Russia
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BLOG: The EU’s glacial push to eliminate Russian LNG
The EU is continuing to grapple with the complex challenge of eliminating its remaining oil and gas imports from Russia, as the European Commission prepares to unveil a roadmap this week outlining how to achieve that goal, hopefully by 2027.
Post-war order teetering – rights watchdog
Eurasia “at forefront” of assault on individual freedoms.
Tensions flare in Azerbaijan–Russia ties despite Patriarch’s visit
Mixed messages as an Azerbaijani ruling party MP is refused entry to Russia while President Ilham Aliyev hosts Patriarch Kirill in Baku.
Russian manufacturing downturn eases with PMI of 49.3 in April, slightly up from March, but still underwater
Slowdown in output and new sales was attributed to continued subdued demand in both domestic and international markets.
Global press freedom indicator slips – Statista
This year's World Press Freedom Index highlights the economic situation of journalists and media organizations being a major risk to press freedom.
Artificial Intelligence and electricity: a new energy challenge
The rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence is transforming how industries operate, particularly the electricity sector.
After Samarkand summit, Europe’s quest for Central Asian resources meets reality
Playing long game for rare earths.
Sanctions have spurred innovation from Russian cheese to turbines
Extreme sanctions placed on Russia hit industrial sectors the hardest, which have been almost entirely dependent on imports of high quality foreign made machinery for almost all of the last three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union.
EU swaps China for Russia in procurement of rare earth metals
The EU is increasingly turning to China to source hard-to-find rare earth metals and dropping previous import deals with Russia.
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US, Ukraine sign watered down minerals deal
The governments of Ukraine and the US have signed off on a watered down and much fairer minerals deal, giving US President Donald Trump a PR boost and ensuring Kyiv will continue to have some access to US support on April 30.
Putin and Lukashenko speak on Union State ties and united historical memory at Volgograd forum
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening political and economic integration between their two countries.
Battle of Russia’s supermarket titans continues as Magnit closes the gap with rival X5 after acquisition of high-end retailer Azbuka Vkusa
The battle for market share between Russia’s two leading supermarket chains Magnit and the X5 Group saw a strategic shift after Magnit acquired control of high-end supermarket chain Azbuka Vkusa (The ABC of Taste).
Russia proposes joint aviation venture with Belarus as part of expanded industrial cooperation
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced plans to establish a joint aviation enterprise with Belarusian specialists as part of deepening industrial cooperation between the two countries.
Caspian Sea may become next Aral, but who is to blame?
Some forecasting even indicates the decline of the body of water could pose a threat to the shipping section of the rapidly expanding Middle Corridor transit route.
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Chipping point – the climate toll of AI chip-making in East Asia
The meteoric rise of AI is sparking a parallel and largely overlooked environmental challenge: the significant climate impact of chip manufacturing, particularly in East Asia, says a new report from Greenpeace.
Poland imposes sanctions on MyPrice Russian discount supermarket chain
Poland has imposed sanctions on the MyPrice Russian discount supermarket chain, which recently returned to operate in two locatiosn in Poland.
Trump policies won’t harm Emerging Europe badly – and will actively benefit Russia
Latest wiiw forecasts show little direct impact on Central and Southeast Europe from Trump trade wars.
BRICS seeks new global alignment at Rio ministerial summit
The expanded BRICS alliance has emerged as a potent diplomatic force at its foreign ministers’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on April 28 ahead of the July meeting.
Global military spending surges to $2.7 trillion – Statista
Global military spending hit $2.7 trillion last year, according to the latest data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Statista reports.
Hungary and Slovakia warn EU against scrapping unanimity rule over Ukraine membership bid
The leaders of Hungary and Slovakia warned on April 28 against changing the European Union’s unanimity rule, after proposals emerged to bypass their opposition to Ukraine’s EU accession bid.