Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🌎 A look at the global battle for chip dominance
• 🐶 Behind the startup trying to turn dog years into human years
• ⛳ Happy Gilmore 2 coming soon?

… and more.

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be about a 4.60-minute read.

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

“Youth has no age.”

–Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Semiconductors are to electronics what a solid internet connection is to online gaming – essential af. These “chips” are used in almost every electronics sector, ranging from smartphones to radios to advanced medical diagnostic equipment… in addition to various military applications.

And, given how integral this technology is to, well, everything, governments around the world are moving to reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers and boost their respective country’s semiconductor industry. Most recently, China announced it will be phasing out Intel and AMD chips on government computers in favor of China-based competitors – a move that could hurt both US-based companies more than a first heartbreak.

• China was Intel’s largest market last year, providing 27% of its $54 billion in sales.
• As for AMD, China accounted for 15% of its $23 billion in sales.

The US-China divide is becoming more pronounced

China’s announced revamp of its procurement process is part of a new national strategy known as “xinchuang,” or “IT application innovation” – which basically means pushing for technological independence in the military, government, and state sectors. Part of these new rules also include phasing out Microsoft Windows and other non-China made operating systems and replacing them with domestic options.

And, like two rivals shouting at each other from either end of a desert canyon, they echo moves made by the US. America has imposed sanctions on a growing number of Chinese companies on national security grounds, legislated to encourage more tech to be produced in the US, and blocked exports of advanced chips and related tools to China, the Financial Times reports.

Taiwan = the Charlie Kelly-style wildcard of the chips game. Taiwan – a country China has long made clear it wants to bring under its control – held 46% of the world’s semiconductor foundry capacity as of 2023, followed by China (26%), South Korea (12%), the US (6%), and Japan (2%), according to TrendForce.

👀 Looking ahead… The Biden administration has begun to dole out its first major awards from a pool of ~$53 billion allocated in the CHIPS Act (2022) for building up the US semiconductor industry.

But the clock is ticking. Rival countries are offering their own incentives to court chip manufacturers, and the longer the US government waits to distribute benefits, “the more other geographies are going to snap up these investments, and more leading-edge investments will be made in East Asia,” Jimmy Goodrich, a senior adviser for technology analysis to the RAND Corporation, told the NY Times.

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🇪🇸 Spain is nearing completion of a world-famous church after 140+ years of construction. Workers first broke ground on Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in 1882, though construction was delayed over the decades due to several factors including the lead architect’s death and the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Officials in charge of the Sagrada Familia say the basilica is on track to be completed in 2026, when, at 566 feet tall, it will become Spain’s tallest building as well as the world’s tallest church.

🇺🇳 The UN Security Council approved its first call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Yesterday’s vote, which the US abstained from and all other 14 members approved, marked the first time the Security Council has called for a ceasefire since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. The US had previously blocked all ceasefire resolutions, saying such a move would interfere with Israel-Hamas negotiations. In retaliation for the US’ abstention yesterday, Israel’s government withdrew from high-level meetings with the Biden administration that were set to begin today.

🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇳 The US and UK accused China of a cyberespionage campaign against millions of people. In a series of charges and sanctions filed yesterday, British and American officials accused seven suspects of carrying out a global hacking campaign on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security over the past decade-plus. Officials allege the hackers’ targets included British parliamentarians, White House staffers, US senators, defense contractors, journalists, and government officials around the world who were critical of Beijing.

How much money would people spend in exchange for a few extra face licks, chewed-up shoes, and greetings at the door from their canine friends? We may soon find out.

Late last week, biotech startup Loyal raised $45 million in new funding aimed at bringing the company’s first longevity drug for dogs to market. Founder and CEO Celine Halioua said the new funding increased Loyal’s valuation from its prior round in 2022, which pegged the startup at $220 million.

How the longevity treatment works: Loyal’s initial product is an injectable drug designed to reduce levels of a hormone that drives cell growth in large dogs, since an overabundance of that hormone has been associated with shorter lifespans in some studies.

• The startup says the drug is projected to add about one year of “healthier life” to large dogs, as measured by quality of life and frailty surveys.
• While Loyal has yet to gather any real-world data to confirm its predictions, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in November deemed its longevity drug program to have a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness.”

Looking ahead… After receiving initial FDA approval, which Loyal hopes will occur in 2026, the startup plans to start generating revenue by selling its canine longevity drugs through vet offices.

💰📈 Zoom out: Americans are projected to spend $151 billion on their pets this year, which would represent a 58% increase compared to 2019.

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💬 Quoted… “It’s in the works. Fans demand it.”

• It’s time to start practicing your run-up golf swing, because it may soon come in handy. According to a recent interview with Christopher McDonald, the actor who played the legendary Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, a sequel to the beloved Adam Sandler-led golf comedy is currently in the works. McDonald’s comments were later echoed by Deadline, which cited sources saying Happy Gilmore 2 is being developed by Netflix as part of its long-standing agreement with Sandler that made him the highest-paid actor of 2023 (~$73 million for three films – or more than enough to save his grandma from eviction).

