Middle East Archives

Class Action Lawsuit Challenges State Department, U.S. Weapons Makers Over ‘Israeli Exceptionalism’

6Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Human rights, International Law, Legal Battles, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

Class Action Lawsuit Challenges State Department, U.S. Weapons Makers Over ‘Israeli Exceptionalism’

Plaintiffs Charge Illegal Support for ‘Gross Violations of Human Rights’ in Lebanon September 6, 2026—Lebanese Americans in Michigan are suing Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with weapons-makers Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Caterpillar, asserting corporate negligence and violations by the government of the U.S. Leahy Laws, which bars military sales to a country committing human rights violations. The lawsuit accuses the State Department of defying U.S. laws by creating “special mechanisms” in its review of the Israeli military, in effect creating “a far more lenient, bureaucratic, and convoluted review process” to avoid enforcing the Leahy Laws. The impact is policies and procedures that provide an “Israeli exceptionalism” for human rights violations. It further charges the comp...

China’s Xi Strengthens Ties With Middle East on Egypt Trip

3Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

China’s Xi Strengthens Ties With Middle East on Egypt Trip

Xi Calls for New Middle East Regional ‘Security Architecture’ Cairo welcomed Xi with streets decorated with Chinese flags, a joint-military training exercise, a red-carpet welcoming ceremony, and a 21-gun salute. September 3, 2026—For the first time in four years, Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in the Middle East, touching down in Cairo, Egypt, for diplomatic talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Cairo welcomed Xi with streets decorated with Chinese flags, a joint military training exercise, a red-carpet welcoming ceremony, and a 21-gun salute. The two leaders signed several agreements, including five major agreements and 20 strategic cooperation documents. Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly hailed the visit as an “historic” event that “coincides wit...

U.S. Shadow Diplomacy by Billionaire ‘Volunteers’

11Apr

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Diplomacy, Middle East, Types of News: Analysis, Types of News: Videos

U.S. Shadow Diplomacy by Billionaire ‘Volunteers’

Trump Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner Dominate U.S. Foreign Policy Making April 11, 2026—As the world remains on pins and needles, awaiting the outcome of peace talks mediated by Pakistan in a US-Israel-Iran war that has lasted nearly a month and a half, observers are beginning to question why diplomacy failed and who is responsible. One of the most apparent things is that U.S. diplomacy is largely outsourced to two billionaires serving as special envoys without government pay: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Both are billionaires with interests that extend beyond U.S. priorities. Witkoff, President Trump’s assistant and special envoy for peace missions, receives no government salary. Kushner does not even have an official title other than the president’s son-in-law and un...

China, Russia Cite ‘Root Causes’ in Veto of Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

9Apr

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Global Trade, International Law, Legal Battles, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

China, Russia Cite ‘Root Causes’ in Veto of Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

UN Security Council Positions Reflect Differences of Law Based on Alliances April 9, 2026—A trickle of shipping traffic went through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after a tenuous two-week ceasefire came together through last-minute negotiations mediated by Pakistan. Iran maintains control over the narrow passage, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supply and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies once flowed. On Tuesday, in the 10130th meeting of the UN Security Council, delegates considered a draft plan to “compel Iran to implement” a UN resolution, 2817, which condemned attacks on the Gulf states and reaffirmed the “exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law.” The meeting revealed the vastl...

G7 Calls for ‘Immediate Cessation of Attacks on Civilians’ and Infrastructure

27Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

G7 Calls for ‘Immediate Cessation of Attacks on Civilians’ and Infrastructure

War, Trade Through Strait of Hormuz Key Topics in G7 Foreign Minister Meetings in France March 27, 2026—G7 Foreign ministers of G7 countries— Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—along with the European Union met in France today discussing, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, maritime and port security, critical minerals supply chains, and counter-narcotics strategies. In the wake of the expanding U.S.-Israel-Iran war, foreign ministers discussed critical issues facing the global economy. G7 France March 27 2026 The ministers released the following statement urging freedom of navigation and an end to assaults on civilians and critical infrastructure. “We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, th...

Energy Shock to Slow Growth and Raise Inflation, OECD Says

27Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Global Trade, Middle East, Types of News: Bit, Types of News: Brief

Energy Shock to Slow Growth and Raise Inflation, OECD Says

G20 Inflation to Climb to 4.0 Percent in 2026 March 27, 2026—The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that rising energy prices and supply shocks due to war in the Middle East could increase global volatility and inflation. In a March report, Testing Resilience, the OECD said: “The evolving conflict in the Middle East has human and economic costs for the countries directly involved, and will test the resilience of the global economy. A halt in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the closure or damage of energy infrastructure has generated a surge in energy prices and disrupted the global supply of energy and other important commodities, such as fertilisers.” Projections for growth vary widely by country. For example, the OECD predicts growth in th...

War Escalates as Israel Strikes World’s Largest Gas Field

18Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

War Escalates as Israel Strikes World’s Largest Gas Field

Iran Vowed to Retaliate Against Gulf Energy Sites March 18, 2026—The Israeli military struck the world’s largest natural gas field, the South Pars Field, which is shared between Iran and Qatar. Two senior Israeli officials confirmed responsibility for the strike, Axios reported. President Donald Trump posted early today on his family-owned Truth Social that “Remember, for all of those absolute “fools” out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!” It comes amid the “largest supply disruption” of the global oil market in history, according to the International Energy Agency. The price of oil jumped to $108.8 a barrel (Brent) and $99 (WTI). Iran vowed via the Tasmin News Agency, a semi-officia...

U.S. Allies and China Respond to US Request for Help with the Strait of Hormuz

17Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Geopolitics, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Allies and China Respond to US Request for Help with the Strait of Hormuz

Strait of Hormuz. Photo pulled from Vessel Finder March 17, 2026 March 17, 2026—As the US-Israel-Iran war impacted oil markets and a key shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump called on other countries for help. Here's what they had to say. Near Closure The narrow strait, which runs between Iran and the United Arab Emirates and Oman, reflected “a highly constrained operating environment, with vessel movements remaining selective and below average,” Marine Traffic reported on Monday. Geopolitics kept the strait nearly closed on Monday. Many ships remained anchored in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Reports indicated a continued uneven pattern of traffic, with ongoing attacks against some ships, while “sanctioned and shadow-fleet vessels supporting a...

17Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Global Economics, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

War Delays U.S.-China Summit

March 17, 2026—A high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is postponed. The original date for the meeting was for March 31-April 2. Neither country issued new dates for the meeting through their spokespersons. A U.S. president has not visited China since November 2017 during Trump’s first term. Former President Joe Biden visited China while serving as vice president in 2011 and 2013, but not during his presidency. The two countries—the largest economies in the world—reached a truce in October 2025, agreeing to a one-year reduction in U.S. tariffs, a suspension of China’s restrictions on rare-earth exports, controls on fentanyl production, and a promise by China to buy U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans. Geopolitics Disru...

UN Security Council Condemns Iran’s Strikes on Gulf States

11Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Bit

UN Security Council Condemns Iran’s Strikes on Gulf States

UNSC Rejected Russia's Draft Resolution Calling on 'All Parties' to Stop Military Activities March 11, 2026—The UN Security Council passed a resolution on March 11 condemning retaliatory attacks by Iran against the Gulf region, specifically Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Bahrain offered the resolution on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The council approved it on a 13-0-2 vote, with China and Russia obstaining. The resolution, S. Res. 2817, affirmed the right of “individual or collective self-defense” and deplored “the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects by the Islamic Republic of Iran, including airports, energy installations, objects necessary for food production and distribution, and critical civilian i...