The x-ray style

This might sound odd, but we may not really be under-informed in ways we’re accustomed to feeling we are. You know that feeling? Like when you realize you’re ambiently aware of something about the U.S. president having said something about, what was it?—some country? Or like when you look down at that heightening pile of newsmagazines. Or like when you open almost any social-media app—or even just look at the internet and glimpse the sea of information you can’t begin to filter? But how much of it ends up really mattering? Of course we need to know what’s happening; I just think most things that are really happening are happening on longer time horizons than the news media tends implicitly to want us thinking about. Their whole thing is getting our attention in the moment. I say we need something different—support in being intentional; in developing authentic pattern recognition; in building context, making connections, and cultivating memory.

—John Jamesen Gould

This week:

• Why is the U.S. trying so hard to find new sources of critical minerals?
• If Donald Trump isn’t an autocrat, what is he?
• Why exactly is corruption a problem?
• Why were corporate leaders in America so quick to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion programs—and then to scrap them?
• & What’s the American president really up to with all these tariffs?

With Justin Callais, Stephen Hanson, Nicholas Kumleben, and Walter Benn Michaels x Adolph Reed Jr.

Music from Barker, Lust for Youth x Croatian Amor, and Groove Armada. + Where’d the downtempo sound come from?

But first: The trade-war era, cont. A funding infusion for Ukraine. A new governing coalition in Germany. A regime under pressure in Serbia. Peace talks in London over the civil war in Sudan. & A black hole wakes up in Galaxy SDSS1335+0728 …

Developments

The world in brief, April 5-11

The trade-war era, cont.

The global economy went through a week of turnarounds and uncertainty, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs caused sharp drops in global stock markets until he paused most of the tariffs on Wednesday. But not only did he leave in place tariffs on Chinese imports; he raised them to an astonishing 145 percent. In response, Beijing announced on Friday that it would put import duties of 125 percent on U.S. goods, beginning on Saturday.

At the same time, U.S. stock markets recorded increases for the week, making up for much of the value lost the week before. Yet Asian and European markets continued to fall.