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Syria Assault | Ethiopia Investigation | Argentinian General Strike

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Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. June 26, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA Tens of Thousands Flee Syrian Government Assault Some forty-five thousand civilians have fled a government-led assault in southwestern Syria, near the Israeli and Jordanian borders, as a cease-fire brokered by the United States, Jordan, and Russia breaks down (Reuters). Up to two hundred thousand people could flee the region, according to the United Nations. Local opposition media reported that forty-one people, including at least twenty-seven civilians (Al Jazeera), have been killed since the government, backed by Russian air strikes, began the assault (IRIN) to retake the opposition-held territory on June 16.  Free Syrian Army rebels reported receiving a message from the United States warning them not to expect “a military intervention by us” (Reuters). ANALYSIS "Syria’s south-western Daraa governorate is often called the 'cradle' of the country’s 2011 uprising. Early demonstrations in Daraa, protesting the Syrian security services’ detention and abuse of local children who raised anti-government slogans, became a symbolic focal point for a protest movement that spread nationwide," writes the International Crisis Group. "Aside from this southern pocket, the only other significant patches of Syria left outside of government hands are the rebel stronghold of Idlib, Turkish-backed rebel areas surrounding Afrin and the Kurdish region—held by sometimes Assad-allied Kurdish forces backed by the US," Tracey Shelton writes for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "No matter what scenarios might unfold, the US has two options to become relevant once again in southwest Syria: to confront or engage Moscow," Joe Macaron writes for Al Jazeera. PACIFIC RIM Koreas Meet to Discuss Shared Rail Lines Envoys from North and South Korea discussed modernizing their rail lines and connecting them across their shared border (Korea Times) at a meeting in the truce village of Panmunjom. A South Korean official said ahead of the talks that the task will be difficult until sanctions on Pyongyang are lifted. CFR's Patricia M. Kim discusses the recent summit between U.S. and North Korean leaders. AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced Australia will purchase six Triton drones (SMH) made by U.S. defense manufacturer Northrop Grumman for $5.1 billion. They are expected to be used for long-range maritime surveillance missions and tighten joint operations with the United States. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India Warns of Unprecedented Threats to PM New rules concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security mean his own ministers will need clearance from the force charged with his protection (PTI) to approach him. Police said they have evidence of a Maoist-linked group’s assassination plot ahead of 2019 elections. BANGLADESH: Monsoon rains have caused shelters to collapse and sewage to mix with sludge (VOA) at Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazaar. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Protest in Tehran Shutters Grand Bazaar Thousands of people protested rising prices and the declining value of the rial (BBC) in what is believed to be the largest demonstration in Tehran since 2012. Fears of reimposed sanctions since the United States abandoned the 2015 nuclear agreement have led the currency to plummet to an all-time low against the dollar on unofficial markets. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Twenty Suspects in Ethiopia Attack Appear in Court Those suspected in the grenade attack on a rally of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed include the deputy head of the Addis Ababa police commission (Reuters), state media said. A team of FBI experts is being dispatched (AFP) to assist in the investigation. CFR’s Michelle D. Gavin looks at Ethiopia’s long political transition. NIGERIA: Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the most people living in extreme poverty, defined as those living on less than $1.90 a day, according to the World Poverty Clock. The finding comes despite Nigeria being Africa’s largest oil exporter (CNN). EUROPE Heathrow Expansion Could Make It World’s Biggest British lawmakers approved the construction of a new runway at London’s Heathrow Airport that could lead it to serve 110 million passengers by 2030 (CNN). The expansion is opposed by environmental groups and London Mayor Sadiq Khan (BBC). GERMANY: Backers of Chancellor Angela Merkel called on her conservative party’s Bavarian sister to give her more time to reach migration deals (Guardian) with European leaders as her political future has been jeopardized by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. Patrycja Sasnal writes that a global policy framework could help states facilitate regular migration in a CFR working paper. AMERICAS Argentines Strike Against IMF Deal Argentinian trade unions carried out a general strike to protest austerity measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund as part of a $50 billion loan package (BBC). Flight service was suspended across the country and public transit stopped in Buenos Aires. VENEZUELA: The European Union announced travel bans and asset freezes (Miami Herald) on eleven Venezuelan officials, including Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and her predecessor, Tareck El-Aissami. CFR’s Amy Myers Jaffe and David R. Mares argue against oil sanctions on Venezuela. UNITED STATES U.S. Says No Change as Migrant Prosecutions Paused The White House said its zero-tolerance policy for illegal border crossings remains unchanged even as Border Patrol agents said they were no longer referring parents caught crossing the border with children for prosecution. The White House attributed the pause to a lack of resources (Politico). A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by San Francisco and Oakland calling for fossil fuel companies to pay for mitigating the effects of climate change (NYT), saying the courts were not the proper venue to deal with such issues.         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 26, 2018 at 10:09PM