The Biden plan to counter Russia and China

Biden’s national security strategy focuses on competition among superpowers; Iran protests over Mahsa Amini’s death grow despite violent crackdowns.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

The White House finally releases its national security strategy

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

• The White House unveiled President Joe Biden’s national security strategy on Wednesday; it’s largely focused on countering China and Russia. [USA Today / Maureen Groppe]
• The release of the congressionally mandated document, which summarizes Biden’s recommendations for facing global challenges, was delayed as officials weighed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [Politico / Alexander Ward]
• The plan stresses the importance of outcompeting China economically and technologically, and restraining Russian aggression. [Associated Press / Aamer Madhani]
• The strategy argues that protecting national security requires strengthening American democracy at home. [New York Times / David E. Sanger]
• Biden’s plan also calls for achieving peace in the Middle East and centering African nations in responding to global problems like climate change. [The Hill / Brett Samuels]

Iran protests intensify amid government crackdowns

• Despite violent crackdowns, demonstrations in Iran continued in nearly two dozen cities Wednesday, fueled by anger over the death of a young woman in morality police custody last month. [AP / Jon Gambrell]
• Many demonstrators, including at least 19 children, have been killed; Iranian security forces have used live ammunition to quash the protests, according to human rights groups. [Washington Post / Sanam Mahoozi]
• Iranian authorities maintain that 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked the protests, died after suffering cardiac arrest. Her family says physical abuse likely contributed to her death. [New York Times / By Farnaz Fassihi and Jane Arraf]
• This week, the Iran judiciary took the rare step of noting government failures in the response to the protests. It remains to be seen, however, whether the unrest is undermining the regime. [Time / Karl Vick]

📍 If you read just one story

Vox’s Jonathan Guyer explains how Mahsa Amini’s deaths galvanized revolts across Iran. [Vox / Jonathan Guyer]

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Wednesday, a federal judge ruled former President Donald Trump must sit for a deposition in a defamation lawsuit from writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of rape. [Washington Post / Shayna Jacobs]

• Tuesday, a former Texas cop was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault for shooting a 17-year-old who was eating a hamburger in a McDonald’s parking lot. [BuzzFeed / David Mack]
• The CDC on Wednesday authorized Covid-19 vaccine booster shots targeting the omicron variant for children as young as 5. [NBC News / Berkeley Lovelace Jr.]
• The UN has warned that the impact of summer floods in Pakistan could last for years after the waters washed away crops, homes, and livelihoods. [Guardian / Shah Meer Baloch]

“We are not seeking competition to tip over into confrontation or a new cold war.”

[White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on the administration’s strategy / CNN]

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