Monday Briefing | November 13
Trump gestures toward Xi as first lady Melania Trump and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, look on at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9 | Photo courtesy Jim Watson/Getty Images
Stories to Follow
Saudi Purges: The Arab peninsula is still the place to watch. Is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman removing the threats to his quest to modernize the largest oil producer in the world, or is he preparing the conditions for his own autocratic rule? Corruption charges against political opponents, both lawful and dubious, have been at the center of political struggle in China, Russia, Brazil and Argentina, among others.
Trump in Asia: As President Trump’s trio to Asia continues, the belief that presidential visits are becoming less significant grows among critics. Mr. Trump, who has played tough on several Asia-Pacific issues in the past, might have reinforced his image as a ‘paper tiger’ with his flattery appearances in Asia. The next stop is the Philippines, where he will meet a leader in his own fashion.
Elections in Chile: Chile enters the last week of campaign. Center-leftist incumbent president Michele Bachelet cannot present herself again and the polls’ favorite is her predecessor multimillionaire Sebastian Piñera, who in 2010 broke 30 years of successive center-left coalition governments. Most likely runner-up is senator Alejandro Guillier, but since the left coalition presented three different candidates, Mr. Piñera might avoid a second round. That would mark a historic concentration of power for the right, opening the path to numerous reforms.
Happening This Week
US-China Relations in the Global Context | Today Nov 13, 5:30-7:00 PM, Tishman Hall, 40 Washington Square South
The NYU School of Law presents a former Vice Minister of the People’s Republic of China, He Yafei, at the Tishman Auditorium to discuss the Sino-American relationship. How can they avoid the Thucydides trap?
The Origins of Genocide: Abolishing Atrocity since the Enlightenment| Tuesday Nov 14, 6:00-7:30 PM, 365 5th Ave, Room 9205
Senior editor of the Journal of Genocide Research Dirk Moses, and Executive Director of the GCRP Dr. Simon Adams, discuss the challenges of battling genocide. Brought to you by the CUNY Graduate Center.
Half Century of Occupation: Israel, Palestine, and the World’s Most Intractable Conflict | Thursday Nov 16, 12:30pm – 1:45 PM, 255 Sullivan Street
Gershon Shafir’s new book promises “groundbreaking publications” at the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies.
In Your Free Time
Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors exhibition arrived to New York after a successful opening at L.A. The creations of the 87-year-old artist will be on display until December but advanced tickets are already sold out. Kusama’s mirrors have been around since the 1960s, but she has caught reinvigorated popularity with the emergence of social media. So much so that there is a 30-second time limit to each chamber in L.A. Standby tickets are still available at three galleries belonging to David Zwirner, who has hosted Kurama’s work before. Two of them are in Chelsea (525 and 533 West 19th Street) and the other is on the Upper East Side (34 East 69th Street).
This week’s Monday Briefing is brought to you by Matías Ahumada Rioja.
