Key Storylines
- AFRICA: US Vice President Kamala Harris plans to support Libya’s path toward elections at a conference in Paris next week.
- AMERICAS: Two members of Chile’s indigenous Mapuche community died, and three others were injured in clashes with security forces.
- ASIA: China is expanding its nuclear arsenal more quickly than anticipated, but Beijing slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat.
- EUROPE: French President Emmanuel Macron presented the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel during her farewell visit to the country.
- MIDDLE EAST: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed with President Michel Aoun on a “roadmap” to resolve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Google plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply with a new law, marking the first time the U.S. tech giant has amended its payment policy for a specific country.
Top Story
- Japan: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may act as foreign minister until a new cabinet is formed.
- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced he may take on the portfolio of foreign minister until a new cabinet is formed, as incumbent FM Toshimitsu Motegi is set to take a new post.
- After Akira Amari resigned from the post of the secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was appointed to the party’s No. 2 post.
- Yoshimasa Hayashi had been seen as the front-runner to take over the foreign minister position but is unpopular with conservatives for his stance on China.
- In a special session expected to be held Wednesday the Diet is set to reappoint Kishida as prime minister, and he will then relaunch the Cabinet.
- Kishida told reporters “since I have gained the people’s mandate through the general election, I now plan to speedily implement policies” on key issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic as well as economic and diplomatic challenges.
- Reuters, Xinhua, South China Morning Post, Japan Times, Kyodo
Africa
- Ethiopia: The United States repeated its call to all parties in the Tigray conflict to stop military operations and begin ceasefire talks. (Reuters)
- Libya: US Vice President Kamala Harris plans to support the country’s path toward elections at a conference in Paris next week. (Reuters)
- Nigeria: Emergency services said the death toll from the collapse of a high-rise building in the commercial capital Lagos rose to 36. (AFP)
- Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has called for a meeting of East African leaders to discuss Ethiopia’s civil war. (BBC)
Americas
- Canada: The provincial governments of Ontario and Quebec announced that they will not issue a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. (AFP)
- Chile: Two members of the indigenous Mapuche community died, and three others were injured in clashes with security forces. (AFP)
- Mexico: US Ambassador Ken Salazar expressed concerns to the government regarding a proposed constitutional change to limit competition in the electrical power sector. (AP)
- Venezuela: The International Criminal Court is opening a formal investigation into allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings committed by security forces under President Nicolás Maduro. (AP)
Asia
- China: The country is expanding its nuclear arsenal more quickly than anticipated, but Beijing slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat. (AFP)
- Japan: The head of the country’s largest labor federation Tomoko Yoshino said she is determined to listen to the voices of all workers in fighting for better wages and conditions. (AP)
- North Korea: A new academic study concluded that the country could get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill. (Reuters)
- Taiwan: The European Parliament’s official delegation to the island said Taipei is not alone and called for bolder actions to strengthen ties amid rising pressure from Beijing. (Reuters)
- Vietnam: The Southeast Asian country is in negotiations with Iranian authorities over the seizure last month of an oil tanker off the Iranian coast. (Reuters)
Europe
- Bosnia: The UN Security Council voted unanimously to renew the mandate of the EU military peacekeeping mission in the country. (AFP)
- France: President Emmanuel Macron presented the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel during her farewell visit to the country. (Xinhua)
- Germany: The disease control agency has reported the highest number of new infections with the coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic. (AP)
- Netherlands: The country reported a new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu among ducks at a poultry farm in the central province of Flevoland. (Reuters)
- Ukraine: A comprehensive new study concluded that the country’s separatist forces are being armed and supplied by Russia. (NYT)
Middle East
- Afghanistan: The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned a terrorist attack on Tuesday against a hospital in Kabul, which left dozens killed and injured. (Xinhua)
- Israel: Parliament passed a national budget for the first time in three years, avoiding a November deadline that would have brought down the new government and triggered another election. (AP)
- Lebanon: Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed with President Michel Aoun on a “roadmap” to resolve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
- United Arab Emirates: Emirates airlines will start daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv from December 6. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: Google plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply with a new law, marking the first time the U.S. tech giant has amended its payment policy for a specific country. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Wanda
- Location: 41.5N 39.5W
- Movement: N
- Wind: 50 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes:
- La Palma, Spain
- Explosive activity continues
- Erupting
- Source
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 04NOV21)
- Confirmed cases: 248,224,178
- Deaths: 5,024,462
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 04NOV21)
- La Palma, Spain
- Tropical Storm Wanda
Tomorrow’s Outlook (05NOV21)
- Denmark: Nordic Council Annual Meeting.
- Lebanon: Visit by UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter. (to 12NOV)
- Lithuania: Baltic Assembly annual session.
- Norway: Visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
- Panama: Colón Day.
- Russia: Non-working week. (to 07NOV)
- United Kingdom: Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow. (to 12NOV)
- United Kingdom: Guy Fawkes Night.
- United States: Funeral of former Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington DC.
END