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The Kurds, Misinformation Campaign & more!

Good Afternoon - Americans now need to earn around $106,000 in order to comfortably afford a home, up from $59,000 in 2020.

While unfortunate, the only option is to find ways to earn more money for those looking for home ownership in the future.

Global Insights

Who are the Kurds?

Kurds, an ethnic and linguistic group primarily inhabiting regions within Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, constitute a distinct community known as Kurdistan, meaning "Land of the Kurds." While the concept of Kurdistan holds different meanings in Iran and Iraq due to the official recognition of Kurdistan as a territory in these country’s, it symbolizes a cultural and historical identity for the approximately 30 million Kurds worldwide. Although not recognized as a sovereign nation, Kurdistan holds profound significance for the Kurds, who are the largest stateless ethnic group globally.

Despite being indigenous to the Middle East, the exact origins of the Kurdish people remain a subject of debate among scholars and within the Kurdish community. While Sunni Islam is the predominant religious affiliation among Kurds, diverse religious practices are also observed.

The Kurdish language, spoken by nearly 25 million people, is closely related to Persian and Pashto. The Kurdish population, estimated between 36 million and 46 million, mainly resides in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, with communities in Europe and former Soviet states. However, the accuracy of these figures is debated due to differing criteria and potential political manipulation of statistics.

Historically, Kurds thrived until the Ottoman Empire's expansion in the 1500s, which led to significant territorial losses. The results of World War I furthered the loss of territories. Initially, the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres aimed at an autonomous Kurdistan, reflecting growing Kurdish nationalism. But the subsequent 1923 Treaty of Lausanne did not mention Kurdish self-governance, preventing their statehood aspirations.

The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the last peace deal from World War I, still stands today. It brought peace between Turkey and several countries, including Britain, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Romania, and Yugoslavia.

In Turkey, Kurds have faced repression, including bans on their language, leading to a persistent separatist movement and clashes with Turkish forces during the Kurdish-Turkish conflict from 1984 to 1999, resulting in significant civilian casualties.

Kurdish nationalism stemmed from various factors, including British influence, introducing the idea of private land ownership (The Kurds were traditionally nomads), and the involvement of global powers. Urban Kurdish intellectuals played a role, with the first Kurdish newspaper appearing in 1897. Despite early promises of autonomy, treaties failed to deliver, leading to further fragmentation and the rise of separatist movements among Kurds.

Israeli misinformation campaign

An Israeli disinformation watchdog group revealed to POLITICO that at least 128 members of Congress were targeted in a pro-Israel military content dissemination operation during the early days of the most recent Gaza conflict. The operation, unveiled in March, involved about 600 fake profiles generating over 2,000 coordinated comments per week supporting Israel's military actions and criticizing Palestinian rights groups.

According to FakeReporter, which uncovered the network, social media accounts of at least 128 U.S. lawmakers were targeted. Notable figures on the list included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Representatives Jim Clyburn, Ilhan Omar, and Shontel Brown. The majority of the targets were Democratic lawmakers, with a focus on the House.

The commenters posed as American social media users, often sharing links to fake news outlets to amplify pro-Israel messaging. The New York Times reported that Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs allocated $2 million for the campaign, executed by the Israeli political marketing group STOIC. Although STOIC's involvement has not been independently confirmed, Meta recently banned the company from its platforms due to suspected ties to the disinformation campaign.

While POLITICO could not independently verify Israel's involvement, the tactics employed mirrored those of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns in other countries.

The Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report, referring to a statement from the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, which denied any involvement with STOIC. Senator Richard Blumenthal, one of the targeted lawmakers, expressed a desire to learn more about the campaign.

The White House National Security Council declined to comment, and several lawmakers targeted in the campaign did not respond to requests for comment. The Israeli watchdog group criticized its government's involvement, highlighting the risks associated with foreign influence operations and calling for restraint to prevent such interventions.

Trending

New dating app in Japan

Tokyo's government is launching a dating app this summer to help with Japan's declining birth rate.

To sign up, users need to prove they're single and show their yearly income on a tax certificate. They'll also have to do an interview to confirm who they are.

A Tokyo official stated, "We learned that 70% of people who want to get married aren't actively joining events or apps to look for a partner. We wanted to give them a gentle push”

In 2023, Japan had 758,631 births, down 5.1%, and 1,590,503 deaths. The app hopes to encourage marriage and boost the birth rate because Japan needs more workers and is experiencing labor shortages.

Amritpal Singh wins election while in jail

On Tuesday, two men, an Indian Sikh separatist and a critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Kashmir, won seats in parliament even though they're in jail.

Amritpal Singh, a 31-year-old Sikh leader, was arrested last year after a month-long police chase in Punjab. He won by over 200,000 votes against 26 other candidates in the Khadoor Sahib constituency, including 17 independents.

Kashmir (the region where the election was held) experienced a 58.6 percent voter turnout in the recent polls, marking a 30 percent increase from the 2019 election and the highest turnout in 35 years.

For those who are supporting Donald Trump in the United States, there is hope.

Russia labels the United States an Enemy

The Kremlin has officially labeled the United States as an "enemy" for the first time amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced this, stating it's part of a broader effort to limit interactions between U.S. citizens and Russia. This marks a notable change from previous terms like "unfriendly states" or "opponents" to directly calling the U.S. an enemy.

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have been escalating, particularly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has seen the U.S. and its allies providing significant support to Ukraine, which Russia views as direct interference.

The U.S. has criticized Russia's actions in Ukraine and imposed various sanctions which have widely backfired on the United States. It has also supported Ukraine militarily. While the Trump verdict was happening, the United States decided to allow Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons to strike against against targets within Russia.

Unrelated side note: Russia has recently discovered massive amounts of oil and natural gas in Antarctica, totaling 511 billion barrels.

History & Culture - The Assassination of Julius Caesar

Before Julius Caesar's time, the Roman Republic, existing for nearly 500 years, faced deep-seated issues like wealth disparities, political conflicts, and internal strife. Caesar's ascent to power exacerbated these challenges. He bypassed Senate authority, controlled finances, and won army allegiance by promising land rewards.

In 44 B.C., Caesar's appointment as "dictator for life" was short-lived. Concerned about his growing authority, a group of senators assassinated him on March 15, hoping to preserve the republic's democratic principles. However, this act triggered further turmoil.

Marcus Junius Brutus, a key figure in the plot, anticipated support for defending the republic but faced opposition instead, leading to civil war. Ultimately, Caesar's heir, Octavian, emerged victorious, ushering in a new era. Octavian, later known as Augustus, became Rome's first emperor, ruling for nearly five decades.

Despite the assassins' intentions, their actions marked the end of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. This transition underscored the complex interplay between individual ambitions and the broader course of history. The assassination of Caesar became a pivotal moment, setting in motion a series of events that transformed the ancient world.

Fast Facts

• The Vikings were the first Europeans to of visited America in the 10th century

• The Statue of Liberty was once a functioning lighthouse

• Humans have “tounge-prints” just like we have finger prints

Be radically proactive about any behavior that pays off in 10 years.

-James Clear