Essays & News

250 years ago, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense swayed the masses and set the stage for the U.S. Declaration of Independence.   “It is not because a part of the government is elective, that makes it less a despotism, if the persons so elected possess afterwards, as a parliament, unlimited powers. Election, in this case, becomes […]

  In late 2025, the European Union agreed to accelerate the removal of the customs-duty exemption for imported parcels valued under 150 euros, a technical change that will take effect from mid-2026. Under the new regime, low-value parcels entering the EU from third countries will be subject to a fixed customs duty, ending a long-standing […]

  In early 2025, revelations emerged that Argentine President Javier Milei had promoted $LIBRA, a cryptocurrency that subsequently collapsed and left thousands of investors with significant losses. The evidence that came to light over the last few days points to a knowingly and voluntarily participation by the president and his closest staff. For many outside observers, the […]

  Global markets are witnessing a powerful resurgence in the prices of minerals and industrial metals, with several key materials recording triple-digit annual gains and others entering the early stages of a sustained upward trajectory. Prices for lithium, cobalt and rhodium have surged by over 100 percent, 60 percent and 97 percent, respectively, over the […]

  The European Council summit of March 19-20 was overshadowed by the Iranian crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and Hungary blocking a 90 billion-euro loan to Ukraine. But crucially, European leaders also chose to move forward with the Savings and Investment Union. The initiative provides high-level political backing for tapping into an estimated 10 […]