A Thorny G7 Summit | Jordan Tax Bill Halted | Argentina's IMF Deal
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 8, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Trade Tit for Tat Spells Trouble for G7 Summit U.S. President Donald J. Trump is sparring with allies in the run-up to a summit of Group of Seven (G7) leaders in Quebec this weekend following trade retaliation for U.S. metal tariffs on Canada, Europe, and Japan. Trump will leave the summit before other leaders (WaPo) on Saturday and travel straight to Singapore, where he is set to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un next week, the White House said. Ahead of the G7 conference, French President Emmanuel Macron said world leaders should not water down the summit’s concluding agreement to win over the U.S. leader, proposing they could issue it without Trump’s signature (Guardian). German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas criticized the Trump administration (DW) for withdrawing from international accords and imposing the new tariffs on allies. Early on Friday, Trump said Russia should be readmitted into the forum (WaPo). ANALYSIS “The G-7 (originally the G-6) was founded to sustain an open international economic order, which includes combating protectionist tendencies. In that sense, these trains have been destined for collision,” Tarun Chhabra writes for the Brookings Institution. “As a lifelong free trader myself, tariffs have not been my preferred policy tool. But at a time when nations have become so unwilling to play by the rules and restore reciprocity, tariffs are a wake-up call to the dangers of a broken trading system that is increasingly unfree,” White House economic advisor Lawrence Kudlow writes for the Washington Post. “The US has gone to war with the good guys, not the bad. By slapping tariffs on America’s allies, Trump has put the US in the worst of all positions: he has alienated the very countries that could help the US fight strategically important trade battles with China,” Rana Foroohar writes for the Financial Times. PACIFIC RIM Pompeo Suggests Role for Congress in North Korea Deal U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hopes a June 12 summit between the North Korean and U.S. leaders will result in an agreement that Congress could have a say in (CBS), adding that doing so could give Kim Jong-un “comfort” of consistent U.S. policy. In this CFR interview, Melissa Hanham lays out what North Korean denuclearization could look like. CHINA: The United States is expected next week to open what it is calling the American Institute in Taiwan, viewed as a de facto embassy (SCMP) in territory China considers its own. The opening is expected to include no cabinet members from the Trump administration. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA International Partners Welcome Afghan Cease-Fire Top officials from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) hailed the Afghan government’s unilateral cease-fire with the Taliban (Tolo) marking the end of Ramadan. NATO and U.S. forces said they will abide by the cease-fire, which will not apply to operations against the self-proclaimed Islamic State and al-Qaeda or defense against an attack. This CFR InfoGuide looks at the Taliban, the most vigorous insurgent group in Afghanistan. PAKISTAN: Islamabad and Moscow agreed to look into the feasibility of an undersea gas pipeline project (Dawn) that would also involve New Delhi and Tehran. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA New Jordanian Leader Backs Down on Tax Bill Incoming Prime Minister Omar Razzaz pledged to withdraw a draft income tax law that sparked recent mass protests (Jordan Times), saying that the proposed legislation should be discussed more thoroughly. The demonstrations were the country’s largest (NYT) since the Arab Spring in 2011. YEMEN: The Red Cross evacuated seventy-five of its foreign employees (Reuters) in Yemen and moved them to Djibouti due to security threats; some 450 employees remain. The move comes after a staffer was killed in late April by a gunman in the city of Taiz. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Burundian Leader Vows to Step Down in 2020 President Pierre Nkurunziza, in power since 2005, said his government’s mandate will end in 2020. The announcement comes as a surprise, as Nkurunziza had recently backed changes to the constitution that extended presidential term limits (France 24). DRC: The International Criminal Court will rule today on an appeal (AFP) by former Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba over his conviction for war crimes committed by his private army in the Central African Republic. EUROPE Austria to Crack Down on Political Islam Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there is “no space in our country for parallel societies, political Islam, and radical tendencies.” The government is seeking to close several mosques (DW) and investigating dozens of Muslim clerics. In Foreign Affairs, Markus Wagner and Thomas Meyer discuss Europe’s rightward shift. TURKEY: Turkey suspended a migrant readmission deal with Greece (Al Jazeera) several days after Athens released from prison eight Turkish soldiers who Ankara says were part of a failed coup attempt in 2016. AMERICAS Argentina, IMF Agree to $50 Billion Loan The loan, requested by Argentina last month after a steep drop in the value of the peso, must still be approved by the International Monetary Fund’s board (FT). Political opponents of President Mauricio Macri criticized his decision to seek aid from the IMF, which they blame for Argentina’s 2001–2002 economic crisis. UNITED STATES U.S. to House Immigration Detainees in Federal Prisons Some 1,600 immigrants awaiting deportation hearings will be transferred to federal prisons (WaPo) due to a lack of space in detention centers, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 08, 2018 at 10:06PM
