NEWS WRAP

Florida braces for second hurricane

• Hurricane Milton gathers pace | Over five million Floridians were urged by officials to leave their homes in and around Tampa Bay, which is bracing for a deadly hurricane. In the biggest evacuation in the state’s 179 year history, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to escape the storm surge. The state is still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused flooding and damage to property two weeks ago. READ MORE HERE
   

• Musk bankrolls Republicans | Federal Election Commission filings indicate Elon Musk ploughed US$8 million into 18 congressional districts through his super political action committee, America PAC. The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X has already given US$55 million in support to former president Donald Trump. READ MORE HERE
   

• US states sue TikTok | More than a dozen US states have filed suits against social media company TikTok, alleging that it harms children’s mental health by cultivating social media addition. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who co-led the initiative, said the company designed its app to “feed on young users’ particular affinity for excessive use.” READ MORE HERE
   

• Emhoff raises eyebrows | Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff has come under scrutiny for reports of inappropriate behaviour with women, including allegations that he assaulted a former girlfriend at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 2012. A spokesman for Emhoff reportedly denied the claims. READ MORE HERE
   

• Biden chastises Bibi | A new book by veteran political journalist Bob Woodward describes deep tensions in the relationship between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Titled War, the book details the various conflicts that engulfed the Biden White House and the fraying relationship between Biden and Netanyahu. READ MORE HERE

EVENT

Competition in cyberspace and the future of US security leadership

The USSC is delighted to host Admiral (ret) Mike Rogers, the former Director of the US National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command in conversation with John Barron, co-host of ABC TV's Planet America for a panel discussion about some of the most pressing cyber and national security challenges of our time.

From banking to managing critical infrastructure, we are increasingly living our lives in cyberspace and subject to the threat of attack from rogue cyber actors. The panel will discuss what cyber and national security policy will look like under a Harris or Trump administration; how US cyber, intelligence and technology policy has evolved; and what the implications of the major cyber incidents of the last two years — from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the Volt Typhoon campaign — mean for the world and for Australian businesses.

The panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception.

WHEN
25 October 2024. 4.30pm – 6.00pm AEDT

WHERE
Auditorium, The Michael Spence Building (F23) at the corner of Eastern Avenue and City Road, The University of Sydney

COST 
Free but registration is essential

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Did you USSC?

• PODCAST | Film Versus Film: A USSC podcast special
  In a six-part series, the USSC has partnered with the Film Versus Film podcast to explore iconic American films that portray American political life. In Episode 2, the hosts discuss All The President’s Men (1976) versus The Dismissal (1983). LISTEN HERE
   
• EXPLAINER | Australia’s South Asia connectivity and infrastructure engagement: Progress update
  USSC 2024 Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha on the status of Australia's SARIC initiative to address connectivity and infrastructure gaps in South Asia. READ HERE
   
• COMMENTARY | Vance wasn’t weird in the VP debate – and that will infuriate Trump
  USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe on Vance's performance in the election's homestretch. READ HERE

BY THE NUMBERS

Canberra's push to enhance connectivity in South Asia

As competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, the Australian Government is actively pursuing projects that address connectivity and infrastructure gaps across the region. A key initiative in this effort is the South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity Framework (SARIC), which aims to boost regional connectivity through various transport and energy projects, along with short-term training and networking opportunities. 

One year before SARIC's announcement in 2019, World Bank research revealed that intra-regional trade accounted for only 5% of South Asia's global trade —significantly lower than Sub-Saharan Africa (22%) and East Asia (50%). Limited regional connectivity and fragmented markets stifle economic prosperity in South Asia, leaving the region increasingly vulnerable to the threats of geopolitical competition. 

With plans to extend SARIC for an additional five years, the framework remains a key component of Australia's Indo-Pacific strategy, playing an important role in strengthening its relationships and leadership in the region. 

Read more in ‘Australia's connectivity and infrastructure engagement: Progress update' by 2024 USSC Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha. 

THE WEEK IN TWEETS

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