Daily Brief: Madrid Expected to Take Over Catalan Government
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 27, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Madrid Expected to Take Over Catalan Government Spain's central government is expected to strip the semiautonomous region of Catalonia (Guardian) of some of its powers, with the Spanish parliament voting Friday on whether to take steps to depose the region's secessionist government. Catalonia's ruling party put forth on Friday a motion to declare independence (FT). If Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's party votes to implement Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, Madrid would be authorized to take over the region's police forces, dissolve its parliament, and depose Catalan President Carles Puigdemont (DW). Spain's constitutional court declared an October 1 independence referendum held in Catalonia (EUobserver) illegal. ANALYSIS "With the Spanish senate due to decide on the government's plans to impose direct rule on Catalonia Friday (in a vote that is widely expected to pass), Puigdemont's government doesn't have much time to determine its next move," Yasmeen Serhan writes for the Atlantic. "The paradox is that the chest-beating performances from both the Catalan and Spanish governments hide their positions of weakness," Miriam Gonzalez Durantez writes for the Financial Times. "[The crisis] highlights the problem of forced integration of a people who have historically expressed a desire for self-governance and voluntary association," writes Inigo Urkullu, leader of the Basque government, for the Guardian. PACIFIC RIM UN Rights Expert Warns Over Sanctions on North Korea The UN special envoy for human rights in North Korea said international sanctions on the country should be reviewed to avoid imposing collective punishment on ordinary citizens (VOA), citing concerns over limited access to medical equipment and vital supplies. AUSTRALIA: The government has rejected a call by a council for indigenous groups for a referendum on establishing a special body to represent native peoples (NYT), calling such a body neither "desirable" nor "capable of winning acceptance" in a popular vote. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Rights Group: 'Some Positive Steps' in Uzbekistan Authorities have made progress in releasing political prisoners and increasing government accountability (RFE/RL) during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's first year in office, according to a report from Human Rights Watch. The organization called on Tashkent to send a clear message to citizens that peaceful dissent from the government will be tolerated. PAKISTAN: About 95 percent of respondents in a survey by the American Business Council said they are optimistic about long-term economic operations in Pakistan (Dawn). Some 45 percent said their perceptions have improved since last year. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Tillerson Says 'No Role' for Assad in Syrian Government U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday that the United States sees the reign of the Assad family in Syria "coming to an end," but said negotiations on ending the civil war there could take place with President Bashar al-Assad still in power (NYT). In Foreign Affairs, former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford writes that the United States can still do good in Syria by easing the suffering of millions of refugees. ISRAEL: A petition by more than three hundred U.S. rabbis is calling on Israel to end weapons sales to Myanmar (Haaretz) in light of human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims. A group of Israeli rabbis has made a similar appeal (VOA). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenya Sees Meager Turnout in Election Rerun Some 35 percent of eligible Kenyans voted in a rerun of an annulled August presidential election (DW) on Thursday, a turnout less than half of the first vote, according to electoral authorities. Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta appears set to claim victory (Star) as opposition candidate Raila Odinga boycotted the rerun. Voting in four counties was postponed until Saturday due to clashes between police and opposition supporters. Nic Cheeseman, Gabrielle Lynch, and Justin Willis discuss the roots of Kenya's electoral impasse in Foreign Affairs. SOMALIA: Thousands of Somali and African Union troops are gathering in two of the country's regions for an expected mass offensive against al-Shabab militants (VOA) in retaliation for an October 14 attack in the capital of Mogadishu that killed more than three hundred people. EUROPE Greece's Tsipras Defends U.S. Aircraft Spending Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the government cares about "every single euro contributed" by Greek taxpayers in defense of its plan to spend up to $2.6 billion to upgrade its U.S. F-16 fighter jets (FT). Tsipras announced the plan earlier this month in a meeting with U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington. AMERICAS Venezuelan Opposition Wins EU Rights Prize The European Parliament awarded