Hello, readers – happy Thursday! Today, we’re talking about the Amazon, steel, Haiti, Thailand legalizing gay marriage, the Texas immigration law (again), Caitlin Clark’s big offer, and an end to the long fight between Disney and Ron Desantis.
Here’s some good news: Islam Khalilov, 15, and Artyom Donskoy, 14, were working as cloakroom attendants at the Crocus City Hall music venue when the terrorist attack began late last week. The boys were awarded medals for bravery earlier this week for helping over 100 people flee the venue. Also, the Supreme Court struck down attempts to limit the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument’s expansion, so the expanse of wilderness along the California-Oregon border will not be subjected to logging.
“A memory is a beautiful thing, it’s almost a desire that you miss.” – Gustave Flaubert
A Brazil-lion Dollars To Save The Trees
(Lula & Macron in Combu Island by Ludovic Marin via Getty Images)
It’s a good day to be a tree in the world’s largest tropical rainforest. Brazil and France announced a joint plan that will see the two countries invest 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) into preserving the Amazon rainforest over the next four years. The project is part of the rekindling of diplomatic relations between the two countries, whose ties weakened under Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.
French President Emmanuel Macron is currently in Brazil to mend those burnt bridges with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He’s also scheduled to meet with Brazilian investors and view the launch of a Brazil-made diesel submarine developed using French technology.
The funding for the forest will come from a combination of Brazil’s state-run banks, France’s investment agency, and outside private investors. According to Lula, the project is part of a larger global effort to protect rainforests. “We want to convince those who have already deforested that they need to contribute in an important way to countries that still have their forests to keep them standing,” he said in a speech on Tuesday, with Macron standing beside him.
China Kinda Wins A Trade Battle
China has won an almost three-year-long World Trade Organization dispute with Australia regarding the Aussies’ tariffs on Chinese steel products. China leveled the complaint against Australia in 2021, arguing that the country was unfairly taxing railway wheels, wind towers, and stainless steel sinks that Chinese companies were sending its way. Those products were taxed at 17.4%, 10.9%, and a whopping 60.2%, respectively.
On Tuesday, the WTO found that Australia’s Anti-Dumping Commission (an agency built to protect the market against foreign imports priced below fair market value) had unfairly taxed those Chinese goods in a manner inconsistent with current anti-dumping regulations. Because China-Australia relations have improved since their low point in 2021, Australia accepted the decision and says it will take steps to remedy the situation.
The China-Australia trade dispute has played out across various markets, including steel, wine, barley, and even lobsters (sounds like a good dinner!). Now, the countries are warming their relations, with both Beijing and Canberra loosening trade restrictions on each other’s exports. Is this a sign that maybe global tensions might cool off a bit soon? Hopefully, but we’re not betting on it.
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How Did Haiti End Up Here?
(Haiti by Clarens Siffroy via Getty Images)
As armed gangs continue to run amok in Haiti’s capital, we still lack basic details regarding the country’s transition plan, which will see its current government hand power over to a transitional council that will set up elections for a new regime. The transition was brought about by gang violence across the nation that Haiti’s armed forces couldn’t contend with, leading to gangs controlling over 80% of the country’s capital city.
How exactly did we get here, with organized crime overpowering the country’s military? According to a U.N. report released in January, those gangs were able to build up capabilities by smuggling drugs and increasingly more powerful firearms into Haiti through the country’s porous borders. The report says that “most weapons are sourced in the U.S. and make their way to gang members and private residents through intermediaries, often through public and private ports and porous checkpoints.”
The report noted that half a million legal and illegal weapons were present in Haiti in 2020, having been smuggled into the country via U.S. states including Florida, Texas, and Georgia. The U.N. then goes on to say that “sustained assistance and institutional reforms will be required to restore basic public security, criminal justice, border control and customs institutions” in Haiti.
It’s Thai-me For Equality
On Wednesday, Thailand took a step toward becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize equal rights for all marriage partners regardless of gender. The country’s lower house of parliament voted 400-10 to approve the bill, which is now headed to the Thai Senate. If the Senate approves the measure, it will then head to the king’s desk for his endorsement, after which it will become a full law. The process is expected to take a couple of months.
One human rights expert noted that “certain shortcomings in the current draft must be addressed to ensure all rights extend to LGBTI persons.” A spokesperson for Thailand’s majority Pheu Thai party also acknowledged this issue, but told the press that the bill’s “wording has been adjusted to be appropriate for gender equality.” Importantly, the actual text of the legislation has not been released publicly, meaning outside parties are unable to verify exactly what the bill’s effects will be.
Late Tuesday night, SB4, the Texas immigration law that allows law enforcement to arrest people they suspect of entering the country illegally, was once again placed on hold while its legality remains in question. The 5th Circuit has a hearing next week to determine if the law violates the Constitution.
Immigration is typically a federal issue, but SB4 would make it a state-level issue. The Biden administration worries not only about diplomatic relations with Mexico and that pesky Constitutional law problem, but also about the potential proliferation of racial profiling in a state with a large Latino population.
Caitlin Clark’s New Side Hustle?
Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark is pretty much a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft this year, but WNBA salaries aren’t exactly known for being substantial. Enter: Ice Cube. The BIG3 co-founder confirmed on social media that, despite the plan to keep the offer a secret “while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship,” the league “made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark”…to the tune of $5 million.
Ice Cube said he thinks “it’s definitely doable” for Clark to play in both the BIG3 and WNBA. He said it would take a 10-week commitment, with games on Saturdays. As of writing, Clark hasn’t commented on the deal. It also remains unclear whether playing in another league could be allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement.
Disney had long been granted special privileges to operate its massive theme parks located in Central Florida, but DeSantis pulled the plug on that sweetheart deal in response to Chapek’s remarks. Last year, the mouse fired off multiple lawsuits against the state, alleging that its free speech had been violated by the move.
Now, both parties have reached a settlement deal, resolving the impending legal fistfight. Disney will drop its lawsuits against Florida – one public records request lawsuit which alleged that the new oversight board controlling its former territory was withholding important files, and another accusing DeSantis of using his position to attack the company’s free speech. Florida has also agreed to drop its cases against the company. The two parties are expected to negotiate a new deal, which Disney says will benefit its future development plans in the area.
