The Middle East continues to be a hotbed of conflict, with Israeli airstrikes targeting a densely populated refugee camp in Gaza City, resulting in the death of a senior Hamas commander and at least 50 Palestinians. The Israeli military has defended the attack, stating that eliminating the Hamas commander was more important than safeguarding civilian lives. The conflict has spilled over into Syria, with Israel striking targets in Syria and Lebanon, and Hezbollah firing projectiles. Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen have also threatened and attacked Israel, with a drone reportedly reaching southern Israeli skies. Meanwhile, the White House has rejected calls for a ceasefire, further increasing international pressure.
In the realm of nuclear power, a new uranium enrichment plant has opened in Piketon, Ohio, raising questions about the competitiveness of nuclear power from small modular reactors (SMRs) compared to other forms of electricity generation. Despite studies showing that SMRs are not currently competitive with renewable energy sources in terms of cost, proponents argue that they provide baseload power, energy security, and resilience. In a related development, industrial conglomerate Honeywell has announced plans to reopen its uranium conversion facility in southern Illinois, aiming to restart production of uranium hexafluoride in 2023.
In Europe, top Ukrainian officials and Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have warned of escalating tensions with Russia. Germany’s slow rearmament and the prospect of conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe have raised concerns about the country’s ability to fight. Despite these concerns, Defense Minister Pistorius has assured Ukraine that Berlin will not reduce its support based on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
In the world of social media, Elon Musk appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and discussed how leftists “completely controlled” Twitter and weaponized the platform against political opponents. Musk, who bought the social media company about a year ago, also discussed George Soros’ massive bet on funding city and state district attorney elections nationwide.
A new FDA-funded study suggests that older adults who received a COVID booster and a high-dose flu vaccine in the same visit may have a slightly increased risk of stroke. However, experts caution that the results are preliminary and could be influenced by other factors, such as the higher stroke risk associated with age. The FDA and CDC maintain confidence in the safety and effectiveness of COVID vaccines, and current vaccine guidance remains unchanged.
Finally, HSBC Holdings Plc has launched a platform that uses distributed ledger technology to tokenize ownership of physical gold held in its London vault. The new system creates digital tokens that represent gold bars, which can then be traded through the bank’s single-dealer platform. This move brings blockchain technology to the antiquated London gold market, signaling a potential shift in how commodities are traded.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/middle-east-mayhem-nuclear-shake-up-and-digital-gold/