Latest Updates

COMMENT: EU's LNG import ban won’t break Russia, but it will render the sector’s further growth fiendishly hard

The European Union’s nineteenth sanctions package against Russia marks a pivotal escalation in the bloc’s energy strategy, which will impose a comprehensive ban on Russian LNG imports beginning January 1, 2027.

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CEE needs a new growth model as FDI plunges

wiiw economist Richard Grieveson says the CEE region’s long-standing model of attracting FDI through low labour costs no longer works.

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North Korea fires cruise missiles to mark Trump's arrival in the South

State media framed the launch as a reminder of North Korea’s military strength to what it described as its enemies. The launch does not breach United Nations restrictions, since the rules prohibit ballistic missile testing, not cruise missiles.

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US–South Korea investment deal on ice – for now

After a triumphant round of investment pledges in Tokyo, Donald Trump’s state visit to South Korea presents a far more challenging negotiation.

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Kyrgyzstan bans three media titles as “extremist organisations”

Populist-nationalist president Sadyr Japarov, due to meet Donald Trump next week, denies introducing authoritarian controls.

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Western Balkan countries become emerging players in Europe’s defence efforts

The Western Balkans could play an increasingly important role in strengthening Europe’s security architecture, says a new report from the Carnegie Europe think-tank.

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COMMENT: Sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil are symbolic and won’t stop its oil exports

The Trump administration’s sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, announced on October 22, may appear decisive at first glance, but they are not going to make a material difference to Russia’s export of oil, says Sergey Vakulenko.

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PANNIER: Ruling family’s ‘palace in the sky’ cruel sight for Turkmenistan’s poor souls down below

Photos posted of renovated Boeing by US makeover manager offer further insight into "ultra-luxurious" world enjoyed by Berdimuhamedovs.

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US strikes on drug vessels kill 14 in deadliest day of Trump's narcotics campaign

Giant glacier chunk breaks away in Tajikistan, mountain villages put on alert

Poland’s political arch-rivals kick off 2027 campaign marathon

US strikes on drug vessels kill 14 in deadliest day of Trump's narcotics campaign

The US military killed 14 people in strikes on four vessels allegedly transporting narcotics in the eastern Pacific Ocean, marking the deadliest single day since President Donald Trump began his controversial campaign against drug trafficking.

Giant glacier chunk breaks away in Tajikistan, mountain villages put on alert

Situation serves as reminder that climate crisis threatens to wreak havoc in Central Asian country.

Poland’s political arch-rivals kick off 2027 campaign marathon

Poland’s two largest political parties have fired the opening shots of the 2027 general election campaign, holding back-to-back conventions to set out rival visions for the country.

News

Russia withdraws from Cold War plutonium disposal pact with US

Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally withdrawn from a key arms control agreement with the United States governing the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, as the few remaining nuclear security accords between the two powers vanish.

European diplomacy should have stopped war, Orban tells Italian broadcaster

The job of European diplomacy would have been stopping the war in Ukraine, but Brussels has become "irrelevant" by deciding not to negotiate, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told an Italian TV channel on October 28.

Zelenskiy allows the start of controlled arms exports

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to begin the controlled export of domestically produced weapons starting in November for the first time in the hope of boosting production and attracting investment.

Singapore PM Lawrence Wong heads to APEC in bid to deepen Seoul ties

The visit will be Wong’s first trip to South Korea since he assumed office in May 2024, and the first by a Singaporean prime minister since 2019 – in part to recognise the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Lula says Trump assured him of trade accord as US explores Brazil rare earths ties

Brazilian President Lula voiced optimism that his country will secure a trade agreement with the US following talks with President Trump, as Washington simultaneously stepped up engagement with Brazilian mining executives to discuss rare earths.

Russia withdraws from Cold War plutonium disposal pact with US

6 hours ago

European diplomacy should have stopped war, Orban tells Italian broadcaster

8 hours ago

Zelenskiy allows the start of controlled arms exports

8 hours ago

Singapore PM Lawrence Wong heads to APEC in bid to deepen Seoul ties

15 hours ago

Lula says Trump assured him of trade accord as US explores Brazil rare earths ties

18 hours ago

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Tech

Russia blocking messaging apps again, sets up copycat Telegram app

Russia’s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has been blamed for another round of internet outages in Russia, as the state sets up a Telegram messaging app clone as the Kremlin continues to take increasing control of RuNet.

Albania’s AI minister ‘pregnant’ with 83 children, PM says

AI “minister” Diella will give birth to dozens of digital parliamentary assistants for ruling party MPs.

Is Kazakhstan building a digital utopia, or a China-style surveillance state?

Many Kazakhs will tell you that officials should limit their ambitions to fixing the internet speed. Others worry that the time for joking is over.

Kia inaugurates $310mn "highly automated" automotive plant in Kazakhstan

Featuring 68 industrial robots, the plant is designed to produce up to 70,000 vehicles annually.

Romanian startup .lumen wins €11mn EU grant to develop autonomous delivery robots

Funds to back project aimed at developing a new generation of humanoid and quadruped robots capable of navigating pavements and crowded urban areas autonomously.

Russia blocking messaging apps again, sets up copycat Telegram app

1 day ago

Albania’s AI minister ‘pregnant’ with 83 children, PM says

2 days ago

Is Kazakhstan building a digital utopia, or a China-style surveillance state?

5 days ago

Kia inaugurates $310mn "highly automated" automotive plant in Kazakhstan

5 days ago

Romanian startup .lumen wins €11mn EU grant to develop autonomous delivery robots

8 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

Armenia’s painful reorientation toward the West

Yerevan’s drive to break free from its dependency on Moscow is generating profound internal political turbulence and exposing it to new external risks, says a report by the Central Asia‑Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program.

COMMENT: Europe’s “fake it till you make it” war approach cannot hold off Russia’s trillion dollar war machine

In their speeches on the war in Ukraine, European leaders appear like a video clip looped on repeat. Standing before the cameras they declare new packages of support for Kyiv and threaten new measures to pressure Russia as if it was still 2022.

A year after the Novi Sad disaster, Belgrade faces one crisis after another

Serbia’s government is grappling with a convergence of crises which threaten to erode President Aleksandar Vucic’s once-dominant position.

Don’t be fooled, Northern Cyprus’ new president is no opponent of Erdogan, says academic

Turkey’s powers-that-be said to have anticipated that Tufan Erhurman will pose no major threat.

COMMENT: Hungary’s investment slump shows signs of bottoming, but EU tensions still cast a long shadow

Hungary’s economy has fallen behind its Central European peers in recent years, and the root of this underperformance lies in a sharp and protracted collapse in investment. But a possible change of government next year could change things.

Armenia’s painful reorientation toward the West

1 day ago

COMMENT: Europe’s “fake it till you make it” war approach cannot hold off Russia’s trillion dollar war machine

2 days ago

A year after the Novi Sad disaster, Belgrade faces one crisis after another

2 days ago

Don’t be fooled, Northern Cyprus’ new president is no opponent of Erdogan, says academic

6 days ago

COMMENT: Hungary’s investment slump shows signs of bottoming, but EU tensions still cast a long shadow

12 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Ruble strengthens as sanctioned oil companies repatriate cash

The Russian ruble strengthened after the Trump administration imposed oil sanctions on Russia’s leading oil companies, extending a rally that began after the Biden administration imposed oil sanctions on Russia in January.

Russia's central bank cuts rates by 50bp to 16.5%

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) cut rates by 50bp on October 24 to 16.5% in an effort to boost flagging growth despite fears of a revival of inflationary pressure due to an upcoming two percentage point hike in the planned VAT rates.

Ukraine's trade deficit doubles to $42bn putting new pressure on an already strained economy

Ukraine’s trade deficit has doubled to $42bn as exports fall and imports balloon. The balance of payments deficit is starting to turn into a serious problem that could undermine the country’s macroeconomic stability.

BYD surpasses Tesla to become EV market leader – Statista

While Chinese manufacturer BYD already pulled ahead of Tesla in production volume last year, with 1,777,965 battery electric vehicles (BEV) produced in 2024 (4,500 more than Tesla), the American manufacturer remained ahead in sales.

Estonia has the world’s most competitive tax systems for the 11th year in a row – STATISTA

The Tax Foundation has released its International Tax Competitiveness Index which highlights the most competitive tax rates in different countries around the world. For the 11th consecutive year, Estonia had the highest score in the index.

Ruble strengthens as sanctioned oil companies repatriate cash

7 hours ago

Russia's central bank cuts rates by 50bp to 16.5%

9 hours ago

Ukraine's trade deficit doubles to $42bn putting new pressure on an already strained economy

22 hours ago

BYD surpasses Tesla to become EV market leader – Statista

1 day ago

Estonia has the world’s most competitive tax systems for the 11th year in a row – STATISTA

2 days ago

More Data

Features

KSE: Ukraine is facing a $53bn budget shortfall, but economy is stable for now

Ukraine is in urgent need of additional financing from partners as the continuation of the war drives up defence spending and reconstruction needs, jeopardizes budget financing, weighs on the balance of payments, and slows economic growth.

Russia tax service targets Russian accounts in UAE

The Russian Federal Tax Service (FTS) has ramped up its scrutiny of Russian nationals holding accounts in the United Arab Emirates, following the effective implementation of automatic tax information exchange between the two countries.

