WORLD BRIEFING: January 1, 2024

Happy New Year from Rome! Thanks for starting your year with my news roundup. You can look forward to not only the news you can use - but my own analysis as well!

Also, if you’re in London on Jan 11, please come to my World Briefing: The Year Ahead power panel at the Conduit Club. Tickets available here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-briefing-2024-tickets-775455417027

  • As of today, six new nations join the brics grouping of big emerging economies, turning it into brics+. Existing members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will be joined by Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Brics is essentially led by China and nominally by Russia.

  • An Italian right wing newspaper has stirred up controversy by naming Italy’s first female prime minister, Giorgioa Meloni, as ‘Man of the Year.’ Libero ran a lengthy tribute on its front page and ran a large portrait of the PM wearing a double breasted jacket and a look of determination.

  • An Israeli official said that the next stage of the war in Gaza will take several months as the IDF begins withdrawing some of its troops

  • Thousands of vaccines meant for children enter Gaza

  • Hamas source said that a delegation from the terror group is currently in Cairo examining their cease-fire and hostage release proposal

  • Yevhen Cherniak, the founder of Ukraine’s Global Spirits alcohol producer, on Dec. 30, denied Security Service (SBU) charges of sponsoring Russia’s war. The day before, SBU and Prosecutor General’s Office said they believe Global Spirits has not ceased business operations with Russia after Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, paying around $157.8 million (Hr 6 billion) in taxes in Russia in 2022. Cherniak and six top managers of Global Spirits were charged with “assisting the aggressor state,” with the maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. Cherniak, one of the richest Ukrainians, said his companies are not doing business with Russia. Global Spirits said it had revoked its product and distribution licenses in Russia after Moscow unleashed its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Michael BociurkiwComment