World News at a Glance

Inspectors Examine Site of Suspected Chemical Attack in Syria

The international monitoring group investigating a suspected chemical weapons attack on a Syrian town said its experts had been able to visit the site Saturday after repeated delays and they collected samples for analysis. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said its experts had reached the Damascus suburb of Douma a week after they arrived in Syria. “The OPCW will evaluate the situation and consider future steps including another possible visit to Douma,” the organization said. Western nations have accused President Bashar Assad of Syria of an April 7 chemical weapons attack on Douma that killed 43 people.

No Handshake, No Citizenship, French Court Tells Algerian Woman

An Algerian woman’s refusal to shake hands with male officials at a French naturalization ceremony is sufficient grounds for denying her citizenship, France’s top administrative court has ruled. In its decision issued April 11 the court said the woman’s refusal “in a place and at a moment that are symbolic, reveals a lack of assimilation.” The woman, who has not been identified, married a French citizen in Algeria in 2010. The ruling did not specify her religion. Some practicing Muslims believe Islam doesn’t permit physical contact with a person of the opposite sex, with the exception of immediate family members.

Will Kim Pivot to Economy?

For as long as Kim Jong Un has been North Korea’s leader, he has called for the simultaneous pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic growth with the aim of making the nation a “great socialist nuclear power." On Saturday, Kim abruptly announced he was retiring the policy, saying it was now time to adopt a “new strategic line” and focus the nation’s resources on rebuilding its economy. As for nuclear weapons, he essentially declared that mission accomplished. Kim’s pivot from nuclear testing and toward the economy came just days before a scheduled meeting with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and weeks before his planned summit meeting with President Donald Trump.

Europe and Mexico Update Trade Pact, in Signal to U.S.

The European Union and Mexico on Saturday announced a major update to their free trade pact that will allow almost all goods, including agricultural products, to move between Europe and Mexico duty-free. The deal, which has yet to be formally signed, is expected to increase trade in dairy, pork, services, digital goods and medicines between the economies. It will also give Mexico greater access to an advanced consumer market, and it sends a message to President Donald Trump that some of the United States’ closest trading partners are moving ahead with deals of their own — potentially leaving U.S. exporters on the losing end in foreign markets.

Tiny Islands Make for Big Tensions Between Greece and Turkey

The narrow Mediterranean strait between Greece and Turkey is unexpectedly becoming a geopolitical flash point. Last week, a low-flying Turkish helicopter had passed provocatively close to a military base on the nearby Greek island of Ro, drawing warning shots from soldiers. That incident was followed three days later by the death of a Greek fighter pilot who crashed, his government said, after attempting to intercept a Turkish aircraft that had entered the country’s airspace. The biggest uncertainty involves Turkey’s strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and whether his ambitions are fueling renewed claims to these Greek isles.

Saudi Arabia Says Toy Drone Shot Down in Capital Riyadh

Saudi security forces shot down a small recreational drone flying in an unauthorized space in the capital Riyadh on Saturday, according to the kingdom’s state news agency. The Saudis put out the statement from Riyadh police after unconfirmed rumors spread on social media of clashes and gunfire near the royal palace and a possible coup. The report said a remote-controlled toy aircraft was flown into a security cordon in the Khuzama neighborhood of the city around 7:50 p.m. The report gave no information about who had been controlling the drone and said police were investigating the incident.