| What Happened, Why it Matters | | | July 4, 2015 Iran Negotiators Face Deadline | Greece Heads to Polls | Life Under ISIS | Frederick Douglass' Rhetorical Fireworks |
|  | | Pensioners stand in line at a bank in Athens, one of the few allowed open to serve those without cards for ATMs, which were also running low on cash Friday as Greeks await Sunday's vote on creditors' demands for austerity. Source: Getty |
| | | The end seems nigh … again. Negotiators, including the top diplomats from the United States and Iran, are furiously bargaining to meet their latest self-imposed deadline on Tuesday. After weeks of ups and downs, with the Islamic Republic's supreme leader waxing intransigent, officials from Tehran indicate they'll accept some inspections of their military facilities, loosening a main sticking point. One key to progress could be the surprising partnership between the U.S. and Russia, whose representatives claim they are just as committed as America to securing a non-nuclear Iran. WP, CBS, Reuters, AP |
| | Will they or won't they? This week, Athens defaulted on its $1.7 billion IMF loan payment, briefly throwing markets into a tailspin. Greek leaders appeared conciliatory, but then resumed their defiance, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras imploring voters in Sunday's bailout referendum to say "no" to Europe's "blackmail."A poll shows Greeks evenly split on whether to accept tough reforms by voting yes, and thousands demonstrated Friday on both sides. The IMF recommends aiding Greece with structured debt relief spanning decades, but first Europe — and jittery investors — must wait to see who wins tomorrow's ballot. BBC, FT (sub), Newsweek |
| | Avoid large squares. So says a Mosul observer to those living inside the Islamic State's "caliphate." In public spaces, a bystander assumes watching — even cheering for — daily executions is mandatory. And one must exercise extreme caution when confiding in anyone. Just a belief in democracy or tolerance for "infidel" Shiites can lead to trouble, and that means a date with the cane, whip or sword. And then there are oddities, including a flood of decrees regulating everything from posting execution videos to who's allowed to have sex with prepubescent slaves. Der Spiegel |
| | Socialists want this liberal presidential hopeful to do for them what Ron Paul did for libertarianism: take it from the fringes and turn it into a politically viable stance. Some speculate Sanders is already driving the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, to the left, or that he might weaken her, like Paul did to "more serious" Republican contenders. But while supporters are hopeful — and eager to draw the comparison, the Vermont senator isn't even running … as a socialist. OZY |
| BRIEFLY... Obama plans clemency for nonviolent drug offenders. (NYT) ISIS-linked militants claim rocket attack on Israel. (Reuters) Cancer patient dies in Colombia's first legal euthanasia. (BBC) The Internet is maxed out on IP addresses. (USA Today) Uber to suspend its Uberpop service in France. (WSJ) sub |
| | | Sometimes oratorical fireworks are the best kind. Americans looking to celebrate this Fourth of July weekend with something meatier than grilled burgers can savor a sizzlin' side of Frederick Douglass. In 1852, the famous abolitionist and gifted orator set out to expose the "unholy license" of American "liberty" and sting the conscience of a country. "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?" he asked those observing the holiday. "A day that reveals to him … the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim." OZY |
| | Here's an idea that might stick without suction cups. A frightening quarter of U.S. auto accidents can be traced to phone-fiddling drivers, and the industry is doing something about it. Manufacturers are installing systems like Apple's CarPlay and Android Auto to allow drivers to operate their phones using their voice and steering wheel controls, minimizing distractions. They'll take you straight to apps like Google Now, which can direct you to the nearest Starbucks even before you tell it to. But carmakers, concerned about hackers leading drivers astray, are moving cautiously. Technology Review |
| | It opens with a giddy teenager serenading her childhood friend. Amy, the new critically lauded biopic from Asif Kapadia, director of the award-winning Senna, exploits the fact that the singer-songwriter's stardom and drug-addled downfall coincided with the advent of smartphones. Their video capabilities — and the film — capture it all, both the genius and the anguish that endeared Winehouse to so many until her 2011 death from alcohol poisoning. But the music transcends the tabloid headlines — even if fans will never get a happy ending. New Republic, ABC, New Yorker |
| | Was their sacrifice in vain? As professional soldiers, 1.3 million Indians heeded Britain's call in WWI when "the guns of August" first roared. But even after 74,187 died — 1,000 at Gallipoli alone — there's been little mention of them at recent centennial observances. In postwar India, nationalists, embittered by shattered British promises of autonomy, saw the troops as imperial servants. The U.K. built New Delhi's India Gate for them in 1931, but it's become a memorial for subsequent conflicts, leaving these ghosts of the Great War to the footnotes of history. BBC Magazine |
| | If you're LeBron James, a few extra millions are worth the risk. He opted out of his long-term contract, presumably so he can get a fatter deal when the NBA salary cap rises after next season. But if you're not King James, a guaranteed $100 million, multi-year contract may look better than a theoretical $130 million deal a year from now. That seems to be the thinking that fed into an insane day on Wednesday, when many free agents unexpectedly chose job security over potentially higher salaries. Grantland, ESPN |
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