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FOCAL POINTS
This week, Russia’s renewed assault on Ukraine’s power grid exposes both military desperation and Western fatigue; global tension over critical minerals deepens; market optimism around AI cools, giving way to questions of real value versus hype; COP30 approaches with leaders absent and promises fading; and the US boycott of the G20 over South African white farmers’ claims of mistreatment.
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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
Ukraine’s Infrastructure Under Fire
As winter approaches, Ukraine braces not just for the battlefield, but for a war on its power, heating, and telecom networks.
Each repair, blackout and logistical decision carries strategic weight.
Russian strikes on power plants, heating systems, and telecom networks are pushing the country’s infrastructure to the brink. Millions of civilians are already feeling the strain, and the looming months threaten a harsh test of resilience that could reshape not just Ukraine, but Europe’s energy and security landscape.
The stakes extend beyond Ukraine’s borders. Europe watches closely, aware that attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid could ripple across the continent, affecting gas and electricity supplies. Diplomats warn that what might appear as a regional skirmish carries far-reaching economic and humanitarian consequences, particularly as winter deepens and energy demand rises.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to justify attacks on energy infrastructure as a legitimate wartime strategy, framing it as retaliation against Western support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, European leaders are quietly negotiating increased aid and winter contingency plans, balancing pressure on Moscow with the need to protect their own energy grids.
US President Donald Trump’s calls for a “freeze,” Putin’s justification of energy attacks and Europe’s delicate balancing act all shape how the conflict unfolds. Understanding this interplay between battlefield, infrastructure, and diplomacy is key to making sense of the war today and what could come next.
ECONOMICS
Critical Minerals Tensions Escalate
China’s rare-earth quotas are shaking global supply chains, and the US, Australia, and central Asia are racing to secure the next generation of critical minerals.
Critical minerals spark competition as suppliers challenge China’s supply chain.
Global markets are watching closely as new Chinese export quotas on rare earths take effect this week, tightening supply of key minerals for EVs, semiconductors, and defense technologies. The US and Australia are accelerating joint investments and strategic reserves, while Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan emerge as alternative sources.
Rare earths and other critical minerals are increasingly political commodities. China’s dominance in extraction and processing has long given it leverage over global tech and defense supply chains. Now, the “stans” are entering the mix, drawing US, European, and Australian investment to reduce dependency on Beijing.
This is geoeconomics in action. The US–Australia framework, coupled with emerging Central Asian partnerships, hedges against China’s supply control. Supply chains are now strategic assets, influencing diplomacy, industrial policy, and defense readiness.
Supply chains are no longer neutral—they are instruments of statecraft. China’s quotas and US–Australia–Central Asia moves reveal that decisive action can redraw industrial and strategic maps.
BUSINESS
AI Euphoria Meets Market Gravity
AI-linked stocks rebounded at the start of Remembrance Day week, shaping a tug-of-war between hype, infrastructure constraints and regulatory scrutiny.
Ongoing tug of war involving AI, hype, investors and supply chains.
AI-linked stocks suffered last week, shedding billions of dollars in market value amid supply constraints, chip shortages, and rising regulatory scrutiny. Global markets were rebounding at the start of Remembrance Day week, led by gains in AI tech companies, as investors responded to renewed optimism around generative AI platforms, cloud infrastructure, and chipmakers.
The recovery highlights the duality of the AI boom: massive investment and enthusiasm continue to fuel gains, but infrastructure bottlenecks, stretched graphics processing unit and rare‑material supply chains, and energy-cost pressures remind investors that growth is not unlimited.
This is the stress test of the AI era: hype confronting industrial and regulatory reality. Market sentiment swings between “AI will transform everything” and “infrastructure and monetization may lag,” challenging assumptions about sustained exponential growth.
Every technology cycle promises transformation; few escape gravity. The AI boom is no exception—too much capital chasing too little capacity.
CORRUPTION, RACKETS & DUBIOUS FINANCE
Large‑Scale Corruption Probe in Ukraine energy
Investigations published November 10–11, 2025 reveal that Ukraine’s anti‑corruption agencies have launched a sweeping probe into alleged kickback and laundering schemes centered on the state nuclear‑operator Energoatom. A “high‑level criminal organization” coerced contractors supplying Energoatom to pay 10 – 15 % kickbacks over a 15‑month period, with roughly US$ 100 million implicated.
Romania probes $ 300M CO₂‑certificate fraud
Romanian prosecutors announced a formal investigation into possible large‑scale fraud involving CO₂‑emissions certificates at the steel plant Liberty Galați (formerly ArcelorMittal Galați), owned by the Liberty Steel Group. The investigators allege senior executives at the plant authorized fictitious transactions, inflated pricing, and transfers of certificates (including to a firm linked to Gazprom) to siphon roughly $ 300 million in 2019–2022.
