EU Prepares Trade Retaliation Plan, Bedouins Threaten to Resume Syria Fighting, Iran Holds Nuclear Talks Friday

Andrew Sheves Good morning.

🇪🇺** EU Prepares Trade Retaliation Plan**

EU envoys will meet this week to formulate measures responding to a possible no-deal scenario with Trump, whose tariff position has hardened ahead of the August 1 deadline. The US now wants near-universal tariffs above 10% on EU goods with fewer exemptions, up from the bloc’s hoped-for framework, as negotiations continue with limited progress. The EU has prepared €21 billion in immediate countermeasures targeting politically sensitive US states and an additional €72 billion list including Boeing aircraft, US cars and bourbon whiskey, while considering activating its anti-coercion instrument that could impose new taxes on US tech giants. More - Bloomberg

🇸🇾** Bedouins Threaten to Resume Syria Fighting**

Bedouin fighters outside Suweida told the BBC they will observe a ceasefire with the Druze but haven’t ruled out resuming hostilities, demanding the release of injured Bedouins they consider “hostages” in the city. Over 1,120 people have been killed in a week of sectarian clashes, including 427 Druze fighters, 298 Druze civilians, and 354 government security personnel, with the Syrian Observatory reporting 194 Druze civilians were “summarily executed” by government forces. At least 128,000 people have been displaced as humanitarian convoys reach the city, while displaced Bedouin women said they couldn’t trust the Druze without government authority providing “peace and security.” More - BBC

🇮🇷** Iran Holds Nuclear Talks Friday**

Iran will hold nuclear talks with France, Germany and the UK in Istanbul on Friday, following warnings from the three European powers that failure to resume negotiations would trigger international sanctions by August. The deputy foreign minister-level talks come after the US and Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago, with Iran accusing Washington of complicity in attacks that killed top military officials, nuclear scientists and hundreds of civilians. The E3 nations threaten to restore UN sanctions if talks don’t produce concrete results, while Iran’s foreign minister said they should “put aside worn-out policies of threat and pressure.” More - Al Jazeera

Global Stability Ratings

🇦🇫 Afghanistan is Unstable

🇦🇱 Albania is Weak

🇩🇿 Algeria is Weak

🇦🇩 Andorra is Stable

🇦🇴 Angola is Weak

🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda is Stable

🇦🇷 Argentina is Weak

🇦🇲 Armenia is Weak

🇦🇺 Australia is Stable

🇦🇹 Austria is Stable

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan is Stable

🇧🇭 Bahrain is Weak

🇧🇩 Bangladesh is Weak

🇧🇧 Barbados is Stable

🇧🇾 Belarus is Unstable

🇧🇪 Belgium is Stable

🇧🇿 Belize is Weak

🇧🇯 Benin is Weak

🇧🇹 Bhutan is Stable

🇧🇴 Bolivia is Weak

🇧🇦 Bosnia And Herzegovina is Weak

🇧🇼 Botswana is Stable

🇧🇷 Brazil is Weak

🇧🇳 Brunei is Stable

🇧🇬 Bulgaria is Stable

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso is Unstable

🇧🇮 Burund

Carpe tomorrow!