. Historical context: Early signs of subsidence The story of sinking cities in China did not start with the country’s explosive economic growth in recent decades. The first signs appeared nearly a century ago. According to research, cities like Shanghai and Tianjin have been subsiding since the 1920s. This early subsidence was subtle, and often overlooked amid the chaos of the early 20th century. But it laid the foundation for the bigger sinking we see today. Three major subsidence zones and representative cities in China (Image: Hu et al. 2004; Xu et al. 2008). In Shanghai, historical records show that parts of the city had already sunk by 1.76 meters between 1921 and 1965. This early subsidence was mainly because of the extraction of groundwater to support the growing population and emerging industries. The soft, compressible soil of the Yangtze River Delta, where Shanghai is built, made the city more prone to this kind of settlement. Tianjin, another coastal megacity, started to show subsidence in the 1930s. By the 1960s, parts of the city had sunk over a meter. Groundwater extraction was once again to blame, and it would only worsen in the following decades. These early subsidence cases were the canary in the coal mine, warning of the bigger and more severe subsidence that would plague many Chinese cities in the late 1900s and early 2000s. Industrialization era In the mid-20th century, China underwent a transformation as it embarked on an industrialization path. Over this period, China’s urban landscape changed dramatically, especially between the 1950s and the 1970s. Cities that were once centers of trade and culture became industrial giants overnight. China’s industrialization was crucial to its economic growth but the stability of metropolitan areas was inadvertently affected. With factories sprouting up and industrial output booming, water demand increased exponentially for industrial processes and to support the growing urban workforce. This led to even more groundwater withdrawal, which further worsened the subsidence problem that had started decades before. Source: @EarthOrg

. NOT CHINA, NOT the US: BRAZIL PRODUCES 93% of the WORLD'S NIOBIUM! The numbers for 2025 🇧🇷 Brazil: 104,000 tonnes (90-93%) 🇨🇦 Canada: 6,000 tonnes (5.4%) 🇨🇩 DR Congo: 970 tonnes (0.9%) 🇷🇺 Russia: 300 tonnes (0.3%) 🇨🇳 China: Just 40 tonnes (less than 0.1%) Global production: approximately 112,000 tonnes. So, one country dominates the global supply of a little-known but strategically important metal. Why does niobium matter? ** Niobium makes steel stronger and lighter. It is used in bridges, pipelines, cars and aerospace components. ** It is also finding new applications in fast-charging battery technology. An interesting detail: China accounts for almost half of Brazil's ferroniobium exports, while the United States depends entirely on imports for its niobium supply. Brazil does not just produce more niobium than any other country. It produces more than 17 times as much as Canada, the world's second-largest producer. A reminder that the global supply of critical minerals is not dominated by China in every case. Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (2025 estimates), Brazilian Geological Survey, limesonline

❗️ Vaca Muerta just did Argentina a major (new) favor: Nearly 100 years of oil production In August 2026, a new study raised the estimated technically recoverable oil resources in Vaca Muerta from 16.2 billion barrels (2013 estimate) to 30.2 billion barrels, an increase of 89%, or roughly 14 billion extra barrels. At current production rates, this is equivalent to nearly 100 years of oil production (or about 250 years of exports). So far, only around 558 million barrels have been produced, less than 2% of the new estimate. The extra 14 billion barrels represent a very large resource. Even at moderate oil prices, the gross value runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Exact future value depends on prices, costs, and how much can actually be developed. This is a big revision. It shows that the real size of the resource was previously underestimated. The new question is simple: Will there be another update in the coming years? We don’t know yet. But if the resource keeps being revised upward, Vaca Muerta’s long-term potential could be even larger than currently estimated. Source: @eia, @reuters, @ComexOnlineArg, bowtiedmara

Data, chart and sources: eco3min.fr/en/us-pce-inflati…

. This is the economy... US tariffs on China are redirecting Chinese goods toward Latin America The charts show the estimated impact of 2025 US tariffs on China’s exports to the region, and the rise in China’s share of Latin American car imports. According to the estimates, the tariffs increased Chinese exports to major Latin American economies by several percentage points. Mexico is expected to see the largest rise (around 7.5%), followed by Brazil (around 5.8%), Colombia (around 3.3%), and Chile (around 2.8%). At the same time, China’s share of Latin American passenger car imports has risen sharply. It was near 3% in 2015 and has climbed above 30% by 2025. US tariffs are pushing more Chinese goods into Latin America, and China is gaining a larger share in key sectors such as cars. Source: @IMFNews

. District heating is set to grow steadily worldwide Global district heat supply is projected to rise from roughly 8 EJ per year in 2025 to over 11 EJ by 2060. Europe and Greater China account for the largest shares, while North East Eurasia and the rest of the world also expand. North America’s contribution remains smaller but increases over time. The chart shows steady growth across all major regions through 2060. Source: DNV

