CFR Daily Update

Paris Climate Talks Open Amid Global Rallies More than 150 heads of state arrived in Paris to kick off two weeks of high-level climate talks (Reuters) aimed at producing a long-term deal to reduce global carbon emissions. The conference, known as COP21, is the latest international effort (France24) on climate policy and is aiming reach an agreement to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Meanwhile, police detained hundreds (NYT) of demonstrators in Paris and placed two dozen environmental activists under house arrest, while some 600,000 people demonstrated against the conference in 175 countries around the world.

ANALYSIS "Failure to reach a deal in Paris could be disastrous, but not for the reason many might intuitively think. Leaders will mostly still try to pursue their national emissions reduction goals even if Paris is a seen as a flop. But the political environment in which they try to do that will be strongly influenced by the Paris outcome," writes CFR's Michael A. Levi. "Left unclear is whether the Paris agreement will include a binding compliance mechanism. One worry is that unaddressed cases of noncompliance could undermine the credibility of the UNFCCC process. Voluntary mechanisms to encourage states to meet their INDC pledges could help fill this gap," write CFR's Stewart M. Patrick and Naomi Egel. "The question is not whether Paris will deliver a deal. It will. Nor is the question whether Paris will secure sufficient commitments to limit global temperature rises to below two degrees Celsius. It won't. The real question is whether Paris can agree a credible mechanism to deliver an early, material increase in ambition that keeps the two degrees Celsius goal alive," writes Rob Bailey for the Council of Councils.

PACIFIC RIM IMF to Grant Yuan Reserve Status The International Monetary Fund is expected to grant China's yuan status as a reserve currency (Bloomberg) by adding it to the fund's Special Drawing Rights basket, which also includes the dollar, euro, Japanese yen, and British pound. China had requested the move last year, but the yuan was considered too controlled to qualify until recently. MYANMAR: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will meet outgoing President Thein Sein and the country's military chief to discuss political transition on Wednesday (WSJ), marking their first meeting since her party won a historic election earlier this month. This CFR Backgrounder offers a guide to understanding Myanmar.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S. Embassy Issues Warning in Kabul A blast was reported in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday near the labor ministry office, and the U.S. embassy in Kabul issued a warning (IBT), saying it had received "credible reports of an imminent attack" within the next two days. The Taliban has conducted deadly attacks in Kabul in recent months, striking NATO troops and government offices in suicide bombings. INDIA: India's government is considering a compromise on a tax reform (ET) that could lead to the adoption of a controversial, long-stalled goods and services tax. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met opposition leader Sonia Gandhi on Fridayin a bid to break the deadlock.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Israel Suspends EU Role in Peace Process Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a suspension (AFP) of discussion with EU officials involved in peace efforts with the Palestinians following the bloc's decision to label goods from Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The EU considers the settlements illegal. SYRIA: Rescue workers reported that air strikes believed to have been carried out by Russian jets killed at least thirty people (Reuters) in the town of Ariha in northwestern Syria. Rebel-held areas near the Turkish border have reported intensified Russian air strikes and civilian casualties.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Pope Francis Visits Mosque in CAR Pope Francis Pope Francis visited a Muslim neighborhood (BBC) in the Central African Republic capital of Bangui on Monday on the final stop of his landmark tour of three African nations. CAR has seen intense violence between Muslim rebels and mostly Christian militias in the past few years. BURKINA FASO: Millions voted in Burkina Faso's first presidential and legislative elections (NYT) since a popular uprising removed President Blaise Compaore, who had been in office since 1987, last year. More than a dozen candidates are running for president.

EUROPE Turkey, EU Agree on Migrant Deal The European Union and Turkey agreed on a deal (FT) to stem migrant flows into Europe, including a three billion euro aid package and the prospect of revitalized EU membership talks for Ankara. The deal marks a significant step towards a more comprehensive European strategy on migration. This CFR Backgrounder provides insight into Europe's migration crisis.

