IEP Future Trends Newsletter 1/3/2023

 

About Us  Maps + Data  Resources January 3, 2023 ◯ Conflict ◯ Development ◯ Social ◯ Economics ◯ Politics IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION Here's what you need to know: Ukraine hit by fresh strikes; Zelensky’s message of hope, Croatia becomes the latest to join EU, Colombia city becomes experiment in peace, third of world to face recession in 2023, Namibia halts Russian uranium exploration over environmental concerns, ancient Egyptian 'Green Coffin' returned to Cairo by US.  Tweet this email  View this email on the web SPECIAL EDITION: UKRAINE Ukraine hit by fresh strikes; Zelensky’s message of hope. Ukraine was targeted by a fresh wave of strikes, as Russia’s attack on the country continued into a second year. President Zelensky said in a new year’s message that he hoped for victory. Dozens of Russian troops killed in attack in eastern Ukraine. Russia acknowledged that dozens of its troops were killed in one of the Ukraine war's deadliest strikes, angering Russian nationalists, including lawmakers, and drawing demands for commanders to be punished for housing soldiers alongside an ammunition dump. Russia plans to exhaust Ukraine with prolonged drone attacks. Ukraine's president says Russia is planning a protracted campaign of drone attacks in a bid to demoralise the country. President Zelensky said he had received intelligence reports suggesting that Moscow would use Iranian-made Shahed drones. POLITICS Croatia becomes the latest to join EU, adopt euro. On New Year's Day Croatia became the latest member nation of the EU, switched to using the euro, and joined the world's largest passport-free travel area. Fiji’s military called in to maintain order after disputed polls. Opposition parties claimed the right to form a new government, while the Prime Minister has refused to concede. The Prime Minister cited debatable reports of post-vote ethnic violence as a cause to deploy the military.  More MEPs could lose immunity in corruption probe, President says. The EU says it will launch proceedings to remove parliamentary immunity from two MEPs implicated in an ongoing corruption scandal. Parliamentary President Roberta Metsola said she had taken the move after a request from Belgian police. Venezuelan opposition dissolves Guaidó's long-term interim government. In January 2019 Guaidó won the recognition of more than 50 nations including the US as the legitimate albeit acting leader of Venezuela, after widely disputed presidential elections that kept Maduro in power. Taiwan extends mandatory military service to one year. Amid growing tensions with China, Taiwan’s president has announced new measures to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities in the event of an attack, including extending mandatory military training from four months to one year. CONFLICT Colombia city becomes experiment in peace. Colombia’s new president's 'total peace’ strategy seeks dialogue with high-impact crime organisations. Two dozen groups across the country have expressed interest in such talks. In Buenaventura, two warring urban gangs have come to a truce and are exploring talks to demobilise 2,000 gang members. 46 Ivorian soldiers sentenced to 20 years in Mali prison. Forty-six soldiers from Ivory Coast were sentenced to 20 years in prison for undermining state security in Mali and for carrying out attacks on Mali’s government.  South Korea asks US for greater role in managing nuclear weapons. President Yoon Suk Yeol said his government is in talks with the US on taking a more active role in managing nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula, marking a significant shift in a decades-old policy among American allies to deter North Korea. Russia grants tax amnesty to encourage troops fighting in Ukraine. Russian authorities have announced that soldiers and state employees deployed to fight in Ukraine will be exempt from income tax in Moscow’s latest effort to encourage support for the military campaign. North Korea tests more missiles, calls for increase in nuclear warheads. Kim Jong Un has ordered the creation of a new intercontinental ballistic missile and asked for an "exponential" rise in the manufacturing of nuclear warheads. North Korea also fired a short-range missile over its eastern shores on New Year's Day. ECONOMICS IMF: Third of world to face recession in 2023. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said for much of the global economy 2023 is going to be a tough year, as the main engines of global growth - the US, Europe and China - all experience weakening activity. Canada bans most foreigners from buying homes. A ban on foreigners buying residential property in Canada has taken effect, aiming to make more homes available to locals facing a housing crunch. Exceptions in the act allow for refugees and permanent residents who are not citizens.  Russia and Iran sail past sanctions on Caspian Trade Route. Russia and Iran are building a transcontinental trade route from the eastern edge of Europe to the Indian Ocean, showing how the two most-sanctioned countries are adapting to international pressure.  Spain scraps VAT on basic food to help with rising cost of living. Spain will scrap the value-added tax on basic food items for six months as part of a series of new measures to help people to cope with the rising cost of living. Putin turns on oligarchs to shore up Russian economic, battlefield woes. President Putin is poised to begin seizing valuable assets of oligarchs he deems insufficiently loyal. Russian legislature has prepared a bill that would increase tax rates for Russians who have left the country since the beginning of the conflict. DEVELOPMENT Namibia halts Russian uranium exploration over environmental concerns. Namibia, the world’s second largest producer of nuclear fuel, has halted Russia’s state atomic energy agency’s exploration for uranium over potential contamination of underground water. US nuclear industry witnesses an influx of public and private funding. The US nuclear industry is expected to see an influx of $40 billion in investments in the next decade, due to federal legislation put in place in the last 18 months. The industry is being hailed as at an "inflection point."  EU CO2 emissions fall to 30-year low. The drop came despite the bloc importing more fossil fuels from around the world to replace reduced supplies from Russia. The EU emitted under 8 metric tons per day, falling below the level of emissions recorded in 1990.  Mexico will increase minimum wage by 20% in 2023. Mexico’s minimum wage will increase by 20% from 2023, the government announced after it reached a deal with the labor and business sector. Critics have warned the move could fuel inflation. Nasa sounds alarm at Chinese designs on moon. The US is locked in a space race with China and the country needs to watch that its rival does not gain a foothold and try to dominate lunar resources, Nasa’s top official has warned. SOCIAL Ancient Egyptian 'Green Coffin' returned to Cairo by US. A looted ancient Egyptian sarcophagus that was on display at a US museum has been returned to Egypt. The sarcophagus was repatriated after an investigation that lasted several years, and was formally handed over by US diplomats at a ceremony in Cairo. Water pipe robots could stop billions of litres leaking. Engineers have developed miniature robots to patrol pipe networks looking for leaks and faults, saving the loss of water and eliminating the need to dig for repairs.  US immigrants generate 36% of nation’s innovation. A new study has found immigrant inventors are substantially more productive than those native-born. Approximately 36% of the innovative output of the past three decades can be attributed to immigrants, who make up 16% of the country’s inventors.  San Jose gun owners required to have firearm liability insurance starting in 2023. A first-of-its-kind in the US, the ordinance requires gun owners to own liability insurance that covers losses or damages resulting from unintentional, negligent or reckless use of firearms, including death, injury or property damage. ‘Party capital’ Dubai scraps 30% alcohol tax. It will also stop charging for personal alcohol licenses for residents drinking at home. Dubai has been relaxing laws for some time, allowing the sale of alcohol in daylight during Ramadan and approving home delivery during the pandemic. Which country banned cigarette sales to everyone born after 2008? Australia New Zealand China Japan Free Download IEP REPORTS & RESOURCES Start your peaceful new year with these IEP essentials. Download data-based peace, conflict and development resources which include Global Peace Index, Global Terrorism Index and Positive Peace Report. Download