. China's medtech industry gets far more state support than OECD peers! China's medical technology companies receive substantial financial support from the government. According to 122 listed Chinese medtech firms: 2017: State support was approximately 8% of company revenue. 2019: It fell to around 5.2%. 2022: It climbed back to about 8.3%. China's benchmark: Around 4.4% of revenue. OECD benchmark: Below 1%. Where does the support come from? Subsidies, tax benefits, below-market borrowing and government-backed equity financing. By 2022, tax benefits had become the largest component of direct fiscal support, while preferential equity financing also played a significant role. So ... Government support can help Chinese medtech companies expand production, invest in R&D and compete on price. Source: @merics_eu

There is nothing screaming more failed CAPITALISM than millions of Americans with no job or a living wage, and millions w/o insurance or what they have, covers nothing close to medical bills piling up... 🇺🇸😱 The alternative, free health care... piped.video/-wRu0rJ1DUY?is=ydnf…

🇮🇹 Italy, 🇹🇷 Türkiye, 🇮🇱 Israel, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇺🇦 Ukranie, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇰🇪 Kenya Legal decisions that CHANGED the course of political history Can a single court ruling change the future of a country? Wars, elections and economic crises can change history. But sometimes, a decision made by a handful of judges can be just as important. Here are seven remarkable examples 🇮🇹 ITALY (1990s) INVESTIGATIONS THAT HELPED END A POLITICAL ERA The Mani Pulite corruption investigations exposed widespread corruption involving Italy's political and business elites. Several long-established political parties collapsed or underwent major transformations. The courts did not directly dissolve the entire party system. But the investigations, together with public anger and political change, helped bring Italy's First Republic to an end. The result was a radically different political landscape. 🇹🇷 TÜRKİYE (2008), ONE VOTE THAT KEPT A GOVERNMENT IN POWER** Türkiye's Constitutional Court came close to banning the ruling Justice and Development Party. Six of the eleven judges voted to close the party. Seven votes were required. The Justice and Development Party survived by just one vote, although its state funding was cut in half. The ruling allowed the party to remain in power and continue shaping Türkiye's political and institutional development. 🇮🇱 ISRAEL (2026), A COURT DECISION THAT KEPT PARTIES ON THE BALLOT Ahead of the October 2026 election, Israel's Central Elections Committee moved to disqualify two major Arab-led political groups. On October 2, the Supreme Court overturned the bans, allowing the Joint List and Ra'am to participate. In the October 27 election, the two groups won a record **19 seats** in the 120-seat Knesset. The ruling protected their right to compete and helped preserve an important part of political representation. It did not, by itself, determine the election outcome. 🇺🇸 UNITED STATES (2000), THE PRESIDENCY DECIDED BY 537 VOTES The presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore came down to Florida. The Supreme Court's *Bush v. Gore* ruling effectively ended the recount. Bush's certified margin in Florida was just **537 votes**. The ruling left Bush's victory standing, influencing the direction of American politics at a time when major global events were about to unfold. 🇺🇦 UKRAINE (2004), THE COURT THAT ORDERED A NEW ELECTION During the Orange Revolution, widespread protests challenged the results of Ukraine's presidential election. The Supreme Court invalidated the disputed second-round results and ordered a repeat vote. The new election brought Viktor Yushchenko to power. This became a major moment in Ukraine's democratic development and its evolving relationship with Russia and Europe. 🇹🇭 THAILAND (2006–2024), WHEN COURTS DISSOLVE POLITICAL PARTIES Thailand's Constitutional Court has repeatedly dissolved influential political parties. In 2024, it dissolved Move Forward, the party that won the most seats in the 2023 general election. The ruling also imposed ten-year political bans on several party leaders. These decisions have had major consequences for political competition and have raised continuing debates over democracy, constitutional law and judicial power. 🇰🇪 KENYA (2017), THE COURT THAT CANCELLED A PRESIDENTIAL VICTORY Kenya's Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election following irregularities in the electoral process. It ordered a new presidential vote. This was a historic first in Africa: a court invalidated the re-election of a sitting president. The decision became an important example of judicial oversight of elections. ***THE BIGGER PICTURE*** These seven cases show different ways courts can influence history. Some decisions protect parties from being banned. Others change election procedures, dissolve political organizations or expose corruption that transforms entire political systems. Their long-term effects depend on many forces, including voters, political leaders and public institutions. Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Reuters, AP, BBC News, Library of Congress, Oxford Academic, The Times of Israel, Wikipedia

