Israel said its security cabinet on Sunday decided to withhold $138 million (122 million euros) in tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority over its payments to prisoners jailed for attacks on Israelis.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the withheld cash would be equal to that paid by the PA last year to "terrorists imprisoned in Israel, to their families and to released prisoners".

Israel alleges the payments encourage further violence.

The PA says the payments are a form of welfare to the families who have lost their main breadwinner and denies it is seeking to encourage violence.

Many Palestinians view prisoners and those killed while carrying out attacks as heroes in their conflict with Israel. Palestinian leaders often venerate them as martyrs.

The move to withhold the money comes in response to an Israeli law passed last year allowing it to do so.

Israel collects around $127 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports and then transfers the money to the PA.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu pledged to implement the law after a deadly Palestinian attack on a young woman.

He is running in an election scheduled for April 9 and has been seeking to shore up his security credentials in the eyes of voters ahead of polling day.

The $138 million will likely be deducted incrementally over a 12-month period, according to local media reports. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Israel said its security cabinet on Sunday decided to withhold $138 million (122 million euros) in tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority over its payments to prisoners jailed for attacks on Israelis.

Israel said its security cabinet on Sunday decided to withhold $138 million (122 million euros) in tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority over its payments to prisoners jailed for attacks on Israelis. A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the withheld cash would be equal to that paid by the PA last year to "terrorists imprisoned in Israel, to their families and to released prisoners". Israel alleges the payments encourage further violence. The PA says the payments are a form of welfare to the families who have lost their main breadwinner and denies it is seeking to encourage violence. Many Palestinians view prisoners and those killed while carrying out attacks as heroes in their conflict with Israel. Palestinian leaders often venerate them as martyrs. The move to withhold the money comes in response to an Israeli law passed last year allowing it to do so. Israel collects around $127 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports and then transfers the money to the PA. Earlier this month, Netanyahu pledged to implement the law after a deadly Palestinian attack on a young woman. He is running in an election scheduled for April 9 and has been seeking to shore up his security credentials in the eyes of voters ahead of polling day. The $138 million will likely be deducted incrementally over a 12-month period, according to local media reports.

Israel to withhold $138 million from Palestinians over prisoner payments

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture <a href="NEAR BAGHOUZ, Syria (Reuters) - U.S.-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat. Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides. &quot;In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh,&quot; he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. He was speaking after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be &quot;great announcements&quot; about Syria over the next 24 hours. Trump has sworn to pull U.S. forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria. As the SDF advanced under heavy U.S. airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed. Though Islamic State fighters still hold out in a pocket of central Syria's remote desert, and have gone underground as sleeper cells in Iraqi cities, able to launch new attacks, their territorial rule is, for now, almost over. It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014, when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain over all Muslim people and land. He set up a governing system with courts, a currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants. HUMAN SHIELDS But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015. M">Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates</a>, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat.

Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides.

"In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

He was speaking after US President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be "great announcements" about Syria over the next 24 hours.

Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria.

As the SDF advanced under heavy US airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed.

Though Islamic State fighters still hold out in a pocket of central Syria's remote desert and have gone underground as sleeper cells in Iraqi cities, able to launch new attacks, their territorial rule is, for now, almost over.

It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014 when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain overall Muslim people and land.

He set up a governing system with courts, currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants.

Human shields

But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015.

Most of the fighters left in Baghouz are foreigners, the SDF has said, among the thousands drawn by Baghdadi's promise of a new jihadist utopia straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border and expunging national borders.

All that remains, said Furat, is an encircled pocket some 700 metres square. "Thousands of civilians are still trapped there as human shields," he said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF had taken control of all of Baghouz after the jihadists there surrendered. SDF officials denied this.

Spokesman Mustafa Bali said the SDF had caught several militants trying to flee among the civilians. Others had handed themselves over.

Their fate and that of their families has befuddled foreign governments, with few ready to repatriate citizens who pledged allegiance to a group sworn to their destruction, but who might be hard to legally prosecute. The SDF does not want to hold them indefinitely.

The fate of Baghdadi is also a mystery. He has led the group since 2010 when it was still an underground al-Qaeda offshoot in Iraq.

Still a threat

Its capacity then for strategic retreats in hard times, followed by rebounds when circumstances changed, has prompted numerous warnings that Islamic State's defeat has not ended the threat it poses to the region.

Islamic State suffered crippling defeats in 2017 when Iraq recaptured Mosul, the SDF seized its Syrian capital of Raqqa, and the Damascus government pushed it east to the Euphrates.

But in Iraq it has switched to guerrilla hit-and-run tactics, aimed at undermining the Baghdad government. It has also claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in swathes of northeast Syria held by the SDF, including one last month that killed four Americans.

That attack came soon after Trump pledged to pull out, saying Islamic State was already defeated, rattling allies and prompting defence secretary Jim Mattis to resign.

Turkey, which regards the SDF's strongest component, the Kurdish YPG, as terrorists, has threatened to march deeper into northern Syria to drive it back.

On Friday U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees US forces in the Middle East as head of Central Command, said the end of the territorial caliphate would lead to a more dispersed, harder-to-detect network of fighters waging guerrilla warfare.

