Peace talks in Syria
Russia, Iran and Turkey have convened peace talks in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in hopes of rebuilding a ceasefire that rebel forces say was recently violated by the Syrian military and their allies. Representatives of the Syrian rebels have expressed interest in a diplomatic solution to the conflict, according to the BBC. The delegation consists of representatives of the Russian and Iranian governments, both of which back the established Syrian government, as well as Turkey, the U.N. and the U.S. which have been backing the rebels.
NAFTA to be renegotiated
President Trump has arranged meetings with the Canadian Prime Minister and the President of Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump has long expressed concerns over the trade deal, signed in 1994, which he feels hurts American Economics while unfairly benefiting Canada and Mexico. A report by the Congressional Research Service said that NAFTA has not hurt the U.S. economy, but that trade with Mexico and Canada make up a small percent of GDP. This means the U.S. may have little to lose regardless of how negotiations go. A separate meeting has also been scheduled with the President of Mexico to discuss border security and immigration, according to the BBC.
Birth-rates rise in China
Only one year after the Chinese government repealed its One-Child Policy the country’s birth rate has reached its highest in nearly two decades, according to the BBC. While the policy received criticism from many, the National Health and Family Planning Commission has called the policy “extremely timely, and extremely effective.” The One-Child Policy was created in 1979 in an attempt to reduce overpopulation which was causes economic and environmental complications in China, the world’s most populated country, but only the fourth largest country be area, according to GeoHive.
