The results of the Jharkhand Assembly elections will be announced on Saturday, with all eyes on the Silli constituency, where voting concluded on Wednesday during the second phase. The constituency recorded a voter turnout of approximately 76.70%, reflecting the high level of participation in this closely contested race. Silli, located in Ranchi district, is known for its blend of urban and rural characteristics. While Silli town serves as an important urban centre, the surrounding areas are rich in natural resources, including coal mines, adding to the region's economic weight. These factors, along with the constituency’s demand for improved infrastructure and industrial growth, were central themes in the election campaigns. The electoral contest in Silli involved several key political players, including the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik). Sudesh Kumar Mahato, the AJSU candidate and incumbent representative of Hazaribagh, contested from Silli in this election. Mahto faces stiff competition from his long-time rival and JMM candidate Amit Kumar, who previously defeated him in 2014 and posed significant challenges in both the 2005 and 2014 elections. Devendra Nath Mahto of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) was also among the notable contenders. The campaigns focused heavily on issues such as development, employment opportunities, and industrial growth, with candidates promising to address the constituency's pressing needs. In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections, Sudesh Kumar Mahato secured a victory in the Silli seat with a margin of 20,195 votes, and the constituency recorded a 79.3% voter turnout. 1,57,646 votes were cast out of 1,98,798 registered voters. The outcome of this year’s election is expected to be closely contested, with the final results eagerly awaited. Exit polls for the entire Jharkhand Assembly have created anticipation, with predictions split between a potential victory for the BJP-led NDA and a possible continuation of power by the JMM-led alliance. The BJP-led NDA, which includes AJSU, Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), is considered a strong contender to form the next government. However, some exit polls still suggest the advantage may lie with the JMM-led coalition, which includes Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). With the final results just days away, the political fate of Silli and the wider state of Jharkhand remains uncertain, and all eyes will be on the announcement to see which alliance comes out on top.The Gophers football program is on the verge of signing the state’s top-rated high school prospect to headline its recruiting class for a second straight year. The U hasn’t done that since 2017-18. Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo is set to join Minnesota when the early signing period opens Wednesday, just like Esko safety Koi Perich did a year ago. The U fought off fellow Big Ten schools in both recruiting battles. ADVERTISEMENT “It feels amazing,” Karmo told the Pioneer Press this week. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” Karmo, a four-star prospect, said his other top contenders were Wisconsin, Nebraska and, to a lesser degree, Ohio State. His more than 15 scholarship offers also included Southern California, Penn State, Oregon, with some interest from Michigan. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound athlete, who is also the U’s overall No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, played nearly everywhere in high school and committed to Minnesota in April, but that didn’t stop others from pursuing him and seeing if he would be willing to visit their campuses. “When coaches come in, they just see his build and his film speaks for itself,” said Robbinsdale Cooper head coach Tony Patterson. “The recruiting process was a little bit stressful for him. He wanted to make sure that he was making the right decision and not really basing it on when the big-time schools come in. “Some kids can get glamor and glitz in their eyes, but I think he did it his way. He spoke with his family. He made the best decision for him and his family to stay home in Minnesota.” Karmo is close with his large family, especially his mother, and was looking for a close-knit connection in a college. The Gophers weren’t among the first to offer Karmo, but he found a bond with U defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere. “He showed how invested he was in his family, and also Emmanuel as a person,” Patterson said. “So, I think that’s what drew him to Minnesota.” ADVERTISEMENT Karmo played four years on varsity and started the final three for the Class 5A school a few miles west of Minneapolis. He played everywhere — safety (as an underclassman) and linebacker/edge rusher (as upperclassman), wide receiver, tight end, running back, wildcat quarterback and punter. In 10 games as a senior, Karmo had five rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns, along with 64 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. Other teams ran away from his side of the field, but he worked to track ball carriers down. The Hawks finished 8-2, but fell short of the state tournament. The Gophers see Karmo’s skills best translating at linebacker in college. “They told me I would be useful on third-down situations and stuff like that,” Karmo said. “They want me to come in and play early.” The Gophers nearly had the top-rated in-state recruit sign with the U in three straight classes, but Cooper defensive lineman Jaxon Howard went to Louisiana State for a year before transferring back to Minnesota. He played 118 snaps for the Gophers as a redshirt freshman this fall. Howard gave Karmo the space to make his own college decision but was instrumental in showing Karmo how to lead in high school. “He just passed down the torch when he left (Cooper),” Karmo said. “I took over and now I’m on the way.” ADVERTISEMENT Karmo, who spent part of his youth in St. Louis, said he had a “pretty rocky start” at Cooper, but began to lead by example during his junior year. “He’s invested in Cooper,” Patterson said. “... His play on the field spoke for itself, but it’s the off-the-field things that, sometimes, they get unnoticed. He’s encouraging guys, giving (car) rides to guys, making sure that the young guys understand what it means to be a Cooper Hawk.” Patterson sees Karmo as a no-nonsense worker with twitchy athleticism. “Emmanuel is a special guy. He’s one of those kids that coaches kind of just salivate over,” Patterson said. “He has all the intangibles: great GPA, smart player, size, frame. He has the ability to get even bigger, faster, stronger in college, under their weight program. “He’s one of those guys that just show up and go to work, no complaints about anything. He doesn’t have kind of a look-at-me attitude; he wants a team to succeed. This year I saw that, putting the team on his back and trying to do everything in his power to have us reach that next level.” ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .best streamers feet 。

Coming off what was likely a week's worth of intense practices, No. 10 Kansas returns home for a matchup with North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks (7-2) lost back-to-back games versus unranked opponents, the first time in school history that they have done that while ranked No. 1. Now they have to regroup to face the Wolfpack (7-3). Kansas lost its first two games of the season emphatically: 76-63 at Creighton on Dec. 4 and 76-67 at Missouri last Sunday. Coach Bill Self, who has only lost three straight games four times in his 21-year career at Kansas, was pretty succinct about his team's play following the loss to Missouri. "I think it was probably a combination of them being good and us not being good," he said. "I don't know that I could give them 100 percent credit, but that's what happens in sports. When the other team is doing things to hurt you, and you don't attack it well, they guard you the same way. "A lot of times you just roll it straight because of just not being as prepared or ready. I think it was a combination of both. I would err on the side of giving them more credit, because if I just say we sucked, that would take credit from them. We did suck, but it was in large part them." The Jayhawks still have a balanced and experienced attack, led by seniors Hunter Dickinson (15.0 points per game), Zeke Mayo (10.9), Dajuan Harris Jr. (10.7) and KJ Adams Jr. (9.8). Their biggest problem against Missouri was the 22 turnovers. "It's been a crap week for all of us," Self said on his weekly radio show Tuesday. "But hopefully we get an opportunity to bounce back. "I'm not going to make any excuses. If you don't perform the way we didn't perform, there certainly can be some valuable things to learn from that hopefully will give us a chance to win the war and not just the battle." NC State has won back-to-back games, including the ACC opener against Florida State on Dec. 7. In their last game, the Wolfpack handled Coppin State 66-56 on Tuesday. That's not to say NC State coach Kevin Keatts was impressed. "I thought we did a terrible job at the end of shot clocks when they were going to take a bunch of bad shots but we fouled them," Keatts said. "That being said, you can learn a lot from a win instead of a loss. "We compete hard every day, and our energy is always high. With this group, I'm trying to get everyone to be consistent." The Wolfpack has a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Marcus Hill (13.0 ppg). Jayden Taylor adds 12.5 and Dontrez Styles chips in 10.6. Ben Middlebrooks (9.2) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (8.7) round out the top five. Huntley-Hatfield (5.6 rebounds per game) and Styles (4.6) also lead a balanced rebounding attack. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games in the series with North Carolina State. --Field Level MediaManchester City defender Nathan Ake said his side must “show character” if they are to end their winless streak after Feyenoord scored three times in the final 15 minutes to claim a 3-3 draw in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium. City are now six games without a victory but appeared to be cruising towards three points before being stunned by the Eredivisie side, who hit them with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko to fight back from 3-0 down. Two goals from Erling Haaland, one of them a penalty, and one from Ilkay Gundogan had the 2023 European champions three up after 53 minutes as they sought the win that would help to get their ailing season back on track. FULL-TIME | A point apiece. 🩵 3-3 ⚫️ | — Manchester City (@ManCity) After the team collapsed in the closing stages, Ake called on his team-mates to show their mettle if their campaign is not to wither away. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he was asked whether he believed the the team’s problem is a mental one. “Maybe it is,” he said. “It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times but this is where we have to show our character. “When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together. 🔢 — Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) “Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it.” The draw leaves City with work to do if they are to secure one of the eight automatic spots in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League. They are currently 15th in the table, two points outside of the top eight, and will need positive results in their next two games against Juventus and Paris St Germain to keep their hopes alive. They then face Club Brugge in their final league match on January 29. The result at least ended a run of five straight defeats in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Liverpool at Anfield. “When you are three goals up it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home,” said Ake. “It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome. “(We were) 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed. “You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1 they then push on but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us. “Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure and then we have to stay stronger mentally.”

