In brief: Clashes erupt in West Bank

TAMOUN, West Bank – An arrest raid by undercover Israeli soldiers disguised as vegetable vendors ignited rare clashes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, residents said, leaving at least 10 Palestinians wounded.

The clashes began early Tuesday after Israeli forces disguised as merchants in a vegetable truck arrested one man. Regular army forces then entered the town, prompting youths to hurl rocks to try to prevent more arrests.

Israeli forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition as youths set tires and bins on fire to block the passage of military vehicles. In several hours of clashes, dozens of masked youths hid behind makeshift barriers, hurling rocks and firebombs at soldiers.

Faris Bisharat, a resident of Tamoun, said 10 men were wounded, some by live fire. Bisharat said the wanted men belong to Islamic Jihad, a violent group sworn to Israel’s destruction.

Hong Kong leader decried

HONG KONG – Tens of thousands of people marched in Hong Kong to call for the city’s Beijing-backed leader to step down over allegations he was untruthful about illegal renovations at his mansion and to press for full democracy.

Police said 26,000 people joined the march at its peak Tuesday while organizers said 130,000 took part.

They carried banners and chanted slogans urging Leung Chun-ying to resign.

Fires rip South Africa shacks

JOHANNESBURG – South African media said three people died and 4,000 were displaced when fires swept through shacks in poor settlements in the Cape Town area on New Year’s Day.

Citing disaster management officials, the South African Press Association said the blazes broke out in Khayelitsha and Thembeni, densely populated areas where many residents live in makeshift homes.