Features
Peru vote puts new Senate, not presidency, at centre of democracy battle
With polls open on April 12, Peru enters its most consequential vote in a generation — defined less by the presidency than by who captures a powerful new Senate and whether fragile democratic institutions can survive those seeking to control them.
Oil price spike: How does the Kremlin tax its oil industry?
Oil prices have spiked and that should produce a huge windfall for the Kremlin which has been desperately short of cash to fund its war machine in Ukraine since the start of this year.
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Russia emerges as 'strategic energy partner' for Global South thanks to Iran
Russian oil hit a 13-year high before the ceasefire as Moscow pivots to "strategic energy partner" for the Global South. Kremlin says it is fielding "an enormous number" of requests for energy supplies as trade flows shift.
Windfall tax delay exposes Indonesia’s challenge in capturing commodity gains
Indonesia recently announced that it had delayed the rollout of its windfall tax proposal on coal and nickel exports. The country noted that the complexity of balancing fiscal needs with industrial policy is behind the delay
PANNIER: Uzbekistan’s air pollution officials search for lasting solutions
There’s no quick fix to a dilemma made worse by increasingly frequent dust storms.
Energy shock drives food price pressures in North Macedonia
Policymakers, businesses and households are bracing for potential spillover effects as higher energy costs begin to filter through the economy.
US consumers under pressure as Gulf energy crisis expands
US consumers are coming under increasing pressure as the effects of the energy shock from the Gulf War ripple amounts across the world.
Can pipelines make a comeback?
The shock to LNG supply is forcing buyers to confront both physical disruption and rising dependence on the US, which could revive interest in long-stalled pipeline projects.
Southeast Asia’s energy squeeze
The war in Iran has delivered a systemic shock to global energy markets, but few regions have felt the strain as acutely, or quite as quickly, as Southeast Asia.
Indonesia blocks social media access for minors
The Indonesian government has initiated a major campaign of regulations aimed at removing children under the age of 16 from social media platforms, representing one of the most intense government actions in the worldwide digital environment.
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Mission Impossible: Trump’s Iran campaign faces mounting setbacks as asymmetric tactics bite
Iran's elite IRGC troops and mountain villagers joined forces in a manhunt for a down US pilot after Iran shot down a F-15 jet fighter over its territory. The US flew in special forces to try and find him.
China's invisible hand in Iran’s F-35 success
Just days before Iran claimed to have hit one of the US Air Force's most formidable jets - an F-35 stealth fighter - a Chinese social media account published a detailed guide on how such an attack could be carried out.
Iran war accelerates Chinese US treasure bill sell off
The war in Iran has triggered a potential step change in the rate that China is selling off its US Treasury bill holdings. T-bill holdings are a good barometer for geopolitical tensions. China and the BRICS are dumping their T-bills.
Middle East conflict could cut Indian fertiliser output by 10–15%
Due to the supply chain disruptions stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, India could potentially see a decline in fertiliser output.
Cost of living shock deepens as energy crisis hits G7 spending – Oxford Economics
A surge in energy prices following the escalation of the Iran conflict is intensifying the cost-of-living crisis across the G7, dragging consumer spending growth to its weakest level since 2022.
A long Iran war will lead to severe shortages, says Oxford Economics
A sustained escalation of the US/Israel-Iran conflict could push global oil markets beyond a price shock into severe physical shortages, with rationing, supply chain disruption and recessionary pressures becoming increasingly likely.
Venezuela opens for business, but investors weigh promise against reality
Reforms to oil, mining and financial laws have accelerated since the fall of Maduro, but legal ambiguity, institutional weakness and unresolved questions over democracy are tempering enthusiasm among investors, Orinoco Research says.
Tisza needs supermajority victory in Hungarian elections to unlock EU frozen funds
Hungary’s ability to unlock billions in frozen EU funding will depend heavily on the outcome of its parliamentary election on April 12. The opposition Tisza party led by Peter Magyar will need to win a supermajority to unlock the money.
ASIA BLOG: China wins while Iran burns
The world needs a stable Asia – East and West – and would be better served by the removal of the current Iranian regime. Only in the removal of said regime will Beijing be forced back into a more constrained, less opportunistic global role.
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Viva capitalism, says Fidel's grandson, pouring drinks in Havana
While Cuba goes dark, Fidel's grandson is posting Instagram videos and calling for capitalism. The Castro family's most unlikely dissident is also its most stylish.