Abe Visits Ahead of Kim-Trump Summit | Afghan Cease-Fire | Iraq Election Recount
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 7, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Abe to Press Trump Ahead of Singapore Summit Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington today to discuss Tokyo’s priorities regarding North Korean denuclearization and urge him to raise the issue of Japanese abductees in North Korea during a summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders set for next week. A dozen Japanese citizens abducted in 1970s and 1980s (Bloomberg) are believed to be in North Korea, which claims that eight of the twelve have died and four never came into the country. Abe is also expected to ask Trump to reconsider newly imposed tariffs on Japan and other U.S. allies. The two leaders, who have met with each other eight times (Reuters) since Trump took office, will travel to Canada later today (AP) ahead of a weekend summit of the Group of Seven. ANALYSIS “Abe will come—and risk exposing that his personal diplomacy with Trump may be on its last legs—because the overriding concern is that Trump’s eagerness to call the June 12th meeting a historic success will result in a bad deal,” Mireya Solis said in an interview with Tokyo Business Today. “Abe has made the return of abductees a key political issue, and holds strong ties with the families involved. He has sought to strike a deal with North Korea since the 1980s, when he served as secretary for his father, then Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe,” Kurumi Mori and Emi Nobuhiro write for Bloomberg. “Abe praised the [Moon Jae-in–Kim Jong-un] summit as a success, but past efforts at negotiation with the North have not always been easy for Seoul and Tokyo. This time, the breakneck pace and unpredictability of recent summitry have been particularly surprising for Tokyo,” writes CFR’s Sheila A. Smith. PACIFIC RIM U.S. Personnel Evacuated Over Sonic Incidents in China The U.S. State Department returned personnel from its consulate in Guangzhou to the United States for screenings after they reported symptoms related to hearing and pressure. At least one U.S. government employee there suffered minor brain damage (CNN). TAIWAN: The military simulated repelling an invading force (Reuters) today as President Tsai Ing-wen hailed the armed forces as the “backup force for our values of democracy and freedom.” China’s air force has carried out drills near the island in recent months. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghanistan Announces Cease-Fire With Taliban President Ashraf Ghani’s government announced a weeklong, unilateral cease-fire (Tolo) with the Taliban to begin next Tuesday after religious scholars issued a fatwa against the ongoing conflict. Ghani called on the militants to realize “their violent campaign is not winning them hearts and minds.” INDIA: Monsoon rains expected in Mumbai this weekend (Quartz) could be the heaviest since 2005, when resulting catastrophic floods killed hundreds of people. The forecasted storms, however, are expected to be spread over several days with pauses. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraq’s Parliament Orders Election Recount Outgoing Iraqi lawmakers ordered a full recount (Al Jazeera) of a May 12 general election and replaced the independent electoral commission with a panel of judges. Last month’s election brought a surprise victory to a bloc backed by Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. SYRIA: The United States will release an American accused of belonging to the self-proclaimed Islamic State who was captured in Syria by a U.S.-backed militia (Reuters) in September, the Justice Department said. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Dozens of Ethiopians Drown off Yemen Coast At least forty-six migrants drowned after a boat that left Somalia earlier this week capsized off the coast of Yemen (Al Jazeera). More than seven thousand migrants make the journey across the Gulf of Aden each month, according to the International Organization for Migration. SUDAN: Ahead of a visit by a panel of UN experts probing North Korean sanctions violations (Sudan Tribune), the Sudanese foreign ministry said the defense sector had “cancelled all contracts signed” with Pyongyang, a rare admission that commercial ties existed (Reuters) between the countries. In Foreign Affairs, Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr. discusses North Korea’s illegal weapons trade. EUROPE EU Tariffs to Hit $3.3 Billion of U.S. Products The European Union will impose tariffs of up to 25 percent (FT) on dozens of U.S. products, including whiskey and playing cards. The move, which could take effect as early as next month, follows new U.S. duties on steel and aluminum. CFR’s Brad W. Setser writes that the Trump administration has not focused on the macroeconomic drivers of trade surpluses and deficits. SPAIN: New socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a cabinet (Guardian) of eleven women and six men, the first female-dominated government since the 1970s. Omar G. Encarnacion discusses former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s ouster in Foreign Affairs. AMERICAS Guatemalan Emergency Agency Accused of Negligence Opposition figures called on the head of the country’s emergency response agency to resign, saying the body did not heed early warnings (BBC) of a Sunday eruption of the Fuego volcano. Some two hundred people remained missing as the death toll reached ninety-nine people. ECUADOR: The UN General Assembly elected Ecuador's foreign minister, over her Honduran counterpart, as its next president. Country stances on the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem appear to have been a factor (TOI) in the vote. UNITED STATES Trump Hosts White House Iftar Some fifty guests took part in the traditional meal (Politico) of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including ambassadors from Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 07, 2018 at 10:02PM
Turkish Strikes in Iraq | Tax Turmoil in Jordan | Eritrea-Ethiopia Peace Deal
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 6, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Turkey Targets Kurds in Iraq Air Strikes Turkey carried out air strikes in northern Iraq against more than a dozen targets of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), killing at least six suspected PKK fighters (Anadolu), the head of the Turkish armed forces said. Turkish ground forces had recently advanced further into Iraqi territory, saying over the weekend that they pushed another fifteen miles (National) into Iraqi Kurdistan's Qandil Mountains. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that there would be "four-way cooperation" (VOA) between Ankara, Baghdad, Washington, and Irbil in the fight against the PKK, considered terrorists by Turkey, though the United States has not confirmed its participation. In neighboring Syria, U.S.-backed Kurdish forces announced they will leave the northern town of Manbij (Al Jazeera) following an agreement between Ankara and Washington. ANALYSIS "Due to the difficult terrain and the small number of forces despatched to northern Iraq by Ankara, this latest incursion may simply be a way to drum up greater support for the ruling party ahead of Turkish voters heading to the polls on 24 June," writes the New Arab. "Some Arab residents in Manbij would prefer the city to be taken over by the Turkish Army and Syrian rebels allied with them. Others see risks in allying with Turkey, and say they want the Syrian government to retake Manbij," Jenan Moussa and Harald Doornbos write for the New York Times. This CFR InfoGuide looks at the Kurds, one of the world's largest ethnic groups without a state. PACIFIC RIM Kim, Trump to Meet at Singapore's Capella Hotel A June 12 summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders will take place (Straits Times) on the resort island of Sentosa, the White House announced. The Singaporean island hosted a U.S. delegation and North Korea's de facto chief of staff last week. This CFR Timeline looks at North Korean nuclear negotiations since 1985. ASIA: Swedish apparel brand H&M said it will review a new report by a U.S.-based labor rights advocacy group alleging widespread harassment, sexual abuse, and violence (Reuters) at its factories in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. U.S. retailer Gap, which faced similar allegations (Guardian) in the report, said it is "deeply concerned." SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Qatar, UAE to Send Troops to Afghanistan The Gulf nations will send special forces to support and train the Afghan military (Tolo), though they did not specify troop numbers or a time frame. The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, had announced last week that the two countries offered to join the thirty-nine-nation coalition in Afghanistan. KYRGYZSTAN: Former Prime Minister Sapar Isakov and former Bishkek Mayor Kubanychbek Kulmatov were ordered detained as they face graft charges (RFE/RL) over contracts for renovation of a power plant in the capital city. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Jordanian King Looks to Pacify Protesters King Abdullah II appointed former World Bank economist Omar Razzaz the new prime minister and called on his new government to conduct a full review of the tax system (Al Jazeera) in a bid to quell mass protests in recent days against price hikes and a draft income tax law. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Ethiopia Accepts Peace Deal With Eritrea Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government agreed to implement the 2000 Algiers Agreement (Addis Standard), which was meant to end a border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. As part of the deal, Ethiopia will withdraw its forces from the disputed town of Badme. CFR's Michelle D. Gavin looks at Ethiopia's long political transition. SOUTH SUDAN: Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga offered to mediate talks (VOA) between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar. Odinga made an unannounced visit to Juba to meet with Kiir last month. EUROPE EU Backs Immigration Rights for Same-Sex Couples Six EU countries that do not recognize same-sex marriages from abroad (EUobserver) must begin doing so or face fines and infringement proceedings, the EU Court of Justice ruled yesterday. The ruling affects Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. TURKEY: Some three million Turkish expatriates across sixty countries will begin early voting for a June presidential election (Hurriyet) tomorrow. AMERICAS Canada's Senate to Vote on Legalizing Cannabis Lawmakers are expected tomorrow to back a bill that would make Canada the first country in the Group of 20 to legalize recreational marijuana (Guardian). Medical marijuana is already legal in the country. ARGENTINA: Argentina's national soccer team canceled a World Cup warm-up match (AP) against Israel following a campaign by Palestinian supporters. UNITED STATES Mexico Hits U.S. With New Tariffs Mexico issued new tariffs (Reuters) on $3 billion worth of U.S. products, including pork, cheese, and bourbon, exports that typically come from Republican-voting states. The move is viewed as a retaliation for recently imposed U.S. duties on steel and aluminum. CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil writes that Mexico knows how to fight a trade war. More than a hundred immigrant workers at an Ohio landscaping company were arrested on charges of identity theft and tax evasion (AP) yesterday in what was one of the largest workplace immigration raids in recent years. This CFR panel discussed U.S. immigration policy during the Trump administration. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 06, 2018 at 10:03PM
Iran Challenges U.S. Sanctions | Withdrawal in Syria's Manbij | Putin and Kurz
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 5, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Iran May Boost Uranium Enrichment, Leader Warns Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that Tehran would not tolerate both sanctions and nuclear restrictions (Fars) and warned that the country could begin to boost uranium enrichment capacity if European partners do not stand up to reinstated U.S. sanctions. The head of Iran's nuclear energy body said the country notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it will open a new center for centrifuge production (AFP) as soon as tomorrow, a move he said would not violate the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA. European leaders have pledged to support Iranian oil sales and investment in the country (Reuters) despite expected U.S. sanctions on Iran following its recent withdrawal from the nuclear deal. ANALYSIS "Albeit drastically reduced, economic benefits can be generated at least to a level that would allow Iran to conclude that it is worth staying in the deal. Tehran should assist the Europeans in laying out the threshold of what it will take to stay in," Adnan Tabatabai writes for the Progressive Post. "Iran is not the sturdy, stable government that its enablers like to depict. It is a regime that has forfeited its legitimacy, is drowning in corruption, and rests its power on security organs that it fears will prove unreliable in a crunch," CFR's Ray Takeyh and Mark Dubowitz write for Foreign Policy. "Khamenei reiterated his 2014 stated goal of achieving 190 SWU (separate working units of uranium enrichment). But important point here is that he emphasized this would take place within the Iran deal context," tweets Georgetown University's Ariane Tabatabai. PACIFIC RIM American Arrested for Spying for China A former Defense Intelligence Agency officer was arrested at a Seattle airport while waiting for China-bound flight on federal charges of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from Beijing in exchange for sharing U.S. national defense information (DOJ). AUSTRALIA: Tasmania's Anglican church plans to sell more than a hundred properties to raise $15.2 million (BBC), some $3.8 million of which will go to a fund for survivors of sexual abuse in the church. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Half of Afghan Children Out of School, Says UN Nearly four million school-age children in Afghanistan do not attend classes (VOA) due to conflict in their country, reported the UN children's agency. Girls, some of whom are forced into child marriage, make up 60 percent of that number. This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. PAKISTAN: The World Bank is calling on Islamabad to accept an offer from New Delhi to appoint an independent expert to resolve a dispute over a Kashmir dam project (Dawn) and not pursue the case at the International Court of Arbitration. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Turkey, U.S. Agree on Kurdish Withdrawal From Manbij U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in Washington, where the pair agreed to a road map for the withdrawal of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces (Hurriyet) from the northern Syrian city of Manbij. A CFR panel will examine the U.S. relationship with Turkey and northern Syria's Kurds. Watch today at 12:30 p.m. (EDT). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Dozens of Militants Killed in Somalia Strike, U.S. Says A U.S. air strike in northern Somalia over the weekend killed twenty-seven suspected al-Shabab militants, U.S. Africa Command said yesterday. No civilians are believed to have been killed in the strike. NIGERIA: At least 180 inmates remained at large after gunmen raided a prison (Vanguard) in the central state of Niger on Sunday. Authorities recaptured just thirty (Reuters) of the escaped prisoners. EUROPE Russia's Putin to Visit Austria's Kurz Vladimir Putin will meet with conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (TASS) and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna today to discuss bilateral cooperation, including on economic issues. Ahead of the visit, Putin said Austria has "traditionally been our trusted partner in Europe." GERMANY: The U.S. ambassador to Germany will meet with foreign ministry officials tomorrow to explain a recent interview (DW) with a far-right U.S. news outlet in which he said he sees his task as "empowering" European conservatives. In Foreign Affairs, Markus Wagner and Thomas Meyer discuss Europe's rightward shift. AMERICAS Mexico Orders New Probe Into Missing Students A federal court ordered the creation of a national truth commission (NYT) to investigate the disappearances of forty-three college students in 2014, a case that became a flashpoint for impunity among criminals in the country. BRAZIL: Walmart sold 80 percent of its stake (FT) in its Brazilian branch to private equity group Advent at an estimated loss of $4.5 billion, which Walmart attributed to the Brazilian real's declining value. UNITED STATES Former Trump Aide Accused of Witness Tampering Federal prosecutors accused former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, who is under house arrest as he awaits trial, of asking potential witnesses to falsify their testimony (WaPo). The Saudi government gave White House aides (Guardian) tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewels in 2009, a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama wrote in a new memoir. He said they handed the jewels over to the protocol office that handles gifts. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 05, 2018 at 09:59PM
Jordan Protests | Cuba's Constitution | An Assad-Kim Summit?
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 4, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Protests in Jordan Swell Over Austerity Moves Jordanian Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki resigned, with former World Bank economist Omar Razzaz set to replace him (Reuters), as anti-austerity protests in the capital of Amman and elsewhere continued into their fifth day (BBC). The protests were sparked by legislation (Middle East Eye) to widen the income tax base with the aim of lowering public debt, as well as price hikes pushed by the International Monetary Fund, which extended a $723 million credit line (Al Jazeera) to Jordan in 2016. Thousands across the country have protested since a mass strike (CNN) last Wednesday, and a top trade union official vowed a second strike this week. ANALYSIS "People at the demonstrations also went out of their way to say this was not against the king, but in fact the king is responsible for everything. But they feel that if he appoints a new government, then there might be another chance," says National Public Radio's Jane Arraf. "The real problem is the Saudi aid that has stopped in recent years, and Jordan depends on foreign aid as the main source for the economy," Mohammad Ayesh said in an interview with Middle East Eye. "Jordan playbook: Protests, King sacks prime minister, new elections, greater latitude for political parties and civil society organizations, Western observers see 'democratization,' there is none. Repeat," writes CFR's Steven A. Cook. PACIFIC RIM Australian Bank Faces $530 Million Fine Australia's largest bank agreed to pay the fine after regulators found it violated money laundering and counterterrorism laws by failing to report suspicious financial transactions (ABC). The fine, which is still subject to court approval, would be the largest corporate civil penalty (WSJ) in the country's history. NORTH KOREA: State media reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will visit North Korea (Korea Times), a move that would make him the first head of state to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inside the country. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Kabul Bombing Targets Afghan Clerics A suicide bomber killed at least fourteen people on Monday as religious scholars were leaving a Kabul gathering. Clerics had issued a fatwa during the event (Tolo) condemning war and insurgency. The Taliban denied involvement in the attack. This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore (PTI), where they discussed boosting collaboration to "maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific," according to the Pentagon. CFR's Alyssa Ayres discusses the centrality of India to the new U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Dozens Killed as Migrant Boat off Tunisia Capsizes At least forty-eight people died when a migrant boat sank off the coast of the North African country (BBC), which has become a common departure point for people seeking to reach Europe following a crackdown on such migration in Libya. Sixty-seven people were rescued by the Tunisian coast guard. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Dozens Injured in Mali Opposition Protests Demonstrators in Bamako on Saturday called for transparency and equal rights for candidates ahead of a July presidential election (France 24). A prominent opposition figure was reportedly in a coma following the protests. Demonstrations are banned under a state of emergency put in place after a 2015 attack on a Bamako hotel. ETHIOPIA: Ministers approved a draft law to lift the state of emergency (AP) put in place in February amid widespread anti-government demonstrations. CFR's Michelle D. Gavin looks at Ethiopia's long political transition. EUROPE U.S.-Led NATO Exercises Underway in Poland, Baltics Some eighteen thousand troops from nineteen countries began two weeks of drills (AFP) on the North American Treaty Organization's eastern flank. The U.S. Army set up a new European headquarters in Poland, which is reportedly considering a permanent U.S. deployment, last year. GEORGIA: Anti-government protests in Tbilisi that were sparked by a not-guilty verdict over the murder of a teenage boy continued over the weekend (RFE/RL). Demonstrators claim one of the suspects received a reduction in charges because of a connection to the prosecutor general's office. AMERICAS Cuba's Castro to Head Constitutional Rewrite Former President Raul Castro will lead a commission to rewrite the country's constitution (Reuters), a move expected to include new term and age limits for politicians and expand LGBT rights. In Foreign Affairs, Marguerite Jimenez discusses post-Castro Cuba. GUATEMALA: A volcanic eruption in the country's southwest killed at least two dozen people (AP) yesterday. UNITED STATES Trump to Host Ramadan Dinner President Donald J. Trump will host guests on Wednesday for iftar, the evening meal during the Muslim holy month, after choosing to not host such a gathering (Politico) last year. A list of attendees has not been published. A UN expert on poverty and human rights accused the Trump administration in a new report of pushing millions of Americans into financial ruin (Guardian) through efforts to curb the U.S. welfare system. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 04, 2018 at 10:06PM
U.S. Trade Allies Retaliate | Spain's Rajoy Ousted | Italy's Populist Government
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 1, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Prospects for Trade War Swell as U.S. Allies Retaliate Canada, Mexico, and the European Union announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products in response to steep U.S. metal duties that went into effect today. The EU trade commissioner called the U.S. move (VOA), which includes a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, "a bad day for world trade." The bloc plans to impose tariffs on $7.2 billion worth of U.S. products. Mexico said it will impose duties on U.S. steel (BBC) and some food products, while Canada announced tariffs of up to 25 percent on $13 billion worth of U.S. products. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the U.S. tariffs, which the White House said would enhance national security and support American workers (NYT), an affront to the U.S.-Canada relationship (Hill). ANALYSIS "For the first time in generations, we've really thrown out the rule book with our best trading partners," Rufus Yerxa of the National Foreign Trade Council said in an interview with the New York Times. "The U.S. grand strategy for multiple generations has been premised on the idea that we are going to collaborate with rich and powerful allies that our enemy doesn't have and that this will advance American national security in a variety of ways," CFR's Stephen D. Biddle said in an interview with CNBC. "There can be no better way to make America—and American manufacturing—great again than to start to rebuild those communities of America most harmed by the forces of globalization. These new facilities will stand as shining testimony to the success of tough trade actions, smart tax policies and targeted worker-training programs," writes White House trade advisor Peter Navarro in USA Today. PACIFIC RIM Australian Bank to Face Criminal Cartel Probe The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) will face criminal charges related to the sale of $2.5 billion worth of its shares in 2015 (Guardian), Australia's consumer watchdog said. Deutsche Bank and Citigroup are also expected to face charges. MYANMAR: Two UN agencies reached an agreement with Myanmar in which they will be granted access to Rakhine State (AP) to facilitate the return of Rohingya refugees. The United Nations and United States have called a crackdown by the Myanmar military against Rohingya there ethnic cleansing. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Rohingya humanitarian crisis. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Caretaker PM Sworn In Ahead of Pakistani Elections Retired judge Nasirul Mulk was sworn in as a caretaker prime minister as the lower house of parliament was dissolved (Dawn) ahead of July 25 general elections. The move marks just the third time that Pakistan's National Assembly completed its five-year term (AP). KAZAKHSTAN: President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to sign into law a bill that would allow him to lead the country's security council for life (RFE/RL). Critics of the bill say it is a means for Nazarbayev to hold onto power after leaving office. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA U.S. to Oppose UN Resolution on Palestinian Protections U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said she will veto a Kuwait-drafted Security Council resolution (France24) that calls for providing protections to Palestinians in Gaza after more than one hundred Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in recent weeks. Haley called the resolution "grossly one-sided." IRAQ: The New York Times said it will return to the Iraqi embassy in Washington thousands of the self-proclaimed Islamic State's internal documents that its journalists obtained in Iraq after first digitizing all the documents (Al Jazeera). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Zimbabwean Leader Touts Possible U.S. Foreign Investment President Emmerson Mnangagwa said a major U.S. company told his government that the Trump administration will turn a blind eye (Zimbabwe Herald) to sanctions imposed on the country in the early 2000s over human rights abuses that have hampered foreign investment (VOA). In Foreign Affairs, John Rapley looks at Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa. BURKINA FASO: Lawmakers voted to remove the death penalty (AP) from the country's penal code following lobbying by Amnesty International and activists in the Catholic church. EUROPE Spanish Prime Minister Ousted in No-Confidence Vote Mariano Rajoy became the country's first prime minister to be forced from office by a motion of no confidence, with lawmakers voting 180–169 to remove him (Politico) on Friday. Socialist Pedro Sanchez, who launched the motion, is expected to take his place. ITALY: A government backed by the antiestablishment Five Star Movement and far-right Northern League is expected to be sworn in today (Guardian) after President Sergio Mattarella agreed to the parties' slate of ministerial nominees, including political newcomer Giuseppe Conte for the role of prime minister. In Foreign Affairs, Erik Jones discusses Italy's revolt against the European Union. AMERICAS NATO Chief Looks to Boost Alliance With Colombia NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, hosting Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Brussels yesterday, said the alliance could benefit from the country's expertise (Tolo) in peace negotiations with rebel groups as it looks toward a similar process in Afghanistan. Colombia became a NATO partner country last May. BOLIVIA: A Florida federal judge overturned a verdict (BBC) finding former Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, along with his defense minister, responsible for the deaths of dozens of protesters in 2003. Both men live in the United States (AP). UNITED STATES NAFTA Talks Imploded Due to U.S. Demands, Trudeau Says Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said no one in his position would agree to a U.S. demand (WaPo) to include a five-year sunset clause in a new version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said a planned meeting with Trudeau this week is contingent on the Canadian leader accepting the provision. Experts discuss the future of NAFTA on the President's Inbox podcast. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: June 01, 2018 at 10:12PM
Looming Metal Tariffs | Taliban in Talks? | South Sudan Sanctions Vote
