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Helsinki Fallout | EU-Japan Trade Deal | Mobile Internet in Cuba

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Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. July 17, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA Trump Faces Backlash Over Helsinki Summit Remarks President Donald J. Trump faced harsh reactions from politicians on both the left and right after he appeared to question U.S. intelligence assessments (Politico) on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and backed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial of involvement by Moscow. At a joint press conference following his summit with the Russian leader, President Trump said he did not “see any reason” why Moscow would have interfered in the election. Trump’s remarks drew censure (Hill) from Republican Senator John McCain, who called the conference “disgraceful,” as well as Richard Burr, Republican chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who said that there was no reason to doubt U.S. intelligence reports. Following their meeting, Putin said he wanted Trump to win the 2016 election but denied interference allegations. ANALYSIS “Helsinki should not be viewed in a vacuum. It was a worrisome and in many ways objectionable finale to a week that did much to undermine the foundations of U.S. foreign policy—especially NATO and the U.S.–U.K. special relationship—that have contributed so much to U.S. security, prosperity and influence for the better part of a century,” CFR President Richard N. Haass writes for Axios. “[Putin] took advantage of the short meeting and likely lack of deliverables to present a forceful image of himself as a man in charge—the statesmanlike leader of an engaged Russia, a country trying to work with the United States, if only the latter could get its diplomatic act together,” Emily Tamkin writes for Buzzfeed. “While Republican voters have tended to follow the president’s line, Trump’s administration has done no work in winning elected Republicans over to a revised approach to Russia, and his party feels free to scold him for his dismal performance today,” Michael Brendan Dougherty writes for the National Review. PACIFIC RIM EU, Japan Sign Wide-Reaching Trade Pact The agreement between the European Union, the world’s largest economy when measured as a whole, and Japan, the fourth-largest economy, covers 30 percent (Nikkei) of the global economy. The deal, in the works since 2011, was signed in Tokyo (AP) today after national weather disasters caused Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to cancel a planned trip to Brussels. NORTH KOREA: Pyongyang will implement a general prisoner amnesty (Yonhap) on an upcoming holiday celebrating the anniversary of the country’s founding, state media reported yesterday. It has carried out at least two other similar amnesties in recent years. Victor Cha discusses the aftermath of the U.S.-North Korea summit on this episode of the President’s Inbox podcast. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S. Denies Reports About Taliban Talks The NATO mission to Afghanistan refuted media reports that U.S. Commander General John Nicholson said the United States is ready for direct dialogue with Taliban militants, writing in a statement (Tolo) that the United States is “not a substitute for the Afghan people or the Afghan government.” INDIA: The central government directed state authorities to investigate all children’s homes run by the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order founded by Mother Teresa (AFP), after a nun and an employee at one of the homes were arrested on charges of selling an infant (PTI). MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Egypt Lawmakers Back Bill on Coup Prosecutions The parliament passed a controversial bill that would allow President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to grant immunity to military officers for crimes committed from July 2013 to June 2014, when Sisi came to power (VOA) following a coup that overthrew the government of President Mohamed Morsi. CFR’s Steven A. Cook writes in Foreign Policy that Egypt’s political elites will go to great lengths to defend the country’s authoritarian system. ISRAEL: Israel said it will further restrict the Kerem Shalom crossing (Ynet) into Gaza to allow only basic food items and medicines, cutting off the strip’s access to fuel, after a rocket was fired into southern Israel. Egypt announced it would temporarily close its Rafah crossing into Gaza. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Obama, in South Africa, Delivers Mandela Lecture Former U.S. President Barack Obama is expected today to give one of his most high-profile speeches (AP) since leaving office. The lecture, marking the hundredth anniversary of the birth of anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, will stress the importance of human rights and respect for diversity, according to an aide. DRC: Several advocacy groups are urging the Congolese government to reconsider a plan to allow oil drilling in national parks (Reuters). The groups say the move would emperil the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people who live on the lands. EUROPE ICC Law on Prosecuting Leaders Takes Effect Some three dozen countries have ratified so-called aggression amendments (Guardian) to allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute their leaders for starting wars that violate the “sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence” of another state. AMERICAS U.S. Offers New Aid for Venezuelan Migrants The chief of the U.S. Agency for International Development announced $6 million more in aid for Colombia to support health programs for the estimated seventy thousand Venezuelans crossing over its border daily (Miami Herald). The United States has provided $56 million to the region since 2017 to address the Venezuelan crisis. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. CUBA: Cuba introduced internet service on mobile phones (Reuters) for some users, including journalists at state news outlets, and said it plans to reach nearly half of Cuba’s population by the end of the year. UNITED STATES U.S. Charges Russian Woman as Foreign Agent The FBI accused twenty-nine-year-old Mariia Butina of networking with conservative political groups, including the National Rifle Association, to establish a back channel (NYT) with American politicians at the behest of a senior Kremlin official.         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: July 17, 2018 at 10:05PM