AMERICAS UNASUR Presses Venezuela Ahead of Polls The Union of South American Nations, the body in charge of monitoring Venezuela's upcoming parliamentary elections, called on President Nicolas Maduro to launch a probe (MercoPress) into the death of an opposition politician who was shot on Wednesday at a rally. Maduro has also faced pressure from the Organization of American States, which has clashed with the president over election monitors. BRAZIL: Brazil's government announced it will sue (AP) mining giants BHP Billiton and Vale for $5.2 billion after the collapse of a dam at an iron ore mine left more than thirteen people dead and caused significant environmental damage.

CFR Daily News Brief

Turkey Downs Russian Warplane

Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border on Tuesday after it allegedly violated Turkish airspace (NYT). Moscow denied that the jet had left Syrian air space (Reuters), saying that the act was conducted by "accomplices of terrorists." The incident marks the first time (Guardian) Russia and a NATO country have exchanged direct fire over the crisis in Syria, and comes a day before Russia's foreign minister is slated to travel to Turkey amid strained relations over Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict (BBC). 

ANALYSIS

"It suggests that the much discussed arrangements to avoid incidents between warplanes over Syria are inadequate. The Turkish authorities will no doubt claim that such arrangements do not cover the approaches to their own airspace where tried and tested procedures should apply,'" writes Jonathan Marcus for BBC.

"Nato had already warned Russia over previous border infractions, and the US took 'deconfliction' steps to minimise the risk of accidental conflict. Now the Nato alliance and the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria find themselves facing exactly the kind of unplanned but inflammatory confrontation with Moscow they had been urgently striving to avoid," writes Simon Tisdall for the Guardian.

"Although the central issue of what happens to Mr Assad has not been resolved — and has been put aside in the diplomatic talks — western officials said Russia had been supportive of the ambitious timetable for seeking a transitional government and a ceasefire. The coming days would be a 'testing period' to see how serious Russia's intentions are, said one British diplomat," write Sam Jones and Geoff Dyer for the Financial Times.

PACIFIC RIM

Tribunal Hears South China Sea Claims

Lawyers for the Philippines will appear before an international tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday to seek a ruling (Guardian) on a series of territorial claims against China in the South China Sea. Beijing has said it will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration.

NORTH KOREA: A South Korean lawmaker said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un banished one of his top officials after a disagreement over policy (Bloomberg), sending him to a rural collective farm for reeducation.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA

India and Singapore to Expand Cooperation

India and Singapore signed a joint declaration on a Strategic Partnership that would expand cooperation between the two countries (CNA). Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Singapore to commemorate fifty years of diplomatic ties.

PAKISTAN: Pakistan turned down an Afghan proposal to open a highway to India via the Wagah border during trade talks (ET), citing security reasons. Afghanistan in turn declined Pakistan's request for access to Tajikistan's border.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Kerry in Israel in Bid for Peace

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel Tuesday on a visit primarily focused on ending the recent violence between Israelis and Palestinians (AP). Kerry will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials before heading to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

QATAR: Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in Mexico City (AFP) for talks with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on trade and investment. The trip marks the first by an emir since ties were established in 1975.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

U.S. Sanctions Burundi Officials

The United States will place sanctions (BBC) on four current and former officials, including the minister for public security and the deputy director of police, in Burundi for their connection to the continuing violence in the country. President Pierre Nkurunziza's pursuit of a third term has catalyzed violence that has left at least 240 dead since April.

TANZANIA: Newly elected Tanzanian President John Magufuli cancelled independence day celebrations to spend the funds on a clean-up campaign instead (AFP). The move comes amid a cholera outbreak that has infected an estimated five thousand people. Magufuli took power earlier this month and has introduced austerity cuts and crackdowns on public corruption.