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 31, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Metal Tariffs Loom for U.S. Allies The European Union's top trade envoy met with her U.S. counterpart in Paris yesterday in a bid to prevent new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from taking effect on Friday. Canada, the United States' largest source of imported steel, and Mexico are also expected to be hit by the tariffs (WaPo). Ahead of their meeting, the EU negotiator, Cecilia Malmstrom, told European lawmakers (Bloomberg) that she did not expect a full reprieve from U.S. tariffs and quotas. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross rebuffed the bloc's call to waive the tariffs, saying that it should follow China's example (FT) by remaining open to trade negotiations despite not being exempt from the U.S. move. ANALYSIS "This is a huge escalation in what has so far been a trade phony war. The repercussions will be severe," says CFR's Edward Alden. "Any short-term wins gained through such threats are likely to be more than negated by the rising perception, even among longstanding allies, that the U.S. has become an unreliable and untrustworthy trading partner," Eswar Prasad said in an interview with the New York Times. "A decision to impose tariffs would be a shock to Canada and Mexico, as both countries thought that they would be spared from the levies because of earnest negotiations that they have had with administration officials over NAFTA," Megan Cassella and Ben White write for Politico. PACIFIC RIM Russian Foreign Minister Meets North Korea's Kim Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula cannot succeed until sanctions are lifted (Tass). He made the comments after talks in Pyongyang (RFE/RL) on Thursday with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho. In this CFR interview, Melissa Hanham lays out what North Korean denuclearization could look like. JAPAN: Scrap materials are piling up in Japan after China, the world's largest importer of used paper for recycling, raised its purity standards (Nikkei) for wastepaper. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Some Taliban Fighters Talking With Government, Says U.S. Commander Some mid- and senior-level Taliban militants are communicating with Afghan officials "off the stage" (Reuters), General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said yesterday. He compared the Taliban's engagement to that between Marxist rebels and the Colombian government ahead of a 2016 peace deal. INDIAN OCEAN: The U.S. military renamed its Pacific Command (Hindustan Times) the Indo-Pacific Command to reflect what it called growing connectivity between the region's two oceans. CFR's Alyssa Ayres discusses the centrality of India to the new U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA U.S.-Backed Forces 'Only Problem' Left in Syria, Says Assad Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he is ready to use force to retake the one-third of the country that is controlled by U.S.-backed, largely Kurdish forces (Al Jazeera) and that Syrians "will not accept foreigners in this region anymore." ISRAEL: The Interior Ministry announced it will bar Indonesian passport holders (Jakarta Post) from traveling to Israel starting June 9. Many Christian and Muslim Indonesians visit religious sites in Jerusalem and the West Bank. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA South Sudan Asks Ethiopia to Reject Proposed Sanctions South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, in Addis Ababa yesterday, urged Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to oppose U.S.-drafted sanctions (VOA) on his country, which the UN Security Council is expected to vote on today. Ethiopia is a nonpermanent member of the council. ZIMBABWE: A Harare court ruled that Zimbabweans living abroad, totaling an estimated five million people, may not vote (DW) in a July presidential election. In Foreign Affairs, John Rapley examines Zimbabwe's post-Mugabe era. EUROPE EU Court Rules Lithuania, Romania Violated Torture Ban The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the countries violated the EU prohibition on torture (BBC) by allowing the CIA to set up secret prisons there for the interrogation of Saudi and Palestinian suspected militants. UKRAINE: Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, who police reported was killed in Kiev on Tuesday, said in a press conference yesterday that he worked with authorities to stage his own death (NYT) as part of a sting operation. AMERICAS Gunmen Fire on Protesters in Nicaragua At least a dozen people were reportedly injured when assailants opened fire on thousands of demonstrators in Managua protesting the government of President Daniel Ortega (AP), who has been in power for eleven years. BRAZIL: Oil workers began a seventy-two-hour strike (Reuters) to demand that the head of the state oil company resign. The move comes on the heels of a ten-day strike by truckers that caused nationwide shortages of fuel and basic necessities. UNITED STATES A Million Immigrants in U.S. Face Being Sent Home Up to a million immigrants in the United States risk losing their rights to live and work in the country (VOA), as more than three hundred thousand will lose temporary protected status (TPS) over the next eighteen months and immigrants brought to the country as children face having their protection from deportation rescinded. The first TPS expirations take effect in November. CFR looks at which countries are set to lose their TPS designations. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: May 31, 2018 at 10:08PM
