Israel mulls steps against the Palestinians over U.N. bid
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Senior members of Israel’s cabinet on Tuesday weighed punitive steps that could be taken against the Palestinians if they pursue a campaign to upgrade their status to “observer state” at the United Nations this month.
Military planners prepare for war in Mali
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Military experts from Africa, the United Nations and Europe have drafted plans to recapture northern Mali, officials said on Tuesday, as one faction of the Islamist rebels who occupy the territory called for talks.
U.S. judge dismisses Hamas financing suit against Arab Bank
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit brought by a U.S. man wounded in the Middle East who sought to hold Arab Bank liable for providing material support to the Palestinian group Hamas.
Briton murdered in China fed tips to British intelligence
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A British businessman murdered in China in a high-profile case of political intrigue was an informal source of information for Britain’s foreign intelligence agency, MI6, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Americans tour base to recruit Libyan anti-militant force: commander
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – U.S. officials in Libya have begun to look for recruits for a commando force which they plan to train to fight militants, a former commander of Libyan rebels who toppled Muammar Gaddafi said on Tuesday.
Sudan rebels kill two in shelling: army
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudanese rebels killed two children and wounded eight other civilians when they shelled the main town in Sudan’s oil-producing South Kordofan state on Tuesday, the army said – the third bout of shelling in the past two weeks.
Nigeria arrests 15 Russian sailors carrying arms
LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigerian authorities seized a ship and arrested its 15 Russian crew members on suspicion of arms smuggling, after they found several guns and about 8,500 rounds of ammunition on the boat, the Navy said on Tuesday.
Iran says may stop oil sales if sanctions tighten
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Tuesday it would stop oil exports if pressure from Western sanctions got any tighter and it had a “Plan B” contingency strategy to survive without oil revenues.
Over 100,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon now: UNHCR
GENEVA (Reuters) – Lebanon has become the third of Syria’s neighbors after Turkey and Jordan to register more than 100,000 refugees from Syria’s civil war, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday.
Egyptian constitution case sent to higher court
CAIRO (Reuters) – A complaint filed by critics of the heavily Islamist assembly writing Egypt’s new constitution was referred to a higher court on Tuesday, a move likely to give the body more time to complete its work.
