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Saudi social change will lag, especially for women

Location:

SAUDI ARABIA

Nearly a year into the ‘Vision 2030’ strategic plan, Riyadh is also seeking to boost the economy and combat boredom among Saudi youth through some cautious steps towards social…

France will struggle to refocus its Sahel strategy

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FRANCE

Although France officially highlights the multilateral, multidimensional aspects of its operations in the Sahel, in practice the emphasis is on 'kinetic' operations and body…

Russian reform blueprint may be politically untenable

Location:

RUSSIA

President Vladimir Putin's advisers are drafting a strategic plan for reinvigorating the economy, to form part of his campaign programme for the March 2018 election. Putin's…

Maritime rights are sore point in Indonesia-China ties

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INDONESIA/CHINA

Jakarta has repeatedly protested Chinese incursions into its EEZ. At the same time, China and Indonesia have burgeoning economic ties.

France’s economic plan focuses on short and long term

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FRANCE

Amid one of the steepest economic contractions in Europe, with GDP expected to shrink by 11% this year, the relaunch programme aims to reduce the tax burden on business and to…

India will step up economic engagement with Nepal

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INDIA/NEPAL

This was his first trip to the country since beginning his fifth stint as premier last year. Delhi and Kathmandu are keen to increase connectivity and cooperation despite a border…

France’s Macron faces major test to bolster his appeal

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FRANCE

Yet Macron’s chronically poor approval ratings have been accompanied in the last year by a series of sustained societal protests, political missteps and growing disaffection…

US companies find political positions under scrutiny

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UNITED STATES

Election years always entail political risk for large US companies, but the polarising social and cultural issues likely to feature in the November midterms leave them more…

Natural disasters’ economic toll will grow in ASEAN

Location:

ASEAN

This comes as severe flooding has again hit the region with thousands of Thais forced to flee their homes and at least 83 Vietnamese reported dead as a result of flash floods and…

Debt woes will push Laos even closer to China

Location:

LAOS

It is relying on China -- a fellow one party, Marxist-Leninist state -- to help ease its woes. Meanwhile, the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) is preparing for its…