Features
Spain granted permission to sail through Hormuz, as Trump's energy dominance policy failing
Iran grants Spanish vessels unrestricted access through Strait of Hormuz Spain has joined the club of Iran’s “friendly nations” after Tehran granted Spanish vessels a permits-for-passage unfettered access to the Strait of Hormuz on March 24.
Losers and winners from the Qatari LNG disruption
While European and Asian importers have been hit hard by the disruption in Qatari LNG to varying degrees, the crisis has both short- and long-term benefits for US exporters and other LNG competitors.
INTERVIEW: Corazon Avecilla-Padiernos, the Philippines' representative to Taiwan
Manila’s position is that “peace, stability, and adherence to international law are essential to safeguarding maritime routes that are vital to regional trade, including for the Philippines and Taiwan.”
Georgia's record economic run impresses Wall Street, but investors flag political risk
Georgia is the standout economic story in the South Caucasus but investors are increasingly looking at governance and democracy.
Which countries in Europe and Asia have the most reserve coal-fired generating capacity in reserve?
Natural gas prices have already doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East and are expected to rise higher as the last of Qatar’s LNG exports arrive at their destinations. Now everyone is switching to coal.
MACRO ADVISORY: Kazakhstan creating political stability and economic predictability
Kazakhstan is entering a key phase as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pushes ahead with political reforms aimed at consolidating stability while reshaping the country’s economic model.
BBC fails to mention Israel during a report of Lebanese hospital missile strikes
The BBC failed to mention the word “Israel” at all when reporting Israeli missiles targeted at least 20 Iranian hospitals and medical centres on March 23 –a war crime.
How Iran's Ghalibaf turned concrete into power
Ghalibaf built his career through the IRGC's construction empire and a Tehran mayorship dogged by property scandals. As Iran's lead negotiator, his rise mirrors a familiar authoritarian archetype.
Asia falls back on coal as LNG shortages drag on
From South Korea to Indonesia to Bangladesh, governments are increasingly turning back to coal-fired power generation to help offset a widening shortfall in LNG imports.
Is the CRINK alliance helping to arm Iran?
Are the members of the CRINK alliance (China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea) arming and abetting Iran? The informal cooperation between America's main geopolitical adversaries were already cooperating militarily before the start of the Iran war.
Has Trump TACO'd on the Iran war?
Trump's five-day pause on Iran power plant strikes follows the classic TACO pattern of escalate-then-retreat, but analysts warn this war may be the one where the formula breaks down.
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Fuel shock in the fast lane: how Asia’s drivers are paying the price of war
The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran has sent a delayed shockwave through global energy markets and nowhere is the impact more acute than at petrol pumps across Asia.
Russia moves to crack down on Telegram
The move is unlikely to put off a significant section of the population from using the service, including the regime's loyalists.
LONG READ: Coal is back.
Coal is back. Having become a fuel for most of the last two decades, countries are scrambling to secure supplies of coal in the face of “ The largest supply disruption in the history,” according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Refined oil products caught in Iran war energy shock maelstrom
The sharp rise in refined oil product prices is intensifying the economic fallout from the latest energy shock, compounding the effects of disrupted crude flows and tightening supply chains.
US spends more on Iran war in two weeks than four years on Ukraine war
The US has spent more on just two weeks of Operation Epic Fury than it has done in four years of supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
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Georgians continue fight for democracy after almost 500 days of protest
After more than a year of continuous demonstrations, the ruling Georgian Dream has severely cracked down on the right to protest, freedom of speech and political pluralism.
Coalition maths points to deadlock ahead of Slovenia's general election
Latest polls show tightening race between opposition SDS and ruling Freedom Movement in election campaign marred by allegations of foreign interference.
Dubai faces expat exodus as war shatters safe-haven reputation
Dubai faces its largest expat exodus in decades as the Iran war shatters its safe-haven reputation, with major banks evacuating staff, the stock market down 17% and the UAE mulling tax relief to retain residents.
Indian basmati rice exports likely to remain steady despite Middle East tensions
India is the world’s largest producer as well as exporter of basmati rice. The South Asian country contributes approximately 85% of the global basmati rice volume. In India, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are the main basmati producing states.