Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war.

A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire.

On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a U.S. television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely.

"I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," Zarif told CBS News.

"The easiest answer would be to stop - to stop these acts of aggression, to stop these incursions."

Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and Russia have been reinforcing Damascus against a 7-year-old Syrian rebellion. The Israelis worry that Iran's garrison will remain, linking with Hezbollah to form a broad Syrian-Lebanese front against them.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his government's policy of preventing Iranian entrenchment in Syria.

"No matter the price, we will not allow a noose to form around us," he told Israel Radio in an interview.

DETERRENCE

But asked if that meant war was imminent, he said: "I hope not. I think that our primary role is prevent war, and that requires concrete, real deterrence as well as readiness to act."

Israel Katz, the Israeli intelligence minister, suggested world powers might intervene to curb Iranian activity in Syria.

Israel is "not interested" in escalation, Katz told the Ynet news site. But Israeli power-projection, he said, "can challenge the Iranians, can clarify to the Russians, who seek stability, that it is worth it for them to apply their influence, and the same goes for the United States, for France and all the others".

The Syria face-off comes as the Trump administration mulls reimposing U.S. economic sanctions against Tehran by May 12, a move that could deal a blow to an international 2015 deal under which the Iranians capped their nuclear projects.

Zarif said Iran might respond to any unravelling of the deal by "resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities".

Israel has savaged the deal and encouraged a U.S. review, but Katz appeared to acknowledge the outcome could be costly.

"The United States is changing policy. Israel is determined to prevent this (Iranian nuclear) red-line, a crossing of this red-line," he said. "These are testing times for us. I hope that we won't pay prices."

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hints-it-could-hit-irans-air-force-in-syria-132058"> Israel hints it could hit Iran's 'air force' in Syria</a>

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said however deemed major escalation as unlikely

Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war. A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire. On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a U.S. television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely. "I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," Zarif told CBS News. "The easiest answer would be to stop - to stop these acts of aggression, to stop these incursions." Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and Russia have been reinforcing Damascus against a 7-year-old Syrian rebellion. The Israelis worry that Iran's garrison will remain, linking with Hezbollah to form a broad Syrian-Lebanese front against them. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his government's policy of preventing Iranian entrenchment in Syria. "No matter the price, we will not allow a noose to form around us," he told Israel Radio in an interview. DETERRENCE But asked if that meant war was imminent, he said: "I hope not. I think that our primary role is prevent war, and that requires concrete, real deterrence as well as readiness to act." Israel Katz, the Israeli intelligence minister, suggested world powers might intervene to curb Iranian activity in Syria. Israel is "not interested" in escalation, Katz told the Ynet news site. But Israeli power-projection, he said, "can challenge the Iranians, can clarify to the Russians, who seek stability, that it is worth it for them to apply their influence, and the same goes for the United States, for France and all the others". The Syria face-off comes as the Trump administration mulls reimposing U.S. economic sanctions against Tehran by May 12, a move that could deal a blow to an international 2015 deal under which the Iranians capped their nuclear projects. Zarif said Iran might respond to any unravelling of the deal by "resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities". Israel has savaged the deal and encouraged a U.S. review, but Katz appeared to acknowledge the outcome could be costly. "The United States is changing policy. Israel is determined to prevent this (Iranian nuclear) red-line, a crossing of this red-line," he said. "These are testing times for us. I hope that we won't pay prices." Also read: Israel hints it could hit Iran's 'air force' in Syria

