Venezuela's Early Election | Repatriating Rohingya | Signs of U.S.-China Trade Thaw
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 18, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Maduro Looks to Tighten Grip in Venezuela Amid Crisis President Nicolas Maduro is seeking to extend his mandate by another six years (Reuters) in a snap election this Sunday that has been denounced as illegitimate by countries across the Americas and Europe. Maduro will run against former Governor Henri Falcon, who broke with the main opposition coalition (AP), which is boycotting the vote, as well as evangelist Javier Bertucci, though Maduro is widely expected to win. The early election comes as a years-long economic and humanitarian crisis continues to rock the country, which has seen an exodus of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Canada has blocked Venezuelan expatriates (CBC) from voting at the country's embassy and consulates. ANALYSIS "Since announcing it would hold a 2018 presidential election, Maduro's government has severely limited who can appear on the ballot. Four of the five most prominent opposition leaders have been either jailed or barred from office—a main reason for the boycott," Marco Aponte-Moreno writes for the Conversation. "Falcon [may see] his candidacy as an opportunity to boost his standing among opposition supporters and, following the election, become a more prominent leader in resistance to the Maduro government," Felix Seijas Rodriguez writes for Americas Quarterly. "The situation in Venezuela could also be an opportunity for Russia and China to expand their emerging strategic partnership with nations in the Western Hemisphere. Both countries are increasingly using their military ties to counter U.S. influence around the world," Brian Fonseca writes for Foreign Policy. PACIFIC RIM China Drops Antidumping Probe Over U.S. Sorghum China's Commerce Ministry said the probe, which would curb U.S. sorghum imports (Reuters), would have "widespread impact on consumer living costs" and was not in the public interest. The move comes after two days of U.S.-China trade talks in Washington. CFR's Brad W. Setser discussed the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China. NORTH KOREA: Amid new uncertainty over a June summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders, President Donald J. Trump still appeared open to negotiations with Pyongyang but said it will face "total decimation" (WSJ) if it does not agree to abandon its nuclear weapons. This CFR Backgrounder examines North Korea's military capabilities. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Myanmar Asks Bangladesh to Repatriate Some Rohingya Myanmar requested 1,101 Rohingya refugees from a list prepared by Bangladesh of roughly eight thousand Rohingya to be returned to the country. Myanmar has said that repatriated refugees will be given national verification cards (Dhaka Tribune) that will allow them to find work. Kate Cronin-Furman discusses the Rohingya crisis and the meaning of genocide in this CFR interview. UZBEKISTAN: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (RFE/RL) on the final day of his U.S. trip, the first visit by an Uzbek head of state to Washington since 2002. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Assad Meets With Putin in Sochi Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a surprise visit to the Russian city (TASS) to discuss terrorism, a political settlement to the Syrian crisis, and rebuilding the Syrian economy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin told his Syrian counterpart he expects "foreign armed forces" to withdraw from Syria (NYT) following a political settlement, though it was unclear to which forces he was referring. IRAN: The European Commission's president said the body should protect European companies doing business with Iran from U.S. sanctions and that it will revive a so-called blocking statute (Al Jazeera) created to bypass the U.S. embargo on Cuba. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA HRW Reports Abuses Ahead of Burundi Referendum Security forces and members of the Burundian ruling party's youth league intimidated, beat, raped, and killed suspected political opponents in the months leading up to a controversial referendum on presidential term limits held yesterday, according to Human Rights Watch. DRC: The World Health Organization is holding an emergency meeting today (WHO) to discuss an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the international body raised the national and regional risk level to "very high." EUROPE Russian Ex-spy Released From UK Hospital A former Russian spy poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok (BBC) in the city of Salisbury in March has been discharged. His daughter was also harmed in the attack, which Britain says was carried out by Russia; she was released last month. AMERICAS Ecuador Reduces Security for Wikileaks' Assange President Lenin Moreno ordered additional security (Guardian) at Ecuador's London embassy to be immediately removed, the government said yesterday. The move comes a day after media reported Ecuador paid an international security company millions of dollars to