Economics

When U.S. President Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this week, it symbolized more than another presidential appearance on Wall Street. It reflected a defining feature of his second term: making the stock market one of the clearest measures of his administration’s …

Anam Khan Smoke rises following an explosion, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 7, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Donning a white cap that reads in capital letters U S A, President Donald Trump …

Neville Teller US President Donald Trump formally launches the first charter of the Gaza “Board of Peace” in a signing ceremony during the annual 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. Photo Credit: White House video screenshot Key Takeaways Trump’s 20-Point Gaza Plan is Stalling — Despite formal UN Security …

Key Takeaways Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Gasoline Smuggling — Amid severe fuel shortages in Russia caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, Kazakhstan has set up police checkpoints on nearly 60 border roads and introduced daily crossing limits to stop “gasoline tourism” and illegal exports. Kazakhstan Extends Ban on Petroleum Exports — …

Key Takeaways Central Asia’s Heavy Dependence on Russia Exposed — Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries have caused severe fuel shortages across the region, particularly in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, highlighting decades of over-reliance on Russian petroleum products. Short-Term Policy Failures — Governments in Central Asia have prioritized short-term political stability …

Key Takeaways Serbia’s Economic Rise is Multifaceted — The country’s strong growth over the past decade is the result of political stability, proactive development policies, strategic infrastructure investment, successful attraction of foreign direct investment, and fiscal discipline. Tangible Improvements in Living Standards — Average net salaries have nearly tripled (from …

Collins Chong Yew Keat Key Takeaways Strategic Deepening of Ties — The Nikkei Forum and related engagements underscore Malaysia’s growing role as a key partner for Japan in semiconductors, energy (LNG), AI, critical minerals, and supply-chain resilience. This moves the relationship beyond the traditional “Look East Policy” toward high-value …

Willy Fautre Saudi Arabia’s Yemen policy master, Riyadh’s ambassador Mohammed al-Jaber, believes in stick-and-carrot diplomacy—he shows the stick to Yemen’s dissenters and the carrot to Europe’s defense ministries. And it’s a contradiction that now runs straight through Europe’s own legal order. Al‑Jaber is no ordinary envoy. Since 2014 …

“The Russia–Ukraine War has now exceeded the duration of the First World War, yet Russia is short of achieving its original political objectives, and Ukraine, supported by NATO, hasn’t given up.” This prolonged contest of wills has morphed into a grinding, industrial-age war of attrition fought with twenty-first-century …