The situation in Iran is the biggest story for our analysis of global news last week. We very well could be looking at the end of a standing government and a full-blown revolution. This uprising, sparked by economic collapse, currency devaluation, and broader demands for political change, has come at the cost of thousands of deaths (with estimates from human rights groups and media ranging from over 2,000 to as high as 12,000+ in some reports) and massive instability in the country. The effects of this unrest will continue long after it subsides. Starlink satellite internet, activated for free by SpaceX and smuggled into the country in large numbers, has served as a critical lifeline for protesters to bypass the regime's near-total internet blackout. It has allowed images and videos of the crackdown to reach the world despite government jamming efforts and hunts for users. The revolution seems justified. In my worldview, repressive fascist autocratic theocratic governments ought to be toppled, but as always, it is nonetheless difficult to observe so much suffering from a distance.

Here are some key sources on the protests, the brutal crackdown, and Starlink's role:

The most important national development, I think, was the U.S. aggressive pursuit of acquiring Greenland. The U.S. has put substantial pressure on getting a deal by unleashing 10% tariffs (escalating to 25% in some cases) on several European countries, including Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands, and allegedly offering Denmark multiples of their GDP to purchase it. European nations have responded with solidarity, military exercises in Greenland, and threats of countermeasures like World Cup boycotts. I think the case is solid from the U.S. perspective that acquiring Greenland is in its strategic interest. Given long-standing U.S. involvement with little aid from European NATO allies, we can just hold it down on our own. Most importantly, it represents the latest in a clear breaking between the United States and Europe. I'm actually quite delighted to see the U.S. stop treating Europe as some special place and start treating them the same as we treat all other foreign powers.

Key reporting includes:

The biggest local story is obviously the situation in Minneapolis. After the controversial death of Renee Good at the hands of an ICE officer, things devolved quickly and have resulted in the president threatening to use the Insurrection Act to quell the civil unrest. It also showcased just how deep the divide is between constituents and their political leaders in different camps and in different parts of the country. The tension between the two large factions in our country is getting nervewracking. It is increasingly going from cultural and social wars to physical conflict in the streets, with various levels of government demonstrating an unwillingness to collaborate and a propensity to enflame serious tensions. It feels like we live in a country on the brink, but it's unclear of what.

Relevant links: