In a remarkable move, the Kenyan Supreme Court has nullified the recent presidential election, citing irregularities in the voting, and has ordered new elections in 60 days. The independence of the Kenyan Supreme Court is a solid sign of the strength of Kenyan democracy, and President Kenyatta indicated that he would obey the ruling, although he also criticized the decision. The upcoming campaign will be carefully scrutinized by both Kenyans and the international community.
Kenyan Supreme Court
Unfortunately, the civil war in Syria has not received much attention in recent weeks. It seems clear that Daesh(the Islamic State) has suffered serious setbacks in the country, and those reversals have strengthened the hand of Syrian President Assad. Assad’s advantages are also benefits to his allies, Russia and Iran. Indeed, Iran seems to have gained significant leverage in the country, and its presence presents difficulties for Saudi Arabia and Israel, both US allies.
Negotiations have started in Mexico City on a possible reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The agreement among the US, Mexico, and Canada was first implemented in 1994 and has been credited with a massive expansion of trade. The agreement, however, has come under serious criticism, most recently by US President Trump. Renegotiating the treaty would be a massive undertaking and ending it would disrupt the economies of all three countries to a substantial degree.
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