The South China Sea — a corridor for more than $3 trillion in annual trade — is a cauldron of geopolitical rivalry.

On Monday, the waters near Scarborough Shoal north of Manila were roiling from an adrenaline-pumping standoff between rival ships.

As Philippine Coast Guard vessels BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Suluan escorted a government carrier and 35 Filipino fishing boats, two Chinese vessels — a coast guard cutter and the navy’s guided-missile destroyer Guilin — closed in.

Risky maneuvers ensued as the Philippine ships ferried fuel and supplies to their fishermen, an act Beijing denounced as “intruding” on what it claims as China’s inherent territory.

Dramatic video confirms what Manila alleges: the Chinese cutter and warship collided as they boxed in a Filipino patrol boat.

The Chinese coast guard later admitted only to “necessary measures,” not the crash itself. But one of their own ships was left severely damaged and, according to the Philippines, “unseaworthy.” (Remarkably, Filipino sailors offered aid to their Chinese counterparts, an offer met with silence.)

This episode is just the latest in a string of South China Sea flashpoints, driven by China’s relentless expansionism — its artificial island building, frequent ramming and water cannon attacks on Philippine vessels.

The stakes: global shipping lanes, regional fish stocks and a potent mix of nationalism and military muscle from both Beijing and Manila.

As long as the world’s richest trade artery flows through contested waters, every new collision carries the ominous ring of escalation.

Speaking of escalation, read on…

Your Rundown for Wednesday, August 13, 2025...

MAGA’s Latest Civil War

Simmering tensions within the Trump-verse burst into the open last week, as two of MAGA’s most controversial figures — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and social media influencer Laura Loomer — took off the gloves for a digital showdown.

The controversy began when Laura Loomer criticized the U.S. Army for publicly honoring Captain Florent Groberg, a Medal of Honor recipient who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, saving numerous lives.

Loomer's complaint focused on Groberg's background as a naturalized citizen and his brief appearance at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, with Loomer asking on social media: “Are we supposed to believe the Army couldn’t find a Republican and U.S. born soldier?”

Marjorie Taylor Greene vigorously defended Groberg's heroism: “Ask any veteran, military member, and American, no one cares about his politics, the man was willing to die to save others from a suicide bomber.” Then she bluntly told Loomer to “shut up, Laura”.

The dust up escalated quickly with Loomer blocking Greene on social media and unleashing a barrage of posts that called Greene “a degenerate” while accusing her of hypocrisy on America’s Israel policy.

Greene ignited her own social media feed, accusing Loomer of “slandering the best people in order to rip apart other Republicans she is trying to destroy,” arguing that Loomer is “not MAGA, she is MIGA” — swapping Israel for America.

Underlying the insults is a deeper MAGA divide: Greene has increasingly criticized the Israel lobby’s influence while Loomer has positioned herself as a guard dog for pro-Israel causes.

For Trump supporters, the fight is more than personal; it’s a spotlight on real ideological fractures within the movement.

In the end, what makes this feud burn brighter than most is what’s at stake — not just reputations, but who gets to define the soul of the Trump movement.

[Consider this: Public records estimate Greene’s net worth at $22 million, thanks mostly to her stake in a family construction firm and some shrewd stock trading — investments that saw a meteoric rise coinciding with her congressional career.

Laura Loomer’s net worth is notably lower, but still estimated between $10–11 million.

Reader, do you think wealth has influenced their messaging? And what does this schism between Greene and Loomer say about the direction of the broader MAGA movement? Share your thoughts.]

Market Rundown for Wednesday, August 13, 2025

S&P 500 futures are up 0.20% to 6,480.

Oil is slightly in the red at $63.15 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold’s up 0.25% to $3,407.20 per ounce.

And Bitcoin is up 0.70% to $120,550.