Features
India’s Morbi ceramic cluster hit by supply chain disruptions linked to Middle East conflict
The Indian ceramic and tiles industry, which maintains a deep trade link with the countries in the Middle East region, has been severely affected by the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
The return of the Silk Road as the “C6”, a key geopolitical link between Europe and Asia
There is a map that used to hang in the offices of Soviet central planners in Moscow, showing the five republics of Central Asia as a single administrative unit with all roads pointing to Moscow. Today the arrows point in all directions at once.
Three-way race tests Colombia's shifting political order
A leftist senator, a far-right flamboyant provocateur and a conservative dynast vie to define the country's next chapter as Colombians head to the polls on May 31.
US suspends Taiwan’s $14bn weapons deal as Trump buckles under Beijing pressure
The Trump administration has paused US arms sales to Taiwan after China’s president Xi Jinping threatened to go to war over the issue at a meeting in Beijing a week ago.
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Former MP alleges longstanding Turkish intelligence interference in main opposition party
Stark claims made as critics warn events of recent days mean CHP now essentially headed by a palace appointee.
Mexico and the EU rewrite their trade relationship with farms at the heart of it
Mexico-EU interim trade deal locks in agricultural liberalisation decades in making. Cheese quotas, meat phase-outs, 568 protected foods. Both sides call it a hedge against US tariff uncertainty.
CBR governor Nabiullina’s terms expires next year and replacement list is short – The Bell
The third and last term of CBR governor Elvira Nabiullina expires on June 24, 2027 and the list of possible replacements is short, The Bell reports, based on sources in the Kremlin.
UAE walks political tightrope with Strait of Hormuz warning
The United Arab Emirates is walking a political tightrope, opposing Iran during the ongoing war while also appearing to placate its Arab partners with opposition to Israel on numerous occasions.
Eastern EU faces mounting demographic strain as populations shrink and age, Eurostat says
While the EU’s total population rose slightly, many eastern member states continued to lose population over the longer term through emigration, low fertility and high mortality rates.
Western Balkans face rising trade barriers despite deeper EU integration, Bruegel says
Businesses operating in the Western Balkans say the practical costs of accessing EU markets remain high.
The geopolitical chokehold on Taiwan's polymer lifeline
For Taiwan, the sudden evaporation of naphtha and crude oil is not just a market fluctuation but a national security threat that will force an involuntary and painful "detoxification" from its plastic addiction.
The baby bust: how a global demographic crisis crept up on everyone
Just a decade ago, the dominant demographic narrative was of "dying Russia" — a population hollowed out by the chaos that followed the Soviet collapse, shrinking through a combination of low birth rates, high mortality and mass emigration.
Can a satirical social media movement change Indian politics?
While not a new concept, the Cockroach Janta Party, has a similar aesthetic quality to the Gen-Z movements that led to political regime changes in India’s neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Who is going to run out of men sooner and be forced to end the war: Russia or Ukraine?
Who is going to run out of men sooner and have to end the war? Russia or Ukraine? Much has been made of the slowdown of Russia’s volunteer recruitment drive which is now unable to replace the estimated 30,000 dead and wounded a month.
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Washington turns Venezuela playbook on Cuba, but finds a harder nut to crack
Indictment, warships, a poisoned chalice of aid: the Trump administration turned every screw on Cuba in a single day. But Cuba is no Venezuela — and Washington may be about to find that out the hard way.
Indonesia seeks yuan lifeline with Panda bond debut
Once the physical and digital supply of yuan enters Indonesia’s domestic banking ecosystem, the government can make it easier for real-world import-export businesses to bypass the US dollar entirely.
Russia irked by US, EU moves to secure Central Asia critical minerals
Kremlin official talks of “attempt to push Russia out and create a Western-controlled infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of our borders".
Russia climbs to sixth place among Europe’s wine producers
Russia became Europe’s sixth-largest wine producer and the world’s 11th-largest in 2025, accounting for 2.5% of global output, according to data from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.
From Russia to Ukraine, VR Capital bets on wartime recovery
Richard Deitz, founder of New York-based VR Capital, has shifted his focus decisively toward Ukraine, becoming one of the largest foreign investors in several strategically important state-linked companies.
Why Afghanistan dreams of opening up Wakhan Corridor, the mountain valley that connects three worlds
Likely once trodden by Alexander the Great and Marco Polo, its potential is fascinating.