INTERVIEW: Can Albania’s tourism miracle last?

As social media brings in the crowds, the head of the Albanian Tour Operators Association tells bne IntelliNews Albania should turn away from mass-market tourism and focus on higher-value offerings.

COMMENT: Taiwan’s equality paradox - when “progressive” doesn’t mean equal

Taiwan’s insistence that women should have access to every privilege of citizenship - from political office to professional advancement - but not its responsibilities, undermines the moral foundation of its democracy.

Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries goes on a mysterious M&A spree

Russian e-commerce giant goes on M&A spree Almost a year after the controversial merger with a leading outdoor advertising firm, Russia’s leading e-commerce site Wildberries is indulging in a fresh bout of eyebrow raising deals.

KSE: Ukraine is facing a $53bn budget shortfall, but economy is stable for now

23 hours ago

Russia tax service targets Russian accounts in UAE

1 day ago

INTERVIEW: Can Albania’s tourism miracle last?

1 day ago

COMMENT: Taiwan’s equality paradox - when “progressive” doesn’t mean equal

1 day ago

Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries goes on a mysterious M&A spree

1 day ago

More Features

Blogs

MOSCOW BLOG: Lukoil to sell foreign assets due to US oil sanctions

Russian oil major Lukoil said it would sell its foreign assets in a press release yesterday after it was hit with US oil sanctions.

MOSCOW BLOG: Dmitriev goes to Washington

That didn’t work well. Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on Ukraine who has been leading business talks with the US, shot off to Washington within two days of US President Donald Trump imposing oil sanctions.

LATAM BLOG: Will Argentines give austerity more time to work?

Argentines vote on October 26 in legislative elections that will determine whether libertarian President Milei can sustain his radical economic overhaul or face paralysis in Congress.

TEHRAN BLOG: The illusion of hijab law abolishment in Iran

Thousands of Iranian women are doing away with the mandatory hijab, but the rules (and enforcement) are still murky.

KYIV BLOG: France’s latest government collapse deepens uncertainty over Ukraine support  

Under President Emmanuel Macron, France has been one of Europe’s leading advocates for a stronger, coordinated response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

MOSCOW BLOG: Lukoil to sell foreign assets due to US oil sanctions

1 day ago

MOSCOW BLOG: Dmitriev goes to Washington

2 days ago

LATAM BLOG: Will Argentines give austerity more time to work?

5 days ago

TEHRAN BLOG: The illusion of hijab law abolishment in Iran

20 days ago

KYIV BLOG: France’s latest government collapse deepens uncertainty over Ukraine support  

22 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

The Arctic and Antarctica record "off the charts" heat as polar warming accelerates

Parts of both the Arctic and Antarctic have experienced historically high temperatures in recent weeks, with weather stations in East Antarctica recording record-breaking warmth for the month of October, alarming climate scientists.

Singapore’s green pivot – headline grabbing but still limited

Forays into offshore wind via regional cooperation with neighbours, and forward-looking bets on hydrogen and low-carbon fuels are making headlines, but the scale required to wean a heavily gas-dependent system off fossil fuels is still daunting.

North Macedonia's Skopje tackles mounting waste and rodent crisis

Locals say the problems in Skopje's Centar municipality worsened during the local election period when political campaigning took precedence over maintenance.

Malaysia–Vietnam offshore wind project to deliver 2,000 MW by 2034, strengthening regional green energy links

Malaysia’s upcoming offshore wind project connecting Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia is expected to generate up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of clean energy by 2034, marking a major step in the nation’s renewable energy expansion

EBRD invests €16.8mn in Croatia’s first large-scale battery storage and virtual power plant

Development bank to take its first equity stake in a standalone merchant storage project.

The Arctic and Antarctica record "off the charts" heat as polar warming accelerates

7 hours ago

Singapore’s green pivot – headline grabbing but still limited

1 day ago

North Macedonia's Skopje tackles mounting waste and rodent crisis

5 days ago

Malaysia–Vietnam offshore wind project to deliver 2,000 MW by 2034, strengthening regional green energy links

6 days ago

EBRD invests €16.8mn in Croatia’s first large-scale battery storage and virtual power plant

6 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally withdrawn from a key arms control agreement with the United States governing the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, as the few remaining nuclear security accords between the two powers vanish.

The job of European diplomacy would have been stopping the war in Ukraine, but Brussels has become "irrelevant" by deciding not to negotiate, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told an Italian TV channel on October 28.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to begin the controlled export of domestically produced weapons starting in November for the first time in the hope of boosting production and attracting investment.

The visit will be Wong’s first trip to South Korea since he assumed office in May 2024, and the first by a Singaporean prime minister since 2019 – in part to recognise the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Brazilian President Lula voiced optimism that his country will secure a trade agreement with the US following talks with President Trump, as Washington simultaneously stepped up engagement with Brazilian mining executives to discuss rare earths.