its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (LAHT) to the opposition-controlled National Assembly and political prisoners in Venezuela. One European lawmaker called the decision a gesture toward "restoring freedom, democracy, peace, and human rights in Venezuela." FRENCH GUIANA: Police used tear gas on demonstrators who threw petrol bombs during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron (BBC) in the city of Cayenne on Thursday. Protesters have criticized France's spending on space projects in the country, saying it has neglected the welfare of French Guianese. UNITED STATES Trump Declares Opioid Epidemic a Public Health Emergency President Trump called on federal health officials on Thursday to declare a public health emergency over the country's widespread opioid epidemic, allowing states flexibility in directing federal grant funds toward combating the crisis (NYT). An estimated sixty-four thousand people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2016. This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's driving the U.S. opioid epidemic. Twitter has banned advertising by the media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, citing the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion they attempted to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election (BBC) on behalf of the Russian government. 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 27, 2017 at 10:02PM
Daily Brief: Opposition Boycotts Kenyan Election Rerun
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 26, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Opposition Boycotts Kenyan Election Rerun A rerun of an annulled presidential election in Kenya began Thursday morning, marked by apparent low voter turnout (FT) and sporadic clashes. Opposition figure Raila Odinga, who took 45 percent of votes in an August election and challenged the vote's integrity in court, withdrew from the election rerun earlier this month. Odinga urged his supporters to boycott the vote (NYT), saying demands made to electoral authorities were not met. The Supreme Court failed this week to hear a challenge to the Thursday vote (Al Jazeera) by activists and lawyers after only one justice appeared for the hearing. A victory for incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta (Guardian) appears guaranteed. ANALYSIS "Already there are numerous grounds to claim that the October 26 elections are not credible, no matter what the outcome," writes CFR's John Campbell. "The churches, observers, and foreign governments all pleaded for talks. But neither side was in the mood to be conciliatory," Aly Verjee writes for African Arguments. "For the West, Kenyatta is a safe pair of hands in a complex region," Nanjala Nyabola said in an interview with Foreign Policy Interrupted. PACIFIC RIM U.S. Ambassador Probed Over Remarks in Samoa U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand Scott Brown revealed Wednesday that he was investigated and cautioned by the State Department (NYT) over comments made to women at a Peace Corps event in Samoa, including calling guests "beautiful." Brown said he is "always welcoming" of advice on cultural sensitivities (AP). ASIA: The number of billionaires in Asia surpassed that of the United States (Bloomberg) for the first time, says a report by two financial consulting firms. Billionaires' wealth increased by 17 percent, or $6 trillion, in 2016, following a drop the previous year. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Arrest Warrant Issued for Ousted Pakistani PM An Islamabad court issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after he failed to appear in court (FT). Sharif is in London with his wife, who is undergoing cancer treatment, though some analysts speculate he is preparing for exile. Kiran Nazish discusses Pakistani democracy after Sharif's ouster in Foreign Affairs. SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka is preparing legislation to offer tax breaks to investors for construction at a Colombo port that includes a $1.4 billion Chinese-supported development project (Reuters), part of Beijing's massive infrastructure push across Asia. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Chinese soft power. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Israel Approves Major Settlement Expansion Israel has approved 176 new homes for Jewish settlers (BBC) in East Jerusalem. The additional housing would make the settlement, Nof Zion, the largest in the city. Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. JORDAN: Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki told legislators his government will push austerity measures (Reuters), including tax increases and cuts to subsidies, by the year's end. The government spends $1.2 billion annually to subsidize food, electricity, and water. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA U.S. Envoy Pressures South Sudan Over Aid U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told South Sudanese President Salva Kiir that the United States is "questioning" its aid to the country (VOA) and that Kiir can't "deny the stories" of military abuses. Haley's visit to a UN camp for internally displaced persons there was disrupted by anti-government protests (Sudan Tribune). CFR's Global Conflict Tracker looks at civil war in South Sudan. EUROPE Human Rights Activists Released on Bail in Turkey In a surprise move, an Istanbul court released eight prominent rights activists (NYT), including a German and a Swede, who were arrested in July on charges they aided a terrorist organization. The eleven activists still face trial. AZERBAIJAN: Europe's top human rights organization has warned Azerbaijan that it will take legal action if it does not release opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov from jail (RFE/RL) by November 29. The group says Mammadov should have been released after winning a ruling in the European Court of Human Rights. AMERICAS Brazil's Temer Avoids Corruption Trial President Michel Temer has secured enough votes in the lower house of parliament to avoid obstruction of justice and racketeering charges (BBC). Temer granted concessions sought by lawmakers (WaPo) including reduced fines for environmental damages. GUATEMALA: Hector Trujillo, a former judge and soccer official, became on Wednesday the first person to be sentenced in a U.S. probe into corruption (BBC) at the international soccer governing body FIFA. He received an eight-month sentence (DW) for conspiracy and fraud. UNITED STATES Pence Vows Shift on Support for Persecuted Christians Vice President Mike Pence told a dinner gathering for a Christian advocacy group that the United States would retract funding for "ineffective" UN programs that aim to defend persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East (VOA) and instead pay for such programs through the U.S. Agency for International Development. This CFR Backgrounder looks at how the U.S. spends its foreign aid. Airlines including United and Emirates have warned their international passengers that they may be subject to increased security measures (WSJ), such as electronic device checks and interviews, on U.S.-bound flights due to new Department of Homeland Security requirements. 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 26, 2017 at 09:54PM
Daily Brief: China Reveals Party Leadership, No Clear Heir to Xi
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 25, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA China Reveals Party Leadership, No Clear Heir to Xi President Xi Jinping was formally given a second five-year term as the head of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday. In a speech to party delegates, Xi declined to name a successor among the politburo's seven-member Standing Committee. The five new men on the committee are too old to succeed Xi (FT) if an informal retirement age is kept in place. The appointments raise the prospect Xi may seek to continue his rule beyond 2022, breaking norms in place since Mao Zedong's death (WSJ) to avoid indefinite one-man rule. Several Western media outlets were denied access to the unveiling of the new politburo members (Guardian). ANALYSIS "During his first term, Xi looked to boost China's global clout with an Asia-to-Europe infrastructure initiative, and has reassured the world that his nation wouldn't seek hegemony," Ting Shi and Keith Zhai write for Bloomberg. "By most accounts, China's decades-long 'economic miracle' of double-digit growth rates is now over, so the Communist Party is retreating from bold economic reforms to focus more on cracking down on political dissent and preserving social stability," Leta Hong Fincher said in an interview with Foreign Policy Interrupted. "Xi believes that a government's legitimacy is mainly a function of consistently delivered values, together with economic and social progress, with strict commitment to the public interest taking precedence over the form of governance," writes CFR's A. Michael Spence. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraqi Kurds Offer to Freeze Referendum Results The Kurdish regional government offered to freeze the results of a September independence referendum and cease military operations in Kurdistan (Rudaw) to allow dialogue with Baghdad. Baghdad accused Kurdish forces on Tuesday of attacking and killing Iraqi soldiers (NYT). CFR's Steven A. Cook asks what went wrong between Baghdad and Kurdistan in Salon. SAUDI ARABIA: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told an investment forum in Riyadh (WSJ) that the kingdom will return to "tolerant, moderate Islam that is open to the world." The prince also announced plans for a $500 billion economic zone (FT) on the Red Sea coast that will connect Saudi Arabia to Jordan and Egypt. PACIFIC RIM Thailand Readies Five-Day Funeral for Monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ruled Thailand for more than seven decades and died last October, will be cremated in a Bangkok pyre (FT) on Thursday. Some quarter million pilgrims (BBC) are expected to travel to view the ceremonies. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Tillerson: U.S. 