Indonesia’s Geothermal Quest: Where Massive Potential Meets Structural Reality
Indonesia holds roughly 24‑29 GW of technically recoverable geothermal resources but operates only about 2.71 GW, a fraction of its potential. A new partnership between Star Energy Geothermal and US firm SLB aims to de‑risk the Sekincau field and assets in North Maluku through advanced subsurface mapping. The sector faces steep capital costs, long development timelines, tariff biases favoring coal, and remote infrastructure challenges, all of which threaten the government’s target of 5.3 GW by 2034. Ongoing regulatory reforms seek to cut taxes and improve risk‑sharing to attract private investment.
South Korea Faces Renewable Energy Safety Concerns
South Korea’s National Assembly approved amendments that dramatically reduce setback distances for renewable‑energy installations, shifting authority from local governments to the central government. The change comes amid a spate of high‑profile accidents, including a wind turbine collapse, a turbine‑blade fire,...
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Gulf States Condemn 'Unjustified' Iranian Attacks at Emergency Foreign Ministers Meeting
Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers convened an emergency video‑linked session on March 1, condemning Iran’s recent missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar as “flagrant and unjustified.” The attacks were a retaliation to joint US‑Israeli operations...
Iran's Larijani Denies US Talks
Senior adviser Ali Larijani, a key figure in Iran’s post‑Khamenei crisis management, denied reports that Tehran was ready to resume talks with Washington via Omani mediators, posting “We will not negotiate with the United States” on X on March 1. His denial...
ASIA BLOG: The Fall of the Islamic Republic of Iran Will Boost the Rise of Asian Business Links No End
An Israeli‑U.S. strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader has weakened the Islamic Republic, prompting speculation that its eventual collapse could reshape Asian economic ties. Iran holds the world’s fourth‑largest oil reserves and the second‑largest gas deposits, assets long constrained by...
Uzbekistan’s January Foreign Trade Rises 29% to $5.8bn
Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover jumped to $5.8 bn in January, a 29.2% year‑on‑year increase. Exports rose 26.7% to $1.69 bn, driven by industrial goods, food, chemicals and services, while imports climbed 30.3% to $4.14 bn, widening the trade deficit to $2.44 bn. China remained...
Hungary's Edortech Unveils Patented Tin-Anode Technology that Could Transform Global Battery Production
Hungarian startup Edortech announced its patented tin‑anode system, ONLi, ready for scale‑up after a decade of research. Independent audits show the anode can deliver up to 70 % higher energy density and 1.8 times the capacity of conventional graphite or Si‑C anodes...
Serbian Embassy in Tehran Damaged in Airstrikes, Staff Relocating to Baku
The Serbian embassy in Tehran was damaged during Iranian airstrikes on March 1, though no staff were injured. A nearby military base was also hit, prompting the embassy team to relocate to Baku under standard diplomatic protocols. President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed...
VIDEO: IDF Destroys Tehran Command Centres After Iranian Missile Kills Nine Israelis
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes on Tehran, destroying multiple command headquarters, including the General Staff for Internal Security, after an Iranian missile strike killed nine Israelis in Beit Shemesh. Israel reported firing about 100 ballistic missiles at Iran...
Iraqis Call for March to 'Uproot' US Embassy in Baghdad
Iraqi groups linked to the Islamic Resistance announced a mass march to storm the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on March 1, targeting the Green Zone at 8:30 pm. Security forces responded with tear gas and water cannons, dispersing protesters who had already...
Iran Denies Reports of Former President Ahmadinejad's Death in US-Israeli Strikes
Iranian officials have rejected claims that former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was killed in the recent US‑Israeli strikes on Tehran's Narmak district. The joint operation on February 28 reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, sparking a...
Iran's Central Bank Raises Money Transfer Caps
On March 2, Iran’s Central Bank lifted daily transfer limits across its banking system to ease pressure from high inflation and the ongoing war. The POL instant network cap rose to IRR 1 billion, card‑to‑card limits to IRR 150 million, and payment transaction ceilings to...
China Calls for End to Strikes on Iran, UN Says the Hostilities “Undermine International Peace and Security”
China’s foreign ministry called for an immediate cessation of Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, urging both parties to respect Iran’s sovereignty and resume dialogue. The statement followed unverified reports that Beijing may offer to mediate between Tehran and the...
COMMENT: Modi’s Silence on Middle East Crisis Exposes His Lack of International Clout
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent as missiles struck Iran, Israel and other Middle Eastern states, opting instead to post cricket highlights, investment news and birthday wishes on social media. His silence follows a high‑profile visit to Israel that suggested...
Middle East Faces “Risk of Being Dragged Into Ring of Fire”, Says Erdogan in Response to US-Israeli Attack on Iran
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed deep sorrow over the joint US‑Israeli strike on Iran, labeling it a breach of Iranian sovereignty. He blamed Israeli provocations for the escalation and condemned Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Gulf states...
Rosatom Confirms Bushehr Nuclear Plant Undamaged as Russia Evacuates 94 People
Rosatom confirmed that Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, operated by Russia, sustained no damage during the recent US‑Israeli military operation. The Russian state nuclear corporation evacuated 94 family members of its staff via Azerbaijan and Armenia after the Russian embassy...
Iraqi Shi'ite Militia Group Declares All US Bases ‘Legitimate Targets’
Iraqi Shi'ite militia Saraya Awliya al‑Dam announced all U.S. military bases are legitimate targets. The group, aligned with Iran, said its fighters are ready to fire at any American installation in Iraq and beyond. The declaration follows recent Iranian strikes,...
