World News at a Glance

Turkey Begins Ground Assault on Kurdish Enclave in Syria

Turkish troops crossed the Syrian border into the Kurdish enclave of Afrin Sunday morning, beginning an assault against U.S.-allied militias there, amid rising international criticism of Turkey’s military action. Ten people were reported killed in bombing raids, according to Kurdish militants, and three died on the Turkish side of the border in retaliatory shelling, people said. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim of Turkey said the forces intended to create a security zone about 18 miles deep inside Syria. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to eliminate “terrorist nests” in the Kurdish enclave.

Pence Says U.S. Embassy Will Open in Jerusalem Next Year

Vice President Mike Pence told the Israeli Parliament Monday that a new U.S. Embassy to Israel would open in Jerusalem before the end of 2019. Pence’s statement follows President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last month, a move that overturned decades of U.S. policy. Arab lawmakers rose at the start of Pence’s speech in the Israeli Parliament and held up signs reading “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.” Ushers pulled down the signs and escorted them out of the room. No Arab Christian leaders have agreed to meet with Pence during his visit.

Liberia Swears In George Weah, Its Soccer Star President

George Weah, a former international soccer star, bounded onto the field in a stadium filled with tens of thousands of roaring fans Monday, not to play soccer but to be sworn in as president of Liberia. Weah was elected in a milestone race for Liberia in the first peaceful democratic transition of power in more than seven decades. In his first official address to the nation, Weah promised to prosecute corrupt government officials and ensure that Liberian businesses played a more significant role in the national economy.

Prison Guards in France Continue Strike Over Security and Pay

A labor strike by prison guards around France entered its second week Monday, as the guards vented anger over their pay and dangerous working conditions, an issue that erupted this month after a string of violent assaults by prisoners. Nicole Belloubet, France’s justice minister, said the government would continue negotiating with the unions but it would be hard to improve on its current offer, which included creating 1,100 jobs. Several of the attacks on guards involved inmates who had been flagged for radicalization. Prison guards say they are ill-equipped to handle radicalized inmates or those convicted of terrorism offenses.

Russian Court Closes Foundation of Navalny, a Kremlin Critic

A Moscow court Monday ordered the closing of a foundation supporting the activities of Alexei Navalny, the country’s leading opposition politician. The court order came before a series of pro-Navalny rallies in more than 90 Russian cities and towns, scheduled for Sunday. The foundation, the Fifth Season of the Year, has been to collecting donations to finance Navalny's campaign and open offices across Russia. The Justice Ministry said in court that the foundation had listed a wrong official address, was illegally spending money on Navalny’s presidential campaign, and violated a law regulating the use of personal data.

After Kabul Hotel Attack, Security Plan Queried as Death Toll Rises

A day after a bloody Taliban siege in Kabul, the Afghan Interior Ministry raised the civilian death toll to 22 after the discovery of two more bodies at the Intercontinental Hotel, and officials struggled to understand how six militants were able to barge into a highly guarded compound and fend off the security forces for 15 hours. Many Afghans feared that the government was hiding the actual casualty toll, as family members arrived at the hotel gates to seek news of loved ones after searching in Kabul hospitals. The hotel remained off limits to the news media and visitors.

Philippines Raises Alert Level as Mayon Volcano Eruption Intensifies

Philippine officials raised the alert level on the Mayon volcano Monday as it spewed an ash plume more than 4,000 feet high before dawn, lighting up the dark sky with an intense crimson glow. More than 40,000 people have been directly affected by the eruption, with about half of them staying in evacuation camps, while the rest were staying elsewhere, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Manila. Mayon began spewing ash, rocks and mud Jan. 13 in an eruption that has attracted hundreds of tourists to the region, about 200 miles southeast of Manila.

To Rid the Taj Mahal of Its Grime, India Prescribes a Mud Bath

India’s Taj Mahal is getting a serious cleaning. For more than 350 years, monsoon rains in Agra, the bustling city where the monument sits, were enough to wash dirt off the structure’s walls. But pollution has worsened, and parts of the marble facade have turned yellow and black. To remove layers of grime from the 17th-century structure, workers suspended on scaffolding are caking Fuller’s earth — a mud paste that absorbs dirt, grease and animal excrement, and that is commonly used to treat skin impurities — on the entire monument. The mud is then washed off, leaving a pristine surface.