Venezuelan Rights Abuses | A Libyan Election Plan | Hurricane Maria Death Toll
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 30, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA OAS Reports Years of Venezuelan Rights Abuses International experts, in a new report commissioned by the Organization of American States, accused Venezuelan officials of crimes against humanity, including thousands of extrajudicial executions and arbitrary detentions by government forces and allied militant groups. The regional body's secretary-general, Luis Almagro, said the panel's findings will be referred to the International Criminal Court (AP). Fatou Bensouda, chief prosecutor of the Hague-based court, has been leading a preliminary probe (ICC) into human rights abuses in Venezuela, which was opened earlier this year. Venezuelan officials denounced the report, which traced abuses back to 2014 (Reuters), as a "a grotesque media farce." ANALYSIS "Civil insurrections work better than economic pressure in breaking dictatorships, but only if the state is unwilling to repress them. Venezuela is not," Javier Corrales writes for the New York Times. "Western democracies should redouble their diplomatic efforts to try to convince members of the government coalition that there could be a place for them in a future Venezuela, if they take a step aside now," Mariano de Alba said in an interview with the Washington Office on Latin America. "[Venezuela's] middle ground—a sizeable percentage of the population opposed to Maduro—firmly rejects the type of street protests (the guarimba) carried out in 2014 and 2017 by the hard opposition that resulted in widespread disruption and violence," Steve Ellner writes for the North American Congress on Latin America. PACIFIC RIM China, North Korea Spotted in Apparent Oil Transfer A Japanese military surveillance aircraft saw a Chinese vessel appearing to transfer oil (AP) to a North Korea-flagged tanker in the East China Sea earlier this month, Tokyo said. The United Nations bans such transfers (WSJ) with North Korean vessels. This CFR Backgrounder lays out the sanctions on North Korea. JAPAN: The number of foreign workers in Japan doubled over five years (Nikkei) to reach 1.3 million in 2017. The largest numbers come from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brazil. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India, Pakistan to Restore Kashmir Cease-Fire Military leaders from both countries, speaking over a hotline yesterday (Dawn), agreed to comply with a 2003 cease-fire agreement along the Line of Control. Tensions rose after a September 2016 attack in which nineteen Indian soldiers were killed (Al Jazeera); more than 150 civilians and military personnel have since been killed in the disputed region. UZBEKISTAN/TURKMENISTAN: Many farmers are facing damaged or ruined crops after large swaths of the two countries suffered a three-day salt storm (RFE/RL). MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Rival Libyan Factions Agree to Election Timetable At an international conference in Paris yesterday, rival Libyan political leaders agreed to hold parliamentary and presidential elections (NYT) in December, though no envoys from either Libyan side have yet signed the agreement. SYRIA: Georgia officially severed ties with Syria (DW) after Damascus said it will recognize Russia-backed breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Prominent Political Prisoner Freed in Ethiopia A British man who was arrested in Yemen four years ago and transferred to Ethiopia, where in 2009 he was sentenced to death in absentia, was pardoned earlier this month (BBC). He was a leader in the banned Ginbot 7 political movement, which emerged in 2005 after some two hundred people were killed in protests over alleged election fraud. CFR's Michelle D. Gavin looks at Ethiopia's long political transition. ZIMBABWE: President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the country will hold a presidential election on July 30 (Herald). It will be the first such vote after longtime President Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup (Reuters) last November. In Foreign Affairs, John Rapley examines Zimbabwe's post-Mugabe era. EUROPE Russian Journalist Killed in Ukraine The journalist, Arkady Babchenko, was shot and killed in his Kiev apartment (NYT) yesterday. Babchenko fled Russia last year after facing what he called a campaign of intimidation for writing about Russia's annexation of Crimea and its military role in Syria. GERMANY: An Iranian man whose request for asylum was denied set himself on fire (AP) in a government office in southwestern Germany yesterday. He suffered severe burns. AMERICAS Rights Group Accuses Nicaragua of Protester Deaths Amnesty International accused President Daniel Ortega's government of using excessive force, carrying out extrajudicial executions, supporting pro-government armed groups, and suppressing the media to tamp down recent anti-government protests. At least eighty-one people have been killed, according to the group's report. UNITED STATES Thousands Died Due to Hurricane Maria, Study Says More than 4,600 people in Puerto Rico are believed to have died due to circumstances related to Hurricane Maria (NPR), which devastated the island last September, according to a new survey by Harvard University researchers. The government death toll is sixty-four people. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Kim Yong-chol (Korea Times), a top North Korean official, in New York today to discuss drafting an agreement on denuclearization of the North ahead of a possible summit between the countries' leaders. In Foreign Affairs, CFR President Richard N. Haass discusses President Trump's approach to Korea summitry. 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 30, 2018 at 10:04PM
