Biden enters wrong (Russian) plane. Kamala just watches Neither Kamala nor the secret service realized the 'president' entered the wrong plane. A Russian plane! Joe Biden climbed back up the stairs of an airplane he wasn't supposed to be on, as Kamala Harris and the Secret Service stood and watched. 'This is a TOTAL metaphor for the Biden-Harris four years. No wonder the world is in crisis and America's economy is crumbling!'

The U.S. Commerce Sec. fears a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan She highlighted one hypothetical event that could be, in her opinion, "absolutely devastating." US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expresses grave concerns about a possible severe crisis in the US economy if China invades Taiwan.

WORLD SHIPPING: The world pays and stays silent - WHY? It may be a bit pushed out of the headlines but what is happening in the Red Sea is dramatic and the most significant impact on the global economy of the war in Gaza. A senior official at an American consulting company explains that in view of the fact that 30% of global container traffic normally passes through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea crisis has a huge impact on global supply chains. The Houthi attacks on cargo ships resulted in an almost fivefold increase in the cost of shipping between Asia and Europe. This is estimated to fuel global inflation by adding up to 0.7% to the cost of the global economy's "core commodities". The best alternative routes add to the voyages thousands of kilometers, over 10 days (between Asia and Europe) and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs for each such journey at sea. "Given the global nature of our economy, few companies or industries are immune to the impact. The increased cost of raw materials and supplies, longer delivery times, production delays and distribution challenges will affect the entire manufacturing sector long after the crisis is over," he wrote. The world seems to have come to terms with this reality...

The Recession in America just hit McDonald's. Who is reporting a substantial decline in customer traffic in response to sky-high menu prices. With the cost of a Big Mac meal hitting nearly $20 in certain cities. These increased prices a leading to lower-income consumers to stop coming to the restaurant according to McDonald's CEO. A signal that there is stress building across the US Economy as more and more consumers are unable to afford basic necessities. With food prices now at their highest level in 30 years relative to income.

Global economic activity remaining low, says IMF Midterm prospects of global economic growth and economic activity remain low, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its report, released before the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on February 28-29. "The global economy appears on track for a soft landing, but activity and growth prospects remain weak," IMF said. "Medium-term growth prospects remain subdued—reflecting secular trends and challenges including weak productivity growth, ageing, GeoEconomic fragmentation and climate vulnerabilities. These trends also undermine income convergence and increase the vulnerability of economies to external shocks," IMF experts added.

U.S. Navy warship shoots down Iranian drones, Houthi missiles, over Gulf of Ade The USS Carney shot down three Iranian drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile Wednesday launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The Houthi missile was headed toward the Gulf of Aden at about 8:30 p.m. local time. Forty minutes later, the USS Carney shot down three Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) nearby. The U.S. Central Command said there were no injuries or damage reported. The attack comes amid an uptick in tensions in the region. Houthis have been targeting commercial ships and vessels in the Red Sea, prompting U.S. forces to respond with a series of precision strikes. The Houthis say the attacks, which began in November, are intended to protest the Israel-Hamas war in the region, but many of the recent attacks have no clear ties to Israel. As a result, shipping companies have been forced to find alternative shipping routes, driving up oil prices and delaying the delivery of goods, raising concerns about the effect on the global economy. U.S. officials said earlier this week that U.S. troops have come under fire from Iranian-backed groups more than 160 times since late October. The attack also comes just a few days after three U.S. service members were killed and about 40 others injured in a deadly drone strike in Jordan Sunday. Biden has pledged to respond to the attack in a “time and manner of our choosing,” but he has also made clear he does not seek a larger war.

Microsoft, Google, Meta, other tech companies slash more than 21,000 jobs this year Microsoft said today it is laying off 1,900 employees. It joins dozens of other tech companies, including Google, Amazon, TikTok and Meta, in slashing tech jobs. It's the latest sign that Silicon Valley is still trying to adjust from the boom times of the pandemic. NPR's Bobby Allyn reports. So far, in 2024, over 75 tech companies have laid off over 21,000 employees. The tech industry has been shedding jobs for years now. Last year marked one of the worst in recent memory, with some 260,000 techies losing their jobs. This year isn't expected to be anywhere near that total, but the layoffs haven't stopped. The way executives are defending the continuation of job cuts may sound familiar. And no, it's not AI. The biggest driver of the recent tech layoffs we've been seeing is still companies trying to correct for their overhiring during the pandemic surge given that the high-interest-rate environment and tech downturn have both lasted longer than initially expected. Estimates that just about 20% of the job losses in tech have been explained away by artificial intelligence, with tech companies trimming and reshuffling staff and investing more in automation. The big focus is on generative AI, which is the next gold rush in Silicon Valley. And while the economy is improving, sticky inflation and still historically high interest rates are dampening the outlook.

Since Yemen's Ansarullah started its operations against Israeli-affiliated shipping, cargo passing through the Suez Canal has decreased by approximately 85% Suez Canal shipping has come to an almost complete stop after the Red Sea attacks. This has a major impact on the Israeli economy, they won't be able to handle this much longer.

About the appointment of a new French Foreign Minister Personnel changes are ongoing in France: Yesterday, Emmanuel Macron announced the composition of the cabinet for the new Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal. While some politicians remained in their positions, there were also changes, including the appointment of Stéphane Sejourné as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. ▪️ Sejourné's political career began in 2014 under Macron, who was then the French Minister of Economy. He subsequently continued to work closely with the current president, being involved in the "Youth with Macron" project, his election campaign, and finally, leading the "Renaissance" party that he established in 2016. According to his close circle, during his time as a Member of the European Parliament, he proved himself to be an exceptional negotiator. ▪️ As Minister, Sejourné plans to focus on three main areas: strengthening the authority of international organizations such as NATO, the UN, WTO, and WHO; developing assistance for civilians in crisis zones such as Ukraine and the Middle East; and fostering cooperation among European countries in the area of security and defense, including reviving relations between France, Germany, and Poland within the framework of the Weimar Triangle. 📌 It should be noted that given Attal and Sejourné's past cohabitation, there may be a conflict of interest. However, the French media seems to be undecided on how to handle this situation, publishing conflicting information about the nature of the relationship between these politicians.

Houthi Attack on International Shipping - CENTCOM Statement: 🔶️ On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, towards international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting. 🔶️ Eighteen OWA UAVs, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile were shot down by a combined effort of F/A-18s from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Mason (DDG 87), and the United Kingdom’s HMS Diamond (D34). This is the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since Nov. 19. There were no injuries or damage reported. 🔶️ On Jan. 3, 14 countries, including the U.S, issued a joint statement stating, "The Houthis will bear the responsibility for the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, or the free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways."