Monday Briefing | May 02

Stories to Follow

2016 Presidential Election
After sweeping all five north-eastern primaries on April 26, Republican front-runner Donald Trump only needs 58% of the remaining delegates to break the 1,237 delegate threshold and secure the Republican nomination.  If Trump wins all 57 delegates in Indiana, Senator Ted Cruz and Governor John Kasich will likely be unable to prevent him from reaching the 1,237 threshold.  Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton won all north-eastern primaries except Rhode Island against Senator Bernie Sanders, and Democrats anticipate that she will become the party’s nominee.
Explanation of U.S. presidential primaries: Reuters

Islamic State Insurgency in Sinai
Due to the Islamic State’s increasing strength in the Sinai insurgency, Egypt, Israel, and Hamas have formed an unlikely alliance to contain Wilayat Sinai, the Islamic State affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula.  The Egyptian government has been conducting counterinsurgency campaigns against the Islamic State in Sinai, and Islamic State could conduct cross border attacks into Israel.  The Islamic State branded Hamas as infidels two years ago, and Hamas depends on an open border with Egypt to support its territory in the Gaza strip.

Upcoming Events

IRPA is recruiting for the executive committee 2016-2017. All six positions are accepting applications. See the IRPA facebook page for more information on the board positions.  Use this link to fill in an application: http://goo.gl/forms/s4ygwngDJx
Deadline Sunday May 8th at 5pm.
If you have any questions, contact us at: irassociationnyu@gmail.com

NYU Program in International Relations: Afghanistan at a Crossroads
Silver Center for Arts and Sciences, Room 520 | May 10, 2016 at 6pm. RSVP here.
The Program in International Relations is hosting a discussion between Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United Nations and Christina Lamb OBE, Chief Foreign Correspondent, The Sunday Times of London.

Sweetwater Social’s 3^rd Annual Kentucky Derby Party
Sweetwater Social | May 7, 2016 from 3-7pm
Sweetwater Social, located at the corner of Broadway and Bleecker Street, will be hosting a Kentucky Derby party this coming Saturday, featuring Southern-inspired food and drink specials.  Reservations will be required.

In Your Free Time

In The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job, Patrick J. McGinnis discusses the process of becoming an entrepreneur while maintaining a day job.

Named one of the best books of 2015 by the Economist, North Korea Confidential: Private Markets, Fashion Trends, Prison Camps, Dissenters and Defectors by Daniel Tudor and James Pearson offers a unique perspective into the lives of ordinary North Koreans, challenging many pre-conceived notions of the reality of North Korean society.

On April 29, 2016, the U.S. Embassy in Dakar issued a warning to U.S. citizens in Senegal of the increased likelihood of a terrorist attack.  The Embassy in Dakar referenced reports of possible attacks at unspecified locations around the country.  The Embassy advises all U.S. citizens to maintain heightened awareness, especially at tourist sites frequented by westerners.

This Monday Briefing brought to you by William de Wolff.