Man in 30-year-old shooting case arrested

SYDNEY • Australian police arrested a man yesterday over a series of shootings and bombings three decades ago targeting family court judges that left four dead, shocking the nation.

The man, reported to be 68-year-old Leonard Warwick, was seized in Sydney's south-western suburb of Campbelltown and faces 32 charges over seven alleged attacks between February 1980 and July 1985, New South Wales state police said. The cold case - one of Sydney's biggest unsolved crimes - was reopened in 2012 with significant new evidence.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Appeal to Putin to back MH17 tribunal

THE HAGUE • Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte yesterday made an "urgent" appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution to try those who shot down Flight MH17 over Ukraine.

Mr Rutte's office said that he telephoned Mr Putin, ahead of the vote in New York, to seek his backing for setting up an international tribunal to try the as-yet unidentified suspects behind the downing of the Malaysia Airlines jet.

A vote on the resolution was set for Wednesday around 1900 GMT(3am on Thursday Singapore time).

However, Russia remains firmly opposed to such a tribunal and is highly likely to use its veto.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Nod for plan to build homes on West Bank

JERUSALEM • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the immediate construction of 300 settler homes in the occupied West Bank as his government came under pressure from right-wing Jewish groups.

According to a statement from his office, planning for another 504 homes in annexed East Jerusalem has also been approved.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE