U.S. Ethane Exports to China Under Threat: Export License Now Required
China’s purchases of U.S. ethane, a key raw material for the petrochemical industry, are now facing uncertainty. The U.S. Department of Commerce has advised exporters to apply for licenses to ship ethane and butane to China, and has reportedly revoked some previously issued permits, according to Reuters.
This creates a new obstacle for Chinese imports, which hit a record 492 thousand barrels per day in 2024 — nearly half of total U.S. ethane exports.
Although China recently raised tariffs on many U.S. goods to 125%, it exempted manufacturers critically dependent on ethane imports from the U.S.
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China’s purchases of U.S. ethane, a key raw material for the petrochemical industry, are now facing uncertainty. The U.S. Department of Commerce has advised exporters to apply for licenses to ship ethane and butane to China, and has reportedly revoked some previously issued permits, according to Reuters.
This creates a new obstacle for Chinese imports, which hit a record 492 thousand barrels per day in 2024 — nearly half of total U.S. ethane exports.
Although China recently raised tariffs on many U.S. goods to 125%, it exempted manufacturers critically dependent on ethane imports from the U.S.
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🌎 La Russia presenta all'Ucraina le proprie condizioni e altre notizie interessanti
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La Russia presenta all'Ucraina le proprie condizioni e altre notizie interessanti
La rassegna geopolitica della giornata.
🌎 L'intelligence dell'Ucraina colpisce il ponte di Kerch e altre notizie interessanti
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L'intelligence dell'Ucraina colpisce il ponte di Kerch e altre notizie interessanti
La rassegna geopolitica della giornata.
🌎 Putin si confronta al telefono con Trump e Leone XIV e altre notizie interessanti
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Putin si confronta al telefono con Trump e Leone XIV e altre notizie interessanti
La rassegna geopolitica della giornata.
Asia Accelerates De-Dollarization Efforts
Southeast Asian nations are advancing plans to reduce their dependence on the U.S. dollar as part of an ASEAN initiative (the association of countries south of China). This goal has been included in the recently published ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan for 2026–2030. Special attention is being given to increasing the use of local currencies in cross-border trade and investment, aiming to minimize risks associated with dollar volatility and reduce transaction costs.
This year, ASEAN currencies have benefited from the instability of the dollar. The Singapore dollar, Indonesian rupiah, Thai baht, and others have gained strength. The Singapore dollar, for instance, has appreciated by 7% since the beginning of the year — its best performance in 20 years.
However, de-dollarization is progressing slowly. The use of local currencies in trade settlements remains limited, even as central banks diversify their reserves. From the perspective of foreign investors, the region is still too fragmented and diverse. On one side, there's Singapore, where investors are actively moving funds to shelter them from global risks. On the other, there are poorer and more unpredictable economies.
To strengthen its position, ASEAN held its first-ever trilateral summit with China and Gulf states in May, signaling a desire to tackle global economic challenges through deeper cooperation.
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Southeast Asian nations are advancing plans to reduce their dependence on the U.S. dollar as part of an ASEAN initiative (the association of countries south of China). This goal has been included in the recently published ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan for 2026–2030. Special attention is being given to increasing the use of local currencies in cross-border trade and investment, aiming to minimize risks associated with dollar volatility and reduce transaction costs.
This year, ASEAN currencies have benefited from the instability of the dollar. The Singapore dollar, Indonesian rupiah, Thai baht, and others have gained strength. The Singapore dollar, for instance, has appreciated by 7% since the beginning of the year — its best performance in 20 years.
However, de-dollarization is progressing slowly. The use of local currencies in trade settlements remains limited, even as central banks diversify their reserves. From the perspective of foreign investors, the region is still too fragmented and diverse. On one side, there's Singapore, where investors are actively moving funds to shelter them from global risks. On the other, there are poorer and more unpredictable economies.
To strengthen its position, ASEAN held its first-ever trilateral summit with China and Gulf states in May, signaling a desire to tackle global economic challenges through deeper cooperation.
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Trump’s Push for Cheap Oil Backfires on U.S. Shale Industry
There’s a common belief that the Trump administration is pushing for lower oil prices, partly to boost approval ratings among American drivers through cheaper gasoline (in some states, prices have dropped below $3 per gallon — roughly 80 cents per liter or about 62 rubles in Russian terms).
However, industry analysts warn that WTI crude prices below $65 per barrel are severely hurting the U.S. shale sector — and WTI is currently trading at $63.
Just one year ago, $63 would have been acceptable to U.S. producers. Today, it’s not.
Rising costs for steel, labor, and fracking materials have pushed break-even prices in major basins closer to $70. The average break-even price for Permian producers is now slowly approaching the mid-$60s — up from around $50 just two years ago. New tariffs on imported equipment have further inflated expenses. For example, pipes imported from China and Vietnam have risen by 20% over the past year.
Rystad Energy reported that the break-even cost for new horizontal wells in key shale basins is now nearing $68 per barrel.
Liberty Energy, a major fracking services provider, warned it may cut its crew workforce by 15% by August. Coterra Energy noted plans to reduce drilling activity in the Permian Basin by 30% in the second half of 2025.
In short, the U.S. oil industry now needs at least $68–70 per barrel for WTI — Brent should be priced at $70–73, considering the current discount between the two grades.
Analysts say the market outlook hinges on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners’ strategy. As usual, there are two scenarios:
1. Create a small deficit, gradually pushing prices toward $70–75.
2. Aggressively increase OPEC+ output to push prices below $60, forcing U.S. producers to cut back and then reclaiming lost market share.
Right now, the current price near $65 per barrel fits neither scenario — leaving the market stuck in limbo.
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There’s a common belief that the Trump administration is pushing for lower oil prices, partly to boost approval ratings among American drivers through cheaper gasoline (in some states, prices have dropped below $3 per gallon — roughly 80 cents per liter or about 62 rubles in Russian terms).
However, industry analysts warn that WTI crude prices below $65 per barrel are severely hurting the U.S. shale sector — and WTI is currently trading at $63.
Just one year ago, $63 would have been acceptable to U.S. producers. Today, it’s not.
Rising costs for steel, labor, and fracking materials have pushed break-even prices in major basins closer to $70. The average break-even price for Permian producers is now slowly approaching the mid-$60s — up from around $50 just two years ago. New tariffs on imported equipment have further inflated expenses. For example, pipes imported from China and Vietnam have risen by 20% over the past year.
Rystad Energy reported that the break-even cost for new horizontal wells in key shale basins is now nearing $68 per barrel.
Liberty Energy, a major fracking services provider, warned it may cut its crew workforce by 15% by August. Coterra Energy noted plans to reduce drilling activity in the Permian Basin by 30% in the second half of 2025.
In short, the U.S. oil industry now needs at least $68–70 per barrel for WTI — Brent should be priced at $70–73, considering the current discount between the two grades.
Analysts say the market outlook hinges on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners’ strategy. As usual, there are two scenarios:
1. Create a small deficit, gradually pushing prices toward $70–75.
2. Aggressively increase OPEC+ output to push prices below $60, forcing U.S. producers to cut back and then reclaiming lost market share.
Right now, the current price near $65 per barrel fits neither scenario — leaving the market stuck in limbo.
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The Company That Promised to Save Humanity from Evil AI Got Caught Stealing Billions of Human Conversations
Anthropic, the company behind the AI chatbot Claude — which has long positioned itself as a “guardian of ethical AI” — is now facing a major scandal. It’s being sued by Reddit for allegedly stealing billions of user comments without permission, in what may be one of the largest data scraping scandals in history.
Billions of comments made by real people sharing experiences, debating ideas, and helping each other. This kind of authentic, unfiltered dialogue is pure gold for training large language models.
Reddit filed the lawsuit seeking billions in damages, accusing Anthropic of downloading its content over 100,000 times — all done secretly through bots. The irony? Anthropic had already been caught doing this once before and promised not to do it again.
The hypocrisy is off the charts. Anthropic has built its brand around being the "white knight" of AI — preaching ethics, safety, and responsible data use at every conference and public appearance. Its CEO has repeatedly criticized OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly exploiting user data.
