Good morning.

🇮🇱 🇵🇸 Smotrich Vows Settlement Push

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revived the long-shelved E1 Plan to build 3,000 houses near Jerusalem, vowing it will "bury the idea of a Palestinian state" as over a dozen countries prepare to recognize Palestine in September. The settlement would split East Jerusalem from the West Bank by expanding Ma'ale Adumim between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, effectively dividing Palestinian territory into northern and southern sections. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the plan as "a breach of international law" that "undermines the two-state solution," while Israeli NGO Peace Now warned the government is "driving us forward at full speed" toward "an abyss" as construction could begin within a year if fast-tracked approvals proceed. More - Financial Times

🇨🇳 China’s Economy Weakens Across All Sectors

China's economy slowed sharply in July with factory output rising just 5.7% year-over-year (the slowest since November), retail sales growing only 3.7% (the weakest this year), and fixed-asset investment decelerating to 1.6% as unemployment climbed to 5.2%. The broad-based weakness suggests Beijing's crackdown on "destructive price wars" and Trump tariff spillovers are weighing on growth, with analysts warning the "tariff-related swoon has begun." Investment in manufacturing, property and infrastructure all fell in what BNP Paribas called "extremely rare" simultaneous declines, while yuan-denominated new loans contracted for the first time in 20 years, highlighting subdued borrowing appetite as extreme weather and Beijing's campaign against corporate "involution" added to economic headwinds. More - Bloomberg

🇺🇸 🇷🇺 As Trump and Putin prepare to meet in Alaska this afternoon, Bloomberg’s Big Take focuses on the pressure the war is causing on Russia’s economy. Exposing the Cracks at the Heart of Putin’s War Economy, Bloomberg

The talks are due to begin at 11:00 local time in Anchorage, 15:00ET. The BBC has a live feed here.

Africa Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇩🇿 Algeria, 🇧🇯 Benin, 🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso, 🇧🇮 Burundi, 🇨🇲 Cameroon, 🇨🇫 Central African Republic, 🇹🇩 Chad, 🇰🇲 Comoros, 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic Of The Congo, 🇩🇯 Djibouti, 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, 🇪🇷 Eritrea, 🇸🇿 Eswatini, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, 🇬🇦 Gabon, 🇬🇳 Guinea, 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau, 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇱🇸 Lesotho, 🇱🇷 Liberia, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, 🇲🇼 Malawi, 🇲🇱 Mali, 🇲🇷 Mauritania, 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇳🇪 Niger, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo, 🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, 🇸🇴 Somalia, 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇸🇩 Sudan, 🇬🇲 The Gambia, 🇹🇬 Togo, 🇺🇬 Uganda, 🇪🇭 Western Sahara, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇦🇴 Angola, 🇨🇻 Cape Verde, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇲🇺 Mauritius, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇳🇦 Namibia, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇿🇲 Zambia

Regional News Summary

Plans are underway to establish a "smart economic corridor" in Southern Africa, which is projected to create approximately 1.6 million jobs [SOURCE - The South African].

In the realm of international relations, France and Algeria are currently experiencing diplomatic tensions, with French President Emmanuel Macron advocating for stricter measures against Algeria, including new visa restrictions. This escalation is viewed as a significant development in their ongoing spat, with Macron accusing Algerian officials of spreading misinformation [SOURCE - Middle East Eye].

On the economic front, Algeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pakistan's Fatima Group to enhance phosphate fertilizer production, a move expected to bolster economic ties and increase Algeria's production capacity [SOURCE - Associated Press of Pakistan].

In the Western Sahara, Morocco is leveraging its economic influence to strengthen its position in the disputed territory, a move that has drawn criticism from Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front's independence claims [SOURCE - The Conversation].

In Nigeria, security concerns remain high as gunmen abducted dozens of individuals, while Nigerian forces conducted a raid that resulted in the deaths of over 100 gang members [SOURCE - Reuters] [SOURCE - Pakistan Today]. Additionally, Nigeria has ruled out accepting deportees from the United States, reflecting its stance on immigration and international relations [SOURCE - RT].

Sudan is facing a dire humanitarian crisis, with nearly 100,000 people affected by cholera, as reported by the World Health Organization. The situation is exacerbated by widespread hunger and disease, with the UN warning of a starvation and gender emergency, particularly impacting women and girls [SOURCE - Japan Today] [SOURCE - Times Live].

In the economic landscape, Zambia is making strides, with an economist asserting that the country can thrive without the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The government has also mandated the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings to formalize and transform the gold sector, while a mutual agreement with Malawi aims to enhance agricultural trade [SOURCE - Zambia: News Diggers!]  [SOURCE - Zambia: News Diggers!].

Weekend Diversions

Cosmic horseshoe? Supermassive black hole? Tell me more…. This Might Be the Most Massive Black Hole Ever Discovered | Wired

Finally, here’s a thoughtful little snippet from Seth Godin. And now, a word from our sponsor | Seth’s Blog

Have a great weekend!

Carpe tomorrow!