2023 was the year for soarin’… and flyin’.

Happening in the World: The EU is seeking to send 33 billion euros to Ukraine through a combination of grants and loans from 2024 to 2027. The EU requires all 27 countries to agree to use its budget. However, Hungary, whose officials have been developing closer ties with Russia, has refused to agree to send aid. Possibilities for external funding to Ukraine have become more precarious as congressional disagreements in the US block aid packages. Most recently, Ukraine has calculated that it’s likely to run out of funding to manage state functions by March. (Reuters)

Happening in the US: On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to increase the child tax credit, offer tax breaks to companies, and increase the low-income housing tax credit. Additionally, the bill will ensure tax credits to disaster victims and Taiwanese people and businesses. The bill is an unexpected bipartisan bill during a presidential and Congressional election year. The bill passed 357 to 70 but not without strife: Republicans argued against expansions to citizens’ tax credits, while progressive Democrats criticized the bill’s tax breaks for corporations. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: The Port Authority has reported that NYC’s airports had their busiest years in 2023. About 144 million people combined traveled through LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Liberty International airports last year. This number is an increase from 2019’s record—140 million people. This trend occurred as air travel increased overall last year. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: Columbia’s Undergraduate Creative Writing program will host a discussion with New York Times-bestselling author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Creative Writing Advisor in Fiction, Molly McGhee. The talk will be part of the programs “Art + Life” series, in which students are invited to participate in conversations with invited artists. The free event will take place from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Lenfest Center.

Airport via Bwog Archives.