Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:(1) US strikes on targets in Iraq and fresh attacks by Houthi militants on shipping in the Red Sea provided the latest warning signs that the war in Gaza risks expanding into a wider conflict destabilizing the Middle East.(2) Wall Street kicked off the final week of 2023 with gains in stocks, extending a rally that put the market on the brink of a record. (3) Elon Musk once scoffed at the notion that BYD could compete with Tesla. Now, the automaker run by billionaire Wang Chuanfu is poised to be the new No. 1 in electric vehicles.(4) Apple, seeking to defend a business that generates roughly $17 billion a year, is appealing a US sales ban of its smartwatches after the White House refused to overturn the measure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.