By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70India News Live: Get real time updates on the latest happenings across India. From key political shifts and government decisions to economic developments and crime reports, we bring you real-time information as it unfolds. Our coverage also includes general news, spotlighting significant events and issues impacting daily life. Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Hindustan Times staff. ...Read More India News Live: Sambhal mosque imam fined ₹2 lakh for alleged loudspeaker noise violation, granted bailIs Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingA state's biggest environmental commitment faces a potential funding shortfall as analysis shows protecting key koala populations could cost more than $1.3 billion. Login or signup to continue reading The estimates, based on advice from the under-siege forestry industry, comes as the sector proposes two smaller alternatives for the planned Great Koala National Park in NSW. The park aims to link dozens of high-value koala habitat hubs near Coffs Harbour, protecting up to one in nine koalas living in NSW, Queensland and the ACT as well as 100 other native species. A report to be considered by state cabinet in the next fortnight lays out the cost of the baseline proposal to unite a string of national parks and state forests into a sprawling 176,000-hectare estate. Under conservationists' goal for a park twice the size of Canberra, establishment costs would reach an estimated $1.36 billion within five years. That includes $450 million in support to 2200 forestry workers, based on Victoria's cost of ending native timber harvesting. Ending wood supply contracts and establishing new plantations would add another $709 million, according to the analysis commissioned by the forestry industry. Only $80 million in state funds have been set aside for the park's establishment. The industry says a park one-fifth of the size could focus on areas with the highest populations of koalas and greater gliders while taking less than 10 per cent of the northeast wood supply. "The cost of the current assessment area comes with a jaw-dropping price tag for taxpayers," Australian Forest Products Association NSW chief executive James Jooste told AAP. "This is an enormous cost on taxpayers, and it puts the hardwood timber industry on the chopping block." The industry's preferred option comes with a 37,000-hectare footprint at an estimated establishment cost of $273 million and 440 jobs. An "acceptable" 58,000ha option would cost about $410 million and 660 jobs. Each proposal substantially reduces the amount of coastal forest under protection, with areas around Woolgoolga and Nambucca Heads left out. Environmentalists have attacked the analysis as disingenuous and grossly inflated. A Blueprint Institute assessment recently estimated the whole northeast NSW logging industry, including outside the national park footprint, would cost $215 million. "There is no science and there is certainly no credible economics in the logging industry pitch," Greens MP Sue Higginson said. "The real costs of the national park must be laid out including the actual losses the industry makes and the costs of the environmental harm of logging, including the carbon emissions." Logging has continued in state forests inside the proposed park area, although not since September 2023 in 106 koala hubs that mark out areas of high-value habitat. It comes as the state government faces mounting pressure over the impact of its logging business on nature. At least 5000 koalas were killed in the 2020 Black Summer bushfires and a subsequent parliamentary inquiry found they would be extinct by 2050 without urgent government intervention to stop habitat loss. An estimated 12,111 koalas live in the land earmarked for the national park. Official estimates have the combined koala population in NSW, Queensland and the ACT at somewhere between 95,000 and 238,000. The NSW government said the proposal from the industry advisory panel and two other panels would be considered before a final decision on the park's footprint. "We have always been clear that we need a comprehensive assessment process which takes into account environmental, economic, social, ecological and cultural issues," Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said. "The Great Koala National Park is the government's biggest environmental commitment, it will be delivered." Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!

Barclays PLC raised its stake in Orion S.A. ( NYSE:OEC – Free Report ) by 320.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 95,512 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after purchasing an additional 72,793 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC owned approximately 0.17% of Orion worth $1,700,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Pzena Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Orion by 35.4% in the third quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 3,647,985 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $64,971,000 after buying an additional 954,398 shares in the last quarter. Foundry Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Orion during the third quarter worth approximately $4,620,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in Orion by 18.6% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,347,138 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $29,556,000 after purchasing an additional 210,990 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Orion by 20.2% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,179,181 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $21,001,000 after purchasing an additional 198,182 shares during the period. Finally, SIR Capital Management L.P. acquired a new position in Orion in the 2nd quarter valued at $3,992,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.33% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth OEC has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered Orion from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Orion from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $20.00 to $21.00 in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Orion Price Performance Shares of OEC opened at $15.67 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42. The business’s fifty day moving average is $16.91 and its 200 day moving average is $18.59. The stock has a market cap of $904.47 million, a P/E ratio of 29.57 and a beta of 1.51. Orion S.A. has a 12-month low of $14.94 and a 12-month high of $28.35. Orion ( NYSE:OEC – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $463.