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