Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🚢🏗️ The US is upgrading its port infrastructure
• 📉 The lifespan of home appliances is declining
• Americans are spending 🏦 on food

… and more.

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be about a 4.69-minute read.

P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

–J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

The US government is channeling Detective McNulty in season 2 of The Wire and turning its attention to potential bad actors at its maritime ports. The Biden admin announced a series of actions yesterday to strengthen the cybersecurity of ports across the country, which collectively employ 31 million people and generate over $5.4 trillion/year for the US economy.

The announcement includes a plan to invest $20+ billion over the next five years to upgrade port infrastructure and replace China-made cranes – which comprise ~80% of all cranes at US ports – with those built in America. The project is intended to counter fears that the widespread use of Chinese cranes, which are remotely controlled via advanced software, poses a potential national security risk.

Other actions include:

• An executive order that ensures all critical port infrastructure adheres to international and industry recognized safety regulations, and mandates reporting of maritime cyberattacks to the Coast Guard.
• A new directive ordering all Chinese-made cranes in the US to follow a strict set of protocols until they can be replaced in the coming years.
• A Coast Guard rule establishing minimum cybersecurity requirements for maritime companies that are in-line with international standards.

Zoom out: The funds for upgrading America’s ports were tapped from the ~$1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that was passed in 2021. As of this past November, the federal government had committed ~$400 billion in infrastructure funding from the bill to a combined total of 40,000+ specific projects across all 50 states.

These investments are coming in a time of need. The US currently holds a “C-” grade on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ quadrennial infrastructure report card, which found 43% of all public roadways are in poor or mediocre condition – a level consistent with the previous several years.

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🇺🇸🇯🇵 US prosecutors charged a Japanese Yakuza leader with conspiring to traffic nuclear materials. The accused criminal leader, Takeshi Ebisawa, was arrested after showing samples of nuclear materials to an undercover DEA agent in Thailand, according to the indictment. Federal prosecutors say Ebisawa offered to sell 50 metric tons of uranium and thorium for $6.85 million to an undercover agent, with the belief that these materials would be used by Iran to create a nuclear weapon. The indictment also alleges the Yakuza leader attempted to buy deadly weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and armor-piercing ammunition.

🇪🇸 Spain’s birth rate fell to its lowest level since records began in 1941. New government data found Spain’s current rate is 1.19 births per woman – nearly 25% lower than a decade ago, and well below the 2.1 level necessary to maintain the current population size. Analysts largely attribute the decline to a delay in the childbearing age, unemployment, and rising housing costs. Spain currently has the second lowest fertility rate in the EU behind Malta.

🇦🇺 Australia is doubling its naval fleet to its largest size since World War II. The Royal Australian Navy will increase its major surface warships – which can operate with sailors aboard or independently as drones – from 11 to 26 over the next decade. The $35 billion project comes amid concerns about China's growing influence among Pacific island nations.

The “they just don’t make things like they used to” camp can now put another notch on their scorecard. According to new data reported by the WSJ, US households spent an inflation-adjusted 43% more on home appliances in 2023 than they did in 2013. However, home appliance prices declined 12% over that same period.

The reason? Americans are spending more on repairs for their machines. Yelp users, for example, requested 58% more quotes from thousands of appliance repair businesses last month than they did in January 2022.

Driving the trend… More features have been added to appliances over the years – touchscreens that display different sensor-controlled wash options, for example – which means they’ve gotten more complicated to build. And, since additional parts are being used in construction, there’s a larger chance that something could break.

Less-durable materials being used in construction don’t help either. Appliances are now more likely to be made with plastic and aluminum, rather than steel like back in the day.

• In addition: The high-efficiency motors and compressors used in many modern-day machines are likely to be lighter-duty, since they’re tasked with drawing less energy.

📝 Bottom line: When it comes to modern-day appliances, technicians and experts say the best strategy to maximize durability is to keep the functions simple. Timed washes and drys, ftw!

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💬 Quoted… “If you look historically after periods of inflation, there’s really no period you could point to where [food] prices go back down. They tend to be sticky.”

• In 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, Americans spent 11.3% of their disposable income on food, marking the highest level in over three decades, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture. And, much like in Custer’s last stand, the cavalry doesn’t appear to be coming to the rescue, since restaurants and food companies are still dealing with rising costs for labor and some ingredients. This reality is already impacting food spending; recent data from large restaurant chains indicates that Americans are cutting back on dining out, or spending less when they do.

🏀🥇 Stat of the Day: The new Iowa mantra: if you have Caitlin Clark, t(he)y will come. The University of Iowa star became the NCAA women’s basketball all-time scoring champ with her 3,528th career point last week – and apparently wasn’t finished setting records. According to Fanatics, more Clark-branded merchandise was sold in the 24 hours after she broke the NCAA scoring record than any other athlete in NIL history, surpassing Colorado QB Shadeur Sanders, the previous record-holder. Clark’s success has also positively impacted the financials of Iowa’s women’s hoops program, which brought in over $3.8 million in total revenue in 2022-23 – more than double its total from any other recent year.

🤔 Did You Know?... Between 1928 and 2016, no Republican candidate won the presidential election without either Richard Nixon or a member of the Bush family on the ticket.

