What Actually Mattered This Week: Tragedy in Lebanon, WeChat/TikTok Ban, Taiwan Gets a Visitor

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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

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

Beirut Death Toll Rises After Enormous Explosion

The Lebanese Prime Minister said 2,750 TONS of ammonium nitrate—seized from a ship—was left UNSECURED in a warehouse FOR 6 YEARS.

Thousands injured. 137 confirmed dead.

Government incompetence on tragic display in so many places in the world right now.

Trump issues orders banning TikTok and WeChat from operating in 45 days if they are not sold by Chinese parent companies

Beijing refuses to allow some of the biggest US tech firms access to the Chinese market (Amazon, Facebook, Google, Twitter...).

Even if the Chinese government had zero access to TikTok data, why should the US provide open access to Chinese tech firms?

This has been coming for at least a decade.

US health chief to make most senior visit to Taiwan in decades

The US’s decision to send Secretary Azar to Taiwan is a mistake.

The Huawei and TikTok decisions support US national security and economy. Xinjiang sanctions support human rights.

Baiting Beijing on Taiwan is grandstanding for elections. US-China relations are bad enough without gratuitous escalation.

Prefer long-form analysis? Here are my thoughts on the coming of the next global depression and why it's up to Beijing to fix its ties with the West.

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

% saying their central government leaders have done a good/very good job in handling the pandemic:

Germany 95%

New Zealand 89%

Netherlands 76%

Australia 67%

Canada 58%

Sweden 57%

UK 49%

US 33%

-The Commonwealth Fund

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

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GRAPHIC TRUTH

 YOUR GZERO WORLD 

On GZERO World, I explore the escalating tension between the world's two biggest geopolitical and economic players—the US and China. With guest Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, I discuss the modern history of China after the fall of the Soviet Union and why another Cold War might be inevitable.

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

WORLD IN 60 SECONDS

Donald Trump, TikTok, and Microsoft. What's the story?

Spain's former king is gone. What's happening?

What can the US learn from Israel as back-to-school strategies are planned?

Finally, what is going on with Harry Potter inspired protesters in Thailand?

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

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

BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Even cats got the social distancing memo.

DEEP THOUGHTS

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” — William Arthur Ward

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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.