EUROPE

Belgium Captures Paris Suspect

Belgium's federal prosecutor announced that police had detained a man (FT) suspected of involvement in the Paris terrorist attacks during a series of raids on Sunday night. The country's security services are still on a nationwide manhunt for Salah Abdeslam, whom they believe to be the only surviving Paris plotter.

AMERICAS

Canada Begins Refugee Resettlement

The Canadian government will announce details of its Syrian refugee resettlement plan (Globe and Mail) after a cabinet meeting Tuesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government campaigned on a pledge to take in 25,000 new asylum seekers by the end of the year.

HONDURAS: Five Syrians who entered Honduras on fake Greek passports last week requested asylum (BBC) from the government. Honduran police said the men did not appear to have any links to militant groups.

CFR Daily News Brief

TOP OF THE AGENDA Opposition Candidate Elected President in Argentina Conservative opposition candidate Mauricio Macri won http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=33ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0 on Sunday after campaigning for reforms to spur investment in the country's lagging economy. Macri, the mayor of Buenos Aires, defeated Daniel Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province and the leftist ruling-party candidate, in the runoff vote (NYT). Macri will become only the third non-Peronist leader since the end of military rule in 1983, marking a turn to the right (WSJ) in Argentina's government after twelve years of leftist power.

ANALYSIS "Macri, 56, has pledged to lift unpopular controls on the purchase of U.S. dollars and thus eliminate a booming black market for currency exchange. Doing that would likely lead to a sharp devaluation of the Argentine peso. With foreign reserves around $26 billion, low for such a large economy, the government would desperately need an immediate infusion of dollars,'" writes Peter Prengaman for the Associated Press. "The return to growth that his backers, and foreign investors, are anticipating won't be immediate. If anything, analysts are warning that things could get worse initially as the new president implements the kind of tough measures—cuts to the budget, a devaluation of the peso—that figure to further choke off consumer demand. Oxford Economics says gross domestic product will likely contract the next two years before rebounding to post growth of more than 5 percent by 2019," write Katia Porzecanski and Carolina Millan for Bloomberg. "Perhaps the biggest area where Mr Macri needs to effect change, though, is in Argentina's investment climate. Financial investors have cheered Mr Macri's rise and Argentine stocks and bonds have rallied on the prospect of change. But http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=34ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0. Mr Macri's job is to convert Argentina into a destination for real money and foreign direct investment rather than a hedge fund speculation," writes John Paul Rathbone for the Financial Times.

PACIFIC RIM China Pledges Funds to ASEAN China pledged $10 billion in infrastructure loans and $560 million in aid to southeast Asian states at the East Asia Summit (SCMP) in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend. Although many leaders raised concerns surrounding the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Beijing maintained that its reclamation projects would continue. This CFR Infoguide delves into the complex territorial claims of China's maritime disputes. JAPAN: An explosion at Japan's controversial Yasukuni Shrine Monday morning caused partial damage to the grounds (JapanTimes). The shrine, which honors war criminals among the 2.4 million killed in war, is regarded abroad as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Three Killed in Nepal Protests At least twenty-eight were hurt and three died in clashes (NYT) between protesters and police in southern Nepal over the weekend. Authorities had opened fire on demonstrators, who were blocking the country's main highway in protest over the nation's new constitution. BANGLADESH: Two senior Bangladeshi opposition leaders were hanged (NewsNext)for war crimes committed during the country's 1971 independence war with Pakistan after their pleas for clemency were rejected.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Kerry to Meet Saudi, UAE Officials U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is slated to hold talks on Syria (Reuters) with senior officials from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The discussions will focus on how to unify Syrian opposition groups ahead of a conference that will be hosted by Saudi Arabia next month. SYRIA: Two monitoring groups reported that Russian air strikes in Syria have http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=32ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0, including ninety-seven children, since September this year. CFR's Global Conflict Tracker sheds light on the Syrian civil war.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Second Group Claims Responsibility for Mali Attacks A second jihadist group from central Mali, the Macina Liberation Front, also claimed responsibility (France24) for the attack on a Bamako hotel that left nineteen people dead last week. The al Qaeda-linked group Al Murabitoun had first claimed responsibility as the country prepared for three days of national mourning. CAMEROON: At least nine people were killed in northern Cameroon in a suicide bombing (AP) by suspected Boko Haram militants over the weekend. The country is supporting a regional force to fight the militant group, whose six-year insurgency has killed an estimated twenty thousand people.

