Monday's global agenda: EU votes for new sanctions on Syria

Your morning global affairs speed-read:

The European Union on Monday voted to impose extra sanctions on Syria because of the continuing violence there despite former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's ceasefire plan. The new sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze on three people and two entities linked to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

The decision comes as the Syrian regime over the weekend accused western powers of colluding with al Qaeda-linked militants to overthrow Assad. The accusation follows a car bombing outside a military intelligence building that killed 55 people in Damascus last week.

Iran: Iran has been turning off GPS trackers on its oil tankers in an attempt to skirt international sanctions on its exports, The Washington Post reports.

Afghanistan: A senior Afghan peace negotiator was shot dead in Kabul over the weekend.

East Asia: China, South Korea and Japan — East Asia's three largest economies — said Sunday they want to create a free-trade area.

Greece: Greece's chances of remaining in the eurozone took another hit over the weekend the country failed to form a unity government.

Yemen: Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi told President Obama's counterterrorism chief John Brennan over the weekend that “pursuit of terrorists is irreversible.”

Mexico: The discovery of 49 headless torsos along a Mexican highway comes just seven weeks before the presidential election.

What you might have missed on Global Affairs: 

Lawmakers stay largely silent over Chinese takeover of US bank branches

Pelosi leads delegation on Afghanistan visit

Pressure grows on White House to label Haqqani terrorists

GOP says Obama too soft on China when it comes to human rights

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