Happy New Year!

01 Jan 2025 — 4 min read

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As of today, January 1, 2025, Switzerland’s nationwide ban on wearing face coverings in public, including burqas and niqabs, is officially in effect. The law makes it illegal to cover your face in most public places, but there are exceptions for health, safety, cultural events, and places of worship. People who break the rule can be fined up to 1,000 Swiss francs. This new law comes after years of planning and debate following its approval in a public vote.

Swiss voters decided on this ban in a referendum on March 7, 2021, with 51.2% in favor. Supporters say the law promotes safety and helps protect Switzerland’s secular values, while critics argue it unfairly targets Muslim women and limits personal freedoms.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Yesterday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces carried out precise strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. These strikes hit important locations in Sana’a and along the coast in Houthi-controlled areas. The targets included a command center and sites where advanced weapons like missiles and drones were made and stored.

These weapons had been used in recent attacks on U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. U.S. forces also destroyed a coastal radar system used by the Houthis and intercepted several missiles and drones over the Red Sea. No U.S. personnel or equipment were harmed in the operation. These actions were taken to protect U.S. and allied forces and to prevent further attacks in the region.

Environment & Weather:

Over the past 24 hours, Earth has been experiencing a strong geomagnetic storm, resulting in widespread auroras visible in locations much farther south than usual, including Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Oregon. Geomagnetic storms occur when solar activity, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), sends charged particles toward Earth, interacting with the planet’s magnetic field. This particular storm, caused by CMEs arriving around New Year’s Eve, intensified beyond earlier forecasts. The National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has confirmed that it reached the G4 (Severe) storm level as of today.

A G4 geomagnetic storm signifies high levels of disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field, which can impact satellites, disrupt radio communications, and, in rare cases, affect power grids. While no significant disruptions have been reported, the event has produced auroras due to the strong interaction of solar particles with Earth’s atmosphere. These storms are a natural result of solar activity, demonstrating the Sun’s influence on Earth’s space environment.

Law Enforcement Update:

Space:

Yesterday, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, adding 21 new Starlink satellites to its expanding network. This launch included a mix of 13 direct-to-cell satellites, designed to enable mobile connectivity directly from space, and 8 standard V2 satellites to enhance internet coverage and capacity.

With over 7,000 Starlink satellites already in orbit, these new additions further improve the network’s ability to provide high-speed internet to underserved areas and support advanced communication technologies. After deploying the satellites, the Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, continuing SpaceX’s efficient use of reusable rockets.

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