With Washington facing increasing criticism at home and abroad over Turkish assault on Syrian Kurds that began soon after US president announced he was withdrawing US troops, US VP Mike Pence calls on Ankara "to stand down, end the violence, and come to the negotiating table."
Robert O'Brien tells aides his job is not to tell the president how the world works and what he should do but to ensure he has options.
As Turkey launches attack on Kurdish militia positions, President Donald Trump says US should have never been involved in Middle East conflicts in the first place. Pressed on Turkey's attack on Kurdish media positions following pullout, Trump says he is open to imposing sanctions on Turkey if Turks do not treat the Kurds humanely.
France's anti-terrorism prosecutor takes over probe into deadly stabbing attack at Paris police headquarters due to messages of exclusively religious character attacker sent his wife before perpetrating the crime. Investigation also reveals contacts between the attacker and several individuals who likely belong to an Islamist Salafist movement.
French interior minister says of attacker "there were no warning signs." Mayor Anne Hidalgo: "Paris weeps for its own this afternoon after this terrifying attack."
New Year greeting from the leader of the UK's Labour party includes an appearance by Rob Abrams, a Jewish anti-Zionist activist who in May 2018 led the kaddish mourning prayer in Parliament Square for 62 Palestinians killed on the Israel-Gaza border, at least 50 of whom were Hamas operatives.
Iranian leader tells cabinet that "we agree with the general framework from the Europeans" after France, Britain, and Germany urge Tehran to launch new talks on deal.
International apparatuses set up to ensure a fair and democratic election in impoverished Afghanistan. The Taliban are trying to keep people away from the polls, and possible attacks by a brutal Islamic State affiliate are also a concern.
Iran remains defiant in the face of US efforts to compel it to accept tougher restrictions on its nuclear program and scale back support for proxy wars across the Middle East.
Chirac, the first French leader to acknowledge his country's role in the Holocaust and an outspoken critic of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, died Thursday "peacefully, among his loved ones."
