Opinion
COMMENT: From an AI tax assistant to biometrics, Uzbekistan invests in digital services
The Uzbek government’s digitalisation effort is broad and all-encompassing.
COMMENT: Why Taiwan’s president must find the courage to declare Taiwan’s independence
Lai leads a democratic society. Polling by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation in July 2025 shows that 77% of Taiwanese identify as “Taiwanese” rather than “Chinese”.
MOSCOW BLOG: Are we drifting into a nuclear war with Russia?
US President Donald Trump moved two nuclear submarines to an “appropriate place” as part of his tough man showdown with Russian President Vladimir Putin that comes to a head this week when the 10-day deadline expires.
COMMENT: Russian sanctions have failed, but its buffers are eroding
Russia’s ability to withstand Western sanctions is showing signs of strain as fiscal and external buffers erode, according to senior economists at the Institute of International Finance.
COMMENT: EMs increasingly absorbing China’s surpluses
China’s widening trade surplus with emerging markets has become a defining feature of global commerce in 2025, driven by slowing demand in the West, persistent industrial overcapacity, and attempts to circumvent US tariffs.
COMMENT: Chinese trade is an economic lifeline for Russia despite falling volumes
Bilateral trade between China and Russia declined in the first half of 2025, but the downturn masks a deeper entrenchment of economic ties that continue to sustain Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.