Chief Executive Carrie Lam delivered an annual policy speech by video after she was heckled (Guardian) by pro-democracy lawmakers while trying to speak before Hong Kong’s parliament. In a bid to address dissatisfaction, Lam pledged (Reuters) to increase public housing, student grants, and public transportation.
 
The speech came after the U.S. House of Representatives passed three bills (AP) in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, which prompted warnings (SCMP) from Beijing that interfering in China’s internal affairs could damage U.S.-China relations. One of the bills would require an annual review of Hong Kong’s special trade status, which China has used to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions.

Leader Kim Jong-un, in comments made atop North Korea’s tallest mountain, blamed U.S.-led hostility (WSJ) toward Pyongyang for his country’s economic hardships, according to state media. Kim said North Koreans’ pain has “turned into their anger.”
 
CFR’s Scott A. Snyder discusses why U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks failed again.

A new report [PDF] from the UN mission in Afghanistan found that eighty-five people were killed and another 373 injured in attacks leading up to and on the day of the September presidential election.
 
India: A pilot program to train and employ women (Bloomberg) to test water quality will launch soon in more than 250 water-scarce districts, a minister announced.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected a U.S. call for a cease-fire in northern Syria, saying the Turkish military operation there will go on until a zone stretching more than two hundred miles is cleared of Kurdish fighters (Al Jazeera). Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set to meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien today.
 
CFR’s Max Boot writes that NATO’s ties with Turkey must change.
 
UAE: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed cooperation deals (Al Jazeera) worth $1.3 billion with the country during his visit to Abu Dhabi.

The country’s land borders will be closed to the movement of goods indefinitely in an effort to reduce smuggling (Reuters), the head of Nigeria’s customs agency said.

Angola: In a state of the nation address, President Joao Lourenco said that increased revenues from outside the oil sector will return the country to growth (Bloomberg) in 2020, following a four-year slump.
 
At this CFR event, Lourenco discussed his vision for Angola.

The French government reportedly rejected a European Union plan (Bloomberg) to set a date for next year to begin membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia.
 
This CFR Backgrounder lays out how the European Union works.
 
UK: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon called for a new referendum (FT) on independence from the United Kingdom to be held next year.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which began in 2004 after a coup removed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from office, has come to a close (Miami Herald). The mission’s end comes as anti-government demonstrations have roiled the country in recent weeks.
 
Guatemala: A senior U.S. State Department official said the country must agree (Reuters) to take in asylum seekers sent back from the United States in order for it to receive U.S. development aid.
 
CFR looks at whether “safe third country” agreements can resolve the asylum crisis.

In Tuesday’s debate, Democratic presidential candidates condemned the withdrawal (NYT) of U.S. troops from northern Syria, saying it endangers U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters in the region.