Geo Politics and Geo Economics: Today's Landscape

Rallies in the U.S. and UK: The “No Kings” protests drew an estimated 8 million participants across more than 3,300 events nationwide, making them one of the largest mobilizations in U.S. history. Protesters opposed President Donald Trump, raised concerns over democracy, the Iran war, and rising living costs, and organized largely outside traditional party structures. In the UK, about 500,000 people marched in London in a major anti–far-right demonstration, signaling a broader wave of transatlantic political activism.

Geo-Economics: Critical Minerals Competition (Congo) : The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed a new mining cooperation deal with China, reinforcing Beijing’s dominance in the global cobalt supply chain. Washington has sought to counter this influence through a strategic minerals partnership, but China’s entrenched position remains strong. Congo is pursuing a balancing strategy, engaging both powers to maximize economic returns while hedging against policy uncertainty. 

The US debt surpassed $39 trillion: The Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s U.S. Fiscal Confidence Index fell to 43 in March (100 is neutral), the lowest level since June 2024, indicating that voters across party lines have deep concerns about the rapid increase in debt, and are calling for their leaders to take action. 

Lawsuit Against Meta and Google: A Potential Turning Point: Meta and Google have lost a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, with a Los Angeles jury finding both companies negligent for designing platforms that were harmful to users—particularly young people—without adequate warnings. The jury awarded $6 million in damages to a plaintiff who alleged that early social media use led to anxiety, depression, and self-harm.

Both companies plan to appeal, and the case could take years to resolve, potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Seen as a bellwether case, this ruling is likely to influence thousands of similar lawsuits against major platforms, including TikTok and Snap, and could reshape the legal and regulatory landscape of social media.