Ethiopia Releases Scores of Prisoners Amid Calls for Change
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 23, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Ethiopia Releases Scores of Prisoners Amid Calls for Change Ethiopia released 1,500 prisoners in the country's Somali Region, the latest in a series of mass prisoner releases as the government struggles to address rising social and political unrest since 2015. The Thursday release follows the surprise resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn last week. Hailemariam, who remains in office until the ruling coalition appoints a new leader, said the prisoner releases are meant to increase "political space" (Reuters). Some six thousand people have been freed in the past month (VOA), including opposition figures and members of the media. A state of emergency declared after Hailemariam's resignation, however, has sparked new protests and objections by international partners, with the United States saying restrictions on civil liberties undermine "recent positive steps" in the country (U.S. Embassy). ANALYSIS "The turmoil in Ethiopia requires political solutions, not the same old repressive measures that have brought the country to the brink of collapse," Mohammed Ademo writes for African Arguments. "A change of guard is not what the people want," Tsedale Lemma said in an interview with Al Jazeera. "Somehow, the new prime minister will have to find a way to balance the demands of the protesters, who will expect immediate, demonstrable change, with the needs of the powerful securocrats in the ruling coalition," Simon Allison writes for Mail and Guardian. CFR Event: World Bank President Jim Yong Kim discusses human capital and the future of global economic growth and security. Watch today at 1:00 p.m. (EST). PACIFIC RIM Australia's Deputy PM Resigns Over Sex Scandal Barnaby Joyce resigned as deputy prime minister after revelations of an extramarital affair and his use of an apartment donated by a supporter for Joyce and his pregnant mistress. Two women had also accused him of sexual harassment (NYT). CAMBODIA: The Cambodian Center for Independent Media, a watchdog group, said press freedom "collapsed" last year (VOA) following the closure of dozens of media outlets. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghan Tract of Regional Pipeline Underway Leaders from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, along with a top Indian diplomat, marked the start of construction for a portion of a multibillion dollar pipeline that will transport Turkmen natural gas to the region (RFE/RL). INDIA: Canada's high commission in New Delhi said it rescinded an invitation sent to an Indian businessman convicted of attempted murder (Guardian) for a dinner with visiting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA UN to Vote on Syria Cease-Fire Amid Protest by Russia Russia's UN envoy said a resolution calling for a nationwide temporary cease-fire in Syria is "simply unrealistic," requesting changes (AP) before an expected UN Security Council vote on Friday. IRAN: The deputy foreign minister said that the "atmosphere of uncertainty" over the future of the Iran nuclear deal has made it difficult for Tehran to stay in the pact (Al Jazeera) and warned of a potential nuclear crisis if the deal breaks down. CFR's Philip H. Gordon and Ray Takeyh discuss the future of the Iran nuclear deal on this episode of the President's Inbox. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenya to Implement IMF Reforms The finance minister said he will comply with International Monetary Fund conditions to halve the government's deficit over the next three years and reform a cap on bank lending rates to gain access to a $1.5 billion emergency standby fund (FT) that is set to expire next month. EUROPE Greek Lawmakers Approve Probe Into Bribery Scheme Ten politicians, including two former prime ministers, will be investigated over alleged bribes they accepted from the Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis (BBC). The scheme reportedly led to nearly $5 billion in losses (Guardian) for Greece's health system. AMERICAS Haiti Suspends Oxfam's UK Branch Haiti announced a two-month suspension of the charity Oxfam Great Britain while it investigates charges of sexual misconduct by its employees (NYT). Oxfam acknowledged that aid workers held parties with local prostitutes on company premises. ARGENTINA: Argentina's security service revealed that it foiled a plot to smuggle cocaine (BBC) through the Russian embassy’s diplomatic courier service. UNITED STATES Mueller Files New Indictments in Russia Probe The U.S. special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election filed bank and tax fraud charges (FT) against former Trump campaign officials Paul Manafort and Richard Gates. This CFR Backgrounder lays out the charges of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Pentagon said U.S. military leaders were told by their Russian counterparts (RFE/RL) that there were no Russians in a paramilitary outfit hit in a counterstrike by the United States in eastern Syria earlier this month. Russia said that dozens of its citizens fighting in the region were among the casualties. Dmitri Trenin discusses Russia's endgame in Syria in Foreign Affairs. GLOBAL UNICEF Deputy Resigns Over Harassment Charges The deputy director of the UN children's agency resigned following complaints by female staff of sexual misconduct (Al Jazeera). 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: February 23, 2018 at 11:10PM
UN Calls for End to Regime Siege of Syrian Enclave
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 22, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA UN Calls for End to Regime Siege of Syrian Enclave U.S. envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley joined top UN officials in condemning a siege (Al Jazeera) of an opposition-held area, calling for an end to the offensive to save civilians from what she called the "barbaric" regime of Bashar al-Assad. At least 335 people in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta have been killed since Sunday (Guardian), according to a UK-based monitoring group. The enclave is believed to be the final rebel-held territory near the capital as the country nears the close of its seventh year of war. Some four hundred thousand people remain trapped in the enclave, which is part of an internationally negotiated "de-escalation zone" (Reuters). The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution demanding a thirty-day cease-fire (AFP). ANALYSIS "The UN has almost begged the pro-Assad coalition, which includes Iranian-led militias, to agree to an immediate humanitarian cease-fire. Its appeals have been ignored," Simon Tisdall writes for the Guardian. "We are witnessing the re-escalation of conflict in the so-called de-escalation zones," Galip Dalay writes for Middle East Eye. "The four de-escalation areas witnessed a relative reduction in fighting in the months after the deal was signed, contributing to a narrative that the conflict was now winding down ahead of a political settlement," Hashem Osseiran writes for Syria Deeply. PACIFIC RIM North Korean Delegation to Attend Olympics Closing South Korea's Unification Ministry says a high-level North Korean delegation will attend the Olympics closing ceremony (WSJ) on Sunday, raising the prospect of a second inter-Korean meeting. The announcement comes shortly after the White House said Ivanka Trump, the daughter of U.S. President Donald J. Trump, will attend the event. CFR's Scott A. Snyder discusses Seoul's diplomatic goals while hosting the Winter Olympics. AUSTRALIA: The home affairs minister confirmed that Israeli intelligence helped foil a plot to explode an airplane leaving Sydney (SMH) last year. Australia charged two brothers (BBC) for the planned attack last July. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Trump Jr. Denies Conflict of Interest in Family Business Donald Trump Jr., while in India to meet buyers of Trump-brand luxury properties, dismissed questions about whether his family has profited from his father's presidency (AP), saying that they have passed up foreign business deals since Trump came into office. PAKISTAN: The Supreme Court banned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (NYT) from leading his political party, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The party had passed legislation allowing Sharif to lead it despite a court ruling last year that removed him from office. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Asylum Seekers Go on Hunger Strike in Israel Hundreds of asylum seekers at an Israeli detention center carried out a second day of hunger strikes and planned a demonstration for Thursday to protest the jailing of seven Eritreans (Haaretz) earlier this week after they refused to leave Israel. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Two French Soldiers Killed in Mali An improvised explosive device struck a vehicle that was carrying two members of a French counterterrorism force (AP) near the Niger border. About a thousand French soldiers are stationed in Mali. GHANA: The finance minister said he hopes to find several countries in the region ready to implement a single currency (DW) by 2020. EUROPE European Court Comes Down on Poland Over Pollution The European Court of Justice told Poland it will face financial penalties if the country does not comply with limits on air pollution (DW). The European Commission has warned nine other European states it could pursue legal action against them for violating pollution rules. MONTENEGRO: An assailant committed suicide after throwing an explosive device (Reuters) at the U.S. embassy in the capital of Podgorica. No casualties were reported. AMERICAS Maduro Proposes 'Mega-Election' in April Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed moving up legislative, state, and local elections (BBC) to take place along with a presidential election in late April in a bid to bring "democratic renewal" to the country. CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil discusses how the United States can respond to Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. CUBA: Six U.S. lawmakers, on a visit to Havana, called for the resumption of full staffing at the U.S. embassy (AP) there. U.S. staff were pulled from the country last year after two dozen diplomats reported mysterious ailments. UNITED STATES Trump Meets School Shooting Victims President Trump proposed arming more teachers and staff (WaPo) to address school shootings in the country during a White House meeting with families and educators. Some survivors of a massacre at a Florida high school last week declined to attend the meeting, instead lobbying state lawmakers in Tallahassee. This CFR Backgrounder compares U.S. gun policy with that of other developed nations. In its annual report, the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International accused President Trump (BBC), along with leaders in China, Egypt, the Philippines, Russia, and Venezuela, of "callously undermining the rights of millions." 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: February 22, 2018 at 11:04PM
Venezuela Touts New Cryptocurrency
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 21, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Venezuela Touts New Cryptocurrency President Nicolas Maduro said that Venezuela raised $735 million in early sales of its new "petro" cryptocurrency, launched amid deepening financial and political crises in the country. Maduro said that tax payments, tourist activities, and some oil and gas transactions can be made with petro (Reuters) and that the value of the cryptocurrency, the first ever created by a state, will be tied to oil prices (NYT). Caracas says the nearly forty million petro coins being sold in the presale, which follows a sharp devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar, will sell for $60 each. Venezuela's economy has shrunk by a third over the past five years, and the International Monetary Fund predicts an inflation rate of 13,000 percent (FT) for this year. ANALYSIS "Even a new administration would have significant problems stabilizing the economy. The feasibility of a stabilization program essentially depends on the credibility of a government's promise to keep spending in check," Francisco Rodriguez writes for Americas Quarterly. "The government increasingly needs to choose between using its hard currency to pay external debt obligations and feeding its population," writes CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil. "If you'd bought a million dollars' worth of bolivars fifteen years ago, it would now be worth just seven dollars. Imagine what that means for the money in people's pockets," Girish Gupta said in an interview with WLRN. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the national security challenges cryptocurrencies present. PACIFIC RIM North Korea Pulled Out of Meeting With U.S. U.S. administration officials said that North Korean officials, including the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, backed out of a meeting (WSJ) with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during the Winter Olympics the day it would have taken place. CFR's Colonel Daniel S. Morgan says the best path forward with North Korea is diplomacy aimed at denuclearization. PHILIPPINES: The United Kingdom sold $209,000 worth of surveillance gear to the Philippines, an apparent breach of British law that prohibits the sale of such equipment to states (Guardian) that could use it for internal repression. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pakistan, Russia Form Counterterrorism Commission Russia's foreign minister said a new joint Russian-Pakistani military commission will boost Pakistan's counterterrorism capacity (Tass). His Pakistani counterpart said he is concerned about the growth of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (AFP/Dawn) in neighboring Afghanistan. Shuja Nawaz writes in Foreign Affairs that President Trump's Pakistan policy is flawed. AFGHANISTAN: Human Rights Watch called for an investigation into the deaths of twenty civilians who were allegedly shot by Afghan special forces as they fled U.S. air strikes in Kandahar (RFE/RL) last month. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Palestinian Leader Calls for Peace Conference Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley, at the UN Security Council, traded accusations of obstructing peace talks (WaPo) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abbas called for an international peace summit to be held by mid-2018 (BBC). SYRIA: The Syrian government sent forces to support Kurdish militias (Al Jazeera) under attack by Turkey in the northern district of Afrin. Turkish forces carried out air strikes (FT) shortly afterward. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AU to Assist Zimbabwean Election The African Union is offering technical and financial assistance (VOA) to help ensure Zimbabwe carries out a credible election, which could happen as early as mid-2018, following the ouster of longtime President Robert Mugabe in November. SOUTH AFRICA: Five police officers were killed by armed assailants (SA News) in the eastern city of Umtata. The motive of the attackers, who fled the scene, was unclear. EUROPE Russia Acknowledges Citizen Deaths in Syria Clash Russia's foreign ministry said that dozens of its citizens who were not regular armed forces (BBC) were killed in a "recent armed clash" in Syria, noting that some Russian citizens are in the country of their "own free will." FRANCE: President Emmanuel Macron is expected to propose stricter rules on asylum seekers (Reuters), including doubling the time they can be detained to ninety days and making illegal border crossings punishable by one year in jail. AMERICAS Central American States Sign Free Trade Deals With South Korea South Korea made deals with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to lower tariffs on nearly all goods they trade (Korea Times). Seoul said the agreements will give it a new route into the North American market amid rising concerns over U.S. protectionism. UNITED STATES Lawyer Pleads Guilty in Russia Probe A Dutch lawyer who is the son-in-law of a prominent Russian businessman admitted he lied to U.S. federal prosecutors (DW) about his interactions with a former campaign official for U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Julia Ioffe discusses Russian President Vladimir Putin's goals in this episode of the President's Inbox. The chief executive of Qatar Airways called on President Trump to leverage "huge" U.S. military and financial interests (Bloomberg) in the Middle East to end a blockade of Qatar by several Gulf nations. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: February 21, 2018 at 11:03PM
Syrian Regime Lays Siege to Enclave Ahead of Ground Assault
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 20, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Syrian Regime Lays Siege to Enclave Ahead of Ground Assault More than 150 civilians in Syria have been killed in the last two days (Al Jazeera) as a government siege of the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta continues, according to a UK-based monitoring group. Local counts put the death toll on Monday alone at more than a hundred, bringing the total over the last three months (Guardian) to more than eight hundred. On Tuesday, the United Nations called on Syrian government forces, which are believed to be preparing a ground assault (Al Jazeera) on the enclave, to immediately cease the "targeting of innocent civilians and infrastructure." Eastern Ghouta is the final opposition-held territory (AFP) near the government stronghold of Damascus. ANALYSIS "After seven years and interventions by regional and global powers, the humanitarian crisis has heightened instead of abating, as forces loyal to Assad's regime and his Russian and Iranian backers seek an outright military victory instead of a negotiated political settlement," Kareem Shaheen writes for the Guardian. "Sieges of combatants to induce their surrender are considered lawful warfare. But the Assad regime employs siege aimed at civilians in opposition-held areas as a form of collective punishment and control. That is a war crime," Annie Sparrow writes for Foreign Policy. "There is no area in Syria that has accomplished what Syrians wanted in 2011," Rabi Nasr said in an interview with Status Audio Magazine. PACIFIC RIM New Zealand Declares Emergency Over Cyclone Cyclone Gita brought winds above 75 miles per hour (NZ Herald) and flooded roads and homes across New Zealand early Tuesday. Several districts have declared a state of emergency (BBC) as the eye of the storm was expected to make its way to the upper South Island. ASIA: The bank HSBC has reported a 2017 pretax profit of $17.2 billion (BBC), which the bank said has been boosted by its focus on Asia and lending related to China's Belt and Road Initiative. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Trump Jr. in India to Talk Indo-Pacific Ties Donald Trump Jr. has begun a week-long trip to India, where he will speak at an Indo-Pacific business cooperation summit (WaPo) alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. Potential buyers of Trump-branded real estate are being offered a dinner meeting with Trump Jr. (VOA) for a fee of $38,000. UZBEKISTAN: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told activists that the national security service "unjustly" imprisoned people (RFE/RL) under former leader Islam Karimov and that Uzbeks will see perpetrators of abuses brought to justice. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Egypt to Buy $15 Billion in Gas From Israel Israel's energy minister has announced a deal to sell $15 billion in natural gas to Egypt (FT), calling it the most significant accord with the country since a 1979 peace agreement between the two nations. ISRAEL: The population in Jewish settlements in the West Bank grew twice as fast (AP) as Israel's overall population last year, according to a settler organization–backed report. The founder of the report said that the internationally backed two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is "over." CFR's Steven A. Cook discusses how the two-state solution could die in Salon. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Scores of Boko Haram Suspects Convicted in Mass Trial More than two hundred Boko Haram suspects have been convicted in Nigeria (Reuters) on charges including involvement in a terrorist organization. They were given prison sentences ranging from three to sixty years, according to the justice ministry. CFR's John Campbell discusses Abuja's efforts against Boko Haram. GAMBIA: President Adama Barrow has announced a moratorium on capital punishment (Africa News), calling the move a "first step toward abolition." EUROPE Rhodes Scholarship Announces Global Expansion The Rhodes Trust announced on Monday that students from any country can apply for the Rhodes Scholarship (NYT), which had since its creation in 1902 been limited to people from a short list of countries. TURKEY: Turkey will rename the Ankara street (AP) that is home to the U.S. embassy after Operation Olive Branch, a Turkish offensive against Kurdish militias in Syria that has put the two NATO allies at odds. AMERICAS Peru's Fujimori to Stand Trial Again Former President Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a twenty-five-year prison sentence for human rights abuses before he received a presidential pardon (DW) in December, will stand trial for a 1992 massacre in which six farmers were tortured and killed by paramilitary forces. BRAZIL: President Michel Temer's decision to hand control of Rio de Janeiro's security over to the military will block a long-awaited vote on pension reform (FT) that had been scheduled for this week, since the constitution cannot be amended while a federal intervention is ongoing. UNITED STATES Students, Advocates Plan Protests Against Gun Violence Students and teachers across the country are planning school walkouts for March 14 (WSJ) and anti-gun protests in late March and April following a school shooting in Parkland, FL, last week that killed seventeen people. This CFR Backgrounder compares U.S. gun policy with that of other developed nations. Nearly a dozen special elections for state and federal offices have been scheduled following resignations by public officials (NYT) over sexual harassment allegations in recent months. 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: February 20, 2018 at 11:08PM
Tillerson Meets Erdogan as Tensions Flare Over Kurds
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 16, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Tillerson Meets Erdogan as Tensions Flare Over Kurds Editor's note: There will be no Daily Brief on Monday, February 19, for President's Day. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday as already fractured relations between the countries have worsened over continued U.S. support for Kurdish forces near Turkey's border. No U.S. aides nor an official translator were present at the meeting, which lasted more than three hours. Turkey's foreign minister attended the discussion (CNN), aimed at easing tensions amid a Turkish offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Tillerson said the "endpoint objectives" in Syria for the two NATO allies are aligned but that they have tactical differences (Bloomberg). U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with his Turkish counterpart in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the conflict, which Mattis said is "probably the most complex security situation" he has seen in four decades (WSJ). ANALYSIS "The level of distrust between the two countries over this issue of northern Syria and the implied threats that Turkish leaders had made against U.S. military forces in the area make [a resolution] extremely difficult," CFR's Steven A. Cook said in an interview on Bloomberg. "Turkey will not accept defeat in this battle [with Kurdish militias in Syria] no matter what the cost of victory. This is because a defeat would reflect negatively on the ruling party's image and reputation domestically and internationally," Asaad Hanna writes for Chatham House. "There is a genuine conflict of interest and this is something unprecedented in the U.S.-Turkey relationship," Lisel Hintz said in an interview with Kurdistan 24. PACIFIC RIM U.S. Blocks Chinese Deal for Chicago Stock Exchange The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has blocked a bid by a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group to acquire the Chicago Stock Exchange (NYT) for $20 million over concerns about lack of transparency in the deal. THAILAND: Myanmar's army chief received a royal decoration in Thailand (AFP) on Friday despite international outcry over military operations in his country's Rakhine State that the United Nations has condemned as ethnic cleansing. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA ICC Gathers More Than a Million Statements for Afghan Probe The Hague-based International Criminal Court has received 1.17 million victim statements from Afghans since it announced three months ago that it would probe war crimes in the country (AP). More than ten thousand civilians were killed or injured in the Afghan war (Guardian) last year, according to new UN data. PAKISTAN: The Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani for failing to appear in court over an alleged memo in which he sought help from the United States (VOA) to curb the Pakistani military. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Pakistan to Deploy Troops to Saudi Arabia Pakistan's military announced that it will send troops to Saudi Arabia (Reuters) for a "training and advise mission" that it says will not go beyond the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has called for Pakistan to deploy troops there since it began its intervention in Yemen in 2015 (Dawn), but Islamabad declared itself neutral in the conflict. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenyan Court Rejects Deportation of Opposition Figure Kenya's top court has ruled the recent deportation to Canada of lawyer and opposition activist Miguna Miguna illegal. Miguna's citizenship was rescinded after he took part in a mock swearing-in (VOA) of opposition leader Raila Odinga late last month. NIGER: The city of Agadez has seen a surge in the number of migrants (DW) congregating there as rumors spread that international authorities would transport them from Niger to refuge in Europe. EUROPE Oxfam Announces Reforms to Address Sex Abuse The head of the UK-based charity Oxfam has set out reforms, including the creation of an investigatory commission (FT) and more stringent reference checks for prospective staff, amid reports of sexual abuse by Oxfam workers in several countries. She said reports of Oxfam staff hiring prostitutes in Haiti "will shame us for years." RUSSIA: Russia is expected to export 36.6 million metric tons of wheat (Bloomberg) during its 2017–2018 season, the highest volume of any country in a quarter century. Chris Miller discusses Russia's Putinomics in Foreign Affairs. AMERICAS Head of Honduras Anticorruption Mission Resigns The head of an anticorruption commission for the Organization of American States who was sent to Honduras (AP) following 2016 popular protests there has resigned, citing a lack of support from the regional bloc. VENEZUELA: President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday that he will attend the Summit of the Americas (Al Jazeera) in Lima in April after Peru's government told Maduro earlier this week that he will not be welcome (Reuters). CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil discusses how the United States can respond to Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. UNITED STATES Former Trump Aide Bannon Questioned by Special Counsel Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon was reportedly interviewed for twenty hours (AP) over two days this week as part of the U.S. investigation led by Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election. CFR's Robert D. Blackwill and Philip H. Gordon discuss how to respond to Moscow's interference in U.S. democracy. A research team studying pollution in Los Angeles found that industrial and household chemical products are as significant a contributor to urban air pollution (Guardian) as vehicle exhaust. 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: February 16, 2018 at 11:03PM
South Africa's Zuma Resigns, Ramaphosa Voted In
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 15, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA South Africa's Zuma Resigns, Ramaphosa Voted In The South African parliament elected Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as president following the resignation of his one-time ally Jacob Zuma, bringing to a close days of tense negotiations between scandal-plagued Zuma and top officials in the ruling party. Top leadership in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) recalled Zuma earlier this week, telling him to resign or face a no-confidence vote (BBC). The vote to install Ramaphosa, elected as ANC leader in December, was largely symbolic since the party holds a majority in parliament (Guardian). Zuma, an anti-apartheid activist jailed alongside Nelson Mandela (NYT), led the country for nine years through economic decline and now faces potential prosecution for hundreds of corruption charges. Ramaphosa is expected to be sworn in later today (SABC). ANALYSIS "Ramaphosa has to think beyond the Zuma years and put an end to this governance by hysteria, because if he doesn't, he will be the biggest victim of the current chaos," Khaya Sithole writes for the Mail and Guardian. "Zuma had been able to hang on for almost a decade in the face of growing unpopularity—he survived eight no-confidence votes—by establishing effective patronage networks among party activists," writes CFR's John Campbell. "[Zuma's] departure will be his main legacy. It will set an important limit on the undue exercise of presidential power," Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh said in an interview with Al Jazeera. Event: U.S. Rep. Adam B. Schiff at CFR Schiff discusses the Russia probe and U.S. national security. Watch Friday at 8:30 a.m. EST. PACIFIC RIM Oxfam Asia Director Aware of Earlier Sex Abuse Cases The Asia regional director for the charity Oxfam said she was aware of sexual abuses cases (BBC) involving Oxfam staff in Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines before she assumed her role two years ago. She said recent outcry over sexual abuse charges against staff in Haiti has "taught us we need to do a lot more" to resolve the issue. PHILIPPINES: The Philippines will repatriate the body of a Filipina worker (WSJ) found dead in her employer's home in Kuwait. The country has banned its citizens from working in the Gulf nation and offered free travel for returnees. