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The World Next Week: The Arab League, the Debt Ceiling, and Chatting with China

By experts and staff

Published
  • James M. LindsayCFR Expert
    Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy
The National Debt Clock, which hangs from a building near Times Square in New York.
The National Debt Clock, which hangs from a building near Times Square in New York. (Joshua Lott/courtesy Reuters)

The World Next Week podcast is up. Bob McMahon and I talked about the scheduled meeting of the Arab League’s foreign ministers; Washington’s imminent encounter with the national debt ceiling; the upcoming China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue; and the Cannes Film Festival, which neither of us has tickets to. Perhaps next year.

[audio: https://www.cfr.org/content/publications/media/podcast/2011/20110505_TWN…]

The highlights:

Bob and I aren’t the only commentators getting a head start on next week’s news. The Wall Street Journal discusses plans for a fund to assist the Libyan rebels, and the National encourages Arab capitals to continue working together to resolve the unrest and violence in the Middle East. The New York Times discusses what happens when the federal debt hits its ceiling, and the Wall Street Journal follows the Washington debate on the debt limit. Xinhua outlines expectations for the upcoming China-U.S. dialogue, Reuters reports on recent developments in bilateral monetary policy discussions, and the Wall Street Journal’s “China Real Time” covers the human rights discussions. The Festival de Cannes has a nifty website—and there is even a version in French. Who knew?