📰 Worth a Read: Are fears of saying ‘no’ overblown? → (The Conversation)

• ☝️ Jyoti Amge of India, aka the world’s smallest woman at 2 feet and 0.7 inches, met this week with Sultan Kosen of Turkey, who stands 8 foot 2 inches and is the tallest man in the world.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

in partnership with Niphtio

• 💰 US markets closed mixed (S&P: +0.1%; Dow: +0.1%; Nasdaq: -0.3%). | 🔀 Amazon is replacing Walgreens in the Dow Jones index; the change will take place before the open of trading on Monday.
• 💪 Chipmaker Nvidia posted strong Q4 results that outpaced expectations for both earnings and sales; shares rose 10% in extended trading. | ✈️ Boeing fired the executive in charge of its beleaguered 737 MAX program.
• 📉 Private equity payouts, aka when funds distribute money to their investors, are down 49% from 2021, according to Bloomberg data.

*From our partners: 📚 De-clutter that browser and stop unused tabs from slowing your computer… Niphtio web extension lets you easily store articles, videos, and more with just one click. Available for Chrome and Firefox – Get Niphtio FREE here.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🍎🏟️ Apple released a free new sports app for iPhone users that’s mainly focused on scores and stats. | 📱🔋 The tech giant also said the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro’s battery life is twice as long as initially promised, with no hardware or software updates needed.
• 🙏 Ewen MacIntosh, a comedian known for playing “Big Keith” in the British version of The Office, passed away at 50 years old.
• 🏌️ Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods, will compete in an 18-hole pre-qualifier event later today in a bid to secure a place in the PGA Tour's Cognizant Classic next week.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

in partnership with bistroMD

• 🌕 Intuitive Machines, which launched its lunar lander into space last week, is targeting no earlier than 5:49 p.m. ET this afternoon to attempt the first successful private Moon landing. | 🛰️ An uncontrolled European satellite fell back to Earth and burned up in the atmosphere yesterday after 30 years in orbit.
• 💻 Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced plans to request $500 million in his new state budget to boost quantum computing.
• 💊👍 The FDA gave its first-ever approval of a new class of cancer drugs that harness the body's immune system to fight tumors.

*From our partners: 👩‍⚕️ Easy access to nutritious, ready-to-eat dishes… bistroMD features meals prepared by hand with fresh ingredients, unlike other meal delivery services. Utilizes metabolism correction science to help you achieve life-transforming wellness. Save 50% and get free shipping on your first week with bistroMD.

MISCELLANEOUS

• 🎓 The Biden administration canceled a combined $1.2 billion in student-loan debt for 150,000+ borrowers who took out less than $12,000 and have been paying the loans down for at least a decade. | 🛒 SNAP recipients will be able to spend their funds at an online-only grocery store (called Thrive Market) for the first time starting next week.
• 🌧️ California is currently experiencing its third atmospheric river weather event in recent months; as of yesterday, Los Angeles had received over 100% of its average annual rainfall so far this year.
• 📝 Harvard University officials issued a statement condemning a “flagrantly antisemitic cartoon” that was posted and then deleted on social media by two student-run groups.

CLICKBAIT

• 📚👀 The most anticipated new books of 2024.

Yesterday, we covered how school districts across America are scrambling to deal with a nationwide shortage of educators for all levels.

❓ Our question to you (long-form): Calling all 20,000+ classrooms using the DONUT: How would you deal with America’s teacher shortage?

• “I think people need to start listening. Where I'm currently teaching teachers are tired and exhausted and are undervalued. And we've been sharing that and no one seems to be listening. So part of the reason why teachers are leaving is because they don't feel heard or seen or respected.”
• “We must recognize the value of teachers with better pay. We must also respect their education with more independence and choice in teaching methods/materials, as well as more assistance obtaining higher education like Masters degrees.”
• “The teacher shortage is gravely impacted by socioeconomic disparities across school districts. School funding needs a deep analysis, and the education system needs to come up with creative ideas to ensure educators feel valued. This could look like increase in pay, social support structures, better connections with holistic youth development resources, or any number of other approaches.”

Click here to read more of the best responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 325 longform responses. Some may have been edited for length.

We bring you the most unusual, off-the-wall and occasionally laugh-out-loud headlines from this week.

• A robot sommelier spilled wine on my pants. Then it asked for a tip → (ZDNET)
• Navy does away with widely mocked ban on sailors putting their hands in their pockets → (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 'Ryan Rodeo' aims to gather record-breaking number of Ryans → (UPI)
• Air Canada must honor refund policy invented by airline’s chatbot → (ArsTechnica)
• In this centuries-old English pancake race, ‘you just have to go flat out’ → (Associated Press)

👆 You're looking at Fred Allen Smalls, the newest graduate of Georgetown High School in South Carolina. 

🎓 It's never too late... The 106-year-old was born in the Plantersville area of Georgetown County. He went to school through eighth grade, then decided to join the tobacco business. 

• Fred worked as a janitor for years before eventually finding his lifelong job in the District of Columbia, then retiring in the 1960s. 
• And, thanks to the help of his granddaughter, he was granted an honorary diploma last weekend.

Which country, pictured above, is considered the modern birthplace of coffee?

(keep scrolling for the answer)

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What to do: Copy your unique link below, then send it to anyone who you think would like the DONUT. Once you hit each milestone, you'll get an email with a link to claim your prize. (Pro tip: there's no need to ration points, you're entitled to a prize at each tier.)

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Ethiopia