Malaysia’s shock election result hinged on Mahathir’s revival as an unlikely reformer, but is he all bark and no bite? Rebecca Lawrence examines whether Mahathir can really deliver on the promises that paved the way to his stunning victory, and what it means for investors going forwards.
China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (‘BRI’) raises significant concerns for India and Japan, especially regarding maritime security. In response, New Delhi and Tokyo are jointly planning their own infrastructure projects which, while smaller in scale than BRI, will nevertheless offer significant economic opportunities in the coming years, writes…
Whilst the World Cup is a target for both football hooligans and militant groups like Islamic State (‘IS’), several initiatives to strengthen the capabilities of the security forces are likely to mitigate the risks of terrorism and hooliganism at the tournament, writes Tim Geschwindt.
Analysis by Andrew Wychrij.
The dismissal of Rex Tillerson as the US Secretary of State, and the nomination of the hawkish Michael Pompeo as his replacement, is not expected to re-escalate the Qatar-GCC diplomatic crisis, but it could prolong it, writes Saif Islam.
After Putin’s unsurprising victory in the Russian presidential election on 18 March, focus has shifted to expectations for Putin’s fourth, and officially last, term in office. With few catalysts for change present in the Russian political landscape, inertia in the domestic sphere and uncertainty in foreign policy is likely to characterise Putin’s fourth…