U.S.-North Korea Diplomatic Flurry | Italy's Political Crisis | Colombia Runoff
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 29, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S., North Korea Ramp Up Diplomacy A senior North Korean envoy, General Kim Yong-chol, is traveling to the United States to discuss plans for a potential summit between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, President Trump wrote on Twitter early Tuesday. The trip makes Kim Yong-chol the highest-ranking North Korean official to visit the United States (WaPo) since 2000. Trump had called off a highly anticipated U.S.-North Korean summit, set to take place in Singapore on June 12, but he has since suggested it could go ahead (Yonhap) following a conciliatory statement by Pyongyang and mediation by Seoul. U.S. envoys were in Singapore yesterday (Reuters/Xinhua) to meet with a North Korean delegation. ANALYSIS "If a rescheduled summit comes relatively soon, then its goal should be to set an agenda—not to finalize a deal," CFR President Richard N. Haass writes for Foreign Affairs. "Seoul is perhaps the most eager for the meeting to take place. President Moon [Jae-in] has worked assiduously to coax Trump and Kim to meet at the negotiating table," write CFR's Patricia M. Kim and Jeremy Fuller. "The unknown element is the price of the inconsistency in Trump's approach. In the case of North Korea, playing 'games' while risking genuine efforts to seek denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula may come at an exceedingly high cost," Genevieve Hohnen writes for the Conversation. PACIFIC RIM Chinese Investment in Australian Properties Tumbles The number of Chinese investments in Australian properties halved in 2017, dropping to $11.4 billion (FT) from $24 billion the previous year, according to Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board. Australia has imposed new fees and taxes on foreign property buyers as home prices have soared in recent years. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India Won't Follow Unilateral Sanctions, Swaraj Says Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said India will abide by UN sanctions but will not necessarily follow unilateral ones (Hindustan Times) imposed by the United States against countries such as Iran. Iran is the third-largest exporter of oil to India. BANGLADESH: Eighty-six people have been killed and some seven thousand arrested in antidrug operations (Reuters) in the past month, according to police officials, raising fears among human rights activists of a crackdown similar to that in the Philippines. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Paris Hosts Libyan Peace Conference French President Emmanuel Macron will host rival Libyan political figures (AP), along with envoys from two dozen countries and international organizations, on Tuesday. Leaders of the conference are hoping to push a political roadmap that includes presidential and parliamentary elections (France24) this year. PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas left a Ramallah hospital (Ynet) after a nine-day stay during which he was reportedly treated for a lung infection. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenyan Civil Servants Charged in Graft Probe Kenya's chief prosecutor announced charges against fifty-four people for stealing an estimated $100 million in public funds (DW) through the National Youth Service, a government program that offers vocational training. ZIMBABWE: For the first time in sixteen years, the European Union will deploy election monitors to Zimbabwe (AFP), for a presidential vote set for July. EUROPE Italy Appoints Interim PM Amid Political Crisis President Sergio Mattarella refused to accept the nomination for finance minister (Guardian) put forth by populist parties that together hold a narrow majority in parliament, prompting the resignation of the coalition's pick for prime minister. Mattarella appointed former International Monetary Fund official Carlo Cottarelli to act as interim prime minister until fresh elections. In Foreign Affairs, Erik Jones discusses Italy's revolt against the European Union. AUSTRIA: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he supports sending EU border guards to North Africa (DW) to curb migration to Europe. The