Global Beat is your weekly stop for news from around the world. Join us every Friday morning for important stories you should know about.

This week, North and South Korea push for increased cooperation; NAFTA negotiators near a new deal; a UN report says both sides of the conflict in Yemen are responsible for human rights abuses; and more.

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Americas

A bilateral trade deal reached on Monday between the United States and Mexico is putting pressure on Canada to negotiate new terms in NAFTA by today, the deadline imposed by President Trump. Despite hopes of reaching an agreement soon, Canadian negotiators are concerned about meeting the deadline and are working quickly to iron out differences. Coming to an agreement on trade is integral to the Canadian economy, as Canada sends 75 percent of its exports to the United States. Negotiators from all three sides expressed optimism all week about reaching a deal, but negotiations have turned tense today.

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• Neighboring South American countries stiffen borders as chaos in Venezuela triggers exodus – CNN

Central & South Asia

U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan are increasing at an all-time high, according to the U.S. Air Forces Central Command. In July alone, the United States employed 746 weapons, “the highest monthly total since November 2010.” According to Afghan officials, a top ISIL leader in Afghanistan was killed in a U.S. strike on Saturday. Lieutenant-Colonel Martin O’Donnell confirmed the United States carried out a strike against a “senior leader of a designated terrorist organization” and that “the United States unrelentingly continues its counterterrorism efforts against ISIS-K, Al-Qaeda, and other regional and international terrorist groups.” There are an estimated 2,000 Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan.

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• India may face U.S. sanctions if it buys Russia’s S-400 missiles – Al Jazeera

China & East Asia

North and South Korea are calling for increased cooperation on the peninsula amidst the recently canceled meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea. “Now that North Korea and the United States remain deadlocked, a new South-North Korean summit meeting, if anything, will play an even bigger role in helping resolve problems and overcoming obstacles,” said Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jai-in. North Korea also criticized recent pressure from the United States in the form of continued military drills, and called for South Korea to implement the agreed-upon Panmunjom Declaration, which calls for denuclearization and peace on the peninsula.

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• The trade war won’t cause any major “hit” to China’s economy, Morgan Stanley says – CNBC

Europe & Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron proclaimed that “Europe can no longer entrust its security to the United States alone” at the annual Conference of Ambassadors on Monday. Macron stressed the importance of multilateralism and trade while criticizing the United States’ approach to foreign affairs. “The partner with whom Europe had built the order of post-war multilateralism seems to turn his back on this common history,” he said. In the speech, Macron also called for the need to build a strategic partnership with Russia and increased military cooperation and discussion on issues like cybersecurity, chemical weapons, territorial conflicts, and more.

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• UK and EU drop October deadline for Brexit deal – Bloomberg

Middle East & North Africa

A report commissioned by UN experts claimed that all parties in Yemen, including the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis rebels, are responsible for human rights violations and "war crimes." The report cited airstrikes on innocent civilians, torture, child recruitment, and arbitrary recruitment. The report also criticized the United States, the UK, and France for allegedly providing strategic and logistical support to the coalition, as well as Iran for supplying the Houthis. The Pentagon threatened to withdraw its support for the Saudi coalition if there is no attempt to limit civilian deaths, but Saudi Arabia has called the report inaccurate. The UN called the situation in Yemen the "world's worst humanitarian crisis."

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• Morocco, Cuba warm up bilateral relations – North Africa Post

Southeast Asia & Oceania

India and Cambodia signed two agreements to increase cooperation this week, as leaders from both countries discussed “bilateral, multilateral, and important international issues,” according to the Embassy of India. The first agreement focused on the restoration of a World Heritage site, the Temple of Preah Vihear. The second agreement promises cooperation between Cambodia’s National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations and India’s Foreign Service Institute.

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• Indonesia’s currency is suffering, but that’s about to end, trade minister says – CNBC

Sub-Saharan Africa

The United States is looking to partner with African countries on bilateral free trade agreements, according U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade Policy and Negotiation Peter Haas. While it’s too early to discuss any definitive negotiations, he did say the effort is ongoing and there is work being done to determine which countries might become trading partners, in terms of “capacity” and “readiness.” These remarks came as President Trump welcomed Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to the White House to discuss “cooperation on terrorism and building trade and investment ties.”

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• Theresa May seeks to match Macron’s influence in Africa – Financial Times

Stay informed. We’ll see you here again next week.