EUROPE Brussels Remains on Lockdown as Police Conducts Raids Belgian officials said they arrested at least sixteen suspects in nineteen raids (Guardian) on Sunday night in a bid to close down a terrorist network that authorities believed was plotting an attack. Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam remains at large as Brussels faces its third day of lockdown. FRANCE: French President Francois Hollande will urge U.S. President Barack Obama to intensify the military campaign (FT) against the self-proclaimed Islamic State during his visit to the White House on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the UK plans to boost its defense budget by seven percent for the next ten years (WSJ). Empowering the Sunnis of Iraq and deescalating the conflict in Syria are essential to curbing the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, writes CFR's Philip Gordon in this op-ed.

AMERICAS Colombia Pardons FARC Guerillas The Colombian government announced it will pardon thirty guerrillas (BBC) of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia currently serving prison sentences. The government said the move was a confidence-building measure in its peace talks with the rebel group that have been taking place in Cuba for the past three years. This CFR Backgrounder looks at http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=22ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Kerry to Meet Saudi, UAE Officials U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is slated to hold talks on Syria (Reuters) with senior officials from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The discussions will focus on how to unify Syrian opposition groups ahead of a conference that will be hosted by Saudi Arabia next month. SYRIA: Two monitoring groups reported that Russian air strikes in Syria have http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=32ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0, including ninety-seven children, since September this year. CFR's Global Conflict Tracker sheds light on the Syrian civil war.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Second Group Claims Responsibility for Mali Attacks A second jihadist group from central Mali, the Macina Liberation Front, also claimed responsibility (France24) for the attack on a Bamako hotel that left nineteen people dead last week. The al Qaeda-linked group Al Murabitoun had first claimed responsibility as the country prepared for three days of national mourning. CAMEROON: At least nine people were killed in northern Cameroon in a suicide bombing (AP) by suspected Boko Haram militants over the weekend. The country is supporting a regional force to fight the militant group, whose six-year insurgency has killed an estimated twenty thousand people.

EUROPE Brussels Remains on Lockdown as Police Conducts Raids Belgian officials said they arrested at least sixteen suspects in nineteen raids (Guardian) on Sunday night in a bid to close down a terrorist network that authorities believed was plotting an attack. Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam remains at large as Brussels faces its third day of lockdown. FRANCE: French President Francois Hollande will urge U.S. President Barack Obama to intensify the military campaign (FT) against the self-proclaimed Islamic State during his visit to the White House on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the UK plans to boost its defense budget by seven percent for the next ten years (WSJ). Empowering the Sunnis of Iraq and deescalating the conflict in Syria are essential to curbing the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, writes CFR's Philip Gordon in this op-ed.

AMERICAS Colombia Pardons FARC Guerillas The Colombian government announced it will pardon thirty guerrillas (BBC) of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia currently serving prison sentences. The government said the move was a confidence-building measure in its peace talks with the rebel group that have been taking place in Cuba for the past three years. This CFR Backgrounder looks at http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=22ms=NTAwODM0OTcS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAzMTI1NDQ2S0mt=1rt=0.

CFR Daily News Brief

TOP OF THE AGENDA Top Suspect in Paris Attacks Confirmed Dead Paris prosecutors confirmed that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian militant suspected of masterminding the Paris attacks, has been identified as one of those killed (AP) in a raid in St. Denis on Wednesday. France's parliament voted to extend the state of emergency by three months (FT) after Prime Minster Manuel Valls warned of potential chemical or biological terror attacks (BBC). Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama said it may take months (Reuters) for Iran, Russia, and the Syrian government to accept that there would be no resolution to the Syrian war while President Bashar al-Assad remained in power.

