Finance

IMF pronounces victory over inflation while sounding debt and tariff warnings

The 2024 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) took place in Washington D.C. from October 21...

EU must strengthen financial protections for Hong Kong activists

Imagine leaving your homeland to escape tyranny, only to find the oppressive regime you fled can still reach you, manipulating your financial lifelines. This...

Living on the Fulcrum Point

In the summer of 2024, we are on a fulcrum point, namely, the key balancing point of a vital situation, and if we were...

U.S. Targets ISIS Facilitation Network across Africa

On July 23, the U.S. Government announced new sanctions against a network of three individuals associated with the expanded activities of the Islamic State...

The UK Economy – Another Twist in The Tale

Around the world most nations have been trying to recover their financial strength and where possible find some growth. Above all, they have been...

G7 Summit focuses on Ukraine support and shattering Russia’s wartime economy

Despite last week’s expert punditry (itself almost indistinguishable from AI) on the latest G7 decisions as exhibited by the “instant experts” on global issues...

Can Central Asia escape China’s debt trap?

While Washington focuses on the war in Ukraine, Russia and China seek to expand their influence in regions where the US is not sufficiently...

Silicon Valley Bank financial contagion contained – for now

The world’s top policymakers and international financial leaders acted effectively in the days following the collapse of California’s Silicon Valley Bank. They appear to have dealt positively with the risk of wider global financial contagion.

The Pandora Papers: Exposing Iran’s clandestine financial system

As the international community continues to coordinate a response to the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, longstanding debates surrounding sanction efficacy and compliance have...

Ireland’s climate action plan must look beyond de-growth led by the state

The Republic of Ireland has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, after the coalition government of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens...

Will Central Asia serve as Europe’s bridge to Afghanistan?

Just over one month on from the fall of Kabul, Europe is still grasping for answers to the question of how to engage in...

Economic progress and political reforms give post-Soviet space reason to celebrate

On August 30th, Kazakhstan celebrated one of the country’s most important holidays—Constitution Day, which commemorates the adoption of the 1995 constitution which confirmed the...

How the Austrians and their Chancellor charmed the Arabs

In late July, the Austrian capital of Vienna hosted a special guest. It was none other than the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The...

Must “resource cursed” countries always suffer the double jinx of conflict traps?

A “resource cursed” country is one in which an abundance of natural resources fosters worse development outcomes than those without.  Often termed “the paradox...

With GSP+ beneficiary status, Uzbekistan takes major step towards closer relations with Europe

A decision by the European Union to include Uzbekistan as the ninth beneficiary of its Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance,...

The business of sustainability: A Swedish success story

From popstars to flat-pack pioneers, the Swedes are no strangers to global domination, but today the flag they fly is not so much blue...

Reforms in Uzbekistan’s energy sector and cooperation with major international financial institutions

Since September 2016, when Shavkat Mirziyoyev began his presidency, Uzbekistan has embarked on a process of deep economic and social reforms. We are determined...

Blinken reaffirms America’s focus on rebuilding partnerships

During his March 22-25 trip to Brussels, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized repeatedly that the Biden administration will work to rebuild America’s...

Hungary approves two more vaccines not authorised by EU regulator

Hungary has issued initial approval to two more COVID-19 vaccines not authorised by Europe's medicines regulator, the country's officials said on Monday.The Hungarian medicines...

EU leaders’ summit to be held virtually amid spike in COVID-19 cases

A European Union summit due to take place on March 25-26 in Brussels will now be held virtually due a spike in COVID-19 cases...

Belgium postpones planned easing of measures after spike in cases

Belgium is postponing a number of planned April relaxations, following a spike in Coronavirus cases across the country, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced...

Slovakian health minister resigns over Sputnik V dispute

Slovakia's health minister Marek Krajci resigned on Thursday following pressure from the country’s four-party ruling coalition for the acquisition of the Russian-made vaccine, Reuters reported...

Belgium sticks to current Coronavirus restrictions amid cases surge

Belgium has decided not to ease Coronavirus restrictions for at least another week, due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the country's Prime...

Development Finance Corporation’s first overseas office sparks controversy

A controversy has erupted in Washington over a Trump-era plan to establish the first overseas office of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC),...

