The STORM Act signed into law

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News Date: January 2, 2021

On Friday, January 1, 2021, the President signed into law: the "STORM Act," which authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide capitalization grants to States to establish revolving funds to provide hazard mitigation assistance to reduce risks from disasters and natural hazards.
S. 3418, the "Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act".
Sources: www.congress.gov, www.whitehouse.gov

Brazil is pushing to reform the World Bank and the IMF

Brazil's G20 presidency is focused on leveraging its influence to drive essential reforms within the IMF and the World Bank.
The nation aims to enhance the representation of emerging economies, including the BRICS nations, in these institutions.
Additionally, Brazil is exploring alternative financial mechanisms like the BRICS Bank to complement the existing global financial architecture.
This proactive approach seeks to create a fairer and more inclusive global economic order.

BRICS quantum tech partnership

Russian scientist Alexey Fedorov is the leader of the Quantum Information Technologies group at Moscow-based Quantum Center.
He expressed a desire to develop close partnerships with China and India in the field of quantum technology.
When the city of Kazan hosts the BRICS conference the following year, Russia aims to make its case.
Fedorov: Because together we can make things which are very hard to do alone.
We can collaborate about quantum computing, maybe solving problems and exchanging opinions and we collaborate about quantum sensing and different technologies and make our BRICS alliance to be stronger.

Argentina abolishes income tax

Argentina's government, ahead of a critical October 22nd election, has surprised many by announcing a tax exemption for millions of citizens, sparing them from income tax payments.
This move, amidst rampant inflation, directly contradicts Argentina's IMF deal, causing controversy.
It's seen as a political strategy to win favor in the election, but critics worry about its impact on fiscal responsibility and economic stability.
This decision underscores the intricate relationship between economic policy and politics in Argentina and raises questions about the nation's global financial reputation.

Asian Clearing Union to adopt SWIFT alternative

Within the coming weeks, ACU member states plan to introduce the Iranian-developed system.
During a recent summit in Iran, the members of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) decided to compete with the SWIFT global payment network by launching a new cross-border financial messaging system in June.
ACU members include the central banks of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Iran.
According to reports, the new, unnamed method for banking communication among ACU members was designed by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).
Along with the top representatives from the ACU member states, the conference also included the governor of the Russian central bank, representatives from Afghanistan, and Belarus.
Last week, applications for membership in the ACU were submitted by Belarus and Mauritius.
Mohammad Reza Farzin, the governor of the CBI, disclosed that the bloc would look to expand its membership and vary the payment methods it accepts in order to support a more comprehensive de-dollarization drive.

World Gold Council launches digital gold initiative

The World Gold Council, together with Linklaters and Hilltop Walk, has unveiled a new framework to reshape the gold market: Pooled Gold Interests. 🪙
🔑 What it means:
Investors can now own fractional shares of physical gold stored in vaults.
Transfers become easier, faster, and more secure.
Gold can be used as collateral in financial markets.
📌 Currently, gold is traded as:
Allocated gold → direct ownership of bars (safe but complex).
Unallocated gold → liquid and cheaper (but with counterparty risk).
This initiative bridges both worlds — blending security with flexibility.