RESIGNATION PUSHES ISRAEL TOWARD ELECTION

JERUSALEM» Israel’s defense minister on Wednesday abruptly resigned to protest a new cease-fire with Hamas militants in Gaza, throwing the government into turmoil and pushing the country toward an early election.

Avigdor Lieberman’s decision was ostensibly a show of anger over Tuesday’s informal truce with Israel’s Hamas enemies. But in many ways, it was the opening round of a new political campaign.

Pence says Myanmar’s handling of Rohingya “without excuse.”

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Aung San Suu Kyi rebuffed criticism from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and other leaders Wednesday over her government’s treatment of its ethnic Rohingya Muslims.

In a meeting on the sidelines of a regional summit in Singapore, Pence told Suu Kyi that he was anxious to hear about progress in resolving the crisis, which stems from a violent military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state that the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing.

“The violence and persecution by military and vigilantes that resulted in driving 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh is without excuse,” Pence said.

Sheriff: Parkland shooting suspect assaulted jail officer.

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. shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz attacked a detention officer at the county jail and now faces new charges including use of the officer’s electric stun device, authorities said Wednesday.

Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright said in an email Wednesday that Cruz assaulted Sgt. Raymond Beltran around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Jail records show Cruz now is charged with aggravated assault on an officer, battery on an officer and use of an “electric or chemical weapon against an officer.”

S.C.’s Graham calls Saudi prince “unstable,” foresees sanctions.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “unstable and unreliable” and said he and other senators were discussing sanctions against the longtime U.S. ally in the wake of a Saudi columnist’s murder.

An influential policy hawk in Congress who frequently advises President Donald Trump, Graham said he and likeminded colleagues don’t yet have a plan of action, but lambasted the leadership of Saudi Arabia’s 33-year-old de facto ruler, widely known as MBS.

Prince Mohammed “has been unstable and unreliable and I don’t see the situation getting fixed as long as he’s around,” Graham said.

Avenatti arrested for allegedly assaulting ex-wife. S»

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Michael Avenatti, who skyrocketed to fame as a critic of President Donald Trump and the lawyer for porn actress Stormy Daniels, was arrested Wednesday and booked on a felony charge of domestic violence, police said.

The victim in the case had visible injuries, according to Officer Tony Im, a police spokesman. But Avenatti slammed the allegation as “completely bogus.”

Avenatti, who has said he’s mulling a 2020 presidential run, was being held on $50,000 bail, Im said. He was arrested about 2 p.m. Wednesday on the same block where he lives in a skyscraper apartment.

Police declined to provide any details about the victim, including the victim’s relationship to Avenatti.