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