comments come weeks before Austria is set to take over the bloc's presidency. AMERICAS Colombia Readies for Runoff Election No candidate earned at least 50 percent of votes in the first round of a presidential election, prompting preparations for a June 17 runoff vote (Guardian) between right-wing candidate Ivan Duque, who opposes the government peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and leftist Gustavo Petro, a former Bogota mayor. In Foreign Affairs, Michael Shifter asks if Colombia will make peace with its peace deal. BRAZIL: A truckers strike that has caused major shortages of fuel and basic goods across Brazil entered its second week despite a government vow to lower diesel prices (FT). UNITED STATES Ivanka Trump Wins New Trademarks in China Beijing approved seven new trademarks (NYT) for White House advisor Ivanka Trump's consumer goods brand. Some U.S. watchdog groups have raised concerns about the move, which came around the same time President Trump offered relief to a Chinese telecommunications firm penalized for violating U.S. sanctions. An American imprisoned in Venezuela for two years returned home to Utah (AP), along with his Venezuelan wife, on Monday following negotiations between U.S. lawmakers and Caracas. This CFR panel examined U.S. policy options to address Venezuela's political and humanitarian crisis. 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 29, 2018 at 10:04PM
Pyongyang Still Seeks Summit | Irish Abortion Referendum | Apple's Patent Case Win
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 25, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA North Korea Says Still Open to Talks With U.S. Editor's note: There will be no Daily Brief on Monday, May 28, for Memorial Day. Pyongyang said it is still open to dialogue (Korea Times) after U.S. President Donald J. Trump canceled an upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit, noting that the surprise U.S. move on Thursday showed the "deep-rooted hostile relationship" between the parties. President Trump praised the North Korean response on Twitter early Friday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, after holding an emergency national security meeting, said he was embarrassed by the U.S. announcement (Nikkei). The decision to call off the meeting came hours after North Korea demolished its only known nuclear test site as a sign of goodwill ahead of the summit. ANALYSIS "A shadow lurks over the would-be peacemaker's political standing. Already, South Korean opposition parties are criticizing Moon for being naive on the international stage," Kim Jaewon writes for the Nikkei Asian Review. "There was no way the summit could have succeeded so long as the Trump administration defined success as a North Korean agreement to total denuclearization," CFR President Richard N. Haass writes for Axios. "Kim [Jong-un's] diplomatic outreach has been driven by multiple motives—from seeking relief from the maximum pressure campaign to pursuing a new national strategy of economic development. He has little to gain from a return to the tensions of last year," write CFR's Patricia M. Kim and Jeremy Fuller. PACIFIC RIM Malaysian Police Seize Funds From Former PM's Homes Police found $38 million in more than two dozen currencies across apartments linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering and theft at the 1MDB state development fund (Straits Times). On the Asia Unbound blog, Richard Javad Heydarian discusses Malaysia's recent election stunner. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S. Efforts in Afghanistan 'Mostly Failed,' Says Report The $4.7 billion U.S. stabilization effort in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2017 "often exacerbated conflicts, enabled corruption, and bolstered support for insurgents," the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in a report released yesterday (Tolo). This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. PAKISTAN: Senators approved of a constitutional amendment to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Dawn) with the neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The bill will next go to provincial lawmakers for a vote. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Global Powers Meet in Vienna to Talk Iran Nuclear Deal Envoys from Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia will meet with Iran's deputy foreign minister today for talks on doing business with Iran (Reuters) despite U.S. sanctions. Iran has said it will honor restrictions on its nuclear program (RFE/RL) if foreign powers assure Tehran they will maintain business ties. In Foreign Affairs, Ariane M. Tabatabai discusses how Iran could respond to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement. SAUDI ARABIA: Four of at least eleven women activists arrested last week have been released from detention, human rights advocates said today. Their arrests came just weeks before Saudi Arabia is set to lift its decades-old ban (AFP) on women drivers. