A series of global issues shaped international developments this week, ranging from diplomatic deadlock in climate negotiations to rising geopolitical tensions and worsening humanitarian crises across various regions.
COP30 in Belém ended in a deadlock with no agreement on phasing out fossil fuels, the largest contributor to global warming. Eighty countries that initially expressed willingness to transition away from fossil fuels later stated in closed-door talks that they would not agree to the proposal. The European Union also voiced objections, refusing to accept a draft agreement deemed insufficient to curb the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The conference, which was scheduled to conclude on Friday evening (21/11), extended past its deadline, and the released draft text contained no reference to fossil fuels.
Climate issues resurfaced at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting also saw tensions between the United States and South Africa, with Washington accusing Pretoria of weaponizing its leadership of this year’s G20. The 2025 G20 Declaration was drafted without input from the U.S. and Argentina, both of which withdrew from negotiations shortly before delegates were to adopt the draft. On climate-related points, the U.S. rejected South Africa’s agenda on transitioning to clean energy and reducing excessive debt burdens. South Africa also chose not to officially hand over the next G20 presidency to the U.S.; instead, it will assign a diplomat with the rank of chargé d’affaires to deliver the transfer at the U.S. State Department.
Meanwhile, conflict escalation continued in the Middle East. The Israeli military killed 13 Hamas members in an airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military stated the strike targeted a Hamas training complex but identified only one of the victims: Jihad Saidawi, accused of training Hamas members to conduct attacks on Israel from Lebanon. Lebanese authorities also reported 13 deaths but did not identify the victims. Hamas denied having any military facilities in the camp and condemned the strike as a massacre of civilians, claiming the targeted location was a sports field used by children. So far, claims from both sides remain unverified due to extremely restricted access to the site amid ongoing cross-border attacks between Lebanon and Israel despite a ceasefire agreement reached last November.
On Wednesday (19/11), China suspended travel and seafood imports from Japan following remarks made by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Beijing pressured Tokyo to retract the statement, which explicitly referred to Japan’s support for Taiwan. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Japan no longer met the qualifications required for such purchases. In addition to seafood, Beijing also halted negotiations on further Japanese beef imports.
At the UN Headquarters, on Monday (17/11), the United Nations Security Council approved a draft resolution for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The proposal includes deploying an international peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip. The main point of the approved plan concerns the establishment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF). Among the five permanent Security Council members, Russia and China abstained without issuing vetoes. Russia later drafted a counterproposal arguing that the U.S. document did not go far enough to support the creation of a Palestinian state. However, further delays, Moscow warned, would only result in more civilian casualties.
In the Asia-Pacific region, on Sunday (23/11), Tropical Cyclone Fina, with wind speeds reaching 205 km/h, struck Australia’s Northern Territory, causing widespread power outages. Around 19,000 residents were affected, roads were flooded, and several properties damaged. Local authorities stated that no injuries were reported. The government urged residents to avoid downed power lines as emergency teams began assessing the damage. Darwin International Airport, which temporarily closed, is now preparing to resume operations. Cyclone Fina brought back memories of Cyclone Tracy in 1947, which once devastated the city.
In West Africa, Nigeria faced one of the worst mass kidnappings in its history. The Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State. The BBC noted that the mass kidnapping occurred amid a surge in attacks by armed groups in the country. Security officials stated that gunmen stormed the school at around 2:00 a.m. on Friday and abducted boarding students. Responding to the incident, Niger State authorities claimed they had ordered the closure of boarding facilities following intelligence warnings of heightened attack risks, but the school failed to comply.
Source:
“Tropical Cyclone Fina Strikes Australia’s Northern Territory, Shuts Airport.” Reuters. 23 November 2025. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/tropical-cyclone-fina-strikes-australias-northern-territory-shuts-airport-2025-11-23/.
“Serangan Israel di Kamp Pengungsi Lebanon Diklaim Tewaskan 13 Orang.” CNN Indonesia. 22 November 2025. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/internasional/20251122042642-120-1298185/serangan-israel-di-kamp-pengungsi-lebanon-diklaim-tewaskan-13-orang.
Abnett, Kate., Lisandra P., William J., Sudarshan V. “COP30 climate summit deadlocked as EU rejects draft deal.” Reuters. 22 November 2025. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/cop30-draft-deal-drops-effort-new-fossil-fuel-transition-agreement-2025-11-21/.
Adit, Albertus. “Dewan Keamanan PBB Setujui Pengerahan Pasukan Internasional ke Gaza.” Kompas.com. 18 November 2025. https://www.kompas.com/global/read/2025/11/18/061057170/dewan-keamanan-pbb-setujui-pengerahan-pasukan-internasional-ke-gaza.
Cocks, Tim. Julia P., Nqobile D., Andrea S. “G20 summit in South Africa adopts declaration despite US boycott, opposition.” Reuters. 23 November 2025. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/g20-leaders-meet-south-africa-seeking-agreement-despite-us-boycott-2025-11-22/.
Smith, Alex., Chris E., Elettra N. “Nigeria sees one of worst mass abductions as 315 taken from school.” BBC. 23 November 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w7621xypyo.
Thibault, Harold. “China ramps up retaliatory measures against Japan, suspending travel and seafood purchases.” Le Monde. 21 November 2025. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/11/21/china-ramps-up-retaliatory-measures-against-japan-suspending-travel-and-seafood-purchases_6747692_4.html.