Yesterday, Ukrainian state gas company Naftogaz repaid its Eurobond of $1.595 billion in principal, with a total accumulated coupon (or interest) of $75.76 million. It had been a source of concern to bondholders that Naftogaz would be forced to default with Ukraine facing its current political situation – an ongoing civil war and fraught relations…
Tajik national and Ph.D. student at the University of Exeter Alexander Sodiqov was recently released by Tajik authorities and has successfully returned to Canada, where he is expected to continue his doctoral studies. Sodiqov, who had been researching separatist groups in the restive Tajik autonomous region of Gomo-Badakhstan, was detained on charges of sedition and…
After almost a year of debate and delay by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) have been signed as of yesterday, which will allow American and NATO forces to remain in Afghanistan beyond the end of this year, and potentially until 2024, essentially ensuring a…
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