French Defense Minister Florence Parly said today that an “unthinkable” question now hangs over Europe: What happens if the U.S. leaves us to fend for ourselves?
The big picture: Speaking at the Atlantic Council, Parly indicated that the growing transatlantic divide isn’t just about defense spending, or even a clash of personalities. “Now that the strategic rivalry is moving to Asia, and Europe is no longer its main playground, a question mark has emerged,” she said. With Washington's eyes turning toward China, “will U.S. commitment [to Europe] be perennial?"
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a set of controversial measures into law Monday that criminalize the dissemination of information online that "exhibits blatant disrespect for the society, government, official government symbols, constitution or governmental bodies of Russia," the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: Russian lawmakers say the bills are intended to combat fake and abusive comments online, but critics have labeled the legislation "direct censorship" and yet another step toward autocracy. Online publications and users that repeatedly spread "fake news" will "face fines of up to 1.5 million rubles, or $22,900." Repeat offenders that publish information deemed insulting to Russian authorities — including Putin — could face 15 days in jail.
Top Democrats in both the Senate and House have asked the FBI to launch criminal and counterintelligence investigations into "credible allegations of potential human trafficking, as well as unlawful foreign lobbying, campaign finance and other activities" by Li "Cindy" Yang, the founder of a chain of Florida massage parlors, NBC News reports.
The big picture: Yang, a Trump donor who was photographed with the president at a Super Bowl party last month, runs an investment firm believed to have been selling White House access to clients in China. She is a member of the "Florida Association for China Unification" — part of a global network of pro-government groups backed by the Chinese Communist Party. In their letter, the Democrats note that "China has frequently used non-traditional intelligence collectors and businesspersons to compromise targets."
The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, blocked another vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan in a surprise statement on Monday, stating that the Commons could not vote again on "the same proposition or substantially the same proposition" that was rejected by 149 votes last week.
Why it matters: It throws May's plan to once again submit her Brexit plan to members of Parliament into chaos as the U.K.'s exit from the European Union looms in 11 days.
Brenton Tarrant, the alleged perpetrator of the Christchurch mosques massacre, visited Israel on October 25, 2016, and left 9 days later, two Israeli officials told me.
Why it matters: It's unclear what brought Tarrant to Israel, and officials told me he didn't raise any suspicions when he entered the country. He arrived as part of a trip in the region that also included Turkey. The Israeli security services will have to investigate what Tarrant did in Israel and who he met before further details are released.
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