Rare Earth Metals and Myanmar's Civil War

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-explores-rare-earth-deal-with-myanmar-rebels-after-chinese-curbs-2025-09-10/

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/India-negotiates-with-ethnic-militias-for-Myanmar's-rare-earths-63878.html

This is a somewhat intriguing turn of events. On the one hand India and China are trying to work together in the context of BRICS - which Washington perceives with hostility. On the other hand, the US and India have at times worked together to counter China, and for a time it looked like New Delhi had moved solidly into the US camp - with huge trade and military deals in the works. But then Trump came on to the scene and everything went sideways.

BRICS, Brazil, and the Dollar

https://www.agweb.com/markets/pro-farmer-analysis/brics-nations-accelerate-shift-away-u-s-dollar-global-trade

https://trt.global/world/article/b73a9e89ed67 

The lead-up to the July 2025 BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro was the source of a great deal of hype and speculation. Would the BRICS bloc make a more aggressive move against the dollar?

The Christian Right in Europe, Book Recommendations, and a Case of Confused Worldview

https://cne.news/article/4772-seven-books-to-sharpen-your-christian-worldview

The article's set-up leads me to believe that once again the evocation of 'worldview' is not in the sense of a comprehensive and coherent system of thought but rather the rubber-stamping of an agenda. As such, it is in keeping with its frequent use within American Evangelicalism.

The Multifaceted Competition Continues in Central Asia

https://eurasianet.org/us-strikes-mineral-deals-with-uzbekistan-tashkent-report

https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyz-pm-gets-polite-brush-off-by-us-business-executives

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/china-intrudes-in-russias-backyard-as-moscow/

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Central-Asia-and-Beijing-after-the-Astana-summit-63374.html

https://eurasianet.org/united-states-and-russia-angling-for-influence-in-turkmenistan

https://eurasianet.org/rumors-of-chinese-land-deals-spark-public-unease-in-uzbekistan

As Ankara seeks to work with Azerbaijan in the creation of a new energy and trade corridor connected to Central Asia, the other big players are also quite active and the region is astir.

Washington's Latest Moves Against Beijing

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/21/quad-leaders-meet-in-bidens-hometown-amid-growing-china-competition

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-testing-us-all-joe-biden-caught-on-mic-telling-quad-leaders-101726970216499.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/biden-proposes-banning-chinese-vehicles-us-roads-with-software-crackdown-2024-09-23/

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/09/economist-calls-trumps-threat-to-tariff-countries-that-shun-the-dollar-a-lose-lose.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-keeps-missile-system-philippines-china-tensions-rise-tests-wartime-deployment-2024-09-19/

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3279516/us-typhon-missile-system-philippines-has-china-facing-more-tense-security-situation

At the end of September, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QUAD met in Delaware. This is the most comprehensive of the new network of alliances created by Washington to combat China. The Quad is comprised of India, Japan, Australia, and the United States. This is in addition to AUKUS which has a more robust security element. What's important about the Quad is that it incorporates India and as such is critical to the US 'Indo-Pacific' framing of geo-politics and strategy vis-à-vis Beijing. AUKUS has more teeth but the Quad has the potential to be more important.

The Balochistan Insurgency and Opposition to the BRI in Pakistan

https://dialogue.earth/en/business/pakistan-and-china-pursue-corridor-dream-despite-financial-security-risks/

The article began relating events surrounding the Balochi insurgency in southwest Pakistan but as it progressed I realized it was an anti-China piece critical of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the larger Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The port of Gwadar has been an object of interest for some time and tangible evidence of the breakdown of US-Pakistani relations. India is also less than keen on the project.

Evangelical Misunderstandings of Modi's Relationship with the US

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/indias-pm-modi-wages-war-against-christians-with-impunity.html

Pardon my cynicism but if Trump were president I don't think this criticism would be levied with quite as much zeal and earnest as we see in this piece from the so-called Christian Post. In some respects the article was refreshing but in others ridiculous.

The Age of Lithium, India, and Argentina

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/eye-on-china-india-inks-first-overseas-lithium-mining-deal-for-five-blocks-in-argentina/articleshow/106874549.cms?from=mdr

Milei is eager to please the Western and international banking establishment and he needs to generate revenue for the coffers of the Argentinean state.

Pakistan's Internal Affairs

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been arrested again and has now been sentenced to prison. Ousted from office in April 2022, he has repeatedly insisted the US played a role in what many view as a bureaucratic coup.

A Non-Aligned Movement for a New World Order

https://consortiumnews.com/2023/06/19/emergence-of-a-new-non-alignment/

A New World Order is emerging but it's not the one predicted by George HW Bush in the early 1990's. In fact this is the order he was trying to prevent, the nightmare scenario US power-brokers have been trying to stave off since that time. Ironically, they brought it on themselves but that's a long story - one that cannot be explored here.