'Shoulder to Shoulder' With India on Terrorism U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (Reuters) after talks with India's foreign minister a day prior, during which he thanked her for the country's work to combat extremism in the region (RFE/RL). CFR's Alyssa Ayres discusses Tillerson's interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific. AFGHANISTAN: President Ashraf Ghani said Kabul will not participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and will restrict Pakistan's access to Central Asia (DNA) if Pakistan does not also give access to India through CPEC infrastructure projects. Arif Rafiq looks at China's $62 billion investment in Pakistan in Foreign Affairs. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Haley to Assess U.S. Aid in Central Africa U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will visit South Sudan on Wednesday (VOA) and the Democratic Republic of Congo later this week to review U.S. aid spending there. Haley told reporters in Ethiopia that the United States must carefully consider suspending aid to South Sudan (WSJ) because its president, Salva Kiir, "doesn’t care if his people suffer." SOMALIA: Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire travels on Wednesday to Turkey, where thirty-five Somalis are receiving treatment (Al Jazeera) after they were wounded in an October 14 attack in the capital of Mogadishu and airlifted out. The attack killed 358 people. EUROPE Russia Blocks Chemical Weapons Inquiry in Syria Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored UN Security Council measure to renew the mandate of a mission to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria (BBC). It was the ninth time Russia used its veto to block measures (NYT) regarding Syria's civil war. FRANCE: President Emmanuel Macron rebuffed calls by activists to condemn the human rights record (DW) of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi during a visit to Paris on Tuesday by the Egyptian leader, saying he believes in state sovereignty and doesn't "lecture others." AMERICAS Cuba Says Alleged Sonic Attacks 'Science Fiction' Cuba has accused the United States of "slander" over allegations the country may have been behind sonic attacks (Reuters) in which two dozen diplomats suffered hearing loss and cognitive issues. Cuban investigators said sound samples they analyzed included only normal suburban sounds that would not have led to such injuries. VENEZUELA: Opposition figure Henrique Capriles has quit Venezuela's anti-government party coalition (BBC) in protest of pledges by four new opposition governors to follow a constituent assembly established by President Nicolas Maduro's regime and tasked with rewriting the constitution. UNITED STATES Montana Firm Wins $300 Million Puerto Rico Contract Puerto Rico has awarded a $300 million contract to a two-year-old Montana firm, which had only two full-time employees in September, to restore the island's electrical grid (WaPo) following Hurricane Maria. The House Committee on Natural Resources said it is investigating the contract (NYT). The Trump administration allowed refugee admissions to resume on Tuesday (CBS/AP) after a four-month ban and announced that nationals from eleven unspecified countries will be subject to additional screening. 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 25, 2017 at 10:02PM
Daily Brief: Tillerson Pushes Pakistan to Act Against Taliban
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 24, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Tillerson Pushes Pakistan to Act Against Taliban U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday to meet top Pakistani officials for counterterrorism talks. Tillerson said he has made "very specific requests" of Islamabad (Dawn) to undermine the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan. Tillerson will meet with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Pakistan's foreign minister; they are also expected to discuss the U.S. relationship with India (RFE/RL). The trip is part of a multi-nation tour in which the U.S. diplomat made unannounced visits to Afghanistan and Iraq (WSJ) on Monday, meeting with both countries' leaders. He will next head to New Delhi (CNN). ANALYSIS "Tillerson has offered formal speeches infrequently, and has been less visible on the South Asian region than his predecessors," writes CFR's Alyssa Ayres. "It would be nice if it were possible to secure Afghanistan without reorienting the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, but experience proves that it is not," Kosh Sadat and General Stan McChrystal write for Foreign Affairs. "Pakistan, meanwhile, remains concerned about the destabilizing effects of U.S. meddling in the region, which could manifest in several ways," Huma Yusuf writes for Dawn. PACIFIC RIM China's Party Congress Writes Xi Into Constitution The Chinese communist party voted unanimously to include reference of President Xi Jinping's political philosophy (WaPo) in the country's constitution. Former leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping also have their names in the document (DW). This CFR Backgrounder looks at China's Nineteenth Party Congress. MYANMAR: The U.S. State Department said it is considering sanctions available under U.S. law (Al Jazeera) for parties responsible for rights abuses in Myanmar. Francis Wade describes how the Myanmar military wields power from the shadows in this CFR interview. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Modi Hosts Ghani in New Delhi Afghan President Ashraf Ghani makes a one-day visit to the Indian capital (RFE/RL) on Tuesday to discuss trade, security, and promoting peace in Afghanistan (Hindustan Times) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CFR's Alyssa Ayres asks if India will start acting more like a global power in Foreign Affairs. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Monitor: Islamic State Executed Scores of Civilians The self-proclaimed Islamic State executed at least 128 people it accused of collaborating with the Syrian government (Al Jazeera) in the three weeks before forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad retook the town of Al-Qaryatayn in early October, according to a UK-based rights monitor. JORDAN: King Abdullah II met with prominent Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (AP) in Amman on Monday to discuss expanding economic cooperation between the countries. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Pentagon Offers New Details on Niger Ambush Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford gave additional details about an October 4 attack by militants in Niger that killed four U.S. servicemen and five Nigerien troops (WaPo). Dunford said the team was ambushed by about fifty assailants using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (CBS) and waited for an hour after the firefight began to call in support from nearby French troops. KENYA: Opposition leader Raila Odinga said he will not recognize the results (Al Jazeera) of a Thursday presidential election rerun following the Supreme Court's annulment of an August 8 vote. Kenyan prosecutors said Monday they would arrest Odinga's sister and charge her with incitement to violence (BBC). EUROPE Prominent Russian Radio Journalist Stabbed Journalist Tatyana Felgenhauer, who hosts a radio show for one of a small number of media outlets that reports stories critical of the government (NYT), was stabbed in the neck by an assailant on Monday. Police say a suspect is in custody (NPR). AUSTRIA: Austrian conservative leader Sebastian Kurz, whose party won parliamentary elections last week, invited the far-right, populist Freedom Party (BBC) on Tuesday to begin coalition talks. AMERICAS Nicaragua to Join Paris Climate Pact Nicaragua has applied to join the Paris Agreement on climate after having argued that more drastic measures than those in the pact would be needed to combat climate change. The country's entry would leave only the United States and Syria (Guardian) outside of the accord. MEXICO: Former lawmaker and first lady Margarita Zavala announced her run for president as an independent (FT) in next year's election. UNITED STATES U.S. Refugee Admissions to Resume A 120-day ban on refugee admissions (ABC) set by the Trump administration will expire on Tuesday, prompting expectations that the White House will announce new rules on vetting applicants (WSJ) as admissions resume. This CFR Backgrounder looks at how the U.S. refugee system works. A federal jury in Brooklyn has found the former head of foreign exchange cash trading for HSBC guilty of fraud (WSJ) over his misuse of information about a client's $3.5 billion currency trade that led to the bank making millions of dollars. 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 24, 2017 at 10:02PM
Daily Brief: Japan's Abe Wins Big in Snap Election
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 23, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Japan's Abe Wins Big in Snap Election Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's party claimed sweeping victory in a snap election on Sunday, with media tallies indicating the ruling Liberal Democratic Party reaching the two-thirds mark in parliament (NYT). The win is a boost for Abe's push to rewrite Japan's postwar, pacifist constitution (Japan Times) by 2020, which would require majority support in both houses of parliament. U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Abe agreed to increase pressure on North Korea (DW) in a phone call following the election. Final results are expected to be announced on Monday as a typhoon prevented vote-counting in some districts. ANALYSIS "The constellation of political parties in this election now reveals without a doubt that Japan is on its way to a serious deliberation on constitutional revision," writes CFR's Sheila A. Smith. "With a renewed mandate for his signature Abenomics policy and the ruling coalition now holding a majority on every standing committee in the lower house, the prime minister will likely press ahead with fiscal spending and plans to divert increased consumption tax revenue toward providing free education," writes the Nikkei Asian Review. "Several challenges remain, including dealing with a rapidly aging workforce, stubborn deflation, and stagnant wages," Isabel Reynolds and Emi Nobuhiro write for Bloomberg. PACIFIC RIM Mattis in Philippines to Discuss North Korea U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in the Philippines for a meeting with his Japanese, Philippine, and South Korean counterparts to discuss the North Korean weapons threat (WSJ). Regarding a siege on the city of Marawi to oust Islamic State-linked militants, Mattis said Philippine forces sent a "very necessary message" (NYT) to terrorists. A CFR panel discussed U.S. options regarding North Korea. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Indian FM Rebukes Myanmar Over Rohingya Exodus The foreign minister said on Sunday that Myanmar "must take back" its nationals and that neighboring Bangladesh has suffered a "big burden" (AP) since nearly six hundred thousand Rohingya Muslim refugees fled Myanmar following an August crackdown by security forces. Eric P. Schwartz of Refugees International discussed his recent trip to Myanmar at this CFR event. AFGHANISTAN: The U.S. State Department said the number of Afghan security forces who go absent without authorized leave (RFE/RL) during training in the United States is "unacceptably high." A U.S. watchdog reported on Friday that nearly half of the 320 personnel who did so from 2005 to 2017 were Afghan. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Tillerson: Shia Militias in Iraq 'Must' Return Home U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Iranian-backed militias who have been fighting the self-proclaimed Islamic State (BBC) in Iraq "must go home" as the battle there nears its end. Tillerson spoke from Saudi Arabia during an inaugural meeting to improve ties between Iraq and Saudi Arabia (VOA). SYRIA: Russia accused the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State on Sunday of bombing the city of Raqqa "off the face of the earth" (Al Jazeera), comparing the air strike campaign to the bombing of Germany's Dresden by Allied forces in World War II. This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's at stake in post-ISIS Iraq and Syria. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Twelve Nigerien Troops Killed Near Mali Border Nigerien officials say gunmen killed on Saturday a dozen paramilitary police in the country's southwest near the border with Mali, the same area where four U.S. soldiers were killed (WSJ) in an October 4 ambush. ZIMBABWE: The World Health Organization has canceled its appointment of President Robert Mugabe (BBC), who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, as a goodwill ambassador following international outcry over the announcement. EUROPE Czech Billionaire's Populist Party Wins by Large Margin The ANO party of Andrej Babis, Czech Republic's second-richest man, won nearly 30 percent of votes (BBC) in a general election this weekend, three times as much as its nearest rival. Babis opposes joining the eurozone (Bloomberg) and has criticized European immigration policy. ITALY: The wealthy northern regions of Veneto and Lombardy overwhelmingly voted in favor of greater autonomy (Guardian) in polls held Sunday. AMERICAS Argentine Leader Boosted by Midterm Vote President Mauricio Macri's center-right government won a sweeping victory in congressional midterm elections on Sunday, though his party fell short of an overall majority (BBC). Former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won a seat in the Senate, granting her immunity from corruption charges. HONDURAS: A video released under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act suggests the Drug Enforcement Agency misrepresented the circumstances of a 2012 antidrug operation (NYT) by U.S. and Honduran forces in which four Honduran civilians died. UNITED STATES Lawmakers Call for Details on Troop Deaths in Niger Senators from both parties have called for the White House to detail U.S. troop activities in Niger following the deaths of four U.S. servicemen in an ambush earlier this month. Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Chuck Schumer both said they were unaware of the number of troops (VOA) the United States has in the country. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: October 23, 2017 at 09:58PM
Daily Brief: Officials Warn North Korean Missile to U.S. Months Away
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 20, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Officials Warn North Korean Missile to U.S. Months Away Two top U.S. officials warned on Thursday that North Korea is "months away" from being able to strike the United States with a nuclear missile (VOA), saying the country is "running out of time." CIA Director Mike Pompeo said the administration of President Donald J. Trump is prepared to use military force (FT) if necessary to ensure North Korean leader Kim Jong-un doesn't have the "capacity to hold America at risk." U.S. National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster said a policy of deterrence while accepting a nuclear Pyongyang is "unacceptable" (CNN). A senior North Korean diplomat said in Moscow on Friday that possessing nuclear weapons is a "matter of life and death" (Reuters) for the East Asian country. ANALYSIS "We see the president suggesting that it's unacceptable for them to have the capability, but we've also lived with vulnerability to enemies with nuclear weapons for decades," says CFR's Scott A. Snyder. "The