The United States recently lifted some of its sanctions against Venezuelan oil. The decision comes as part of a deal to reward Venezuela for pro-democracy progress and in light of far more serious threats emerging around the world. The Biden Administration has warned, however, that the U.S. may reimpose these sanctions if Venezuela does not…

On Nov. 19, Economy Minister Sergio Massa will face off against the right-wing populist Javier Milei in Argentina’s presidential elections. Massa is the clear establishment figure, while Milei identifies himself as an anarcho-capitalist and has pledged dramatic reforms. One of Milei’s proposed reforms includes replacing Argentina’s national currency with the U.S. dollar. Straight Arrow News…

Ukraine’s newest Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) is ready for full production. It’s called the Ratel S, or Honey Badger. It’s a kamikaze ground drone, and it doesn’t give a [darn]. The Honey Badger was developed by Ukraine’s Brave1 military tech cluster. The cluster is a collaborative project between Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry…

The United States’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR, essentially the national credit rating, has been downgraded from AAA to AA+. At the top of the list of reasons that Fitch provided for the downgrade is an “erosion of governance” that has persisted in the United States over the past two decades, culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021…

Americans are falling behind on their car payments at a rate not seen in about 30 years. The National Automobile Dealers Association has warned that a combination of recent “surging interest rates” and “higher vehicle prices” will continue to “put further pressure on vehicle affordability” going forward, hampering the ability of consumers to purchase a…

Beyoncé said it loud and clear: “Who run the world? Girls.” In 2023, three women have dominated the economy: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Barbie. Together, they’ve shown how much financial gain there is in properly targeting the female consumer. Female purchasing power is having a moment, though women have long held the purse strings. Women…

The shale revolution has unlocked massive new energy reserves and spurred economic growth and development in the United States and worldwide. The first and second phases of the shale revolution pioneered and then scaled up new industries and technologies. The third and final component involves reshoring these industries back to the United States in the…

Deep sea mining is poised to boost worldwide production of clean energy technology, but the potential harm it could do to the ocean environment in the process has still yet to be determined. Small rocks known as polymetallic nodules cover vast areas of the ocean floor, and their contents could be worth trillions of dollars,…

Iran is considered an energy superpower. It is a nation rich in oil with one major consumer. While Iran’s money was used to fund Hamas’ attack on Israel, Iran largely gets its money from China. Because of China’s backing and an ease of U.S. sanctions, Iran’s finances are healthy — as is the financial support…

The first shale revolution pioneered new technologies, unlocked new energy reserves and contributed to nationwide economic growth. The second shale revolution expanded U.S. processing and refining capacities, and steered the United States even more towards energy security, abundance and prosperity. Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan breaks down what this second revolution is all about, what it…