Features
EXPLAINER: Lukoil scrambles to sell its international operations
Time is running short for Russia’s second-biggest oil producer to divest its vast international business, after it was hit with US sanctions that will soon render its assets outside Russia effectively inoperable.
Bottleneck on the border, truckers baffled by major snarl-up on Kazakhstan-Russia frontier
Tens of thousands of goods vehicles stranded. Yet nobody is quite clear on what is going on.
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Georgia’s ruling party cements absolute power one year on from disputed election
The Georgian Dream government has banned rival parties, imprisoned their leaders and branded them saboteurs, successfully laying the foundations for dictatorship in Georgia.
Tokyo refuses to kowtow to China’s latest round of anti-Japanese bullying
China has once more escalated a minor diplomatic skirmish with Japan, by urging its citizens to avoid travelling to the country and hauling in Tokyo’s ambassador over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks about Taiwan.
Indonesia’s decision to honour Soeharto sparks debate over justice and memory
Indonesia’s decision to posthumously name former president Soeharto a National Hero has reignited fierce debate over how the country remembers its past.
EU LNG imports set for record high in November as US supply surges
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports into the European Union are on track to hit an all-time monthly high in November, driven by a sharp rise in shipments from the United States.
LGBTQ+ Russians fleeing Georgia say country mirrors Kremlin's playbook
Russian émigrés who once saw Georgia as a safe haven now warn the country is replicating Russia's systematic persecution of LGBTQ+ people, forcing them to flee once more
COMMENT: Japan and Europe come together in support of Taiwan
Over the past week, two moves in East Asia and Europe clearly signal that the handling of the Taiwan question is entering a new phase - one in which neither Tokyo nor Brussels is prepared to abide by a Beijing-centric diplomatic equilibrium.
The EU’s new supply web
Global turbulence has stalled FDI for now, but the potential for future investment around the EU’s periphery — from the Western Balkans to Ukraine to north Africa — remains strong.
INTERVIEW: Seonghoon Woo - Amogy CEO and a global leader in ammonia powered energy solutions
Ammonia is fast emerging as a key player in the global transition to cleaner energy systems, particularly across Asia where it offers a versatile and potentially carbon-free solution for storage, transport, and power generation.
PANNIER: Booming breadbasket Kazakhstan now shipping grain to three continents
Drought-stricken countries such as Iran thankful Kazakhs are enjoying bumper crops. Improving cargo routes helping to push up shipments.
Georgian prime minister deepens ties with China as relations with West worsen
Political and economic ties have expanded rapidly since 2023, reflecting the ruling Georgian Dream party's growing pivot toward Beijing.
US, Central Asia relations will be strengthened “like never before”, says Trump
At White House summit with region’s five presidents, American leader commends series of business deals.
Adani Group emerges as key corporate pillar in India’s global strategy
India’s ascent as a major global actor over the past twenty years has been driven by a mix of statecraft, economic liberalisation, and corporate expansion. Among private enterprises, the Adani Group has become one of the most influential players.
Malaysia’s naturalisation policy in the spotlight as FIFA bans seven football players
Malaysia’s football community has been thrown into turmoil following FIFA’s decision to uphold sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven of its naturalised players for alleged document falsification.
Kazakhstan’s AIFC arbitration centre emerges as a Eurasian rival to London and Singapore
The international arbitration centre at the Astana International Financial Centre is increasingly being used by regional and international businesses for commercial dispute resolution.
South Korea bets on cluster model to compete in the new space economy
As the commercial race to dominate cislunar space accelerates, South Korea is emerging as a late but determined entrant, betting on a government-led industrial cluster strategy to position itself in the rapidly evolving new space economy.
Sri Lanka’s economic recovery strengthens but remains incomplete
Sri Lanka’s economy has shown solid signs of recovery in 2025, but the rebound remains partial, with output still below pre-crisis levels and poverty rates significantly elevated, according to the World Bank’s latest Sri Lanka Development Update.
Will Trump’s Central Asia summit in Washington help break the Chinese chokehold on rare earths?
“Rare earths”. As Donald Trump on November 6 hosts Central Asia’s five presidents in Washington, DC, observers can forgive themselves if they quickly lose count of the number of times these buzzwords are uttered.
INTERVIEW: Population growth makes Central Asia a “hot” region for investors, says Roca executive
Global bathroom products manufacturer Roca Group plans to invest €70mn in an industrial complex in Kyzylorda, as it eyes growing demand across Central Asia.