Search results

Religious freedom will slowly expand in Vietnam

Location:

VIETNAM

Catholics are a sizeable minority religious group in the country, numbering roughly 7 million out of a population of nearly 100 million. Vietnam and the Vatican have not had…

Dinar ban will damage EU-led Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

Location:

KOSOVO

A Central Bank regulation reaffirming the euro as sole legal tender has alarmed Kosovo’s Serbs who see it as a direct threat to their existence and is jeopardising already complex…

Brunei will step up efforts to diversify economy

Location:

BRUNEI

The IMF recently recommended structural reforms to bolster the economy, which has struggled to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brunei has long been reliant on…

Northern Irish economic gains are not guaranteed

Location:

UNITED KINGDOM

Efforts to attract foreign investment to Northern Ireland have so far failed to bring about the desired results, owing to long-term issues that undermine investment, including low…

Rift within Philippine administration will deepen

Location:

PHILIPPINES

Duterte has come under criticism in Congress over her use of confidential funds (CFs). Despite the president’s remarks, he and his deputy appear to be at odds on a range of issues.

Afghanistan's neighbours irritated by US rapprochement

Location:

AFGHANISTAN

After a series of conciliatory moves, the Biden administration is trying to persuade the Taliban to make concessions in return for financial assistance. Taliban leaders are…

Challenges facing Ecuador’s Lasso will only intensify

Location:

ECUADOR

Government-CONAIE talks have helped to ease political tensions, but the government’s continued public attacks on the indigenous movement weigh against hopes of a negotiated…

China’s influence in Africa will continue to grow

Location:

CHINA/AFRICA

Although the minister’s tour included visits to several of the region’s Chinese-funded infrastructure mega-projects, Wang Yi was careful to cast these investments as just one…

Costa Rica protests to hinder Alvarado’s reforms

Location:

COSTA RICA

The demonstrations form part of a broader backlash against the government’s newly introduced value-added tax (VAT) and indicate the depth of popular feeling building against…

Second COVID-19 wave will test Madagascar’s Rajoelina

Location:

MADAGASCAR

However, with a second wave underway and the mining and tourism sectors -- key foreign exchange earners -- upended, he recently changed tack, authorising an immunisation programme…