25 talking points for better conversation at cocktails from news of the past week.
1. More Brazilians live in the US than in any other foreign country and more in Florida than in any other state.
2. $27.4 billion: The total US security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration.
3. The price of Brent crude will average more than $100 a barrel this year, partly because of China, according to ING Groep NV.
4. Naked sauna diplomacy: There has been a diplomatic sauna society in the Finnish embassy in Washington, DC, for years.
5. Nuclear energy is responsible for 15.5 percent of the UK's electricity generation mix.
6. France pension reform: The government unveiled a pension overhaul to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030.
7. Cosa Nostra' godfather' arrested: Italy's most-wanted mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro arrested after going on the run for 30 years
8. The war in Tigray may have killed 600,000 people, a peace mediator says.
9. Donald Trump has officially asked Meta to restore his Facebook account.
10. EVs made up 10% of all new cars sold last year.
11. GM's new hybrid Corvette will go on sale later this year with a starting price of just over $104,000.
12. Reed Hastings is stepping down as chief executive of Netflix.
13. Bob Chapek, Disney's former CEO, will get a $20 million severance package.
14. Beyond Meat's current market capitalization is about $1 billion—down from its peak of more than $14 billion.
15. Crypto Congress: Over a third of the US Congress got campaign funding from FTX executives.
16. Apple directly employs only 14,000 people in China.
17. Hertz is buying 25,000 electric vehicles to rent to Uber drivers.
18. All Quiet on the Western Front' leads the race for the BAFTA awards.
19. Harvard Medical School joins the US News rankings exodus.
20. National Women's Soccer League has increased its salary cap by 25% to nearly $1.4 million.
21. 95% of the Super Bowls 2023 ad inventory is sold by charging a record $7 million for a 30-second spot.
22. Seven of the 14 head coaches in the NFL playoffs worked for the Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay or the Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid.
23. The total cost for a junior ski racing career can top $500,000, according to a 2019 US Ski & Snowboard survey of ski clubs, academies, and colleges.
24. Manchester United sale: The Glazers are reportedly looking for an offer of more than $7.2 billion for the team.
25. Manchester United set up shop with a luxury lounge at Davos 2023 to entertain clients and partners.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for senior executives with global ambition.
ITK Daily curates news @ the intersection of globalization, disruption, politics, culture, + sport and provides actionable insights and sharp commentary.
