November 4, 2021

Daily News Brief

November 4, 2021

Editor’s note: For the duration of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Daily News Brief will include a special section dedicated to developments at the climate summit.

Top of the Agenda

Iran to Rejoin Nuclear Negotiating Table

After a five-month hiatus in negotiations on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian and European Union envoys confirmed that talks will resume (Bloomberg) in Vienna on November 29. The pause came after the election of hard-line Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Ahead of the talks, Iran has called for (Al-Monitor) the United States to guarantee it will not pull out of a deal, like it did during the Donald Trump administration. Washington has said such an assurance is impossible. Yesterday, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Washington will return to the talks in good faith (Reuters).

Analysis

“This is as late as Iranians could push it and still fulfill their pledge to rejoin talks ‘by end of November.’ When talks broke in June for Iran’s election, all parties expected to reconvene in July to finalize a near-complete deal. New Iran team has yet to show serious intent,” the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft’s Joseph Cirincione tweets.

“Under the new president, Iran has developed a new nuclear posture that revolves around two principles: enhancing its capability to swiftly retaliate against the United States in case it reneges on its agreements and delinking Iran’s economic fortunes from the [2015 nuclear deal] by building a self-reliant and Asia-focused economy,” Texas A&M University’s Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar writes for Foreign Affairs.

This Backgrounder unpacks the Iran nuclear deal.

A World Overheating

Longer, more intense heat waves have become the norm. This photo essay shows their impact and how governments are adapting to unavoidable extremes.

Read More

Pacific Rim

China Reportedly Censors Sexual Assault Allegations Against Former Top Official

Tennis star Peng Shuai’s allegation that former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli had pressured her into sex was scrubbed from the internet, CNN reported.

China: A U.S. Department of Defense report said China’s nuclear arsenal is growing faster than anticipated (SCMP) and that the country could have one thousand nuclear warheads by 2030. The United States has 3,750 nuclear weapons.

This Backgrounder looks at China’s modernizing military.

South and Central Asia

Pentagon: No Criminal Negligence in Kabul Drone Strike That Killed Ten Civilians

A Defense Department investigation of the U.S. attack, which occurred during the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, found that the botched strike was not the result of criminal negligence. It recommended no punishment (WaPo).

For Foreign Affairs, Audrey Kurth Cronin argues that Washington needs to abandon drone campaigns.

India: The World Health Organization granted emergency use authorization (Indian Express) to Covaxin, a COVID-19 vaccine developed in India.

Middle East and North Africa

Israel Passes Budget for First Time in 3.5 Years

Passing the budget will allow the diverse governing coalition led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to avoid an early election (Times of Israel).

For Foreign Affairs, Yohanan Plesner looks at the challenges of holding together Bennett’s government.

This Day in History: November 4, 1995

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated by a Jewish ultranationalist, Yigal Amir, who opposed Israel’s withdrawal from the West Bank.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Saudi Arabia, UAE Join Calls to Reverse Sudan Coup

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined the United States and the United Kingdom in calling for Sudan to restore the civilian government (BBC), release those detained in recent days, and lift the state of emergency.

Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni called for East African leaders to meet (Reuters) on November 16 to discuss the conflict in Ethiopia.

Europe

Portugal Poised to Dissolve Parliament

The Council of State, an advisory body, approved President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s request to dissolve parliament (Reuters) over a budget impasse. The move will likely lead to snap elections. 

Russia/Ukraine: Russia has stationed some ninety thousand troops (AP) near the countries’ shared border, Ukraine’s defense ministry said.

Americas

ICC Opens Probe of Venezuelan Government

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will investigate (AP) allegations of torture and extrajudicial executions under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It is the ICC’s first probe in Latin America.

U.S.: Washington blacklisted (NYT) the Israeli firm NSO Group, saying foreign governments had used its spyware to target dissidents, activists, and journalists.

COP26

More Than Forty Countries Pledge to Quit Coal

The countries promised to end or phase out (FT) all investments in new, coal-fired power plants. This should occur (BBC) by the 2030s for major economies and the 2040s for other countries. The world’s top coal consumers—China, India, and the United States—did not sign the pledge.

A group of charitable organizations and international development banks launched a $10.5 billion fund (NYT) to help developing countries transition to renewable sources of energy.

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