Features
Only Iranians can shake off oppression – but Israel ally Taiwan can serve as an example how
As long as millions of Iranian men opt to sit in silence, knowingly oppressed, year after year, nothing will change.
ISRAEL IRAN WAR: Is this a Sarajevo moment that will lead to world war?
With the Iran and Israel conflict rapidly spiralling out of control, has the world reached a “Sarajevo moment” where the great powers get pulled into a small regional conflict that could spark WWIII?
Mongolia picks reformer to lead cabinet after former PM exits in scandal
Zandanshatar Gombojav’s past may bother nervous foreign investors. But says one expert: “Today he presents himself as a reform-minded stabiliser, not a threat to foreign capital.”
INTERVIEW: Western Balkans attract tech and services FDI as manufacturing outlook dims
Global uncertainty prompted the EBRD to lowered its outlook for the Western Balkans, but the bank’s Matteo Colangeli points to the region’s continued attractiveness for IT and services outsourcing.
Lebanon walks tightrope as escalation tests regional alliances
The implications for Lebanon are grave. While officials have reiterated the state’s commitment to neutrality and sovereignty
The hidden cost of Indonesia’s nickel ambitions
Indonesia ranks among the top global producers of nickel, a critical component in electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, and wind turbines - making the country central to the global shift toward clean energy
CITIES IN PERIL: Boomtowns built on melting ground
The warming climate has opened up some of the world’s coldest regions to mining and shipping, but melting permafrost under cities like Yakutsk and Norilsk is causing buildings and infrastructure to crumble.
Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev strikes neutral stance in investment forum keynote speech
“Uzbekistan has attracted $39bn of FDI in the last eight years, up 10-fold,” Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told delegates to the fourth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) on June 10.
Uzbekistan top supermarket Korzinka raises $110mn to fund rapid expansion
Organised retail is growing fast in Uzbekistan, catering to the demands of a growing middle class for convenience and upmarket goods, but it remains in the early stages of development.
CNG vehicle adoption accelerates across India
Air pollution remains a severe public health challenge in North India, especially during the winter months, with several cities in the region regularly feature among the world’s top ten most polluted.
Indonesia fast-tracks OECD bid as part of geopolitical balancing act
Indonesia is accelerating its efforts to become a full member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, positioning itself as a reform-oriented emerging economy with aspirations for global policy influence.
Armenian economy stabilises after 2022 boom, says RenCap
Growth surge that saw Armenia’s GDP nearly double to $25bn by 2024 is mostly over, says investment bank.
CITIES IN PERIL: Mexico's Acapulco still rebuilding as climate disasters mount
The people of Acapulco are rebuilding not only infrastructure but also their lives, in the grim knowledge that hurricanes may become increasingly likely as ocean temperatures continue to rise.
COMMENT: What Japan, Southeast Asia and the US can expect from South Korea’s new president
While he has not shied away from criticising Tokyo, Lee has sensibly signalled a willingness to compartmentalise some issues in order to foster cooperation on trade, technology and regional security.
COMMENT: Despite Pakistan’s hostility, India builds bridges with Islamic world
New Delhi's outreach to the Islamic world has intensified in recent years, particularly towards the Gulf Cooperation Council states, which are pivotal to India's energy security, diaspora well-being, and trade balance.
How Turkey freed Islamic State suspects after G7 terrorist money watchdog took country off grey list
Fact that trial of 19 alleged terror finance individuals was being pursued was factor in FATF’s decision to end listing.
Meet Syria's new first lady who lived in caves during 14-year civil war
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's comments about his wife Latifa al-Droubi have sparked widespread reaction on social media after he revealed she had lived with him in caves and chicken coops.
CITIES IN PERIL: Adapting the concrete heart of São Paulo to a changing climate
When the rains come to Latin America’s largest metropolis, water reclaims ancient paths buried beneath layers of concrete.
Nawrocki’s rise sparks fresh uncertainty for wartime Ukraine
Conservative historian Karol Nawrocki’s victory in the June presidential election in Poland has all but dashed Ukrainian hopes for Warsaw speaking with one voice about Ukraine.
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ASIA BLOG: How US tariffs are driving Asia closer to itself – and China
What’s striking right now is how ASEAN is operating on two levels. Publicly, it champions inclusivity and dialogue. Privately, it’s hedging harder than ever.