Global Beat is your weekly stop for news from around the world. Join us every Friday morning for important stories you should know about.

This week, Russia withdraws from the International Criminal Court; Yemen rejects U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s ceasefire offer; Pakistan orders Turkish teachers to leave the country; and more.
____________________

Americas

Peruvian Trade Minister Eduardo Ferreyros announced his country’s desire to be part of both the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP is a free trade agreement backed by Beijing, and includes India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea, amongst other Southeast Asian countries. Peru’s inclusion in the RCEP could cause other Latin American countries to follow, should the United States’ participation in TPP be scrapped by the incoming Trump administration.

Also check out:

• Colombia reaches new, ‘final’ deal with rebels – Nicholas Casey, The New York Times

Central & South Asia

Pakistan has ordered 130 Turkish teachers to leave the country in a move praised by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The teachers worked at schools run by the private group PakTurk International Schools and Colleges, which is accused by the Turkish government of having ties to Fethullah Gülen. Gülen is a U.S.-based cleric whom Erdoğan’s government accuses of orchestrating July’s attempted coup. PakTurk denies links to the Gülen movement – known in Turkey as Hizmet, or "service" – and has filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court to challenge the decision.

Also check out:

• Pakistan and China jointly open international trade route – Ayaz Gul, Voice of America

China & East Asia

The UN General Assembly’s human rights committee approved a resolution condemning human rights violations by North Korea. The resolution specifies the need to punish Kim Jong-un and refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court. North Korean diplomats called the resolution an "illegal and unlawful document" and instead accused South Korea and the United States of violations. After being adopted by the human rights committee, the resolution is likely to be approved by the General Assembly in next month’s vote.

Also check out:

• President Park’s problems are shifting South Korea’s political map – Sam Kim, Bloomberg

Europe & Russia

Russia has announced its intent to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the release of an ICC report that classifies the Russian annexation of Crimea as a military occupation. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the resolution as politically motivated and declared the ICC to be "ineffective and one-sided." Russia is a signatory to the Treaty of Rome, which established the court, but did not ratify the treaty, making the move primarily symbolic. Russia is the fourth country in the past two months to announce its withdrawal from the court.

Also check out:

• EU proposes U.S.-style travel rules for foreigners – Valentina Pop, The Wall Street Journal

Middle East & North Africa

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Yemen’s Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led military coalition agreed in principle to a ceasefire that was to begin November 17. However, the internationally-recognized Yemeni government quickly rejected the proposal, which may prove an irrelevant gesture if Saudi Arabia supports the agreement. On the day the ceasefire was set to begin, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi said there was no agreement but just "a declaration which means nothing."

Also check out:

• One month in, Iraq still faces grueling urban combat in Mosul – Susannah George, Associated Press

Southeast Asia & Oceania

New Zealand officials evacuated scores of residents and tourists by helicopters and naval ships out of a small coastal town after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake caused landslides that cut off the region. The earthquake triggered a tsunami, killed at least two people, and caused billions of dollars of damage.

Also check out:

• Climate change is a ‘matter of life and death’ for the Marshall Islands – Jon Letman, Honolulu Civil Beat

Sub-Saharan Africa

Google launched the first ever YouTube Sub-Saharan Africa Creator Awards, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The awards aimed to celebrate "the continent’s talented creators who are featured on YouTube" in categories such as comedy, education, fitness, and pets. To be eligible creators had to have at least 50,000 subscribers and be residents of Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, or Senegal.

Also check out:

• Kenya extends deadline to close world’s largest refugee camp – Associated Press

Stay informed.