But now it looks like their moral high ground was only meant for show. The court will soon decide a crucial question: Is it acceptable for AI companies to freely scrape decades of human wisdom for profit? Or should there be a price for every stolen thought?
Apparently, even humanity’s self-proclaimed saviors have a subscription-based conscience.
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Anthropic, the company behind the AI chatbot Claude — which has long positioned itself as a “guardian of ethical AI” — is now facing a major scandal. It’s being sued by Reddit for allegedly stealing billions of user comments without permission, in what may be one of the largest data scraping scandals in history.
Billions of comments made by real people sharing experiences, debating ideas, and helping each other. This kind of authentic, unfiltered dialogue is pure gold for training large language models.
Reddit filed the lawsuit seeking billions in damages, accusing Anthropic of downloading its content over 100,000 times — all done secretly through bots. The irony? Anthropic had already been caught doing this once before and promised not to do it again.
The hypocrisy is off the charts. Anthropic has built its brand around being the "white knight" of AI — preaching ethics, safety, and responsible data use at every conference and public appearance. Its CEO has repeatedly criticized OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly exploiting user data.
But now it looks like their moral high ground was only meant for show. The court will soon decide a crucial question: Is it acceptable for AI companies to freely scrape decades of human wisdom for profit? Or should there be a price for every stolen thought?
Apparently, even humanity’s self-proclaimed saviors have a subscription-based conscience.
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Germany — The Land of Bankruptcy
In 2025, Germany is expected to see more than 24,000 corporate bankruptcies, with over 25,000 predicted for 2026. Over 210,000 jobs are at risk. The hardest-hit sectors include textiles, automotive manufacturing, and healthcare.
In Q1 2025 alone, 16 major companies with annual revenues exceeding €50 million went bankrupt — twice as many as in the same period last year.
According to data from Allianz Trade and the BDI industry association, the situation is "worse than during the 2008 crisis." Contributing factors include rising costs, Trump’s tariff policies, and weak government support.
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In 2025, Germany is expected to see more than 24,000 corporate bankruptcies, with over 25,000 predicted for 2026. Over 210,000 jobs are at risk. The hardest-hit sectors include textiles, automotive manufacturing, and healthcare.
In Q1 2025 alone, 16 major companies with annual revenues exceeding €50 million went bankrupt — twice as many as in the same period last year.
According to data from Allianz Trade and the BDI industry association, the situation is "worse than during the 2008 crisis." Contributing factors include rising costs, Trump’s tariff policies, and weak government support.
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NEW:
🇵🇸🇮🇱🇪🇺 Israeli-backed Yasser Abu Shabab started delivery food from WFP, that EU send to Gaza almost a year ago
They are now using this food as propaganda.
A still image from the Israeli-backed Yasser Abu Shabab gang's footage shows the group handing out packages with the logo of the World Food Programme (WFP).
WEP aid was sent to the Gaza Strip by the EU almost a year ago. For almost a year, the gang sat on critical aid while a humanitarian disaster unfolded around them impacting their own people.
@Megatron_ron
🇵🇸🇮🇱🇪🇺 Israeli-backed Yasser Abu Shabab started delivery food from WFP, that EU send to Gaza almost a year ago
They are now using this food as propaganda.
A still image from the Israeli-backed Yasser Abu Shabab gang's footage shows the group handing out packages with the logo of the World Food Programme (WFP).
WEP aid was sent to the Gaza Strip by the EU almost a year ago. For almost a year, the gang sat on critical aid while a humanitarian disaster unfolded around them impacting their own people.
@Megatron_ron
JUST IN:
🇺🇸🇨🇳 Xi Jinping after a phone call requested by Trump:
"The United States must rescind the negative measures it has taken against our country.
The US should deal with Taiwan cautiously.
Trump is welcome to visit China again."
@Megatron_ron
🇺🇸🇨🇳 Xi Jinping after a phone call requested by Trump:
"The United States must rescind the negative measures it has taken against our country.
The US should deal with Taiwan cautiously.
Trump is welcome to visit China again."
@Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
🇺🇲 Elon Musk considering to create another political party in the United States
Musk launches a poll on X and says "Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?"
@Megatron_ron
🇺🇲 Elon Musk considering to create another political party in the United States
Musk launches a poll on X and says "Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?"
@Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
🇺🇸 Elon Musk agrees President Trump should be impeached with JD Vance replacing him.
He also says The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the US in the second half of this year.
@Megatron_ron
🇺🇸 Elon Musk agrees President Trump should be impeached with JD Vance replacing him.
He also says The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the US in the second half of this year.
@Megatron_ron
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BREAKING:
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Massive escalation tonight between Ukraine and Russia
Ukraine attacked Russia with hundreds of drones, at least one managed to hit something in Bryansk.
Multiple Ukrainian HIMARS impact against Kursk region, Russia.
Ukrainian Neptunes launched from Odessa yet again.
Russia also sent about 100 drones to Ukraine.
Two TU-95 bombers are preparing for launch.
Russian warships with over 30 "caliber" are preparing for launch.
@Megatron_ron
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Massive escalation tonight between Ukraine and Russia
Ukraine attacked Russia with hundreds of drones, at least one managed to hit something in Bryansk.
Multiple Ukrainian HIMARS impact against Kursk region, Russia.
Ukrainian Neptunes launched from Odessa yet again.
Russia also sent about 100 drones to Ukraine.
Two TU-95 bombers are preparing for launch.
Russian warships with over 30 "caliber" are preparing for launch.
@Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
🇺🇲🇮🇱🇮🇷 Netyanahu has assured Trump that there will not be a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities unless US-Iran talks have failed. - Axios
They are failing right now, so most likely Netyanahu will start a war.
@Megatron_ron
🇺🇲🇮🇱🇮🇷 Netyanahu has assured Trump that there will not be a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities unless US-Iran talks have failed. - Axios
They are failing right now, so most likely Netyanahu will start a war.
@Megatron_ron
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NEW:
🇺🇲🇩🇪 Trump said he destroyed Nordstream 2 in front of the German Chancellor Merz who is just "listening".
Trump says Germany can buy Oil and Gas now from the US.
What a humiliation for the Germans...
@Megatron_ron
🇺🇲🇩🇪 Trump said he destroyed Nordstream 2 in front of the German Chancellor Merz who is just "listening".
Trump says Germany can buy Oil and Gas now from the US.
What a humiliation for the Germans...
@Megatron_ron
Ukraine and NATO are now basing their entire war on drones.
Long-range drones won't work without Elon Musk's Starlink.
Communications won't either.
Ukraine and NATO are currently basing their entire war on Elon Musk's company.
Can he disable it?
Yes, he already did that when Ukraine was planning a massive missile and drone attack on Crimea.
He announced that.
The Ukrainians announced that and started attacking him.
@Megatron_ron
Long-range drones won't work without Elon Musk's Starlink.
Communications won't either.
Ukraine and NATO are currently basing their entire war on Elon Musk's company.
Can he disable it?
Yes, he already did that when Ukraine was planning a massive missile and drone attack on Crimea.
He announced that.
The Ukrainians announced that and started attacking him.
@Megatron_ron
🌎 Il mondo questa settimana: Trump contro Musk, Usa-Cina, summit di Vilnius, riarmo britannico, lingua russa, Somalia e al-Shabaab
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Il mondo questa settimana: Trump contro Musk, Usa-Cina, summit di Vilnius, riarmo britannico, lingua russa, Somalia e al-Shabaab
Il riassunto geopolitico degli ultimi 7 giorni.
🌎 Dal fallimento della Società delle Nazioni alla paralisi dell’ONU: il futuro della governance globale
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Dal fallimento della Società delle Nazioni alla paralisi dell’ONU: il futuro della governance globale
Due date scandiscono l’ambizione dell’umanità di costruire un ordine internazionale fondato sulla pace e sulla cooperazione: 1919 e 1945. Entrambe segnano la fine di una guerra mondiale, ma anche l’inizio di un nuovo assetto geopolitico che, nelle intenzioni…