Prosecutors accuse Justice Dept of improper influence
Three federal prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan resigned after accusing the US Department of Justice of pressuring them to admit wrongdoing in connection with the decision to drop corruption charges against New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams. While prosecutors believed the evidence was sufficient to proceed, the DOJ intervened, instructing a motion to dismiss the indictment — sparking a historic walk‑out by seasoned public‑integrity attorneys. The motion, critics say, appears to have been tied to broader policy priorities, including immigration enforcement, raising the specter of quid‑pro‑quo arrangements between high‑level political actors and prosecutorial discretion.
CLIMATE
COP30: Leaders Missing, Planet Waiting
As the Amazon city of Belém hosts COP30, the world’s top polluters are conspicuously absent.
Pollution increases, air temperatures rise, but biggest polluters shirk responsibility.
World leaders converge in Belém, Brazil for COP30, aimed at turning climate pledges into action. The US is sending only a low-level delegation, citing domestic political gridlock and resistance to binding climate rules.
China and India are also largely absent, citing domestic economic priorities and high costs of participation. Their absence removes two of the world’s largest emitters from crucial negotiations on emissions reduction and climate finance.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that under current national climate‑plans, the world is on track for ~2.5‑3.1 °C of warming by century’s end, meaning the 1.5 °C goal is highly unlikely without major additional action.
The alarm is ringing — yet the world’s heaviest polluters are missing. Action may stall while temperatures climb.
DIPLOMACY
US Boycotts G20 over White Farmers’ Claims
President Trump said no US officials will attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg this month, citing alleged mistreatment of white South African farmers.
The world’s leaders gather in Johannesburg — with one chair left empty.
The South African government rejects these claims, noting that farm attacks affect all citizens and emphasizing broader crime trends and the legacy of apartheid. Diplomats and analysts warn that the US boycott could disrupt the summit’s agenda on climate action, trade, and energy security, and strain relations with African nations who see the move as politically selective.
Trump’s decision is tied to broader US policy moves. While his administration has facilitated the resettlement of white South African farmers into the United States, it has simultaneously restricted refugees from other countries, underscoring a selective and politically charged approach to immigration. By linking Africa policy to the treatment of a minority group, the administration risks eroding diplomatic goodwill and ceding influence to rival powers such as China and Russia, who continue to court African partners actively.
Even as media coverage focuses on Trump’s rhetoric, the story underscores a deeper reality: US influence in Africa is fragile, and decisions like a G20 boycott send ripples far beyond the headlines. Observing how African governments respond will be key to understanding the next chapter of US–Africa diplomacy.
🕵️ INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported that police forces across Europe and the UK have arrested 18 people in a massive investigation into global scam networks. The operation targeted “quishing” scams, which use fraudulent QR codes to steal bank details from unsuspecting consumers, and involved coordinated action across nine countries. Authorities say the networks misused millions of credit card records and laundered hundreds of millions of euros through complex shell companies.
The Washington Post reported federal prosecutors in Washington have launched an investigation into a 2023 visit by D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and four aides to Qatar. The investigation is examining whether the foreign‑funded travel violated federal bribery, ethics, or campaign‑finance statutes. While Bowser herself is not currently a target, the review focuses on the decision‑making process behind accepting foreign support and whether proper disclosure protocols were observed.
THE WEEK TO NOV 11, 2025
Trending in the US
1️⃣ Eagles vs Packers — 2M+ searches
Questions abound about Eagles’ inconsistent offense despite win over Packers.
2️⃣ Marshawn Kneeland — 2M+ searches
New details revealed about final hours before Dallas Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland’s death.
3️⃣ Is the government shutdown over — 2M+ searches
US Senate passes funding bill as historic shutdown nears likely end.
NEWS YOU LIKELY MISSED
What the Media Buried
CELAC‑EU Summit in Colombia
Several regional leaders were notably absent from the CELAC‑EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, with Argentina, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Peru sending low-level delegations, and Ecuador abstaining entirely. On the European side, Ursula von der Leyen did not attend, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron also declined, citing scheduling conflicts with a UN climate summit. The summit proceeded under the presence of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, amid tensions over US strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that killed more than 60 people, including at least one Colombian citizen.
South Korea and UAE Defense Ties
South Korea’s presidential chief of staff visited the UAE to expand defense-industry cooperation and strategic partnerships. Talks focused on long-term industrial and geopolitical objectives. The visit reflects a calculated pivot in Seoul’s Middle East policy, aiming to strengthen influence quietly outside the US/China spotlight.
UK Expands Night Surveillance Over English Channel
European aircraft equipped with radar and sensors are now flying nightly over the English Channel as UK authorities respond to more than 1,700 migrant crossings in just three days. The deployment marks a tactical shift in border surveillance, previously limited to daylight patrols. Officials say the aim is to enhance detection of small boats and illicit activity under cover of darkness.
The expanded surveillance operation combines radar‑equipped aircraft, drones and maritime patrols to map crossings and reduce the burden on coastguard vessels. Analysts warn the move signals a broader change in how the UK handles migration enforcement, shifting towards high‑tech, pre‑emptive monitoring rather than reactive rescue. Some civil‑rights groups argue the strategy may raise legal and ethical questions about surveillance and maritime rights in international waters.
