U.S. support for Israeli settlements renews focus on core issue in Mideast conflict
Israel’s ruling right-wing government on Tuesday moved swiftly to embrace Washington’s backing for Israeli settlements, even as Palestinians and Arab leaders said it was a threat to the international rule of law.
‘Fire magicians’ and medieval weaponry: a Hong Kong university under siege
For three days last week, anti-government protesters camped out at Hong Kong’s sprawling Polytechnic University prepared for what they feared might be a bloody, even deadly, battle with police.
Bosnia’s presidency nominates Serb PM-designate: party spokesman
Bosnia’s tripartite inter-ethnic presidency agreed on Tuesday to nominate economist Zoran Tegeltija, a Serb, as prime minister-designate 13 months after an election, a spokesman for the Serb ruling SNSD party told Reuters.
Hong Kong campus holdouts desperately seek escape routes
Anti-government protesters holed up in a Hong Kong university were frantically searching for escape routes on Tuesday after more than two days of clashes with police, dramatic breakouts by rope and motorcycle and more than 1,000 arrests in 24 hours.
German ‘Robin Hood’ eyes top SPD job, new deal on Merkel coalition
A regional politician known for cracking down on tax dodgers is aiming to become leader of Germany’s Social Democrats in a membership vote that began on Tuesday, vowing to renegotiate the coalition deal with Angela Merkel’s conservatives if he wins.
Russia balks at Turkish idea of new Syrian military operation
Russia said on Tuesday it was bewildered by a Turkish pledge to conduct a new military operation in northern Syria if the area was not cleared of people Ankara calls terrorists, warning that any such move would damage efforts to stabilise the region.
Sweden drops Assange rape investigation after nearly 10 years
A Swedish prosecutor dropped a rape investigation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, ending the near decade-old case that had sent the anti-secrecy campaigner into hiding in London’s Ecuadorian embassy to avoid extradition.
With Last Dance of the Dead, Yemeni artist paints message for France
Three dangling bodies painted against a blood red background shocked passersby in central Paris on Tuesday after a Yemeni artist unveiled a mural to denounce French arms’ sales to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in his homeland.
Erdogan says he told Trump Turkey will not give up Russian S-400s
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he told U.S. President Donald Trump during talks in Washington last week that Turkey would not give up on the Russian S-400 missile defenses it procured this year, despite protests from its NATO ally.
Algerian court jails protesters over election
An Algerian court has jailed four protesters for 18 months for disrupting a candidate’s campaign for the Dec. 12 presidential election which is opposed by a mass protest movement.
