Features
India targets increase in edible oil refining sector by cutting import duties
India is one of the world’s major consumers of edible oil, with palm oil being the most popular. A significant portion of the country’s domestic demand is met through imports, primarily from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Sofa-beds for victory: the furniture makers charting a new path on Ukraine's domestic front
Whilst enrolled on an MBA course at Kyiv Mogyla Business School in 2016, Volodymyr Patis, head of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Producers, had a “light-bulb moment".
Iranian hardline newspaper compares Zarif to Neville Chamberlain
Hardline Iranian newspaper Kayhan has compared former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who served from 1937 to 1940, criticising calls for renewed negotiations with the United States.
Global banking’s new powerhouse: Asia
Asia's level of digital banking infrastructure has enabled it to challenge and even surpass traditional Western players such as Citi and HSBC in key regional markets.
Despite robust international support, Ukraine “running out of space” to cope with additional economic stress – IMF
The International Monetary Fund has warned that Ukraine’s ability to absorb further economic shocks is rapidly diminishing as the war with Russia enters its fourth year and reform momentum in Parliament slows, says the IMF in a staff report.
A perfect storm as Israel’s war on Iran pushes the Taliban towards total collapse
The convergence of Israel’s military strikes on Tehran has created a catastrophic domino effect of potential regime collapse in Afghanistan, not Iran.
PANNIER: Strongman Rahmon’s actions towards Tajikistan’s Pamiri people nothing less than a cultural genocide
Yet hardly any outcry is heard from the international community.
INTERVIEW: Can Milei break Argentina's IMF doom loop?
Milei's radical reforms have won over the Fund, but currency controls and election risks cloud the path ahead, according to Professor Diego Crochi from UCA Buenos Aires.
EU eyes new Asian trade alliances to offset US trade war risks
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing for closer ties with Asia as part of a new EU trade strategy to offset the growing trade war risks with the Trump administration and reforming the global trade system.
INTERVIEW: Uzbekistan’s privatisation taking off as Franklin Templeton manages IPOs worth billions of the National Investment Fund in 1H26
Uzbekistan’s government has launched an ambitious privatisation programme aimed at reshaping its economy and capital markets. US fund Franklin Templeton is managing a $1.68bn portfolio of 18 companies in the Uzbekistan National Investment Fund.
Russian banking officials warn of hidden risks as debt concerns mount
Russia’s banking sector faces a growing threat of a systemic crisis within the next 12 months, with internal assessments suggesting a more fragile outlook than official statements imply.
Tosyali dethrones Eregli to become largest Turkish steelmaker
Company owner Fuat Tosyali became a favourite businessman of president Erdogan. Projects he’s involved in include making Turkey’s “native and national” Altay battle tank.
Russia’s switch to Murmansk after EU sanctions on LNG exports exposes fragile dependence on Western shipping – CREA
Russia’s attempt to reroute Arctic LNG exports through domestic waters following the European Union’s March 2025 transshipment ban has exposed a hidden vulnerability at the core of its energy strategy, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Will Ukraine's refugees go home after the war is over?
Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 caused Europe’s biggest displacement in decades as millions fled, most of them women and children. Three years later, there are still more than 5mn Ukrainians living abroad and only 20% say they will go home.
Grab-GoTo merger sparks monopoly fears, nationalist pushback in Indonesia
While public speculation grows, both companies remain tight-lipped. Grab Indonesia’s Chief of Public Affairs, Tirza Munusamy, denied any formal discussions, claiming the rumors were “not based on verified information.”
,_who_visited_Mongolia_AND_Mongolian_President_Ukhnaagiin_Khurelsukh_250625_1750888210.jpg)
After decades of neglect, Central Asia awakening to trade possibilities with Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar welcomes two Central Asian leaders in June.
Syria receives IMF visit for first time since 2009
Conflict-torn country faces “enormous challenges”, says mission. Majority of GDP wiped out. Restoring power infrastructure alone could cost at least $40bn.
Can Kazakhstan deliver on the rare earth hype?
The expectation for the "new oil" is huge – but experts point out that it is still far too early to talk about the Central Asian country having massive, confirmed REE resources.
Drawing the line: Indonesia settles long-running Aceh–North Sumatra dispute
Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra, is a special autonomous province with the right to implement Sharia law. It has a distinct political identity shaped by decades of conflict, which ended with the 2005 Helsinki peace agreement.
Asia’s fruit boom: how the continent is feeding the world’s sweet tooth
Asian growers are now tapping into global markets more aggressively than ever before.