Global Intelligence Briefing

No analysis available

, we focus on “No Kings” — mass protests stretching from Washington to New York and abroad, channeling dissent over immigration raids, education policy, and executive power. The scene near the White House: thousands with handmade placards and steady chants, as the U.S. sits in a government shutdown and a White House meeting cools prospects for sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Why it leads: scale — hundreds of thousands across cities; timing — a shutdown that stalls data and services; and global ripple — allies watch shifts in U.S. security posture while domestic tensions rise. Today in

, we scan the hour’s developments: - Middle East: Israel received two bodies Hamas says were Gaza hostages; identification is underway. The ceasefire remains fragile, with U.S. warnings of a “credible” Hamas plot to attack Gaza civilians. Historical check: over the past week, aid scale-up stalled as crossings stayed constricted despite truce phases and prior remains transfers. - South Asia: Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire after Doha talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey; mechanisms for border verification are planned. Context: a week of lethal clashes and airstrikes preceded this pause. - Africa: The African Union suspended Madagascar as Colonel Randrianirina consolidates power post-coup. In Kenya, four mourners were killed when security forces fired at crowds honoring Raila Odinga. A New York jury found BNP Paribas liable for aiding atrocities under Sudan’s Bashir regime. - Europe/Eurasia: Russia claims a village capture in Donetsk as Ukraine strikes logistics in Crimea; Bosnia’s Serb Republic appointed an interim president after Milorad Dodik was barred. - Americas: The U.S. shutdown drags on; analysts warn missing inflation and jobs data will impair policy choices. “No Kings” protests drew large, peaceful crowds in NYC. - Economy/Tech/Climate: WhatsApp will ban general-purpose chatbots on its Business API from Jan 15, 2026. The U.S. formalized new tariffs on medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and a U.S.-Saudi bloc won a year’s delay on a green shipping deal at the IMO. Bitcoin miners pivoting to AI/HPC surged; AI safety disputes between the White House and Anthropic spilled into public view. Underreported, by our check: Sudan’s El Fasher — about 260,000–300,000 people trapped after roughly 500 days of siege, acute hunger and cholera spreading — and Myanmar’s Rakhine, where over 2 million face famine risk as WFP access shrinks. WFP warns funding cuts across multiple operations now endanger tens of millions. Today in

, we connect the threads. Governance shocks — coups, shutdowns, and contested policing — meet hard economics: tariffs lift transport and equipment costs; conflicts target grids and fuel depots; and data blackouts weaken decisions. The cascade is visible: strained budgets limit aid just as sieges deepen; cyber- and AI-driven risks accelerate fraud and disinformation through financial systems already re-wiring around sanctions and export controls. Today in

- Europe/Eastern Europe: Donetsk frontline inching shifts; Ukraine targets fuel and rail nodes in Crimea; EU farm-policy simplification stalls, adding uncertainty for producers. - Middle East: Ceasefire mechanics falter — hostage remains returned amid allegations of impending attacks and restricted crossings. - Africa: Madagascar’s military transition triggers AU suspension; Kenya’s mourning turns deadly; Sudan’s Darfur siege intensifies with limited media bandwidth despite vast humanitarian need. - Indo-Pacific: Pakistan–Afghanistan ceasefire tests mediation frameworks; Indonesia weighs major Chinese fighter-jet buys; flu surges early in Japan. - Americas: U.S. shutdown stalls official data and squeezes contractors; protests expand; U.S.–Venezuela maritime tensions continue. Today in

, the questions people ask — and the ones missing: - Asked: Will U.S. protests shift shutdown politics or Ukraine policy? Can Doha mechanisms hold the Af-Pak border calm? - Missing: When will secure corridors open into El Fasher, and who funds cholera response? What plan restores sustained WFP access in Rakhine? How will platforms and governments counter AI-accelerated fraud and deepfakes without overreach? Who guarantees Gaza crossings stay open under any stabilization arrangement? Cortex concludes: In this hour, power is contested in streets and parliaments, while prices and probabilities are set by wars, tariffs, and missing data. We follow both the headlines — and the gaps they leave. This is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing. We’ll be back on the hour.