Has it been a good weekend, Meridian Readers? We sure hope so. Now it’s time to kick up your feet and settle in for you weekly dose of diplomatic news. Let’s jump in. North Korea’s missile tests raise stakes for Trump’s personal diplomacy with Kim Publication: The Washington Post | By Anne Gearan There’s nothing like relaxing on a Sunday and reading about nuclear missiles, right? Here’s the deal: After a pretty long hiatus, North Korea has returned to missile testing. Uh-oh. What does this mean for the United States? For starters, this raises the stakes for President Trump...

Hey there, Meridian Readers! Happy Sunday. We’re feelin’ good, we hope you are too – now let’s sit back and catch up on the latest news. US economy slows to 2.1 percent growth in second quarter Publication: The Hill | By Sylvan Lane We know that the slowing of the economy is never a good thing, but what does this actually mean? According to data released Friday (7/26) by the Commerce Department, the U.S. GDP grew at a rate of 2.1 percent between April and June, in line with expectations, but well below the 3.1 percent growth-rate notched in the first...

Happy Sunday, Meridian Readers! We hope you beat the heat this weekend. Now, let’s jump into this week’s #MeridianReads… China’s envoys try out Trump-style Twitter diplomacy Publication: The Guardian | By Lily Kuo Twitter is banned in China, but that isn’t stopping officials from using President Trump’s favorite outreach tool. How are they doing this if it’s banned? Well, the app is mostly being used by diplomats based in other countries. The surprising factor? Most of the foreign service officers who are taking to Twitter to confront Beijing’s critics more directly aren’t usually outspoken. “It is a new communication...

Morocco has been called a cool country with a hot sun; those who visit may also call it a hot country with cool people. Meridian International Center had the opportunity to see the North African nation’s many facets as part of a delegation dispatched to examine the political economic and cultural landscape in Morocco. Much of Morocco’s dynamism is related to its history as a melting pot of cultures; from Berber to Arab to Jewish to European to African, elements of each culture was incorporated into its evolution as a nation. The country has also managed to weather the...

Hi there, Meridian Readers — we’re back and better than ever. A lot happened in the diplomatic community while we were gone, so let’s dive in and catch up. What Happens If the 2020 Election Is a Tie? Publication: The Atlantic | By Norm Ornstein We get it. It feels like 2019 just started, you’re thiiiis close to using that gym membership you signed up for on January 1– but it’s already time to look ahead to 2020. Because politics. Polls are already suggesting the 2020 presidential election will be neck and neck, and may result in a tie....