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghan Taliban Publishes Open Letter to Americans The Afghan Taliban has issued a letter addressed to the American people and U.S. Congress calling for dialogue to end the seventeen-year war (VOA) in Afghanistan. The militant group said the United States has lost thousands of its citizens and spent billions of dollars installing a politically fractious and corrupt ruling class in the country. MALDIVES: Tourists have canceled hundreds of hotel reservations (Reuters) in the Maldives since the country declared a state of emergency last week amid political unrest, serving a blow to an industry that accounts for a third of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Syrian Civilians Killed on 'Horrific' Scale, UN Envoy Says The UN special envoy to the Syrian conflict told the Security Council on Wednesday that reports indicate more than a thousand civilians in the country were killed in the first week of February alone (Al Jazeera), and said now is "as violent and worrying" a time as any in his four years as envoy. CFR's Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, in an interview on PBS Newshour, says the war over territory in Syria is ramping up to a new phase. IRAN: Some ninety currency traders have been arrested in Tehran for attempting to "disrupt the market," according to police, as the Iranian rial reached a record low (RFE/RL) this week. The currency has lost roughly a quarter of its value in the last six months. Vali Nasr writes in Foreign Affairs that Iran has an advantage in the turbulent Middle East. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Ethiopian Leader Announces Surprise Resignation Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, in power since 2012, has announced his resignation in a televised address (BBC), saying his departure is necessary to carry out reforms that will "lead to sustainable peace and democracy." His resignation comes amid deadly anti-government protests in the country's Oromia and Amhara regions. ZIMBABWE: Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a longtime opponent of ousted President Robert Mugabe, died in South Africa (BBC) after a battle with colon cancer. EUROPE Russian Security Staff Killed in Blast in Syria Fifteen Russian employees of a private security firm were killed in an explosion at an arms storage facility (AFP) in Syria's Deir ez-Zor, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitoring group said the company was there to protect oil and gas fields controlled by the Syrian government. In Foreign Affairs, Dmitri Trenin discusses Russian President Vladimir Putin's endgame in Syria. EU: GDP in the European Union grew 2.5 percent last year (BBC), the bloc's fastest pace since 2007. AMERICAS Mexico Says Pena Nieto–Trump Meeting to Come The Mexican and U.S. governments are organizing a meeting (FT) between President Enrique Pena Nieto and U.S. President Donald J. Trump for sometime in the coming weeks. The announcement came after Mexico's foreign minister met with senior U.S. administration officials at the White House on Wednesday. VENEZUELA: President Nicolas Maduro said the country's Miami consulate, closed since 2012, will reopen (Miami Herald) so citizens living abroad can vote in an April 22 presidential election. UNITED STATES Florida School Shooting Kills Seventeen A teenager with a semiautomatic rifle opened fire at his former high school (NYT) near Miami on Wednesday, killing seventeen people. The massacre is the country's seventh school shooting (VOA) so far this year. University of Pennsylvania physicians who examined U.S. diplomats who reported mysterious ailments while serving in Cuba (WaPo) found that they suffered "sustained injury to widespread brain networks," though the doctors could not determine the cause of such injury. 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: February 15, 2018 at 11:03PM
U.S. Intel Chiefs Warn Russian Election Interference Not Over
