Trump Flies to Beijing — But Who's Actually Desperate?
The episode critiques former President Donald Trump's recent trip to Beijing, arguing that his diplomatic overtures are empty promises that can be reversed overnight. It highlights how Trump's erratic, business‑first approach undermines U.S. credibility, especially in negotiations like those with Iran, where Chinese observers see Iran as sincere while the U.S. appears unreliable. The hosts contend that this volatility damages America's hegemonic standing and makes future deals doubtful.
A History of OPEC: Why Its Crisis Is Bad News
The United Arab Emirates announced it will leave OPEC on May 1, arguing that the cartel’s production quotas limit its roughly 5 million barrels‑per‑day capacity. The move marks the first exit of a major producer since OPEC’s founding and underscores a shift...
Strait Of Hormuz: Spin and Win?
The United States and Iran recently announced a limited disengagement and a push to normalize civilian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, coinciding with the May 1 expiration of the Pentagon’s 60‑day war‑powers authority. After declaring Operation Epic Fury complete, the...
The Truth Behind China's Zero Tariff Regime for Africa: What It Means for Future Trade
On May 1, 2026 China will roll out a zero‑tariff regime for all 53 African nations that have diplomatic ties. While the move appears to deepen South‑South trade, 94.5% of African exports to China already enjoy duty‑free status, leaving only...
When the World Order Turns Upside Down – Where Does the Nordics Stand?
The article argues that the post‑Cold‑War world order anchored by the United States and the dollar is unraveling, giving way to a multipolar system led by China, Russia and an expanding BRICS bloc. In this new landscape, the Nordics—traditionally beneficiaries...
Vietnam at 51: From the Ashes of War to the Arc of a New World Order
April 30 2026 marks 51 years since Saigon fell, highlighting Vietnam’s shift from a war‑torn, centrally planned state to a market‑oriented economy integrated into global supply chains. The Đổi Mới reforms unleashed private enterprise, driving GDP to roughly $514 billion in 2025 and annual growth...
The Keystone of Asia: Myanmar’s Overlooked Potential and the Transformation of Malacca Strait
The article argues that Myanmar’s geographic position makes it a pivotal bridge linking China, India, ASEAN and Bangladesh, and that the China‑Myanmar Economic Corridor – anchored by the Kyaukphyu deep‑sea port – could divert 20‑30% of traffic from the congested...
What Next For BRICS In An Upside-Down World
The BRICS bloc, formed two decades ago to give emerging economies a louder voice, has now eclipsed the G7 in share of global GDP measured by purchasing power parity. India’s 2026 BRICS presidency centers on "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation...
The White Swallow or the Next Puppet? Radev's Bulgaria at the Crossroads
Former air force chief Rumen Radev’s newly formed "Progressive Bulgaria" party clinched a parliamentary majority in a surprise election, toppling the entrenched pro‑European elite. The author contends that Bulgaria’s EU and NATO membership has deepened systemic corruption, demographic decline, and...
The $1.5 Trillion Double Standard: The U.S. War Economy Has a Naming Problem
The Trump administration has submitted a FY2027 defense budget request of $1.5 trillion, adding $445 billion—over 40% more than the current fiscal year. The request includes a $1.1 trillion base budget plus $350 billion in mandatory resources, driving spikes in aircraft, missile, shipbuilding and...
The Road That Runs Through Tehran: Pepe Escobar on the Corridor Reshaping the World
In this episode of Think Bricks, journalist Pepe Escobar discusses his documentary "Golden Corridor," which reveals the emerging North‑South transport corridor linking Russia, Iran, and India—a multimodal network of rail, road, and sea routes that integrates Eurasia and complements China’s...
BRICS Payment System – What Does It Mean for the Nordics?
The article examines the BRICS countries’ effort to build a cross‑border payment system that could be operational by 2029‑2030, offering an alternative to Western‑controlled settlement rails. It notes the New Development Bank’s role, having approved over $42.9 billion in loans and...
“The West Has Completely Lost Its Soul, but the Iranians Are Searching for Theirs” — Interview with Alastair Crooke (Part...
In a three‑part interview, former MI6 officer Alastair Crooke argues that the West has succumbed to post‑modern nihilism, while Iran’s elite fuse Western philosophy with Shiite tradition to craft a broader worldview. He warns that Israel’s rhetoric about tactical nuclear...
The Dollar’s Slow Unraveling: How Bitcoin, Digital Currencies, and a Secret Oil Deal Are Reshaping the World’s Money
A new paper in the Journal of Post‑Keynesian Economics details how the US dollar became the world’s primary currency, largely thanks to a secret 1974 Saudi‑oil‑for‑Treasury‑bond pact that expired in 2024. The study argues that the petrodollar arrangement allowed the...
When Bombs Replace Bridges: The Rise of Military Keynesianism
The episode examines the shift toward "military Keynesianism," where governments increasingly use defense spending to stimulate economic growth as traditional civilian investment loses its effectiveness. The host contrasts mainstream economic theory, which assumes equilibrium and smooth cycles, with the reality...