Monday Briefing | February 17
Stories to Follow
Turkey’s military involvement in Syria’s Idlib province: A gradual decline of geopolitical risks associated with Turkey’s military activities in Syria has helped support the substantial rally in Turkish assets since last fall. However, a new major military commitment, this time in the province of Idlib, has the potential to revive market concerns. As Turkish troops and Syrian government forces continue their involvement in the northern Syrian Idlib province, a key geopolitical concern is an interruption in Turkey’s relationship with Russia, President Assad’s key ally.
Will President Erdogan prioritize remaining on good terms with Russia? If the answer is yes, this will show restraint on the ground in the province of Idlib to avoid a possible direct confrontation with Russia. However, the risk of an unintended escalation has increased, and the potential for refugees to go from Idlib into Turkey is likely. This would put additional tension on the already unstable economic and political climate in the country. Moreover, a monetary policy decision by the Central Bank of Turkey (CBRT) is due on Wednesday, February 19.
2020 Democratic Candidates meet in Las Vegas: Voters have begun the process of choosing which Democratic candidate will go up against Donald Trump on November 3. Starting Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, one-hour town hall events will feature Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. On Wednesday, the top candidates will debate at 9 p.m. ET. On Thursday, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren will attend hour-long town hall events starting at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. Finally, the Nevada caucuses will take place on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The Future of Australia and the Impact of Climate Change: Climate change is making Australia confront the challenge of finding new ways of work, leisure and life. A country that has long been characterized by its wildlife and the positive people, a recent Australia Institute survey found that 57 percent of Australians have been directly affected by wildfires, shifting the very nature of the nation. What role do politics, policy and the private sector play in addressing climate change? A recent WSJ article analyzes a new source of climate pressure for the world’s top companies: their workers.
Happening This Week
Grads Go: The Phantom of The Opera | Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 – 9:00PM | Majestic Theater, 247 W 44th St.
Who doesn’t like a classic opera? Get your Broadway fix with other NYU graduate students.
Lunch & Lead Series | March-May 2020 | NYU Campus
Learn something new over lunch! Making leadership development opportunities more accessible to all NYU students, the Lunch & Lead Series offers workshops on key leadership subjects. Programs allow you to choose from a selection of topics and benefit from learning about leadership development at your own pace.
In Your Free Time
In the Paper: How High Should Government Debt Go? Check out this interesting article from the Wall Street Journal.
In the Movies: If you have not watched Parasite, which won ‘Best Picture’ at the Oscars, it is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99. It is a phenomenal movie narrating—in a unique and provocative way—the truth behind hierarchical social status and materialism.
You can watch the trailer as well as a critic’s review here.
Book recommendation: “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker.
This week’s Monday Briefing was brought to you by Maria-Pilar Salazar Salame.