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 14, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S. Intel Chiefs Warn Russian Election Interference Not Over Top U.S. intelligence chiefs told lawmakers yesterday that Russia is expected to continue the use of tactics, including propaganda and cyberattacks, in an attempt to influence upcoming elections in the United States and Europe. Directors of the CIA, FBI, and the National Security Agency, among other agencies, were in agreement that Moscow has not ceased attempts to sway foreign election results (RFE/RL) since it was charged with conducting such a campaign for the 2016 presidential race. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said that "at a minimum" Russia would use deceptive social media to try to "exacerbate social and political fissures in the United States" (Reuters). Their assessment puts the intel chiefs at odds (WaPo) with President Donald J. Trump, who has doubted that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. ANALYSIS "It's an ongoing effort to destabilize our society and pit Americans against each other, which [is] as serious a threat as we face even compared to traditional national security threats," says CFR's Philip H. Gordon. "At its core, this assault is motivated by the Kremlin's desire to protect its wealth and power," former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Michael Carpenter write for Foreign Affairs. "It is critical that we think not only in terms of a direct response to Russia, but a reaction to the greater shifts in our society and, in some cases, societal failures, that allowed Russian meddling to become so effective," Nina Jankowicz writes for the Wilson Quarterly. PACIFIC RIM South Korea to Pay Some of North's Olympic Tab South Korea's Unification Ministry has agreed to pay approximately $2.6 million in bills (Korea Times) for the northern neighbor's cheering squads, musicians, and journalists at the winter games. Andrew Zimbalist discusses the cost of hosting the Olympics on the President's Inbox podcast. CAMBODIA: Lawmakers unanimously passed a bill making it illegal to insult the monarchy (DW), with infractors facing prison sentences of up to five years and fines. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Afghanistan Hosts Regional Military Chiefs Kabul hosted army chiefs from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, along with the U.S. commander for Afghanistan, on Tuesday to discuss insurgencies and narcotics trafficking (Tolo). A spokesman for Pakistan's army chief said his country has "eliminated all terrorist sanctuaries from its soil" (VOA). INDIA: Stock prices for one of India's largest banks dropped 10 percent on Wednesday after it informed investors it had detected $1.8 billion in fraud (CNN) in one of its branches. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Mattis Says Unaware of Russians Killed in Syria Strike U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he had received no information about Russian deaths (RFE/RL) in a U.S. air strike on Syria's Deir ez-Zor last week, which Syria said killed about a hundred people. Russian news outlets have reported at least four Russian casualties (NYT). ISRAEL: Israeli police recommended that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted for bribery and breach of trust (DW). Netanyahu denied any wrongdoing. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Police Raid House of Family With Links to South Africa's Zuma Three people were arrested in a raid (FT) on the Johannesburg home of the prominent Gupta brothers, a business family accused of using its relationship with President Jacob Zuma to win public contracts and influence political appointees. Parliament scheduled a no-confidence vote for Zuma to take place on Thursday as his party and opposition groups seek to remove him from office. CFR's John Campbell discusses Zuma's undoing in this Expert Brief. ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia has released and dropped all pending charges against a senior opposition leader who had been in jail since late 2015 after mass protests broke out in the Oromia region (Reuters). Nearly six thousand detainees have been released since January. EUROPE France Threatens Strike in Syria President Emmanuel Macron said that France will strike weapons-producing facilities in Syria (France 24) if he finds evidence that chemical weapons have been used against civilians, but noted that he did not yet have proof of such an attack. NATO: Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that fifteen of NATO's twenty-nine members set out plans to meet the alliance's spending targets by 2024, increasing overall spending by $46 billion (RFE/RL). AMERICAS Former President, Oxfam Official Arrested in Guatemala Former President Alvaro Colom and his finance minister, now chairman of the charity Oxfam International, were arrested on graft charges (NYT) on Tuesday. Colom is the fourth former president of Guatemala to face corruption charges since an international panel was set up to probe such crimes. VENEZUELA: Venezuela's UN voting rights have been suspended for the third time in as many years (AP) due to nonpayment of dues. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Venezuela's political and humanitarian crisis. UNITED STATES Bill Gates Warns Against U.S. Cuts to Foreign Aid In an annual letter on behalf of the Gates Foundation, philanthropist Bill Gates has warned that cuts to foreign aid (Guardian) proposed by the Trump administration could lead to millions of preventable deaths worldwide. 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: February 14, 2018 at 11:02PM
