Trump V. Five Eyes
Monday, March 17th, 2025
World Events — Trump V. Five Eyes
The Economists
The Five Eyes alliance, a cornerstone of Western intelligence cooperation comprising the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, finds itself navigating turbulent waters due to recent political developments in the U.S. The appointment of Tulsi Gabbard, known for her controversial views, as America's director of national intelligence and President Trump's threats to curtail intelligence sharing, including a brief suspension with Ukraine and a threat to exclude Canada, have triggered unease among allied agencies. This situation raises concerns about the integrity and future of the pact. While the Five Eyes has demonstrated resilience in the face of past political disagreements, the potential for disruption under the current U.S. administration is palpable. The most likely scenario involves Trump's efforts to politicize and restructure the U.S. intelligence community, potentially leading to internal chaos that affects cooperation with allies who may begin to withhold information or seek new partners. Despite these concerns, Western officials maintain that intelligence sharing continues largely as usual, highlighting the deep interdependence and mutual benefits that underpin the Five Eyes partnership, particularly in signals intelligence, though adjustments may be made in human intelligence sharing to protect assets. However, the situation remains fluid, with the risk that the politicization of intelligence and potential security lapses within the U.S. could undermine the trust and efficiency of this vital alliance, especially if the U.S. intelligence community becomes distracted or diverted by internal issues.
Tech — Battery King CATL
Bloomberg
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world's leading electric vehicle battery manufacturer, reported a 15% increase in net income for 2024, reaching 50.7 billion yuan ($7 billion), demonstrating its strong market position despite increasing competition. While this figure fell slightly short of analyst expectations of 51.5 billion yuan, the company's annual sales experienced a 9.7% decrease to 362 billion yuan, also missing estimates. CATL's energy storage business generated 57.3 billion yuan in revenue, also below expectations, and its power battery gross margin was 23.9%, lower than the anticipated 28.2%. The company is planning a $5 billion secondary listing in Hong Kong to fund expansion in Europe, including a 100 gigawatt-hour factory in Hungary, and despite the mixed financial results, CATL expanded its market share to almost 38% by the end of the year, outpacing rivals like BYD Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd.
Economics — Why Is Rent Price Out of Control
The Economists
Rental markets across advanced economies are experiencing unprecedented growth, with annual increases of around 5%, posing significant challenges for renters, central bankers, and the overall economy. This surge, a stark contrast to the pre-pandemic norm of 2% annual growth, is fueled by a confluence of factors including monetary policy decisions, migration surges, and constrained housing supply. Higher interest rates, implemented to combat broader inflation, have inadvertently priced potential homeowners out of the market, intensifying demand for rentals while benefiting homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages. Simultaneously, recent migration patterns, particularly to urban centers, have further strained the already limited supply of rental properties. The pandemic-induced shift in construction towards single-family homes, coupled with regulatory barriers hindering new landlord development, has exacerbated this supply squeeze, leaving tenants feeling increasingly squeezed and potentially contributing to rising homelessness rates. This sense of unfairness among renters, who are less likely to have benefited from pandemic-era economic policies, may also be contributing to political instability as some studies suggest that higher rents can fuel support for radical political movements. Central bankers face a difficult task, as rental inflation proves stubborn due to long-term leases, making it challenging to bring overall inflation under control without further burdening renters.
Relationships — What is Family Stress Theory
Verywell Mind
Family Stress Theory, developed by sociologist Reuben Hill in 1949, explores how stressful events impact family dynamics, observing patterns in how families respond to crises such as war-induced separations and reunions; the theory posits that a family's internal and external resources, combined with their perception of the event, determine the outcome of the crisis, with internal resources including stress management and communication skills, and external resources encompassing financial stability, access to healthcare, and social support. When issues arise, the family's response depends on their coping, stress management, and parenting skills, and understanding this theory allows for more empowered decisions regarding stress, highlighting the pivotal role of resources in managing crises; cultivating both internal resources like self-regulation and mindfulness, and external resources like community support, can significantly aid families in navigating stressful times, and strategies for coping with family stress include implementing family meetings, considering family therapy, scheduling alone time, creating a zen corner, and seeking help from support groups and loved ones.
Cooking — Cranberry Smoothie
Song Rec — Gone, Gone, Gone (Philips Philips)
Quote of the Day
“You can’t help what you feel, but you can help how you behave.” ―Margaret Atwood
i hope u have a wonderful, wonderful start to your week :)