Daily Brief: Xi Asserts China's Global Leadership Role
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 18, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Xi Asserts China's Global Leadership Role At a party congress in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a sweeping vision to transform the country by 2050 (Bloomberg) in a Wednesday speech that touched on economic, environmental, and foreign policy, as well as cracking down on domestic corruption. Xi told the gathering that China has entered a new era in which it should "take center stage in the world" (BBC) as he laid out goals for the next three decades that include transforming the People's Liberation Army into one of the globe's top militaries. The delegates at the congress, which marks the start of Xi's second term, will deliberate for a week before announcing new party leadership (FT). ANALYSIS "The speech signaled that Xi would prioritize extending the influence of the Communist Party in China over the next five years, raising questions over his commitment to implementing tough reforms and expanding the role of the market," Ting Shi writes for Bloomberg. "The question now is whether the new leadership can find the right balance in allowing the market to play the 'decisive' role, while the state still plays a leading but redefined role," Yukon Huang said in an interview with the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center. "On his numerous foreign tours, Mr. Xi presents himself as an apostle of peace and friendship, a voice of reason in a confused and troubled world. Mr. Trump's failings have made this much easier," writes the Economist. This CFR Backgrounder discusses what's at stake at the Nineteenth Party Congress. PACIFIC RIM U.S. Declassifies Files on Indonesian Massacres Some thirty thousand pages of documents declassified by the United States (BBC) show detailed recordings of mass killings of suspected communists during the 1960s by Indonesia's military and militias. The release is the largest by the U.S. National Declassification Center (VOA), created under former President Barack Obama to promote transparency. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA McCain to Block Trump Nominees Over Afghan War Plan John McCain, chair of the U.S. Senate Armed Forces Committee, has vowed to block U.S. President Donald J. Trump's nominees for several defense posts until the administration details its Afghan war strategy (AP). The senator said it is unclear how Trump's proposed troop increase would lead to a turnaround in the conflict. Foreign Affairs asked experts whether it is time for a major U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan. TAJIKISTAN: Tajik authorities have created a registry with hundreds of LGBT persons (RFE/RL), according to federal prosecutors. The purpose of the list is ostensibly to protect the persecuted minority and control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraq Declares Kirkuk Mission Complete Iraqi troops and allied militias have taken the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk (Al Jazeera) and parts of Nineveh and Diyala provinces, declaring that security is restored. The operation came three weeks after an independence referendum in the region that was opposed by Baghdad (BBC). CFR's Max Boot discusses how Washington should respond to the conflict in Iraqi Kurdistan. QATAR: Qatar's finance minister said its sovereign wealth fund has returned $20 billion onshore (FT) to buffer against a regional boycott of the Gulf nation. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenyan Election Official Flees to U.S. A top electoral commission official has resigned ahead of a presidential election rerun (BBC) set for next week, saying the commission is under political "siege." The official said she does not feel safe enough to return home and cited the July murder of another official. SOMALIA: Somali officials say the hometown of the man suspected of carrying out an attack (Guardian) last week in Mogadishu that left more than three hundred people dead was the site of an August U.S. special forces raid that killed ten civilians. EUROPE Greece's Prime Minister Visits White House U.S. President Trump said during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that the United States supports "responsible debt relief" (FT) for Greece as it recovers from its economic crisis. Tsipras called the meeting "very productive." SWITZERLAND: A Swiss mas has been charged with espionage in Germany for spying on German authorities who used leaked data (DW) to crack down on citizens using Swiss accounts to avoid taxes. The Swiss government has admitted its Federal Intelligence Service investigated the stolen data. AMERICAS Brazil's Batista Brothers Face Insider Trading Charges Brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista, owners of the Brazilian meatpacking firm JBS, will face insider trading charges for allegedly selling JBS shares (BBC) before revealing their involvement in a massive bribery scheme, which led the company's stock price to plummet in May. CANADA: Canada's foreign minister said some proposals to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have been "troubling" and "unconventional." A fourth round of talks on revising the trade deal (VOA) concluded on Tuesday. This CFR Backgrounder asks how much the U.S. trade deficit matters. UNITED STATES Hawaii Federal Judge Blocks New Travel Ban A federal judge in Hawaii on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration's third version of a travel ban (WSJ) that targets citizens of eight countries. The judge said the order makes improper judgements about the risks associated with certain travelers based on their nationalities. Billionaire George Soros has given $18 billion to his Open Society Foundations, one of the largest-ever transfers of wealth from a private donor (NYT) to a single foundation. The organization promotes democracy and human rights in more than a hundred countries. 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: October 18, 2017 at 10:01PM
