Features
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Spymaster tells Istanbul audience MI6 forged relationship with Syria’s HTS in 2023
Over in New York, country’s president, ex-Al Qaeda man al-Sharaa, is interviewed on-stage by a former CIA chief.
Emerging market Tiger Cities power global growth prospects
Cities across the developing world are set to be among the fastest-growing urban economies in the next quarter century, according to Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025.
Hungary's Fidesz on the defensive after paedophile allegations against high-level government officials
Claims senior politicians could have shielded the director of Budapest-based juvenile correctional institution Szolo Street have the potential to become a "Hungarian Epstein case".
EU’s influence declines in its neighbourhood as China and Russia gain ground
Chinese presence growing in Western Balkans, while Russia makes gains in Turkey, shows new index developed by wiiw, Bertelsmann Stiftung and ECIPE.
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Skull discovered in China may – or may not – rewrite human history
Questions are already being raised, with China having made at least half a dozen claims in recent years on much more recent historical issues that have little to no archaeological evidence to back them.
Indonesia pushes two-state solution, possible recognition of Israel at the UN
Addressing the High-Level Conference on Palestine and the Two-State Solution in New York, the Indonesian president delivered a stark condemnation of the violence in Gaza, framing Israel’s military campaign as genocidal.
Young Moldovans face uncertain future as pivotal election approaches
With a razor-thin margin between pro-EU PAS and pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc, voters expect Moldova's general election to be a battle for the country’s future.
Poland building a drone wall to protect Europe
Poland will lead an effort to build a “drone wall” to block Europe’s airspace to swarms of Russian UAVs should a pan-regional war ever break out.
Trump administration intensifies pressure on Iraq to cut ties with Iran
The US has ramped up a series of behind-the-scenes pressure tactics on Iraq aimed at reducing Iranian influence across key sectors.
COMMENT: China trumps Trump on soy
Beijing has used a third party – Argentina - as a bit-player of sorts with which to score points.
Pakistan’s agricultural sector and food security hit hard by flooding
Pakistan is grappling with the most severe flooding in over four decades in parts of Punjab, its agricultural heartland, with far-reaching consequences for food production, rural livelihoods, and the country’s export earnings
EBRD says geopolitics, tariffs and China competition weigh on Emerging Europe growth
Development bank downgrades 2025 forecasts for Central and Eastern Europe citing weak external demand, rising debt and the impact of US tariffs.
How India sees the Pakistan-Saudi defence pact
While the practicality of the pact is doubted in New Delhi’s policy circles, it adds a fresh layer of complexity to South Asia’s security environment and creates potential ripple effects across the Middle East and the Indian Ocean region.
Why India tops the World Bank debtors list in 2025
Through decades of external borrowing, fiscal crises and ambitious development programmes, India has emerged as a case study of both regional vulnerability and the complex promise of sustainable growth.
EU launches red-tape cutting reforms seeking to make Europe competitive again
Brussels will start cutting red tape with the so-called omnibus legislation this autumn as it sets out to make Europe competitive again, Politico reported on September 17.
Uzbekistan probing export options
Tashkent is finding there’s no easy path to the sea.
Argentina’s meltdown, Asia’s dilemma
Argentina has been here before - the country having endured multiple financial meltdowns over the last half-century - each one leaving scars on its once vibrant society and economy.
Funding the war: Ukraine and Russia's budgets side-by-side
Ukraine is teetering on the edge of a funding crisis that could cause its war effort to collapse. The pain for Russia's economy is also growing fast as it slides into stagnation or even stagflation.
COMMENT: The duplicity of Taiwan’s nationality regulations
As Taiwan stands, its nationality law reflects a divisive contradiction and one wrapped in the stigma of discrimination.
Iranian President could talk with Trump at UN
Iranian political figures urge bold diplomacy with President Pezeshkian's upcoming New York trip to the United Nations.