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The End of Magic Money

Inflation and the Future of Economic Stimulus Two years ago, I predicted in Foreign Affairs that the COVID-19 recession, coming on top of the financial crisis of 2008, would lead rich democracies to redefine the outer limits of their monetary and fiscal power, ushering in an “age of magic money.” …

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Russia vetoes UN measure renewing aid to northwest Syria

“People will die because of this vote,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said of the Security Council’s failure to reauthorize the cross-border mechanism. Millions of Syrian lives hang in the balance after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Friday that would have kept humanitarian aid flowing …

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Palestinian rivals Abbas, Haniyeh shake hands in Algeria

Algeria’s president managed to bring together Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh for the first time in 6 years, but divisions between the two rival factions they represent may be too deep at this point. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune brought together in the Algerian capital Palestinian President …

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Why IRGC issue won’t go away

Even if the US terrorist designation is not lifted, and there is agreement on the JCPOA, the IRGC will still be the power broker of Iranian domestic politics. As Qatar’s foreign minister visited Tehran Wednesday in an effort to follow up on talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal, there’s …

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Unprecedented inflation hammers Iran

Iranians have grown accustomed to high inflation and rising prices, yet recent macroeconomic trends are unprecedented. Iran’s official inflation rate is reaching new highs. The Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) — the country’s main statistics agency — reported a monthly inflation rate of 12.2% and a point-to-point rate of 52.5% …

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Energy company touts oil-for-food scheme as Syrian aid route tightens

With Syria’s sole remaining route for cross-border aid in peril, a London-based oil company is lobbying for an initiative that would see the proceeds of Syrian oil being used for aid, with the money going to the UN rather than Damascus. Russia vetoed a UN security resolution on Friday that …

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Не дадим Европе ни вагона

Наталья Скорлыгина об остановке сухопутного транзита в ЕС С 10 июля Литва ввела дальнейшие ограничения транзита грузов через свою территорию в Калининград. Теперь в эксклав не смогут попадать российский цемент и алкоголь. И если раньше в качестве ответных мер калининградские власти предлагали лишь ограничить транзит российских грузов через территорию Прибалтики, …

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Saudi dissident killed in Lebanon; his brothers detained

A Saudi opposition party said Sunday that one of its founding members was killed in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The National Assembly Party, whose members live in exile, said that founding member Manea Al-Yami was slain in “complicated circumstances.” “Upon the news of the assassination, the party has been trying …

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