NATO approval, California floods, and accidental inventions.

Adam Rogers
January 24, 2024

Happy Wednesday! Today’s edition is 774 words, a 3-minute read.

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Stories

Turkey's parliament approved Sweden's NATO membership bid after 20 months of delays.

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan is expected to sign the legislation sometime this week. After that, Sweden will be one step closer to becoming a member of the defensive alliance.
Turkey’s approval leaves only Hungary to decide on Sweden's NATO membership — approval requires a unanimous vote from all NATO members. Sweden's potential accession to the alliance will be another setback to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who aimed to stop NATO's eastward expansion with the invasion of Ukraine.
Galvanized by Russia's invasion, Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in 2022, with Finland officially joining in April 2023. Both countries initially faced delays after accusations surfaced that they allegedly supported extremist Kurdish groups. However, Turkey dropped its opposition last summer, linking approval to its request for F-16 fighter jets from the US and the removal of trade embargos.
Hungary’s decision is expected after its parliament reconvenes in February.

Cameroon will become the first country to routinely administer a new malaria vaccine to children in Africa.

The campaign is considered a big step in the ongoing efforts to combat the mosquito-spread disease on the continent, where 95% of the world's malaria deaths occur.
Cameroon aims to vaccinate approximately 250,000 children in the current year and the next with the help of the Gavi vaccines alliance. Gavi is also working with 20 other African countries on vaccine distribution, with a goal of immunizing over 6 million children by 2025. The disease affects about 250 million people annually in Africa, leading to 600,000 deaths, primarily among young children.
Cameroon will use the Mosquirix vaccine which has been endorsed by the WHO. While the health agency admits that the vaccine is imperfect — it’s only 30% effective and requires 4 doses — it will help reduce severe infections and hospitalizations. Experts argue that production capacity could be an issue and that a new, cheaper vaccine developed by Oxford University, which only requires 3 doses, may be a more practical solution.

San Diego experienced a dangerous flash flood on Monday, and California could have more wet weather in the coming weeks.

A recent weak atmospheric river and favorable winds led to severe flooding in San Diego, ranking as its fourth-wettest day on record. Atmospheric rivers, which cause most of California's precipitation, are linked to some of the state's worst floods.
Over the next two weeks, a powerful jet stream is expected across the Pacific. The pattern could cause flooding, but could also benefit ski areas and water managers concerned about the upcoming dry season.
Unusually mild ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and above-average water temperatures near California, associated with El Niño, may contribute to the heightened flood risk. January is expected to end stormy, and February may follow suit in the US West.

Donald Trump won the New Hampshire GOP primary, increasing the likelihood of a November rematch with President Joe Biden. Biden, a write-in candidate, prevailed on the Democratic side. Trump's main rival, Nikki Haley, finished second. Biden didn't campaign in the state or appear on the ballot because New Hampshire defied DNC rules by holding the primary before South Carolina's. (More)

The Israeli army reported the death of 24 soldiers in Gaza on Monday — the deadliest day since the start of their ground operation. Among them, 21 reservists died in an explosion believed to be caused by mines placed by Israeli forces in two buildings for demolition. The IDF later clarified that the explosion was triggered by rocket-propelled grenade fire. (More)

Netflix's shares surged in after-hours trading on Tuesday following the company's report of adding 13.1 million subscribers in the fourth quarter. The gains bring Netflix's total paid subscribers to a new record of 260.8 million. (More)

Joel Embiid became the 9th person in NBA history to score 70 points in a game. In the process, he surpassed Wilt Chamberlain's 76ers franchise record of 68 points. His final stat line was 70 points, 18 rebounds, and 5 assists. (More)

The 96th Academy Awards nominations were revealed on Tuesday. "Oppenheimer" led with 13 nominations, followed by "Poor Things" with 11, "Killers of the Flower Moon" with 10, and "Barbie" with eight. (More)

Homes in Croatia are selling for 13 cents…but there’s a catch.

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.