Further Israeli sorties in Syria will have consequences: Iran

"Drones have become my passion," says Noursely Doumbia, who holds a degree in electronics and is currently learning to pilot drones as part of a pioneering programme in Ivory Coast`s economic capital Abidjan. The training is being offered at a new "drone academy" which has been set up by the Ivorian Electricity Company (CIE) in order to revolutionise the inspection of its infrastructure and ultimately to reduce costs. Although common in Europe, the use of drones is still in its infancy in West Africa although the commercial market for unmanned aircraft is expanding. The aim is for CIE -- which is majority-owned by France`s Eranove Group, a key provider of water and electricity in West Africa -- to train around 20 local pilots to inspect its high-voltage lines which criss-cross the country, stretching more than 25,000 kilometres (15,500 miles). "We have a lot of problems with vegetation, we need to clear it all the time and it`s difficult because it`s all across the whole country," explains Benjamin Mathon, a pilot who is in charge of CIE`s drone and youth training programme. Dirt tracks that are impassable following heavy rain, widespread areas of lush tropical vegetation and a patchy road network often conspire to make access to electricity pylons difficult in a country which covers 322,000 square kilometres (124,000 square miles) -- nearly two-thirds the area of France. After overflying an area with a drone equipped with cameras and thermal and laser sensors, "we use artificial intelligence programmes which analyse the images for any defects, a rusty bolt on a pylon, a damaged cable," explains Mathon."The drone allows us to analyse a large number of lines in a short space of time, across great distances," he says. Not only do students learn how to fly drones, as well as how to assemble and repair them, but are they also trained to use different software packages for analysing the images and resulting data, as well as geolocalisation and mapping. "This is a major technological leap forward for CIE" and its 4,500 employees, says CIE Director General Dominique Kakou. The drones enable CIE to "to inspect our infrastructure and ensure its safety in a much more pinpointed way, and also to optimise our costs and expenses," he says. Before now, all inspections were done by helicopter or by teams on the ground, Mathon explains. "Using helicopters is expensive, and on foot, you have to send out teams to areas which can be difficult to reach, which can create problems."The financial savings are undeniable: the cost of purchasing a helicopter is around 500,000 euros, with each one hour flight costing another 1,200 euros. A drone, however, costs between 2,000 and 100,000 euros to buy, its upkeep is simple and flight costs are negligible. The company is hoping to improve its quality of service by reducing the average length of power outages -- which are still relatively frequent in parts of the country -- for its 1.3 million customers in Ivory Coast. And it hopes to do the same for its customer base in neighbouring Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. Since 2011, following a decade of political and military crisis, Ivory Coast has invested heavily in rebuilding its electricity grid, with the authorities planning to plough another 16 billion euros into the sector by 2030. "The electricity sector is evolving very fast, we must adopt new technologies and innovation," said Kakou who says the company has already invested in electronic payment schemes and solar energy.But the drone academy is not just serving the electricity sector: it is open to any business in West Africa which could benefit from the technology, from farming to mining, says Paul Ginies, director of the Centre for Electrical Professions, CIE`s training division. "These new professions provide a way in for young people," he says. "I`m sure that young Africans are going to grab hold of this and surprise us by developing applications which we have not thought of. It`s their generation." Alice Kouadio, another trainee pilot from the first group of students, has no doubt. "The world is a drone, it`s the promise of tomorrow."

The training is being offered at a new "drone academy" which has been set up by the Ivorian Electricity Company (CIE) in order to revolutionise the inspection of its infrastructure and ultimately to reduce costs

"Drones have become my passion," says Noursely Doumbia, who holds a degree in electronics and is currently learning to pilot drones as part of a pioneering programme in Ivory Coast`s economic capital Abidjan. The training is being offered at a new "drone academy" which has been set up by the Ivorian Electricity Company (CIE) in order to revolutionise the inspection of its infrastructure and ultimately to reduce costs. Although common in Europe, the use of drones is still in its infancy in West Africa although the commercial market for unmanned aircraft is expanding. The aim is for CIE -- which is majority-owned by France`s Eranove Group, a key provider of water and electricity in West Africa -- to train around 20 local pilots to inspect its high-voltage lines which criss-cross the country, stretching more than 25,000 kilometres (15,500 miles). "We have a lot of problems with vegetation, we need to clear it all the time and it`s difficult because it`s all across the whole country," explains Benjamin Mathon, a pilot who is in charge of CIE`s drone and youth training programme. Dirt tracks that are impassable following heavy rain, widespread areas of lush tropical vegetation and a patchy road network often conspire to make access to electricity pylons difficult in a country which covers 322,000 square kilometres (124,000 square miles) -- nearly two-thirds the area of France. After overflying an area with a drone equipped with cameras and thermal and laser sensors, "we use artificial intelligence programmes which analyse the images for any defects, a rusty bolt on a pylon, a damaged cable," explains Mathon."The drone allows us to analyse a large number of lines in a short space of time, across great distances," he says. Not only do students learn how to fly drones, as well as how to assemble and repair them, but are they also trained to use different software packages for analysing the images and resulting data, as well as geolocalisation and mapping. "This is a major technological leap forward for CIE" and its 4,500 employees, says CIE Director General Dominique Kakou. The drones enable CIE to "to inspect our infrastructure and ensure its safety in a much more pinpointed way, and also to optimise our costs and expenses," he says. Before now, all inspections were done by helicopter or by teams on the ground, Mathon explains. "Using helicopters is expensive, and on foot, you have to send out teams to areas which can be difficult to reach, which can create problems."The financial savings are undeniable: the cost of purchasing a helicopter is around 500,000 euros, with each one hour flight costing another 1,200 euros. A drone, however, costs between 2,000 and 100,000 euros to buy, its upkeep is simple and flight costs are negligible. The company is hoping to improve its quality of service by reducing the average length of power outages -- which are still relatively frequent in parts of the country -- for its 1.3 million customers in Ivory Coast. And it hopes to do the same for its customer base in neighbouring Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. Since 2011, following a decade of political and military crisis, Ivory Coast has invested heavily in rebuilding its electricity grid, with the authorities planning to plough another 16 billion euros into the sector by 2030. "The electricity sector is evolving very fast, we must adopt new technologies and innovation," said Kakou who says the company has already invested in electronic payment schemes and solar energy.But the drone academy is not just serving the electricity sector: it is open to any business in West Africa which could benefit from the technology, from farming to mining, says Paul Ginies, director of the Centre for Electrical Professions, CIE`s training division. "These new professions provide a way in for young people," he says. "I`m sure that young Africans are going to grab hold of this and surprise us by developing applications which we have not thought of. It`s their generation." Alice Kouadio, another trainee pilot from the first group of students, has no doubt. "The world is a drone, it`s the promise of tomorrow."

In Ivory Coast, 'drone academy' offers youth the chance to soar

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank">Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank">fourth</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-presidential-election-2018-voting-underway-as-vladimir-putin-set-to-win-fourth-term-36193" target="_blank"> term</a>

Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin&#39;s power for another six years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-vice-president-mike-pence-urges-pakistan-to-do-more-against-taliban-36190" target="_blank">US Vice President Mike Pence urges Pakistan to &#39;do more&#39; against Taliban</a>

US Vice President Mike Pence told Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country &quot;must do more&quot; against the Taliban and other militants, the White House said on Saturday.

<a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank">India makes written </a><a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank">complaint</a><a href="http://India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff" target="_blank"> to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff</a>

Officials of the Indian high commission in Pakistan, who had gone for shopping in Islamabad&#39;s Blue Area, were on Saturday harassed with two persons aggressively following them and hurling abuses.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/drone-strike-kills-6-is-terrorists-in-afghanistan-36200" target="_blank">Drone strike kills 6 IS terrorists in Afghanistan</a>

At least six terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in the latest drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mauritius-president-resigns-over-credit-card-scandal-36173" target="_blank">Mauritius president resigns over credit card scandal</a>

Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned on Saturday after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items, in an abrupt change of heart after vowing she would not stand down.

Russian presidential election 2018: Voting underway as Vladimir Putin set to win fourth term Russians began voting Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to cement President Vladimir Putin's power for another six years. US Vice President Mike Pence urges Pakistan to 'do more' against Taliban US Vice President Mike Pence told Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country "must do more" against the Taliban and other militants, the White House said on Saturday. India makes written complaint to Pakistan on harassment of its diplomatic staff Officials of the Indian high commission in Pakistan, who had gone for shopping in Islamabad's Blue Area, were on Saturday harassed with two persons aggressively following them and hurling abuses. Drone strike kills 6 IS terrorists in Afghanistan At least six terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in the latest drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Mauritius president resigns over credit card scandal Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned on Saturday after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items, in an abrupt change of heart after vowing she would not stand down.

WION Morning News brief, March 18, 2018

A US drone strike has killed a top al Qaida terrorist in Yemen, newswire AFP reported.

AFP quoting tribal sources said Saudi-born propaganda chief of al Qaida Abu Hajar al-Makki and three other terrorists were killed after a drone blew up a vehicle in Wadi Obeida in the eastern part of Sanaa.

Another strike killed two more al Qaida terrorists in the area, AFP quoted tribal sources as informing.

However, the US government is yet to confirm the strike.

The US has said it has killed several al Qiada&nbsp;members in the Arabian peninsula&nbsp;in the past few months

Another strike killed two more al Qaida terrorists in the area, AFP quoted tribal sources as informing.

A US drone strike has killed a top al Qaida terrorist in Yemen, newswire AFP reported. AFP quoting tribal sources said Saudi-born propaganda chief of al Qaida Abu Hajar al-Makki and three other terrorists were killed after a drone blew up a vehicle in Wadi Obeida in the eastern part of Sanaa. Another strike killed two more al Qaida terrorists in the area, AFP quoted tribal sources as informing. However, the US government is yet to confirm the strike. The US has said it has killed several al Qiada members in the Arabian peninsula in the past few months

US drone strike may have killed al Qaida propaganda chief Abu Hajar al-Makki

A video footage captured by a drone on the Miami beach saw people swimming extremely close to a tiger shark, on Friday.&nbsp;

It is likely that the swimmers were unaware of the presence of the massive animal who was just a few feet away, as they seem unfazed and continued swimming.&nbsp;

The owner of the footage, filmed the video early morning and saw a shadow like&nbsp;thing in the water, which he later thought to be a tiger shark after noticing the stripes on its body.&nbsp;

According to the owner, the size of the shark was about 7 to 9 feet, who also seemed to be unaware of the swimmers in the water.&nbsp;

It is likely that the swimmers were unaware of the presence of the massive animal just a few feet away, as they seem unfazed and continued swimming.?

A video footage captured by a drone on the Miami beach saw people swimming extremely close to a tiger shark, on Friday. It is likely that the swimmers were unaware of the presence of the massive animal who was just a few feet away, as they seem unfazed and continued swimming. The owner of the footage, filmed the video early morning and saw a shadow like thing in the water, which he later thought to be a tiger shark after noticing the stripes on its body. According to the owner, the size of the shark was about 7 to 9 feet, who also seemed to be unaware of the swimmers in the water.

WATCH: Drone captures close shark encounters on Miami Beach

A drone strike has killed seven suspected members of Al-Qaeda in southern Yemen, a security official said on Sunday.

The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen.

&quot;A drone likely to be American&quot; killed all seven overnight as they were aboard three vehicles on the road from the southern province of Shabwa to the central province of Bayda, the official said.

Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to be the radical group&#39;s most dangerous branch.

A long-running drone war against AQAP has intensified since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

AQAP has flourished in the chaos of the country&#39;s civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed government against the Huthi rebels.

More than 8,700 people have been killed in the conflict since a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government&#39;s side in March 2015.

Al-Qaeda&#39;s jihadist rivals, the Islamic State group, have also carried out several deadly attacks in the country.

Last month, the United States said it had killed dozens of Islamic State fighters at training camps in Bayda.

The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen

A drone strike has killed seven suspected members of Al-Qaeda in southern Yemen, a security official said on Sunday. The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen. "A drone likely to be American" killed all seven overnight as they were aboard three vehicles on the road from the southern province of Shabwa to the central province of Bayda, the official said. Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to be the radical group's most dangerous branch. A long-running drone war against AQAP has intensified since US President Donald Trump took office in January. AQAP has flourished in the chaos of the country's civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed government against the Huthi rebels. More than 8,700 people have been killed in the conflict since a Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the government's side in March 2015. Al-Qaeda's jihadist rivals, the Islamic State group, have also carried out several deadly attacks in the country. Last month, the United States said it had killed dozens of Islamic State fighters at training camps in Bayda.

Drone kills 7 Qaeda suspects in Yemen

The Union minister for Civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha have said that the government has designed a draft for a new law which will encourage the use of drones in the country.&nbsp;

The drone has been divided into five categories.&nbsp;

Nano drone will not require any permission, however,&nbsp;micro category will need a security clearance and unique identification number.&nbsp;

Mini and above category drone will need to comply with all the conditions and regulations.

The government agencies will be able to use the drone without any permission, however, local police and anti-terror squad will have to inform authorities before using the drone.&nbsp;

The policy will be implemented by January 1, 2018, MoS Jayant Sinha said.

The government agencies will be able to use the drone without any permission, however, local police and anti-terror squad will have to inform before using the drone

The Union minister for Civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha have said that the government has designed a draft for a new law which will encourage the use of drones in the country. The drone has been divided into five categories. Nano drone will not require any permission, however, micro category will need a security clearance and unique identification number. Mini and above category drone will need to comply with all the conditions and regulations. The government agencies will be able to use the drone without any permission, however, local police and anti-terror squad will have to inform authorities before using the drone. The policy will be implemented by January 1, 2018, MoS Jayant Sinha said.

Government to introduce laws to encourage use of drones

US President Donald Trump offered support for emerging technologies including unmanned aerial vehicles and next generation wireless networks in a meeting with the chiefs of AT&amp;T and General Electric and other business leaders.

The White House brought together venture capitalists and executives from the telecommunications and drone, or unmanned aerial system, industries to discuss how the government can speed technologies to market.

The meeting, which lasted more than three hours including breakout sessions, is part of Trump&#39;s effort to tap industry experts on how to boost US competitiveness in various fields and create jobs.