South Africa, BRICS, and Ukraine

South Africa has been catching quite a bit of flak as of late from the Western media. The ruling ANC has refused to openly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and worse, they are planning to participate in military exercises in February with both China and Russia.

Sri Lanka and Russian Oil

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/sri-lanka-is-open-buying-russian-oil-pm-tells-ap-2022-06-12/

As a country in a state of turmoil and caught between political and financial forces based both in China and the West, Colombo is looking for other options. And for obvious reasons Moscow is also looking for new markets. While the Russian oil industry has jumped through numerous hoops and played games with pricing to keep their markets open, the possibility of new markets must be appealing for those in Russia.

The Hydrogen Economy and the Geopolitics of German-Indian Cooperation

https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/germany-signs-hydrogen-cooperation-agreement-with-india/

Hydrogen is in the news again. This in itself is an interesting development as two major world economies are pledging to work together. As the infrastructure is in the early stages, such agreements are going to generate a boom in shipping, ports, and possibly pipelines. The hydrogen can be transported by being converted and there are various options for this. These new technologies are opening up a new energy economy – and if it develops it's going to change the world and the world order.

The Echoes of War in Asia

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/04/10/indonesia-us-war-games/

Even as the War in Ukraine rages on and the eye of the world is focused on the NATO frontier, there are storm clouds forming over Asia and signs that US militarism is preparing to assert itself on the Chinese frontier as well. Far from being passive, the Biden administration has been at the forefront of the re-assertion of the US Empire.

The Current Geopolitics of Sri Lanka

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/china-bags-another-lucrative-port-deal-in-sri-lanka

Sri Lanka has been the focus of a struggle between China and Washington for many years. India is also a player more or less serving or echoing the interests of the United States. India has an interest due to the large island's proximity and the fact that the Hindu Tamil people (a minority in Sri Lanka) have a significant population in India itself. For China and the United States, the interests are economic and strategic.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is known to be pro-China and this was one of the reasons he was forced out as president in 2015. After several years of ineffective rule, Rajapaksa returned to power in 2019 as prime minister under his brother's presidency. Sri Lanka's already suffering economy has taken a beating during the Covid era and 2021 has seen the nation slip into crisis mode.

Missile Militarism in Asia

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/10/28/india-tests-ballistic-missile/

As China intensifies its missile programmes, India is keen to do the same. While Beijing's primary focus is on the US Navy and in particular its fleet of aircraft carriers, an East Asian War would almost certainly involve India. Beijing and New Delhi have been on edge for decades and thus India is pursuing this technology and as with all tests – sending a signal.

Cold War II: Putting Pressure on China

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/08/05/india-indigenous-aircraft-carrier/

Indian tanks have been seen on maneuvers less than thirty miles from the Chinese border in Ladakh. While the Ladakh-Tibet border does not represent an existential threat to Beijing, the area has been contentious since the two modern nations were formed in the 1940's. China doesn't want to see any kind of turmoil or trouble on the Tibet border – but you can be sure Washington is doing all it can to encourage India to make that trouble.

Building the Anti-Beijing Bloc: Biden and Tibet

https://www.centralasianews.net/news/270504470/in-india-blinken-meets-representative-of-dalai-lama

The article is most correct. Beijing will respond to this meeting with great hostility. The Dalai Lama and all things Tibet are touchy. Tibet is one of the three 'T' issues – Tibet, Tiananmen, and Taiwan – issues not to be spoken of and that can land one in hot water with the authorities.

Kyrgyzstan's Latest Round of Unrest

Central Asia is complicated. It's not the Balkans but it's not a region that's easily explained or understood. The current crisis in Kyrgyzstan can be summed as a struggle between two factions – one, the group headed by former president Almazbek Atambayev (2011-2017) who has been in and out of prison and was recently subjected to an assassination attempt.

The rival faction is represented by Sooronbay Jeenbekov who was president from 2017 until 15 October 2020 when he resigned and was replaced by Sadyr Japarov whom we will mention again below.

This is partly an internal struggle over control of the Kyrgyz political order. There's a great deal of corruption and shadowy business dealings, there are international players and as expected there are questions surrounding the black market, drugs and organised crime. Kyrgyzstan has emerged as a key point on the smuggling route between Afghanistan and the Russian Federation. There is also great mineral wealth which continues to play a part in the nation's struggles.

Ethical Dissonance: Western Evangelicalism and BJP India

https://www.mnnonline.org/news/dear-mr-pompeo-please-hold-india-accountable-for-its-oppression/

Confusion reigns as the compromised Western Church has no moral standing. Allying itself with political power, the Evangelical movement and its allies call upon the likes of Pompeo to use the power of the American Empire to curtail the anti-Christian policies of Modi's BJP.