News
Ecuador to allow foreign military bases on its territory
Ecuador's parliament has approved a constitutional reform allowing foreign military bases on its territory, marking a dramatic policy reversal as President Noboa seeks international assistance in combating violent drug cartels.
Iran achieves complete nuclear fuel cycle mastery, atomic chief claims
Iran has achieved complete mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle, the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran announced on June 5.
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OECD forecasts Argentina will lead regional growth despite lingering inflation woes
Argentina is projected to lead Latin American economic growth with a GDP expansion of 5.2% in 2025 and 4.3% in 2026, according to the latest OECD Economic Outlook.
Russian farmers ask Putin to deal with Kazakh antelope invasion
Half a million saiga have crossed border. Protected animals are devastating crops and polluting water supplies.
Hungary’s flagship battery sector racks up $112mn losses amid demand slump
Hungary’s battery manufacturing sector, heralded as a pillar of the manufacturing sector, has posted combined annual losses of nearly $112mn, as weakening global demand and shifting trade dynamics hit the industry hard.
Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb destroyed fewer Russian bombers than claimed
Ukraine’s spectacular Operation Spiderweb on June 1 destroyed fewer Russian strategic bombers than Kyiv first claimed, according to satellite evidence released by the US firm Maxar.
Polish central bank holds rates but cuts seem imminent later this year
The decision to hold follows a cut of 50bp in May, the first reduction in NBP’s interest rates since 2023. The Polish inflation rate came in at 4.1% y/y in May, easing from 4.3% y/y the preceding month.
European Commission concludes Romania breached fiscal consolidation plan
Romania must come up with convincing corrective actions by the end of the month to prevent disciplinary measures.
Moldovan PM warns of Russian plan to deploy 10,000 troops in Transnistria
Dorin Recean says Moscow is intensifying efforts to interfere in Moldova's domestic politics to secure a more Kremlin-aligned government in Chisinau.
Vietnam abolishes two-child policy
The policy, introduced in 1988, was initially implemented to curb population growth following years of war and economic hardship. While enforcement varied, Communist Party members often faced career penalties for exceeding the two-child limit.
COVID-19 cases surge in Thailand
Of the newly reported cases, 9,304 were treated as outpatients, while 888 individuals required hospital admission due to the severity of their symptoms. One additional death was also recorded.
Georgian ruling party launches legal offensive against critical TV channels
Georgian Dream accused Formula and TV Pirveli of using anti-government terminology in their coverage.
EU selects 13 global strategic raw materials projects to boost supply security
European Commission publishes list with projects in Emerging Europe, Central Asia, Africa and elsewhere as bloc strives to reduce dependency on a handful of global suppliers.
Budapest opposition mayor: government aims to "push the city to the brink of abyss"
Budapest’s transport and finance committees have convened an emergency session to assess the fallout from the government’s recent measures, which local leaders say have pushed the capital to the verge of financial collapse.
Trzaskowski says he did his best in campaign, plans to focus on Warsaw
Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski said he had no regrets about his presidential campaign and that he gave it everything he had, speaking publicly for the first time since his narrow defeat to Karol Nawrocki in the June 1 election.
Czech Supreme Court lifts blocking of Dukovany nuclear contract
The Czech Supreme Administrative Court has lifted the blocking of the contract between the South Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the Czech side for the major €16bn Dukovany nuclear power plant enhancement.
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Mexico’s ruling party allies win full control of top court in judicial election
Mexico’s governing party, Morena, has secured a near-complete sweep of the newly elected Supreme Court, a landmark result from the country’s first-ever judicial elections.
Bulgaria gets green light for eurozone entry as protesters gather in Sofia
Far-right, pro-Russian protesters block entrances to Bulgaria's parliament and central bank.
Sixth round of Iran-US talks may be held this weekend following Khamenei and Khomeini comments
The sixth round of Iran-US talks could be held this weekend in Oman following comments by the Khamenei and Khomeini families.
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Brazil’s GDP to slow to around 2% in 2025 on structural challenges, say IMF and OECD
International financial institutions have revised Brazil's GDP growth projections for 2025, with the IMF predicting now higher growth than in the last forecast, at 2.3%, and the OECD forecasting that GDP is to expand 2.1%.