ANALYSIS "While the January terrorist attacks at the offices of Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish grocery story led to a paler version of this effort at national unity, symbolized by the massive march in Paris on Jan. 11, this time around — with an election pending in just weeks that could change the nature of the republic — a political timeout for an attack that claimed nearly 130 lives proved too much to ask. Today, the pallor of the union is such as to render it nearly invisible,'" writes Robert Zaretsky for Foreign Policy. "Remember that the West has two things to defend: the lives of its citizens, and the liberal values of tolerance and the rule of law that underpin its society. Where these are in conflict, it should choose policies that minimise the damage to values in order to make large gains in protection. Sadly, in the scramble for security, that principle often seems to be the first thing to go," writes the Economist. "The attacks of November 13, in other words, are not the mark of a growing Islamist threat on French soil. They reveal a systemic failure of counterterrorism institutions to protect Paris. The scale of the attack, the multiplicity of targets, and the high death toll signal the magnitude of that failure," writes Camille Pecastaing for Foreign Affairs.

EUROPE Belgium Steps up Security Brussels announced an extra $426 million for Belgium's security services and a host of measures aimed at stemming criticism of its handling of counterterrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks. On Thursday, Belgian police conducted a series of raids in Brussels (FT) in efforts to obtain information on one of the Paris suicide bombers. Belgium has more foreign fighters in Syria per capita than any other EU country, according to the Financial Times. CFR's resource page on the Paris attacks include in-depth analysis and insight.

PACIFIC RIM China Pushes for Emissions Limit China's representative for climate change said that Beijing wants to see a legally binding treaty limiting greenhouse gas emissions (SCMP) at the UN climate talks in Paris later this month, adding that that there were major disagreements between nations at the preparatory meeting. APEC: Leaders at the APEC forum issued a joint statement condemning terrorism (Guardian) as the meeting came to a close in Manila. Meanwhile, police Manila used water cannons against indigenous, student, and labor groups demonstrating against the conference.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Italian Missionary Killed in Bangladesh An Italian missionary working in northern Bangladesh was shot and wounded (NYT)in the third attack on foreigners there since late September. Western intelligence officials warned in September that terrorists were planning to attack foreigners in the country.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Islamic State Claims Two Hostages Killed The self-proclaimed Islamic State said it had executed two hostages (WSJ), one Chinese and the other Norwegian, releasing images of the two men. The militant group had demanded ransom, which the Norwegian government declined to pay. EGYPT: Egypt said on Wednesday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed international cooperation (AlArabiya) in the fight against terrorism. The self-proclaimed Islamic State published a photo of what it claims was the bomb that brought down a Russian commercial jet in Egypt last month.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Bombs Strike Second Nigerian Market Two female suicide bombers killed eleven people in a market (BBC) in the northern Nigerian city of Kano just two days after thirty people died in a suicide bombing in northeastern Yola. No one has claimed responsibility, although militant group Boko Haram has previously targeted Kano. CFR's John Campbell discusses a new report that lists Boko Haram as the world's deadliest terror organization. SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's military dismissed forty-seven peacekeepers serving in the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo for violating curfew (Al Jazeera). Nearly 1,400 South African troops are deployed in the DRC.

AMERICAS Obama Threatens to Veto New Refugee Bill The White House threatened to veto a House bill that would impose a new layer of screening (WaPo) for Syrian and Iraqi refugees. The House is scheduled to vote Thursday on the legislation, which would require national security agencies to certify the refugees pose no risk. The While House called the additional http://links.cfr.mkt5175.com/ctt?kn=23ms=NTAwNTU2MzkS1r=NTg5Mzg0MTEzNDAS1b=0j=ODAyNjE2NjA2S0mt=1rt=0 CFR's Edward Alden discusses the resettlement of refugees in this new blog post. HONDURAS: Honduran authorities arrested five Syrian men carrying stolen Greek passports in Tegucigalpa on Tuesday (AFP). Honduras, which said the men intended to travel to the United States, said Monday it had reinforced security in its travel hubs following the French attacks.

