bne IntelliNews

Moldova’s GDP close to a standstill in 2024 due to weak agriculture #bne #bneEditorsPicks #bneChart #Moldova Moldova’s GDP (chart) edged up by 0.1% y/y to MDL324bn (€16.7bn) in 2024 after negative annual growth rates in H2 prompted by the weak performance of the agriculture sector, according to data published by the statistics bureau. Moldova’s GDP contracted by 1.3% y/y in Q4, after the 1.9% y/y decline in Q3. Over the full year, the value added generated by agriculture (7.1% of GDP) contracted by 19% y/y making a 1.3 percentage point (pp) negative contribution to the overall GDP growth rate.

Bulgaria’s consumer inflation speeds up to 4% in February #bne #bneEditorsPicks #bneChart #Bulgaria #inflation Consumer prices in Bulgaria rose by 4% in February compared to the same period last year (chart), according to preliminary National Statistical Institute (NSI) data released on March 17. Month-on-month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.6%. Consumer prices, which stood at 4.7% in December 2023, continued their decline throughout 2024. However prices have recently started to rise again, and in February 2025 they were higher compared to a year ago when the annual CPI inflation stood at 3.3%.

Brazil's airline Voepass under scrutiny after fatal crash #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Brazil #aviation Brazil’s civil aviation regulator Anac has suspended operations of regional airline Voepass following the August 9 crash of an ATR-72-500 aircraft in São Paulo that killed 62 people, O Globo reported. A mechanic from the company, speaking anonymously to TV Globo’s Fantástico, alleged persistent maintenance issues with the aircraft and claimed superiors insisted on keeping it in service. The crash is under investigation by the Aeronautical Accident Prevention Center (Cenipa).

Peru plunges deeper into security crisis as emergency measures fail to stem violence #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Peru Peru’s security crisis continues to spiral out of control, despite repeated emergency measures imposed by President Dina Boluarte. The government’s response has been met with widespread scepticism, as crime rates remain alarmingly high and accusations of corruption at the highest levels of power undermine any hope of effective governance. In a desperate attempt to curb rising violence, Boluarte declared a state of emergency in Lima and Callao on March 17, following the high-profile murder of cumbia singer Paul Flores, known as “El Russo” of Armonía 10. The 30-day measure, which came into force on March 18, grants the police control over public order with military support, while suspending fundamental constitutional rights such as freedom of movement and assembly.

Israel launches second airstrikes on Gaza following Netanyahu address #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Israel #Palestine #Hamas #Gaza At least 14 people have been killed in Gaza overnight as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck an alleged Hamas military site in northern areas of the strip, the IDF claimed in a statement posted on March 19 via its media channels. The early morning strike on the Gaza Strip is the second in as many days on the besieged Arab exclave. The second operation followed a major Israeli airstrike campaign on the Gaza Strip during the night of March 17-18 that resulted in more than 420 deaths and approximately 600 injuries, according to figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

TEL AVIV BLOG: Israeli society reacts to resumption of Gaza conflict and ceasefire collapse #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Israel #Palestine #Hamas #Gaza Israel launched a major aerial offensive against Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip overnight on March 17-18, resulting in more than 420 Palestinian deaths, including 130 children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The ambush came in response to what Israeli officials described as Hamas's persistent rejection of hostage release proposals but has been roundly condemned by foreign countries for the severity of the hit on a tent camp area of displaced people from northern parts of Gaza.

Chinese intimidation tactics against Taiwan continue #bne #bneEditorsPicks #China #Taiwan March 17 saw China send 59 military aircraft and nine naval vessels towards Taiwan, marking a significant show of force after a brief period of relative calm, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported a day later. According to Focus Taiwan reports, the latest routine intimidation tactics carried out by Beijing saw more than two dozen of the aircraft cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait, a de-facto boundary that Beijing has increasingly disregarded, while others entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to a flight map released by the MND.

Why India’s adversaries force it to engage with authoritarian regimes #bne #bneEditorsPicks #India India's foreign policy since independence from Britain has been guided by pragmatism, balancing idealism with realpolitik. In the volatile geopolitics of South Asia where it is surrounded by adversaries such as Pakistan on the West and China on the East, maintaining engagement with both the Taliban in Afghanistan and the military junta in Myanmar is not just strategic but essential for India’s national security interests. These ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend’ dynamics, while fraught with challenges, offer New Delhi the opportunity to secure its regional influence, contain cross border threats, and protect its economic and strategic assets.

Iran condemns Israeli attacks on Gaza, blames US complicity #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Iran #Gaza #Israel Iran has strongly condemned the latest Israeli attacks on Gaza, describing them as "genocidal" and accusing the United States of complicity in the "massacre" of Palestinian civilians, IRIB reported on March 18. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei delivered a scathing critique on March 18, highlighting the devastating toll of the attacks, which he said targeted "defenceless people" including "innocent women and children."

Challenger to Erdogan Imamoglu detained in early-morning raid #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Turkey Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu was detained in an early-morning March 19 police raid on his house—a matter of days before he was due to be selected as a presidential candidate widely seen as having a good chance of defeating Turkish president of two decades Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Prosecutors said he stood accused of being a "criminal organisation leader suspect".