Opinion

Western sanctions have been all about the same idea for years to seal off Iran, and make it more difficult for its leadership to pivot. More and more this seems a risky proposition. But now, as U.S. sanctions and sea pressure mounting, China has become the main economic artery which continues to keep Iran alive in the international trade world. …

The central principle of full equality before the law seems simple enough. The truth is much more complicated. To those who, as per principle, can claim their right to seek justice, it’s all too easy to discover how painfully costly it can actually be. It often becomes a credit risk to a good cause when the legal costs, retention fees, …

Dubai has an infectious appeal and almost all tourists can guarantee of its presence. Located in the Middle East yet home to dozens of different nationalities, this city is a melting pot of cultures. For this reason, restaurants in Dubai cater to different cuisine preferences really seamlessly. From Indian, Emirati, Pakistani, Chinese and Japanese to British, Mexican, Italian and French, …

The increasing importance of sustainable finance in corporations’ treasury plans alongside an acceleration of decarbonisation happenings in Southeast Asia companies. As the world’s biggest free-trade zone facing a predicted annual shortfall of $400 billion for climate financing, businesses seek to leverage funds that can come from outside conventional bank loans. The two instruments that occupy the attention of the discussion …

The Iran war isn’t just a foreign-policy dispute for Donald Trump. Whether his administration can deal with the fallout from those military moves without it becoming an equal opportunity and ends-budget, override the agenda issue. The war has now entered into America’s directly felt concerns: gas prices, inflation, military expenditures and threats that it could drag on much longer. With …

The U.S. pressuring China and others buying Iranian oil, is up the ante in global energy talks. Iranian seaborne crude continues to be the top market for Chinese imports, and Washington is now threatening ‘secondary sanctions’ against companies, banks, and shipping firms that move Iranian crude. China’s interest lies with the curbing of Tehran’s oil supply, but that isn’t a …

Increased tension in the Middle East is not normal as the economic implications most often extend beyond its borders. Energy shortages, port traffic and currency markets, and worker mobility can have a very rapid adverse impact on Emerging Markets off the battlefield. Weak world currencies or fiscal space constraints, along with already high inflation rates, can pose a significant world …

Most of the elements of the modern education system were created to service an industrial economy. Students were schooled on rote learning data, operating within standard procedures and expectations for relatively predictable career paths. It is not as if traditional education has proved lost. Reading, mathematics and scientific knowledge and subject expertise cannot be replaced.  The Workplace Is Changing Faster …

Southeast Asia was regarded as a strategic battleground in which bigger powers waged an influence struggle. ASEAN is also one of the most significant strategic resources in the Indo-Pacific region, and the big boys cannot afford to look the other way. ASEAN has a population of over 680 million and an economy of over $3.8-trillion, therefore they have the scale …

After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, a challenging question for democratic governments is how to relate to the regime in power without inadvertently providing them with acceptability politically. But this is not about complete isolation and that some individuals require unconditional recognition, this is more about a well implemented policy of principled pragmatism. While avoiding recognition of the …