Russian Air Operations in Syria

Russia announced a new phase of its air campaign in Syria on November 17 following a new directive from Russian President Vladimir Putin. This new directive comes as FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov confirmed the downing of Metrojet Flight 9268 to be "a terrorist act." President Putin vowed to "punish" those responsible and stated that the Russian air campaign in Syria "must be intensified in such a way that the criminals understand that retribution is inevitable." The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced that the new air operations plan will double the size of Russia's strike force able to target positions inside of Syria to include 25 long-range strategic bombers, 8 SU-34s, and 4 SU-27s. These new warplanes will be based from the Mozdok airbase in Northern Ossetia along Russia's southern border with Georgia and flown over Iranian and Iraqi airspace to launch operations inside Syria. The new phase will also include an increased number of combat sorties from the Bassel al-Assad International Airport in Latakia Province. 

Russia Bombs Islamic State in Coordination with France

After announcing that the Oct. 31 Metrojet crash in the Sinai was caused by a bomb, Russia has begun bombing Islamic State targets in Syria in coordination with France. Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Hollande spoke by phone and agreed to coordinate airstrikes; the two leaders will meet in Moscow later this month. At least 25 long-range bombers took part in the strikes yesterday, as well as cruise missiles. Russian officials notified the United States in advance of the strikes, marking the first time that the United States and Russia have used the deconfliction protocol agreed to in October. Russia claimed it targeted command centers where the Islamic State coordinates operation in Idlib and Aleppo -- regions that were also struck in cruise missile strikes -- though the Islamic State does not operate in these areas.

Daily News Brief

Council on Foreign Relations 

November 17, 2015

Obama Pledges Support for Philippine Navy

U.S. President Barack Obama landed in Manila on Tuesday ahead of this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, touring a naval vessel (Bloomberg) and pledging two more ships (IBT) that could aid the Philippines in defending its claims in the South China Sea. Leaders of the twenty-one-member forum have also voiced outrage over the attacks in Paris as security and geopolitical concerns overshadow talks (AP) on trade and the economy. Although China asked Philippine officials not to include territorial disputes in the APEC agenda, U.S. officials plan to highlight the issue in Manila as well as at the ASEAN (NYT) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia later this week.

ANALYSIS

"The thing to watch is whether Xi will reposition RCEP as a complement, rather than a competitor, to the TPP, so that Apec's ultimate goal of an Asia-Pacific free trade area can be realised. It is a sign of the times that Apec's long-standing objective of creating the Asia-Pacific's largest free trade area has been co-opted by China – once a free-trade laggard - as its own vision when Beijing hosted the Apec summit last year,'" writes Yang Razali Kassim for South China Morning Post.

"This year it faces an even bigger challenge: 12 APEC members have signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement that would achieve many of the group's goals, but outside its framework. That raises the question, if the TPP is realised, of what APEC itself is for," writes the Economist.

"Much of the media's attention has focused on lower tariff barriers in politically sensitive sectors such as auto manufacturing and agriculture. But tariffs on goods have fallen sharply over the past two decades through work done by the World Trade Organization. It is the provisions dealing with nontariff barriers that make the TPP significant and ground-breaking," writes Justin Patrie for Nikkei Asian Review.

EUROPE

France Appeals to EU for Military Aid

European Union defense ministers backed French appeals for military assistance (DW) in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State. France has conducted multiple air strikes in Syria since the Paris attacks and evoked a never-before used article in the EU Treaty to appeal for aid.