recent Korean Workers' Party Central Committee meeting and Kim's emphasis on the economy, the elevation of his sister as an alternate member of the Politburo, and the promotion of his closest supporters and advisors suggest that Kim continues to plan for the long haul," Jung H. Pak writes for the Brookings Institution. "Contrary to popular perception, nuclear arms are weapons of the poor—extraordinarily cheap compared with conventional armaments," Yasheng Huang writes for Project Syndicate. PACIFIC RIM South Korea to Resume Work on Nuclear Reactors A state commission has greenlighted resuming construction (Korea Times) of two nuclear power plants in a blow to President Moon Jae-in, who vowed when elected not to allow any new reactors (NYT). SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India Leads in Startling Report on Pollution Deaths One in six deaths per year, or some nine million in total, are caused by air and water pollution (FT), according to a new study published in the medical journal Lancet. India accounted for the largest number of such deaths (Hindustan Times), at roughly 2.5 million. UZBEKISTAN: Uzbek authorities have released opposition activist Muhammadali Qoraboev (RFE/RL) after serving eleven years in prison for extortion charges. He is the fourteenth political prisoner to be released since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office late last year. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Tillerson Heads to Riyadh for Iraq-Saudi Arabia Meeting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will attend on Friday the first meeting (Saudi Gazette) between the governments of Riyadh and Baghdad, which will include both Saudi King Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The two countries signed an agreement to improve relations (VOA) four months ago. SYRIA: The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which recaptured the de facto capital of the self-proclaimed Islamic State this week, said the people of Raqqa will run their own affairs (Reuters) within the framework of a "decentralized, federal democratic Syria." This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's at stake in post-ISIS Iraq and Syria. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA FBI Joins Probe of U.S. Soldier Deaths in Niger The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the U.S. military's probe into the deaths of four soldiers who were ambushed by militants earlier this month (WSJ) while on patrol in Niger. Lawmakers have said they were not properly briefed on the nature of the U.S. mission in the West African country. MADAGASCAR: The number of plague cases in Madagascar has doubled in five days to top one thousand (VOA), with 67 percent of them pneumonic, according to the United Nations. Pneumonic plague is less common and considered more severe than bubonic plague. EUROPE EU Leaders Say Won't Intervene in Catalonia European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that there is "no room" for EU action or mediation (BBC) in the standoff between leaders in Madrid and Catalonia. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said that Europe would not "recognize an independent Catalonia" (FT). Sebastian Balfour lays out the differences between Madrid and Catalonia in Foreign Affairs. ITALY: Lombardy and Veneto, two of Italy's wealthiest regions, will host referendums on seeking greater autonomy (Guardian) on Sunday. AMERICAS Venezuelan Judges Given Refuge in Chile Five judges named to the Supreme Court by the opposition-controlled National Assembly have been granted political asylum in Chile (LAHT) after the government of President Nicolas Maduro called their appointments illegal and threatened them with prison time (VOA). Adriana Erthal Abdenur and Robert Muggah discuss avoiding civil war in Venezuela in Foreign Affairs. UNITED STATES Haley Calls Russian Election Interference 'Warfare' U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday called a country's interference in another's elections "warfare" and responded to Russian complaints over recent sanctions, saying the United States wouldn't be "anti-Russian" (Politico) if the country did not interfere in its election. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush spoke out separately on Thursday (BBC) against the political climate in the United States. Obama denounced division and fear in the country while Bush said that "bigotry seems emboldened." 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 20, 2017 at 09:58PM
Daily Brief: Madrid Threatens to Suspend Catalan Autonomy