On Monday, Trump met with the heads of 18 US &nbsp;technology companies including Apple, Amazon.com &nbsp;and Microsoft Corp seeking their help to make the government&#39;s computing systems more efficient. He will meet with energy industry leaders next week.

&quot;We want them to create new companies and lots of jobs,&quot; Trump told the executives &quot;We&#39;re going to give you the competitive advantage that you need.&quot;

In attendance were Chief executives of several drone companies including Kespry, AirMap, Airspace, Measure UAS, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk.

Drone makers argued that the administration should move faster to approve broader commercial use of drones and noted that the Transportation Department does not require automakers to win pre-approval of self-driving vehicle technologies.

Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications, and CenturyLink also took part. Venture capital firms included Revolution LLC, headed by AOL co-founder Steve Case, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures.

Obama administration rules opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for deliveries beyond the view of an operator. Security issues would need to be addressed.

The Federal Aviation Administration in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and commercial drones will grow tenfold to about 442,000.

Last year, regulators cleared the way for next-generation 5G wireless networks, with expected speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today&#39;s 4G networks. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020 but infrastructure hurdles remain.

Wireless signals need to be much faster and more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or remote control of machinery. 5G networks could help to wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines.

The White House brought together venture capitalists and executives from the telecommunications and drone industries to discuss how the government can speed technologies to market

US President Donald Trump offered support for emerging technologies including unmanned aerial vehicles and next generation wireless networks in a meeting with the chiefs of AT&T and General Electric and other business leaders. The White House brought together venture capitalists and executives from the telecommunications and drone, or unmanned aerial system, industries to discuss how the government can speed technologies to market. The meeting, which lasted more than three hours including breakout sessions, is part of Trump's effort to tap industry experts on how to boost US competitiveness in various fields and create jobs. On Monday, Trump met with the heads of 18 US technology companies including Apple, Amazon.com and Microsoft Corp seeking their help to make the government's computing systems more efficient. He will meet with energy industry leaders next week. "We want them to create new companies and lots of jobs," Trump told the executives "We're going to give you the competitive advantage that you need." In attendance were Chief executives of several drone companies including Kespry, AirMap, Airspace, Measure UAS, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk. Drone makers argued that the administration should move faster to approve broader commercial use of drones and noted that the Transportation Department does not require automakers to win pre-approval of self-driving vehicle technologies. Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications, and CenturyLink also took part. Venture capital firms included Revolution LLC, headed by AOL co-founder Steve Case, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures. Obama administration rules opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for deliveries beyond the view of an operator. Security issues would need to be addressed. The Federal Aviation Administration in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and commercial drones will grow tenfold to about 442,000. Last year, regulators cleared the way for next-generation 5G wireless networks, with expected speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020 but infrastructure hurdles remain. Wireless signals need to be much faster and more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or remote control of machinery. 5G networks could help to wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines.

Trump meets wireless, drone executives on new technologies

The White House is bringing together drone makers, wireless companies and venture capitalists on Thursday to look at ways government can help speed new technologies to the marketplace.

President Donald Trump will meet with the chief executives of General Electric, Honeywell International&nbsp;and AT&amp;T, major drone industry firms and venture capitalists.

Michael Kratsios, the White House&#39;s deputy chief technology officer, told reporters the goal of the sessions is to find ways the United States &quot;can maintain its leadership creating and fostering entirely new technologies that will drive our economic growth&quot;.

The chief executives of several unmanned aerial system, or drone, companies including Kespry Inc, AirMap, Airspace Inc, Measure UAS Inc, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk Inc are attending the White House sessions.

Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications&nbsp;and CenturyLink&nbsp;are also taking part as are venture capital firms including AOL co-founder Steve Case who heads Revolution LLC, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures.

The administration wants to promote the development and commercialisation of emerging technologies and speed the development of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and 5G wireless technology, Kratsios said.

The Obama administration implemented rules that opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for purposes such as deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator. Security issues would need to be resolved.

The FAA in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and the commercial drone fleet will increase tenfold to about 442,000.

Last year, the FCC cleared the way for 5G, a lightning-fast next generation of wireless services. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020.

New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today&#39;s 4G networks. The next generation of wireless signals needs to be much faster and far more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or controlling machines remotely, regulators say.

The networks could help wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines to facilitate the &quot;internet of things&quot;.

