Central Asia & Caucasus Data

In winning the 13th national parliamentary election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) capitalized on a rare convergence of public exhaustion and strategic patience. Its 212-seat landslide was harvested through moments it had spent nearly two decades preparing for. At the heart of this victory was a national mood defined less by optimism than by fatigue. The post BNP landslide a breakthrough and test for Bangladesh appeared first on Asia Times.

In her short term as prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has shown that she has the same kind of reality distortion field that other singular political talents have. Her status as Japan’s first female prime minister, her middle-class (read: non-hereditary) background and her blunt, earnest manner have inspired a well-documented frenzy, Sanakatsu, akin to the parasocial attachment The post How will Takaichi navigate between right-wing ideals and reality? appeared first on Asia Times.

For much of Pakistan’s modern history, Balochistan has been described in terms of risk and security, political grievances and stalled development. Its immense mineral wealth, long noted in geological surveys and policy debates, has yet to translate into sustained, meaningful international investment. The result has been a persistent gap between promise and reality, shaping global The post US, China embracing risk in Pakistan’s violent mineral frontier appeared first on Asia Times.

Alarms are being raised amid reports that President Donald Trump is stacking a key regulatory committee with CEOs of online prediction markets, cryptocurrency firms and sports betting apps. As reported on Thursday by the Daily Wire, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is launching a new initiative called the Innovation Advisory Committee, which CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said would be The post Trump stacks key regulatory body panel with crypto, gambling CEOs appeared first on Asia Times.