Global Beat: NAFTA Optimism, Iran Meeting, and More
August 3, 2018
In:
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, officials express optimism about NAFTA negotiations; Iran rejects Trump’s meeting offer; North Korea returns the remains of U.S. service members; and more.
____________________
Americas
Mexican and Canadian trade officials expressed optimism about NAFTA negotiations as the United States and Mexico met this week to discuss a potential agreement. "You are going to see hopefully news coming out of Washington in the next few days. There is optimism," Mexican Deputy Economy Minister Juan Carlos Baker said. Canadian trade negotiator Colin Bird said negotiators are "making progress on auto content rules." The news comes at the same time President Trump is considering ramping up his trade war with China, announcing the potential to double proposed tariffs on Chinese goods.
Also check out:
- Private home ownership recognized in Cuba for the first time since the revolution – The Conversation
Central & South Asia
This week, Afghanistan officials announced the country’s next presidential election will be held on April 20, 2019. This will mark the fourth time Afghanistan will head to the polls since 2001, when the Taliban was removed from power. "Today’s announcement is an important moment for democracy in Afghanistan," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for Afghanistan. "We urge all parties to perform their respective roles in order to ensure necessary timelines and conditions are met for credible presidential elections." But there are still some concerns about the safety and timeline of the elections, which the election commission hopes to address. "Security is an issue that we hope will be solved by then," Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission spokesperson said.
Also check out:
- Taliban surge routs ISIL in northern Afghanistan – The New York Times
China & East Asia
An initial forensic analysis concluded the remains returned to the United States from North Korea are "likely American." The agreement to deliver the remains was part of the deal President Trump made with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to return remains of U.S. service members killed in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. "There’s no reason at this point to doubt that they do relate to Korean War losses," said forensic anthropologist John Byrd. A single dog tag was also returned with the remains, and the family of the service member has been notified. Despite the return, there are still 5,300 unaccounted for military personnel in North Korea, according to the Department of Defense.
Also check out:
Europe & Russia
Facebook removed 32 pages and accounts this week because they were involved in what Facebook labeled "coordinated inauthentic behavior." While Facebook hasn’t identified the groups behind the accounts, they expect Russia is the source. "It’s clear that whoever set up these accounts went to much greater lengths to obscure their true identities than the Russian-based Internet Research Agency (IRA) has in the past," according to the statement. While not directly defining what the political aim of these posts was, Facebook did say they expect to find activity related to the U.S. midterm elections. The announcement came after Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said her computer network was targeted by Russia last year. Meanwhile, Paul Manafort’s trial is underway, in which federal prosecutors are seeking to prove Manafort committed bank and tax fraud, specifically related to income made working for pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine.
Also check out:
- Trump, new Italian prime minister meet at White House – Voice of America
Middle East & North Africa
Iranian officials rejected President Trump’s offer to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this week. The decision came after the two leaders traded insults, with Trump warning Rouhani on Twitter that threatening the United States would result in "consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before." Trump suggested the meeting to discuss the U.S.-Iranian relationship, but Iran refused, citing Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. "Based on our bad experiences in negotiations with America and based on U.S. officials’ violation of their commitments, it is natural that we see no value in his proposal," the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations was quoted as saying.
Also check out:
Southeast Asia & Oceania
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen declared victory in an election Sunday in what many are calling a "sham." The legitimacy of the election is being criticized after the only viable opposition party was dissolved and its leader thrown in jail. The vice president of the opposition party called election day "the death of democracy in Cambodia," and the White House called the election "neither free nor fair." Despite international criticisms, Sen said the Cambodian people have "truly chosen the path of democracy" after the polls closed. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Southeast Asia and called for a "free and open" region.
Also check out:
- Malaysian aviation chief resigns after investigation found someone veered MH370 off course – The Washington Post
Sub-Saharan Africa
Violence erupted in Zimbabwe following the results of what began as a peaceful election to replace Robert Mugabe, who ruled for almost four decades. But as Mugabe’s ruling party Zanu PF and its candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa claimed victory, the opposition party accused the Electoral Commission of purposely delaying the announcement of the results in Zanu PF’s favor. The violence that followed between security forces and the opposition resulted in the deaths of six people. The opposition party also declared victory in the election and called the official poll results a "coup."
Also check out:
