Daily News Brief

PACIFIC RIM Indonesia Invokes Tribunal in Sea Dispute Indonesia's security chief said Wednesday that Jakarta could challenge China (WSJ)before an international court if Beijing did not resolve its territorial claims in the South China Sea through dialogue. Indonesia's Natuna islands lie on the southern edge of the South China Sea. This CFR Infoguide explains and analyzes China's maritime disputes. CHINA: U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi met with officials in Beijing on a trip that included a rare trip by foreign politicians to Tibet (AP). Pelosi has been a frequent critic of China's human rights record.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Myanmar Opposition Closes in on Win The latest results from Myanmar's electoral commission showed that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party is thirty-eight seats away from claiming a parliamentary majority (Guardian). Meanwhile, Myanmar's military chief pledged to work with the country's new government. INDIA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK for a three-day visit (TIME) that will include talks with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, a speech to parliament, and lunch with the Queen.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Israeli Hospital Raid Kills Palestinian Israeli undercover forces raided a hospital in the West Bank on Thursday, killing a Palestinian man (Haaretz) during an attempt to detain another man suspected of carrying out a stabbing. The incident continues a wave of violence across Jerusalem and the West Bank that began in October.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA EU Pledges Africa Trust Fund The European Union approved a $1.9 billion (1.8 billion euro) trust fund (AFP) for Africa that aims to address the root causes of mass migration to Europe, such as poverty and armed conflict. The money is in part aimed at persuading African leaders to take back more economic migrants. NIGER: Approximately twenty-five people were killed in an attack (Reuters) on a southern Nigerien village by Boko Haram. The militant group has recently stepped up cross-border attacks into Niger, Chad, and Cameroon from its bases in northeastern Nigeria.

EUROPE Sweden Launches Border Checks Sweden will join Germany and Austria in establishing border checks (FT) within the Schengen zone in a bid to control the flow of migrants into the country. Meanwhile, Slovenia began construction of a razor-wire fence (NYT) along its border with Croatia on Wednesday. This CFR Backgrounder sheds light on Europe's migrant crisis. GREECE: Greece's largest labor unions launched a twenty-four-hour strike (WSJ) on Thursday to protest austerity measures imposed by the country's international bailout package. The strike is the first major union action faced by the governing left-wing Syriza party. The Greek government has fallen behind on its reform commitments, writes CFR's Robert Kahn in this new blog post.

AMERICAS Nephews of Venezuela's First Lady Arrested Two nephews of the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro were arrested in Haiti (NYT) and flown to New York on charges of conspiring to ship 800 kilograms of cocaine to the United States. The charges come ahead of Venezuela's crucial legislative elections next month. COLOMBIA: The leader of The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country's largest armed rebel group, has said the organization has ceased the purchase of guns and ammunition since September (BBC). This CFR Backgrounder looks at Colombia's rebel groups and the prospects for peace.