protect Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who has lived in the embassy for nearly six years. UNITED STATES Florida Police Shoot Gunman at Trump Hotel A man who fired shots in the lobby (Miami Herald) of the Trump National Doral Miami resort early Friday was shot by police and taken to a nearby hospital. One police officer was reportedly injured in the incident. The Senate voted 54–45 to confirm the Trump administration's nominee to lead the CIA (WaPo), Gina Haspel, after lawmakers raised questions over her role in the agency's use of torture following the 9/11 attacks. In Foreign Affairs, Daniel Baer discusses Haspel's nomination and the torture question. GLOBAL Crude Oil Trades for More Than $80 The price of brent crude reached $80.50 yesterday (FT), its highest price since 2014, spurred by fears over an economic collapse in Venezuela and renewed sanctions on Iran. 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: May 18, 2018 at 10:03PM
Ebola Spreads in DRC | U.S.-Uzbek Partnership | Nicaragua National Dialogue
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 17, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Ebola Outbreak Spreads to DRC City The Democratic Republic of Congo's health minister said a recent outbreak of the Ebola virus disease entered a new phase this week, when a case of the virus was detected in Mbandaka, an urban center of more than a million people. Cases had so far been restricted to the rural area of Bikoro (CNN), about ninety miles from Mbandaka, in the country's northwest. The World Health Organization has sent to the capital several thousand doses of an experimental vaccine that appeared to be effective in 2015 testing (BBC) in Guinea following a major West African outbreak. The current outbreak is already believed to have killed twenty-three people (Reuters) among more than forty known cases. ANALYSIS "The [DRC] has good systems for diagnosing the disease—its reference laboratory was able to test and confirm cases within 24 hours. But when it comes to surveillance and monitoring its systems are weak," Chikwe Ihekweazu said in an interview with the Conversation. "Some experts also suspect deforestation could be a factor [in Ebola outbreaks], bringing infected animals and people together in the area when they may cut down trees," Dina Fine Maron writes for Scientific American. "There is no good reason [for the Trump administration] to rescind the $252 million in funds to combat the deadly virus, at a time when there are signs of a renewed outbreak that could pose a threat to Americans," former CFR Senior Fellow Laurie Garrett writes for Foreign Policy. PACIFIC RIM Former Malaysian Leader's Houses Raided Police searched two Kuala Lumpur homes (Al Jazeera) belonging to former Prime Minister Najib Razak this week. Newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he expects Najib to face charges of theft (Star) at the state development fund. On the Asia Unbound blog, Richard Javad Heydarian discusses Malaysia's recent election. CHINA: The United States and China will begin a second round of high-level trade talks (FT) in Washington today. Beijing is expected to propose buying more U.S. liquified natural gas (Nikkei) and agricultural products in exchange for easing penalties on telecommunications company ZTE. In Foreign Affairs, Philip Levy asks if letting China into the World Trade Organization was a mistake. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S. Looks to Boost Partnership With Uzbekistan The White House said Uzbekistan has made "tremendous progress" (RFE/RL) on social, economic, and political reforms since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came into office in late 2016. In a meeting with President Donald J. Trump, Mirziyoyev offered his "full support" for the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. INDIA: The minister of state for external affairs made a surprise visit to Pyongyang this week, the first such trip by a top Indian official (Hindu) since 1998. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Beirut Pride Week Canceled After Organizer's Arrest Gay pride week celebrations in Lebanon's capital were canceled after the event's organizer was detained (NYT) on Monday. Last year, Lebanon became the first Arab nation to hold a gay pride parade (BBC), though many religious organizations in the country still oppose homosexuality. IRAN: French oil company Total, which signed a multibillion-dollar contract last year to develop an Iranian oil field in the Persian Gulf, said it could not continue the project without a waiver protecting it from U.S. sanctions (FT). In Foreign Affairs, Ariane M. Tabatabai discusses how Iran could respond to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Rights Groups Call for Probe Into Ex-Gambian Leader Nongovernmental organizations Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International called on Ghana to investigate former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh's alleged involvement in the murders of more than fifty African migrants (AP) in 2005. EUROPE U.S. Court Sentences Turkish Banker Over Iran Sanctions A New York federal court sentenced a former banker at the Turkish state-owned bank Halkbank to thirty-two