Russian Expulsions | Evacuation in Ghouta | Brazil's Lula

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. March 27, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA Allies Join UK in Expelling Russian Diplomats Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow will give an "adequate response" to the growing number of European and Western-allied nations that have announced they will expel Russian diplomats (TASS) in the wake of a nerve agent attack on UK soil. At least twenty-three countries (CNN) have announced plans to remove diplomats from the country, moves that UK Prime Minister Theresa May hailed as "solidarity from our friends and partners" (Guardian). Among them, the United States ordered sixty Russian diplomats to leave and the country's Seattle consulate to be shuttered (NYT). London condemned Moscow after its suspected use of a nerve agent to poison a former Russian agent and his daughter in the city of Salisbury. ANALYSIS "The attacks in Salisbury are Russia's latest attack on the global nonproliferation regime, not its first," said CFR's Lori Esposito Murray. "The U.S. action, its toughest since Mr. Trump came to power, came as a relief to the British government. London had been relying on Rex Tillerson to hold a strong anti-Russia stance, until he was sacked as secretary of state," Katrina Manson, Michael Peel, and Kathrin Hille write for the Financial Times. "The same way Russian electoral interference depends on the very real grievances of voters, brazen Russian behavior on Western soil is ultimately possible because we haven't closed the door to their kleptocratic elites," Alina Polyakova and Benjamin Haddad write for the American Interest. PACIFIC RIM North Korean Delegation Visits Beijing South Korea's foreign ministry said Seoul is investigating reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a surprise visit to Beijing (Yonhap) as a train believed to be carrying a North Korean delegation (Bloomberg) left the city on Tuesday. If confirmed, the trip would be Kim's first known travel outside his country since taking office in 2011. This CFR Backgrounder examines the China-North Korea relationship. SINGAPORE: Rideshare company Uber sold its Southeast Asia operations to Singapore-based rival Grab and purchased a 27.5 percent stake (Strait Times) in the company. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Uzbekistan Offers to Host Afghan Peace Talks President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told an international conference on Afghan security in Tashkent that Uzbekistan is "ready to create all necessary conditions" (Reuters) for peace talks between the Kabul government and Taliban militants. Uzbekistan also announced plans to increase its electricity exports to Afghanistan (Eurasianet) by 70 percent. INDIA: New capacity in thermal, hydro, and nuclear sources boosted the South Asian nation to become the world's third-largest electricity producer (Quartz), behind only China and the United States. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Thousands Evacuate Syria's Eastern Ghouta One hundred buses carrying seven thousand rebel fighters and civilians (DW) left the besieged Damascus suburb overnight on Monday, according to Syrian state media and a UK-based monitoring group. Evacuees were taken to opposition-controlled territory in northwestern Idlib province as government forces near full control of Ghouta. ISRAEL: The Jewish and Arab populations in the region comprising Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem have reached near parity (AP), according to research from Hebrew University. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA South Africa's Zuma Gets Court Date Ousted President Jacob Zuma will appear in a Durban court (Mail and Guardian) next week to face corruption and fraud charges stemming from a multimillion-dollar arms deal (FT) in the 1990s. CFR's John Campbell looks at Zuma's battle to avoid prosecution. ANGOLA: The son of former leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos and head of the country's sovereign wealth fund until last year was formally accused of fraud (BBC) and banned from leaving the country. EUROPE Putin Vows Punishment for Mall Fire Russian President Vladimir Putin said building management and hired security guards will be investigated to determine who was responsible (TASS) for a fire at a shopping mall in the city of Kemerovo that killed sixty-four people (RFE/RL), many of whom were children. GERMANY: A German judge ordered former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont to remain in custody while the court reviews a Spanish extradition order (Guardian). The regional leader is wanted on charges of rebellion and sedition after a failed independence bid last October. AMERICAS Brazil's Lula Loses Appeal, Faces Prison An appeals court unanimously upheld a corruption conviction for former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, likely making him ineligible to run in a presidential election (Bloomberg) later this year. Polls show Lula to be the top candidate. This CFR Backgrounder looks at Brazil's corruption fallout. MEXICO: A U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and was later convicted of selling cocaine to an undercover officer was deported to Mexico (CNN) after U.S. officials denied his citizenship application. UNITED STATES 2020 Census to Ask About Citizenship The Commerce Department announced it will include a question on citizenship (NPR) on the national census for the first time since 1950, a move some fear will discourage undocumented immigrants and people close to them from participating.         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: March 27, 2018 at 10:07PM