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This morning’s 3-by-3 travels across an unfulfilled healthcare program in Ivory Coast, dangerous avocado inspections in Mexico, an alarming American retiree survey, and more. Let’s fly!

Politics

• Israel faces a new war in Lebanon

As the world’s eyes have been on Gaza, Israel has been simultaneously engaged in daily fire with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israel now considering a transfer of soldiers from Rafah as Hamas weakens and the northern border conflict approaches full-blown war. Iran-backed Hezbollah began striking after October 7 and plans to continue fighting until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza, while Israel’s Netanyahu wants tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by this conflict to be returned to their homes. Thousands of Iran-backed soldiers across Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and several Middle Eastern countries have committed to joining Hezbollah if a war begins, boasting new attack drones, intelligence capabilities, and a much stronger front than Hamas — countered by Israel indicating a new Lebanon offensive plan that will render it a “second Gaza” if the militant group does not back down.

• India-Bangladesh strengthen neighbor relationship

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited New Delhi to sign partnership agreements across maritime security, space, telecommunications, and more with Prime Minister Modi, as India assumes its “neighborhood-first approach” and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative in becoming a regional counterweight to rival China. Building on an $8 billion loan to Bangladesh over the past 8 years for its expanding port, waterway, rail, and road infrastructure, India will increase its sharing of river waters and explore defense industrial cooperation to modernize Bangladesh’s military. Though China provides Bangladesh with raw materials to support its leading garment industry, India is still the South Asian nation’s largest export destination and thus a top priority partner — with their bilateral trade valuing $15.9 billion last financial year.

• Ivory Coast tackles access barriers to universal healthcare

Ivory Coast is one of Africa’s few countries to offer a universal health program, first enacted in 2019, but access difficulties have resulted in only a 40% enrollment of the country’s population — with unaccepted medicine vouchers further inhibiting the program’s goals. Similar to its COVID-19 vaccination strategy, the West African nation is rolling out mobile enrollment centers at markets to help remote Ivorians register and provide physical cards that will immediately grant hospital care and pharmacy drugs. The program was created to cover approximately 70% of one’s healthcare costs for the monthly equivalent of $1.65, and the government hopes to increase enrollment from 13 million to 20 million by the end of this year.

Business

• U.S. resumes inspections of Mexican avocados post threats

Avocado and mango exports from the Mexican state of Michoacan were disrupted last week when 2 U.S. Agriculture Department inspectors were threatened at local packing plants, leading the U.S. to suspend its required inspections of the goods. These inspectors are stationed to guarantee that crops from Mexico’s biggest avocado-producing state do not carry any harmful diseases, but they are often immersed in dangerous environments — with many Mexican avocado farmers reporting that gangs demand protection money to avoid kidnapping or death. Inspections and exports have resumed, but the U.S. ambassador and Michoacan governor have jointly emphasized additional security measures before regaining full operations.

• Niger faces economic crisis via threatened oil pipeline plan

As one of the world’s poorest countries, Niger stands to benefit considerably from a new China-backed pipeline that would allow the landlocked country to increase its oil production almost fivefold (from 20,000 barrels per day to 90,000). The pipeline runs for 1,200 miles from the Agadem oil field to a port in neighboring country Benin which the Beninese government has recently closed, thereby shutting down Niger’s $400 million deal. Despite losing millions in transit fees accordingly, Benin is standing with the West African bloc in opposing Niger’s recent military coup and requiring that the junta reopen Niger’s border if it wishes to export oil through Benin’s port.

• China stimulates Malaysia’s durian industry

A recent visit to Malaysia by Chinese Premier Li Qiang yielded an array of economic deals, notably including a measure for Malaysia to begin exporting fresh durian (a spiky and strong-odored fruit) to China in response to considerable popularity. China’s taste for the tropical fruit resulted in a $6.7 billion export market from Southeast Asia last year led by Thailand, with Malaysia alone exporting $255 million worth of frozen durian. This deal will create a new market for fresh durian, as Malaysia celebrates 50 years of diplomatic relations with China and joins the BRICS bloc — a coalition of developing economies such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, and Iran that is committed to creating a fairer world order amid Western dominance.

Culture

• Retiree survey reveals gender gaps and family implications

Prudential Financial’s 2024 Pulse of the American Retiree Survey prompted 905 participants across 55, 65, and 75-year-old groups to understand their preparedness for and experiences in retirement — finding that 55-year-olds are much less financially secure than older generations as they begin a ten-year countdown to retirement. Women were found to have less than a third of men’s median savings across age groups and are three times as likely to delay retirement due to caring for children. At a unique time when roughly 40% of Americans ages 18-29 (Gen Z and millennials) are living at home with their parents, nearly a quarter of 55-year-olds expect they will require financial support from their children in retirement, but half of these individuals are yet to discuss this need with their families.

• U.S. kicks off its hosted Copa América with a win

The 2024 Copa América will see the U.S. men’s soccer team compete at home against the best countries of North, Central, and South America — expected to advance from its group alongside Uruguay and play either Colombia or Brazil in the quarterfinal. The squad scored its first 2-0 win against Bolivia with an early goal and later assist from Christian Pulisic, arguably America’s most accomplished soccer player in history. The Copa offers a difficult test amid higher-ranked teams like Lionel Messi’s Argentina and valuable experience as the U.S. prepares to host the 2026 World Cup as well.

• Netflix announces Netflix House for 2025

After activating over 50 mobile live experiences for Bridgerton, Money Heist, Stranger Things, and more, Netflix has announced “Netflix House” to offer fans year-round venues to experience their favorite shows and characters. Each Netflix House will consist of intricate sets, physical challenges, customized food, and merch, and the debut locations will be at two of the country’s most popular shopping centers — King of Prussia in Pennsylvania and Galleria Dallas in Texas. These 100,000 square-foot experiences will launch in 2025, with Netflix joining its entertainment competitors in creating permanent branded spaces.

Written by Outer Voice founders

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