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Eritrean Leader Makes Rare Public Appearance President Isaias Afewerki, who has ruled Eritrea since its 1991 independence (BBC), denounced what he called diplomatic subversion and economic sabotage by other countries in an independence day speech yesterday (MoI). Afewerki was thought to be abroad for medical treatment. CAMEROON: The external relations minister rebuked comments (Journal du Cameroun) by the U.S. ambassador to the country, who accused the Cameroonian army of human rights abuses and suggested that President Paul Biya should consider stepping down (BBC). EUROPE Countries to Hold Russia to Account for MH17 Crash The Netherlands said it and Australia will seek to hold Moscow criminally liable for a missile attack that downed a Malaysia Airlines flight (RFE/RL) over Ukraine in 2014. A Dutch-led international probe determined the missile was fired by a Russian military brigade. IRELAND: Voters will head to the polls today for a referendum on repealing a constitutional ban on abortion (Irish Times). AMERICAS Brasilia Reaches Deal With Truck Drivers to End Strike The Brazilian government said will cut taxes on fuel and introduce other measures to help truckers unions after a four-day strike that disrupted the economy (WSJ) and left many businesses without supplies. CANADA: Police are searching for two suspects after an improvised explosive device detonated at a restaurant (Globe and Mail) outside of Toronto yesterday, injuring fifteen people. UNITED STATES Jury Awards Apple $539 Million in Patent Case A U.S. jury ruled yesterday that Samsung Electronics must pay Apple $539 million (Reuters) for smartphone patent infringements. Samsung had already paid the rival tech company $399 million for some infringements. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, said the Trump administration will seek to "deny Iran the wealth to do bad stuff" (VOA) and will use sanctions to force it to "behave like a normal nation." 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 25, 2018 at 10:10PM
North Korean Test Site Destroyed | Italy's New Prime Minister | Salvaging the Iran Deal
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 24, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA North Korea Demolishes Only Known Nuclear Test Site North Korea destroyed its nuclear facility at Punggye-ri, beneath the remote Mount Mantap in the country's northeast, in a detonation witnessed by foreign journalists. The Thursday demolition took out three of the site's four tunnels (Korea Times), staff barracks, and military facilities. The six nuclear tests conducted by North Korea since 2006 (Sky) have taken place in the tunnels dug below the mountain range, which saw a 6.3-magnitude earthquake last year as a result of one of them. A South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson hailed the move by the North as introducing the possibility for "complete denuclearization going forward" (Yonhap). ANALYSIS "North Korea took the journalists to the site to report the event, but it did not allow in any experts, making it difficult to assess what, exactly, they had done," Anna Fifield writes for the Washington Post. "Some analysts have also played down the significance of North Korea's decision to shut down the site. They said that after six tests, all conducted in deep tunnels, the site has most likely caved in and become too unstable for another test," Choe Sang-Hun writes for the New York Times. "Dismantling production facilities and disarming will take years, as will convincing steps toward reconciliation. Only then will it become clear whether Kim is willing to give up his weapons," Leon V. Sigal writes for the Arms Control Association. American Debt: Causes, Consequences, and Fixes This CFR symposium is held in memory of longtime CFR Chairman Peter G. Peterson, a passionate advocate for fiscal responsibility. Watch today at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). PACIFIC RIM U.S. Deepens Foothold in Pacific With Australian Outpost The United States and Australia are upgrading their military outpost (WSJ) in the coastal city of Darwin, which hosts the largest contingent of U.S. marines in the country, to accommodate warplanes and drones. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Pakistani Lawmakers Move to Merge Tribal Areas Islamabad hopes that merging the federally administered tribal areas (Dawn) in Pakistan's northwest with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province could prevent armed groups from finding sanctuary in that part of the country (Al Jazeera). The move, already approved by the National Assembly, would reduce the region's representation in parliament. UZBEKISTAN: Envoys from Amnesty International are visiting Uzbekistan for the first time in fourteen years (RFE/RL). The trip comes amid a slew of social and economic reforms by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who took office in late 2016. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Pro-Assad Fighters Killed in Likely U.S.