Daily Brief: U.S.-Backed Forces Declare Victory in Syria's Raqqa
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 17, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S.-Backed Forces Declare Victory in Syria's Raqqa A U.S.-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters announced that they have fully recaptured the city of Raqqa, the self-proclaimed Islamic State's de facto capital, after a five-month assault. A spokesman for the coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces, declared fighting over in the city (BBC) and said operations are now underway to remove landmines (AP) and search for sleeper cells of militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that nine hundred civilians have been killed (Al Jazeera) since the start of the operation, including 570 in air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition. Islamic State militants took control of the city more than three years ago. ANALYSIS "Raqqa, a remote city on the Euphrates River, took on enormous symbolic importance in Syria’s multisided war," Anne Barnard writes for the New York Times. "The focus in Syria will now switch to the southeast and Islamic State’s final piece of significant territory in Deir Ezzor province, where Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes and militias allied with Iran have made advances in recent weeks. Victory there would entrench further Russia’s already dominant position in Syria," Donna Abu-Nasr and Caroline Alexander write for Bloomberg. "Predictions of the [the Islamic State’s] ultimate demise are premature. What the world is witnessing is the transition, and in many ways degeneration, from an insurgent organization with a fixed headquarters to a clandestine terrorist network dispersed throughout the region and the globe," Colin P. Clarke writes for Foreign Affairs. PACIFIC RIM Besieged Philippines City Declared Freed Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte declared the city of Marawi “liberated from the terrorist influence” (Phil Star) following military operations to break a siege by Islamist extremists that began in May. The country’s armed forces reported that 824 militants and 162 soldiers were killed in the operations. SOUTH KOREA: Ousted President Park Geun-hye’s seven defense lawyers have resigned en masse (VOA) to protest her corruption trial, which they called biased and and an act of “political revenge.” SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Attack on Afghan Police Kills Thirty-Two The Taliban claimed responsibility for dual suicide attacks on a police academy in southeastern Afghanistan (Dawn) that killed thirty-two people, including the provincial police chief (Tolo). Meanwhile, four suspected U.S. drone strikes were reported along the Afghan-Pakistani border over the past two days with a death toll of at least thirty-one (AFP). Daniel Byman and Steven Simon discuss the difficulty in ending the war in Afghanistan in Foreign Affairs. PAKISTAN: Sri Lanka’s national cricket team will play in Pakistan for the first time since 2009 (BBC), when eight people were killed and several players injured in an attack in Lahore. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraq-Backed Militias Seize Sinjar From Kurds Yazidi and Shia militias backed by Baghdad took control of the Kurdish-held town of Sinjar (WaPo), near Iraq’s border with Syria, on Tuesday as the central government reasserts its control over regions contested by Iraqi Kurds. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA DRC Elected to UN Human Rights Council The Democratic Republic of Congo was among the fifteen states elected to three-year terms on the UN Human Rights Council by the General Assembly on Monday. Human Rights Watch called its election a “slap in the face” to victims of abuse (DW) in the country. The CFR Global Conflict Tracker looks at violence in the DRC. SOUTH AFRICA: McKinsey apologized for working with a state-owned power company (WSJ) that is linked to a prominent family facing a parliamentary inquiry on corruption. The consulting firm said it would suspend its work with state-owned companies (FT) in the country. EUROPE Portugal Mourning Wildfire Deaths Portugal declared three days of mourning as its death toll in weekend wildfires (CNN) reached thirty-nine; another three were reported dead in Spain. High temperatures and low humidity have raised the countries' risks of fire. EU: Federica Mogherini, the European Union's top diplomat, will visit Washington to appeal to the