Middle East

Truckers wait near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan during a temporary closure in February. Islamabad authorized formal barter trade in June, aiming to ease pressure on foreign reserves.
Economy

Pakistani barter trade with Afghanistan, Iran, Russia stuck in neutral

Plan to ease forex pressure met with disinterest amid strained Taliban ties

6 July 2023
Foreign workers work at a construction site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.
Work

Migrant workers in Asia approach pre-pandemic levels

Remittances to home countries in Asia-Pacific region hit record high in 2022

6 July 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has a packed diplomatic schedule from July and onward. (Photo by Uichiro Kasai)
International relations

Japan's Kishida steps up diplomacy where U.S. influence ebbs

Middle East tour to focus on economic ties over values as China gains ground

6 July 2023
The Turkish central bank raised its policy rate from 8.5% to 15% at its first rate meeting under Gov. Hafize Gaye Erkan in June.
Opinion

Turkey still has a long road back to financial normalcy

Gradual approach will only postpone economic pain

3 July 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to supporters on May 27. He had advocated lowering interest rates to combat inflation, but recently changed his tune. 
The Nikkei View

Turkey must keep working to restore market trust

Rate hike is first step to normalization of economic policies

28 June 2023
An MTR train at Chai Wan Station in Hong Kong on June 15. The city's railway operator may face new challenges at home in the near future. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Transportation

Hong Kong's MTR eyes foreign expansion in face of potential rivals

City's railway monopoly views Middle East as likely target for growth

27 June 2023
From Tehran to Tokyo and beyond, trans people throughout Asia continue to face violence, discrimination and exclusion from society.
Asia Insight

Trans rights progress in Asia hits barricade of tradition, legal maze

Gradual LGBTQ advances in some countries shrouded by stigma, safety concerns

27 June 2023
In this file photo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Jan. 25.
International relations

India bolsters ties with Global South heavyweight Egypt

Modi and Sisi seek strategic relationship, with focus on defense and energy

24 June 2023
Hafize Gaye Erkan, Turkey's new central bank governor, receives flowers from her predecessor, Sahap Kavcioglu, during a handover ceremony on June 9 in Ankara.  
Economy

Turkey raises interest rate to 15% from 8.5% to fight inflation

Hafize Gaye Erkan, first woman to head central bank, begins 'gradual' tightening

22 June 2023
The Doha skyline: The Qatar Investment Authority has expanded the scope of its investments to finance, sports, tech and beyond.
Semiconductors

Qatar wealth fund to invest in KKR-owned Japan chip equipment maker

Petrodollar-fueled investor to take roughly 5% stake in Kokusai Electric

22 June 2023
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest port, located across the Arabian Sea from the United Arab Emirates. (Karachi Port Trust handout via Reuters)
International relations

Cash-strapped Pakistan in talks to transfer largest port to UAE

Deepening economic crisis has government scrambling for money

22 June 2023
Sweeden hopes to join NATO by the time the alliance holds its next summit in mid-July.
International relations

Sweden hasn't done enough for NATO green light: Turkey's Erdogan

President expresses frustration at continuing demonstrations in favor of PKK

15 June 2023
The OPEC headquarters in Vienna. The oil cartel has sought to improve ties with importing nations in the face of competition with nonmembers.
Energy

Japan and OPEC to start high-level dialogue after years of stalled talks

Tokyo seeks to bring discussions with oil cartel to 'new level'

14 June 2023
Filipino Workers submit documents after arriving at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Kuwait, following a call for them to evacuate after a Filipina domestic helper was found dead in a freezer in February 2018.
International relations

Kuwait-bound Filipino migrants left stranded by entry ban

Two countries have clashed over how to address incidents of worker abuse

6 June 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the presidential palace in Ankara on May 29. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Turkey's new cabinet hints at less unorthodox Erdoganomics

Spymaster becomes foreign minister, likely to continue autonomous diplomacy

5 June 2023
Sultan Al Jaber serves as managing director and group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil and the UAE's minister of industry and advanced technology.
Opinion

Asia should rally around UAE's Al Jaber as U.N. climate talks chief

Region needs to keep oil companies at the table for COP28

5 June 2023
El Al started direct service between Tel Aviv and the Tokyo area's Narita Airport this March.
Transportation

ANA and El Al to join hands on Japan-Israel flights

Exclusive: Japanese airline to form first post-COVID international tie-up

5 June 2023
Foreign investors have bought a net 4 trillion yen or so in Japanese stocks over a nine-week streak.
Markets

Foreign buying of Japan stocks continues, reaching lesser-known shares

Futures purchases lose steam, casting doubt on rally's staying power

2 June 2023
Shanghai-based HighLight Capital has backed over 100 companies, with a focus on biopharma, medtech and consumer health; it has nearly $3 billion in assets under management. (Source photo by Reuters and logo from HighLight Capital's website)
DealStreetAsia

China's HighLight Capital aims to raise total $1b across two funds

VC's 4th dollar fund targets Q3 close, mulls Southeast Asia office, CEO says

1 June 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to supporters at the presidential palace in Ankara on May 29 following his reelection victory. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
The Nikkei View

Turkey must rebuild democratic institutions after Erdogan's win

Ankara has unique role in global affairs, but serious reforms needed at home

31 May 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to voters at the presidential palace in Ankara on the night of May 28. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Turkey elections

Erdogan leaned into defense, religion to win tight Turkish election

Unorthodox monetary policy, Russia-friendly foreign policy expected to continue

30 May 2023
(Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Turkey elections

In Pictures: Turkey's Erdogan wins election to extend 20-year rule

President gains upperhand in runoff to secure another term

29 May 2023
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on May 18 in Pishin on the two countries' border.
Energy

Militant attacks threaten cash-strapped Pakistan's energy plans

Forex crisis pushes Islamabad to eye local currency imports from neighbor Iran

29 May 2023
Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the new secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, left, is seen in this undated photo next to the late Iranian Major-General Qasem Soleimani. 
Politics

Iran's switch of top security official hints at end of nuclear talks

Tehran shifts focus to Arab reconciliation with eye on post-U.S. region

27 May 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, speak ahead of the nation's first ever presidential runoff on May 28. (Photos by Ken Kobayashi)
Politics

Turkey's Erdogan seen leading race in key election runoff

Rival Kilicdaroglu takes risky last-minute bets to catch up

27 May 2023