The 2023 Military Strength Ranking by Globalfirepower.com shows that the United States, Russia, and China have remained the world’s top military powers with China continuing its climb to the No.2 spot.

Between January 24 and November 20, 2022, the United States sent $48 billion in aid to Ukraine. Let’s see how this money could have been spent considering America’s infrastructure needs.

“In a turbulent year marred by global monetary tightening, recession fears, and a war in Ukraine, a mining stock in Indonesia is proving to be the world’s best performer with a whopping 1,595% rally,” Bloomberg reports. Meanwhile, the worst performing stocks include those of IT and fintech companies. Investing in coal turned out to be a winning strategy in our supposedly greener world.

In December 2022, a 65-year old disabled Canadian man received a doctor’s approval for euthanasia despite admitting becoming poor was the main reason he was applying to die. Experts say that “choosing to die is more accessible” in Canada than support for disabled people. At the same time, most the countries where active euthanasia or assisted suicide is legal are on the top of the United Nations Human Development Index. Why isn’t human life valued the most in the countries where its quality is the highest?

Under President Biden, the United States has renewed its efforts to promote the values of freedom and democracy around the world. However, when it comes to strategic matters, America is fine with some of its allies being “not free”. This is true for both major non-NATO allies and NATO member states, as Turkey’s example shows.

The United States has promised an aid package to Africa fearing losing competition for influence in the continent to countries like China and Russia. But this is only a fracture of what has already been spent on the war in Ukraine.

FAO Food Price Index shows that food prices have made a U-curve over the past ten years.

CEO pay, including stock awards and options, is up 1,460% since 1978, an Economic Policy analysis found. This increase was not matched by increased pay for typical workers, as the chart below shows. 

The euro area is facing rising prices, with energy prices being the main drivers of inflation. Having decided to cut energy ties with Russia, the EU is doing its best to keep energy prices growing.

On October 29, Russia suspended its participation in the deal to export Ukrainian grain after a drone attack by Ukrainian armed forces on its Black Sea fleet in the Crimean city of Sevastopol. However, it became clear much earlier that Ukraine was never going to play fair. Even though Russia resumed its participation in the grain deal, it may still quit it and here’s why: