EMAIL DETAILS

If you have problems viewing this email, view it in a browser. <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/view/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/8eb8db0a> Please feel free to forward it to a friend <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/forward/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/0effb081>.

Foreign Policy <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/UlMc6uYQJxFs8sWzEea44>

MORNING BRIEF

Today's Global News from Foreign Policy <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/UlMc6uYQJxFs8sWzF2556>


TOP NEWS

U.S. Considers Expanding Airstrikes in Syria

U.S. Considers Expanding Airstrikes in Syria

<p> <b>Syria:</b> The United States is considering <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKF8PoQHbc801WAcfcc style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">expanding its air campaign</a> against Islamist militants in Syria to target forces from the al Qaeda-linked group Jabhat al-Nusra as they close on a critical border crossing with Turkey. The group routed forces from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) from strongholds in Idlib province over the weekend, and is now reportedly moving toward one of the two openings where the FSA receives military and humanitarian assistance from the United States and other allies. </p><br><p> The U.S. bombing campaign has thus far been focused on the Islamic State forces in the northern part of the country. Though the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not strongly contested the bombing -- and has not deployed the country's air defenses -- it is unclear whether an expansion into Idlib province, which is west of Aleppo, would draw more forceful protests. The consideration of expanded strikes also underscores tensions about what role the United States is choosing to play in Syria: Its stated goal is the removal of Assad, but the FSA, despite recent clashes, considers Jabhat al-Nusra to be an ally against Assad, and U.S. airstrikes may inadvertently <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXYAbe76 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">be helping</a> the Syrian regime. </p><br><p> Jabhat al-Nusra was struck in the opening volley of U.S. airstrikes in Syria in late September, but has not been targeted since. </p><br><p> <b>Ebola: </b>Officials in Liberia are beginning to reassess the scale of the response needed to fight the Ebola crisis as the rate of new infections has <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKGsPoQHbc801bAfe63 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">sharply declined</a> in recent weeks. The apparent turnaround has occurred before even one of the 17 promised U.S. Ebola facilities opened. The facilities will still be built, but many will be scaled down from the 100 beds initially promised, though with the ability to expand if the need arises. </p><br><p> Even as the outbreak recedes, at least momentarily, <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKG8PoQHbc801cAfa86 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">restrictions and possible consequences</a> back home have made U.S. health workers more hesitant of coming to help. </p><br>

Americas

<ul><p> • As U.S. voters head to the polls, candidates are using everything from the specter of militants crossing the border to claiming their opponent is responsible for the Ebola outbreak to <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXZAb95c style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">bolster turnout</a>. </p><br> <p> • Police <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXaA3b86 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">arrested</a> the mayor of the Mexican town of Iguala, where 43 students disappeared during protests in September. </p><br> <p> • Venezuela will <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXbAfc71 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">raise its minimum wage</a> by 15 percent to account for rampant inflation. This will be the third hike this year. </p><br> </ul>
Middle East

<ul><p> • The Obama administration cut off funding for the organization dedicated to <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKEsPoQHbc801DAa917 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">investigating war crimes</a> committed by the Syrian government. </p><br> <p> • Children captured by the Islamic State faced <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXcA1520 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">"torture and abuse,"</a> according to Human Rights Watch. </p><br> <p> • Plans by an Israeli committee to build another 500 apartments in the Ramat Schlomo housing development in East Jerusalem were <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXdAa2e8 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">condemned</a> by the Obama administration. </p><br> </ul>
Asia

<ul><p> • Two officials in China's Guangdong province were arrested after paying local grave robbers to <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXeA69a8 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">steal bodies</a> so they could meet quotas for cremations in their districts. </p><br> <p> • Thailand's government gave away some <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXfA6f40 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">2,700 hundred assault rifles</a> in the country's south to volunteers offering to fight insurgents over the past two months. </p><br> <p> • The founder of the file-sharing site the Pirate Bay was <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXgAc613 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">arrested</a> in Thailand. A Swedish court convicted him in 2009. </p><br> </ul>
Africa

<ul><p> • An <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXhA8bf8 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">inquiry</a> into the shooting of demonstrators who were protesting quarantines in Monrovia found that Liberian soldiers fired with "complete disregard for human life." </p><br> <p> • The African Union said that Burkina Faso's military has <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXiAc862 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">two weeks</a> to hand power over to a civilian ruler. </p><br> <p> • <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXjA3291 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">Defections have risen</a> as the power of the Islamist militant group al Shabab declines in Somalia. </p><br> </ul>
Europe

<ul><p> • Ukrainian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko was <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXkA7e54 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">sworn in</a> as head of the country's secessionist east. Ukraine's president said the vote <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXlA4a48 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">jeopardized</a> "the entire peace process." </p><br> <p> • European Union authorities <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjefMPoyIiBFcXmAfbd3 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">sharply revised</a> growth forecasts as member states offered weaker economic performances than expected. </p><br> <p> • Russia may play a <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKGcPoQHbc801ZA64f7 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">key role</a> in a possible Iran deal after a new breakthrough. In the proposed deal, Russia would convert much of Iran's uranium stockpile to specialized fuel rods. </p><br> </ul>
- By Thomas Stackpole

Register <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/UoEWH8JSdj56EApzDb426> at ForeignPolicy.com to receive Morning Brief and other FP newsletters. <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/UoEWH8JSdj56EApzEf42f>

TRENDING ON FOREIGNPOLICY.COM <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/UlMc6uYQJxFs8sWzG77e9>

The Gangs of Iraq <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFgGyMPoQHbc76W0A4408>

by Tirana Hassan

Burkina Faso's Silver Lining <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFX7AsPoQHbc5HpOAb741>

by Ken Opalo

Is a U.S. Decline Good News for China? <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/VFjKD8PoQHbc801AA221a>

by Zha Daojiong, Gordon Chang, Chen Weihua, Peter Gries, Wu Jianmin, Ian Buruma, Hugh White


If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please click <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/oc/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71yibn.1aac/f1dcdb21> to safely unsubscrib