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North America
United States
September 19, 2025 Debating the war. NATO’s European leaders - Rutte. Macron, Mertz, Starmer - have no coherent alternative to Trump’s search for peace. They offer no prospect of a Ukrainian victory, only the continuation of a war likely to end in a Ukrainian defeat. They have neither the guts to take the fight directly to the Russians, nor the clarity to understand that a quick end to the fighting offers the best outcome for Ukraine itself. The Finnish analogy of 1939–40, when Finland won its true independence from Russia, even at the cost of conceding some of its territory, has escaped them and Zelensky. For present purposes, it is perhaps enough to end on Trump’s repeated call to stop the killing. The prosecution sees this as an ego-driven quest for a Nobel Peace prize, at the expense of Ukraine, NATO, and the world order which the United States itself created. That the effort to secure a peace prize should be ipso facto interpreted as ignoble tells us a lot about the mindset of the Western commentariat. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). /Source: The Nation - U.S./
by Skidelsky, a member of the British House of Lords, a professor emeritus of political economy at Warwick University, and the author of a prize-winning three-volume biography of Keynes.
September 18, 2025 Saudi Arabia and UAE's holdings of US Treasuries increased in July. Foreign holdings surge to high for third straight month, while China sells. Foreign holdings of Treasuries soared to $9.159 trillion in July, up from $9.126 trillion in June. It is the third straight month foreigners' holdings had hit an all-time high. Saudi Arabia's holdings slightly increased to $131.7 billion in July from $130.6 billion in june. UAE holdings of Treasuries reached $107.8 billion in July. Japan, the largest foreign holder of Treasuries, increased its stockpile to $1.15 trillion. Britain and France increased their holdings to $899.3 billion and $392 billion, respectively. Foreign investors hold about 30 per cent of all US Treasuries. China's holdings: from $756.4 billion in June to $730.7 billion in July. Belgium's holdings also fell, by about $5 billion to $428.2 billion in July. (Source: The National - United Arab Emirates)
(Wednesday), September 17, 2025 Latin America and the Caribbean have long been seen as part of U.S.'s sphere of influence. In July, U.S. and Panamanian forces trained to safeguard the security of the Panama Canal and other strategic infrastructure in the country. Exercise UNITAS 2025 commenced on Monday is scheduled to conclude on October 6, featuring about 8,000 personnel from 25 countries, including Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. UNITAS is the world's longest-running annual multinational maritime drill. Over 2,000 Marines and foreign service members will conduct realistic training. Canada, France, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain the U.S. and Germany, Greece, Italy have also deployed aircraft, ships and submarines for the drill. Participating forces would conduct operations off the U.S. East Coast and ashore near Naval Station Mayport in Florida, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command said. (Source: Miami Herald / Newsweek = U.S.)
South America
Peru
(Wednesday), September 17, 2025 On Monday, Peru was declared by the U.S. as one of the major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries for 2026. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the South American country is among the world's top three producers of coca bush-the plant from which coca leaves are processed to produce cocaine. Peru's request to purchase 10 F-16C Block 70 and two F-16D Block 70 aircraft had been approved by the State Department. In addition, this possible sale includes 14 F110-GE-129 fighter jet engines, 12 AIM-120C-8 and 12 AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missiles, as well as 12 M61A1 anti-aircraft guns, for an estimated cost of $3.42 billion. The fighter jets will enhance the Peruvian air force's ability to conduct precision air-to-ground attack operations in support of ground forces in counternarcotics and counterterrorism operations. According to Lockheed Martin, the Block 70 is the newest and most advanced variant of the F-16 family of fighter jets, providing greater radar capabilities, enhanced battlespace awareness and unmatched weapon integration. Peru is set to become the fourth F-16 jet operator in South America, following Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. (Source: Miami Herald / Newsweek = U.S.)
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