Central Asia is a big winner from the Ukraine war

The outbreak of war has caused devastation in Ukraine and recession in Europe, but Russia has boomed and the spillover effects means Central Asia is enjoying its strongest trade surpluses since independence and is undergoing a manufacturing boom.

Uzbekistan's textile sector booming, ready for the next phase

Uzbek President Mirziyoyev radically reformed the cotton sector as soon as he took office, forcing its producers to move into textiles overnight. Five years on, the sector is booming and the players are ready to go to the next level.

Arrests and raids shake fragile peace in northern Kosovo

Protests follow a series of actions by the Kosovan government aimed at asserting control over the north of the country, populated mainly by Serbs.

Russia doesn’t like growing US economic role in Central Asia, but seems powerless to stop it

What does Nicaragua have to do with anything?

Romania’s grand coalition to get easy electoral ride, followed by tough choices

After the autumn general and presidential elections, the current ruling parties will no longer be able to put off the urgently needed fiscal consolidation.

Robust performance of blue chips drives Ljubljana Stock Exchange to new highs

The SBITOP index, a key performance indicator for the LJSE, surpassed 1,700 in July, reaching its highest value in 16 years.

92% of Iranians dissatisfied with current situation, national survey shows

A newly released survey from Iran reveals that 92% of respondents are unhappy with the current state of the country.

Russia's overheating has peaked, says CBR September macroeconomic survey

The Russian economy’s overheating has officially peaked and growth will slow from here as the non-monetary policy methods adopted at the start of this month start to take effect, according to the Central Bank of Russia.

Ukrainian restaurants flourish in Japan amidst prolonged displacement

As the conflict in Ukraine extends into its third year, Ukrainian evacuees in Japan are finding new avenues for economic stability and cultural exchange through a growing number of Ukrainian restaurants

Iran's securities chief steps down after low-interest loan scandal

After the dzud

Over thousands of years, Mongolia’s herders have shown resilience in the face of extreme weather disasters. But this year, many more than usual will likely give up and head for the city.

PANNIER: Central Asia can aim for big league in critical raw materials

Kazakhstan uranium deal with Tajikistan points to regional cooperation that could unlock wealth of resources for energy and tech transitions.

Who is Ukraine’s new Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybig?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shook up his government on September 5 and replaced Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba with Andriy Sybiha, along with almost a dozen other ministers and senior officials.

Russian man charged over sham marriage with Iranian woman

A Russian court will hear the case of an unemployed man from St Petersburg who faces charges for entering into a sham marriage with an Iranian woman.

Estonia struggles to restart its growth motor

Once East Europe's poster child, the Baltic economy has been stuck in a more than a two-year recession, the longest in the EU.

Can Croatia sustain its tourism-fuelled growth?

Tourism has buoyed Croatia's economy post-pandemic, but officials acknowledge that more must be done to manage the sector's impact on the local population.

Kamikaze marketing: how the natural diamond industry could have reacted to the lab-grown threat

Years ago I noticed a plaque hanging on the wall in a private equity group in Mayfair that read: “The Roman Empire wasn’t built by holding committee meetings; it was built by annihilating the opposition”. The same applies to lab grown diamonds.

Online auctions fuel surge in used American car imports to Iraq

The southern Iraqi city of Basra is experiencing a boom in imported used American cars, with online auctions facilitating the purchase of up to 1,500 vehicles per month.

Enlargement fatigue and the Western Balkan security vacuum

Top politicians from the Western Balkans confronted the question of when countries from the region can realistically hope to join the European Union at the Globsec forum in Prague this weekend.

The Amazon is on fire

Thick smoke is rolling across most of Brazil as the Amazon is hit by the worst wildfires in two decades. Thousands of acres are burning out of control due to extreme temperatures, illegal logging and the drying out of the rainforests.