25 talking points for better conversation at cocktails from news of the past week.

1. EU seals deal to send Ukraine 1 million ammo rounds.

2. The World Bank says Ukraine needs $411 billion to rebuild.

3. Prince William made a surprise visit to British troops near the Ukrainian border.

4. Emmanuel Macron faces 200 protests across France over pension changes.

5. Canada's population grew by a record 1 million in 2022, spurred by international migration - Canada remains the fastest-growing G7 country.

6. Nigeria is among the eight economies with the lowest human capital in the world, ranked 167th out of 174 countries on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index.

7. Philippines eyes $1.5 billion from the sale of state-owned casinos.

8. 150 million people are reported to use TikTok.

9. Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a bill to curb the use of social media by children and teens - it will also require companies to block minors’ access to accounts from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am.

10. TSMC makes a third of all the world’s silicon chips.

11. Volvo Cars to export all-new compact EVs from China by sharing a platform with parent GEELY to help bring down costs.

12. Ford Motor Company will be an all-electric carmaker in Europe by 2025.

13. There are roughly 7,200 working satellites occupying orbit.

14. Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson’s satellite-launching start-up, is said to be near a deal for a $200 million investment led by the venture capitalist Matthew Brown.

15. 140 distilleries in Scotland have pledged to make their operations “net-zero” in carbon emissions by 2040.

16. In a new report from American Express, 70% of Gen-Z and Millennials travelers say they have been inspired to travel to a destination after seeing it on screen. 

 

17. Standford University now has more than 10,000 administrators who oversee the 7,761 undergraduate and 9,565 graduate students ... There are about 2,290 faculty members.

18. Amazon to lay off 9,000 more workers.

19. We ♥ NYC: Milton Glaser’s iconic logo gets a modern makeover.

20. In New York City, a $100,000 salary feels like $36,000 - after taxes and adjusting for the sky-high cost of living.

21. Depeche Mode has released the group’s 15th album.

22. Guinness is set to open a £73m ‘culture hub’ at Old Brewers’ Yard in central London that promises a “grain-to-glass immersive visitor experience” in the mold of the Dublin original. 

23. The current Formula 1 season will see twenty-three races being staged, of which only nine will take place in Europe.

24. Apple is said to be weighing a bid for streaming rights for The Premier League soccer matches.

25. Central Park’s Wollman Rink will soon be home to 14 pickleball courts.

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.