World News Summary: Student protests against India's citizenship law spread after clashes on campuses

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Student protests against India's citizenship law spread after clashes on campuses

Protests over a new citizenship law based on religion spread to student campuses across India on Monday as critics said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was pushing a partisan agenda in conflict with India's founding as a secular republic. Anger with Modi's Hindu nationalist government was further fueled by allegations of police brutality at Jamia Millia Islamia university on Sunday, when officers entered the campus in the capital New Delhi and fired tear gas to break up a protest. At least 100 people were injured in the clashes there. Trump says U.S. is watching North Korea closely

President Donald Trump on Monday said he would be disappointed if something is "in the works" in North Korea and the United States is watching activities in the Asian nation closely. "I'd be disappointed if something would be in the works, and if it is, we'll take care of it," Trump said. "We're watching it very closely." China's Xi vows support for Hong Kong leader during 'most difficult' time

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered his support for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Monday, praising her courage in governing the Chinese-ruled financial hub in these "most difficult" times after months of often violent anti-government protests. His comments came after Hong Kong police fired tear gas in late night street clashes with anti-government protesters as the former British colony's worst political crisis in decades shows no sign of resolution. Cuba says it is prepared if U.S. chooses to sever diplomatic ties

Cuba's Communist government is prepared if the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump decides to sever diplomatic relations although it hopes that does not come to pass, a top Cuban diplomat said on Monday. Relations were re-established five years ago this week under former Democratic President Barack Obama following half a century of hostility, a stance that earned the United States lots of goodwill from Latin America, which has been clamoring for such a detente for years. In blow to Macron, France pensions reform tsar resigns

France's minister for pension reform resigned on Monday over a potential conflict of interest, dealing a blow to President Emmanuel Macron as trade unions staged a 12th day of strikes and prepared for more street protests against the planned changes. Jean-Paul Delevoye, the High Commissioner for Pensions, was one of Macron's most trusted allies and one of few with cabinet experience. He quit after failing to publicly declare more than a dozen posts he held in addition to his cabinet job. Under fire over climate summit, Chile blames big polluters

Chile defended itself on Monday against criticism it was too weak in presiding over international climate change negotiations, saying it did all it could but that four big polluting countries got in the way. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera described as "insufficient" the agreements reached on Sunday after marathon talks, but said it was not for the host's lack of trying and criticism of its role was unfair. U.N. Security Council to meet on Kashmir on Tuesday at China's request

The United Nations Security Council will meet at China's request on Tuesday to discuss the situation in the disputed Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir, diplomats said. The council will meet behind closed doors for the first time since a similar gathering in August, which was also called by Pakistan ally China, after India removed the decades-old autonomy the area enjoyed under the Indian constitution. Puerto Rico governor says she will seek same office in 2020

Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez, who had said she was reluctant to take power after her predecessor resigned in disgrace this past summer, on Monday declared her candidacy for the same office in next year's elections. Vazquez was sworn in as governor in August when widespread protests led to the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who was caught up in a scandal over profane chat messages and federal corruption charges against two officials of his administration. How one deadly day prompted Iraqi leader's exit

In the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 28, after Iraqi demonstrators set the Iranian consulate in the southern holy city of Najaf ablaze, the killings began. By the end of that day, Iran-linked militiamen in Najaf and Iraq's elite Interior Ministry forces in Nassiriya farther south had shot dead scores of mostly unarmed demonstrators with assault rifles and machine guns. It was the single bloodiest episode of Iraq's two-month-old anti-government uprising. UK PM Johnson to have law for Brexit arrangements to end by Dec. 31 next year: ITV

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would use his huge majority to have the revised Withdrawal Agreement Bill put into law that the arrangements for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union must end by Dec. 31 next year, ITV reported on Monday. The laws needed to enact Brexit will be put before parliament on Friday, Johnson's spokesman had said earlier.