-Led Strike The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, said twelve foreign, pro-government fighters were killed (AP) in eastern Syria yesterday in air strikes likely carried out by the U.S.-led coalition there. The Pentagon did not confirm the report. IRAN: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei listed demands for European countries to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement (DW), including that they vow not to seek talks on Iran's ballistic missile program and that they challenge U.S. sanctions. The President's Inbox podcast looks at the Trump administration's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA French, Rwandan Leaders Vow Security Cooperation Meeting in Paris, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, pledged to boost cooperation on security issues (VOA) in the Sahel region, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. SOUTH AFRICA: President Cyril Ramaphosa said he will donate half of his presidential salary (Bloomberg) to a fund established in honor of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. EUROPE Italy Nears Populist Government With New PM After eleven weeks of negotiations between the antiestablishment Five Star Movement and the far-right Northern League, President Sergio Mattarella approved the parties' nomination of law professor Giuseppe Conte (BBC) for prime minister. Together the parties hold a narrow majority in parliament. UKRAINE: The missile that downed a Malaysia Airlines flight over Ukraine in 2014 was fired by a Russian military brigade (DW) from the city of Kursk, according to an international probe. Moscow had denied involvement in the incident. AMERICAS Canada Offers Aid to Rohingya Refugees Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland offered asylum to members of the Rohingya ethnic minority who have fled Myanmar, saying that the situation in their home country is not conducive to their safe return (Dhaka Tribune). She did not specify the number of refugees Canada would take in. CUBA: Luis Posada Carriles, a former CIA operative who sought to overthrow Fidel Castro's regime (NYT), died at age 90 in Miramar, Florida, yesterday. UNITED STATES Trump Orders Probe Into Auto Imports Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has launched an investigation into auto imports (FT) on national security grounds, introducing the possibility of tariffs that could escalate trade tensions with Europe, Japan, and South Korea. This CFR Backgrounder looks at mechanisms to resolve international trade disputes. 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: May 24, 2018 at 10:09PM
North Korea Diplomacy | Russia's Counter-Sanctions Bill | Venezuela Expulsions
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 23, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Asian Envoys Visit U.S. Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit Top officials from China, Japan, and South Korea are in Washington this week to discuss an upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit, in which President Donald J. Trump is expected to push for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. President Trump, while meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in (NYT) yesterday, suggested he may be open to phased denuclearization by North Korea following a threat by Pyongyang to call off the summit. Today, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, are also expected to discuss the issue (Korea Herald/ANN) with U.S. officials. Their visits come shortly after foreign journalists arrived in North Korea to witness the dismantling of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site (ABC). ANALYSIS "China has been trying to have it both ways with North Korea for a long time, on two issues: China wants North Korea to be weak, but not so weak that it would collapse, and incorrigible enough to keep the US occupied, but not so dangerous that it actually starts a war," Yvonne Chiu writes for CNN. "Thanks to American power and leverage in the region, in addition to Kim Jong Un's obsession with survival, the United States retains the capability to deter Pyongyang from rash actions," Daniel DePetris writes for the Hill. "How Seoul and Tokyo would see each other militarily in the absence of a sustained North Korean threat remains to be seen. Despite their longstanding cooperation with the United States since the end of the Korean War, these two countries cannot yet claim full confidence in one another," writes CFR's Sheila A. Smith. PACIFIC RIM Myanmar Militants Massacred Hindus, Says Rights Group The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army killed up to ninety-nine Hindu men, women, and children in Myanmar's Rakhine State in at least one massacre last year, according to a new Amnesty International report. The report follows allegations of crimes by Myanmar's security forces against the Rohingya ethnic minority, also in Rakhine. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the Rohingya humanitarian crisis. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Eleven Killed in India Protests Over Copper Mining Police in Tamil Nadu fired on demonstrators calling for the closure of a copper plant they say is polluting the area (Hindustan Times), killing ten people yesterday and one man today. AFGHANISTAN: More than 108,000 Afghans have been displaced so far this year (Tolo) from conflict and natural disasters, according to the United Nations. This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Israel Claims First Combat Use of F-35 Fighter Jet Israel has used the F-35 fighter jet (Haaretz), made by Lockheed Martin and considered the world's most expensive weapons system (CNN), twice in attacks in the Middle East, according to Israeli Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin. UAE: The foreign minister denied a report that the United Arab Emirates attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election (Reuters). The statement comes after the New York Times reported that an envoy representing the Emirati and Saudi crown princes met President Trump's son in 2016 to offer to help them win the election. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenya Cracks Down on Unauthorized Foreign Workers The interior minister said foreign workers have sixty days to verify their immigration status or face jail (East African). The Kenyan government says only thirty-four thousand of roughly a hundred thousand foreign workers have proper authorization (Africa News). ZIMBABWE: UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson welcomed an announcement by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa that his country may seek to rejoin the Commonwealth (Herald), calling it "fantastic news." In Foreign Affairs, John Rapley discusses Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa. EUROPE Russian Lawmakers Back Counter-Sanctions Bill The lower chamber of parliament approved a bill that would allow Moscow to ban trade of certain goods (RFE/RL) with countries that "implement unfriendly moves" toward Russia. The bill is expected to be approved by the upper house and signed by President Vladimir Putin. TURKEY: The country faces a currency crisis (Bloomberg) as its currency, the lira, reached a new record low against the U.S. dollar today. Investors are calling on Ankara to raise interest rates (FT) despite President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's opposition to such a move. AMERICAS Venezuela Expels Top U.S. Diplomats President Nicolas Maduro ordered the U.S. chargé d'affaires in the country and his deputy (Politico) to leave within forty-eight hours and accused them of being CIA agents. Maduro said the U.S. diplomats pressured Venezuelan opposition members to boycott a Sunday election. CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil discusses Venezuela's growing refugee crisis. PANAMA: President Juan Carlos Varela said new evidence from Israeli agents (BBC) shows that a 1994 plane crash in Panama that killed prominent Jewish businessmen was a terrorist operation. UNITED STATES Congress Approves Bill to Roll Back Bank Rules U.S. House lawmakers voted 258–159 to lift rules on banks with less than $250 billion in assets, regulations enacted in the wake of the global financial crisis (NYT) as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law. The Trump administration is expected to announce Thursday that oversight of commercial firearms exports (Reuters) will be transferred from the State Department to the Commerce Department, a move aimed at making it easier for U.S. gunmakers to sell small arms abroad. 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 23, 2018 at 10:07PM
Pompeo's Iran Demands | Syrian Forces Claim Victory in Capital | Eastern Ukraine Flare-Up
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 22, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Pompeo Lays Out Demands for Iran The Iranian foreign ministry condemned a U.S. vow to implement the "strongest sanctions in history" on Iran for its weapons development and activities in the Middle East, saying such a move would be illegal (ISNA) and amount to bullying. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced twelve demands for Iran (VOA), which include ceasing ballistic missile and nuclear weapons development and support for armed groups in the Middle East, as well as allowing international inspectors "unqualified access" to all sites, in a Monday speech on U.S. conditions for a new nuclear deal. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the United States has yet to demonstrate (CBS) how its exit from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement would make the region safer. ANALYSIS "The speech heralds an unabashed embrace of go-it-alone maximalism that is not only likely to come up short on Iran, but will also backfire across an array of U.S. interests and allies in an unpredictable fashion," Suzanne Maloney writes for the Brookings Institution. "The lure of continuity and the need to be praised by polite society could have easily tied Pompeo to the Washington consensus. But instead, in his maiden speech as secretary of state, he identified the problem: a regime that is bent on extending its imperial frontiers, developing nuclear arms, and abusing its citizens," CFR's Ray Takeyh and Mark Dubowitz write for Foreign Policy. "Applying economic pressure on Iran would also require diplomacy with two countries that are already causing significant challenges for the United States: Russia and Turkey," Peter Harrell writes for Foreign Affairs. PACIFIC RIM Australian Archbishop Convicted of Abuse Cover-Up An Adelaide archbishop was found guilty of failing to report child sex abuse accusations (SMH) against a priest. He is the most senior official in the Catholic Church to be charged with such a crime. JAPAN: A tanker carrying seventy thousand tons of liquefied natural gas from the United States docked in a Yokohama port (Nikkei) as part of a deal with Tokyo Gas, which agreed to buy 1.4 million tons annually for two decades. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India, Catholic Church Spar Over Religious Freedom The Indian home minister said on Tuesday that the government does not allow discrimination (Hindustan Times) based on religion or caste. The statement comes after New Delhi's archbishop warned parishioners in a letter that secularism and democracy are under threat. AFGHANISTAN: The revamped U.S. strategy in Afghanistan has made little progress against the Taliban (AP), U.S. inspectors general said in a new report, which noted there continues to be a high risk of casualties among civilians, as well as Afghan and U.S. forces. This CFR panel examined the United States' longest war. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Syrian Government Claims Control Over Capital The Syrian military said it now has full control over the city of Damascus (VOA) after ousting militants from the self-proclaimed Islamic State from a Palestinian refugee camp outside the city and two nearby neighborhoods. ISRAEL/PALESTINE: The Palestinian Authority's foreign minister will meet with the chief prosecutor (Jerusalem Post) of the International Criminal Court at The Hague today to press her to open a probe into Jewish settlement-building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Piracy Events Off East Africa Doubled in 2017 Fifty-four piracy incidents took place off the coast of East Africa in 2017, compared to twenty-seven a year earlier, according to a new report from U.S. advocacy group One Earth Future. ZIMBABWE: President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed interest in rejoining the Commonwealth (Herald) in a letter to its secretary-general. Zimbabwe left the association in 2003 amid tensions over land redistribution. This CFR Backgrounder looks at the role of the Commonwealth after Brexit. EUROPE Several Killed in Eastern Ukraine Flare-Up At least seven people, including five civilians, were killed in a clash (DW) between government forces and separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine on Monday. EUROPE: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is expected to apologize to European lawmakers (NYT) in Brussels today for failing to prevent misuse of the social media site. CFR's Karen Kornbluh discusses how Europe is fighting political ads on social media. AMERICAS More Than a Dozen Countries Recall Venezuela Envoys Argentina, Brazil, and Canada, among other countries, recalled their ambassadors in Caracas (BBC) following a Sunday election in which President Nicolas Maduro claimed a second term. Many in the Venezuelan opposition boycotted the vote. In Foreign Affairs, Harold Trinkunas discusses why Venezuela's opposition has not been able to effectively challenge Maduro. CHILE: A gay Chilean man who was a victim of clerical sex abuse said Pope Francis told him (NYT) in a private meeting earlier this month that his homosexuality is "not a problem" and that "God made you this way." UNITED STATES U.S., China Near Deal on ZTE China's State Council said it will reduce tariffs on imported U.S. cars (FT) starting in July in an apparent trade-off as Beijing sought to ease penalties on Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE. Washington banned U.S. sales to ZTE last month for the company's alleged violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea. 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 22, 2018 at 10:09PM
China-U.S. Trade Truce | Iraqi Government Talks | Maduro Claims Victory
