WSJ.com What's News - Worldwide News Briefs for Nov 17

SAUDI ARABIA PURSUES CASH SETTLEMENTS AS CRACKDOWN EXPANDS

Authorities in Saudi Arabia are widening a corruption probe that has reached the upper echelons of the royal family and entangled prominent businessmen who are now being asked to surrender assets in exchange for their freedom.

FRANCE GAMBLES ON JOBLESS BENEFITS FOR THOSE WHO QUIT

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to extend unemployment payments-until now reserved for fired or laid-off workers-to people who voluntarily leave their jobs to start their own businesses or take up on-demand work like driving for Uber.

ZIMBABWE'S MUGABE APPEARS IN PUBLIC AS FORMER BACKERS DESERT HIM

President Robert Mugabe on Friday made his first public appearance since the military took control of Zimbabwe, heightening the drama over the long-time leader's fate as his remaining political support appeared to melt away.

AFTER U.S. PUSH, ASIAN NATIONS TIGHTEN SCREWS ON NORTH KOREA

Southeast Asian countries are cracking down on North Korea's conduits for doing business in the region, a change for many after months of U.S. pressure, though some remain reluctant participants in the campaign to isolate Pyongyang.

A TOP VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION FIGURE FLEES, SAYS HE'LL FIGHT FROM ABROAD

Antonio Ledezma, a top opposition figure who led protests against President Nicolás Maduro's government, fled house arrest in Caracas and crossed the border into neighboring Colombia, officials said.

INDONESIAN CORRUPTION PROBE ZEROES IN ON TOP POLITICIAN

A major corruption investigation involving some $170 million in missing state funds is zeroing in on one of Indonesia's most powerful politicians following his detention in hospital.

GERMAN COALITION TALKS FAIL TO BRIDGE GAPS AS DEADLINE PASSES

Angela Merkel's path to a fourth term as German chancellor hit a hurdle when negotiations to form the country's first three-party coalition reached a self-imposed deadline without an agreement on key policy areas.

MADAGASCAR WRESTLES WITH WORST OUTBREAK OF PLAGUE IN HALF A CENTURY

Madagascar is scrambling to contain its worst outbreak of plague in at least 50 years, with more than 2,000 cases reported and over 170 deaths.

(For continuously updated news from the Wall Street Journal, see WSJ.com at http://wsj.com.)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 17, 2017 17:34 ET (22:34 GMT)