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From the Editor
This week, our coverage underscores the fragile and often volatile intersections of power, policy, and human cost. From Southeast Asia to the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Europe, we see agreements unravel, rules bent, and systemic gaps exploited. Thailand’s renewed border strikes against Cambodia challenge the durability of diplomatic accords, while U.S. counter‑narcotics operations raise urgent questions about legality, oversight, and human rights.
Technology and trade policy collide in the H200 AI chip deal, revealing a transactional approach to national security. Investigations into Argentine football and European crypto networks expose the hidden flows of illicit finance. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Egypt and economic anomalies in India remind us that human lives and livelihoods remain at the center of global developments.
In closing, I pay tribute to my first professional editor, Diana French, who passed away aged 94 on Sunday, December 7. Fierce in pursuing every story and demanding the best from young journalists, she worked tirelessly for her community. Community journalists may not be widely known, but their impact is invaluable. Diana’s legacy lives on in the journalists she inspired and in the Canadian community of Williams Lake, B.C., which she championed.
Please share this issue using the link at the end. Let’s dive into the stories shaping the week.
David Eifion Williams
Editor & Founder
TOP STORY
Thailand Hits Cambodia Despite Trump Deal
Escalating border clashes threaten the July ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump, raising doubts over whether the agreement ever resolved the underlying dispute.
An old dispute over temples and borders reignites.
Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian positions on Monday after new fighting broke out along their disputed border, according to officials from both governments. The clashes centre on long-contested temple complexes, and represent the most serious escalation since the two sides agreed to a US-brokered de-escalation framework earlier this year..
The border has remained volatile for decades, with both Thailand and Cambodia claiming sovereignty over sites including Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom. Much of the disagreement stems from French colonial-era mapping from 1907, which successive governments have interpreted differently. Tensions rose again last month after a landmine blast wounded a Thai soldier; Bangkok subsequently signalled it was reassessing its commitments under the Trump-era accord.
The renewed violence carries broader political implications. For Washington, the confrontation poses an early test of whether President Trump’s dealmaking in Southeast Asia carries lasting weight or becomes vulnerable to rapid reversal. Regional diplomats note that Malaysia previously attempted to mediate in the dispute, underscoring persistent questions about ASEAN’s ability to manage conflicts among its own members.
This isn’t just about temples. It is a test of whether Donald Trump’s dealmaking is reinforced or further questioned. Malaysia has previously assisted in peacemaking efforts, raising familiar doubts over whether ASEAN can meaningfully police disputes between its own members.
COUNTER-NARCOTICS
US Drug Strike Kills Survivors
At least 87 dead in Caribbean operations now facing war crime allegations.
UN calls for an immediate halt to prevent "extrajudicial killing.”
Pentagon summaries and congressional testimony indicate the Trump administration's naval strikes against suspected drug boats have killed at least 87 people across 22 operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific as of December 4.
Controversy erupted over a September "double-tap" strike that killed survivors clinging to a capsized, inoperable vessel after an initial missile attack. Representative Adam Smith “in remarks to the House Armed Services Committee described video showing "basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water – until the missiles come and kill them."
UN High Commissioner Volker Türk called for an immediate halt to prevent "extrajudicial killing," while Colombia claims one victim was a fisherman, not a trafficker.
The legal basis remains murky, with a Justice Department memo stating the U.S. is simultaneously in and not in a "non-international armed conflict" with cartels. Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth both deny authorizing the September “double-tap” (striking again after initial survivors emerged), blaming Admiral Bradley. Yet, Trump announced the military would "very soon" conduct land-based strikes in South American countries.
The administration can't have it both ways. Either this is a war with rules of engagement and oversight, or it's law enforcement with warrants and due process. Right now it's neither, which is how you get missiles fired at unarmed survivors.
TECHNOLOGY
Trump OKs AI Chip Sales Despite Security Risk
H200 AI chips cleared for export with unprecedented revenue-sharing scheme.
Nvidia gets access to the Chinese market, Trump's government gets a 25% cut.
President Trump granted Nvidia permission to ship its H200 artificial intelligence chip to China in exchange for a 25% surcharge paid to the U.S. government. The decision announced today reverses months of export restrictions and comes after intensive lobbying by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who argued that U.S. export rules backfired by accelerating China's domestic chip development.
Bipartisan opposition emerged immediately, with Senator Pete Ricketts declaring that "denying Beijing access to these AI chips is essential to our national security." Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted a November 2025 DOJ indictment showing that H200 and other Nvidia chips were being illegally smuggled into China, questioning why the administration would now legitimize the practice.
The H200 delivers nearly six times the performance of the H20 processors available to Chinese customers, though Trump excluded even more advanced Blackwell and Rubin chips. Analysts suggest the move boosts China's AI capabilities significantly while the revenue-sharing model creates an unprecedented financial incentive structure in export controls.
This is national security policy through corporate negotiation. Nvidia gets access to the Chinese market, Trump's government gets a 25% cut, and nobody seems to be asking whether giving China near-cutting-edge AI compute is wise regardless of who profits.
💰 CORRUPTION, RACKETS & DUBIOUS FINANCE
Football Clubs Raided Over Alleged Money Laundering
Federal police in Argentina conducted a sweeping raid of the AFA and several top‑tier clubs — including Racing Club, San Lorenzo de Almagro and Independiente — as part of a major money‑laundering investigation tied to financial‑services firm Sur Finanzas. Prosecutors allege suspicious transfers through Sur Finanzas’ payment platforms — including a questionable loan to one club later folded into its assets under unclear terms.
