Policy

Washington Threatens Cascading Sanctions Against Third Countries to Choke Off Iran’s Funding Measures to Target Sanctions-Evasion Tactics, Including Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers Rising Energy Procurement Costs and Supply Disruptions Converge on Chinese Industry

Russia claims stability; satellite data suggests otherwise Nighttime lights show persistent slowdown despite recovery claims Sanctions redistribute costs, concentrating damage in Russia's core The Russian Ministry of Econom

Decoupling from China could cost $23.6 trillion Strategic dependence can make that cost economically rational Security benefits must be measured alongside economic costs The $23,6 trillion was released in July 2026 as a warn

UAE curtails trade and commercial ties with Iran in line with US demands “Dubai would collapse”: Complete cutoff difficult given economic and security interests Iran maintains hard-line response to US pressure, with Europe also in its sights US

China Turns to Lower-Tier Markets to Spur Domestic Consumption Similar Policies Have Accumulated Since 2018, Yet Economic Indicators Remain Sluggish Growth Forecasts Slip into the 4% Range as Industrial Sectors Sound the Alarm The Chinese governmen

Trump's Korea drill cut undercuts NATO's disciplined burden-sharing gains Seoul responded with avoidance, not compliance, bypassing Washington entirely Structured timelines work; personal impulse-driven pressure does not I

Food consumption tax cut pushed through in response to inflation shock Two-year, $63.1 billion funding gap fuels debt and spending debate Long-term yields, the yen and social security finances face simultaneous pressure As soaring prices intens

EU gas storage levels decline as natural gas prices soar Falling Russian gas imports and Middle East risks deliver a severe blow Alternatives—including U.S.

Japan’s productive small firms struggle to scale Capital constraints, not culture, drive the gap Mergers can unlock investment and productivity Small companies employ

“Interfere and We Will Bomb You,” Trump Warns Oman Iran and Oman Pursue Service Fees for Vessels Transiting the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Order Depends on Littoral-State Management, Highlighting the Burden of Maintaining Security in the Strait

“Do You Support Procuring European-Made Weapons?” U.S.

Gulf states accelerate efforts to secure oil transport routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz Transport routes diversified through pipeline construction and connections to Red Sea ports Iran’s plan to monetize Hormuz faces setback, imperiling postwar economic reconstruction

Chinese EVs sustain European growth despite tariff barriers Price competitiveness remains intact as regulatory workarounds emerge EU broadens pressure across trade relations with China Chinese electric vehicles have captured a record share of th

Big Tech capital spending accelerates data center construction race More than 500 local governments impose moratoriums on new permits Community opposition mounts over electricity rate hikes and environmental costs America’s artificial intellig

Expanded Chinese and Russian military activity in Arctic intensifies security burden along Northwest Passage First deliveries targeted for 2034 as trilateral construction, maintenance and training network takes shape Canada accelerates rebuilding of Arctic deployment capacity and generational renewal of undersea fleet

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan Sign Mutual Defense Pact in Mecca Saudi Arabia Seeks Regional Primacy Through Diplomatic Influence and Partners’ Military Strength Middle East Power Map Poised for Realignment Across the US, China, Russia and Other Major Powers

Japan doubled defense spending in three years; Europe still argues over percentages Germany faces the same China shock Japan absorbed decades ago, only slower Japan's soft power now outpaces France's, a shift Europe has barely noticed

50% steel and aluminum tariffs crush the price competitiveness of imports AI data centers and power infrastructure investment generate massive steel demand Tariff protection and the AI boom revive the U.S.

The EU got Japan's tariff rate in 2025, ranking it a managed market, not an equal Chinese EV tariffs failed; car exports rose 26% the next year anyway Japan's faster defense buildup is a playbook Europe hasn't seriously adopted yet

Iran and Oman Near Agreement on Service Fees for Strait of Hormuz Transit Europe Signals Willingness to Compromise as Cost of Upholding Freedom of Navigation Rises Gulf States Face Diverging Fortunes Depending on Access to Bypass Infrastructure Ir