December 12, 2019

Daily News Brief

December 12, 2019

Top of the Agenda

United Kingdom Holds General Election

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson aims for a majority in today’s snap election (FT) to ensure the success of his efforts to remove the country from the European Union next year. The polls remain in his favor (Reuters) despite a shrinking lead in recent days.

It is the third British general election in four years, with most results expected (BBC) early tomorrow. The opposition Labour Party has focused its campaign on the defense of social services such as the National Health Service, and the Scottish National Party, which favors Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, is projected to gain seats.

Analysis

“A new Conservative majority would, depending on its size, confirm Brexit; a Labour majority (unlikely) or a Labour minority government (possible) would open the possibility of another referendum that could result in the United Kingdom staying in the EU,” Steve Bloomfield writes in Foreign Affairs.

“This election has been marinated in mendacity: big lies and small lies; quarter truths and pseudo-facts; distortion, dissembling and disinformation; and digital skulduggery on an industrial scale. The public is so disillusioned with the political process that, when a member of the public asked Boris Johnson during a televised debate whether he valued truth, the audience burst into laughter,” writes the Economist.

This CFR Backgrounder looks at the implications of Brexit.

Pacific Rim

Watchdog: China Jailed the Most Journalists in 2019

China surpassed Turkey to become the world’s leading jailer of journalists in 2019, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The watchdog found that 2019 was the fourth consecutive year that at least 250 journalists are imprisoned worldwide.

Australia: Tens of thousands of protesters in Sydney called for (VOA) government action on climate change after smog from bushfires caused the air quality to reach eleven times the level considered to be hazardous.

South and Central Asia

Suspected Planner of 2008 Mumbai Attacks Indicted

A Pakistani court indicted (Economic Times) Hafiz Saeed, suspected mastermind behind the four-day spree of shootings and bombings, and three of his top aids on charges of financing terror. Pakistan has been under international pressure to crack down on terror financing. 

India: The government deployed (Mint) the army and suspended the internet in the northeastern Assam state following protests denouncing the parliament’s approval of a bill to grant citizenship to some non-Muslim minorities.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria Holds Election Amid Boycott Threat

The country holds a presidential election (Al Jazeera) today for the first time since former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s ouster in April. Many Algerians have called for a boycott of the vote, saying the main candidates do not represent the reforms demanded by the country’s monthslong protest movement.  

In Foreign Affairs, Robert Zaretsky discusses the implications of Algerians’ possible refusal to vote.

Lebanon: The International Support Group for Lebanon, co-chaired by France and the United Nations, called for (Al Jazeera) the country to form a government in order to carry out reforms necessary to unlock $11 billion in international aid.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Militants Kill More Than Seventy Soldiers in Niger

Jihadi militants attacked an army camp (AP) in the country’s west and killed more than seventy soldiers, a military spokesperson said. It was the deadliest attack on Niger’s forces in years.

Sudan: Peace talks about the country’s ongoing political transition have resumed in neighboring South Sudan’s capital of Juba, the U.S. Department of State announced.

Europe

EU Unveils Plans for Environmental Regulation Overhauls

The European Commission presented a draft overhaul (Guardian) of environmental regulations, dubbed a European Green Deal, which includes quotas for the amount of subsidies dedicated to addressing climate change, as well as tougher emissions and air quality requirements. The new regulations would be subject to approval by EU member states.

This CFR Backgrounder takes a comparative global look at green initiatives.

Americas

Honduran Lawmakers Vote to Shutter Anti-Corruption Body

The country’s president and a majority of lawmakers voted not to renew (Reuters) the mandate of an anti-corruption body backed by the Organization of American States that is set to expire next month.

Chile: Debris believed to be from a military plane that disappeared after departing Chile for the Antarctic has been discovered in the ocean (AP), the Chilean Air Force announced.

United States

Annual Defense Bill Includes Paid Family Leave, Russia Measures

The House of Representatives approved an annual defense bill (WSJ) worth $738 billion that guarantees paid parental leave for 2.1 million federal workers, authorizes the creation of a U.S. Space Force, and includes sanctions related to Russian energy measures.

This CFR Backgrounder looks at U.S. competitiveness in space exploration.

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