Ben Aris

5 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

By Ben Aris in Berlin #Pakistan #bno #India #Pakistan #China #Russia #Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar #ceasefire The economic trajectories of Central and Eastern European countries are drifting apart, with growth, inflation, and policy direction showing increasing divergence. Calin Georgescu’s “Food, Water, Energy” programme promises to heal Romania, but could morph into an authoritarian project. The oil market has entered choppy waters once again.

5 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

I have just been watching the Victory Day parade on Red Square. A few observations. In the end a total of 24 dignitaries made it from the billed 29, which is more than normal, but still a lot less than in pre-war days. The most notable absentee was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stayed home to deal with the escalating conflict with Pakistan. It’s not a full scale war and probably won’t go that far, but it has now gone as far as it can without becoming an actual war.

6 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Turkey and China could act as potential mediators in future Ukraine peace negotiations if the United States reduces its involvement, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8. Speaking on the sidelines of a EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Warsaw, Sikorski noted that while Washington remains Kyiv’s principal ally, alternatives must be considered should the US step back. "There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication.

1 week ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

InDrive, a Siberia-born ride-hailing service, is doing something special. It has cut its margins, offers its passengers the cheapest prices possible and is generous to its largely freelance staff. It enters a new market, and favours some of the poorest and most underdeveloped in the world and spends next to nothing on marketing.

1 week ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Russia’s economy slowed much more sharply in the first quarter than anticipated – and it was expected to slow, according to a paper from Liam Peach, a senior emerging market economist, and Nicholas Farr, an emerging Europe economist with Capital Economics. Russia’s economy appears to be entering a more acute phase of contraction, with early 2025 data pointing to a sudden loss of momentum and a possible technical recession in the first half of the year.