€700 M Crypto Fraud & Laundering Ring Dismantled
Authorities across multiple European countries coordinated a multi‑phase operation that dismantled a vast criminal network. The group used deceptive ads, fake trading platforms and call‑centre‑led social engineering to lure victims into “investments,” then laundered the proceeds — over €700 million in total — through a web of crypto exchanges and blockchain addresses. The first raids, in October 2025, arrested nine suspects and seized bank accounts, cash, crypto‑assets and luxury goods. A second wave of arrests on 25–26 November targeted the marketing and advertising infrastructure — including firms behind deceptive social‑media ads and deep‑fake‑style promotions — revealing the industrial scale of the scam’s recruitment machine.
MIDDLE EAST
Gaza Ceasefire Stalls Amid Violation Claims
Hamas refuses second phase talks as fragile truce shows strain.
Peace deal fragile and tense. The ceasefire is holding but strained.
A senior Hamas official said the ceasefire cannot proceed to its second phase, citing what he called persistent Israeli ‘violations,’ though the group did not specify the alleged breaches. The statement comes as the ceasefire enters its third month, with both sides accusing each other of bad faith.
Hamas's political bureau claims Israel continues violating the agreement and evading commitments, though specific allegations weren't detailed in public statements.
President Donald Trump, speaking in an interview on Tuesday, warned Israel that “regional stability is at stake” and urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to take actions that could unravel ongoing diplomatic efforts. U.S. officials say the message was intended as leverage ahead of Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington later this month, where the survival of the Gaza ceasefire is expected to be a central topic.
Every Middle East ceasefire reaches this moment where the easy part (stopping the shooting) gives way to the hard part (actually resolving anything). Phase two requires prisoner exchanges, reconstruction access, and political commitments neither side wants to make.
ECONOMICS
India Grows Fast With Almost No Inflation
An economic surge with 8.2% GDP growth challenges conventional inflation wisdom worldwide.
India’s economy booms with virtually no inflation.
India's economy grew 8.2% year-over-year in the July-September quarter, its fastest pace in six quarters, while consumer inflation plunged to historic lows around 0.25-0.3% in October. The unprecedented combination prompted the Reserve Bank of India to cut rates on December 5 while raising its full-year growth forecast to 7.3%.
This defies conventional economic wisdom that rapid growth fuels inflation, with India achieving what most developed economies struggle to balance. The RBI's 4% inflation target now looks almost comically high compared to actual performance, raising questions about whether structural changes in the Indian economy have altered traditional relationships between growth and prices.
Critical US-India trade talks are scheduled for December 10-11, with markets watching for signals about tariffs and trade agreements. Despite strong macroeconomic tailwinds, equity markets remain choppy, and analysts warn that global economic conditions can shift rapidly.
When an economy this large breaks the inflation-growth trade-off that defines modern central banking, it demands explanation. Is this a temporary anomaly from supply-side improvements, or has India discovered something about managing emerging market growth that contradicts Western models?
🕵️ INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
Egypt ramps up Sudanese refugee deportations
The New Humanitarian reports that Egyptian security forces have significantly escalated deportations of Sudanese refugees over the past 12 months, detaining and deporting many — including individuals holding valid UNHCR‑issued refugee cards. The investigation draws on leaked government documents, testimonies from refugees and lawyers, and data from local refugee organizations, exposing an apparent systematic campaign rather than isolated incidents.
THE WEEK TO DEC 9, 2025
Trending in the US
Americans may have paid attention to national and world news, but judging by their internet searches, US football teams topped their concerns. Professional and college football leagues haven’t got long to go before they finish their seasons, and following Thanksgiving, Americans are continuing to gobble up the results and prematch hoopla.
1️⃣ Texans vs Chiefs — 2M+ searches
'I messed that one up': Chiefs' Reid owns costly 4th-down miss.
2️⃣ FIFA World Cup — 2M+ searches
2026 World Cup schedule reveals time and location of football (soccer) matches.
3️⃣ College football playoffs — 2M+ searches
Indiana rewarded as top seed, Ohio State faces steep climb to repeat.
4️⃣ Ohio State vs Indiana — 2M+ searches
Indiana takes down Ohio State for first Big Ten title since 1967.
5️⃣ Georgia vs Alabama — 2M+ searches
Georgia on the path to becoming champions once again.
WHAT THE MEDIA BURIED
Uncounted Damage from Food and Energy Production
Despite frequent reporting on climate urgency, the scale of environmental and human‑health damage from fossil‑fuel–driven food and energy systems remains deeply underemphasized — as highlighted by the new GEO assessment. The report notes that the external costs of food, energy and fuel production — including pollution, biodiversity loss, water stress and public‑health impacts — massively outweigh benefits, yet few governments or corporations internalize those costs.
Japan’s Nuclear Risks Go Largely Unseen
The recent powerful quake in northern Japan — though widely covered — raises a less‑discussed issue: the ongoing vulnerability of coastal nuclear and energy infrastructure in seismically active zones. While no immediate nuclear incidents were reported, the near‑miss remains under‑reported compared to earthquake coverage. The quake caused a water spill at the Rokkasho nuclear plant — though deemed non‑dangerous, experts warn that recurring seismic events increase long-term systemic risk for nuclear facilities in Japan.
Observers highlight that public and media attention tends to focus on immediate shock and evacuation coverage — but rarely trace the structural vulnerability of critical infrastructure across successive quakes.
