Patti Mohr

BRICS, De-Dollarization and the Future of the US Dollar

25Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy and International Law, Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Geopolitics, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Analysis

BRICS, De-Dollarization and the Future of the US Dollar

September 25, 2026—The model of a U.S.-led global economy, long established since the start of the 1944 Bretton Woods system, is coming under significant strain. It is not just wars disrupting freedom of navigation and the price of oil causing cracks in the system. Nor is it only a reflection of the mounting U.S. debt and annual deficits. It is also a growing movement towards multilateralism. What gives that momentum are shifts toward competing financial infrastructures, new geopolitical alliances, and novel methods of settling cross-border payments. These pose challenges to the existing order and the dollar-dominated trading system. In the past month, we’ve witnessed the greatest acceleration this change. We see new strategic alliances, less trust in the U.S. defense, and a ground-up i...

U.S. Gun Trafficking Emerges as New Flashpoint in Canada Relations

23Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Arms Sales, Military Industry, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Gun Trafficking Emerges as New Flashpoint in Canada Relations

U.S.-sourced guns flowing into Canada are contributing to violent crime, the trafficking can be extraordinarily profitable, and Canadians increasingly want the issue addressed in trade negotiations. September 23, 2026—It is not just tariffs, trade, and geopolitics that are causing friction in the U.S.-Canadian relationship. Another point of contention is that U.S.-made guns are illegally crossing the border into Canada and into the hands of violent criminals. The United States is the lead producer of crime-related guns in Canada, and Canadians are taking notice and demanding action. Illegal weapons are also crossing the U.S.-Canadian border, and the high market price might be what is driving the trafficking North, Higher Profits While U.S. gun trafficking to Mexico cartels has ...

Notable Quotable: Louis Henkin, 1917-2017

22Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Human rights, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice

Notable Quotable: Louis Henkin, 1917-2017

'Almost All Nations Observe Almost All Principles of International Law Almost All the Time' Louis Henkin was diplomat, human rights advocate, and legal scholar in constitutional and international law. (born 1917-died 2010) “Almost all nations observe almost all principles of international law and almost all of their obligations almost all of the time.” – Louis Henkin, in 1968 book How Nations Behave: Law and Foreign Policy Louis Henkin argued in favor of a rules-based international system, saying it is easier and practical for nations to abide by international norms and laws because nation-states ultimately benefit from predictable relations.

China-Based Researchers Examine Impact of U.S. Sanctions

19Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

China-Based Researchers Examine Impact of U.S. Sanctions

A new study in Science says China's researchers are adapting methods in the wake of U.S. sanctions on research collaboration Researchers based in China—Junhan Wang of Shenzhen University, Xibao Li of Tsinghua University, and Yanbo Wang of the University of Hong Kong—conducted a deep dive into the U.S. sanctioned entity list and the impact on technological innovation. September 19, 2026—Researchers based in China—Junhan Wang of Shenzhen University, Xibao Li of Tsinghua University, and Yanbo Wang of the University of Hong Kong—conducted a thorough investigation into the U.S. sanctioned entity list and the impact on technological innovation. They found that a decoupling of scientific research might result in separate ecosystems. Their research is significant for many reasons. For one...

Geopolitics Driving Bond Yields Higher, Fed Chair Says

17Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Videos

Geopolitics Driving Bond Yields Higher, Fed Chair Says

September 16, 2026—Citing geopolitical shocks and elevated inflation, the Federal Reserve Board voted unanimously to raise federal funds interest rates by 0.25 percent to 4 percent. It was the first time the Fed raised interest rates in three years. It comes under the new leadership of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh. For more on the Fed's decision, see Fed Raises Rates. https://youtu.be/5aFzaFqOByU?si=8rtMx6YuZ6a_Rau2

House Holds Epstein-Associate Leon Black in Contempt of Congress

17Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Types of News: Brief

House Holds Epstein-Associate Leon Black in Contempt of Congress

House Holds Epstein-Associate Leon Black in Contempt of Congress Billionaire Mogul Refused to Comply with House Panel Subpoenas September 17, 2026—The House approved a resolution by unanimous consent to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas by a committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein.If both chambers of Congress pass a contempt resolution, it goes to the Justice Department as a criminal referral. Who Is Leon Black? Leon Black is an American billionaire investor who became one of the most powerful figures on Wall Street. He co-founded Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm that now has $1.05 trillion in assets under management. Black made most of his money during economic recessions, often through leveraged buyouts ...

Fed Raises Rates, Citing Geopolitical Shocks and High Prices

16Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Brief

Fed Raises Rates, Citing Geopolitical Shocks and High Prices

September 16, 2026—Citing geopolitical shocks and elevated inflation, the Federal Reserve Board voted unanimously to raise federal funds interest rates by 0.25 percent to 4 percent. It was the first time the Fed raised interest rates in three years. It comes under the new leadership of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh. September 16, 2026—Citing geopolitical shocks and elevated inflation, the Federal Reserve Board voted unanimously to raise federal funds interest rates by 0.25 percent to 4 percent. It was the first time the Fed raised interest rates in three years. It comes under the new leadership of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh. It comes as the inflation rate ticked up in August to 0.4 percent and the government projected a Consumer Price Index of 3.4 percent, driven largely b...

MONEY FLOWS The World’s 10 Largest Investment Firms

13Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Capitalism, Finance, Banks, Cryptocurrency, Metals, Global Economics, Types of News: Infographic

MONEY FLOWS The World’s 10 Largest Investment Firms

Who's Managing the World's Money, and Why It Matters September 13, 2026—Here is a look at the world's largest investment firms and a review of why their decisions matter to populations everywhere. As citizens in the United States and around the world look for ways to regain and assert economic power, one way is to understand who makes decisions about capital flows. A Trillion Dollar Industry Defined Private asset management (AUM) is a multi-trillion dollar industry. It impacts decisions on investments and money flows. Asset management (AUM) includes mutual funds, ETFs, hedge funds and other structured funds managed by investment firms. Two of the largest firms, BlackRock and Vanguard, account for a combined $25 trillion. Here’s the top ten. The World's largest investment firms...

10Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Democracy, Finance, Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Brief, United States

Ahead of U.S. Midterm Elections, Trump Floats $5,000 Giveaway to Voters

President Donald Trump is testing the limits of U.S. election law and his popularity while promising cash to voters for wins. An Update on the U.S. Midterm Elections Outlook September 10, 2026—In what appears to be a desperate attempt to win political support ahead of the November midterm elections, President Donald Trump vowed to give every U.S. adult citizen $5,000 from the U.S. Treasury’s general fund if his Republican party maintains control of Congress. “Only I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise: If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic, tremendous economic success, like in history we’ve never had anything like what’s happening. But because of our tremendous strength and success,...

U.S. Government Makes Claim for Venezuelan Oil And Sovereignty

8Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Domestic Politics, Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Geopolitics, Types of News: Analysis

U.S. Government Makes Claim for Venezuelan Oil And Sovereignty

Trump announces historic deal and claims Venezuelan oil. September 8, 2026—When the U.S. government announced an historic deal for tapping Venezuelan oil in August, the White House cheered it as a means to expand U.S. oil reserves while critics complained the deal smacked of 19th Century imperialism. The United States has long engaged with Venezuelan politics, aiming to push the country away from a communist economy towards an open, democratic society. What is clear today is that U.S. policy has shifted away from influencing Venezuelan politics toward a model of ownership, not only of the country’s natural resources but also its diplomatic standing with the rest of the world. The circumstances of the invasion and capture of natural resources leave observers questioning the legalit...