ITK Daily | June 20

Global Street Smarts.

Happy Tuesday.

Here’s today’s ITK Daily.

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Blinken holds ‘candid’ talks with China’s Xi amid effort to ease tensions?WP

China's Xi asks US envoy Blinken to do more to stabilize ties: American secretary of state says sanctions to stay as security is priority.?Nikkei

Xi Jinping sees ‘progress’ in China-US ties at meeting with Antony Blinken: China’s leader hints at truce in acrimony between Beijing and Washington during secretary of state’s visit.?FT

Xi meets Blinken as US, China resume high-level engagement: Beijing and Washington took steps to halt the spiral in relations, though the two powers might have trouble keeping their global rivalry from swamping the tentative rapprochement.?WSJ

China targets sea change in global diplomacy race with West: As Blinken calls, Beijing wields 'Xivilization' to promote China worldview.?Nikkei

Xi Jinping’s dream of a Chinese military-industrial complex: The president has promoted technocrats to key posts in a renewed push for one of his core policies.?FT

New Chinese premier’s visit to Germany, France highlights strained relations with EU: AFP reports China’s new Premier Li Qiang is currently on a visit to Germany, his first trip abroad since taking office in March. With France lined up as the next stop on his agenda, Li’s Western European excursion is the subject of much speculation amid strained relations between China and the EU.?

China's new premier visits Germany in first foreign trip: DW reports German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosted Chinese Premier Li Qiang for dinner at the chancellery ahead of bilateral talks on Tuesday.

China’s rebound hits a wall, and there is ‘no quick fix’ to revive it: Policymakers and investors expected China’s economy to rev up again after Beijing abruptly dropped COVID precautions, but recent data shows alarming signs of a slowdown.?NYT

Why Ukraine’s offensive will likely be a slow, costly grind: Kyiv and Moscow have spent months preparing for fighting along a vast front line.?WSJ

The new right is on a roll in Europe: Italy’s Giorgia Meloni is among leaders enthusiastic about the ‘national conservatism’ seen in Britain.?John Lloyd?

BoJo: MPs approved by 354 votes to 7 the Privileges Committee’s report, which said Boris Johnson had deliberately misled parliament over partygate. He will now be banned from holding a former members’ pass.

UK energy: Labour says it will end the era of North Sea oil and gas exploration and help communities profit from clean power projects if it wins the next election.

World Bank woes?Alan Moran

Europe has fallen behind America and the gap is growing: From technology to energy to capital markets and universities, the EU cannot compete with the US.?Gideon Rachman

Senators fight over Washington’s hottest runway: A debate in Congress over adding more flights, including long-distance routes, at Reagan National Airport has divided the airline industry and pitted senators against one another in a dispute that transcends party lines.?WSJ

Air taxi maker races to serve Paris Olympics as sector struggles for funds: Reuters reports a year ahead of the Paris Olympics, flying taxi maker Volocopter wants to prove to executives at the Paris Airshow it is on track to ferry customers around the sporting showcase and take off globally.

Music companies are suing Twitter for $250 million: Twitter is one of the only major social media platforms that doesn’t yet pay for the rights to music.

Humans aren’t mentally ready for an AI-saturated ‘post-truth world’: The AI era promises a flood of disinformation, deepfakes, and hallucinated “facts.” Psychologists are only beginning to grapple with the implications.?Thor Benson

The weather isn’t ‘climate change’?Lionel Shriver

The Rh?ne, an industrial river facing crucial decisions: From its source in the Swiss glaciers to its delta in Provence, the Rh?ne, the river with the greatest flow rate in France, has been tamed. But it is not safe from the consequences of climate change. It must adapt in every area.?Le Monde

Start treating ultra-processed food like tobacco: History will look back at our salt and sugar-laden diet — and the government resistance to curbing it — with incredulity.?William Hague

Want to be more creative? Try dream-hacking while you sleep: New scientific methods are helping researchers understand how dreams can boost brainpower.?FD Flam

What I learned from buying a house in London: I may have just bought into the worst of the London downswing. But I’m at peace with that.?Matthew Brooker

Inside Meghan Markle’s Hollywood flop?Kara Kennedy

Parker Posey doesn’t know if she can live here: The actress on aging in the city, terrible boyfriends, and why she doesn’t read her press.?Choire Sicha

Versailles reopening Marie-Antoinette's private rooms: AFP reports the chateau of Versailles will reopen the private rooms of Queen Marie-Antoinette as part of its ongoing 400th-anniversary celebrations.

France pledges to combat 'overtourism': AFP reports that faced with surging numbers of visitors to historic landmarks and natural treasures, France wants to put a lid on the tourist crowds that flood in each year -- though officials recognize it won't be easy.

The athletes who can’t afford their near-death experiences?Adam Elder

Watson questions PGA Tour, LIV deal in open letter: AFP reports United States golf legend Tom Watson called on the PGA Tour to provide full details of its merger with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf on Monday, saying the deal had left a slew of unanswered questions.

Kuwait silent in noisy sporting neighborhood: Kuwait, the first Arab Asian nation at the World Cup, has faded from its glory days. Meanwhile, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE invest heavily in international sports, leaving the former football powerhouse behind.?DW

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc?

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal

Caracal produces ITK Daily.

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