Proximity Tech

• [New] There's a very real possibility in the very near future, sadly, tragically and in a heartbreaking way, the Taliban will regain control of all or substantial portions of Afghanistan.
• [New] Mexico will only return to its pre-pandemic GDP level by 2023, despite impulse from the large US fiscal policy plan, due to the absence of significant domestic fiscal support and anticipated continued weakness in investment.
• [New] Recent experiences in Syria underscore the likelihood that the U.S. military will no longer be able to execute counterterrorism operations with little to no interference in the near future.
• [New] Qatar and Iran share the largest gas field in the world, with Qatar promising to expand liquefied natural gas output by 40% per year by 2026.
• [New] Russia would keep military forces near the border with Ukraine and it could take measures if necessary.
• [New] Magna International will develop a modular electric vehicle with Israeli startup REE Automotive, helping the Canadian supplier and contract manufacturer move further into a growing field of EV players.
• [New] Microsoft says its technologies - in combination with Azure, Teams and Dynamics 365 - will help advance next-generation tools for healthcare and customers in other fields.
• [New] If the United States and Japan are concerned about trying to offset the threat posed by China, including eliminating the missile gap they currently face with China, then fielding long-range ground fires in robust numbers would make sense as one possible option.
• [New] China has a goal of achieving leadership in various emerging technology fields by 2030.
• [New] CNOOC sees minimal output hit from China oil field fire - China's state-controlled CNOOC expects a fire at one of its offshore platforms earlier this week to reduce crude production by around 600,000 bl in 2021.
• [New] If climate change is not halted and/or reversed in the near future, experts agree that there will be serious and negative repercussions for all life on Earth, including humans.
• [New] Japan plans to establish a 30 billion yen fund to be used over the coming years for supporting research and development in the 6G field.
• [New] The Japanese government expects to boost public-private cooperation in 6G research and development to secure a leading position over other countries in the field of telecommunications.
• [New] 4, Amsterdam is predicted to reach a 48% CAGR in interconnection bandwidth capacity by 2023, primarily from businesses connecting to cloud and telecommunications providers.
• [New] With last month's US$ 1.9-trillion pandemic relief package and the Fed's near-zero interest rates, bank officials say they expect the U.S. to see its fastest economic growth in 40 years in 2021.
• [New] At around eight times the price paid by telcos in South Korea, the reserve price set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is prohibitive, with the likes of Bharti Airtel in the past saying they will not bid if prices are not lowered.
• On the positive side, the U.S. could have a GDP level above pre-COVID levels in the near-term, which would help Latin American economies in terms of remittances and trade.
• The start-up of the tight gas and condensate Ghazeer field gives Oman the opportunity to rebase its economy from exports towards value-added products.
• Five Chinese telecommunications companies, including Huawei, pose a risk to U.S. national security, a significant move early in the Biden administration after the Trump administration's all-out effort to limit the Chinese tech company's reach in the U.S. and abroad.

Last updated: 18 April 2021