That should require continued help from Washington, he said.

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat.

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat. Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides. "In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. He was speaking after US President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be "great announcements" about Syria over the next 24 hours. Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria. As the SDF advanced under heavy US airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed. Though Islamic State fighters still hold out in a pocket of central Syria's remote desert and have gone underground as sleeper cells in Iraqi cities, able to launch new attacks, their territorial rule is, for now, almost over. It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014 when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain overall Muslim people and land. He set up a governing system with courts, currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants. Human shields But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015. Most of the fighters left in Baghouz are foreigners, the SDF has said, among the thousands drawn by Baghdadi's promise of a new jihadist utopia straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border and expunging national borders. All that remains, said Furat, is an encircled pocket some 700 metres square. "Thousands of civilians are still trapped there as human shields," he said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF had taken control of all of Baghouz after the jihadists there surrendered. SDF officials denied this. Spokesman Mustafa Bali said the SDF had caught several militants trying to flee among the civilians. Others had handed themselves over. Their fate and that of their families has befuddled foreign governments, with few ready to repatriate citizens who pledged allegiance to a group sworn to their destruction, but who might be hard to legally prosecute. The SDF does not want to hold them indefinitely. The fate of Baghdadi is also a mystery. He has led the group since 2010 when it was still an underground al-Qaeda offshoot in Iraq. Still a threat Its capacity then for strategic retreats in hard times, followed by rebounds when circumstances changed, has prompted numerous warnings that Islamic State's defeat has not ended the threat it poses to the region. Islamic State suffered crippling defeats in 2017 when Iraq recaptured Mosul, the SDF seized its Syrian capital of Raqqa, and the Damascus government pushed it east to the Euphrates. But in Iraq it has switched to guerrilla hit-and-run tactics, aimed at undermining the Baghdad government. It has also claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in swathes of northeast Syria held by the SDF, including one last month that killed four Americans. That attack came soon after Trump pledged to pull out, saying Islamic State was already defeated, rattling allies and prompting defence secretary Jim Mattis to resign. Turkey, which regards the SDF's strongest component, the Kurdish YPG, as terrorists, has threatened to march deeper into northern Syria to drive it back. On Friday U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees US forces in the Middle East as head of Central Command, said the end of the territorial caliphate would lead to a more dispersed, harder-to-detect network of fighters waging guerrilla warfare. That should require continued help from Washington, he said.

Last Islamic State 'caliphate' on brink of defeat in east Syria

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-russia-dozens-of-countries-promise-to-defend-maduro-at-un-197526">Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro</a> hit out at the United States on Friday for "stealing" billions of dollars and offering "crumbs" in return as humanitarian aid.

Tons of US aid is piling up in Colombia close to the border with Venezuela as opposition leader Juan Guaido has vowed to defy Maduro's efforts to block the supplies from entering the country.

"It's a booby trap, they're putting on a show with rotten and contaminated food," said Maduro, speaking at an event in the southeastern town of Ciudad Bolivar.

"They've stolen $30 billion and are offering four crumbs of rotten food," added the beleaguered socialist leader, referring to the United States.

Venezuela is in the midst of an economic crisis that has left millions in poverty and facing shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.

Guaido, who is recognized by 50 countries as the interim president, accuses Maduro of causing economic hardship through mismanagement.

Among those countries is Costa Rica, whose foreign affairs ministry on Friday gave three Maduro-appointed diplomats "60 calendar days" to leave the country.

Maduro meanwhile blames Venezuela's woes on US sanctions, claiming they have cost the country $30 billion.

The 56-year-old, the hand-picked successor to socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez, branded it the "war of the oligarchy."

US sanctions mostly target regime individuals and state oil company PDVSA, the government's main source of income.

Humanitarian aid has become a key issue in the power struggle between Maduro and Guaido.

The opposition leader, who last month declared himself acting president, has promised to bring in the aid on February 23.

Maduro refuses to let it in. And his loyal military has barricaded a border bridge between Venezuela and Colombia.

The socialist leader insists the aid is just a cover for a planned US military invasion, while Guaido says 300,000 people could die without the desperately-needed aid.

Speaking on Friday, Maduro said six million families had benefitted from subsidized food boxes and claimed to have bought 933 tons of medicines and medical supplies from China, Cuba and Russia, his main international allies.

"We paid for it with our own money because we're beggars to no one," he said.

Guaido accuses Maduro of being a "usurper" over his controversial reelection last year in polls widely branded fraudulent.

Maduro says the 35-year-old National Assembly speaker is a puppet to the US, which is trying to secure access to Venezuela's gold and vast oil reserves -- the largest in the world.

He said Guaido's challenge to his authority is "treason."

"The worst thing is stimulating the imperial madness of an extremist Ku Klux Klan government in the White House," said Maduro.

US national security advisor John Bolton announced on Thursday that 25 countries had "pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance."

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro hit out at the United States on Friday for "stealing" billions of dollars and offering "crumbs" in return as humanitarian aid.

