Global Macro / Markets / Investing:
- South African studies suggest Omicron has higher ‘asymptomatic carriage’ – Reuters
- Even in ‘deflationary’ Japan, prices are shooting upwards amid pandemic – SCMP
- Fed’s Mester backs shrinking balance sheet ‘as fast as we can’ without pushing markets off track – Marketwatch
- Eight countries that include Iran, Venezuela and Sudan have lost their right to vote at the United Nations because of unpaid dues. – France24 (those late video fees are a killer)
Americas:
- Trump hangs up on NPR interviewer when pressed about non-existent election ‘fraud’ – Independent
- There’s a growing push in Congress to limit lawmakers’ ability to trade stocks – CNBC
- Thousands sign up for 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine as Quebec threatens to tax the unvaxxed – CTV
- Kim Kardashian and Floyd Mayweather sued by investors over alleged crypto scam – CNBC
- CDC forecast predicts more than 62,000 Covid-19 deaths in the US in the next four weeks – CNN
- U.S. posts smallest budget deficit in two years as employment rebounds – Reuters
- Omicron is creating a ‘crisis, red-tier situation’ in health care – NBC News
- Ground Temperatures Hit 129 Degrees as Argentina Suffers Blackouts – Gizmodo
Europe (and the UK):
- Anger as energy company advises star jumps and cuddling a pet to keep warm this winter – BBC
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson admits he attended No.10 ‘BYOB’ garden party during the height of the first lockdown, as Labour Leader Keir Starmer demands his resignation – HuffPo
- U.S., NATO reject Russia’s demand to exclude Ukraine from alliance – GlobalNews
- Prince Andrew to face civil sex assault case after US ruling – BBC
- Mexico’s deadliest cartel is dropping bombs from a drone onto rival camps in new turf war – NYP
- Ukraine dusts off Cold War bunkers in case of Russian invasion many think won’t happen – CBC
- Half of France’s primary schools expected to close as teachers strike – Guardian
Asia:
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- Japan calls for stricter COVID-19 measures for U.S. military personnel – GlobalVoices
- China uses case count excuse to force elderly & distant family members to reunite at a more convenient time for the Party – Yahoo
- Myanmar’s former Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to 4 more years in prison – Mainichi
- US to station technicians in Taiwan to service Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles – Taiwan News
- US and EU to confront China in aerospace industry, trade official says – SCMP
- Thailand detects African swine fever in sample at slaughterhouse – Reuters
- Hong Kong government denounces “biased reporting” by the Economist – Reuters
Trans-Tasman:
- ‘Code red’: Melbourne businesses say Omicron wave more damaging than lockdown – Guardian
- Morrison confirms order of 10 million RATs, encourages other Australian families to do the same – The Shovel
- Nation with no food thankful government spent crucial weeks focused on making it legal to fire gay people – Chaser (truth is getting a little too close to satire yeah?)
- My bile rises as I’m asked to move my dying cancer patient out of ICU to make room for an unvaccinated man with Covid | Ranjana Srivastava – Guardian
- Djokovic put a spotlight on Australia’s cruel immigration system. Don’t look away. – Washington Post (for about 3 maybe 4 minutes…nobody cares unless its sport related)
- The Australian Open draw has been delayed “until further notice”. No details have been provided on a reason or revised timeframe. “ – ABC (I refer to above comment)
- Waste collection could ‘grind to a halt’ as coronavirus staff shortages force delays – The Age (dump it at The Lodge)
- Amid staff shortages, restaurant owners are ‘fighting over’ workers to keep their businesses running – ABC
Other:
- Lawsuit aiming to break up Facebook group Meta can go ahead, US court rules | Meta
- Cancer mortality rates continue to decline amid ‘major progress’ in lung cancer early detection and treatment – CNN
- Study Finds Cannabis Compounds Prevent Infection By Covid-19 Virus – Forbes
- World ocean temperatures in 2021 were the hottest ever recorded – Axios
- Financial Incentives and other nudges do not increase COVID-19 Vaccination Rates among those hesitant. – Vox (its more structural than just incentivising)
- Iran’s Asiatic cheetahs in “dire” risk as just 12 known to remain in wild – Newsweek (cheetahs are on their way out, sadly…)