News Wrap: UN refugee agency warns EU against closing borders

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• GWEN IFILL:

  In the day's other news: The United Nations refugee agency warned against closing borders to migrants in the wake of the Paris attacks. That comes amid calls in parts of Europe to halt resettlement of thousands of people.

  A U.N. spokeswoman in Geneva said the migrants shouldn't be punished.

• MELISSA FLEMING, Spokesman, UNHCR:

  We are also deeply disturbed by language that demonizes refugees as a group. This is dangerous and it will contribute to xenophobia and fear. The security problems Europe faces are highly complex. And refugees, we believe, shouldn't turn into scapegoats. And they must not become secondary victims of these most tragic events.

• GWEN IFILL:

  The British government said today it will not impose new curbs on refugee admissions.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Canada's newly elected prime minister, Justin Trudeau, insisted today that he will stick with a plan to take inn 25,000 Syrian refugees by January 1. That's despite growing criticism in his country since the Paris attacks that the number is too large. Trudeau has also said he will keep a promise to withdraw Canadian warplanes from the campaign against Islamic State forces.

  We will turn to the U.S. political reaction to Paris after the news summary.

• GWEN IFILL:

  In Kosovo, opposition lawmakers used drastic action to protest treaties with Serbia and Montenegro. Albin Kurti, leader of the opposition, fired off pepper spray at government ministers, forcing them to flee.

  Outside, police used tear gas to stop rock-throwing protesters from breaking in. The treaties at the center of the dispute grant greater rights to ethnic Serbs and resolve a border dispute.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Tensions between China and its neighbors overshadowed the start of an Asian-Pacific summit in the Philippines today. China exerts claims to nearly all of the South China Sea, and has built artificial islands, over the protests of five Asian nations and the United States.

  After arriving in Manila, President Obama reinforced the U.S. position, touring a former American warship that's now in the Philippine navy.

• PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

  The United States has been committed to the security of this region for more than 70 years. We have a treaty obligation, an ironclad commitment to the defense of our ally the Philippines, who can count on the United States. My visit here underscores our shared commitment to the security of the waters of this region and to the freedom of navigation.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  The president also announced that the U.S. will transfer two additional warships to the Philippines.

• GWEN IFILL:

  Back in this country, winter arrived early in Colorado today, as part of a major storm system that's pushing east. Blizzard conditions made for treacherous travel around Denver, and closed much of the state's main east-west highway. More than a foot of snow was expected in parts of Colorado and Kansas. The storm system also canceled more than a hundred flights at Denver International Airport.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Salt Lake City, Utah, has elected its first openly gay mayor. Former Democratic state lawmaker Jackie Biskupski beat out two-term incumbent Mayor Ralph Becker in official results announced today. Salt Lake City is home to the Mormon Church, which recently banned baptisms for children of gay couples, and disavowed same-sex relationships.

  And on Wall Street, stocks struggled to make headway in the face of mixed results from big retailers. The Dow Jones industrial average added just six points to close at 17489. The Nasdaq rose one point, and the S&P 500 lost two points.