Good morning and Happy Friday. Some headlines to set you up for the weekend.

• 🚢 US dockworkers held off from striking over Christmas but that deal expires on January 15th. Talks begin next week to avoid a dockworker strike and automation will be a major theme issue to resolve. [More - Bloomberg]

• 💥 Both New Year terror attacks in the US — killing 15 in New Orleans and the attacker in Las Vegas — were conducted by American servicemen but appear unconnected, according to the FBI. [More - Bloomberg]

• 🇸🇾 Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria’s interim Foreign Minister, traveled to Saudi Arabia on the HTS-led government’s first foreign visit following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. [More - Al Jazeera]

• 🏛️ The US Congress returns today (Friday), and its first job is to elect the Speaker. Incumbent Mike Johnson is President-elect Trump’s preferred candidate but Johnson faces opposition and it not guaranteed victory. Moreover, the tone and conduct of the vote will be an indication of how the 119th Congress will operate. [More - Washington Post]

Coming Soon - AI Implementation Workshops

A byproduct of building AI tools is that you get a lot of questions on how to implement AI generally. Doug Grey and I tackled the security risk management applications in our AI implementation white paper last year, but that was a higher-level view of what AI could do. The feedback: “Good, but what about my organization specifically? You should be running workshops.”

So, after a successful pilot in December, I’m starting a series of AI implementation workshops in mid-January.

These will look at implementing AI into your organization’s risk and crisis function and will be largely practical with the aim of providing the skills needed to use AI along with an actionable plan to help you implement these tools into your workflows.

I’ll share more next week, and as a SITREP reader you will have the chance to attend the first cohort at a significantly reduced rate. If you plan to lean into AI in 2025 but aren’t sure where to start, these workshops will set you up fort success.

Key Metrics

WTI is $70.38 (Down)

Low |--- < ----------------| High

Wheat is $185.735 (Down)

Low |------ < -------------| High

EuroDollar is $1.03 (Down)

Low | < -------------------| High

YuanDollar is $0.14 (Unchanged)

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Graphs are illustrative to show comparative price over last 180 days

Metrics via AlphaVantage updated Jan 02 2025 21:16 UTC

Africa Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇩🇿 Algeria, 🇦🇴 Angola, 🇧🇯 Benin, 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso, 🇧🇮 Burundi, 🇨🇲 Cameroon, 🇨🇫 Central African Republic, 🇹🇩 Chad, 🇰🇲 Comoros, 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic Of The Congo, 🇩🇯 Djibouti, 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, 🇪🇷 Eritrea, 🇸🇿 Eswatini, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, 🇬🇦 Gabon, 🇬🇳 Guinea, 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau, 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇱🇸 Lesotho, 🇱🇷 Liberia, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, 🇲🇼 Malawi, 🇲🇱 Mali, 🇲🇷 Mauritania, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇳🇪 Niger, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo, 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, 🇸🇴 Somalia, 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇸🇩 Sudan, 🇬🇲 The Gambia, 🇹🇬 Togo, 🇺🇬 Uganda, 🇪🇭 Western Sahara, 🇿🇲 Zambia, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇨🇻 Cape Verde, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇲🇺 Mauritius, 🇳🇦 Namibia, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe, 🇹🇿 Tanzania

Regional News Summary

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with a multitude of challenges that threaten its stability and development. The ongoing humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by conflict spreading from Sudan to the Sahel, has raised alarm bells internationally. Reports indicate that the DRC's war-torn landscape has led to increased humanitarian concerns, with millions affected by violence and instability [SOURCE - Foreign Policy].

In a significant blow to its economy, the global tech giant Apple has announced a suspension of mineral purchases from the DRC amid a criminal complaint. This decision impacts the mining sector, a vital component of the DRC's economy, which is already under strain from ongoing conflicts and governance issues [SOURCE - SABC News].

Public health concerns have also emerged, with the World Health Organization ruling out the mysterious "Disease X" in recent outbreaks. Instead, known pathogens have been identified as the culprits, providing some reassurance amid fears of a more severe health crisis [SOURCE - Malay Mail]. However, the ongoing conflict has severely disrupted education, with UNICEF reporting that 52 million children worldwide have been affected by war, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures for vulnerable populations [SOURCE - Times of India].

In Algeria, the geopolitical landscape is shifting as China asserts its influence in Africa, providing a stabilizing force amid global uncertainties. This development is particularly relevant for Algeria, which is positioned to feel the effects of changing power dynamics as Russia also increases its presence on the continent [SOURCE - Global Research]. Algeria is set to host the FIVB men's volleyball world championship for the first time, marking a significant milestone in its sporting ambitions and regional engagement [SOURCE - Business Mirror].

Meanwhile, South Africa faces a growing water crisis, particularly in Johannesburg, where residents are enduring severe restrictions and load shedding. The government has sent a special envoy to Mozambique amid political tensions, emphasizing South Africa's commitment to regional stability despite internal challenges [SOURCE - The South African]. Additionally, the country is experiencing a medical brain drain as nurses seek opportunities abroad, further straining its healthcare system [SOURCE - El Pais].

In Kenya, human rights groups have raised alarms over the abduction of government critics, leading to protests met with police force. This unrest underscores the fragile state of civil liberties in the country [SOURCE - ABC News]. Concurrently, Kenyan coffee farmers are grappling with low prices and climate change impacts, further complicating the socio-economic landscape [SOURCE - BBC].

In Nigeria, a tragic airstrike by the military mistakenly killed ten civilians, highlighting the human cost of ongoing conflicts with insurgents. This incident raises critical questions about military operations and civilian safety in the region [SOURCE - Winnipeg Free Press]. Additionally, the country is facing alarming climate trends, with reports indicating an increase in extreme heat days, which poses significant public health risks [SOURCE - Daily Excelsior].

As Burkina Faso continues to struggle with an Islamist insurgency and economic woes, the government is seeking international assistance to stabilize the situation and address humanitarian needs [SOURCE - OCHA]. The Central African Republic is also facing violence and uncertainty ahead of its upcoming elections, with clashes between militias complicating the political landscape [SOURCE - Al Jazeera].

Long Reads

Here are some longer pieces I’m going to be catching up on this weekend.

• The MIT Technology Review takes a look at how the war in Ukraine is affecting — and revitalizing — Europe’s tech sector.

• Wired has a depressing review of the worst hacks of 2024. (Not an end-of-year list you want to appear on.)

• I only just received the Economist’s Christmas double issue so need to wade through that. This piece on Chinese calligraphy and a 4th-century drinking game seems intriguing.

Have a great weekend and I will see you again on Monday.

Carpe tomorrow!