In happier times.

Truly horrible and utterly self-inflicted: The US, now least vaccinated of G7 countries (1st jabs), again averaging over 2,000 COVID deaths per day.

French ambassadors to US & Australia recalled over AUKUS deal. But no recall from the UK, whose role the French FM likened to a “fifth wheel on the wagon.” As one diplomat recounted, “When the food is bad, you complain to the chef, not the dishwasher.” Bit of a slap, there.

How to win when politics are broken.

The exodus of Venezuelan nationals is currently the world's second largest refugee crisis, after Syria. @BrookingsInst  reports that it's also one of the world's most underfunded refugee crises. #GraphicTruth  @gzeromedia 

Chinese regulators continue pressuring tech companies to limit the time children can spend using their services. Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, is setting a time limit of 40 minutes a day for kids younger than 14. #GraphicTruth  @gzeromedia 

Congratulations to Justin Trudeau and all my friends in Canada for successfully holding an election where nothing at all happened.

US covid deaths: 676,000 1918 flu pandemic: 675,000 Covid officially the deadliest outbreak in American history.

No direct China references in Biden#UNGA  speech. But direct opposition to a New Cold War.

Chinese construction company Evergrande likely to default on its $300bn debt. If it does, it’ll be one of the largest in history. For comparison: Argentina’s 2001 foreign debt default $93bn Greece’s 2012 restructuring $200bn Lehman Brothers when it filed for bankruptcy $600bn