Trump administration (Politico) to preserve the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. The announcement follows a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Payam Mohseni and Sahar Nowrouzzadeh write in Foreign Affairs that Trump has set the United States on a path toward isolation and confrontation with Iran. AMERICAS U.S. Condemns Venezuelan Gubernatorial Elections The U.S. State Department called Sunday’s elections neither “free nor fair” (BBC), citing irregularities. The ruling party claimed victory in seventeen of twenty-three governorships. MEXICO: Attorney General Raul Cervantes, an ally of President Enrique Pena Nieto, resigned Monday amid calls by anticorruption activists (NYT) to appoint an independent prosecutor to the position. UNITED STATES Trump May Visit Korean Border on Asia Trip U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s five-country tour of Asia next month is set to include two days in South Korea (Korea Times). Local media has speculated that Trump may visit the demilitarized zone (VOA) separating the two Koreas, a move that could be seen as a provocation by Pyongyang. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who was held hostage by the Taliban for five years, pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior (BBC) in a Fort Bragg, North Carolina, military court. 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: October 17, 2017 at 10:08PM
Daily Brief: Iraqi Forces Launch Offensive in Kurdish-Held Kirkuk
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 16, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Iraqi Forces Launch Offensive in Kurdish-Held Kirkuk Casualties have been reported in the Kurdish-held Iraqi city of Kirkuk as forces from the central government backed by Shia militias (Al Jazeera) launched a major offensive early Monday to take the city. The operation marks the first use of force by Baghdad (NYT) in response to an independence referendum held in the autonomous Kurdistan region last month that was opposed by the Iraqi and U.S. governments. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said he is fulfilling his duty to protect "the unity of the country" (Rudaw), while Iraqi forces claim they have taken control of some areas including Kirkuk's K-1 military base. The multiethnic city has been under Kurdish control since 2014 following the removal of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Bloomberg) there. ANALYSIS "The flare-up presents an awkward dilemma for the United States, which has trained and equipped the advancing Iraqi troops, which include elite counterterrorism forces, and the Kurdish peshmerga on the other side," Loveday Morris and Mustafa Salim write for the Washington Post. "The [Kurdistan Regional Government] has for years made its claim to Kirkuk clear in words and actions. U.S. oil companies, including ExxonMobil, have given stature to such claims by signing oil exploration deals with the KRG for oil fields in disputed territories," writes CFR's Amy Myers Jaffe. "Arab communities have felt strongly about [Kirkuk], believing the lands should remain the home to Christian, Yazidi, Shabak, and Turkmen communities displaced by the Islamic State," Suadad al-Salhy writes for Middle East Eye. PACIFIC RIM U.S. to Carry Out Evacuation Drills in South Korea The United States said Monday it will practice evacuating noncombatant Americans (NYT) from South Korea as the countries begin a week of military drills (Korea Times). North Korea has denounced the drills as preparation for an invasion. CFR's Scott A. Snyder and Sungtae "Jacky" Park write that the United States and allies have the means for stable deterrence on the Korean Peninsula. PHILIPPINES: Two suspected militant leaders have been killed in the Philippine government's months-long siege of the southern city of Marawi. One of those killed in the operation was on the U.S. list of most-wanted terrorists (WSJ) for involvement in kidnappings and murders. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Kyrgyzstan's Ruling Party on Course for Election Win Preliminary results show Sooronbai Jeenbekov of the ruling Social Democratic Party winning Kyrgyzstan's presidential election (Eurasia) with 55 percent of votes. The vote marks the first peaceful transfer of power (BBC) between democratically elected leaders since the country gained independence in 1991. PAKISTAN: A roadside bomb killed at least four Pakistani soldiers (VOA) on Sunday. Islamabad said the servicemen were part of an operation to locate the handlers of an American-Canadian family that had been held by militants for five years (WSJ) and was rescued last week. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Afghan Peace Talks Begin in Oman Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and the United States are meeting in Oman on Monday to discuss a political settlement to the Afghan conflict (VOA) after a sixteen-month pause on such talks. A senior Taliban official said the militant group has "nothing to do" with the negotiations. Daniel Byman and Steven Simon discuss the difficulty in ending the war in Afghanistan in Foreign Affairs. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Mogadishu Bombing Death Toll Tops Three Hundred More than three hundred people have died following twin explosions near government offices (WSJ) and the African Union mission in Mogadishu and in a nearby suburb on Saturday. France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others have condemned the attack. Turkey said some of the wounded would be flown into the country (Al Jazeera) for medical treatment. LIBERIA: Liberia will hold a presidential election runoff (BBC) between former soccer player George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai next month following a first round of voting last Tuesday. EUROPE Austria Shifts Right With Parliamentary Elections After six decades of centrist governments, the conservative People's Party took 32 percent of votes (VOA) in parliamentary elections on Sunday, while the far-right Freedom Party took 27 percent. Sebastian Kurz of the People's Party is expected to become the world's youngest national leader (BBC) at thirty-one. Franz-Stefan Gady discusses the "respectable populism" behind the conservative win in Austria in Foreign Affairs. SPAIN: Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said in a letter to Spain's central government (FT) he maintains his stance that the region's declaration of independence is "in suspension." Madrid has set a Thursday deadline (DW) for Catalonia to abandon its push for independence. R. Joseph Huddleston discusses how Madrid should address the independence vote in Catalonia in Foreign Affairs. AMERICAS Venezuelan Government Claims Regional Election Wins President Nicolas Maduro's ruling socialist party claimed wins in seventeen of the country's twenty-three gubernatorial elections (Guardian) held Sunday. The opposition has called for an audit of all the races. UNITED STATES California Reports Wildfires 'More Than Half' Contained A California firefighting spokesman said wildfires that have raged across northern California over the last week are now more than half contained (USA Today). Some ten thousand firefighters are combating the blazes (DW), in which at least forty people have died. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said the U.S. economy is in good health (NYT) and that "ongoing strength" will soon warrant a raise in interest rates. 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: October 16, 2017 at 10:02PM
Daily Brief: Trump Expected to Decertify Iran Agreement
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 13, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Trump Expected to Decertify Iran Agreement U.S. President Donald J. Trump is expected to announce in a speech scheduled for 12:45 p.m. EDT Friday that he will not recertify the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. Decertification will not immediately unravel the agreement, but reports indicate that Trump will ask lawmakers to establish “triggers” (NYT) under which sanctions would be reimposed if Iran takes certain measures related to ballistic missile or nuclear development. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned that any U.S. move to withdraw from the accord would drive Europeans “into a common position with Russia and China” (DW) against the United States. ANALYSIS "If the agreement is decertified, if the president of the United States says it’s no longer an agreement that’s in America’s national interests and nothing happens, then I think the deterrent capability of the United States is eroded, both congressional credibility and the executive branch credibility," Ray Takeyh said in a CFR conference call. "These days, we cannot forget where America was before the breakthroughs of 2013 and 2015, which first froze the Iranian nuclear program and then rolled it back," Ilan Goldenberg and Mara Karlin write for the Atlantic. "Efforts to unwind or rewrite the accord will be a hard sell to the other nations that joined the U.S. in hammering it out in months of talks—not only Iran, China and Russia but also the U.K., France and Germany," Nick Wadhams and Margaret Talev write for Bloomberg. PACIFIC RIM Samsung Electronics Chief to Step Down Kwon Oh-hyun announced he would step down from Samsung’s chip business in March amid what he called an “unprecedented crisis” at the company (Korea Times). Kwon is one of three executives who have jointly run Samsung since Lee Jae-yong was convicted of corruption in August (FT). CHINA: The United States is resisting a capital increase for the World Bank until it revises its lending to China (FT) and other middle-income countries. China is the bank's largest borrower. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Family Freed From Pakistani Captivity Pakistani troops freed an American woman and her Canadian husband held captive for five years in the tribal areas of northwest Pakistan (NYT), along with their three children, who were born there. U.S. President Trump called the operation a "a positive moment for our country’s relationship with Pakistan." CFR's Alyssa Ayres discusses Trump’s approach to Pakistan in The Print. KYRGYZSTAN: Kazakhstan announced it will not send an observer to Kyrgyzstan's Sunday presidential election (RFE/RL), calling the Kyrgyz president’s accusation that it was meddling in the election “contrived.” MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Turkey Begins Military Operation in Northern Syria Eighty Turkish soldiers crossed into Syria’s Idlib Province to set up observation posts as part of a de-escalation agreement brokered with Iran and Russia (Al Jazeera). The move also appears aimed at countering Kurdish YPG militants (Reuters). CFR's Steven A. Cook writes in Foreign Policy that the United States and Turkey no longer share values or interests. ISRAEL: Israel announced it will withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural and educational agency (Haaretz), alleging anti-Israel bias. The move follows a similar announcement by the Trump administration. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Top Somali Defense Officials Resign Somalia’s defense minister and military chief have both resigned (VOA), officials said. The two, who led the country’s fight against Islamist militants, cited personal reasons and gave no further explanation. LIBERIA: A partial count from Tuesday's election showed former Arsenal soccer player George Weah in the lead (BBC) for the country’s presidency. If no candidate surpasses 50 percent, a second round of voting will be held next month. EUROPE Paris Hopes to Ban Gas-Powered Cars by 2030 Paris city hall announced a plan to ban all gas-powered vehicles by 2030. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has already announced a ban on diesel vehicles (AP) set to take effect by 2024, when the city will host the Summer Olympics. GERMANY: The Interior Ministry will extend for an additional six months passport controls on its border with Austria, as well as on flights from Greece, over migration and terrorism concerns (DW). AMERICAS Maduro Accused of Taking Odebrecht Bribes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro received at least $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht (NYT), the Brazilian construction giant at the center of a graft probe, according to a video posted online by former Venezuelan Attorney General Luisa Ortega. Ortega fled Venezuela in August. In Foreign Affairs, Adriana Erthal Abdenur and Robert Muggah discuss how to avoid civil war in Venezuela. UNITED STATES Trump Warns That Puerto Rico Relief Not ‘Forever’ President Trump wrote on Twitter that the U.S. territory Puerto Rico cannot count on federal emergency relief after Hurricane Maria “forever,” prompting San Juan’s mayor to call Trump “incapable of empathy” (BBC). Lawmakers on Thursday passed a $36.5-billion relief package (Hill) for communities affected by recent hurricanes and wildfires. CFR's Brad W. Setser discusses Puerto Rico’s economy. UNITED STATES: Two Guantanamo detainees on hunger strike stopped being force fed three weeks ago (Guardian) and are no longer under medical monitoring, marking a change of practice at the prison, one of the detainees told his lawyer. 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: October 13, 2017 at 10:01PM
Daily Brief: Hamas, Fatah Announce Reconciliation Deal
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 12, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Hamas, Fatah Announce Reconciliation Deal The Gaza-based militant group Hamas and Western-backed ruling Fatah party have signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo (Al Jazeera), a move that could end a decade of fissure between the Palestinian factions. The groups are expected to reveal more details (BBC) at a Thursday news conference, though the deal reportedly includes integrating Hamas officials into Palestinian Authority ministries, rebuilding Gaza's police forces, and negotiating management of the strip's crossings (Haaretz). A top Fatah official said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will visit Gaza within a month, the first such trip in the decade since Hamas took control of the strip (Guardian). ANALYSIS "Should the talks lead to reconciliation, the U.S. government could find itself in an awkward legal bind, since it is forbidden by law from working with Hamas as long as it remains designated a terror organization," Dina Kraft writes for Haaretz. "That Hamas has made this move reflects the pressures it has endured from Israel and Abbas. During this summer, power cuts in Gaza increased while Qatar—amid the fallout from the Gulf crisis—stopped funding Hamas and many projects in the coastal enclave," Hind Khoudary writes for Middle East Eye. "Palestinian nationalism seems to be at a critical juncture, with no clear way forward. The current trajectory likely leads to continued occupation, settlement expansion, social division, and institutional decay," Perry Cammack, Nathan Brown, and Marwan Muasher write for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. CFR's Tenth Annual Preventive Priorities Survey CFR's Center for Preventive Action conducts an annual survey to assist policymakers in planning for ongoing and potential conflicts and sources of instability. What threats will emerge or escalate in 2018? Tell us what you think. PACIFIC RIM Australia Defense Data Compromised in 'Extensive' Hack Australia's defense industry minister said Thursday that information about new fighter jets and navy vessels considered sensitive though not classified was stolen in a hack that began July of last year (BBC). He said the hacker could be a state actor but the attack remains unattributed. JAPAN: Japan's main stock index, the Nikkei 225, hit a twenty-one-year high (NYT) on Wednesday. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Sri Lanka Arrests Two for $60 Million Cybertheft Sri Lankan authorities arrested two suspects in relation to a cyberheist of $60 million from a Taiwanese bank (Bloomberg), which they allegedly wired to accounts in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and the United States. INDIA: The price of wind energy fell to a new low (Quartz) in an auction by a state-run firm in India last week, making both wind and solar energy now cheaper than coal-based power there. CFR's Varun Sivaram writes in Scientific American that global warming this century may depend heavily on India's energy decisions. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraqi Court Issues Arrest Warrants for Kurdish Officials A federal court in Baghdad has issued arrest warrants for electoral officials involved in carrying out a recent independence referendum (BBC) in Iraqi Kurdistan, a vote opposed by the central government. Baghdad suggested that Kurdish President Masoud Barzani could also be arrested (Rudaw). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenya Bans Demonstrations Ahead of Election Rerun Kenya has banned protests in the cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu ahead of an October 26 rerun (Al Jazeera) of an August presidential election that was annulled by the Supreme Court. The move comes after opposition candidate Raila Odinga pulled out of the race on Tuesday. CFR's John Campbell discusses Odinga's withdrawal from the presidential race. NIGER: The Pentagon said Wednesday that the self-proclaimed Islamic State was behind an October 4 attack in southwestern Niger (VOA) that killed four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien security personnel. EUROPE Turkish, U.S. Officials to Meet Over Diplomatic Spat Turkey and the United States, NATO allies, have agreed to discuss recent consular restrictions prompted by Turkey's arrest of two employees at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul (RFE/RL) on espionage charges. EU: The EU human rights commissioner has asked Italy's interior minister for information about the deployment of naval vessels to Libyan waters (DW), warning Italy that it risks violating the European Convention on Human Rights if it hands over migrants who are intercepted in the Mediterranean to Libya. AMERICAS Brazil to Pass Law on Trying Military for Civilian Deaths Brazil's congress has backed new legislation that would allow the military, increasingly being deployed to slums for antidrug operations (WSJ), to be tried in military rather than civilian courts for civilian deaths. President Michel Temer is expected to soon sign the measure into law. GUATEMALA: The supreme court said Wednesday it will not investigate monthly bonuses to President Jimmy Morales (Reuters) by the defense ministry. Morales is one of Latin America's top-paid leaders. UNITED STATES White House Briefs Lawmakers on Iran Announcement National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster briefed members of Congress on Wednesday about U.S. President Donald J. Trump's upcoming announcement on whether he will recertify the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement (NBC), according to two officials. CFR's Philip H. Gordon and Ray Takeyh discuss the successes and failures of the 2015 deal. 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: October 12, 2017 at 09:47PM
Daily Brief: Madrid, Catalonia in Standoff Over Independence
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 11, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Madrid, Catalonia in Standoff Over Independence Madrid has rejected a statement of independence from Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and dismissed calls to negotiate with the region (BBC) following an October 1 referendum the central government deemed unconstitutional. In a speech to the regional parliament on Tuesday, Puigdemont proposed "suspending" an immediate declaration of independence (FT) to allow time to negotiate with Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy accused Puigdemont of creating "deliberate confusion" and requested that the Catalan government clarify its stance (Guardian). Rajoy said he may trigger a constitutional article that would allow Madrid to take control of Catalonia's regional government. ANALYSIS "Rajoy has to make up the political ground and start engaging in negotiations with Catalonia. The Spanish expect their prime minister to do more than just hide behind the shield of the constitution," Maria Santacecilia writes for Deutsche Welle. "Losing Catalonia is a huge blow to Spain's pocketbook, but an even worse affront to Spain's pride," Elizabeth Castro said in an interview with Foreign Policy Interrupted. "In practice, as Puigdemont's predecessor Artur Mas has pointed out, Catalonia is not ready to exercise effective independence. It does not have the tax-collecting, judicial, banking, or customs institutions for that," Giles Tremlett writes for the Guardian. CFR's Tenth Annual Preventive Priorities Survey CFR's Center for Preventive Action conducts an annual survey to assist policymakers in planning for ongoing and potential conflicts and sources of instability. What threats will emerge or escalate in 2018? Tell us what you think. PACIFIC RIM Campaigns Underway for Japan's Snap Election Campaigning has begun for an October 22 snap election (DW) for Japan's lower house called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party will face the one-month-old conservative Party of Hope, led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, as its primary challenger. SOUTH KOREA: A lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party said North Korean hackers breached South Korea's defense database (WSJ) last year and stole sensitive military secrets, including a plan with the United States on eliminating Pyongyang's leadership in the case of war. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Taliban Dismisses Upcoming Oman Dialogue A senior Taliban militant said the insurgent group's position that it will not participate in peace talks (VOA) with the Afghan government "remains unchanged" ahead of a dialogue in Oman next week that will include envoys from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and the United States. Daniel Byman and Steven Simon discuss the difficulty in ending the war in Afghanistan in Foreign Affairs. PAKISTAN: FIFA, the international soccer governing body, has suspended Pakistan's federation for the sport (RFE/RL) over "undue third-party interference." The federation has been under the control of a court-appointed administrator since 2015 when the body split into two factions (Dawn) ahead of its presidential election. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA EU Seeks to Reopen Libya Embassy The European Union is expected to announce next week plans to establish a "permanent EU presence" in Libya (Reuters). The bloc moved its diplomatic presence to Tunisia in 2014 as security worsened in Libya. IRAQ: The United Nations estimated that 5.4 million Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes since 2014 (BBC) due to the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which now controls only a strip of territory along the border with Syria. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenyan Opposition Leader Drops Out of Election Opposition candidate Raila Odinga announced Tuesday that he will not participate in an upcoming rerun (VOA) of an annulled August election, citing grievances with the electoral commission and President Uhuru Kenyatta's ruling party. Odinga and Kenyatta were the only two set to run in the upcoming vote (East African), but Kenya's top court may now open the election to other candidates. SOMALILAND: Somaliland has announced it will hold elections in November (VOA) after several delays since March of last year. The region, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, is not recognized by the international community. EUROPE UK's May Urges Trump to Stay in Iran Deal UK Prime Minister Theresa May has urged U.S. President Donald J. Trump (BBC) to remain in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying the agreement is "vitally important for regional security." Trump, expected to make a speech this week on the U.S. commitment to the deal, has denounced it as an "embarrassment." CFR's Philip Gordon examines the Iran nuclear agreement on the President's Inbox podcast. AMERICAS Bolivians Protest Bid to Scrap Term Limits Thousands of Bolivians on Tuesday protested President Evo Morales's latest bid to eliminate term limits and run for a fourth term in 2019 (Reuters). Bolivians voted against removing term limits (DW) in a referendum last year. BRAZIL: A congressional report released Tuesday has recommended that President Michel Temer not face trial (Reuters) for multiple corruption charges. Brazil's lower house is expected to close the case against Temer next week. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Brazil's corruption fallout. UNITED STATES Navy Removes Two Officers Over August Collision The U.S. Navy has relieved two top officers of the USS John S. McCain following an August collision with a tanker near Singapore (NYT) that killed ten sailors. The navy said the incident was preventable. Deadly wildfires continued on Tuesday (WaPo) in northern California, where at least seventeen people have died and some 180 are missing. 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: October 11, 2017 at 09:51PM
Daily Brief: U.S. to Repeal Clean Power Plan
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 10, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S. to Repeal Clean Power Plan U.S. President Donald J. Trump's administration plans today to repeal a major Obama-era environmental policy aimed at curbing emissions from power plants (NYT), with Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt saying that the "war on coal is over." The policy, called the Clean Power Plan, had yet to be implemented (NPR) since it was put on hold by the Supreme Court last year pending a ruling on its legality. The legislation mandated that states reduce their use of high-emissions energy sources like coal (Bloomberg) in favor of solar, wind, and gas, and was a central part of the U.S. commitment to reduce its carbon footprint (The Hill) in line with the Paris Agreement on climate. ANALYSIS "Recent analysis suggests the costs of satisfying Obama's Clean Power Plan actually have gone down, as the United States