(Reuters)

Trump administration is considering expanding drone use for deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator

The White House is bringing together drone makers, wireless companies and venture capitalists on Thursday to look at ways government can help speed new technologies to the marketplace. President Donald Trump will meet with the chief executives of General Electric, Honeywell International and AT&T, major drone industry firms and venture capitalists. Michael Kratsios, the White House's deputy chief technology officer, told reporters the goal of the sessions is to find ways the United States "can maintain its leadership creating and fostering entirely new technologies that will drive our economic growth". The chief executives of several unmanned aerial system, or drone, companies including Kespry Inc, AirMap, Airspace Inc, Measure UAS Inc, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk Inc are attending the White House sessions. Senior executives at Xcel Energy, Verizon Communications and CenturyLink are also taking part as are venture capital firms including AOL co-founder Steve Case who heads Revolution LLC, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures. The administration wants to promote the development and commercialisation of emerging technologies and speed the development of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and 5G wireless technology, Kratsios said. The Obama administration implemented rules that opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for purposes such as deliveries where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator. Security issues would need to be resolved. The FAA in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and the commercial drone fleet will increase tenfold to about 442,000. Last year, the FCC cleared the way for 5G, a lightning-fast next generation of wireless services. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020. New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks. The next generation of wireless signals needs to be much faster and far more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or controlling machines remotely, regulators say. The networks could help wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines to facilitate the "internet of things". (Reuters)

White House aims to speed US drone, wireless technologies

An undisclosed buyer has placed the largest overseas order for China&#39;s home-developed military drones, the Xinhua news agency has reported, in a boost for the Chinese arms industry&#39;s efforts to increase export volumes.

The order for the Wing Loong II was placed before the next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) successfully completed its maiden flight, Xinhua said late on Monday, citing the system&#39;s developer Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute.

It did not identify the buyer or the size of the order.

The Wing Loong II, which has wingspan of more than 20 metres (65 feet), is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV that has both reconnaissance and strike capabilities.

It conducted a 31-minute flight for the first time on Monday after taking off from a runway in western China.

&quot;Its flight marks China&#39;s new generation reconnaissance and strike UAV. Following the United States, China becomes another country capable of developing such new-generation, large reconnaissance and strike UAV,&quot; said Li Yidong, chief designer of the series, whose programme is overseen by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China.

China has been stepping up research into military drones in the hope that it can steal market share from the United States and Israel with its cheaper technology and willingness to sell to countries that Western states are reluctant to deal with.

The Wing Loong II&#39;s predecessor sells for just $1 million according to Chinese media reports. The US-made MQ-9 Reaper, to which it has sometimes been compared, is priced at around $30 million.

China has previously had limited success exporting manned military aircraft but is hoping to do better with UAVs, given that they are cheaper and easier to manufacture. Foreign buyers for its drones include Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt.

China&#39;s military modernisation has rattled nerves around the region with increasingly assertive moves to bolster its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province.

It showed off its Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter in public for the first time in November and months earlier put into service a new, domestically developed large transport aircraft.

(Reuters)

China did not identify the buyer or the size of the order

An undisclosed buyer has placed the largest overseas order for China's home-developed military drones, the Xinhua news agency has reported, in a boost for the Chinese arms industry's efforts to increase export volumes. The order for the Wing Loong II was placed before the next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) successfully completed its maiden flight, Xinhua said late on Monday, citing the system's developer Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute. It did not identify the buyer or the size of the order. The Wing Loong II, which has wingspan of more than 20 metres (65 feet), is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV that has both reconnaissance and strike capabilities. It conducted a 31-minute flight for the first time on Monday after taking off from a runway in western China. "Its flight marks China's new generation reconnaissance and strike UAV. Following the United States, China becomes another country capable of developing such new-generation, large reconnaissance and strike UAV," said Li Yidong, chief designer of the series, whose programme is overseen by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China. China has been stepping up research into military drones in the hope that it can steal market share from the United States and Israel with its cheaper technology and willingness to sell to countries that Western states are reluctant to deal with. The Wing Loong II's predecessor sells for just $1 million according to Chinese media reports. The US-made MQ-9 Reaper, to which it has sometimes been compared, is priced at around $30 million. China has previously had limited success exporting manned military aircraft but is hoping to do better with UAVs, given that they are cheaper and easier to manufacture. Foreign buyers for its drones include Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt. China's military modernisation has rattled nerves around the region with increasingly assertive moves to bolster its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province. It showed off its Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter in public for the first time in November and months earlier put into service a new, domestically developed large transport aircraft. (Reuters)

China gets largest foreign order for drones, buyer unknown

Rustom-II, India&#39;s indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone, on Wednesday, successfully completed its maiden-flight, giving a boost to India&#39;s development programme for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).

