U.S. blocks U.N. Security Council statement on Israel, Lebanon
The United States blocked a statement about the recent tensions between Israel and Hezbollah by the United Nations Security Council, the AFP reported on Thursday.
France
Britain, US and France may be complicit in Yemen war crimes, UN says
Britain, the US, and France may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen by supporting a Saudi-led coalition that starves civilians as a war tactic, the United Nations has said.
UN Atomic Agency Confirms Iran Breach of Nuclear Deal, Could Enrich Up to 20% by Friday
The UN nuclear watchdog announced Friday that Iran had made good on its threat to enrich uranium above the prescribed limits of the 2015 nuclear accord.
French, US officials strike draft compromise on French digital tax
French and US negotiators have reached a compromise agreement on France’s digital tax, a levy which prompted US President Donald Trump to threaten a separate tax on French wine imports, a source close to the negotiations said.
China announces it seeks ‘calm’ end to trade war, as markets tank and currency hits 11-year flatline
China signaled on Monday it was now seeking a ‘calm’ end to its ongoing trade war with the U.S., as Asian markets crumbled and China’s currency plummeted to an 11-year low following the latest tariffs on $550 billion in Chinese goods announced last Friday by the Trump administration.
Trump dangles ‘very big’ trade deal in front of Brexit Britain
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday said he and President Donald Trump were ‘gung-ho’ about a post-Brexit trade deal but cautioned the United States would be tough negotiators and that he would not rush talks.
Global worry over Amazon fires escalates
Amid global concern about raging fires in the Amazon, Brazil’s government complained Thursday that it is being targeted in smear campaign by critics who contend President Jair Bolsonaro is not doing enough to curb widespread deforestation.
G-7 Leaders Prepare for Summit Amid Fears Over Global Economy
The G-7 host, Emmanuel Macron, has made fighting inequality the theme for the annual meeting of the seven industrialized nations, which opens Saturday in the French seaside resort of Biarritz with the leaders of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada in attendance.
US formally asks Germany to ‘help secure’ Strait of Hormuz
The United States has formally asked Germany to join a European naval mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the US embassy in Berlin said Tuesday.
World powers, Iran to meet in attempt to save nuclear deal
Representatives of five world powers met with Iranian diplomats Sunday in an effort to save the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal the U.S. withdrew from in 2018, according to the Associated Press.
Europe boils in record-setting heat wave
Residents across Europe suffered from a second day of record-setting heat on Thursday, as the second heat wave of the summer continues to bake the region.
France, Italy, Denmark back European-led naval mission for Hormuz
France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark support a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, three senior EU diplomats said on Tuesday after Britain proposed the idea following Iran’s seizure of a tanker.
U.S.-China officials discuss trade; Mnuchin eyes possible in-person talks
U.S. and Chinese officials spoke by telephone on Thursday as the world’s two largest economies seek to end a year-long trade war, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggesting in-person talks could follow.
France, Britain and Germany say risks Iran nuclear deal could collapse
France, Britain and Germany said on Sunday they were preoccupied by the escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf region and a risk of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal falling apart, calling for dialog between all the parties to resume.
Anti-Christian Wave in Europe Seems Coupled with Antisemitic Wave
Anti-Christian vandalism is spiking in Europe, where investigators found a surprising culprit to the rising number of church attacks and desecrations of religious symbols in France and other historic bastions of Christianity.
International Pressure Increases on Iran as IAEA Verifies Breach of 2015 Nuclear Terms
A closed-door meeting of the UN atomic watchdog agency in Vienna Wednesday determined that Iran had indeed breached the 3.76% uranium enrichment limit of the 2015 nuclear deal, confirming reports from Iran Monday that it had ramped up its enrichment to 4.5%.
Signatories to Iran Nuclear Deal Voice Concern Over Tehran’s Breach of Uranium Stockpile
The remaining signatories to the 2015 international pact to restrain Iran’s nuclear weapons development all voiced concern Tuesday that Tehran had exceeded the limit of how much low-enriched uranium it could stockpile.
‘I’ve Never Seen Such Scenes’: Hail Storm in Mexico Shocks Governor, Residents
On Sunday a Mexican city was deluged in hail and ice, leaving cars buried beneath 5 feet of the frozen substance and leading the state governor to exclaim he had never seen anything like it.
Europe Circumvents U.S. Sanctions On Iran
Europe has found a way of circumventing U.S. sanctions on Iran. The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have developed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to enable European businesses to maintain non-dollar trade with Iran without breaking U.S. sanctions. That SPV, known as INSTEX, is now up and running.
European Signatories Attempt Last-Ditch Effort to Save Nuclear Deal, While Iran Prepares To Break It
Brian Hook, U.S. special envoy for Iran, is in Paris discussing the looming crisis in the Persian Gulf with Britain, France, and Germany, ahead of talks Friday that will see the European allies seek to implement the ‘INSTEX’ currency system with Iran to circumvent Trump’s sanctions.