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The Negroni Diaries
EU-Turkey earthquake relief conference: Time to get serious
The European Union is hosting a reconstruction conference in Brussels on March 20 to focus on the aftermath of Turkey’s devastating February 6 earthquakes,...
Bulgaria
Energy supply diversification out of Russia’s orbit is a top priority for Bulgaria
Bulgaria intends to diversify its energy resources, including supplying the country’s main refinery in Burgas - the largest in the Balkans - with non-Russian...
Invasion of Ukraine
Sanctions, sanctions everywhere
On February 24, 2023, the US Government alongside G-7 leaders announced via a White House statement a new set of trade and economic measures...
Greece
Eclipsed by Ukraine concerns, Blinken visits Turkey and Greece
After attending the Munich Security Conference on February on 17-19, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed for a brief regional mission to Turkey...
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan planning to launch green energy exports to Europe
Azerbaijan, which is already a main exporter of oil and gas, plans to develop its renewable energy potential, especially offshore wind in the Caspian...
The Philippines
US & Philippines agree to ramp up defense cooperation
The US and Philippines announced on February 2 a substantial expansion of their existing military cooperation arrangements, increasing the number of facilities that American...
The Negroni Diaries
Goodbye, Jumbo
The 747 aircraft design has had a total production run of 54 years, with 1,574 aircraft delivered including the US President’s Air Force One, along with several replacements, making it the aviation industry’s most important workhorse of the 1980s-90s.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria again heads towards elections
Bulgaria is now moving towards its fifth parliamentary election in two years as a result of the failure of the latest group of elected...
Columns
A Pan-American electricity grid from Patagonia to Alaska?
Challenges associated with different regulatory frameworks and the comprehensive international treaties that are required could scuttle the project before it gets off the ground.
Columns
World better prepared for Russian energy weapon in 2023
China’s demand for energy, the amount of Russian oil that will be cut from global supply will be key factors which will determine where the oil price trades in 2023.
Croatia
Croatia advances to the EU mainstream
Croatia took a decisive step January 1 towards the mainstream of the European project by adopting the Euro as its currency while at the...
Columns
Could this be the end of the Chekist renaissance?
Russia's once all-powerful successor to the KGB - the FSB - is watching its status crumble after major military defeats in Ukraine.
Columns
Putin threatens global security with renewed nuclear saber rattling
Putin's maniacal compulsion to start a nuclear war is not just a sinister ultimatum to world peace, it is simply mad.
Energy
Oil prices shrug off cap as Russia fires back with price floor threat
Oil markets will likely stay volatile in the near term amid uncertainty over the impact on Russian output from the EU's ban, headlines on China's COVID policy and central bank movements in the U.S. and Europe.
Albania
EU Tirana Summit: Enlargement must go on
The summit's generic one size fits all “membership perspective” statement was seen as good news by most after the topic of EU Enlargement had become a highly controversial subject.
Columns
The Winter War
With winter setting in, to guarantee a victory, Ukraine needs to further pressure the Europeans to act in a way that would fully solidify their own security interests, while also securing continued military and financial support from the US.
Columns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights fossil fuel dependencies
Every part of the part of Paris Agreement must be followed properly, the Czech Republic’s Deputy Environment Minister Jan Dusik said in comments to NE Global.
Africa
COP27 focuses on climate financing for developing nations
The COP27 U.N. climate summit, which kicked off on November 6 in Egypt, may reach a more concrete agreement this year as various climate...
Columns
As its war efforts fail, Moscow works to disable Ukraine’s power grid
Russia’s continued attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine are especially focused on disabling heat generation, diminishing the country’s power supply.
Analysis
Miami morphs into a global business hub, can it last?
Due to Florida’s less stringent COVID restrictions, a political strategy driven by the state’s Republican governor, Florida became a vastly more attractive location for individuals able to work remotely.
Columns
Boosting EU-Ukraine rail links is crucial for a common & prosperous future
Facing heavy losses on the frontlines, a weakened and desperate Russia has cynically ramped up strikes on civilian power infrastructure in Kyiv and other...
Columns
Erdogan & Putin’s plan to create a gas hub in Turkey is a purely anti-Western political ploy
The initiative would be a significant political move by Ankara and Moscow that directly challenges the West and its support for Ukraine.
Iran
British MPs urge UK govt to support Iran’s ongoing protest movement
More than a dozen British lawmakers met this week with the Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi to discuss the ongoing protests in the Islamic...
Energy
OPEC+’s massive supply cut is a clear win for Russia
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties (OPEC) and its Russia-led allies of oil-producing nations struck a major blow against the West's sanctions against Moscow...
Zero Tolerance
Washington sanctions BiH officials undermining Dayton Agreement
On October 3, the US Department of State announced the designation of two individuals and one commercial entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for...
The Foreign Desk
The world’s poorest nations are suffering from Europe’s shortsighted sanctions regime
In the nearly three months since Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and a delegation from the UN met in Istanbul to hammer out an agreement that...
Agriculture & Food Security
Europe’s agricultural sector is crying out for support amid energy and food crises
Europe’s energy crisis – which has been sparked mainly by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and President Putin’s subsequent curtailing of natural gas flows to...
Global Energy Insider
Weaning itself off of Russian energy, the EU looks to Azerbaijan, East Med
As Europe tries to lessen its dependence on Russian energy after the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, the EU is turning to Azerbaijan and the...
The Foreign Desk
The EU’s revised sanctions policy hinders vital supplies of Russian fertilizers to the Third World
The European Commission on August 29 published an updated text of clarifications on the application of sanctions for fertilizers produced or exported from Russia,...
The Foreign Desk
Ex-Magna CEO could take control of Volkswagen’s assets in Russia
The Russian media reported that Volkswagen AG could sell its Russian business – including an assembly plant and an internal combustion engine producer –...
Transport
Switzerland’s Svizraa files protest against limiting its operations in Latvia
The Swiss chartering and transportation company Svizraa S.A. has sent a letter to Latvia’s foreign affairs, economics and justice ministries in protest over their...
Russia Sanctions
Could the EU backtrack on personal sanctions against some Russians?
The European Union is in talks about removing sanctions on some 40 Russians. The individuals were sanctioned on the basis of their alleged involvement...
The Foreign Desk
Europe’s patience running thin for politicized judiciaries
After years of criticism over its rule of law violations, Poland has enjoyed a recent reprieve as the war in Ukraine caused the EU...
The Foreign Desk
Endless war in Ukraine hurts national and global security
The United States' commitment towards helping Ukraine repel Russia's unprovoked invasion has been substantial. Congress passed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act by a...
The Foreign Desk
Europe must back agricultural innovation to help alleviate looming food crisis
Leading officials including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are sounding the alarm over the alarming state of global food security. The war in Ukraine, Guterres...
Energy
EU backs industry commitment to boost by tenfold electrolyser manufacturing capacities
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton and 20 European electrolyser manufacturers have signed a Joint Declaration in Brussels whereby industry committed to a tenfold...
Energy
Citing force majeure from Russia’s invasion, Ukraine turns off gas flow
Ukraine stopped the flow of Russian natural gas to Europe on May 11 through the cross-border Sokhranivka station, blaming Russian-backed separatists of siphoning supplies.Gas...
Zero Tolerance
Biden’s choice takes the reins at the American Embassy in Athens
US President Joe Biden’s nominee as next Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis arrived in Athens May 7, a day after his career diplomat predecessor...
Zero Tolerance
Moscow drains dwindling reserves to avert default
With most of its foreign currency reserves held abroad frozen by Western sanctions and inaccessible, Moscow was forced to tap its precious domestically held...
Albania
After Macron victory, Enlargement diplomacy back on the radar
With the war in Ukraine and the noise surrounding the French presidential elections, the subject of EU Enlargement into the Western Balkans had almost...
Energy
Central Asian countries boost green energy transition
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Kazakhstan’s government has set an ambitious goal of reaching net-zero emission by 2060, planning to gradually reduce its reliance on coal,...
Energy
Breaking contract, Russia turns off gas for Bulgaria, Poland
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said on April 27 Gazprom Export has fully halted gas supplies to Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz and Poland’s PGNiG until the payments...
Energy
Turning off Russian gas, Greece-Cyprus-Israel think electric too
The Energy Ministers of Israel, Greece and Cyprus discussed in a tripartite meeting in Jerusalem on April 11 the effects of Russia’s invasion in...
Energy
After Ukraine invasion, Germany saying nyet to Russian energy
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put politics in the forefront in the pragmatic energy relationship between Germany and Russia, Munich Security Conference Vice President...
Economy & Business
Sanctions expand as Russia approaches major default
No American President ever travels to Europe without a bag full of so-called “deliverables” and US President Joe Biden duly arrived in Brussels last...
Global Energy Insider
Countering loss of Russian oil over penalties, US opens reserve pump
After consultation with allies and partners, US President Joe Biden announced on March 31 the largest release of oil reserves in history, putting one...
Energy
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine boosts East Med region role in EU energy security
In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and EU’s renewed effort to cut reliance on Russia, the East Mediterranean could play an increased role...
Invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine’s diaspora has a crucial role to play – now and in the future
As millions of refugees from war-torn Ukraine flow into the EU, the question of the Ukrainian diaspora – currently growing at record rates –...
Economy & Business
Pressed by sanctions, Russia narrowly escapes default
While the global sanctions campaign against Russia is not yet a month old, investors and sanctioneers held their breath this week as Russia struggled...
Economy & Business
Russia sanctions – Now comes the hard part
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine moves into the third week, a broad network of financial, travel and trade sanctions has been established in fairly...
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