The Defence Research and Development Organisation? (DRDO) successfully carried out the maiden-flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOM II), a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV. It has an endurance of 24 hours and can conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the country&#39;s armed forces.

The UAV can also be used as an unmanned armed combat vehicle on the lines of the US&#39;s Predator drone.

The test flight took place from Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, 250 kilometres&nbsp;from Bangalore, which is a newly developed flight test range for the testing of UAVs and manned aircraft.

The flight accomplished the main objectives of proving the flying platform, such as take-off, bank, level flight and landing among others, a statement by the Defence Ministry said.

TAPAS 201 has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the Bangalore-based lab of DRDO with HAL-BEL as the production partners.

The UAV weighing two tonnes was put into the air by a dedicated team of young scientists of DRDO. It was piloted (external and internal) by the pilots from the armed forces.

It is also the first R&amp;D prototype UAV which has undergone certification and qualification for the first flight from the Center for Military Airworthiness &amp; Certification&nbsp;and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance.

TAPAS 201, a multi-mission UAV is being developed to carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) roles for the three armed forces with an endurance of 24 hours.

It is capable of&nbsp;carrying different combinations of payloads like Medium Range Electro Optic, Long Range Electro Optic, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Electronic Intelligence, Communication Intelligence&nbsp;and Situational Awareness Payloads&nbsp;to perform missions during day and night.

Many critical systems such as airframe, landing gear, flight control and avionics sub-systems are being developed in India with the collaboration of private industries.

Rustom-II will undergo further trials for validating the design parameters, before going for User Validation Trials. 
 
(PTI)

This drone can stay in the air for 24 hours to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance, and is itself an unmanned armed combat vehicle

Rustom-II, India's indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone, on Wednesday, successfully completed its maiden-flight, giving a boost to India's development programme for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The Defence Research and Development Organisation? (DRDO) successfully carried out the maiden-flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOM II), a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV. It has an endurance of 24 hours and can conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the country's armed forces. The UAV can also be used as an unmanned armed combat vehicle on the lines of the US's Predator drone. The test flight took place from Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, 250 kilometres from Bangalore, which is a newly developed flight test range for the testing of UAVs and manned aircraft. The flight accomplished the main objectives of proving the flying platform, such as take-off, bank, level flight and landing among others, a statement by the Defence Ministry said. TAPAS 201 has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the Bangalore-based lab of DRDO with HAL-BEL as the production partners. The UAV weighing two tonnes was put into the air by a dedicated team of young scientists of DRDO. It was piloted (external and internal) by the pilots from the armed forces. It is also the first R&D prototype UAV which has undergone certification and qualification for the first flight from the Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance. TAPAS 201, a multi-mission UAV is being developed to carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) roles for the three armed forces with an endurance of 24 hours. It is capable of carrying different combinations of payloads like Medium Range Electro Optic, Long Range Electro Optic, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Electronic Intelligence, Communication Intelligence and Situational Awareness Payloads to perform missions during day and night. Many critical systems such as airframe, landing gear, flight control and avionics sub-systems are being developed in India with the collaboration of private industries. Rustom-II will undergo further trials for validating the design parameters, before going for User Validation Trials. (PTI)

India successfully tests combat-capable drone Rustom-II

With a chicken sandwich, hot coffee and donuts, aviation history was made Friday. 
 
These were among the items in the first drone delivery on US soil approved by aviation officials, made by convenience retailer 7-Eleven and the drone startup Flirtey. 
 
The delivery took place in Reno, Nevada, with the items loaded into a special box for hot and cold food and flown to a local family. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re absolutely thrilled to have 7-Eleven, the largest convenience chain in the world, embracing new technologies and working with us at Flirtey to make drone delivery a reality for customers all over the world,&quot; said Flirtey chief executive Matt Sweeny. 
 
&quot;This is just the first step in our collaboration with 7-Eleven. Flirtey&#39;s historic drone deliveries to date have been stepping stones to store-to-home drone delivery, and today is a giant leap toward a not-too-distant future where we are delivering you convenience on demand.&quot; 
 
Others include US online giant Amazon are also working on drone deliver, but this was the first in what could become a broader trend. 
 
Flirtey also working on humanitarian missions&nbsp; 
 
Flirtey is also working with drones to deliver relief supplies as part of humanitarian missions around the world. 
 
But it also hopes to expand its partnership with 7-Eleven for convenience deliveries. Friday&#39;s delivery also included store candy and its Slurpee iced drinks. 
 
