Medvedev submits to formal probe into Russian elections, but rejects new vote; Protesters call for Putin to stand down; India and China to join US in climate treaty; Cameron defends EU veto in parliament, but where's Nick Clegg?; Elections in Syria, but no-one shows up; South Korea starts 'Christmas tree war' against North Korea; and more

Top of the Agenda: Probe into Russia's Parliamentary Elections

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for a formal probe into disputed parliamentary election results (RFE), but rejected demands for a fresh vote. The move came after a weekend during which tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Moscow and other Russian cities to demonstrate against the elections that handed the ruling United Russia party another victory on December 4.

Protesters called for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin--Russia's strongman for the last twelve years--to step down (BBC). Putin announced earlier this fall that he would seek the presidency again in next year's elections.

Meanwhile, Medvedev will face questions from EU leaders (DeutscheWelle) about the parliamentary election results during an EU-Russia summit in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday.

Analysis

The sharp drop in support for the ruling United Russia party in parliamentary elections reflects growing public discontent with Putin's decision to seek the presidency again next year, says analyst Maria Lipman in this CFR Interview.

Shocked by the scale of protest against last week's election, the ruling party is divided on how far to go in answering the demonstrators' demands, writes TIME's Simon Shuster.

With its rampant voter fraud and declining population, Russia is careening toward irrelevance, writes Niall Ferguson in Newsweek.

 

PACIFIC RIM

Chinese Fisherman Kills South Korean Coastguard

A Chinese fisherman stabbed a South Korean coastguard to death during a raid on illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea (Yonhap) off the South Korean port city of Incheon.

SOUTH KOREA: The government will allow Christians to light three Christmas tree-shaped towers along the border with North Korea, which the North called "psychological warfare" (al-Jazeera).

 

ELSEWHERE:

Cameron tells rowdy Commons EU veto  was "right thing"

Syrian elections held, but activists call for boycott

India & China to join climate deal... eventually

 

This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.