European businesses choose U.S. over Iran

IRAN: After U.S. sanctions went into effect Tuesday, President Donald Trump tweeted, “Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States.” In May, the United States backed out of the Iran nuclear deal, despite opposition from European allies who claim the deal is working. But European businesses are pulling out of Iran to keep their relationship with the United States. YEMEN: Democrats and Republicans in Congress are taking steps to block further U.S. weapons sales involved in the conflict in Yemen, while locals say increased U.S. sanctions and withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran may be lessening attacks. SYRIA: The Trump administration may be pressing forward with sanctions against Turkey in light of its detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson and others, but it has at the same time acquiesced to Turkish demands for the U.S.-allied People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish-dominated militia, to withdraw from Manbij. I’ve reported on the implications of Turkey taking control of territory in Syria—what amounts to ethnic and religious cleansing. BRAZIL: The Supreme Court will decide whether to decriminalize abortion after it heard in two days’ hearings the public’s conflicting opinions. Current law forbids abortion except in cases of rape or danger to the mother’s life.

The Worker’s Party nominated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as its presidential candidate, even though he is serving a 12-year jail sentence for corruption and money laundering.

TAJIKISTAN: “You’re led to believe that the world is a big, scary place,” wrote Jay Austin, a government worker–turned–adventure cyclist. “Evil is a make-believe concept we’ve invented to deal with the complexities of fellow humans holding values and beliefs and perspectives different than our own. … By and large, humans are kind,” he said, well into a transcontinental cycling trip with girlfriend Lauren Anne Geoghegan. But on Day 369, attackers claiming allegiance to ISIS ran down the cyclists, killing the American couple and two others. NOTE: Globe Trot will take off Friday and Monday, returning next Wednesday.

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