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. May 21, 2018 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA China, U.S. Declare Trade War Truce Top Chinese and U.S. envoys hailed a deal made over the weekend for China to purchase more U.S. goods to reduce the $375 billion bilateral trade deficit, signaling a trade thaw following weeks of escalated tensions. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the countries agreed to "put the tariffs on hold" (VOA), while Chinese Vice Premier Liu He called the consensus necessary but said structural problems in the countries' economic and trade relations will take time to resolve. China agreed to increase its purchases of U.S. energy and agricultural products (Xinhua), though a joint statement did not specify a dollar amount (Bloomberg). ANALYSIS "Even with a drastic reallocation of Chinese imports of energy, raw materials and airplanes in favor of the U.S., the bilateral trade deficit may reduce by $100 billion," Victor Shih said in an interview with Bloomberg. "China's 'concessions' are things it planned to do anyway. The Chinese have one of the fastest-growing economies and middle classes in the world. Chinese factories and cities need more energy, and its people want more meat," Heather Long writes for the Washington Post. "[It is] quite likely imports from China will rise by approximately 10 percent this year, or $50 billion. So even if the Trump administration gets its targets for agricultural and energy exports out of China, the bilateral deficit (Trump's measure of choice) is still likely to expand," says CFR's Brad W. Setser. PACIFIC RIM China Launches Lunar Relay Satellite China is aiming to become the first country to explore the far side of the moon (Xinhua) with a Monday morning satellite launch. It plans to launch a lunar lander and rover (Guardian), which will be supported by the communications satellite, later this year. MALAYSIA: A special task force will investigate crimes at the 1MDB state development fund (Nikkei) established by former Prime Minister Najib Razak, the prime minister's office said on Monday. On the Asia Unbound blog, Richard Javad Heydarian discusses Malaysia's recent election. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Nipah Virus Kills Nine in India's Kerala At least three of those killed in the southern state have tested positive for the virus (Hindustan Times), which is transmitted to humans from animals and has a mortality rate of 70 percent (BBC), while samples from others are being tested. There is no vaccine for the virus, which was first identified in 1999. AFGHANISTAN: The European Union agreed to allow Afghan airlines (Tolo), banned six years ago from flying into the region, to soon begin new European routes, the country's civil aviation body said yesterday. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Iraq's Sadr Vows 'Inclusive' Government Prominent cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose coalition won the most seats in May 12 parliamentary elections, met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi yesterday to discuss forming a government (AP). Sadr's block won 54 of parliament's 329 seats, according to results released over the weekend. IRAN: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will lay out a strategy for the U.S. exit from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement (RFE/RL) in an address at the conservative Heritage Foundation today. In Foreign Affairs, Ariane M. Tabatabai discusses how Iran could respond to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Burundian Opposition Rejects Referendum The leader of the opposition Amizero y'Abarundi said his coalition will not accept the result of last week's referendum (AP) on presidential term limits, claiming that opponents of President Pierre Nkurunziza were arrested and intimidated ahead of the vote. The referendum result has not yet been released. ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian-born Saudi billionaire Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi, arrested in an anticorruption crackdown last year (Africa News), is set to be released after a meeting between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the weekend. EUROPE Greek Police Arrest Two After Attack on Mayor Two suspects were arrested after about a dozen people assaulted the mayor of Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. The Greek government said the mob comprised "extreme-right thugs," while one suspect told police he was angered by the mayor's support (AP) of warming relations with Turkey. BOSNIA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at a campaign rally in Bosnia yesterday, called on thousands of Turkish expatriates (Reuters) to vote for him in June 24 elections. AMERICAS Venezuela's Maduro Claims Victory Electoral authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro (NYT), with about 68 percent of votes cast, the winner in a Sunday snap presidential election. Roughly 46 percent of eligible voters turned out for the election (CNN), compared with 80 percent in 2013. In Foreign Affairs, Harold Trinkunas discusses why Venezuela's opposition has not been able to effectively challenge Maduro. BRAZIL: Two dozen West African migrants who were on a boat that was reportedly adrift for weeks were rescued by local fishermen (DW) off the coast of Brazil. UNITED STATES Justice Dept. to Probe Trump Campaign 'Infiltration' The Justice Department's internal watchdog will investigate whether its own department or the FBI surveilled the president's election campaign for political purposes (WSJ). President Trump said in a Sunday tweet that he would order the probe. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: May 21, 2018 at 10:05PM
