Google's $5 Billion Fine | Electric Cars in China | Ebola Outbreak Over?

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. July 18, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA EU Hits Google With Record Fine The European Commission fined Google a record $5.1 billion for violating competition rules, another signal of the bloc’s hardening stance against U.S. tech firms on issues ranging from data privacy to taxes. Google has vowed to appeal the massive penalty. The commission charged the tech giant with forcing Android phone manufacturers to pre-install some of its apps to gain access to other Google services and said the company’s dominance in search engine traffic “denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete.” Google claims its Android operating system (Guardian) has “created more choice for everyone, not less.” The Android probe is one of three antitrust investigations led by the EU competition commissioner against the U.S. firm, including one over its dominance in online shopping (FT), which led to a $2.7 billion fine last year. ANALYSIS “More than half of worldwide internet traffic is now on mobile devices, 80 percent of which run on Android, providing a showcase for Google services and mobile apps,” Rochelle Toplensky writes for the Financial Times. “Google’s free Android software, combined with its app-bundling business model, was poised to help it win a third of all global mobile ads in 2018, according to research firm eMarketer, which would give it about $40 billion in sales outside the U.S. All of this contrasts with the method used by Apple Inc., whose operating system only runs on its own gadgets and devices,” Natalia Drozdiak writes for Bloomberg. “Despite the fine, the bigger issue for Google could come with how it may have to change the Android operating system,” Matt Burgess writes for Wired. PACIFIC RIM Hong Kong Independence Party Faces Ban Hong Kong’s security secretary said the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party could be banned in the coming weeks (CNN) in the interest of national security. Separatist candidates were already barred from running for office in 2016 legislative elections. CHINA: The country is expected to account for 60 percent of global demand for electric cars by 2035, according to Japanese market researcher Fuji Keizai, driven by quotas (Nikkei) for new energy vehicles set to take effect next year. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pakistani Party Considers Campaign for Sharif’s Grandson The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party could back Junaid Safdar, the grandson of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in upcoming elections, according to a top party official. Sharif and Safdar’s mother were arrested on corruption charges (Dawn) last week. AFGHANISTAN: Agricultural output in the country has dropped sharply (Reuters) this year due to a severe drought, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The drought has also intensified a dispute with Iran over plans to construct new dams and reservoirs. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iran Sues U.S. Over Sanctions Iran filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice charging that the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from a 2015 nuclear agreement and reimpose sanctions on the country violates a 1955 treaty (Middle East Eye). It filed a different lawsuit based on the same treaty in 2016. ISRAEL: Dozens of Syrians, including women and children, approached the Israeli border yesterday in an apparent attempt to seek refuge (Reuters) from an ongoing bombing campaign in the country’s south. They returned toward a refugee encampment after an Israeli officer told the group to leave. In Foreign Affairs, Maha Yahya discusses the obstacles for Syrian refugees to return home. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Obama, in South Africa, Warns of ‘Strongman Politics’ Former U.S. President Barack Obama, in Johannesburg yesterday, warned that countries can maintain “some pretense of democracy” even as strongman politics rise globally (CNN). He addressed a youth town hall (CBS) in the same city today. DRC: The World Health Organization is expected to declare an outbreak (Reuters) of the Ebola virus over next Tuesday, six weeks after the last infected patient was released from care. The current outbreak began in April. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Ebola virus in Central and West Africa. EUROPE Turkey to End Two-Year State of Emergency A state of emergency that was imposed after a 2016 coup attempt and was extended seven times is expected to be lifted tomorrow (AFP), though many critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan say new antiterrorism legislation by his government could enshrine in law many of the emergency measures. AMERICAS Mexico’s AMLO Ready to Talk Drug Decriminalization A former supreme court judge expected to join President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s cabinet said that Lopez Obrador told her he is ready for a debate on drug legalization (DW) and that he will consider “whatever is necessary to restore peace in this country.” COLOMBIA: Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, addressing both President Juan Manuel Santos and President-elect Ivan Duque in Bogota, urged Duque (LAHT) to continue peace efforts with Marxist rebels initiated by his predecessor. UNITED STATES Trump Walks Back Helsinki Summit Remarks Facing pressure from allies in his party and conservative media, U.S. President Donald J. Trump said he misspoke (NYT) at a Monday press conference following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he meant the opposite when he said “I don’t see any reason why it would be Russia” who interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In Axios, CFR President Richard N. Haass writes that Trump deferred to Putin at the expense of U.S. security.         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 18, 2018 at 10:04PM