makes strides toward meeting its carbon-cutting targets and less-polluting energy sources such as wind, solar, and natural gas prove less expensive than anticipated," Jennifer A. Dlouhy writes for Bloomberg. "While the repeal of the Clean Power Plan offers a reprieve for America's coal industry, it is unlikely to halt the decline of coal altogether," Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer write for the New York Times. "Writing a new proposal would take years and would be a sign that Pruitt—who has questioned the human role in changing the climate—acknowledges EPA's legal obligation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions," Emily Holden writes for Politico. CFR's Tenth Annual Preventive Priorities Survey CFR's Center for Preventive Action conducts an annual survey to assist policymakers in planning for ongoing and potential conflicts and sources of instability. What threats will emerge or escalate in 2018? Tell us what you think. PACIFIC RIM UN Bans Four Ships Over Deliveries to North Korea The United Nations has banned four ships registered in the Comoros, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and North Korea from visiting any global port after they were found to have delivered prohibited goods to North Korea (BBC). A UN expert described the move as unprecedented. THAILAND: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, head of the ruling military junta, said a general election will be held in November 2018 (Al Jazeera). The junta has delayed elections since coming to power in a 2014 coup (DW). SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghanistan Air Strikes Hit Seven-Year High The United States and its allies dropped 751 weapons on Afghanistan in September (Military Times), a 50 percent increase compared to preceding months. The U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the rise was due to President Trump's strategy to "more proactively target extremist groups." Daniel Byman and Steven Simon discuss the difficulty in ending the war in Afghanistan in Foreign Affairs. BANGLADESH: The United Nations launched on Tuesday a cholera vaccination campaign (AFP) targeting 650,000 people in refugee camps in southeast Bangladesh. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled to the country from Myanmar since August. Lynn Kuok discusses the crisis in Myanmar in Foreign Affairs. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UN Relocates Thousands of Migrants in Libya The United Nations has transferred some four thousand migrants (Reuters) from informal camps in the city of Sabratha to a hangar there after clashes between rival groups fighting to control the city. Crossings into Europe from Sabratha, a smuggling hub, dropped sharply in July when one armed group struck a deal with the Tripoli government to block departures. SAUDI ARABIA: The oil firm Saudi Aramco has announced a "mega investment plan" for India (Bloomberg) that includes a new refinery on the country's west coast. The South Asian nation is set to surpass China as the fastest-growing oil market (Indian Express) in the region. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Liberians Vote for Sirleaf's Successor Liberians head to the polls Tuesday to choose a successor to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first woman president. Sirleaf is stepping down after twelve years (Guardian) in power, setting the country up for its first democratic transition of power (DW) in seven decades. ZIMBABWE: President Robert Mugabe has fired his finance minister (FT), an ally of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The move follows accusations by First Lady Grace Mugabe that Mnangagwa was plotting a coup; both are vying to succeed President Mugabe. EUROPE Catalan President to Address Parliament Catalan President Carles Puigdemont will address the region's parliament Tuesday evening amid heightened tensions with Madrid after an October 1 independence referendum favored secession. Analysts speculate Puigdemont may announce a break from Spain (BBC). R. Joseph Huddleston discusses Madrid's response to the Catalan vote in Foreign Affairs. ROMANIA: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched a new force in Romania (Reuters) of up to four thousand soldiers, bolstering the nine hundred U.S. troops already there, to counter Russia's growing presence around the Black Sea. AMERICAS Haiti Asks U.S. to Extend Protected Status for Migrants Haiti's ambassador to the United States has requested the country extend temporary protected status by eighteen months (Miami Herald) for sixty thousand Haitians living there. The diplomat cited recent hurricanes and cholera as impeding recovery in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the U.S. immigration debate. COLOMBIA: Colombia has suspended four police officers who fired into a crowd (Guardian) in the country's southwest during protests against coca eradication efforts. The incident left six people dead. UNITED STATES At Least Ten Dead in California Wildfires More than 1,500 homes and businesses were destroyed as wildfires raged across eight counties (NYT) in northern California on Monday, prompting twenty thousand people to evacuate. 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: October 10, 2017 at 10:02PM
