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What We're Watching

Italy Gets Belted – Later this month, Italy is likely to become the first G7 country to formally endorse China's Belt and Road global investment plan. Italian officials hope to draw Chinese investment into Italy's aging infrastructure and open Chinese markets to more Italian-made products. EU and American officials fear that Chinese investment will leave Italy dangerously deep in debt. (Italy is already the second most indebted country in Europe, after Greece.) They also worry that Italy's endorsement for Belt and Road will undermine their ability to present a united front when bargaining with China over trade and investment practices.

The Queen's Instagram Account – This week, England's Queen Elizabeth II posted on Instagram for the very first time. We'll be watching closely to be sure this lady doesn't become a nuisance.


What We're Ignoring

138: Russian state media has published 138 contradictory accounts of last year's nerve agent attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal in the UK. Ironically, Russian lawmakers moved this week to criminalize "fake news." #ForYourDisinformation

3D printed steaks – A Spanish scientist has created a 3D-printed vegan steak made of rice protein, pea protein, and algae fiber. It takes 10 minutes to print and two minutes to cook. Is this an environmentally friendly way to make a steak? Maybe. Will your Friday author give this a try? HELL NO.

More For You

A man is seen holding up a placard against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as he takes part in a protest in solidarity with ceuta people, coinciding with Ceuta city day. The mass crossing of migrants into the city of Ceuta from Morocco has prompted several Spanish cities to call rallies and demonstrations in support of Ceuta and national sovereignty, as well as against the Spanish government's management.

A man is seen holding up a placard against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as he takes part in a protest in solidarity with ceuta people, coinciding with Ceuta city day, on Sept 2, 2026.

Jesus Merida / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect
Sánchez releases classified documents on Ceuta crisisSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government on Wednesday declassified documents showing that Morocco had knowledge of plans for a mass migrant crossing into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta days before it occurred. The disclosure may be an attempt to deflect some of the backlash Sánchez has [...]
Terrorism fades as Americans’ top concern
GZERO Media/Eileen Zhang/Paige Parsacala
The month after 9/11, terrorism was the most significant concern for Americans. In polling conducted by Gallup the following month – and just days after the invasion of Afghanistan –46% of Americans said terrorism was their top concern. At the same time, trust in government hit a three-decade high in 2001, buoyed by President George W. Bush’s [...]
How China, BRICS, and a new balance of power emerged from 9/11’s shadow
When the Pentagon and Twin Towers were struck on September 11, 2001, I was a US diplomat in Taiwan, focused on the globalization push coming from China’s impending accession to the WTO just three months later. My world changed dramatically that day, and 9/11 arguably set the world on a very different course that was felt by all of us, even if we [...]
This week, I unpack Germany’s political upheaval, talk to historian Nicole Hemmer and reporter Molly Ball about Trump’s unencumbered power, and answer your questions on the Russia-North Korea axis, Japan’s new government, and COP29. Plus, your weekly rec from my dog Moose.Let’s get to it.- IanWant to understand the world a little better? Subscribe [...]