. Just 18 plants worldwide produce semiconductor-grade neon Where are these plants? 🇨🇳 China 🇩🇪 Germany 🇷🇺 Russia 🇺🇦 Ukraine 🇺🇸 USA This is striking reminder of how fragile the chip supply chain can be. The map also shows how neon purification depends on links with steelmaking and crude helium-neon gas production. Why does this matter? Neon is essential for semiconductor manufacturing, especially in lithography. When supply is concentrated in so few facilities, any disruption, war, shutdowns, trade restrictions, or industrial accidents, can quickly become a global chip risk. A tiny upstream bottleneck can have huge downstream consequences. Source: @BofA_Business

🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷 Türkiye’s military sphere Türkiye has broadened its military reach through bases, deployments, and defense exports. The map highlights key elements of this presence - Military bases / presence: Syria, Iraq, Libya, Qatar, Somalia, and others. - Bayraktar TB2 usage: Multiple locations across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond (including Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Libya, Ethiopia, and others). - Portugal: Türkiye’s STM is building two logistics support ships (Auxiliary Oiler Replenishers) for the Portuguese Navy, the country’s first military ship export to an EU and NATO member. Deliveries are planned for 2028. - Indonesia: Defense cooperation involving aircraft/drone systems and joint production. Through a combination of overseas bases, drone exports, and naval platform sales, Türkiye has significantly expanded its military footprint from the Middle East and Africa to Europe and Asia. Source: @BBVAResearch

**🇰🇷 ** 🇰🇷 ** 🇰🇷 ** SOUTH KOREA: ONE STEP AWAY FROM THE $1 TRILLION EXPORT CLUB! South Korea is about to enter a new league in global trade. Only the US, China and Germany have reached $1 trillion in annual merchandise exports before. Now South Korea is close to becoming the fourth. A remarkable export boom ** October 2026: $115.3 billion, up 93.7% from a year earlier! **January–October: $930 billion, up 60.6%! ** Just $70 billion left to reach $1 trillion! The October growth rate was the strongest since 1974. What is driving this growth? ** Semiconductors: $56.4 billion in October, up 259.4%. ** Chips accounted for nearly 49% of total exports. ** Computers: Exports jumped 496.6%, driven by demand for AI servers. Other products: Exports excluding semiconductors also grew 34%. Demand is rising across major markets 🇨🇳 China: +133.6% 🇺🇸 United States: +185.8% 🇪🇺 Europe: +56.4% 🌏 Southeast Asia: +128.0% The bigger story: South Korea's export growth is increasingly driven by semiconductors and global AI investment. But there is also a risk: The more Korea depends on chips, the more exposed it becomes to changes in the global semiconductor market. At the current pace, South Korea could join the $1 trillion export club in November 2026. Sources: South Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources; Korea Customs Service, Reuters (November 2026), @ChannelNewsAsia

. India's transmission lines: targets vs. achievements The data reveals a significant gap between ambition and execution in India’s power sector. Over the past five years, the country has managed to meet only about 80% of its transmission line planning targets. - The execution gap: Years like 2025 and 2026 show a noticeable shortfall between target circuit kilometers (light blue) and what was actually achieved (dark blue). - The aggressive horizon: Despite missing past goals, the targets for the coming years look like a massive reset. The planning for 2027 spikes up to an unprecedented 25,000 kilometers, followed by a sharp drop and another massive surge towards 2030. It looks like a cycle of falling behind, resetting the board, and aiming even higher. Building the grid at this scale is crucial for India's clean energy transition, but setting aggressive targets means nothing without closing the implementation gap.

❗️❗️❗️ Japan and Korea: Balance of payments flows (% of GDP, rolling 12-month) Some interesting insights! 🇯🇵 Japan: A large and stable primary income surplus, at around 6% of GDP, is the main source of inflows. Goods trade contributes relatively little. FDI and other flows account for most of the outflows. 🇰🇷 South Korea: The goods trade surplus has risen sharply, from around 6% to nearly 15% of GDP. At the same time, equity investment and other outflows have increased significantly, nearly matching the inflows by July 2026. The key difference: Japan relies mainly on income from overseas investments, while Korea relies heavily on goods exports. Both economies have substantial offsetting outflows. Source: Haver Analytics; IMF staff calculations

The promise to lower health insurance premiums is a scam. 1. You have no idea how long this reduction will last or how much you’ll actually save. 2. The ones taking credit for these savings are the Democrats themselves, essentially taking the money out of their own budget. 3. Lower premiums would only hurt the middlemen, brokers, the insurance providers. It wouldn’t even affect hospitals’ benefits. Do you have any idea how much hospitals and the legs make every year just from insurance payments?

While recent public rhetoric from Tehran specifically pressured nations like the UK, Germany, Italy, and Portugal,🇧🇬's Bezmer Air Base and 🇷🇴's Deveselu facility are already firmly on 🇮🇷's military blacklist and are treated as front-line targets in Iranian contingency planning.