Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday blamed Israel (WaPo) for the killing of a top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and said Tehran would respond at the “right time.” 

The assassination of Fakhrizadeh, who founded Iran’s nuclear program, on Friday is the latest in a string of covert attacks (NYT) inside Iran and threatens to disrupt efforts by the incoming administration of U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden to reset relations on the Iran nuclear deal. Iran’s parliament called for an end to international inspections (Al Jazeera) of its nuclear facilities in response to the killing. A top Iranian security official said Israel used “electronic devices” (AP) to carry out the attack remotely, although authorities initially said Fakhrizadeh died after a truck exploded and gunmen fired at him. Israeli officials have not commented on the attack. The European Union called it a “criminal act” and urged restraint on all sides.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry official, Zhao Lijian, tweeted a computer-generated illustration (WaPo) of an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan child’s throat, prompting outrage in Australia and demands for an apology. Australia’s government recently reported that its special forces had unlawfully killed dozens of Afghans over several years.

China/United Kingdom: The British government moved up the deadline (BBC) for telecommunications providers to stop installing equipment made by the Chinese company Huawei in the UK’s 5G network to September 2021. 

This CFR Backgrounder explains Huawei, China’s controversial tech giant.

The Afghan government pushed back (NYT) on the Taliban’s announcement on Saturday that an agreement had been reached on nearly two dozen points regarding how to conduct the intra-Afghan peace talks.

India: Farmers angered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deregulation of agricultural markets protested in the capital (WSJ) over the weekend, demanding a repeal of the new laws. Modi has said the reforms will benefit farmers by cutting out middlemen, but many farmers fear they will suffer without government-mandated prices.

The latest round of talks over the countries’ disputed maritime border that was slated for this week has been postponed (AP), Israeli and Lebanese officials said. These talks are the first non-security related negotiations between the two countries, which are still formally at war.

Debretsion Gebremichael, the leader of Ethiopia’s Tigray region and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, called on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to withdraw federal forces (AP) from Tigray and vowed to keep fighting. Abiy declared victory on Saturday after the military said it had taken control of Tigray’s capital. Hundreds of people have been killed and nearly one million have been displaced by the weekslong conflict, sparking fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Nigeria: At least 110 people were massacred (Al Jazeera) in the northeastern Borno State on Saturday, the United Nations said, the worst attack on civilians there this year. No group has claimed responsibility, though Boko Haram often carries out attacks in the region.

The European Union is drafting a plan to reset its relationship with the United States and foster cooperation on a host of issues, including digital regulations and coronavirus vaccines, in response to the “strategic challenge” posed by China, according to the proposal seen by the Financial Times. The plan is expected to be presented to EU leaders for approval next month and calls for an EU-U.S. summit next year.

France: Tens of thousands of people in Paris on Saturday protested against police brutality (WSJ) and a proposed law that would prevent people from publishing images of police officers. French officials said the legislation is needed to prevent officers from being targeted online.

This CFR Backgrounder looks at policing around the world.

Most candidates backed by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro lost in a string of municipal elections (AP). In Bolsonaro’s hometown of Rio de Janeiro, his preferred candidate for mayor lost by nearly 30 percentage points. 

Argentina: In an interview with the Financial Times, Economy Minister Martin Guzman downplayed the prospect of a quick deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to repay a $44 billion loan. Argentina is grappling with debt as it tries to emerge from a recession worsened by the pandemic.

The drugmaker Moderna Inc. will seek emergency authorization (NYT) for its COVID-19 vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today. If approval is granted, the first doses could be available as early as December 21, the company’s chief executive said.

This CFR Backgrounder tracks global efforts to create a COVID-19 vaccine.