What Actually Mattered This Week: Defund The Police, Protests during a Pandemic, Brazil Data Removal

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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

My thoughts on some of this week’s biggest news stories:

The ‘Defund The Police’ Movement Is Sweeping The Country—Here’s What It Really Means

Police reform is possible and necessary, but many are pretending defund the police means there’s no more police.

This is mostly people on far left and right pushing an agenda. Occasionally it’s actual cluelessness.

Build the Wall

Drain the Swamp

Defund the Police

Catchy political slogans.

Not things that actually happen.

City Officials Scramble to Prepare as Mass Protests Threaten a Resurgence of COVID-19

If we get widespread coronavirus outbreaks on the back of mass protests, I have no idea how we’d enforce new lockdowns.

State governments might not even try. If they did, they’d fail.

Best case is there’s very little spread when you’re outside. Hate to have to rely on best case.

Coronavirus: Hard-hit Brazil removes data amid rising death toll

Bolsonaro is the worst of all democratically elected world leaders in handling covid-19.

Trump 'approves plan' to cut US troops in Germany

Maybe mention it to the German government first? A conversation with one of America’s closest allies?

Nope. Trump loathes Merkel personally. The interests of the two countries is of secondary importance. #TrumpFirst

Prefer long-form analysis? Here are my thoughts on the best global responses to the covid-19 pandemic and why covid-19 may be the kind of crisis the world needs.

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

Net approval ratings for government handling of covid-19

Vietnam +95%

Taiwan +87%

Australia +78%

Singapore +61%

Canada +58%

India +56%

Germany +46%

Italy +36%

Sweden +19%

Spain -4%

France -9%

US -12%

Mexico -15%

UK-15%

-YouGov (June 2)

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

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GRAPHIC TRUTH 

YOUR GZERO WORLD

As Beijing asserts further control of Hong Kong, threatening the "one country, two systems" policy the city has known since 1997, pro-democracy protesters and lawmakers alike are fighting to preserve the freedoms they have known. One of them is Dennis Kwok, a legislator who has drawn the ire of China's government and says he and his compatriots fear "redress" for speaking out against increasingly "draconian" laws being forced upon the city.

In our in-depth conversation, Kwok explains Hong Kong's precarious situation and uncertain future.

For a longer, more in-depth version of my interview with Kwok, check out the GZERO World podcast. 

WORLD IN 60 SECONDS

The W.H.O. says the coronavirus situation is "worsening" worldwide. Where is it getting worse?

With calls to defund the police echoing across the United States, what does that actually mean?

Finally, it's all pandemic and protests in the news cycle. What other global stories should you be paying attention to?

Find out in this week’s World in 60 Seconds!

Do you like what you’ve seen? Subscribe and stay informed.

BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Drone footage of 64,000 green turtles—the largest green turtle gathering ever seen—nesting near the Great Barrier Reef.

Extraordinary.

DEEP THOUGHTS

"If you want to look good in front of thousands, you have to outwork thousands in front of nobody." - Damian Lillard

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Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. He currently teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.