Israeli stonewalling threatens West Bank financial collapse, Europe’s big three warn (POLITICO)
By Ben Munster · Nov 28, 2024 Israel is risking economic collapse in the West Bank by refusing to commit to an agreement that ensures Palestinians have access to banking services, the governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned on Thursday. “This disappointing decision prolongs uncertainty and endangers the Palestinian economy,” the three […]
In The Blind Spot: War games
SNEAK PEEK — Do you know when you are being played? Dario delves into the new iteration of alternate reality games and explains why they are actually revolutionary political tools. — What if the real blind spot in nuclear war is that it’s more survivable than people appreciate? Dario explores. Dear subscribers, Here’s the […]
In the Blind Spot: Prepare to be privatized
SNEAK PEEK — There’s a big hullabaloo surrounding China’s recent issuance of dollar-denominated bonds in Riyadh. But Izzy argues this is not the show of strength most think it is. — Privatization vs Nationalisation: Why not all deregulation is being made equal. Izzy runs through the very different agendas of the competing transatlantic “efficiency” […]
In The Blind Spot: Manufacturing fetish or US growth illusion?
SNEAK PEEK — Free speech campaigners fear Elon’s status as the champion of free speech is about to clash with his role as efficiency czar in the Trump administration. — IQM’s Jan Goetz updates us on how quantum developments are going in Europe. — Germany is reawakening its nuclear ambitions in more ways than […]
In The Blind Spot: Dario’s takeover bonus
SNEAK PEEK — Why Georgia’s election controversy is even more interesting and geopolitically important than appreciated. — How little Martinique may be part of a big French puzzle that some say shouldn’t be solved. — Flooding in Valencia leads to more accusations of weather manipulation on social media and why traditional media needs to […]
In the Blind Spot: Why everyone’s the ‘resistance’ now
SNEAK PEEK — Why the Trump 2.0 regime really does represent a technocratic takeover of the U.S. government. But maybe that’s not a bad thing? — How JD Vance has primed the U.S. legislative machine for a Chinese selective default based on the non-payment of antique Chinese bonds. — The reinvention of Kazakhstan’s Mukhtar […]
Spotlight on Israel’s permanent state of exception
By Dario Garcia Giner To many in the West, Israel’s fierce military posture clashes jarringly with its image as a beacon of democracy and progress in the Middle East. How can a society known for its rule of law, cutting-edge innovation, and bustling nightlife in Tel Aviv also maintain a harsh grip over millions of […]
In the Blind Spot (Technocratic coups)
SNEAK PEEK — Is a coalition of tech bros and industrialists planning to rescue America in the event all hell breaks loose after the November 5 U.S. election? — Rumors of the dollar’s demise are greatly exaggerated because alternatives are still too expensive and require even more pre-paid capital. — China’s economic model faces […]
Britain’s art-loving elite fumes at money laundering crackdown (POLITICO)
By Eleanor Myers · Oct 23, 2024 LONDON — At London’s annual Frieze art fair, attendees trickle into a fake sauna. Inside, a screen shows a person dressed as a pink alien in fuchsia lingerie, gyrating in an abandoned swimming pool. Thumping techno accompanies the spectacle. An employee speaks over the deep bass to lament […]
Digital euro sparks sovereignty battle between EU governments and ECB (POLITICO)
By Giovanna Faggionato, Ben Munster · Oct 24, 2024, BRUSSELS — A battle is brewing between Europe’s most powerful nations and the European Central Bank (ECB) over control of a new monetary tool that both sides fear could destabilize the continent’s banking system if mismanaged. At the heart of the conflict lies the digital euro […]