Daily Brief: Catalan Vote Again Backs Secessionists
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 22, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Catalan Vote Again Backs Secessionists Editor’s note: There will be no Daily Brief on Monday, December 25, for Christmas. An election in Spain's Catalonia region delivered a victory to secessionist parties, who maintained a narrow majority, winning 70 of the 135 seats in the regional assembly (Bloomberg) in snap elections on Thursday. Madrid had called the snap election after it took over powers from the Catalan regional government (Guardian) in retaliation for its declaration of independence following an October referendum on secession. Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, who has been in exile in Brussels since then, called the Thursday vote a victory for the “Catalan republic” (NYT), while Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is expected to consult with allies today. The vote had a record turnout of about 83 percent. ANALYSIS "[The result] exposes the flaws in Rajoy’s strategy and the divisions in Catalan society, testing international support again for his hardline approach," Esteban Duarte, Maria Tadeo, Charles Penty, and Vidya N Root write for Bloomberg. "[Catalan] nationalism has already existed for more than 20 years, leaving its imprint on schools, university education, street names, official documents, public radio and television, and trials," Isabel Coixet writes for the Washington Post. "Hardcore separatists want to return to the path of civil disobedience, but the leadership appears to have realised that, with the European Union having turned its back, that route is blocked," Giles Tremlett writes for the Guardian. Trump’s Foreign Policy: Year One This timeline reviews the Trump administration’s push for an America First agenda during its first year. PACIFIC RIM Japan Passes Record-High Budget The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a draft budget for the fiscal year beginning in April that includes $45.8 billion in defense expenditures (Japan Times). The increased spending will cover purchases of U.S.-made equipment (DW), including missile interceptors and upgrades to Patriot missile batteries, in response to threats from North Korea. This CFR Backgrounder looks at North Korea's military capabilities. CHINA: Entrepreneur Wu Xiangyang was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for selling virtual private networks (AP), a popular technology that allows users to circumvent government blocks on the internet. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pence Sees ‘Real Progress’ on Afghanistan Trip U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to U.S. troops (RFE/RL) in Afghanistan and met with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. The leaders, Pence said, expressed hope the Taliban would soon tire of war and come to negotiate. INDIA: The Foreign Ministry pledged $25 million in development aid to Myanmar, including funds to build houses for Rohingya refugees (Reuters) to return to Rakhine State after fleeing a military crackdown there. CFR's Alyssa Ayres discusses the world's fastest-growing humanitarian crisis. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Cholera Cases in Yemen Reach One Million Some one million Yemenis have contracted cholera (NPR) and two thousand died from the disease since the outbreak began in April, the Red Cross and the United Nations announced. Also on Thursday, a U.S. State Department official said the United States believes that there is “no military solution” to the war (Al Jazeera) and that Houthi rebels have a place in a political settlement. CFR's Michael P. Dempsey writes for CNN that the war in Yemen is one no one can win. IRAQ: Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said that the country will cease conducting air strikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (BBC) and bring home six of its jets following Iraq’s recent announcement that it has defeated the militant group. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA South Sudan Cease-Fire to Begin Sunday Representatives from the Transitional Government of National Unity and the armed opposition signed a cease-fire in Addis Ababa (Sudan Tribune) on Thursday seeking to revive a 2015 peace deal that fell apart last year. SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa downgraded its Tel Aviv embassy to a liaison office (Reuters) as the incoming secretary-general of the ruling African National Congress expressed the party’s support for Palestinians. The announcement came as the UN General Assembly voted to oppose the United States’ planned relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem. EUROPE British Foreign Secretary Visits Russia UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, the first such visit by a British foreign secretary in five years (BBC). Lavrov denied Russian interference in the Brexit referendum and said it is “not at our initiative” (Guardian) that UK-Russia relations had reached a “low point.” AMERICAS Peruvian President Survives Impeachment Vote Lawmakers fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to impeach President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who is accused of graft and perjury (NYT) related to a far-reaching corruption probe centered on the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. BRAZIL: Aerospace manufacturer Boeing is in talks to take over Brazil's Embraer (FT), a passenger jet maker, in what would be a multibillion-dollar deal. UNITED STATES 128 States Vote Against U.S. Jerusalem Position at UN The UN General Assembly backed a nonbinding resolution calling any decision on the status of Jerusalem “null and void,” following the United States' announcement (BBC) that it would recognize the city as Israel’s capital. Thirty-five countries, including Canada and Mexico, abstained from the vote, and eight joined the United States. This Backgrounder examines the stakes in Jerusalem. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis became the first defense secretary to visit the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (AP), since Donald Rumsfeld in 2002. Mattis told U.S. personnel, "I am confident that we’re doing the right thing here." 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: December 22, 2017 at 11:10PM
Daily Brief: Tensions High Ahead of UN Jerusalem Vote
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 21, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Tensions High Ahead of UN Jerusalem Vote The UN General Assembly is expected today to pass a resolution opposing any change to Jerusalem's status. The vote has prompted tense statements from global leaders, including U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who threatened to cut U.S. aid to countries that vote against the U.S. position. The draft resolution reaffirms a UN position dating back five decades, which calls for the city's status to be decided in direct negotiations (Guardian) between Israelis and Palestinians. In 2012, 138 countries voted to grant UN non-member status (Al Jazeera) to Palestine. Analysts say a similar number are expected to vote in favor of the resolution on Thursday. Ahead of the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the United Nations (Haaretz) as a "house of lies." ANALYSIS "Trump argued that recognizing the city as Israel's capital was 'a long overdue step to advance the peace process and the work towards a lasting agreement.' More and more it appears that Trump's move will have just the opposite effect," CFR President Richard N. Haass writes for Project Syndicate. "Accepting Jerusalem, holy to three monotheistic religions, as Israel's capital sends the message to Israel and the world that 'might is right' and that the United States accepts that Israel can use force whenever it wishes to expand its borders," Diana Buttu writes for the Washington Post. "Israelis find it insulting that the legitimacy of their country is constantly tied to Palestinian independence. This is not to say the issue is not important, and most Israelis agree that a solution to the conflict is essential. Nevertheless, certainly to the Jewish world, Israel's existence and legitimacy must be treated as a stand-alone issue," Dan Feferman writes for Haaretz. Pivotal Elections of 2017 This slideshow recaps consequential elections around the world in the past year, while CFR's James M. Lindsay previews ten elections to watch in 2018. PACIFIC RIM Myanmar Blocks UN Human Rights Investigator The Myanmar government said on Wednesday it will not cooperate with UN human rights envoy Yanghee Lee nor grant her access to the country to investigate rights abuses there (DW), calling a statement she made in July biased. In Foreign Affairs, Sally Kantar discusses the Myanmar military's legacy of impunity. AUSTRALIA: The family of an Australian woman shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer (BBC) in July said on Thursday they are concerned that an investigation into her death was not properly handled. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S., Uzbek Leaders Talk Regional Security Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke with President Trump this week to discuss the U.S. war in Afghanistan (RFE/RL) and Uzbekistan's role in supporting U.S. strategy in Central and South Asia, according to the White House. The Uzbek president's office said Trump commended the country's "new stage of democratic changes and economic reforms." KAZAKHSTAN: The Bank of New York Mellon has reportedly frozen $22 billion in assets held by Kazakhstan (Reuters) over a lawsuit by a Moldovan businessman and his son against the government. The men allege they were subject to harassment by the state. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Investigation Raises Mosul Civilian Death Toll The Iraqi government and the U.S.-led coalition fighting the self-proclaimed Islamic State were responsible for at least 3,200 civilian deaths (AP) during the nine-month battle to regain control of Mosul, according to a new Associated Press report. The coalition has acknowledged responsibility for 326 deaths. Benjamin Bahney and Patrick B. Johnston discuss the future of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Uganda Scraps Presidential Age Limit The Ugandan parliament voted on Wednesday to do away with an age limit for presidential contenders (DW), a move that will allow President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for thirty-one years, to run again in 2021 elections. ZIMBABWE: In his first State of the Nation address since taking office last month (VOA), President Emmerson Mnangagwa vowed to open the country to foreign investment and hold free elections next year. EUROPE Catalans Vote in Regional Election Voters in Spain's Catalonia return to the polls on Thursday for a regional election that will indicate whether they continue to back independence from Madrid (FT) or seek reconciliation with the central government. Madrid called for the election after it stripped the regional government of its powers (Guardian) following an independence referendum. UKRAINE: The United States has approved an export license for Ukraine to buy small arms from U.S. manufacturers (RFE/RL), though it did not approve the sale of larger weapons, such as anti-tank missiles. AMERICAS Canada's Trudeau Broke Ethics Rules, Watchdog Says Canada's ethics commissioner said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated conflict-of-interest rules (Guardian) when he accepted trips to a private Bahamian island owned by spiritual leader and philanthropist Aga Khan, whose foundation is registered as a lobby. UNITED STATES U.S. Life Expectancy Declines for Second Year Americans' life expectancy dropped in 2016 for the second consecutive year, according to new government figures, as drug overdose deaths increased 21 percent to reach 63,600 (AP). The last such decline was during a 1962–63 flu epidemic (WaPo). This CFR Backgrounder looks at the U.S. opioid epidemic. The United States imposed sanctions on Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (DW), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday for human rights abuses including torture and murder. GLOBAL Cost of Disasters in 2017 Jumps 63 Percent Insured losses from disasters this year cost an estimated $306 billion (BBC), the third-highest toll on record, according to a new report by the insurer Swiss Re. The company attributed the spike to wildfires and hurricanes in the Americas. 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: December 21, 2017 at 10:50PM
Daily Brief: EU Issues Unprecedented Rebuke to Poland
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 20, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA EU Issues Unprecedented Rebuke to Poland The European Commission triggered Article 7 of the bloc's principal treaty against Poland on Wednesday over concern for the rule of law, marking an unprecedented use of the article (Guardian) to threaten the ruling right-wing government with sanctions. The move gives Poland three months to implement recommended measures (EUobserver) for the disciplinary proceedings to be suspended. Until then, EU members may vote to determine whether democratic values face a "clear risk" in Poland (Bloomberg) and impose sanctions against the country, including the suspension of Poland's voting rights as an EU member. The bloc's move comes after the Polish senate passed legislation last week to give the executive greater control over top judges. ANALYSIS "At the core of it, the Polish ruling party is alleging that it is exercising sovereignty and taking [back] control. There is talk of a Polexit. It is clear that national sovereignty is vital to Poland, and it is often referred to by Polish authorities in response to the EU Commission's criticisms of its reforms of the judiciary," Agata Fijalkowski said in an interview with CFR. "Poland's fraught history of nation building, repeatedly interrupted by wars and occupation, provides right-wing activists with a rich supply of martyrdom and betrayal tropes to support the vision of Poland as surrounded by internal and external enemies," Volha Charnysh writes for Foreign Affairs. "After years of juggling crises including Greece's debt saga and the worst migration emergency since World War II, EU leaders are turning their attention to the rise of populist, euroskeptic forces that reject the bloc's values," Marek Strzelecki and Ewa Krukowska write for Bloomberg. Ten Most Significant World Events of 2017 CFR's James M. Lindsay counts down this year's biggest events, from Robert Mugabe's ouster in Zimbabwe to Donald J. Trump's inauguration. PACIFIC RIM South Korea Considers Postponing Drills With U.S. President Moon Jae-in said South Korea could postpone military drills with the United States to reduce tensions with Pyongyang (Guardian) ahead of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, and that he would like to see North Korean athletes take part in the upcoming games. MYANMAR: The United States has called on Myanmar to release two journalists from the news agency Reuters who were arrested on December 12 (VOA) while reporting on a military crackdown in Rakhine State. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Rohingya crisis. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Three Dead in Kashmir Fighting A woman was killed and twenty people injured (Al Jazeera) in clashes between Indian security forces and demonstrators in a Kashmiri village after a gun battle on Tuesday killed two suspected rebels (AP). MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UNGA to Hold Emergency Session on Jerusalem U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned member states against censuring the United States (Reuters) ahead of a rare emergency session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday to vote on a resolution condemning the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital earlier this month. YEMEN: At least 136 civilians, including more than a dozen children, have been killed in eleven days of air strikes (Al Jazeera) by the Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi to power, according to the United Nations. Oxfam's Scott Paul discusses the Saudi blockade in Yemen in this CFR interview. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA A Third of Somali Troops Unarmed, Government Says A Somali government assessment has found that up to 30 percent of its troops guarding military bases in the country (VOA) are unarmed. The defense minister said there are also "gaps" in the number of personnel present on bases. ANGOLA: The state oil company Sonangol has announced an investigation into possible misappropriation of funds (AFP) by its former head Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. EUROPE Uber Loses Major EU Court Battle The European Union's highest court ruled on Wednesday that the ride-sharing company Uber is a transportation service (FT), meaning it cannot be classified as a digital company that only acts as an intermediary for customers and will be subject to increased regulation. AMERICAS Ex-Odebrecht Head Released From Prison Marcelo Odebrecht, whose company is at the center of a widespread bribery probe (Reuters) that has involved political figures from across Latin America, was released from prison on Tuesday to serve the remaining seven years of his sentence under house arrest. The billionaire was arrested in 2015 on corruption charges (BBC). VENEZUELA: President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday that "terrorists" broke into a National Guard facility last weekend (Reuters) and stole a cache of weapons. Oscar Perez, a government opponent and former police officer who claimed he led the assault (DW), said the group took more than two dozen Kalashnikov rifles and three thousand rounds of munitions. UNITED STATES Senate Passes Major Tax Bill The U.S. Senate, voting along party lines, passed sweeping revisions to the tax code early Wednesday (FT). The bill, expected to be signed by President Donald J. Trump within days, includes generous tax cuts for corporations and temporary cuts for individuals. It will also open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (NYT) for oil and gas drilling. More than ninety Somali migrants were held in shackles for nearly two days on an airplane (Guardian) in Senegal earlier this month in a failed attempt by immigration officials to deport them from the United States, according to filings for a new lawsuit. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied the allegations. GLOBAL UN Says 258 Million International Migrants Globally The number of people living outside their countries of birth (AP) has increased by 49 percent since 2000, according to a new United Nations report. The countries with the largest number of migrants are the United States, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Russia. 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: December 20, 2017 at 11:03PM
Daily Brief: China Unveils Ambitious Plan to Reduce Emissions
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 19, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA China Unveils Ambitious Plan to Reduce Emissions China has unveiled long-awaited plans for a carbon trading market that will cover some 1,700 companies in a move praised by environmentalists (FT). The carbon trading scheme will initially cover only the power generation sector (NYT), which was responsible for about half of fossil fuel emissions in the country last year. Plans for the market, which would be the world's largest, seek to eventually include other sectors (Reuters) such as chemicals, paper-making, and steel. The chair of the country's development and reform commission did not say how permits will be allocated to firms or when trading will start. China surpassed the United States (Bloomberg) in 2006 as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide globally. ANALYSIS "It is a big vote of confidence for climate change initiatives globally from the world's largest emitter," said Sophie Lu of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. "Capping emissions for China's power sector is a daunting undertaking in any case. The sector emits 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, and a carbon trading scheme regulating it would be about 1.7 times bigger than the EU's carbon market," Emily Feng writes for the Financial Times. "All the power plants required to participate in the market will go through a rigorous verification process and then ongoing monitoring. That means, for the first time, the Chinese government will be able to build an accurate measure of the emissions coming from the power sector," Akshat Rathi and Echo Huang write for Quartz. What to Watch in 2018 CFR's Laura Taylor-Kale and Rachel Vogelstein join James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon to preview the coming year on this episode of The World Next Week. PACIFIC RIM U.S. Blames North Korea for WannaCry Cyberattack The White House publicly blamed North Korea on Monday (FT) for the WannaCry ransomware attack in May that affected some two hundred thousand computers in 150 countries, in a move apparently aimed at raising international pressure on Pyongyang. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pakistan Accuses U.S. of Failures in Afghanistan Pakistan's national security advisor said at a security conference that the United States exports "perpetual instability" to South Asia (VOA) and seeks to scapegoat Pakistan for its own security failures in Afghanistan. AFGHANISTAN: Germany's defense minister said on Monday that NATO troop reductions in Afghanistan in 2014 were carried out too quickly (DW) and that the Central Asian nation will "occupy us for a long time yet." MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA U.S. Vetoes UN Resolution on Jerusalem The United States used its veto in a UN Security Council vote on Monday that would have rejected a move by any state to change the status of Jerusalem (BBC). The vote, which U.S. envoy Nikki Haley called an "insult" (Guardian), followed the U.S. recognition of the city as Israel's capital earlier this month. EGYPT: The Italian energy firm ENI has begun production in the Mediterranean's largest undersea natural gas field (VOA). Egypt's petroleum minister said the project could save his country billions in annual energy costs. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA South Africa's ANC Changes Top Leadership The ruling African National Congress backed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa (WSJ) on Monday as its party leader and candidate for 2019 elections over Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a former wife of President Jacob Zuma and the president's pick in the leadership race. CFR's John Campbell discusses Ramaphosa's victory. SOUTH SUDAN: Rival South Sudanese parties began five days of meetings led by the East African regional bloc IGAD in Addis Ababa on Monday in an attempt to revive peace talks (Sudan Tribune). EUROPE France to Seek Tighter Asylum Rules The French interior minister said President Emmanuel Macron's government will introduce a bill next year (FT) designed to speed up asylum procedures for refugees allowed to live in France and deportations for ineligible applicants. UK: Hundreds of posts by Russia-linked Twitter accounts aimed to "extend the impact" of four terrorist attacks (BBC) in the United Kingdom this year, according to researchers from Cardiff University. The content included both anti-Muslim content and messages critical of such views. Chatham House's Keir Giles discusses Russian information operations on social media. AMERICAS Dozens Injured in Protests Over Argentine Pension Reform Some 150 people were injured and forty-eight people arrested in protests outside Congress (DW) on Monday ahead of a debate on pension reform. Hundreds of flights were grounded after the main trade union called for a twenty-four hour general strike (BBC). BRAZIL: A supreme court justice has backed a proposal to compensate bank depositors (Reuters) for savings they lost due to government policy implemented in the 1980s to end hyperinflation. UNITED STATES U.S. National Security Strategy 'Imperialist,' Russia Says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a national security strategy outlined by U.S. President Donald J. Trump (Reuters) on Monday shows unwillingness to "give up the idea of a unipolar world." The strategy accuses Russia and China of challenging U.S. power and interests (WaPo). CFR's Max Boot writes that Trump's national security strategy is a study in contrasts. A California court has temporarily halted the deportation of some fifty Cambodians (VOA) scheduled for Monday. Many of the detainees, all of whom were convicted of felonies, have been in the United States since childhood. 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: December 19, 2017 at 11:04PM
Daily Brief: Trump's National Security Plan to Focus on China, Russia
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 18, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Trump's National Security Plan to Focus on China, Russia U.S. President Donald J. Trump will present his national security strategy in a Monday speech, during which he is expected to stress a need to confront China and Russia (NYT) as they pursue unfair economic practices and tactics to control information to repress their citizens. Trump is also expected to address the countries' efforts to bolster their militaries and expand their influence globally (WaPo). An administration official cited China's island-building in the South China Sea and Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 as moves that challenge U.S. interests. Ahead of the speech, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster referred to China and Russia as "revisionist powers" (RFE/RL). ANALYSIS "The [National Security Strategy] isn't a strong enough document to constrain the president's actions, therefore I don't expect it will shape behavior, either of the administration or other countries toward us," Kori Schake said in an interview with Politico. "The inclusion of the tough language on China heralds a rockier period for Sino-U.S. relations next year. It also marks a departure from previous national security strategies, which did not incorporate trade and economic issues so prominently," Demetri Sevastopulo and Shawn Donnan write for the Financial Times. "While the document's description of pushing back against China on trade is familiar from the campaign, its description of the challenge posed by Russia seems at odds with Mr. Trump's own refusal to criticize President Vladimir Putin for his seizure of Crimea, efforts to destabilize Ukraine and his violations of a key nuclear treaty with the United States," David E. Sanger and Mark Landler write for the New York Times. PACIFIC RIM Myanmar Razed Rohingya Lands, HRW Says Buildings were razed in forty villages home to Rohingya Muslims (AP) days after the government signed a refugee repatriation deal with neighboring Bangladesh, according to Human Rights Watch. The rights group called Myanmar's stated commitment to ensure the safe return of Rohingya "a public relations stunt" (Al Jazeera). This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Rohingya crisis. INDONESIA: Authorities have recaptured an American man charged with drug offenses (BBC) who escaped from Bali's Kerobokan Prison. The prisoner had reached the nearby island of Lombok. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Nine Dead in Attack on Pakistan Church Two suicide bombers attacked a Methodist church in Quetta (Dawn) on Sunday, killing at least nine people and wounding thirty others. The self-proclaimed Islamic State (NYT) said it was behind the attack. AFGHANISTAN: Three gunmen were killed in an attack on the Afghan intelligence agency in Kabul (Tolo) on Monday. No civilians or security forces died in the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State (RFE/RL). Benjamin Bahney and Patrick B. Johnston discuss in Foreign Affairs whether the Islamic State can resurrect itself in Iraq and Syria. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Security Council to Vote on Jerusalem Resolution The UN Security Council will vote on Monday on a resolution drafted by Egypt (Reuters) that declares actions by any country to alter the status of Jerusalem "null and void." The United States, which recognized the city as Israel's capital earlier this month, is expected to veto the resolution (VOA). This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's at stake with the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem. SAUDI ARABIA: A French chateau that sold for $300 million in 2015 and is believed to be the world's most expensive house is owned by an investment firm managed by the personal foundation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, according to a new report by the New York Times. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA South Africa's ANC to Elect New Party Leader More than 4,700 party delegates voted early Monday to elect President Jacob Zuma's successor as leader of the ruling African National Congress. The winner of the vote, which pitted Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa against Zuma's former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is expected to lead the country after 2019 elections (DW). SOMALIA: Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said on Saturday that the Somali government requested the United States temporarily suspend aid to its armed forces (VOA) so the country could address corruption concerns. EUROPE CIA Intel Foils St. Petersburg Plot Information the U.S. intelligence agency shared with Moscow (BBC) thwarted a plot to attack a cathedral in St. Petersburg on Saturday, according to the Kremlin and White House. Russian President Vladimir Putin called his U.S. counterpart to thank him. PORTUGAL: The ratings agency Fitch has upgraded Portugal's investment grade from junk status, becoming the second agency to back the country's economic recovery (FT) under the ruling socialist government. AMERICAS Chile's Pinera Wins Second Term Former President Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire businessman, will lead Chile for a second time (LAHT) after winning a runoff election on Sunday with roughly 55 percent of votes. HONDURAS: The electoral tribunal declared President Juan Orlando Hernandez the winner (AP) of a disputed election last month with 43 percent of votes. At least seventeen people have died in three weeks of protests over the contested result. UNITED STATES Trump Says No Plan to Fire Special Counsel President Trump said on Sunday that he does not intend to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading a probe into Russian efforts to influence the last U.S. presidential election. Trump's statement came a day after a lawyer for his transition team accused Mueller of unlawfully obtaining communications (WaPo) sent and received by White House officials before the president's inauguration. This CFR Backgrounder lays out the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. 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: December 18, 2017 at 10:57PM
Daily Brief: Tillerson Pushes for New Pressure on North Korea
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 15, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Tillerson Pushes for New Pressure on North Korea Editor's note: Due to technical difficulties, there are no hyperlinks in today's newsletter. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet with the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss new ways to pressure North Korea to abandon development of its nuclear weapons program (VOA). The U.S. special envoy for North Korea called on Pyongyang to accept an offer made by Tillerson (AP) earlier this week to engage in talks without preconditions, though the White House later contradicted Tillerson’s proposal. Separately, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on Thursday and agreed to collaborate (WSJ) to counter North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The move signaled a warming of ties following a standoff over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea. ANALYSIS "It’s a fantasy that they’re going to willingly give up their nuclear programs so long as [North Korean leader Kim Jong-un] is in power. He saw the fate of Saddam and Gaddafi—why would he give up his nuclear weapons?" Vipin Narang said in an interview with the Washington Post. "In seeking to increase pressure on North Korea, the United States has shifted focus from pressuring only DPRK economic activity that is clearly illicit or weapons-related to a broader clampdown on all DPRK economic activities worldwide," Sheena Chestnut Greitens writes for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "The new president in Seoul is certainly seeking to engage Pyongyang. However, he must learn from the mistakes made by the blind pursuit of engagement over a decade by his liberal predecessors," Inhan Kim writes for the Washington Quarterly. PACIFIC RIM Australia Addresses Vatican Over Sexual Abuse A royal commission looking into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has called on the Vatican to reconsider mandatory celibacy for priests (Guardian), a move the Melbourne archbishop dismissed. The commission spent five years investigating (SMH) before publishing its final report on Friday. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Sonia Gandhi Retires From India's Congress Party Gandhi, who led India's main opposition party since 1998 (TOI) following the death of her husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, retired as the Congress Party's president on Thursday. Her son, Rahul, was elected unopposed to take her post (BBC). MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Israeli Business Delegation to Visit Bahrain A group of Israeli business leaders will visit Bahrain next month as a follow-up to a trip by an Bahraini interfaith delegation to Israel (Jerusalem Post) this week. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations (Al Jazeera), but Bahraini officials have indicated openness to stronger ties. SYRIA: The Pentagon said two U.S. jets intercepted a pair of Russian aircraft (WaPo) near the Iraq-Syria border on Wednesday in airspace used by the U.S.-led coalition fighting the self-proclaimed Islamic State. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA U.S. Suspends Aid to Somali Military The United States is suspending fuel and food aid for the majority of the Somali armed forces, citing concerns over corruption (Reuters) due to an inability to account for the use of assistance. A U.S.-Somali team sent to nine military bases found that soldiers at seven of the bases did not appear to be getting the food provided through U.S. aid. KENYA: Women, children, and men faced widespread sexual assault (DW), including gang rapes, by Kenyan police and security forces in post-election violence this year, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch. EUROPE EU Gives Go-Ahead for Next Phase of Brexit Talks Twenty-seven European leaders in Brussels on Friday authorized moving forward to a second phase of Brexit negotiations (AP) with the United Kingdom to hash out a new trade deal, among other issues. Negotiators reached agreement on issues of citizens' rights, the Northern Ireland border, and Britain’s outstanding financial commitments before moving ahead. UK: Police arrested two leaders of the far-right group Britain First (NYT) on Thursday on charges of using threatening speech to incite racial hatred. The group gained prominence after U.S. President Donald J. Trump posted videos from them on Twitter purporting to show violence committed by Muslims. AMERICAS Nephews of Venezuelan First Lady Sentenced for Trafficking Two nephews of Venezuela’s first lady, who were arrested in Haiti in 2015, were given eighteen-year prison sentences (DW) in a New York court on Thursday for drug trafficking. BRAZIL: Two-year-olds in Brazil who were born with microcephaly after their mothers were infected with the Zika virus could not perform functions such as chewing or sitting up (NYT), according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. UNITED STATES Iran Giving Weapons to Yemeni Rebels, Haley Says U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Thursday that the United States will build a coalition "to push back against Iran" after she accused the country of violating international agreements by supplying weapons to rebels in Yemen (NYT). The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along party lines on Thursday to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules, opening the door for internet providers to charge customers (WaPo) for faster access to certain websites. GLOBAL Child Casualties From Landmines Reach Record High At least 1,544 children were killed or maimed by landmines in 2016, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. The coalition said the number is the highest since it began record-keeping in 1999 (RFE/RL). Many of the casualties were in Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine, and Yemen. 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: December 15, 2017 at 11:44PM
Daily Brief: EU Summit Begins as Tensions Flare Over Brexit, Migration
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 14, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA EU Summit Begins as Tensions Flare Over Brexit, Migration European leaders are gathering in Brussels on Thursday (DW) for the final EU summit of 2017, with migration, defense, and Britain's exit from the bloc set to dominate the agenda. The UK parliament delivered an unexpected blow to Prime Minister Theresa May (NYT) shortly before the summit, voting to require that any final Brexit deal she negotiates be submitted to lawmakers for approval. European Council President Donald Tusk said a divorce agreement for Britain will be ratified at the summit on Friday (FT). Tusk also said a quota scheme introduced in 2015 to resettle migrants across Europe (DW) has been "highly divisive," a position the EU migration commissioner called "anti-European." ANALYSIS "It is looking like a 'soft Brexit'. No other final position sits comfortably within the three points of an EU27-UK agreed text, the European Parliament, and the UK parliament," David Allen Green writes for the Financial Times. "In a Europe used to divisions along political, geographic, and economic lines, [Brexit negotiations have] been a rare show of togetherness. But they may soon start reverting to type as governments express differences of opinion over what type of trade deal to grant the UK," Ian Wishart, Lyubov Pronina, and Andra Timu write for Bloomberg. "Confronting the intra-societal challenge to the European project will not be easy. It is a deep, generational problem that goes to the heart of national identity, history, and geography," Mark Leonard writes for Project Syndicate. PACIFIC RIM Thousands Killed in First Month of Myanmar Crackdown, Aid Group Says More than 6,700 Rohingya Muslims were killed in the first month of a government crackdown (Al Jazeera) in Rakhine State that started in late August, according to the medical charity Doctors Without Borders. The total greatly exceeds an earlier death toll (Guardian) of six hundred for that period. CFR's Alyssa Ayres looks at the world's fastest-growing humanitarian crisis. JAPAN: An alcohol ban and curfew imposed last month on U.S. troops (Military Times) in Japan was lifted on Wednesday. The measures came after a man in Okinawa was killed in a car accident involving a U.S. marine Japanese police said was intoxicated. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pakistan Expels Dozens of Foreign NGOs Pakistan has ordered twenty-nine foreign NGOs to leave the country within sixty days (FT); no official reason was given for the order. Islamabad expelled the aid organization Save the Children in 2012 after accusing it of being complicit in a 2011 U.S. operation that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil. KAZAKHSTAN: The mining company ArcelorMittal Temirtau has filed a lawsuit against hundreds of striking workers (RFE/RL) who have refused to surface from its mines since Monday as they demand higher wages. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Pence Postpones Trip to Israel U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has postponed an upcoming visit to Israel amid growing protests over the Trump administration's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital (Haaretz). The Palestinian Authority said it is "no longer coordinating" with Pence and the city of Bethlehem announced it will not accept the vice president. This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's at stake with the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem. SYRIA: A significant portion of weapons supplied by Western and Gulf nations to rebels fighting the government of Bashar al-Assad have instead ended up in the hands of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (VOA), according to a new study by a UK-based weapons-tracking organization. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Zimbabwe Orders Farm Occupiers to Vacate The government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power after a military coup last month, has ordered illegal settlers on farms to vacate the land (Reuters). Mnangagwa has vowed to compensate white farmers whose land was seized under ousted President Robert Mugabe. ETHIOPIA: The U.S. State Department said it is "troubled" by recent reports that fifteen people believed to be protesters were killed by state security forces (Africa News) in the restive Oromia region. EUROPE Irish Lawmakers Seek to Repeal Abortion Ban A parliamentary committee in Ireland has recommended repealing the country's constitutional ban on abortion (NYT). Terminating a pregnancy is currently banned there even in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother's life is at risk. AMERICAS Ecuadorian VP Sentenced for Odebrecht Corruption Vice President Jorge Glas has received a six-year prison sentence for taking $13.5 million in bribes from the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in exchange for government contracts. Glas is the highest-ranking political figure to be sentenced (BBC) in ongoing investigations of Odebrecht. VENEZUELA: A Utah man jailed in Venezuela since June of last year will stand trial on charges of illegally possessing firearms (Miami Herald). The man, a Mormon missionary, traveled to Caracas to marry his girlfriend, a Venezuelan. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Venezuela's humanitarian and political crisis. UNITED STATES Torture Goes On at Guantanamo, UN Expert Says The UN special rapporteur on torture has called on the United States to end the use of torture at the Guantanamo Bay military prison camp after saying one detainee was subjected to treatment banned under international law (Middle East Eye). The U.S. Defense Department denied the charge. U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster has accused Turkey, a NATO ally, of spreading extremist ideology "everywhere from western Africa to Southeast Asia." Turkey's foreign ministry said the statement was "astonishing" (VOA) and called on the United States to cease support for Kurdish fighters it views as terrorists. 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: December 14, 2017 at 11:03PM
