June, 2021

• 30 June

  4 killed in US airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria

  The United States military said on Sunday it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq. At least four members of Shi’ite militias were killed in “defensive precision airstrikes” which US President Joe Biden ordered against facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups …

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• 30 June

  Did Netanyahu sabotage ties with the US?

  

  Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied charges that he was deliberately trying to harm Israel’s relationship with the Biden administration. Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu was acting “childishly and irresponsible” by attempting to harm ties between the new Israeli government and the Biden administration, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a …

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• 30 June

  With a New Chief, the WTO Aims for a Return to Relevance

  

  The World Trade Organization made history last month when its members chose Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as director-general, the first woman and first African to hold that position. A former Nigerian finance minister and senior World Bank official, Okonjo-Iweala enjoyed near-unanimous support, but her candidacy had been stalled by opposition from the …

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• 30 June

  China’s Boycotts of Western Brands Aren’t Very Effective

  

  China has a long history of wielding its immense market power as a tool of economic coercion. During the first half of the 20th century, it fought back against colonial powers by organizing boycotts of goods from the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. Nearly a century later, China …

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• 30 June

  Europe Is Souring on China

  

  The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to freeze a massive investment deal with China that had taken seven years to negotiate. The Guardian reported that the resolution suspended “any consideration of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), as well as any discussion on ratification” until China lifted sanctions on …

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• 30 June

  Biden Won’t Say It Out Loud, but He Might Want a Weak U.S. Dollar

  

  “The exchange rate is the most important price in any economy, for it affects all other prices,” as Harvard political economist Jeffry Frieden put it. Since the U.S. dollar is the most widely used currency for cross-border exchange and investment, it is fair to say its value is the most …

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• 30 June

  John Bolton joins newly launched Turkish Democracy Project

  

  The group describes its mission as “encouraging Turkey to adopt more democratic policies and responding to the steady erosion of Turkey’s democratic institutions.” John Bolton, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, says he’s joined the advisory council of the Turkish Democracy Project, a newly launched nonprofit, “to …

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• 30 June

  Turkey arrests 26 in raids against Islamic State

  

  There are concerns about the Islamic State’s ability to still operate within and close to Turkish territory. Turkish police arrested 26 people on Monday for allegedly being linked to the Islamic State (IS).

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• 30 June

  Allies Abdel-Fattah, Al-Kadhimi, Abdullah II Assemble to Address Area’s Affairs

  The leaders of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan on Sunday held a historic meeting in Baghdad, looking to strengthen trilateral relations and shore up regional alliances in the face of growing Iranian aggression. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi became the first Egyptian head of state to travel to Iraq since the two …

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• 30 June

  US Strikes in Syria, Iraq Again

  The United States early Monday morning conducted airstrikes against Iran-backed targets in Iraq and Syria, the second such military attack since President Joe Biden took office. No casualties were mentioned by Washington after the bombing, which destroyed “operational and storage facilities” recently utilized by the militias supported by Tehran for …

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