Features
Trump's promises of Russian sanctions relief are easier said than done
Friedrich Nietzsche said: “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” and Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that Western sanctions have only strengthened Russia’s economy. But he still wants to get them lifted.
Trump and Carthage: The end of history revisited
What has gone wrong with the world? Protests and wars have broken out across the globe. Analysts are warning that weak countries could face problems but the strong ones are suffering from a deeper long term rot that will change the world order.
Halyk pushes forward Kazakhstan’s digital banking revolution
Kazakhstan’s oldest financial institution has developed a digital ecosystem that integrates banking with government services and lifestyle features.
EU holds trump card in Rosselkhozbank sanctions delisting
The EU's jurisdiction over the SWIFT messaging service is a major obstacle to US-Russian proposals to lift sanctions on Russia’s Rosselkhozbank, according to Yuliia Pavytska, head of the sanctions programme at the KSE Institute.
Indian defence reforms stymied by lack of funds
India’s plans to modernise its military and strengthen domestic defence production are facing mounting challenges due to financial constraints, despite a net boost in the country’s defence budget.
Malaysian government under scrutiny over Sapura Energy financial crisis
The company’s debt started ballooning due to aggressive expansion strategies that started in 2018, when it sought external financing to sustain operations, taking on multi-currency loans from various financial institutions.
INTERVIEW: Kazakhstan’s capital market is constantly developing, says KASE chair
Kazakhstan’s economic expansion and the launch of new instruments on the KASE have fuelled continuous development of the country’s capital market.
The ‘Squad’ looks at adding two new members to counter China in the Indo-Pacific
The Philippines is seeking to expand the informal security alliance known as the ‘Squad’ by including India and South Korea, in an effort to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Rule of law in EU deteriorates, with decline concentrated in eastern members
Liberties report finds collapse of democratic standards in Hungary, and strong deteriorations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Romania and Slovakia.
COMMENT: Why Iran remains wary of Trump's negotiation overtures
The contemporary wellspring of Iranian scepticism derives from the collapse of the nuclear agreement, which Tehran views as the definitive proof of American diplomatic unreliability.
Is Ukraine heading towards Finlandisation?
A frustrated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for action, not protracted negotiations on March 22, ahead of the next round of US-Russia ceasefire talks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Indonesia’s military reforms leave millions on edge
The law’s ratification has sparked widespread anxiety across Indonesia and has served to revive memories of the authoritarian ‘New Order’ era of 1966 - 1998 under former President Suharto.
Welcome to the new transactional world order
Welcome to the new world order. Values and liberal democracy is giving way to a world run on the basis of deals.
PANNIER: It’s exactly 20 years since Kyrgyzstan’s Tulip Revolution. What lessons did Central Asia’s rulers learn?
Proponents of democracy won’t like the answer.
Kazakhstan finds its place in the new world order
Astana continues to balance its relations with Russia, China and the West, while nurturing ties with mid-level powers such as the Gulf states and South Korea.
China sits on the Afghan-Pakistan fence as the Uyghurs watch and wait
As the largest foreign investor in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, China has thus far remained silent on the escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
India boosts energy, mobility infrastructure in western Himalayas
The union territory of Ladakh holds immense strategic and geopolitical importance for India as it borders China and Pakistan.
ING: What a potential restart of Russian gas flows could look like
Growing optimism for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine has sparked discussions about the potential resumption of Russian gas flows to Europe. It might happen: a partial restart of flows could drastically change the outlook for the gas market.
Russia's leading discount store Fix Price to move into Serbia
Russian discount retailer Fix Price is preparing to enter the Serbian market, with plans to open several stores by the end of 2025. This marks the company's second attempt to establish a presence in Europe.
Turkey in undeclared state of emergency following detention of Erdogan rival Imamoglu
Lira drops 14% as markets take fright. Barring an exceptional pushback from opposition, however, on past performance, country will soon go back to “normal”.