🏥 Stat of the Day: Medicare says it overpaid hospitals by ~$6 billion in 2021 due to “facility fees” – which are extra costs that healthcare systems have added to many widely used and standard treatments in recent years.

🤔 Did You Know?... The Mexican cartels collectively represent the fifth-largest employer in Mexico, with ~175,000 members, per a 2023 study published in Science.

📰 Worth a Read: Why cryonics is a non-starter in our quest for immortality → (LiveScience)

• ☝️ The fastest-moving solar storm in at least five years triggered the Northern and Southern Lights across parts of the northern US, Europe, and New Zealand on Sunday; it came as the Sun ramps up to its most active period in two decades.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

in partnership with Incogni

• 💰 US markets fell across the board (S&P: -0.3%; Dow: -0.4%; Nasdaq: -0.3%). | 📊 Truth Social will begin public trading today under the ticker “DJT.”
• ✈️ Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of 2024 as part of a management shakeup.
• 🏢 WeWork co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann submitted a $500+ million offer to purchase the bankrupt co-working company, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. (Read more)

*From our partners: 🛸 The invasion of privacy is more rampant than ever… Lock down your data with Incogni – shield yourself against scams, ID theft, people search sites, and more. Protect your privacy and save 55% on Incogni with code DONUT55.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏀 Women’s March Madness: Second Round action concluded yesterday, with 11 of the top 12 overall seeds advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.
• ⚖️🏘️ Federal agents executed search warrants at the LA and Miami properties of Sean "Diddy" Combs; the move comes amid a wave of lawsuits filed against the rap mogul since November. (Read more)
• 😂 Kevin Hart was awarded the 25th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

in partnership with Forecaster

• 💥🌌 A rare cosmic explosion bright enough to temporarily create a new “star” in the night sky is projected to occur anytime between now and September.
• 🧠 Sildenafil – a drug commonly sold under the brand name Viagra – can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by ~60%, per a new study.
• 🛫 Boom, an aviation startup, successfully carried out the first live test of its supersonic aircraft.

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MISCELLANEOUS

• 🎫💰 The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $1.1 billion, which would make it the fifth-biggest prize in its history should someone win it later today.
• 😈😳 Late Night With the Devil, a new horror movie, earned $666,666 at the box office on Sunday, per Variety.
• ⚖️ Former President Trump now only needs to pay a $175 million bond to appeal his civil fraud trial, down from his initial bond of $454 million; separately, Trump's New York City hush-money case – the first criminal trial of an ex-president – is scheduled to begin April 15. (From the Left | From the Center | From the Right)

CLICKBAIT

• ✈️🕵️ Why so many people think they can get cheaper flights using incognito mode.

Here are five stats from this past week that made our team go “whoa.” Hopefully you will, too.

• 💰 The world’s five richest men have more than doubled their wealth since 2020, a pace that would produce the first trillionaire within a decade. (Read more)
• 🧑‍🏫 In 1989, the average annual salary of US public school teachers stood at $69,700; as of 2021, that figure had decreased to $66,400. (Read more)
• 🎙️ The Joe Rogan Experience has a total of 14.5 million followers on Spotify – almost 3x the amount of the next most followed program, TED Talks Daily. (Read more)
• ⚡🚘 US automakers lose ~$6,000 on every $50,000 EV sold in America, led by Lucid (-$44,000/car sold) and Rivian (-$33,000/car sold), per Boston Consulting Group. (Read more)
• 🏀 The No. 1-seeded North Carolina men’s basketball team has an average age of 22.2 – just shy of the NBA championship-contending Oklahoma City Thunder (24.1 at the start of this season). (Read more)

Yesterday, we covered the growing belief among energy and tech executives that AI will create a significant new source of energy demand over the next several years and decades.

❓ Our question to you: In your opinion, should the US first prioritize economic growth or climate goals when planning for the future?

• 📈 Economic growth: 31%
• 🌳 Climate goals: 36%
• ⚖️ Roughly equal balance between the two: 33%

Click here to read some of the best longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 3,257 votes and 310 longform responses.

When Jake McAlpin's daughter Charlotte asked him where her beloved stuffed animal "Cupcake" was last week, his heart sank when he realized he had accidentally threw the stuffy away.

Dumpster diving, ftw... Charlotte's stepmother Meredith quickly put out a message on Facebook asking if anyone might be able to open the dump in their small New England town.

• The next day, town leaders Brian Monahan and Dan Conway met at the dump and began digging through trash for the beloved dog. Jake joined them in the hunt. 
• As hours went by and all hope seemed lost, they finally spotted one of Cupcake's big floppy ears. 

🧁 Bottom line: "It made us feel pretty good. No one wants to be without their stuffy, and the smile on her face said it all," Dan shared after the men returned Cupcake to a grateful Charlotte.

❓ Trivia: Which TV show used the song "Who Are You" by The Who as its main theme?

🐚 True or False?... Someone who studies seashells is called a conchologist. 

🤔 Riddle Me This: Who can read a book without finishing a sentence?

(keep scrolling for the answers)

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❓ Trivia: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

🐚 T/F: True

🤔 Riddle: A prisoner