The Russian-led military operation in Kazakhstan has presented an important test for Moscow’s ties with Beijing. In early January, Kazakhstan was shaken by nationwide protests that sparked uncertainty in the central Asian nation that had hitherto remained largely stable. Though much remains to be seen as to how the events …

China and the United States have engaged in a renewed spat over the activity of a U.S. naval ship in the South China Sea, with Washington asserting its right to navigate territorial waters and Beijing warning of “serious consequences.” The USS Benfold guided-missile destroyer conducted a “freedom of navigation operation” …

Almost two years after the pandemic upended labor markets, job openings are plentiful in many advanced economies, yet workers have not fully returned. This gap, in which the employment rate is below its pre-COVID level, is playing out in the United States and the United Kingdom. Despite tight labor markets, …

Background The European Union (EU) has proposed a new green taxonomy under which some natural gas and nuclear energy projects may be labelled as “green” investments if they meet specific criteria. A nuclear power plant is labelled green if the project has a plan, has secured funds, found a site …

Taiwan, a perennially sensitive issue between Japan and China, gained increased salience in the run-up to Japanese elections in fall 2021. In separate incidents in late August and early September, a Chinese flotilla sailed through the waters between Taiwan and Japan’s island of Yonaguni and on through the Miyako Strait …

Even as countries continue to battle COVID-19, it is crucial not to overlook the longer-term challenge of transforming economies to become more resilient to shocks and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth. The pandemic has taught us that not addressing these long-term challenges in a timely manner can have significant economic …

Abdalla Hamdok’s career as Sudan’s prime minister is a roller-coaster of a story. 66-year-old Hamdok, who holds a doctorate in economics from Britain’s Manchester University, was a well-respected technocrat when, following the overthrow in April 2019 of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, he was called on to lead the government. An …

Bangladesh celebrated her 50 years of independence in 2021. It received a lot of applause from the international community and development agencies for its growth and development from mid-90’s onwards. But the caveats and questions attached to the development achieved by Bangladesh must be taken into account. The fact is, …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated after meeting Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva that the United States and its allies are ready to respond to a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. “If any of Russia’s military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that’s a renewed …

Many economists, including me, have been attributing the high inflation of the last year to problems associated with reopening from the pandemic. According to this view, price increases in many areas will slow soon, and in some cases, like new and used cars, be largely reversed. In this view, the …