1. The California recall says most politics are now national: Gov. Newsom (D) avoided being recalled by employing a strategy to nationalize the race, bashing the GOP-led states of Texas and Florida, linking the GOP’s leading candidate to Trump, and in the process waking up what had been a slumbering Democratic base.
Look for Dems to replicate this playbook in Election 2022.
2. Bitcoin: 'A weapon for us to fight oppression: Senegalese app developer Fodé Diop sees bitcoin as a way to end "monetary colonialism" in the developing world. When France ratified the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1945, it gained control over the currencies of 14 African nations, including Senegal.
Through bitcoin and ubiquitous smartphones, Diop thinks it's possible to build a new free-market monetary system that will finally liberate Senegal and other African countries from the last vestiges of colonialism.
3. AUKUS leaves some awkward questions: The defense pact of the US, UK, and Australia will fuel tensions with China and within Beijing.
The deal should prompt some soul-searching about China’s frequently belligerent words and actions. “Wolf warrior” diplomacy from Beijing has a price.
4. The NFL bets: The NFL now has an official casino sponsor and partnerships with seven sports books. During the opening weekend, nearly 60 million football bets were processed online in the US.
5. FIFA versus UEFA: A proposed FIFA plan to hold a biennial World Cup is part of a struggle over whether the big clubs or national teams will be pre-eminent. Reports suggest there is strong support in Africa and Asia for a World Cup every two years, where many countries want more chances to participate in the showpiece tournament. Europe and South America, where opposition is strongest.
The 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia had a global audience of 1.1 billion. The tournament held in Russia generated an estimated $6 billion in revenues from broadcasting, sponsorship, and ticketing.
