The Trump administration put in place restrictions on U.S. technology exports to China's biggest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., the WSJ reported Saturday.
Why it matters: The curbs are the latest restrictions issued by the Trump administration to limit China's efforts to compete in advanced technology, per WSJ.
The world may be living through the last gasps of America First— or just getting a taste of what's to come.
Why it matters: President Trump's message at this week's virtual UN General Assembly was short and relatively simple: global institutions like the World Health Organization are weak and beholden to China; international agreements like the Iran deal or Paris climate accord are "one-sided"; and the U.S. has accomplished more by going its own way.
Chinese President Xi Jinping this week at the United Nations General Assembly sought to portray China as the responsible global stakeholder, in contrast to the U.S.
The big picture: China is happy to work within existing multilateral structures, as long as they don't stop Beijing from doing what it wants.
"I'm disappointed," Madeleine Albright says when asked about the lack of collective action on the pandemic, including at the UN this week. "Am I surprised? No."
What she's saying: "Given the kind of atmosphere that is out there by virtue of America's lack of interest — more than lack of interest, undermining — of an international system, it's hard."
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday proposed a deal with the United States that would guarantee neither country interfere in the other’s elections weeks before the U.S. holds its general election.
Why it matters: Putin's proposal comes amid warnings from U.S. intelligence and cyber experts that Moscow is trying to influence the U.S. presidential election.
Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says he is committed to hosting the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo come summer 2021, per the AP.
Catch up quick: The Games were postponed due the coronavirus pandemic, but the competitions are rescheduled for next summer. Officials have not shared plans nor procedures to protect athletes, staff and guests from the virus and it remains to be seen whether a vaccine will be widely available by then.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his address to the UN General Assembly called for an international peace conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be held immediately after the U.S. presidential election.
Why it matters: Abbas has cut off all contacts with President Trump's White House, but hopes Joe Biden will win the election and shift U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back to where it was during the Obama administration.
French authorities opened a terrorism investigation on Friday after a knife attack seriously wounded two people near the former offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, AP reports.
Why it matters: While the attacks motivation remains unclear, it happened at the same time as the trial of 14 accused accomplices in the 2015 killings of 12 of Charlie Hebdo's staff. The newspaper became a target of Islamic extremism after it angered many Muslims around the world by publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apologized Friday for the death of a South Korean official who was killed while seemingly attempting to defect to the North by sea, AP reports.
Why it matters: It's a rare bout of humility from Kim toward his neighbor to the south, and could de-escalate rising tensions between the two nations — at least for the time being.
