Flávio Bolsonaro finished first in the Brazil elections, 47 percent to Lula's 45, after every major poll had Lula ahead. The runoff is October 25. Behind the numbers: a father serving 27 years, a judge who shut down X, a Congress that moved right, and a candidate offering Washington rare earths and a seat in the Shield of the Americas.
The BRICS summit in New Delhi ended with a 45-page declaration that never names the United States. Modi rebuked China over critical minerals, Russia won silence about Ukraine, Iran left with its existing payment channels endorsed, not defended, and no common currency appeared. Eleven countries, eleven agendas, one photograph.
In one month, non-aligned Indonesia trained with the US military and the Chinese navy. One suitor can protect her; the other claims her waters but pays the bills. Nickel, sea lanes, the Uyghur silence, and two revealing surveys explain the double romance of the flirting Garuda, and why Taiwan is the clock ticking on her choice.
Russia offers Sudan weapons and promises while it seeks gold, mining concessions, and a 25 year naval base at Port Sudan. The Russia Sudan alliance would place Kremlin warships near the Suez Canal while millions of Sudanese starve. Meet the dictators, the militias, and the foreign powers feeding one of the world's cruelest wars.
The Africa integration crisis deepens this week as the US and China race for cobalt, lithium, and rare earths across the continent. From AFRICOM's faith outreach to Djibouti's mounting debt to China, see the forces shaping Africa's future, and why America's investment model differs sharply from Beijing's extraction approach.
China invested for two decades while Washington looked away. Now Uruguay warns Europe to ratify Mercosur or lose South America to Beijing. A hard look at how Washington, Brussels, and China have approached Latin America, and why America needs a real Latin America strategy before it loses the hemisphere for good, before it is too late.
Chile just offered Argentina its Pacific ports to ship Vaca Muerta gas to Asia, a defensive move against Peru's Chinese-built Chancay megaport. The Chile China corridor story also touches lithium, a surging Chinese fishing fleet, and a submarine cable fight that disrupted Chile's own presidential transition. Here is the full picture.
Congo conflict minerals are at the center of a war most people know nothing about. The DRC produces 70% of the world's cobalt and 60% of global coltan reserves. Those minerals power your phone, your electric vehicle, and precision missiles. China controls most of it. A rebel group controls the mines. America must pay attention.
Brazil rare earths hold 23% of global reserves, second only to China. Lula told Trump: all investment welcome, but processing stays on Brazilian soil. A 2,800 million dollar US acquisition of Serra Verde is on the table. If America loses this deal, China moves in fast. The window is closing, and Beijing is already watching closely.
G7 rare earths took center stage in Paris, May 2026, as finance ministers warned of China's 90% stranglehold on global processing. With the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed and oil above $103, the West is finally treating mineral dependency as the national security emergency it always was.
The Bolivian socialist crisis reveals the true face of radical left-wing politics in South America. Former president Evo Morales is using armed militias to block highways and starve cities to escape human trafficking charges. Meanwhile, unverified reports suggest Colombian guerrillas are entering the country to offer tactical support.
Kazakhstan produces 43% of the world's uranium — and China is locking it up fast. Beijing has signed $25,000 million in deals, is building Kazakhstan's nuclear plants, and controls key supply chains. America owns less than 1% of global uranium reserves. While Trump rebuilds U.S. nuclear power, China is already securing the fuel.
