Why it matters: The maximum pressure policy has undoubtedly hurt Iran's economy, but it risks becoming a victim of its own success if dried-up revenues spark Iran to lash out further. While Washington has mostly avoided open conflict thus far, following that path may be harder as Iran grows more defiant.
The Chinese yuan has weakened significantly against the dollar since Trump announced the U.S. would add 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports, in addition to the 25% already levied on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods on Aug. 1.
Why it matters: But since the "Phase 1" trade deal, the yuan has strengthened and is close to falling back below 7-to-1 versus the dollar.
Thousands of Iranians chanted "death to America" as Iran marked the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover and ensuing hostage crisis in Tehran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declaring the two countries "implacable foes," Reuters reports.
Why it matters: OnNov. 4, 1979, a group of students stormed the American Embassy in Tehran to demand the extradition of the shah, who was being treated for cancer in the U.S. They took hostages, including 62 Americans, in a crisis that lasted for 444 days and "transfixed America," per AP. The damage in relations it caused between the two countries persists today.
Protesters in Iraq climbed the concrete barriers outside the Iranian Consulate and tore down Iran's flag in the Shiite holy city of Karbala in central Iraq Sunday night amid ongoing demonstrations, AP reports.
Details: Security forces dispersed the protesters, who numbered in the dozens, by firing into the air, per Al Jazeera, which reports demonstrators "threw stones and burned tires around the building." President Trump retweeted without comment videos from the attack, including one from Saudi news outlet Arab News:
Convicted Russian agent Maria Butina spoke with "60 Minutes" on accusations that she was trying to influence U.S. policies and the NRA for the Kremlin in an interview broadcast Sunday. And she outlined why she asked then-presidential candidate Donald Trump about Russian sanctions at a 2015 event.
American students ran at least 28 campaigns during the 2018–19 academic year to protest the Israeli government and encourage boycotts of Israeli companies and institutions, according to a group that has been monitoring such activity on U.S. campuses since 2011.
The big picture: That's an uptick in "anti-Israel" activity on American college campuses from the levels recorded over the past two years. But it's down from a peak of 44 campaigns in the 2014–15 academic year, per the 2019 Campus Trends Report published by the Israel on Campus Coalition, a group that supports Israel.
PayPal CEO Dan Schulman has stared down death threats for taking tough social stances, but in entering China, the PayPal CEO could find the biggest challenge yet to his values.
Why it matters: Other companies have gone into China thinking that they could access the giant market without having to compromise their values. At some point, most of them were forced to choose one or the other.
Author Doug Wead claims in his new book, "Inside Trump's White House: The Real Story of His Presidency," that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is "fascinated by Donald Trump" and even views the U.S. president as a father figure, according to Fox News.
Why it matters: The book — set to be released on Nov. 26 — offers a look into Trump and Kim's relationship in the aftermath of unsuccessful denuclearization talks, with tensions mounting over a new round of North Korean missile tests. Wead interviewed Trump on North Korea and read some of the personal letters exchanged between the president and Kim.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Sky News on Sunday that failing to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union on Oct. 31 was a matter of "deep regret" for him and that he would apologize to the Conservative Party, according to the AP.
Why it matters: Johnson repeatedly promised to deliver Brexit by Oct. 31 during the party leadership race that brought him to power in July, at one point stating that he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask the EU for an extension.
