China
In an antipoverty push, President Xi wants to repopulate rural towns with entrepreneurs and consumers. China’s rural poor have been a tool of Communist Party strategy since Mao Zedong rallied them in his revolution.129
Middle East
The Palestinian Authority said it would resume cooperation with Israel after cutting off contact in May, a move that reflects Palestinian aspirations to restart peace talks with the help of the incoming Biden administration.
Latin America
Hurricane Iota was downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting homes and causing misery in an already-waterlogged region.
Europe
European leaders, who have reacted enthusiastically to President-elect Joe Biden’s win, now face the challenge of following up their congratulations with action.
World
A group of developing countries, led by South Africa and India, say they will press at the World Trade Organization this week to free Covid-19 vaccines from patent protections so they can be more accessible and affordable for poor countries.15
Africa
A new framework to resolve debt crises in developing countries, meant to ensure that Chinese and private creditors share the burden of providing relief, faces a key test after Zambia became the first African nation to default during the pandemic.