months in prison for helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions (VOA). One of the U.S. prosecutors said the case is likely the "biggest sanction evasion prosecution" ever in the country. EUROPE: The European Parliament's president said Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg will appear before lawmakers (Guardian) as soon as next week to discuss data privacy and protection. AMERICAS Nicaragua's Ortega Addresses Protesters President Daniel Ortega is holding talks with opposition and civil society groups (Guardian) moderated by the Catholic Church following a government crackdown on demonstrators protesting proposed social security cuts in which more than sixty people died. VENEZUELA: A Utah man arrested in Venezuela in 2016 when he traveled there to marry his fiancé said in videos posted to his Facebook page that his life was threatened during a prison riot (AP) this week. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Venezuela's political and humanitarian crisis. UNITED STATES Senate Panel Backs Findings on Russian Interference As part of a probe begun more than a year ago, the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee backed conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies (WSJ) that Moscow sought to influence the 2016 presidential election through hacking and spreading misinformation. 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: May 17, 2018 at 10:05PM
North Korean Hardball | Malaysia's Anwar Released | Backlash Over Gaza
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 16, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA North Korea Threatens to Cancel Kim-Trump Summit Pyongyang canceled high-level talks with Seoul scheduled for today in protest of ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills (Korea Times) and said it would reconsider a June summit between leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald J. Trump. A North Korean vice minister of foreign affairs accused top U.S. officials of contradicting intentions for dialogue by asserting that the country abandon its nuclear weapons ahead of any sanctions relief (NYT). A South Korean presidential spokesperson said Seoul believes Pyongyang is still committed to abandoning its nuclear weapons program (Yonhap) and that the cancellation is a "pain we must endure to get good results." ANALYSIS "North Korea and the U.S. agreed on the big picture, but they still have different ideas on a detailed process. Pyongyang is trying to boost its negotiation power with such actions," Jin Chang-soo told the Nikkei Asian Review. "With the drills as a pretext, Pyongyang is indirectly expressing discontent at the recent hard-line stances from Washington, such as moving the North's nuclear weapons to the U.S., removing biochemical weapons and raising an issue of human rights abuse," Shin Beom-chul said in an interview with the Korea Times. "South Korea's objectives largely align with those of the United States. But because a conflict would inevitably spill onto its own soil, South Korea is more likely to privilege political solutions over military ones," Robert Jervis and Mira Rapp-Hooper write for Foreign Affairs. PACIFIC RIM Malaysian Party Leader Released From Prison Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim left prison, where he was serving a five-year sentence on sodomy charges, after receiving a royal pardon (Star) on Wednesday. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has indicated he would hand power to Anwar (Guardian), leader of Mahathir's party coalition, in several years. In World Politics Review, CFR's Joshua Kurlantzick discusses the surprise defeat of Malaysia's ruling party in last week's election. INDONESIA: The self-proclaimed Islamic State said it was behind an attack on a police station (Al Jazeera) on the island of Sumatra, in which at least one officer was killed. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Taliban Launches Attack on Afghan Province's Capital The governor of Farah Province fled and local security forces retreated to their compounds on Tuesday as militants raided Farah city (Guardian), near the Iranian border. Insurgents carried out several similar attacks on the city last year. This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN: The neighboring countries concluded a fourth round of meetings on a joint peace plan, which included commitments to deny use of their territories (Tolo) to groups carrying out what they called anti-state activities across the border. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Diplomatic Backlash Over Gaza Violence Grows The Palestine Liberation Organization recalled its top envoy to the United States (Hill) and Turkey expelled its Israeli ambassador (Haaretz) after Israeli forces killed sixty Palestinian protesters on Monday, when the United States opened a new embassy in Jerusalem. Britain and Germany called for an independent probe (DW) into the killings. In Foreign Affairs, Khaled Elgindy discusses the political perils of neglecting Gaza and East Jerusalem. SYRIA: A global chemical weapons watchdog concluded that chlorine gas was likely used (DW) in a February attack on the town of Saraqeb in Idlib Province. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Africa Sees Sharpest Increase in IDPs in 2017 The number of internally displaced people across sub-Saharan Africa jumped by more than eight million last year, according to a new report by the Swiss monitoring group IDMC. Some 2.2 million of newly displaced people in the region were in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ETHIOPIA: The Foreign Affairs Ministry denied reports that Ethiopian envoys participated (Addis Standard) in the opening of a U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday. A Nigerian presidential official also denied his country's ambassador to Israel attended the event (Guardian). EUROPE Italian Parties Near Deal to Form Government Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right Northern League, said his party and the antiestablishment Five Star Movement will soon conclude government coalition talks (Bloomberg). A leaked draft of a coalition deal included a provision that would allow Italy to leave the eurozone (FT), though both parties have said such a provision has been removed. GERMANY: Six former employees of German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch are on trial on charges that they illegally exported weapons to Mexico (DW). AMERICAS Kellogg's Pulls Out of Venezuela The U.S.-based food company Kellogg's, which produces most of the breakfast cereal consumed in Venezuela (WSJ), said it is closing its operations there due to "economic and social deterioration." This CFR panel discussed how the United States should address Venezuela's humanitarian and political crisis. CUBA: The EU foreign affairs chief, while meeting with her Cuban counterpart, said the island nation could serve as a mediator (Reuters) between Venezuela's government and opposition. UNITED STATES U.S. Designates Head of Iran's Central Bank a Terrorist The United States added the head of Iran's central bank, accused of funneling money to Lebanon's Hezbollah (NYT), as well as another top bank official and the chairman of Iraq's al-Bilad Islamic Bank, to its global terrorist list. GLOBAL Total Billionaires Worldwide Reached 2,754 in 2017 The number of billionaires grew by roughly 15 percent last year (Guardian), according to a new report by the research firm Wealth-X, which said the increase was due to the "remarkable performances in equity markets and global economy." 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: May 16, 2018 at 10:05PM
Nakba Day Protests | An Ebola Vaccine in the DRC | NAFTA Deadline Nears
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 15, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Gaza Protests to Resume Following Monday Bloodshed Protests by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza that swelled on Monday are expected to continue today, Nakba Day, marking the Palestinian exodus that accompanied Israeli independence. The demonstrations, in which at least sixty people were killed by Israeli forces, erupted as thirty-five thousand protesters gathered near the Israel-Gaza border (CNN) ahead of the U.S. embassy opening in Jerusalem. The UN Security Council will meet today at Kuwait's request (KUNA) to discuss the escalated violence. At least three Palestinians were reported injured in West Bank demonstrations early Tuesday, while new protests are expected in Gaza (Haaretz) following funerals for those killed on Monday. ANALYSIS "Even if you completely dismiss the Palestinian right of return—which I find harder to do now that Israel's leadership has all but abandoned the possibility of a Palestinian state—it hardly excuses the Israeli military's disproportionate violence," Michelle Goldberg writes for the New York Times. "[There was] no discernible upside and considerable downside [to moving the embassy]: the United States played a big card for nothing, weakened its claim to be honest broker, [and] helped to fuel violence," says CFR President Richard N. Haass. "Both Jewish nationalism and Palestinian nationalism came to be defined by the idea of return," Nathan Thrall writes for Time. PACIFIC RIM North Korea Appears to Begin Dismantling Nuclear Site Satellite imagery shows several buildings at the nuclear test site in Punggye-ri have been razed (Korea Times), according to 38 North, a U.S. website that monitors North Korean affairs. Pyongyang is expected to show the dismantled nuclear site to journalists. This CFR Backgrounder looks at North Korea's military capabilities. MALAYSIA: Newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 92, said he plans to stay in office (WSJ) for two to three years before passing the premiership to a successor. In World Politics Review, CFR's Joshua Kurlantzick discusses the surprise defeat of Malaysia's ruling party in last week's election. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India's Ruling Party Leads in Bellwether State Election The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was on track on Tuesday to win the highest number of seats while falling short of an outright majority (Hindustan Times) in the state of Karnataka. The vote, which came a year ahead of general elections, is being viewed as a blow to the rival Indian National Congress (BBC), which now controls just three of twenty-nine states. PAKISTAN: A U.S. defense attaché involved in a traffic accident (Dawn) in Islamabad last month that killed a motorist and seriously injured another has left Pakistan, according to the U.S. embassy. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Populist Cleric on Path to Win Iraqi Election Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said his party is ready to "cooperate in forming the strongest government for Iraq" as preliminary results showed a coalition backed by influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr leading in Sunday's general election (Reuters). Results have not been announced in two provinces. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA WHO to Use Experimental Ebola Vaccine in DRC The Congolese government approved the use of an experimental vaccine for the Ebola virus disease that was developed in Canada and first tested in Guinea. It will first be offered to health workers (AP) treating Ebola patients. SOUTH AFRICA: The country withdrew its ambassador to Israel (SABC) on Monday after Israeli forces killed dozens of Palestinian protesters in Gaza. EUROPE Turkey's Erdogan Vows Tighter Economic Control President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in London to meet international investors and political leaders this week as the Turkish lira reached a record low against the U.S. dollar, said he expects the central bank to heed his calls for lower interest rates (Bloomberg) if he is reelected president in a snap election next month. SPAIN: Catalan lawmakers chose Quim Torra, handpicked by exiled Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, to lead the region. Torra vowed to continue the push for Catalan independence (El Pais). AMERICAS Venezuelan Oil Sales Drop 40 Percent in One Year The price of crude oil is expected to spike as Venezuela's production has dropped to historic lows (FT), reaching 1.1 million barrels per day last month, according to energy market intelligence firm Kpler. LATIN AMERICA: Economies in the region are expected to grow an average of 2.2 percent (Miami Herald) this year, according to the Inter-American Development Bank. The bank's chief economist called the pace "too slow to satisfy the desires of the region's middle class." UNITED STATES Trump Urges Trudeau Ahead of NAFTA Deadline U.S. President Donald J. Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about quickly concluding talks (VOA) to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as Trump faces a May 17 deadline from Congress to present a revised trade deal. Matthew J. Slaughter argues in Foreign Affairs that President Trump's trade rhetoric is already hurting the United States. Gina Haspel, President Trump's nominee to lead the CIA, is expected to win backing (Politico) from the Senate Intelligence Committee in a closed-door vote tomorrow. 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: May 15, 2018 at 10:04PM
Dozens Dead in Gaza Protests | Iraq's Election | Trump and ZTE
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 14, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S. to Open Jerusalem Embassy Amid Gaza Violence At least thirty-seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces (Haaretz) during mass protests in Gaza as U.S. officials arrived in Jerusalem to inaugurate the new U.S. embassy. The Gaza Health Ministry reported more than 1,600 people have been injured in the Nakba Day demonstrations (WaPo), which are also protesting the U.S. move. Presidential advisors Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan will attend the opening (BBC) of the U.S. embassy, which was relocated from Tel Aviv. Most countries maintain their diplomatic presence in Israel (Guardian) in Tel Aviv. ANALYSIS "Sharp contrast between Israeli celebration of U.S. embassy move and deadly violence at Gaza border. This contrast captures the starkly different lives and world views of Israelis and Palestinians—a tale of two realities that is on an increasingly destructive path for both sides," says CFR President Richard N. Haass. "The Trump administration may feel that it has the backing of some Arab governments in this regard, but as we saw in December on Trump's initial Jerusalem announcement, that Arab backing will not tangibly materialize when it is rejected by the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and while other Palestinians are dying at the Gaza-Israel demarcation line," Hady Amr writes for the Hill. "The U.S. no longer buys into the legal theory behind claims of Israeli 'occupation.' Other countries may soon follow, just as they are now announcing their intention to recognize Jerusalem," Eugene Kontorovich writes for the Wall Street Journal. This CFR Backgrounder looks at what's at stake with the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem. PACIFIC RIM Indonesia Bombings Enter Second Day Ten people were injured in an attack on a police headquarters (Jakarta Post) in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, on Monday. The incident comes after suicide bombings at three churches (NYT) that left at least seven dead and another explosion in a neighboring town, which appeared to go off prematurely, over the weekend. NORTH KOREA: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said U.S. private investment could help North Korea "create a robust economy" (CBS) if Pyongyang complies with Washington's demands for denuclearization. CFR's Patricia M. Kim discusses North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's mixed motives for negotiating peace. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Dozens Killed in Dust Storms Across India At least sixty-one people across four states were killed in severe storms (BBC) that saw strong winds and lightning down buildings on Sunday. Similar storms killed 134 people (Hindustan Times) in early May. SRI LANKA: A new office set up to investigate the disappearances of thousands of people (Al Jazeera) during Sri Lanka's civil war held its first public meetings over the weekend. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Coalition Backed by Shia Cleric Leads in Iraq Election A coalition backed by influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was leading in a preliminary vote count (WaPo) for Iraq's parliamentary election. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's coalition has not won any of the ten provinces (Rudaw) for which results have been announced; ballots are still being counted in another eight. IRAN: Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is on a three-stop tour to rally support for the 2015 nuclear agreement (Tehran Times) following a U.S. decision to pull out of the pact last week. After visiting China on Sunday, he is making stops in Moscow and Brussels. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the impact of the Iran nuclear agreement. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Burundi Holds Referendum to Extend Term Limits Burundians will vote in a referendum this week that could change rules on presidential terms to allow President Pierre Nkurunziza (Guardian), in power since 2005, to stay in office through 2034. Human rights violations have been reported ahead of the vote. SOUTH AFRICA: The government will take over administration (SABC) of the country's North West Province, a parliamentary spokesperson said, as local protests over corruption and poor public services (DW) have grown in recent weeks. EUROPE Turkey's Erdogan Meets With UK's May, Queen Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to London on Sunday (AP) for three days of meetings, including ones with Prime Minister Theresa May and Queen Elizabeth II, to discuss issues related to the Middle East and Cyprus, as well as bilateral trade. GEORGIA: Hundreds of people protested in Tbilisi over the weekend against recent antidrug raids by police (RFE/RL) that demonstrators said involved excessive use of force. AMERICAS Nicaraguan Military Calls for Protests to End The military issued a statement calling for dialogue following weeks of anti-government demonstrations that have killed at least sixty people (AP). The wave of protests was set off by a now-canceled proposal to cut social security benefits and increase payroll taxes. COLOMBIA: Former President Alvaro Uribe is being investigated for his role in assisting a paramilitary group in the 1990s (Colombia Reports), local media reported over the weekend, though Colombia's supreme court denied the report on Twitter. UNITED STATES In Reversal, Trump Offers Relief to China's ZTE U.S. President Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping are working together to help ZTE (NYT), a Chinese telecommunications equipment maker, find "a way to get back into business" after the Commerce Department penalized the company for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions against countries including Iran and North Korea. CFR's Brad W. Setser discussed the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China. 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: May 14, 2018 at 10:09PM
A Singapore Summit | Iran Sanctions | Niger Ambush Report
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 11, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Singapore to Host Kim-Trump Summit Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hailed an upcoming summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald J. Trump, set to take place in his country on June 12 (Straits Times), as a "significant step on the path to peace." President Trump announced the date and location for the highly anticipated and unprecedented summit on Twitter yesterday. A White House spokesperson said Singapore was selected due to its neutrality and its ability to ensure the security of both leaders (Straits Times). President Trump reportedly preferred meeting Kim in the demilitarized zone (NYT), a location viewed as politically fraught by his advisors. ANALYSIS "Trump's negotiating record after almost 16 months in office shows him supremely confident and adept at making dramatic gestures and issuing hardball ultimatums. Yet he and his team have demonstrated little facility in constructing compromise on thorny issues such as the one he faces with Kim," Toluse Olorunnipa writes for Bloomberg. "Rather than concessions, the White House should consider offering Pyongyang the opportunity for military-to-military confidence-building and perhaps even an invitation to participate in joint exercises one day," writes CFR's Patricia M. Kim. "North Korea has been selling the same promise to denuclearize for 27 years, getting a good price every time," Mona Charen writes for the National Review. PACIFIC RIM Royal Pardon Paves Way for Malaysian PM's Successor New Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia's king has agreed to pardon politician Anwar Ibrahim (Star), the de facto leader of the coalition that won the country's general election this week and who is in jail for corruption and sodomy. Ibrahim is expected to succeed Mahathir (Bloomberg), who is 92. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA In Tit-for-Tat, Pakistan to Impose Restrictions on U.S. Diplomats U.S. travel restrictions on Pakistani diplomats, which prohibit them from traveling outside twenty-five miles (VOA) of their U.S. embassies or consulates, take effect today. Pakistan's foreign ministry told the U.S. embassy in Islamabad it will place reciprocal measures (Dawn) on U.S. diplomats. UZBEKISTAN: The Uzbek government ordered the prosecutor general and labor ministry to end forced labor in the country (RFE/RL), where state employees and students at state-run schools have long been forced to work in cotton fields during picking season. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iran Denies Attacking Golan Heights Israeli charges that Iran launched missiles at the Golan Heights (DW), territory controlled by Israel since 1967, were "freely invented and baseless," an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said. He said the Israeli claim was designed to justify a Thursday attack on Iranian positions in Syria. IRAN: The United States and the United Arab Emirates imposed sanctions on several Iranian companies and individuals for allegedly running illegal currency operations from the UAE (WSJ). They are the first sanctions announced since a U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement earlier this week. In Foreign Affairs, Seyed Hossein Mousavian writes that pulling out of the deal will push Iran further into the camp of U.S. geopolitical rivals. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Ugandan Lawmakers Oppose UN Base Move Lawmakers criticized a proposal by the UN secretary-general to relocate a major logistics base (VOA) from the city of Entebbe to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, calling the move an injustice in light of Uganda's contributions to regional peacekeeping missions. GAMBIA: The finance ministry said it will sell a fleet of luxury vehicles and planes (Reuters) that belonged to ousted leader Yahya Jammeh to pay off debt incurred during Jammeh's rule. EUROPE U.S. Is Not 'World’s Economic Policeman,' France Says The French finance minister said European companies should feel free to do business with Iran (AP) despite a U.S. decision to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, which prohibit foreign companies that use U.S. banks from trading with Iran. SPAIN: Exiled Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont endorsed lawyer and writer Quim Torra to become head of the regional government, a move that could end months of political deadlock (FT). AMERICAS Argentina Begins Talks With IMF The treasury minister met with the International Monetary Fund's managing director and a U.S. Treasury official to discuss a so-called standby agreement, in which the IMF would lay out reforms Argentina must pursue in exchange for aid, to stem the rapid decline of its currency (FT). NORTH AMERICA: U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said the Trump administration must notify lawmakers of any revisions to the NAFTA trade deal by next Thursday to give Congress enough time to vote on a new agreement (Reuters) before its current session ends. Andres Rozental and Rohinton Medhora discuss what lies ahead for NAFTA on this episode of the President's Inbox podcast. UNITED STATES DoD Issues Report on Deadly Niger Ambush A Defense Department inquiry into an ambush in Niger last October that killed several American and Nigerien soldiers [PDF] identified a series of institutional and individual failures leading up to the incident. Among those highlighted were junior officers' mischaracterization of the mission (NYT) and incomplete training. U.S. net neutrality rules will expire on June 11 (Reuters), the Federal Communications Commission said yesterday, paving the way for broadband service providers to explore charging customers more to access certain online content. 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: May 11, 2018 at 10:02PM
Iran-Israel Escalation | Malaysia Election Upset | Italy Coalition Talks