&quot;Drone delivery is the ultimate convenience for our customers and these efforts create enormous opportunities to redefine convenience,&quot; said Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, the retailer&#39;s chief marketing officer. 
 
&quot;This delivery marks the first time a retailer has worked with a drone delivery company to transport immediate consumables from store to home. In the future, we plan to make the entire assortment in our stores available for delivery to customers in minutes.&quot; 
 
The Federal Aviation Administration this year updated rules allowing for some commercial drone operations in US airspace. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

'This delivery marks the first time a retailer worked with a drone delivery company to transport immediate consumables from store to home'

With a chicken sandwich, hot coffee and donuts, aviation history was made Friday. These were among the items in the first drone delivery on US soil approved by aviation officials, made by convenience retailer 7-Eleven and the drone startup Flirtey. The delivery took place in Reno, Nevada, with the items loaded into a special box for hot and cold food and flown to a local family. "We're absolutely thrilled to have 7-Eleven, the largest convenience chain in the world, embracing new technologies and working with us at Flirtey to make drone delivery a reality for customers all over the world," said Flirtey chief executive Matt Sweeny. "This is just the first step in our collaboration with 7-Eleven. Flirtey's historic drone deliveries to date have been stepping stones to store-to-home drone delivery, and today is a giant leap toward a not-too-distant future where we are delivering you convenience on demand." Others include US online giant Amazon are also working on drone deliver, but this was the first in what could become a broader trend. Flirtey also working on humanitarian missions Flirtey is also working with drones to deliver relief supplies as part of humanitarian missions around the world. But it also hopes to expand its partnership with 7-Eleven for convenience deliveries. Friday's delivery also included store candy and its Slurpee iced drinks. "Drone delivery is the ultimate convenience for our customers and these efforts create enormous opportunities to redefine convenience," said Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, the retailer's chief marketing officer. "This delivery marks the first time a retailer has worked with a drone delivery company to transport immediate consumables from store to home. In the future, we plan to make the entire assortment in our stores available for delivery to customers in minutes." The Federal Aviation Administration this year updated rules allowing for some commercial drone operations in US airspace. (AFP)

In a first, US-approved drone delivers donuts to doorstep

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. 
 
Aquila, Facebook&#39;s lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. 
 
Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. 
 
Yael Maguire, Facebook&#39;s engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re thrilled about what happened with our first flight,&quot; Maguire said. &quot;There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission.&quot; He said he hoped the system might be brought into service &quot;in the near future&quot;. 
 
Zuckerberg laid out the company&#39;s biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. 
 
Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. 
 
Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. 
 
(Reuters)

Aquila, the lightweight and high-altitude aircraft, aims to provide internet connectivity around the globe

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. Aquila, Facebook's lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. Yael Maguire, Facebook's engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. "We're thrilled about what happened with our first flight," Maguire said. "There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission." He said he hoped the system might be brought into service "in the near future". Zuckerberg laid out the company's biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. (Reuters)

Facebook's solar-powered drone successfully completes test flight

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama&#39;s secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. 
 
At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America&#39;s ongoing battle against violent extremism. 
 
In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America&#39;s principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. 
 
The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. 
 
Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. 
 
Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. 
 
The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. 
 
Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday&#39;s release did not appear to change that narrative. 
 
Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments.&nbsp; 
 
The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s hard to credit the government&#39;s death count, which is lower than all independent assessments,&quot; said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU&#39;s National Security Project. 
 
&quot;The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings,&quot; Hina added. 
 
Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. 
 
&quot;Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur,&quot; the DNI said in a statement. 
 
Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. 
 
Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. 
 
&quot;Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it&#39;s not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. 
 
&quot;Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict,&quot; Obama&#39;s order states.&nbsp; 
 
Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. 
 
&quot;The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities,&quot; Pitter noted. 
 
The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. 
 
However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama&#39;s eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. 
 
&quot;If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge,&quot; said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. 
 
(AFP)

It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments: American Civil Liberties Union director

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama's secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America's ongoing battle against violent extremism. In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America's principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday's release did not appear to change that narrative. Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments. The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. "It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments," said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project. "The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings," Hina added. Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. "Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur," the DNI said in a statement. Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. "Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it's not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law," she said. Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. "Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict," Obama's order states. Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. "The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities," Pitter noted. The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama's eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. "If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge," said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. (AFP)

In a first, US releases death toll from drone strikes in Libya, Somalia and Pakistan

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