The Evening: Golan Heights, NK Sanctions, Al Green and More
March 21, 2019
Note: The Evening will be “gone fishin” until April 1. Until then, Smile!
Golan Heights
President Trump said on Thursday that the United States should recognize Israel’s authority over the Golan Heights, one of the world’s most disputed territories, in a significant shift of decades-long American policy, as the New York Times' Eileen Sullivan and Edward Wong report.
New NK Sanctions
The United States on Thursday sanctioned two China-based shipping companies it says helped North Korea evade U.S. and international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, the first such steps since President Trump and Kim Jong Un’s summit meeting collapsed last month, as Reuters’ David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick report.
May Day
EU leaders are preparing to give Britain a final deadline of mid-April to decide whether to hold European Parliament elections or exit the bloc on May 7, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels, as the FT’s Alex Barker, Jim Brunsden, and Michael Peel report.
Dive Deeper: “Brexit: In Search of A Solution - The Common Market 2.0 Option,” via Chatham House.
Enroll for Fall
Now enrolling for the Fall, CSIS & Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs offer a new Executive Master's in International Relations. Information here.
Video Shorts
Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify” and “High Resolution.” In under 90 seconds, CSIS experts tell you what they told Congress in testimony, or use high-resolution satellite images and advanced mapping to break down national security issues. And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!
In That Number
4.8%
Turkey's annual GDP growth fell by 4.8% from 2017-2018.
Source: CSIS
Critical Quote
“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights.”
— President Donald Trump
iDeas Lab
A new feature from the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative examines China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. China's intentions to declare straight baselines around the Spratly Islands would further escalate tensions in the region.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video.
Optics
(Photo credit: Burak KaraGetty Images). People pose for photographs in front of the Nowruz fire during Nowruz festivities on March 21, 2019 in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Nowruz marks the Persian New Year as well as the vernal equinox and is celebrated by diverse communities across western and central Asia.
Recommended Reading
“Cross-Border Trade and Corruption along the Haiti-Dominican Republic Border,” by CSIS’s Michael Matera, Mary Speck, Linnea Sandin, and Mark L. Schneider.
This Town Tomorrow
At 10:30 a.m., join CSIS for a discussion on the financial and security implications of illicit border trade between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
And, at 9:30 a.m., the U.S. Institute of Peace will hold a discussion with women leaders from Libya, Syria, Uganda, Afghanistan, the United States, and Venezuela to speak about their experiences as nonviolent activists and how they overcame the challenges they faced.
Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Brookings Institution will host a panel to explore the implications of the end of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on New START and the future of strategic stability.
Video
CSIS today hosted a conversation with Under Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy and Representative Anthony Brown (D-MD) to discuss the Army's modernization efforts and how the Army will fight in the future. Watch the full event here
Podcasts
Trade experts Scott Miller and Bill Reinsch break down the buzz around trade, how it affects policy, and how it impacts your day-to-day. In this new episode, Andrew and the Trade Guys discuss Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Washington DC, the chaos with Brexit, and France's proposal to tax digital companies.
Listen on SoundCloud, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.
Smiles
I’m so glad everyone loved the Al Green set yesterday. Of Green, Rolling Stone noted in 1972, "Green's voice is something to marvel at. He can croon, shout, scat, rise to the smoothest falsetto, and throw in the funkiest growls…” Here, he does all of that and then some.