Commission proposes 10-year extension of free roaming across the EU

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed the prolongation of the current rules that allow citizens to enjoy roaming without additional charges when travelling inside...

Boeing recommends grounding certain 777s

Boeing Co has recommended that airlines suspend the use of 777 jets after the engine on a United Airlines flight caught fire and fell apart...

Macron urges Europe to send vaccines to Africa

The European Union and the United States need to provide African countries with vaccines, to prevent exacerbation of global inequality, French President Emmanuel Macron...

Germany extends lockdown until March 7

Germany on Thursday extended lockdown measures from February 14 to March 7 in a bid to prevent a third wave in the country and...

EU tells Turkey pandemic not an excuse to ‘silence critical voices’

Efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic should not be used as an excuse to "silence critical voices", Europe's top diplomat, Josep...

French labs to start producing Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccines

A French lab will start producing in March the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, while another one will begin manufacturing the Pfizer/BioNTech jab a...

British PM says EU ‘undermined’ Northern Ireland Protocol

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the European Union undermined the Northern Ireland Protocol by triggering an emerging provision in the Brexit Protocol in...

UK formally asks to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership

A year after it formally left the European Union, the British government on Saturday announced it would apply early next week to join the...

Bezos to step down as Amazon CEO

Jeff Bezos will step down as CEO of Amazon and will become the executive chair of the company's board by the third quarter, kickstarting...

Pfizer/BioNTech pledge up to 75 million extra vaccine doses to the EU

US drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have pledged to provide up to 75 million more doses of their vaccine to the EU...

German Health Minister says Chinese, Russian vaccines could be used in the EU if EMA approves them

Germany could use the vaccines developed by China and Russia if Europe's medicines watchdog approves them, the country's Health Minister Jens Spahn said on...

Von der Leyen says AstraZeneca to deliver 9 million more COVID vaccine doses

British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will deliver 9 million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in the first quarter of this...

Putin signals readiness for better ties with the EU

Addressing the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday, the Russian President Vladimir Putin signalled that the Kremlin is ready to enhance...

Germany floats grounding almost all international flights to combat new COVID variants

Germany is considering a ban on almost all international air travel into the country to stem spread of more infectious variants of Coronavirus, Interior Minister...

Boris Johnson announces hotel quarantine for UK arrivals

UK nationals and residents returning from countries at high risk from new coronavirus variants will be requested to quarantine in hotels, British Prime Minister...

Turkish FM Cavusoglu to visit Brussels for talks with EU, NATO

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set to pay a two-day visit in Brussels on Wednesday, to hold meetings with EU officials and with...

Brazil gives green light for use of AstraZeneca, Sinovac COVID vaccines

Brazil's Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has given the green light to the AstraZeneca/Oxford University and Chinese-made Sinovac Coronavirus vaccines, paving the way for the...

Dutch government could collapse over child benefits scandal

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his cabinet will decide on Friday whether to resign over his government's mismanagement of childcare benefits, after a...

Germany likely to remain in lockdown until April

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday warned that a dramatic explosion in the number of Coronavirus infections that has mutated in Britain, could force...

Merkel, Putin discuss possible joint vaccine production

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed cooperating on vaccine production during a telephone call on Tuesday, according to a statement issued...

Senior Orban aide says Hungary will not use Russia’s Sputnik vaccine

A senior aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said the country will not use Russia's Sputnik-V vaccine, and will focus on the...

Turkish students stage mass protest over appointment of Erdogan loyalist as university rector

The appointment of Melih Bulu, a person with close ties to Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), as the rector of Bogazici University has...

Germany set to extend lockdown by 3 weeks

The German government and the country’s 16 federal states have agreed to extend a nationwide lockdown until January 21, German newspaper Bild reported on Monday,...

Eyeing schools reopening, Greece imposes one-week strict lockdown

Eyeing the reopening of schools on January 11, the Greek government announced on Saturday a one-week strict lockdown, starting Sunday.Under the renewed restrictions, all activities...

Varhelyi refocuses on enlargement for Southeast Europe

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi visited North Macedonia and Albania on October 6-7, meeting leaders in both countries as well as addressing parliaments....

European businesses must consider Russia's poor track record before investing

After years of sanctions, European businesses are returning to Russia. The Russia-German Chamber of Commerce recently announced that German businesses invested more than €3.3...

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