News: Kim Jong-un Meets Putin, Canadian Politics, Israel Supreme Court
The Globalist Podcast (September 12, 2023) – Kim Jong-un reportedly arrives in eastern Russia for arms talks with Vladimir Putin, as Moscow seeks to replenish its dwindling stockpile. Who has the upper hand and how will the meeting be portrayed for home audiences?
Plus: Israel’s supreme court prepares to rule on its own future and we discuss the British parliamentary researcher accused of spying for China.
The New York Times — Tuesday, Sept 12, 2023
China Sows Disinformation About Hawaii Fires Using New Techniques
Beijing’s influence campaign using artificial intelligence is a rapid change in tactics, researchers from Microsoft and other organizations say.
Fury as Quake Help Finally Arrives: ‘How Many Hours Has It Been?’
The people of a village high in the Atlas Mountains erupted in anger when the Moroccan government left them alone for three days to dig out and bury their loved ones.
Michelin’s Coveted Stars Can Come With Some Costs
As its universe of dining guides expands to new places, the company is asking those regions to help pay the bill. And some chefs fear the honors are fostering a world of restaurant clones.
America’s Fire Spotters Aren’t Ready to Fade Away Just Yet
Officials say the future of wildfire detection is cameras. But in northwest Montana, solitary humans on mountaintops still do more than machines alone can offer.
Opinion: The Middle East’s Future, Managing Wealth, London Bus Driver Health
‘Editor’s Picks’ Podcast (September 18, 2023) – Three essential articles read aloud from the The Economist. This week, the future of the Middle East, Wall Street’s race to wealth management (10:00), and how London’s bus drivers revolutionised health (17:40).
Views: Artisans Of Bavaria
Travel In Turkey: What To See, Do And Eat In Istanbul
What to do
● What was founded as the Byzantine emperor Justinian’s 6th-century church has ballooned over aeons into the Hagia Sophia. Now a mosque, it’s a gargantuan spectacle. Enter and in the spiritual gloom a magnificence develops, daylight angling through windows in the galactic dome light years above. Remarkably there is even runic graffiti, carved by a mercenary from the Viking age (free; muze.gen.tr).
● Allocate a day to explore Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans built in 1459 by Mehmet the Conqueror, who grabbed Constantinople from the fading Byzantines. Chamber after chamber reveals military regalia and priceless gifts from dynasties as far away as China. The Bosphorus views are magnificent and the emerald lawns are made for lounging on (£20, includes harem access; muze.gen.tr).
● The Ecumenical Patriarch, spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, resides at the Patriarchate of Constantinople, a serene neoclassical complex in Fener district, above the waters of the Golden Horn creek. Join global pilgrims in the glittery cathedral aisles and witness, perhaps, the divine liturgy or, later, vespers — black-clad, scented and seductively mystic (free; ec-patr.org).
● We associate art nouveau with Paris and Budapest, but in the twilight years of the Ottomans it flourished in Istanbul. Casa Botter (originally Botter Apartmani), built on Istiklal Caddesi at the turn of the 20th century for a tailor to Sultan Abdul Hamid, was the city’s first example. After decades of neglect it’s now a must-visit art gallery and, façade-wise, a real kooky looker, chiselled and Viennese-ornate (free; Instagram @casabotter).
Ukraine War: An Interview With President Zelensky
Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – Sept 18, 2023
Ross Douthat’s Theories of Persuasion
At a time of distrust and polarization, the conservative Times columnist seeks to bridge the worlds of the Christian right and the secular left.
This summer, Ross Douthat, liberal America’s favorite conservative commentator, wrote a piece about liberal America’s least favorite Democrat, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Douthat argued in his New York Times column that an unwillingness to debate Kennedy—who has claimed that childhood vaccines cause autism, that 5G networks are part of a mass-surveillance system, and that covid was designed to spare Jewish and Chinese people—was an insufficient response to voters who are increasingly distrustful of the establishment.
What Kate DiCamillo Understands About Children
Her books for young readers have sold more than forty-four million copies. They are full of yearning, loneliness, ambivalence, and worry.
By Casey Cep
Three winters in a row, Kate DiCamillo went into the hospital, never sure if she would come home and always a little scared to do so. One of those winters, when she was four years old and the air outside was even colder than the metal frames of the oxygen tents she’d grown accustomed to having above her bed, her father came to see her. He was wearing a long black overcoat, which made him look like a magician. “I brought you a gift,” he said, pulling something from his pocket as if from a top hat.
News: G20 Summit Proves A Success For India, Armenia And U.S. Military Exercises
The Globalist Podcast (September 10, 2023) – We look back at the G20 summit in India, which concluded yesterday, and discuss its key points.
Plus: the start of joint military exercises between Armenia and the US, a flick through the day’s papers and a round-up of stories from the Asia-Pacific region.
The New York Times — Monday, Sept 11, 2023
In Quake-Battered Mountains, Many Moroccans Must Fend for Themselves
In a critical period for search-and-rescue teams, the Moroccan government has given few updates about its response and the scope of the destruction.
Biden Forges Deeper Ties With Vietnam as China’s Ambition Mounts
Visiting Hanoi, the president cemented a new strategic partnership that puts the memories of the past behind them and focuses on mutual concerns over Beijing’s assertiveness in the region.
Spain’s Top Soccer Official Resigns Over Unwanted World Cup Kiss
Pressure had been building on Luis Rubiales, with prosecutors opening an investigation, his soccer federation calling for him to step down and FIFA suspending him.
In Post-Roe America, Nikki Haley Seeks a New Path on Abortion for G.O.P.
In crafting an anti-abortion message that doesn’t alienate moderate Republicans and swing voters, her approach has won both supporters and detractors.
Boomers Daily 