News

Georgian Dream moves to scrap EU-mandated anti-corruption body

bne IntelliNews November 17, 2025

Georgia's parliament speaker said the dissolution of the anti-corruption body aims to “optimise state resources” and “strengthen the constitutional framework of the governance system".

EU opens final accession negotiation cluster with Albania

Clare Nuttall in Glasgow November 17, 2025

Albanian PM Edi Rama says the EU has "no escape from Albania ... we’ll stalk them to the end" as Tirana aims for membership by 2030.

Serbia faces uncertainty over long-term Russian gas deal

bne IntelliNews November 17, 2025

Serbia’s plans for a new long-term gas contract with Russia’s Gazprom remain uncertain, with officials now aiming for a short-term extension.

Pasifik Holding holds another Istanbul IPO despite hundreds of companies in queue

Akin Nazli in Belgrade November 17, 2025

One beneficiary from same town as Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Iraq's Kurdistan dissolves Unit 80, integrates forces into Peshmerga Ministry

bnm Baghdad bureau November 17, 2025

Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government has dissolved Unit 80 military forces, which will operate as First Region Command within the Peshmerga Ministry as part of reforms to unify armed forces under a single command structure.

Iran's Kharrazi urges Trump to pursue 'real negotiations' based on equality

bnm Tehran bureau November 17, 2025

Iran's top foreign policy adviser has called on US President Donald Trump to pursue genuine negotiations based on mutual respect, rejecting talks conducted under coercion following the cessation of dialogue after US-Israel military action.

Mexico's Gen Z protest draws older crowd as violence mars rally

Alek Buttermann November 17, 2025

Public demonstrations in Mexico have renewed focus on security concerns, government accountability and the growing influence of digital platforms in political mobilisation.

Emirates Airline signs $38bn deal for 65 Boeing 777X jets

bna Cairo bureau November 17, 2025

Emirates has ordered 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft worth $38bn at Dubai Airshow 2025, raising total Boeing orders to 315 widebody aircraft and GE9X engine orders to 540 units.

Polish archaeologists discover 7,700-year-old kilns and artefacts in joint research with Kuwait

bnm Tehran bureau November 17, 2025

Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists have discovered more than 20 kilns dating back around 7,700 years at the Bahra 1 site in northern Kuwait, the oldest and largest known settlement in the Arabian Peninsula from the Ubaid culture period.

Chile election headed to runoff between Jara and Kast following tight first-round race

Mathew Cohen November 17, 2025

Chile's presidential election is headed to a runoff between Communist Party leader Jeannette Jara and hard-right candidate José Antonio Kast, after neither secured the required 50% threshold in November 16’s first round of voting.

Russia hits Kyiv with the largest missile attack of the war

bne IntelliNews November 17, 2025

Russia hit Kyiv with the most intense drone and missile bombardment since the war began on November 14, killing six people and injuring a dozen more, as the Kremlin ramps up its campaign to force Ukrainians to suffer a dark and freezing winter.

Poland’s PM Tusk warns Ukraine risks losing the war with Russia from the expanding corruption scandal

Ben Aris in Berlin November 16, 2025

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took to social media over the weekend and warned that the expanding Energoatom corruption scandal was undermining support for Kyiv in Europe.

Russian forces fail to consolidate their advantage as the battle of Pokrovsk becomes a modern day Stalingrad

Ben Aris in Berlin November 16, 2025

The battle for Pokrovsk continues to rage after Russia came close to taking the Donbas’ key logistical hub last week. A determined counter offensive by Ukrainian troops has kept the Russian forces at bay in what has become a modern day Stalingrad.

Ukrainian opposition party Holos calls for vote of no-confidence in the government over Energoatom corruption scandal

bne IntelliNews November 16, 2025

The leader of Ukraine’s Holos (Voice) liberal opposition party, Kira Rudik, has called for a vote of no-confidence in the government, as the Energoatom corruption scandal continues to gather momentum.

Serbia holds emergency talks on fate of Gazprom-owned NIS

Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade November 16, 2025

Serbia’s government held an emergency session to decide whether to nationalise oil company NIS after the US rejected a request to extend the firm’s operating licence and demanded a full exit of its Russian owners.

Epstein asked Trump’s ambassador to Ankara to “make me smile” with “photos of you and child”

Akin Nazli in Belgrade November 15, 2025

Revelations in affair have also raised claims that many minors the late child sex offender targeted came from Turkey.

North Korea halves shell supply to Russia as stockpiles run low, says Ukraine

bne IntelliNews November 15, 2025

North Korea has significantly reduced its shipments of artillery shells to Russia in 2025, as domestic stockpiles show signs of exhaustion, and the quality of munitions deteriorates.

US strikes tariff relief deals with four Trump-allied Latin American nations

bnl editorial staff November 14, 2025

Washington will axe duties on selected imports from Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador as part of framework trade agreements announced on November 13, in a move the Trump administration said would help reduce consumer prices.

Kyrgyzstan: Independent media outlets branded extremist, tantamount to terrorists

Eurasianet November 14, 2025

Japarov taking it to “extremes.”

Leaked documents show Belgrade signed secret deal with Kushner to redevelop protected site

Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade November 14, 2025

Serbia’s government signed a JV with a company owned by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, to redevelop the former General Staff headquarters in central Belgrade, investigative weekly Radar found.

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