The UN refugee agency said it is preparing (AP) for as many as two hundred thousand refugees from the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray. About thirty-two thousand people have already fled into neighboring Sudan. 

Hundreds of people have been killed in the conflict between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which erupted after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of attacking a military base earlier this month. The federal government said it is advancing on Tigray’s capital. Authorities in the neighboring Amhara region said today that TPLF forces had fired rockets at its capital (Reuters), raising fears of a broader war. Yesterday, seventeen U.S. senators sent a letter (WaPo) to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to engage with Abiy and secure a cease-fire.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Japan (AP) and South Korea (Yonhap) next week, Tokyo and Seoul announced today. Wang is expected to discuss the resumption of business travel with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and a potential China-Japan-South Korea summit with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

Taiwan: Taipei announced that Andrew Wheeler, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will visit Taiwan (Reuters) in December. It will be the third visit by a senior U.S. official since August, and will likely anger China.

This CFR Backgrounder unpacks the China-Taiwan relationship.

In his first visit to Afghanistan while in office, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to help reduce violence in the country (RFA) and push for a cease-fire between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of aiding the Taliban in the past, which the country has denied.

India: Security forces killed four alleged terrorists (Hindustan Times) said to be planning an attack for the anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks next week.

The executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a leading human rights organization in Egypt, was arrested yesterday (NYT). Two of the organization’s other staff members were arrested earlier this week amid the government’s yearslong crackdown on dissent.

UAE: The United Arab Emirates reaffirmed its commitment (Bloomberg) to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) following reports that it was reconsidering its membership. Emirati officials have seemed irked by what they see as an unfair allocation of production cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The so-called OPEC+ coalition that includes Russia is set to meet in the coming weeks to decide on a planned production increase for next year.

This CFR Backgrounder explains OPEC.

Burkina Faso will hold presidential and legislative elections on Sunday as the country struggles with a surge of extremist violence (AP) that has killed more than two thousand people this year. A dozen opposition candidates are challenging President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, accusing him of failing to protect the country.

Following a virtual summit yesterday, European Union leaders warned of upcoming difficulties (Politico) with the pandemic response, Brexit negotiations, and a budget standoff with Hungary and Poland. With time already running short for a deal, Brexit talks were temporarily suspended after a senior negotiator tested positive for coronavirus.

United Kingdom: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the country’s largest increase in military spending (WaPo) since the end of the Cold War, allocating an extra $21 billion over the next four years toward space and cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, and naval power.

Mexico became the fourth country to report one hundred thousand deaths (AP) from COVID-19, after Brazil, India, and the United States. A lack of testing and fear of hospitals has hampered the response to the disease.

Colombia: Thousands of students and workers protested (MercoPress) across the country despite pandemic restrictions, demanding better health coverage and education, a basic income, and aid for small businesses.

A hand recount of more than five million ballots in Georgia reaffirmed President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory (NYT) in the state. Georgia must certify its results today. President Donald J. Trump’s campaign can then request another recount, which would be done by machine. Trump has invited Michigan state lawmakers to the White House today as he continues an unprecedented effort (NYT) to block the certification of results and overturn the election.