREEN

Iran's Energy Exchange is preparing to list the country's first solar power plant project investment fund, with subscription expected to open within a month, the exchange's market development deputy has said.

Wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal in Turkey for the first time in April 2026, marking a milestone in the country’s energy transition as strong rainfall also boosted hydroelectric output, according to Ember.

Romania is still on track to meet a key Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) milestone linked to a €771mn grant for renewable energy investments, acting Agriculture Minister Tanczos Barna said.

Vietnam’s state-owned power producer EVNGENCO1 has proposed adding 270MW of floating solar capacity across three hydropower reservoirs in southern Vietnam

The government originally targeted a 2025 electricity mix of 20% renewables, 50% LNG and 30% coal. That target has since quietly slipped, with officials now acknowledging that the 20% renewables goal will likely not be reached until after 2026.

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