Central Asia & Caucasus Data

In early January, several currency trackers briefly displayed the Iranian rial’s value as “$0.00,” unable to process the speed and scale of the depreciation, making it unexchangeable on important international trading platforms. The fallout quickly translated into a protest in Teheran’s bazaar district and eventually led to a mass unrest. Unlike the 2019 fuel price The post The currency crisis behind Iran’s protest explosion appeared first on Asia Times.

As modern warfare shifts toward attrition, China’s push for cheaper munitions raises a sharper question: can its missile industry sustain the scale and tempo a Taiwan war would demand? This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that China should consider adopting low-cost guided munitions to prepare for future large-scale drone and attrition warfare, The post China counting how many missiles it needs to win a Taiwan war appeared first on Asia Times.

Under Japan’s newly tightened business immigration rules, that “try first, grow later” logic is increasingly out of place. The minimum capital for Japan’s Business Manager visa (経営・管理) was raised from five million yen (about US$32,000) to 30 million yen (about $190,000), alongside added scrutiny around staffing, Japanese language ability, career or educational background and business The post Japan’s costly new business visa prices out real entrepreneurs appeared first on Asia Times.

Trump’s second-term foreign policy presents a complex picture when evaluated against classical realist principles. While certain elements align with realist thinking—particularly its emphasis on power politics and national interest—others reveal significant departures from the restraint and prudence that define the realist tradition. The administration’s explicit embrace of spheres of influence represents perhaps the clearest realist The post Is Trump’s foreign policy really realist? appeared first on Asia Times.