| |
| 1 | | The Houthi movement threatens a "strong and effective response" to U.S. strikes in Yemen, intensifying tensions as the U.S. aims to protect shipping from Houthi attacks. The conflict in the region has escalated, involving Iran's allies from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, following the Hamas-Israel war. More: - U.N. special envoy for Yemen called for maximum restraint, warning of a precarious situation in the region.
- Strikes were denounced as "brutal aggression" by Yemeni citizens who expressed solidarity with Palestinians.
- Pentagon describes U.S.-British strikes as having "good effects."
- U.S. President Joe Biden warned of more strikes if Houthi attacks on vessels continue, emphasizing the importance of the vital waterway.
Zoom Out: - The Iran-backed Houthi rebels, led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, have been fighting Yemen's government for nearly two decades and now control the northwest and capital, Sana.
- Badr Albusaidi, Oman's Foreign Minister, warned that the strikes defy their advice and risk exacerbating an already perilous situation.
|     | |
| 2 | | 
What the numbers say: From Jan. 24, 2022, to Oct. 31, 2023, the U.S. provided approximately $75.4B in aid to Ukraine, as reported by the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker. Most of this aid, amounting to $46.3B, was for military purposes, while $2.7B was allocated for humanitarian assistance. This support was in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in Feb. 2022 and does not encompass all war-related U.S. spending.
Relevance: The U.S. annually provides billions in aid globally, more than any other country, to support its security, economic, and humanitarian objectives. Following Russia's invasion, Ukraine has become the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. This is the first time since the Marshall Plan under the Truman administration, which focused on rebuilding Europe post-World War II, that a European country has been the primary beneficiary of U.S. aid. Impact: In 1981, the U.S. and Israel established a strategic cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding, a non-Senate ratified executive act. This included a specified amount of U.S. military aid, commitments to joint military exercises, U.S. Sixth Fleet access to Israeli ports and a trade agreement. In 2016, President Obama and PM Netanyahu signed a defense aid agreement providing Israel with $38B over ten years (2019-2028), succeeding a $30B agreement from 2007-2018. | | | |
| 3 | | Lai Ching-te of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is elected Taiwan's president. This marks a significant shift in Taiwan's political landscape, potentially influencing its future stance towards China. More: - The DPP has won a third presidential term, a first in Taiwan's democracy.
- The election followed intense campaigns focusing on the economy and defense against China.
- Lai's victory could lead to increased tensions with China.
- Over 5 million votes were cast for DPP, with the KMT and TPP trailing.
- Taiwan's voting process is in-person and paper-based for security reasons.
Zoom Out: - China Strategic Risks Institute provides an executive summary of the election, discussing the potential outcomes and their implications for Taiwan-China relations.
| | | |
| 4 | | Archaeologists in Ecuador have discovered thousands of ancient structures in the Amazon using LiDAR technology, revealing a 2,000-year-old site with 6,000 platforms and roads. This finding demonstrates the scale of ancient cities hidden under the forest canopy, highlighting LiDAR's effectiveness in uncovering obscured historical sites. More: - LiDAR, short for Light Detection and Ranging technology, has been instrumental in identifying ancient structures, especially in forested areas.
- The site includes large platforms, plazas, streets, roads and an agricultural drainage system in Ecuador's Upano Valley.
- The inhabitants, known as the Upano people, had an extensive drainage system, a common practice in Mesoamerica.
- The road system connects urban centers, creating a regional network over tens of kilometers.
- Occupied from around 500 BCE to 300-600 CE, the sites had a population between 10,000 and 30,000 at their peak.
Zoom Out: - LiDAR technology has previously mapped 500 Mesoamerican sites and over 60,000 ancient Maya structures, including pyramids.
- Recent scientific findings show evidence of complex rainforest societies in the Amazon, predating European contact, in areas including Bolivia and Brazil.
| | | |
| 5 | | The $30T wealth management industry now has access to bitcoin ETFs, opening opportunities for large money managers in the crypto space. Analysts anticipate fund inflows between $50B to $100B in 2024, marking a significant shift in crypto investment accessibility. More: - Bitcoin reached $49,000, the highest since December 2021, following a 150% surge in 2023 after a sell-off in 2022.
- SEC approval of spot bitcoin ETFs allows investors to access bitcoin like stock and bond index funds.
- Advisors Preferred Trust invests up to 15% of total assets in indirect bitcoin exposure through funds and futures.
- Bitwise Bitcoin ETF, with a 0.2% holding fee, targets financial advisors and family offices, aiming for 1-5% allocations.
- 94% of state and local pension plans had some crypto exposure even before SEC's recent approval according to the 2022 CFA Institute Investor Trust Study.
Zoom Out: | | | |
| 6 | | A group of South African lawyers plan to take the U.S. to court over its role in the Israel-Palestine conflict, seeking accountability for alleged war crimes and violations. This legal action reflects efforts to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East through lawful means. More: - South African lawyers are preparing a case against the U.S., aiming to hold the country accountable for its involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- The legal action is based on allegations of war crimes and human rights violations related to the conflict.
- Lawyer Wikus van Rensburg plans to use the outcome of South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague as the basis for their civil claim.
- The case is part of global efforts to address the complex and long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Zoom out: - In a letter dated Jan. 2, the legal group expressed concern to President Biden over providing 14,000 tank shells and other items to Israel without congressional review.
- The Intercept obtained documents indicating that the U.S. Air Force sent officers in November to assist Israel in target selection for Gaza airstrikes.
| | | |
| 7 | | QUICK HITS - Develop AI tools from the world's best models, leverage any data source, and deploy for any internal or external use with MindStudio's no-code platform. Get Started.*
- Ukraine launched a retaliatory strike on Belgorod, western Russia, in response to a significant Russian air attack that resulted in numerous casualties across Ukraine.
- After doubling its shares in 2023, Tesla Inc. faces a challenging start in 2024, with a $94B loss in market valuation in the first two weeks.
- Thousands are anticipated to attend a Saturday rally and march in Washington, D.C., advocating for a Gaza cease-fire and a halt to U.S. aid to Israel, WP reveals.
- Turkey conducted airstrikes on Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria following the death of nine soldiers in an Iraqi base attack.
- Smart investors are generating passive income by selling their shareholder voting rights. Register on Shareholder Vote Exchange to start earning.*
*This is a sponsored post. | | | |
| |
| Upcoming Events | | JAN
30 | | Join TruEra for an expert discussion about the impact of the EU AI Act on US and Canadian firms | | | | | | | MAR
7 | | Alternative investment assets to know in 2024. | | | | | | * This is a sponsored event | | | |
 | Freelance | | This newsletter was curated by Vildana. In addition to Inside Daily Brief, she also contributes to Inside Metaverse. She holds an MSc from the London School of Economics (LSE). You can reach her at vildana@inside.com or her social media platforms, Twitter or LinkedIn. | | This newsletter was edited by Megan LaBruna | |
| |
| |
Comments
Post a Comment