RUSSIA: Russia confirmed that a bomb was responsible (FT) for the downing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt last month that killed 224 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retribution, saying that Russia will intensify its air strikes in Syria.

PACIFIC RIM

Japan Sues Okinawa Over U.S. Base

Japan sued the local government of Okinawa Island on Tuesday after its governor blocked approval (JapanTimes) for the landfill work needed to relocate a large U.S. airbase in the prefecture. The case comes amid long-standing tension over U.S. military presence on the island.

CAMBODIA: Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has delayed returning (SMH) to his country to face a two-year jail sentence on a defamation charge his supporters say is politically motivated. Rainsy, who survived an assassination attempt in 1997, was stripped of parliamentary immunity on Monday.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA

Pakistan's Army Chief to Visit United States

Pakistan's army chief will embark on a five-day visit to the United States, where stalled Afghan peace talks (Dawn) are expected to top the agenda. The visit will include a meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Yemeni President Returns From Exile

Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi returned to the southern port city of Aden from Saudi exile (AFP), a day after his loyalists launched a new offensive against Iran-backed rebels with the support of Saudi-led troops. At least 5,700 Yemenis have been killed during seven months of civil war.

TUNISIA: Senior Tunisian officials said authorities arrested a cell of seventeen Islamist militants they say were planning a major attack (Reuters) on hotels and security forces in the resort town of Sousse.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Somalia Votes for Kenya's Military Exit

Somalia's parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of a motion requiring Kenya's government to withdraw its forces from Somalia (Star). Parliament had raised concerns surrounding a recent report accusing Kenya's military of illegal resource trade, as well as the country's plans to build a wall along its border with Somalia. Kenya's military arrived in the country in 2011 to help Somalia's government regain control of territory seized by militant group Al-Shabab.

GUINEA: Health officials said that Guinea's last known Ebola patient was released (TIME) from a treatment center in the capital of Conakry. The country will be declared free of the virus if no new cases are reported in the next six weeks.

AMERICAS

U.S. Governors Seek to Block Syrian Refugees

More than twenty Republican governors moved to block U.S. acceptance of Syrian refugees (WaPo) in the wake of the Paris attacks, and some have suggested only accepting Christian refugees. U.S. President Barack Obama denounced the proposals.

NICARAGUA: Nicaragua turned back hundreds of Cuban migrants who had flown to Ecuador and were reportedly trying to reach the United States by land. Nicaragua's government lodged a complaint (LAHT) with the United Nations accusing neighboring Costa Rica of provoking a humanitarian crisis by allowing the migrants transit in country as they travelled north to Nicaragua. 

Russia Says Metrojet Brought Down by Bomb, Promises “Retribution”

Russia has concluded that the Metrojet crash in the Sinai Peninsular on Oct. 31 was caused by "a homemade bomb containing up to 1 kilogram of TNT," Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's FSB security service said. "Our air force's military work in Syria must not simply be continued," Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "It must be intensified in such a way that the criminals understand that retribution is inevitable." A source in the French government told Reuters that Russian warplanes launched airstrikes on Raqqa on Tuesday. Egyptian authorities arrested two employees at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport suspected of possibly smuggling the bomb aboard the plane.

French Manhunt and Airstrikes Continue after Attack

French police raids continue today, as does the manhunt for people involved in Friday's attacks. Police are still looking for Salah Abdeslam, a French citizen believed to have been involved in the attack. The mastermind of the attack, who has been identified as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian citizen with strong ties to the Islamic State's leadership, also remains at large. France has mobilized 115,000 security personnel across the country and President Francois Hollande has declared a state of emergency that could be extended up to three months. Hollande has also suggested introducing new counterterrorism laws.

France has also continued airstrikes on the Islamic State's de facto capital of Raqqa, targeting a command post and training camp, according to the French military. "It is not about containing but about destroying that organization," Hollande said in a speech before the parliament. "They are not out of our reach." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a surprise visit to Paris. After meeting with Hollande, he told reporters, "We agreed to exchange more information and I'm convinced that over the course of the next weeks, Daesch will feel greater pressure. They are feeling it today. They felt it yesterday."

