1. China's Xi woos Latin America with $250 billion investments
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/08/us-china-latam-idUSKBN0KH06Q20150108

As we try to understand geo-politics today, it’s important that we understand the role that China is playing in Latin America; a region that has widely distanced itself from US hegemony and that is looking to strengthen relations with other world powers. I would use this in a US Government class (12th graders) and I would highlight China’s growing relationship with the countries who are part of the Bolivarian Revolution (Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Cuba…etc.). It seems like China is making serious inroads in all of the countries that used to be politically dominated by the United States but that have now formed a regional bloc that is seen as hostile by the US.