25 talking points for better conversation at cocktails based on what I found interesting this week.
Global Street Smarts
1. The best bars in America, 2022: From top of the world rooftop bars to subterranean cocktail dens, here are 25 excellent locations for a big night out according to Esquire. Full list here.
2. US to host the APEC summit in 2023 in a push for Indo-Pacific economic pact: Nikkei reports Washington keen to lead rule-setting for trade and tech in Asia.
3. Wolf warrior diplomacy: Roughly 70 percent of South Koreans now see China as the greatest threat facing their nation.
5. UBS sees a 40% chance of US recession over the next 12 months, up from just 2.5% a month ago.
5. Coinbase forms a PAC to steer money toward crypto-friendly candidates ahead of the midterms — The Coinbase Innovation PAC.
6. Rural America shrinks over decade for the first time: The Hill reports the number of Americans who live in rural areas declined in the last decade, the first time in history that the nation's rural population dropped between one US census and the next.
7. Manhattan lost 6.9% of its population in 2021, the most of any major US county.
8. Wall Street bonuses soared to an average of $257,500 last year, a new record for New York City's securities industry and 20 percent above last year's high.
9. Nearly 15% of Americans are struggling to get a good night's rest, according to new data from the CDC.
10. Dartmouth is getting rid of student loans for undergraduates: Bloomberg reports that the Ivy League school's financial-aid packages will replace loans with additional grants.
11. SkyDrive and Suzuki are teaming up to launch a fleet of 'flying car' air taxis by 2025: RR1 reports the high-flying collab would see the aircraft used as part of an air taxi service in the Osaka Bay area.
12. United Airlines looked at selling a minority stake in its MileagePlus loyalty points program, valued in 2020 at $22 billion.
13. Europe needs 65 million electric vehicle chargers by 2035: Bloomberg reports a report from EY and Eurelectric calls for $134 billion in infrastructure investment.
14. Billions for energy bars: Mondelez agrees to purchase energy-bar maker Clif for $2.9 billion.
15. Volvo's commercial truck group is testing out hydrogen fuel cell semis.
16. Tourist friendly North Coast 500 to go electric: Scottish tourism chief Lord Thurso wants to make the world-famous tourist route the preserve of electric vehicles.
17. Amazon announces its first fully autonomous mobile warehouse robot.
18. Kellogg to separate into three businesses: WSJ reports the food company plans to create separate cereal, snack, and plant-based food companies.
19. International Space Station to retire by crashing into the Pacific Ocean by 2031: DW reports that according to NASA's estimates, the space station's operational life will end with a controlled de-orbit in January 2031. Commercial space platforms will replace the hub for scientific research.
20. Alanis Morissette releases an ambient meditation album called The Storm Before the Calm.
21. Snoop Dogg has bought control of Death Row Records, the label where he began his career, from a Blackstone-owned group.
22. Restore the roar: Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions will be featured on the HBO series 'Hard Knocks' this summer.
23. Women's Sports Network seeks to spotlight female athletes: This summer, LA-based Fast Studios plans to launch the Women's Sports Network, a 24-hour television channel entirely devoted to covering female athletes on and off the field.
24. Esports to be included as a pilot event at Commonwealth Games: BBC reports the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships will have separate branding, medals, and organization. But there is hope within the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) that esports could become a part of the whole program by the 2026 Games. Hamilton in Canada, frontrunners for the 2030 event, is also keen on esports being included.
25. Wimbledon expansion: The All England Club wants to expand its current site with 38 new courts and an 8,000-seater stadium.
-Marc