Armenia’s Nuclear Choice Carries Heavy Debt Trade-Offs, Says GlobalSource
Armenia is negotiating a U.S.-backed small modular reactor (SMR) program that could add up to 30% of GDP to its public debt in a worst‑case scenario. The $9 billion figure reflects a sovereign‑guaranteed loan rather than direct foreign investment, contrasting with...
China and Iran Queue up to Copy Belarus-Russia Regional Blueprint, Lukashenko Claims
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that both China and Iran have expressed interest in replicating the Belarus‑Russia Union State's region‑to‑region cooperation framework. The declaration came during the Supreme State Council in Moscow, co‑chaired by Vladimir Putin, as the Union State...
Capital Plan Tests Nerves in Brasília
The Federal District government has introduced a bill to inject up to BRL 6 billion into BRB Banco de Brasília following the Master Bank fraud, allowing borrowing from the Credit Guarantee Fund or other lenders. The proposal also reduces the number of...
Iran-US Nuclear Talks in Geneva Pause for Break as IAEA Chief Joins Consultations
Iranian and American negotiators held the third round of nuclear talks in Geneva on February 26, briefly pausing before resuming later that day. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Busaidi, who is mediating the talks, described the atmosphere as "creative and positive." The International...
MOSCOW BLOG: Russia as a Supermarket Dressed up as a Country
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced a sweeping fiscal overhaul, lowering the oil‑price budget rule threshold by $1 each year for five years to shift revenue reliance from oil and gas to domestic consumption. The move follows a sharp drop...
Russia Moves to Bring Crypto Market Under Full State Control
Russia's central bank and finance ministry are drafting legislation to establish a fully regulated domestic cryptocurrency market. The bill, slated for Duma submission in March, would require licensed exchanges, depositories, brokers and asset managers under Central Bank supervision, taking effect...
US Formally Warned Kyiv over Attacks on Russia that Damage American Oil Majors’ Interests, Says Ambassador
The United States delivered a formal diplomatic warning to Kyiv after Ukrainian drones struck the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, a key export gateway for Kazakh crude that underpins American oil majors' interests. The attack disabled a single‑point mooring,...
Romania’s Government Approves Public Administration Reform, Economic Stimulus Package
Romania’s cabinet approved a sweeping public‑administration decree that will cut roughly 10% of civil‑service staff – about 12,800 jobs – and impose unified wage standards on the majority of local units. The same session cleared an economic relaunch package featuring...
Loom Games Claims “Unicorn” Crown in Record Time for Turkish Startup
Los Angeles‑based Scopely agreed to acquire a majority stake in Istanbul‑born mobile‑game studio Loom Games, valuing the company at over $1 billion through a performance‑based structure. Loom, founded in August 2025, launched its first title “Pixel Flow” in September, attracting more than 10 million...
Bangladesh Election Reduces Political Uncertainty but Forthcoming Reform Execution Remains Critical
Bangladesh’s February 12 election gave the Bangladesh Nationalist Party a decisive parliamentary super‑majority, easing short‑term political uncertainty. The win clears the path for a long‑awaited constitutional referendum that could reshape the legislature, judiciary and prime‑ministerial term limits. Fitch Ratings notes that...
Russia's Kaspersky Fights Western Sanctions
Kaspersky Lab faces a cascade of Western sanctions that have crippled its European and U.S. operations. Germany’s BSI warning has slashed German sales by roughly 80%, while the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments have barred Kaspersky products and placed senior...
Kuwait’s CGCC Secures Gas Gathering Contract in PNZ
Kuwait’s Combined Contracting Group Co. (CGCC) secured a KWD 10.2 million contract to provide gas‑gathering support services in the Partitioned Neutral Zone (PNZ) at the Al‑Wafra Joint Operations facility, a partnership between Kuwait Gulf Oil Co. and Chevron Saudi Arabia. The deal...
Slovak Government Could Have Boosted Czechoslovak Group with Defence Contracts Ahead of IPO, Anti-Graft Watchdog Says
Slovak journalists allege that the Ministry of Defence awarded Czechoslovak Group (CSG) €60.36 bn in contracts after the 2023 election, potentially to lift investor sentiment ahead of CSG’s January 2026 Amsterdam IPO. The IPO raised a record‑size defence offering, valuing CSG at...
COMMENT: Myanmar’s Fragile Post‑election Balancing Act
Myanmar’s December‑January 2025‑26 election was conducted solely in areas under junta control, cementing the military’s claim to power while excluding large swaths of the population. The vote did little to curb the civil war, as resistance forces—including the People’s Defence...
Adani Power Limited Enters Nuclear Segment as India Opens Sector
Adani Power Limited has created a wholly‑owned subsidiary, Adani Atomic Energy Limited, to enter India’s nuclear power generation market. The move follows the Indian government’s SHANTI Bill, which relaxes licensing and permits controlled private participation in nuclear projects. The new...
Pakistani PM Holds Talks with Rubio After Washington Summit
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Feb 19, focusing on cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counter‑terrorism and potential American investment. The discussion also highlighted Pakistan’s backing of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan...
Brazil’s PicPay Moves Into Insurance
PicPay, the J&F Group‑backed digital payments platform, has filed a request with Brazil’s antitrust authority to acquire insurer Kovr Seguradora. The transaction, whose price remains undisclosed, also requires clearance from the Superintendence of Private Insurance. Kovr, recently owned by its...