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. October 19, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Madrid Threatens to Suspend Catalan Autonomy Madrid vowed on Thursday to take emergency measures, including invoking a constitutional article (DW) that has never before been used, to prevent Catalonia from declaring independence from Spain. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont sent a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy shortly before a Thursday morning deadline threatening a formal declaration of independence (FT) by Catalonia's parliament. Rajoy called a special cabinet meeting for Saturday to decide whether to trigger Article 155 of Spain's constitution, which would allow Madrid to suspend the region's autonomy and take over governance. Some 90 percent of Catalan voters (NYT) favored independence in a referendum held earlier this month. ANALYSIS "Victory by force won't reconcile Catalonia to remaining part of Spain. Rajoy should drop the deadline and propose talks without preconditions," writes Bloomberg. "Madrid's heavy-handed response to the referendum has resulted in the Spanish state losing legitimacy among many, if not most, Catalans," Sebastian Balfour writes for Foreign Affairs. "Appeals to democracy have been used and misused by both sides in the dispute over Catalonia's referendum," Richard Youngs writes for Carnegie Europe. PACIFIC RIM Labour's Ardern Set to Lead New Zealand The Labour Party's Jacinda Ardern, 37, is set to become New Zealand's youngest prime minister (NYT) in more than 150 years after a minor party threw its support behind her in a coalition government deal on Thursday. Her ascension marks an end to the center-right National Party's nine years in power. CHINA: China posted economic growth of 6.8 percent (WSJ) in the third quarter, boosted by strong manufacturing and exports. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Majority of Afghan Army Unit Killed in Attack At least forty-three soldiers from an Afghan army unit were killed in an attack in Kandahar Province on Thursday by militants using an explosives-laden vehicle (NYT). It was the third major attack on Afghan security personnel (BBC) this week. Kosh Sadat and General Stan McChrystal write that a political solution to the problem of the Taliban is preferable in Foreign Affairs. PAKISTAN: Ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter, and son-in-law were indicted in an Islamabad court (Dawn) on Thursday for corruption charges regarding the sources of income used to pay for luxury properties in London. All three pleaded not guilty. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Germany to Suspend Training of Iraqi Kurds The defense minister announced that Germany will suspend its training of the Iraqi peshmerga (DW), to whom the country has provided more than $100 million in weapons, to avoid sending what she called a "wrong signal." PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: The U.S. special envoy to the Middle East said Thursday that a new Palestinian unity government between the ruling Fatah party and the militant group Hamas must recognize the state of Israel and disarm Hamas (Middle East Eye). Dana El Kurd writes in Foreign Affairs that the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation takes Palestine a step back. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Tens of Thousands Demonstrate in Somalia After Bombing Ten of thousands protested in major Somali cities on Wednesday, condemning a Saturday attack that killed nearly three hundred people. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and demonstrators denounced the militant group al-Shabab following the attack, though the group has yet to claim responsibility for it (VOA). SOUTH AFRICA: U.S. authorities are reportedly probing individuals and companies in the United States for connections to South Africa's Gupta brothers (FT), a prominent family accused of using its friendship with President Jacob Zuma to direct government appointments and win state contracts. EUROPE Czech Billionaire Front-Runner in Parliamentary Elections An antiestablishment party led by Czechoslovakia's second-richest man (DW) is a front-runner in parliamentary elections set for this weekend. The billionaire tycoon, Andrej Babis, has been skeptical of the euro (FT) and critical of European migration policy. AMERICAS Brazilian Olympics Head Charged With Corruption Federal prosecutors have charged Brazil's Olympic Committee president (NPR), Carlos Nuzman, and businessman Arthur Cesar de Menezes Soares Filho, a fugitive in the United States, with corruption and money laundering for a bribery scheme to secure Rio de Janeiro's successful bid (NYT) to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Brazil's corruption fallout. ARGENTINA: Authorities are working to identify a body discovered in a riverbed in southern Argentina (BBC) thought to be that of a missing activist who campaigned for indigenous rights. The activist's disappearance caused national outcry, leading both government and opposition parties to cease campaigning ahead of Sunday elections. UNITED STATES Tillerson Touts U.S.-India Relationship Ahead of Trip U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that "shared values and vision" with India make the United States, compared with China, a long-term partner for the South Asian nation (WSJ). Tillerson travels to India next week. Homeland security officials said Chad, a U.S. counterterrorism partner, was added to the Trump administration's latest travel ban because the country ran out of passport paper (AP) and could not provide a passport sample as part of compliance requirements. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: October 19, 2017 at 10:03PM
