Finance

Zimbabwe Sets Sights on Global Financial Re-entry at Key Debt Talks

On Monday, Zimbabwe's president convened with creditors and finance executives to outline ambitious plans to address debt arrears and restructure $12.7 billion in external debt. The country is working towards re-entering international capital markets for the first time in over 20 years. With the nation’s debt burden representing 81% of its GDP, clearing this debt presents a significant challenge, especially given Zimbabwe's history of financial crises, including periods of hyperinflation and several failed attempts at launching new currency regimes.

TECH

ICE Expands Surveillance Capabilities with $20 Million Investment in Phone Hacking Tools

In the three months leading up to the November election, ICE signed $20 million in contracts for new phone hacking, surveillance, and forensic technologies, aimed at tracking and targeting the immigrants President Trump plans to expel upon taking office in January. A review by Forbes of recent ICE contracts revealed the agency's acquisition of various tools capable of monitoring phone calls, texts, and social media activity, identifying individuals through facial recognition, remotely hacking smartphones, and accessing device contents, including deleted data.

These technologies are provided by companies like Israel-based Paragon and Cellebrite, Canada's Magnet Forensics, U.S. contractor Pen-Link, and the controversial Clearview AI. Over the past five months, these firms received their largest federal orders to date, all from ICE, according to contracting records.

Although ICE may use these tools for other duties, such as investigating cybercrime and child exploitation, critics warn that they will be weaponized in Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

CRYPTO

Shiba Inu Poised for a 2,000% Surge, Says Crypto Expert

The forecast has generated excitement within the Shiba Inu community as SHIB continues to rise in prominence among meme coins.

Crypto analyst Austin Hilton, known for his bold forecasts, shared his insights in a YouTube post, suggesting that favorable market conditions and strategic advancements could drive SHIB into a strong upward trend.

Hilton pointed to key factors such as growing adoption and potential upgrades to the ecosystem as reasons behind his optimistic outlook.

Since its launch, Shiba Inu has experienced significant growth, driven by its active community and its role within the Shiba ecosystem, including decentralized exchanges and NFT marketplaces. This recent prediction has fueled further discussions about SHIB's long-term potential.