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $489.01 million. Orion had a net margin of 1.67% and a return on equity of 18.97%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Orion S.A. will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Orion Company Profile ( Free Report ) Orion SA, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of carbon black products. It operates in two segments, Specialty Carbon Black and Rubber Carbon Black. The company offers post-treated specialty carbon black grades for coatings and printing applications; high purity carbon black grades for the fiber industry; and conductive carbon black grades for batteries, polymers, and coatings. Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Orion Utilities Stocks Explained – How and Why to Invest in Utilities S&P 500 ETFs: Expense Ratios That Can Boost Your Long-Term Gains Investing in the High PE Growth Stocks How AI Implementation Could Help MongoDB Roar Back in 2025 Trading Stocks: RSI and Why it’s Useful Hedge Funds Boost Oil Positions: Is a Major Rally on the Horizon? Receive News & Ratings for Orion Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Orion and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .As the world’s two largest economies vie for influence in South America, Brazil sits at the heart of the global power struggle. The choices the country makes in the coming years could reshape the region’s economic and political trajectory, according to analysts. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Brazil for a state visit and the G20 Summit marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries and underscored Beijing's expanding influence in South America amid intensifying U.S.–China competition. Xi’s visit resulted in 37 trade and diplomatic agreements with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. These agreements spanned agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure development, signaling a closer partnership between the world’s second-largest economy and Latin America’s largest nation. “Brazil has the biggest Chinese investment in the Global South. Lots of Chinese money here,” said Mauricio Santoro, political scientist and international relations expert, and author of Brazil-China Relations in the 21st Century , in an interview with VOA. “And the Chinese and Brazilians are backing a lot of the development of green technologies, wind power, solar power. So, there’s huge potential in that.” During the visit, Xi and Lula discussed strengthening economic cooperation between China and Brazil, as well as addressing key global issues, including trade, sustainable development and geopolitical challenges. Despite the sheer volume of agreements, experts suggest that many were largely symbolic, focusing on reaffirming commitments rather than enacting concrete policies. “Signing 37 agreements is huge. It’s likely they won’t have practical effects in the near term,” Livio Ribeiro, an expert on Sino-Brazilian trade, told VOA. “Most of them are very broad and unspecific. Though, linkages are being tied up. They are getting stronger. I think that’s the point.” China’s expanding influence China has cemented itself as Brazil’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at close to $160 billion in 2023. Trade between the two countries has increased by nearly 10% in the first 10 months of 2024, reported China’s state news agency, Xinhua. Over the past decade, Chinese investments in Brazil, particularly in energy and infrastructure, have surged. As China deepens its footprint in South America, the United States has emphasized soft power strategies, particularly in combating climate change — a central element of Lula’s international agenda. The Biden administration increased its climate finance to $11 billion annually and contributed $50 million to Brazil’s Amazon Fund. However, analysts say China’s rise poses challenges to U.S. influence in South America. Bilateral currency agreements between Beijing and countries such as Brazil and Chile enable trade in Chinese currency, the renminbi, gradually undermining the dollar’s dominance in the region. “Most American administrations look at Latin America as a problem. As a source of instability, of undesirable immigration, organized crime, border troubles and so on,” said Santoro. “But when China looks to Latin America, it basically sees opportunities.” The Trump factor The incoming Trump administration may shift the dynamics of U.S.–China competition in the region, and Trump’s proposals, including a possible sweeping tariff on Chinese imports, could alienate South American nations and draw them closer to Beijing, according to experts. “As we have Trump coming into office in January 2025, the balance of power will change,” Ribeiro told VOA. “And for me the great question is whether Trump, knowing and understanding that he’s losing Latin America, if he will try to regain it or he’ll just let it go.” He said higher interest rates in the U.S. and a stronger dollar may exacerbate economic challenges in South America, devaluing local currencies and increasing borrowing costs. Such volatility could make Chinese partnerships more appealing. Chinese officials "don’t believe that Trump will be able to build good relationships with the leaders of these countries,” Santoro said. Brazil’s balancing act President Lula has maintained a careful approach, strengthening ties with China without alienating the United States. His decision not to join China’s global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reflects a strategy to preserve Brazil’s diplomatic flexibility, experts said. “That’s the precise way Brazil should deal with it,” Ribeiro told VOA. “Because he [Lula] did not sign the Belt and Road Initiative. Therefore, the U.S. can’t say that we are going into the opposition.” Analysts note Brazil can potentially still benefit from the BRI project — for example through a proposed Brazil-Peru transcontinental railway that remains in the planning stage — while balancing diplomacy between the global rivals, analysts said. “We are trading more and more [with China]. We are using infrastructure. We are receiving Chinese money. So, the integration that comes along with the Belt and Road is reaching us,” said Ribeiro. Some experts see opportunities for Brazil in the U.S.–China rivalry. “If China is suffering economically with the imposition of U.S. tariffs, it could quite possibly make a deal with Brazil to bring the trade to us, using our established trade partnership,” said Brazilian writer Sergio Farias in an interview with VOA. “I think there’s a great possibility of Brazil benefiting from this.”