Headlines from around the world: 11-26-12

Israel is prepared to substantially broaden its operation in the Gaza strip, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Barack Obama fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself and called for an end to the firing of missiles into Israel by militants inside the Gaza strip. On early Sunday at about 10:30 am at least one missile was intercepted by Israel’s anti-rocket defense system over the center of Tel Aviv.

15-year-old Chloe Rodriguez of southern France was found in Germany tied up in the trunk of a car Friday afternoon after police stopped her kidnapper during a routine traffic stop. She was held captive for seven days, during which she did not try defy the man’s orders for fear of being killed. The kidnapper is now detained in a German jail.

Large amounts of chemicals used for making bombs and explosive devices were found Friday afternoon at the home of a New Jersey doctor. Roberto Riviera of Ridgewood faces several charges, including possession of a destructive device and recklessly creating a risk of widespread injury. His bail has been set at $1 million.

Last week in Jordan about 2,000 people called for the removal of Jordan’s King Abdullah at a rally in downtown Amman protesting fuel price hikes. The crowd chanted, “The people want the downfall of the regime.” Police said they used tear gas to disperse anyone who attacked government property. The country’s main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, called for people to take to the streets and protest the unfairness of the regime. The Jordanian king has ruled since 1999 and this has been his biggest challenge since then.

Getting caught using a cellphone while driving is illegal in most states in the US. But simply using a cellphone was not enough for a German driver last week as he was caught with an entire mobile office in his Ford Mondeo station wagon. The man was pulled over after an illegal passing maneuver and the officer was quite surprised when he found a laptop, a printer, and a medium-size voltage transformer attached to a wood rack set up next to the center console. Luckily for the driver, the police could not prove he had been using the equipment while driving and so he was not fined for the violation.