Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began a series of virtual meetings today by lamenting the political impasse (Nikkei) in Myanmar. ASEAN chose not to invite (Reuters) a representative from Myanmar’s ruling military junta after the junta ignored a roadmap for peace it agreed to with ASEAN six months ago. The junta refused to send a junior representative.
 
U.S. President Joe Biden will speak to the bloc, giving the first address to ASEAN by a U.S. president since 2017. He is set to announce (White House) up to $102 million in new initiatives with the bloc, including ones related to pandemic responses and climate investment. 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held their second phone call (SCMP) since President Biden took office. A Chinese statement said they discussed strengthening coordination of economic policies.
 
In Foreign Affairs, John J. Mearsheimer looks at how trade relations fit into the U.S.-China rivalry.

China pledged to help rebuild Afghanistan (Bloomberg) and called for the lifting of sanctions on the country during the first high-level meeting between Chinese officials and Taliban representatives since the Taliban formed a government in September.
 
India: Police in India-administered Kashmir filed terrorism-related charges (Al Jazeera) against college students who celebrated Pakistan’s victory against India in the T20 World Cup cricket tournament.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said Egypt has become “an oasis of security and stability in the region” and lifted the national designation (NYT) that was put in place after the 2017 bombings of two Coptic churches.
 
Qatar: Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani proposed a plan (Reuters) to promote equal citizenship among different tribal groups after some members of a prominent tribe were unable to vote in recent legislative elections.

Washington froze $700 million (NYT) in financial support and called for the release of detainees after Sudan’s military takeover yesterday. At least seven protesters died of gunshot wounds (AFP) in the coup’s aftermath, a health ministry official said.
 
Mali: The transitional government, which took power in a 2020 coup, expelled an envoy (AP) from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who had urged it to follow through on a pledge to hold presidential and legislative elections in 2022.
 
For the Africa in Transition blog, former CFR fellow John Campbell wrote about the return of “coup culture” in West Africa.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stepped back from a threat to expel ten ambassadors from Western countries who had called for the release of jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala after the diplomats issued statements (NYT) saying they would respect the principle of noninterference in a country’s internal affairs.
 
Netherlands: The country’s largest pension fund said that by 2023, it will divest $17.5 billion (Reuters) from companies that produce fossil fuels.
 
The Why It Matters podcast examines how markets can leverage their power in the fight for climate action.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will unveil a new cabinet today (CBC) following a September snap election. He has said it will have gender parity and what he referred to as “proper regional distribution.”
 
Haiti: Fuel shortages are threatening the lives of patients (BBC) in major hospitals, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned.

Beginning November 8, the Biden administration will allow (NYT) people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the World Health Organization to pursue nonessential travel to the United States. Unvaccinated children and some residents of countries with low vaccination rates will be exempt from the requirement.