Global Scans · Proximity Tech · Weekly Summary

• [New] As the global economy approaches a soft landing, the near-term priority for central banks is to ensure that inflation comes down smoothly; they should neither ease policies prematurely nor delay too long and risk causing target undershoots. IMF eLibrary
• [New] In the near term, new expansionary measures such as tax cuts, increased fiscal transfers, and infrastructure investment could boost economic activity, especially in economies in which sovereign risk is perceived as low, and raise global growth above current projections. IMF eLibrary
• [New] As the world strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, initiatives like the solar-powered water project serve as beacons of hope. The Borgen Project
• [New] As the globe grapples with the urgent need to shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, solar power stands as a beacon of hope. Tech Xplore
• [New] Climate change creates material risk for companies, when voting it looks primarily at risk created for a specific company in the near-term. Yahoo Finance
• [New] The risks of a Russian attack against NATO in the near future would rise dramatically if the US allows Russia to defeat Ukraine now, and the challenge of defending the Baltic States in particular could become almost insurmountable. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] Settlers reportedly established at least two new illegal outposts this week near Palestinian communities which have been repeatedly attacked by settlers in the past months and are at imminent risk of being forcibly transferred from their homes and land. HuffPost
• [New] Despite ethical concerns and data security risks, the future of AI promises significant advancements in every field, creating new opportunities and challenges. India Today
• [New] Since the war in Gaza began six months ago, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border that have threatened to escalate into full-blown conflict. The Guardian
• [New] Thailand stands out as a beacon of hope in Southeast Asia, demonstrating resilience and growth potential despite global financial constraints. nationthailand
• [New] Foreign direct investment inflow will likely remain muted in the near term due to tight global financial conditions but will pick up in 2025-26 with higher industry and infrastructure investment. Current Affairs - NEXT IAS
• [New] With climate change wreaking havoc on traditional maize farming, conservation agriculture emerges as the beacon of hope. allAfrica.com
• [New] Several recently published deep-dive analyses commissioned by NASA and the European Space Agency have thrown cold water on the hope that space solar power could affordably generate many gigawatts of clean energy in the near future. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] The risk of misuse of technology in India's election is significant and could result in further tilting the playing field in favor of the ruling party. Human Rights Watch
• Given decline rates from existing fields, a substantial amount of new oil will be required even in a world of peak demand. SpringerLink
• Recent years have seen growing attention to the concept of 'peak oil demand', that in the relatively near term, global oil demand will begin to decline, because of the expansion of electric vehicles, improvements in efficiency, environmental pressure on plastics and greenhouse gas emissions limits. SpringerLink
• For investors looking at India, we think there are three main risks to consider over the near term: inflation, potential political surprises, and a possible downturn in the US economy. The Armchair Trader
• The major fields predicted to increasingly use big data by 2025 include astronomy, social media (Twitter, YouTube, etc.) and medicine-Genomics, which will be measured in zetta-bytes / year (zetta = 10^21). PubMed Central (PMC)
• Upgrading telecommunication facilities, network, and equipment to 5G, the next generation wireless network technology, alone is estimated to require some $14 billion in investments per year until 2025. SEADS
• The global models anticipate another build-up of high pressure (near the UK / over Scandinavia or an area of high pressure extending from the UK to Scandinavia) and a trough / low pressure over southern / SW Europe. The Mirror
• Gasoline prices rose again in March as OPEC + producers extended supply cuts, the Middle East conflict threatened to broaden, Ukraine attacked Russian refineries, and U.S. crude production leveled off near a record high. Comerica
• Short-range drones will be tested in fiscal year 2025 and produced in fiscal year 2026, and longer-range drones will be tested in fiscal year 2026 and fielded in fiscal year 2027. Defense One
• In 2025, Sonatrach will deliver two million tonnes of LNG to TotalEnergies at the port of Fos-Cavaou, near Marseille, which will contribute to the security of energy supply in France and Europe. MarketScreener

Last updated: 22 April 2024