The Philippines — long a supplier of raw mineral-rich soil — is finding itself in the crosshairs of a brewing U.S.-China struggle over the rare earths that power modern technology and weapons systems. The shift came into focus on July 10 in Kuala Lumpur, when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Philippine counterpart […]

For years, global trade was the default engine of growth. But as we pass the midpoint of 2025, it’s sputtering badly—and not because of any natural cooling. This slowdown is man-made, self-inflicted, and increasingly perilous. According to the World Bank, global trade growth is forecast to decelerate from 3.4% in 2024 to just 1.8% in […]