Press Reader

Compiled by Ana Ramic

This week, America got one new ally. And probably lost a few. The Singapore Summit, the first meeting between a sitting US President and a North Korean leader, took place on Tuesday, and the two heads of state reached a vague agreement. The one person both leaders have in common, former NBA star and North Korea “expert” Dennis Rodman, was also there and he actually cried tears of joy. But possibly THE GREATEST thing to come out of this meeting, or maybe even the greatest thing to happen to peace ever, is this Hollywood-style trailer created by the National Security Council in advance of the meeting; if you haven’t heard of Destiny Pictures yet, you’re about to find out.

And it seems that 2018 really peaked this week when one senior White House official defined American foreign policy as “We’re America, b&#*%!” (Sorry, this is a family-friendly publication.) Which may explain the less-than-stellar situation at G7. Jim O’Neill, coiner of the BRIC acronym, agrees with the gloomy assessment, but also finds himself sympathizing with President Trump – what purpose does the G7 summit actually serve? Are there a few too many Gs out there?

Our annual Members Delegation Trip has been announced for October 21-26, 2018, when the Atlantik-Brücke will be visiting Oklahoma City along with Washington, DC. For more on Oklahoma, read this excellent piece on teachers and the democratic revival in this traditionally red state.

Happy reading!

POLICY & SECURITY

• After the G7 disaster, European leaders called for unity within the Union. How do the fiscal plans of Italy’s new government fit in? Barry Eichengreen on Italy’s Eurozone future
• Did Trump waste his leverage over North Korea? The US has subjected NK to virtually every sanction that can be applied. So what more can they do if NK misbehaves?
• There is (another) movement to split California into three states (Northern California, California, and Southern California). And it really could happen. The CA population votes this fall.

TECH & BUSINESS

• Who will bear the cost of America’s new trade policy? Americans themselves.
• A new task force report by the Council on Foreign Relations, The Work Ahead, chaired by Penny Pritzker and John Engler, focuses on the links between work, opportunity, and economic security.
• This week, Germany’s Transport Ministry recalled 774,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, in a continuation of the Volkswagen scandal that continues to give.
• Dennis Rodman promoted the cybercurrency potcoin while in Singapore for the North Korea summit…
• Tesla reorganizes, laying off staff, in an effort to be finally profitable.
• Privacy is important to us; but do we really have a right to it?

CULTURE & MEDIA

• The World Cup begins this week! Germany’s first match is against Mexico on Sunday, FIFA is apparently keeping politics out of sport, and the US didn’t make it. Fun fact: in Egypt’s election last March, the Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was the surprising runner-up after MORE THAN ONE MILLION Egyptians wrote his name into the ballot!
• Angela Merkel, Henry Kissinger, and Dr. Ruth the sex therapist had dinner. Both Kissinger and Dr. Ruth were Jewish refugees and their discussion was real and meaningful.
• Ben Rhodes led from behind. His new book hits the stands: “This is the closest view of Obama we’re likely to get until he publishes his own memoir.”
• Kaiser Wilhelm & Donald Trump have a lot more in common than you may have thought. Good thing we never learn from history?