What Actually Mattered This Week: Hong Kong's New Reality, Russian Bounties, Putin For Life

Let the GZERO newsletter help you make sense of global news

WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

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

China passes Hong Kong security law with sweeping powers

The Hong Kong national security law isn’t dangerous for the judicial cases it will cover.

It’s dangerous for the power it will have to silence open democratic dissent for Hong Kong citizens...or else.

One country, one system.

If you’re an international business that needs rule of law and an independent judiciary to protect your company and workers, leaving Hong Kong is not a question of whether but when.

'Russian bounties' intelligence was in Trump written daily briefing

US intelligence directors know President Trump refuses to read his daily brief. If they only included Russian bounty intel in the doc but didn’t raise it personally it means:

The intel wasn’t considered critical.

Or they feared Trump would blow up over Russia criticism.

Trump claiming he didn’t know about Russia providing bounty to Taliban to kill US soldiers is credible, but he knows now. Any policy response?

When Iran used proxies to target US soldiers in Iraq, the Trump response was sharply escalatory. Trump’s response to the Kremlin for same looks very different.

Putin wins right to extend his rule until 2036 in landslide vote

Nearly 30 years after Soviet collapse, the Russians ended up with a stronger authoritarian leader with even fewer checks on his authority.

We should be ashamed.

A dictator for life in Russia emerging from the ashes of Soviet Empire is a blight on our planet. It’s an embarrassment and a failure.

There was opportunity to help rebuild Russia after ‘91. A Marshall Plan to raise up our defeated adversary and make them our ally. But it wasn’t a priority.

Instead we have Putin for life, working as hard as he can to undermine the West.

More states reverse or slow reopening plans as coronavirus cases climb

Bars are being closed again in Texas and Florida...because the Governors of both states refused to follow CDC guidance in ending lockdowns.

US taxpayers pay a lot of money to have world class medical and scientific advice...which is then ignored by political leaders.

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

Q2 changes in US stock market indices:

NASDAQ +30.63% (best since Q4 1999)

S&P 500 +19.95% (best since Q4 1998)

Dow Jones +17.77% (best since Q1 1987)

All while there’s been massive unemployment due to covid.

Stock markets ≠ economy

-Yahoo Finance via Statista

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

More from GZERO Media (subscribe here)

GRAPHIC TRUTH 

WORLD IN 60 SECONDS

What does Beijing's new security law mean for Hong Kong?

Will we see a Putin White House visit before the United States election?

What does India's TikTok ban mean for the social media company?

What are the odds that you, meaning me, will be visiting Europe before the end of the year?

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

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

BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Putin looking at the next President of Russia

DEEP THOUGHTS

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." – Albert Schweitzer

Thanks for reading! Please subscribe for more analysis from GZERO Media.

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.