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 10, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Israel Strikes Iranian Forces in Syria Israel launched a major attack on Iranian forces in Syria, the Israeli military said on Thursday after alleging that Iran's Quds Force attacked Israeli military positions in the Golan Heights, territory controlled by Israel since 1967. Israel's defense minister said the Iranian missiles either fell short of their targets or were successfully intercepted (Reuters) and claimed the counterattack "hit almost the entire Iranian infrastructure in Syria" (Ynet). There were no injuries reported (WaPo) among Israeli positions, though explosions were heard throughout Wednesday night. Russia's defense ministry said the Israeli missiles targeted Iranian armed groups and Syria's air defenses and that the barrage was carried out on the "pretext" of an attack (Tass) in the Golan. ANALYSIS "Israel-Iran tensions have been escalating in Syria for weeks now and we may very well get to a boiling point. This would only exacerbate the already disastrous situation in Syria and open another front between two regional powers," writes Georgetown University's Ariane Tabatabai. "The Israeli reaction was completely disproportionate: Massive bombing of about 50 Iranian targets in Syria, which probably set back Iran's effort to establish a military presence there by several months," Amos Harel writes for Haaretz. "U.S. withdrawal [from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal] has accelerated the escalation between Israel and Iran. Iran faces less restraint in terms of the timing for a retaliation," the International Crisis Group's Ofer Zalzberg said in an interview with the Washington Post. PACIFIC RIM Malaysian Opposition Wins Election Breaking six decades of rule by the Barisan Nasional coalition, the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition, headed by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, won 113 of 222 parliamentary seats (Al Jazeera). Mohamad, 92, is expected to be sworn in today (Star). CHINA: A former chairman of Anbang Insurance was sentenced to eighteen years in prison (Xinhua) by a Shanghai court for fraud and embezzlement worth an estimated $16 billion. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Uzbek Leader to Visit White House President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will meet with his U.S. counterpart (RFE/RL), Donald J. Trump, in Washington later this month for talks on regional security, trade, and investment, the White House announced. BANGLADESH: The South Asian nation's first satellite, which will be used for broadcast signal, will be launched from a SpaceX rocket (Nikkei) taking off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Oil Price Rises in Wake of Iran Sanctions Decision Brent crude futures reached $77.50 per barrel on Thursday (Reuters), the highest price since 2014. The increase comes amid expectations of market disruption following a U.S. decision to reinstate sanctions on Iran, which produces around 4 percent of the global oil supply. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the impact of sanctions relief under the Iran nuclear agreement. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Nigeria to Boost Security Amid Ebola Outbreak The country's health ministry will begin nationwide surveillance, including at airports, following an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (NAN) in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed at least seventeen people. KENYA: At least thirty-two people have been confirmed dead after a dam burst in the country's west on Wednesday (Daily Nation), releasing rushing water into a neighborhood of hundreds of homes. EUROPE Spain Moves Against Exiled Catalan Leader Madrid is asking the constitutional court to block a new law in Catalonia (Reuters) that would allow the region's parliament to reelect pro-independence leader Carles Puigdemont in a May 22 election. Puigdemont is awaiting an extradition ruling in Germany. ITALY: The antiestablishment Five Star Movement and the far-right Northern League, both of which made gains in a March election but did not win enough seats to govern alone (FT), requested another twenty-four hours for coalition talks in hope of avoiding the installation of a caretaker government and a new election. AMERICAS Colombia Officially Launches Truth Commission The commission, which had already begun preliminary investigations, is tasked with probing crimes committed during the country's decades-long civil conflict (Colombia Reports). It will not investigate individual crimes, for which a separate war crimes tribunal was created. BONAIRE AND CURACAO: U.S. oil company ConocoPhillips is attempting to seize Venezuelan refining and storage facilities (WSJ) on the Dutch-administered Caribbean islands after winning an arbitration award against Caracas. CFR's Amy Myers Jaffe and David R. Mares discuss the U.S. and Latin American responses to the Venezuelan crisis. UNITED STATES Trump Meets Detainees Freed From North Korea Three Americans who were arrested in North Korea in 2016 and 2017 (NYT) met with President Trump early Thursday morning at a Maryland air base after their release a day earlier. Trump said Washington and Pyongyang are "starting off on a new footing." This CFR Timeline looks at international negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program. Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called on lawmakers to reject President Trump's nominee to lead the CIA (USA Today), Gina Haspel, due to remaining questions over her role in the agency's use of torture after the 9/11 attacks. 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: May 10, 2018 at 10:07PM