Tech

Russia’s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has been blamed for another round of internet outages in Russia, as the state sets up a Telegram messaging app clone as the Kremlin continues to take increasing control of RuNet.

AI “minister” Diella will give birth to dozens of digital parliamentary assistants for ruling party MPs.

Many Kazakhs will tell you that officials should limit their ambitions to fixing the internet speed. Others worry that the time for joking is over.

Featuring 68 industrial robots, the plant is designed to produce up to 70,000 vehicles annually.

Funds to back project aimed at developing a new generation of humanoid and quadruped robots capable of navigating pavements and crowded urban areas autonomously.

Opinion

Yerevan’s drive to break free from its dependency on Moscow is generating profound internal political turbulence and exposing it to new external risks, says a report by the Central Asia‑Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program.

In their speeches on the war in Ukraine, European leaders appear like a video clip looped on repeat. Standing before the cameras they declare new packages of support for Kyiv and threaten new measures to pressure Russia as if it was still 2022.

Serbia’s government is grappling with a convergence of crises which threaten to erode President Aleksandar Vucic’s once-dominant position.

Turkey’s powers-that-be said to have anticipated that Tufan Erhurman will pose no major threat.

Hungary’s economy has fallen behind its Central European peers in recent years, and the root of this underperformance lies in a sharp and protracted collapse in investment. But a possible change of government next year could change things.

Data

The Russian ruble strengthened after the Trump administration imposed oil sanctions on Russia’s leading oil companies, extending a rally that began after the Biden administration imposed oil sanctions on Russia in January.

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) cut rates by 50bp on October 24 to 16.5% in an effort to boost flagging growth despite fears of a revival of inflationary pressure due to an upcoming two percentage point hike in the planned VAT rates.

Ukraine’s trade deficit has doubled to $42bn as exports fall and imports balloon. The balance of payments deficit is starting to turn into a serious problem that could undermine the country’s macroeconomic stability.

While Chinese manufacturer BYD already pulled ahead of Tesla in production volume last year, with 1,777,965 battery electric vehicles (BEV) produced in 2024 (4,500 more than Tesla), the American manufacturer remained ahead in sales.

The Tax Foundation has released its International Tax Competitiveness Index which highlights the most competitive tax rates in different countries around the world. For the 11th consecutive year, Estonia had the highest score in the index.

Features

Ukraine is in urgent need of additional financing from partners as the continuation of the war drives up defence spending and reconstruction needs, jeopardizes budget financing, weighs on the balance of payments, and slows economic growth.

The Russian Federal Tax Service (FTS) has ramped up its scrutiny of Russian nationals holding accounts in the United Arab Emirates, following the effective implementation of automatic tax information exchange between the two countries.

As social media brings in the crowds, the head of the Albanian Tour Operators Association tells bne IntelliNews Albania should turn away from mass-market tourism and focus on higher-value offerings.

Taiwan’s insistence that women should have access to every privilege of citizenship - from political office to professional advancement - but not its responsibilities, undermines the moral foundation of its democracy.

Russian e-commerce giant goes on M&A spree Almost a year after the controversial merger with a leading outdoor advertising firm, Russia’s leading e-commerce site Wildberries is indulging in a fresh bout of eyebrow raising deals.

Blogs

Russian oil major Lukoil said it would sell its foreign assets in a press release yesterday after it was hit with US oil sanctions.

That didn’t work well. Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on Ukraine who has been leading business talks with the US, shot off to Washington within two days of US President Donald Trump imposing oil sanctions.

Argentines vote on October 26 in legislative elections that will determine whether libertarian President Milei can sustain his radical economic overhaul or face paralysis in Congress.

Thousands of Iranian women are doing away with the mandatory hijab, but the rules (and enforcement) are still murky.

Under President Emmanuel Macron, France has been one of Europe’s leading advocates for a stronger, coordinated response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

bneGREEN

Parts of both the Arctic and Antarctic have experienced historically high temperatures in recent weeks, with weather stations in East Antarctica recording record-breaking warmth for the month of October, alarming climate scientists.

Forays into offshore wind via regional cooperation with neighbours, and forward-looking bets on hydrogen and low-carbon fuels are making headlines, but the scale required to wean a heavily gas-dependent system off fossil fuels is still daunting.

Locals say the problems in Skopje's Centar municipality worsened during the local election period when political campaigning took precedence over maintenance.

Malaysia’s upcoming offshore wind project connecting Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia is expected to generate up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of clean energy by 2034, marking a major step in the nation’s renewable energy expansion

Development bank to take its first equity stake in a standalone merchant storage project.

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