Japan’s new prime minister. The legislature elected Takaichi Sanae as Japan’s first female prime minister today. A conservative, her election comes after she was voted in to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party earlier this month. The more moderate Komeito party subsequently defected from the ruling coalition, but the rightwing Nippon Ishin party took its place. Like Takaichi, Nippon Ishin has signaled a hawkish position on China and a more restrictive stance on immigration.
Netherlands intel-sharing cut. The Netherlands has stopped sharing some intelligence with the United States over concerns it could be used to aid Russia or hinder human rights, senior Dutch officials told newspaper de Volkskrant. The move marks a shift in the decades-long close intelligence partnership between the two countries. One official said that despite policy change, overall relations with the United States remain good.
India’s draft climate target. The country envisions setting its peak emissions deadline to 2045 in an updated climate target, Bloomberg reported. The plan envisions India sourcing 11 percent of its total energy from nuclear sources by 2070 and relying heavily on carbon capture technology in the industrial sector. The think tank that drafted the plan did not comment. Despite its emissions ambitions, India has yet to submit its updated climate target for 2035 as part of the UN climate negotiation process.
Proposed penalties for Nicaragua. The Trump administration proposed options such as instituting 100 percent tariffs on Nicaraguan goods or eliminating the country’s trade benefits due to abuses of labor and human rights in the country, it said in a report Monday. For years, Nicaragua has enjoyed zero tariffs on many of its exports to the United States.
More Caribbean strike fallout. Colombia recalled its ambassador to the United States for consultations after the two countries’ presidents clashed over the hemispheric drug trade and the U.S. military campaign in the Caribbean. After the United States repatriated two survivors of its most recent boat strike to Colombia and Ecuador, Colombia said it would prosecute its survivor, who remains hospitalized, while Ecuador released its citizen without charges.
Madagascar PM named. Coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina appointed consultant and businessman Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo to be the country’s new prime minister yesterday, praising Rajaonarivelo’s international experience. Andry Rajoelina, the president who fled last week amid mass protests and the army takeover, has refused to step down from exile in an undisclosed location.
China-UK embassy row. The UK is delaying a decision on the construction of China’s new embassy in London, pushing the deadline from today to December 10. Some UK lawmakers called for the embassy’s construction to be blocked due to concerns about potential espionage, even as China has warned of “consequences” for delaying the decision.
Netherlands-Uganda deportation deal. The Netherlands plans to send tens of migrants from mostly African countries to Uganda as part of a still-preliminary agreement, migration and foreign affairs minister David van Weel told the Financial Times. While the deal resembles one struck with Uganda by the United States under Trump, van Weel said the Netherlands would ensure that human rights are respected. He acknowledged the Netherlands anticipates legal challenges to the arrangement.
