🇮🇹 🤝 🇪🇹 Italy's Salini Impregilo (now Webuild Group) is the main construction contractor for Ethiopia's dam project.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/the-grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-gerd-hydroelectric-project

🇵🇦🛳 Dwindling Water Levels Pose Significant Challenges for the Panama Canal
Shipping Operations Impacted as Canal Throughput Declines

The Panama Canal faces a prolonged challenge as the water level within the canal drops by 1.8 meters below normal, resulting in a significant reduction of ship transits—down by almost a third. Despite a temporary respite with November rainfall, the canal now accommodates only 24 ships daily, a notable decrease from its previous capacity of 38.

Historically a crucial artery for global maritime trade, the Panama Canal, prior to the current drought, handled 3 percent of the world's total maritime trade and facilitated 46 percent of container traffic from Northeast Asia to the United States.

Attributed to both drought and global warming, the canal's shallow depths and the rapid depletion of Lake Gatun, its water source, underscore the severity of the situation.

While the problem is solvable, addressing the low water levels necessitates a substantial infrastructure project involving the construction of a dam on the Indio River and the creation of a tunnel to replenish Gatun Lake. However, the complexity of these technical endeavors, combined with the associated political and social challenges, including opposition from farmers and ranchers facing displacement due to reservoir flooding, imply that a resolution will likely take years to materialize.

#Panama #Canal
@songofoil

🇱🇧🇮🇱 Lebanon warned Israel of the danger of a large-scale war between the countries.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati demanded that Israel withdraw troops from the Gaza Strip and warned of the risk of further escalation in the Middle East - with the transition to a large-scale war in the region due to any attacks on southern Lebanese territory.

The Prime Minister announced this at a meeting with EU High Representative Josep Borrell.

"We strive to achieve stability, and we are establishing the necessary contacts in this regard, because any large-scale bombing of southern Lebanon will lead to a large-scale explosion in the region," Mikati said.

Previously, Israel launched strikes on Lebanon. Lebanon responded by striking an Israeli military base.

🚢 🌍 💵 448 vessels currently impacted by the Red Sea Crisis (orange dots). About 95% of them are diverting around the Cape of Good Hope.

🔶️ About another 100 or so vessels are affected by the drought at the Panama Canal.

📎 Nathan Strang

🇨🇳 Chinese shadow banking giant Zhongzhi Enterprise Group, which oversaw over $140 billion at its peak, has filed for bankruptcy.

@FinancialWorldUpdates

JUST IN - FAA will order immediate inspections of 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight, a day after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight.

@disclosetv

🇺🇸 "Despite the U.S. Department of Defense claiming yesterday in a Statement that while Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin was Hospitalized beginning on Monday he was still able to “Act using his Powers as Secretary”, it has now been Revealed that he had been in the Intensive Care Unit at Walter Reed for the last 4 Days and that Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kathleen Hicks assumed his Duties and Powers even though she continued her Vacation in Puerto Rico; while all of this occurred Members of Congress and the American Public were still only Notified on Friday." - OSINTdefender

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/secretary-defense-lloyd-austin-hospitalized-middle-east-missions-rcna132612

OSINTdefender

Venezuela closed 2023 with inflation at 156.57%, according to Cedice https://buff.ly/4aWKFZU

🇺🇸 U.S. ECONOMIC DATA THIS WEEK:

CPI INFLATION (THURS.)
JOBLESS CLAIMS (THURS.)
PPI INFLATION (FRI.)

@FinancialWorldUpdates

🌍 🇸🇦 🇦🇪 Two blocs-the Saudi-led, and the UAE-led-will utilize MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland.

🔶️ Saudi-led bloc, including Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and now increasingly coordinating with Somalia, Turkey, and Qatar, will react to the UAE-led bloc, with robust participation from Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

🔶️ The implications are far-reaching: Besides domestic politics in Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Somalia, and potentially in Kenya, geopolitical implications could reach beyond the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, linking the Middle East with North Africa, Horn of Africa, and the Sahel.

🔶️ Seen in light of the escalating maritime threats, partly due to the Gaza war, the effectiveness of US's "Operation Prosperity Guardian" could be curtailed.

📎 Mehari Taddele Maru

5 Ways To Prepare for the Online Privacy Crackdown.

With legislation around the world seeking to gut encryption and online anonymity, Ramiro Romani offers an overview of what’s coming and several solutions for divesting from Big Tech products and protecting your online privacy.

1️⃣ Use a “free” operating system for your computer.

2️⃣ Use open-source software on your phone.

3️⃣ Own your data.

4️⃣ Support alternatives.

5️⃣ Own your communications.

Detailed info in the link below.

https://unlimitedhangout.com/2023/11/investigative-reports/5-ways-to-prepare-for-the-online-privacy-crackdown/

🇺🇸 🇺🇦 💵 ‘We’re out of money’: US exhausts security funds for Ukraine

🔶️ The U.S. had no funds left to replace weapons sent to Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a Thursday press briefing.

🔶️ “We’re out of money,” he told reporters.

🔶️ “Right now, I’m not anticipating any new PDI announcements in terms of new capabilities,” said Ryder, referring to the remaining authority to send aid.

https://www.militarytimes.com/pentagon/2024/01/04/were-out-of-money-us-exhausts-security-funds-for-ukraine/

🛢️🇨🇺Reuters: Venezuela supplied Cuba with 56.000 barrels per day in 2023.

https://bitlyanews.com/principales/ultima-hora-reuters-el-8-del-petroleo-exportado-en-2023-por-venezuela-termino-en-cuba-unos-56-000-barriles-por-dia-bpd/