Features
Iran's capital Tehran showcases new "Virgin Mary" Metro station
Tehran's new Maryam metro station honours Virgin Mary with architecture blending Armenian and Iranian design elements in new push by Islamic Republic
Indonesia’s $80bn giant seawall
Indonesia’s ambition to build a colossal seawall along the northern coastline of Java has ignited both hope and heated debate. Valued at around $80bn, the project aims to safeguard the island’s coastal cities from tidal floods and erosion.
The Asian nations backing the Russian war effort – from India to Taiwan, China to Indonesia
While many Asian nations have quietly distanced themselves from Moscow in a bid to fall into line with US or European allies, several continue to engage with Russia, providing varying degrees of support that help sustain its military campaign.
The EU needs to change to stay geopolitically relevant
Leading EU figures are pushing for the unanimity rule used to make important decisions to be dropped to enable faster enlargement — one of the bloc’s main tools for geopolitical influence.
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Prosecutors make move on “fictitious export schemes” of Istanbul Gold Refinery
Observers point to intra-regime gangs seizing each other’s wealth, remember Erdogan’s “Hello Fatih” phone calls and ponder whether wanted man Turgay Ciner is in London.
Taliban visit to India upsets Pakistan, signals New Delhi's changing Afghan posture
Coinciding with the visit, Pakistan conducted military operations inside Afghanistan, followed by airstrikes on multiple border towns. Retaliation against Pakistan's police training facilities and border outposts followed.
Pakistan’s India-shaped chip on the shoulder, and why a peaceful coexistence is as elusive as ever
Pakistan must first redefine how it sees India - not solely as a threat to be contained but as a neighbour with whom coexistence is unavoidable. That psychological leap has eluded generations of Pakistani leaders.
Trump shocked by China’s move on rare earths, threatens more 100% tariffs
"Some very strange things are happening in China!" Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account on October 10, adding "They are becoming very hostile."
Ore wars – and the US dollar’s waning influence
Iron ore underpins almost all modern industrial economies; it is the raw material from which steel is forged, and China remains its dominant consumer.
State control rattles Indonesia’s fuel market
Indonesia’s tighter control on private fuel imports has sparked debate over how far the government should go to protect its domestic energy market and ensure national energy sovereignty.
India is not looking to dethrone the US dollar
The Reserve Bank of India, is reducing its US dollar exposure, repatriating gold from overseas vaults, and strengthening domestic control of its bullion reserves.
Singapore is now Asia's tech-job powerhouse
Singapore’s emergence as a tech hub is no accident. Over the past decade, the government has rolled out multiple targeted initiatives to accelerate digital adoption.
Kosovo’s former president Thaçi fights for his freedom in The Hague
Ongoing war crimes trial of top former KLA leaders will shape the contested memory of Kosovo's war of independence and define its standing abroad.
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How Central Asia came to love the Chinese electric vehicle invasion
Resistance would be futile – and expensive. The region has flung its doors open to the likes of BYD.
Bangladesh’s coming political reset
Tarique Rahman’s announcement of his imminent return to Bangladesh has overnight redefined the country’s political narrative after nearly two decades of exile.
Japan’s new ‘Iron Lady’ Sanae Takaichi – a win for Taiwan, a slap in the face for China
Galling to China, Takaichi is said to be a regular visitor to Yasukuni Shrine, which, given its enshrinement of Japan’s war dead, including a number of convicted war criminals, is seen as a political slap in the face by Beijing.
Malaysia’s fuel recalibration: balancing fiscal discipline and public relief
In late September 2025, the Malaysian government unveiled a recalibrated approach to its long-running petrol subsidy, lowering the price of RON95 for citizens to $0.47 per litre.
Did Tokayev’s visit to New York indicate any meaningful expansion of Kazakh-American economic ties?
Best not believe the hype.
Water scarcity forces a rethink of Tehran's dominance
Iran is fast running out of water fast and the country's president wants to move the capital immediately.
LONG READ: Trade is the glue that holds Global Emerging Markets Institutions together
The world order is changing. The emerging markets are coming of age and they are setting up a raft of largely non-Western Global Emerging Markets Institutions (GEMIs) to coordinate their lives. Trade is the glue that binds them together.