U.S. House Ousts Speaker, Plunging Lawmaking Into Unknown Waters |
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy (FT) yesterday, making him the first leader of the chamber to ever be removed from the position. His ouster casts uncertainty over lawmaking as a long-term government funding plan and a package of war aid for Ukraine remain unapproved. The move to oust McCarthy was supported by eight Republicans and all present Democrats. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has temporarily replaced McCarthy; a vote to elect a new speaker is not expected until next week at the earliest.
The showdown laid bare divisions in the Republican party and was closely watched internationally. U.S. President Joe Biden previously said he expected McCarthy (Bloomberg) to bring forward a new bill on funding for Ukraine after it was omitted from a weekend deal to keep the government open. An advisor to the head of the Ukrainian president’s office criticized “Western conservative elites” (CNN) who called for the suspension of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
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“McCarthy often did the wrong thing but he was ousted for doing the right thing—working with Democrats to keep the government open. That sets a bad precedent,” CFR expert Max Boot posts.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy says there is no ‘expiration date’ on Ukraine’s willingness to fight Russia. But it is becoming increasingly hard to ignore the potential shelf life of America’s support for his cause,” the Financial Times’ Edward Luce writes. “To keep the US in the game, Biden must somehow wangle enough Republican votes in the coming weeks to replenish Ukrainian funding.”
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U.S. Unveils Sanctions, Charges Against China-Based Fentanyl Suppliers |
The Treasury Department sanctioned (FT) twenty-five Chinese individuals and entities for allegedly taking part in the manufacturing and smuggling of fentanyl and methamphetamine. In a related maneuver, the Department of Justice unsealed criminal indictments against Chinese groups and executives for alleged drug distribution. For Think Global Health, CFR expert David P. Fidler explores the connection between fentanyl and foreign policy.
Philippines: The government will lift a short-lived cap (Nikkei) on the price of rice that was imposed a month ago to keep surging prices low.
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Taliban Slams Pakistan’s Announcement That Undocumented Afghan Migrants Must Leave |
Pakistani officials said that an estimated 1.7 million Afghans should leave the country (Reuters) by November 1 or face forced expulsion. Pakistan’s interior minister said undocumented Afghans carried out more than half of the suicide bombings in Pakistan this year. A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban called the ultimatum “unacceptable.”
Afghanistan: The Taliban government is seeking Japanese investment in its mining sector, Nikkei reported. Last month, Japan’s envoy to Afghanistan met with a Taliban official in Qatar, and the Taliban signed seven mining contracts totaling $6.5 billion with firms in China, Iran, and Turkey.
This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland looks at the Taliban in Afghanistan.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Saudi Arabia to Maintain Oil Production Cut Through End of Year |
Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said it would maintain its current level (AP) of daily production of one million barrels per day through December. The reduced output is seen as contributing to rising oil prices, which are currently around $90 per barrel.
Tunisia: Authorities detained (Reuters) Abir Moussi, the leader of the Free Constitutional Party and a prominent opponent of President Kais Saied, for forty-eight hours, her lawyers said. Her arrest yesterday marked the latest in a string of detentions of Saied’s political opponents.
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Ghana Protesters Call for Central Bank Governor’s Ouster |
Hundreds of protesters rallied (Africanews) in the capital, Accra, yesterday against central bank policies they say are responsible for an economic crisis in which inflation has topped 40 percent.
EU/Ethiopia: The European Union (EU) announced a $682 million aid package (AP) to Ethiopia after having frozen aid three years ago over atrocities committed during the country’s civil war. An EU official said it is time to “gradually normalize relations.” |
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Armenia’s Parliament Votes to Join ICC |
The vote to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) obliges Armenia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he enters the country, further straining ties (AP) between the two historic allies. Armenian officials assured Russia that Putin would not be arrested if he entered the country, saying that the move was prompted by Azerbaijan’s military aggression in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
This Backgrounder by Claire Klobucista and CFR’s Mariel Ferragamo unpacks the role of the ICC.
Hungary/EU: The EU is preparing to unfreeze more than $13 billion in aid to Hungary that had previously been held up over concerns about rule of law in the country, the Financial Times reported. The move is part of efforts to secure Hungarian support for an EU budget increase that would allow more funding for Ukraine. |
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Canada to Respond Privately After India Reportedly Moves to Expel Diplomats |
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said they were in private talks with Indian officials and will not retaliate (NYT) against a reported plan by the Indian government to expel more than forty Canadian diplomats.
Ecuador: Nationwide electricity shortages will occur (Bloomberg) during afternoon hours this week due to a lack of rain in Ecuador’s hydroelectric plants, which generate 80 percent of the country’s electricity, the energy ministry said.
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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