Kyrgyzstan’s Eco-City: What are the Chances?
There is no shortage of ambitious projects undertaken now by the government of Kyrgyzstan’s president Sadyr Japarov – a leader who came to power following the popular revolt agains
In the developing world, the true cost of Covid may never be known
Just how many lives have we lost to Covid-19? In large parts of the world, that is a question to which we may never get an answer. Officially, as of August 2021, the global death t
As the U.S finally leaves Afghanistan, China could fill the vacuum
As the last American troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, Taliban militants continue to make gains. The insurgents have escalated their offensive against government forces this wee
Under the cover of Coronavirus, democratic backsliding
Democracy in decline
A new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) bears a sombre headline: global democracy has had an awfully bad year in 2020. The index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties.
Russian retail investors flock to stock market for easy gains, creating a bubble
Maybe it is just COVID. Sitting at home during lockdown stimulates the search for excitements that one can enjoy without having to go outside. Trading stocks and currencies online
Ankara & Brussels: Turkey cannot afford a confrontation
Turkey’s economy remains in dire straits. Its currency, the Lira, has lost thirty per cent of its value against the US dollar just this year alone.
China, Uyghurs, forced labour: a recipe for litigation?
China’s treatment of its Uyghurs population could spark a wave of lawsuits.
In Donald Trump, North Korea loses an unlikely ally
“When Donald Trump first strides into the Oval Office as president, his perfect day is likely to be ruined by a file marked “North Korea.”
Foreign investors harassed and fleeced in Kyrgyzstan under new regime
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan, which quickly embraced progressive economic and political changes, was initially seen as a beacon of democracy and reform in post-Soviet Central Asia.
Kazakhstan’s International Financial Centre: A Hub Too Far
Creating an international finance centre out of nothing is not an easy task. Kazakhstan made a daring bid in 2018 to launch a financial hub in its capital, Astana (now renamed Nurs