Central Asia
Wedged between Russia and China, these nations control energy reserves and trade corridors the rest of the world is only beginning to notice. The politics here move quietly — the consequences rarely do.
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Aug- 2026 -9 AugustCapital
South Korea’s energy bet in Central Asia lacks the capital to win
KEPCO seeded a technology unit with 20 billion won, but China's state-backed packages bundle financing, equipment, and execution—a combination Seoul has yet to match.
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Jul- 2026 -22 JulyScience
Russia’s nuclear retreat opens Central Asia to Beijing and Washington
Rosatom announced a 50% investment cut on June 26, forcing Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to weigh Chinese state-backed reactors and U.S. small modular designs against a cash-starved Russian incumbent.
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Jun- 2026 -24 JuneCapital
China just locked Central Asia’s uranium and copper supply
A $3.5 billion investment package across Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signals Beijing is displacing Russia as the region's primary economic partner, controlling the fuel cycle from mine to reactor.
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10 JuneCapital
Kazakhstan’s oil buyers want more. Its pipes say no.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium tops out near 1.3 million barrels per day, a ceiling that cannot lift despite Hormuz disruptions and Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov's confirmation that partners are requesting…
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9 JuneCapital
Hong Kong just bet $1.65 billion on Central Asia. The real trade is zero.
John Lee signed 96 cooperation documents in five days, but 2023 trade with both countries combined was barely $2.6 billion—a gap that reveals whether this is diversification or capital routing…
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6 JuneCapital
Hong Kong is quietly becoming Central Asia’s privatisation banker
Kazakhstan's state railway will list in the city in 2026, signalling a shift in who intermediates the region's US$68 billion state-asset sell-off away from London and Moscow.
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May- 2026 -25 MaySociety
Taliban’s 50 decrees erase Afghan women from public life, UN warns of gender persecution
Afghanistan has become the most repressive country for women, with the Taliban issuing over 50 decrees restricting rights since August 2021, covering education, employment, and public spaces. A March 2025…
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20 MayCompass
Asian travellers now drive global tourism demand, reshaping routes and hotel rates
Outbound travel from China and India has exceeded pre-pandemic levels, and Eastern and Southeast Asia now account for 31.7% of global inspirational travel demand. This shift is behavioural, with shorter…
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Apr- 2026 -23 AprilCapital
Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee cut by 50% until 2027
Bhutan continues to offer a 50% reduction on its Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), setting it at USD 100 per person per night. This reduced rate is effective until August 31,…
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23 AprilCapital
Europe faces six-week jet fuel shortage, threatening UK summer flights to Spain and Portugal
Europe has approximately six weeks of jet fuel supply remaining before shortages force flight cancellations, per warnings from the International Energy Agency, as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due…
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