CFR Daily Brief

TOP OF THE AGENDA

France Strikes Islamic State After Paris Attacks

France conducted airstrikes (NYT) targeting the self-proclaimed Islamic State in the Syrian city of Raqqa Sunday after 129 people were killed in terrorist attacks in Paris onFriday. Meanwhile, French authorities conducted a series of raids (WSJ) on suspected militants across France, arresting twenty-three people and seizing dozens of weapons. Two more attackers were named (FT), along with five already identified, and investigators said they were focusing on a Belgian national who is suspected to be the mastermind of the attacks (AP).

PACIFIC RIM Japan, Philippines to Strike Military Deal Japan and the Philippines will purportedly agree on a deal (Reuters) for Tokyo to supply Manila with used military equipment, Reuters reported. The agreement will mark the first time Japan has agreed to directly donate military equipment to another nation. KOREA: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is slated to visit North Korea (Yonhap)this week on a surprise trip, according to a Korean news agency. The move would mark the first visit by a UN chief to the country in more than two decades.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Cambodia Targets Opposition Leader Cambodia's ruling party stripped opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who was on a visit to South Korea, of his lawmaker status and parliamentary immunity Monday, paving the way for his arrest (DW) upon his return to the country. The warrant was issued in connection with a defamation case that the opposition says is politically motivated. INDIA: India's ruling party downplayed remarks by the Dalai Lama that could be seen as criticizing the government for religious intolerance. The spiritual leader said that recent elections in Bihar state, which the BJP lost, showed that most Hindus believed in religious harmony (IndiaToday).

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA U.S. Strike Targets Libya The Pentagon announced that a U.S. military airstrike killed the self-proclaimed Islamic State's leader in Libya over the weekend (Guardian). The strike was the first use of U.S. jets in the country since June 2014. This CFR Backgrounder sheds light on the formation and evolution of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. ISRAEL: Two Palestinians were killed in a West Bank refugee camp during clashes (Haaretz) with the Israeli Defense Force. The army was demolishing the home of a Palestinian who shot and killed an Israeli student in a June attack.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Burundi Violence Continues At least four people died in attacks (Reuters) in Burundi's capital of Bujumbura onSunday in the latest spate of violence since President Pierre Nkurunziza won a disputed third term in July. The UN adopted a resolution Thursday calling for talks and laying the groundwork for peacekeepers to be deployed amid growing concern that the violence could escalate into an ethnic conflict. It is unlikely that the conflict in Burundi will play out along ethnic lines, Claire Wilmot writes in this CFR blog post. KENYA: Security forces in Kenya and Uganda said they have stepped up patrols (BBC)in the wake of the attacks on Paris. Both countries have suffered attacks by the Somalia-based militant Islamist group al-Shabab.

EUROPE G20 Leaders Pledge Action Against Islamic State World leaders vowed to step up the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State at the G20 conference (FT) in Turkey on Sunday. The meeting comes amid calls for the West to rethink its relationship with Russia in the wake of the weekend's attacks in Paris, as Moscow's military campaign in Syria has strained ties. The G20 focus will be on heading off a number of looming economic and security crises, writes CFR's Robert Kahn in this CFR blog post.

AMERICAS OAS Criticizes Venezuela The head of the Organization of American States criticized Venezuela's electoral body for refusing election monitors (MercoPress) ahead of legislative elections slated for December 6. ARGENTINA: The two candidates for Argentina's presidency, Daniel Scioli and Mauricio Macri, clashed in a televised debate (Al Jazeera) ahead of a run-off electionSaturday. Scioli, who belongs to the ruling Front for Victory party, won 35 percent of votes in the first round, but now trails his opponent in the polls.