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro hit out at the United States on Friday for "stealing" billions of dollars and offering "crumbs" in return as humanitarian aid. Tons of US aid is piling up in Colombia close to the border with Venezuela as opposition leader Juan Guaido has vowed to defy Maduro's efforts to block the supplies from entering the country. "It's a booby trap, they're putting on a show with rotten and contaminated food," said Maduro, speaking at an event in the southeastern town of Ciudad Bolivar. "They've stolen $30 billion and are offering four crumbs of rotten food," added the beleaguered socialist leader, referring to the United States. Venezuela is in the midst of an economic crisis that has left millions in poverty and facing shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine. Guaido, who is recognized by 50 countries as the interim president, accuses Maduro of causing economic hardship through mismanagement. Among those countries is Costa Rica, whose foreign affairs ministry on Friday gave three Maduro-appointed diplomats "60 calendar days" to leave the country. Maduro meanwhile blames Venezuela's woes on US sanctions, claiming they have cost the country $30 billion. The 56-year-old, the hand-picked successor to socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez, branded it the "war of the oligarchy." US sanctions mostly target regime individuals and state oil company PDVSA, the government's main source of income. Humanitarian aid has become a key issue in the power struggle between Maduro and Guaido. The opposition leader, who last month declared himself acting president, has promised to bring in the aid on February 23. Maduro refuses to let it in. And his loyal military has barricaded a border bridge between Venezuela and Colombia. The socialist leader insists the aid is just a cover for a planned US military invasion, while Guaido says 300,000 people could die without the desperately-needed aid. Speaking on Friday, Maduro said six million families had benefitted from subsidized food boxes and claimed to have bought 933 tons of medicines and medical supplies from China, Cuba and Russia, his main international allies. "We paid for it with our own money because we're beggars to no one," he said. Guaido accuses Maduro of being a "usurper" over his controversial reelection last year in polls widely branded fraudulent. Maduro says the 35-year-old National Assembly speaker is a puppet to the US, which is trying to secure access to Venezuela's gold and vast oil reserves -- the largest in the world. He said Guaido's challenge to his authority is "treason." "The worst thing is stimulating the imperial madness of an extremist Ku Klux Klan government in the White House," said Maduro. US national security advisor John Bolton announced on Thursday that 25 countries had "pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance."

Venezuela's Maduro blasts US for 'stealing' billions and offering 'crumbs'

President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States would be announcing the end of the Islamic State group's once-sprawling "caliphate" within the next day.

"We have a lot of great announcements having to do with Syria and our success with the eradication of the caliphate and that will be announced over the next 24 hours," Trump told reporters at the White House Friday.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been closing in on holdout jihadists since September last year and a few hundred surviving IS members are now boxed into an area of around one square kilometer (less than half a square mile).

The "caliphate" IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed in mid-2014 once spanned territory the size of the United Kingdom and administered millions of people.

But successive offensives in Iraq and Syria have shattered the proto-state, which lost its key cities one after the other and has since late 2017 been confined to its traditional power base in the Euphrates valley.

The expected announcement comes after Trump shocked allies and senior figures in his own administration by announcing in December the US was carrying out a full troop withdrawal from Syria.

The plan, which prompted the resignation of then defense secretary Jim Mattis, could be sped up following the declaration of victory.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States would be announcing the end of the Islamic State group's once-sprawling "caliphate" within the next day. "We have a lot of great announcements having to do with Syria and our success with the eradication of the caliphate and that will be announced over the next 24 hours," Trump told reporters at the White House Friday.

President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States would be announcing the end of the Islamic State group's once-sprawling "caliphate" within the next day. "We have a lot of great announcements having to do with Syria and our success with the eradication of the caliphate and that will be announced over the next 24 hours," Trump told reporters at the White House Friday. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been closing in on holdout jihadists since September last year and a few hundred surviving IS members are now boxed into an area of around one square kilometer (less than half a square mile). The "caliphate" IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed in mid-2014 once spanned territory the size of the United Kingdom and administered millions of people. But successive offensives in Iraq and Syria have shattered the proto-state, which lost its key cities one after the other and has since late 2017 been confined to its traditional power base in the Euphrates valley. The expected announcement comes after Trump shocked allies and senior figures in his own administration by announcing in December the US was carrying out a full troop withdrawal from Syria. The plan, which prompted the resignation of then defense secretary Jim Mattis, could be sped up following the declaration of victory.

Trump promises announcement on IS 'caliphate' within '24 hours'

China, Russia and several dozen other countries on Thursday committed themselves at the United Nations to defend the Venezuelan government of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maduro-making-terrible-mistake-by-not-allowing-aid-to-enter-venezuela-trump-197250">Nicolas Maduro</a> in the face of moves by the United States.

Surrounded by representatives of many of those nations, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza presented a declaration in which that coalition denounced the violation of basic UN principles such as the respect for national sovereignty and criticized Washington's sanctions and threats against the Maduro regime.

"In the coming days we will begin a series of actions as a group to raise awareness regarding the dangers that are currently confronting our peoples and, especially, the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," Arreaza stated, reading directly from the document.

When asked about the situation, the Venezuelan foreign minister refused to divulge what measures were being contemplated, but he emphasized that Caracas and its supporting nations will seek "coordinated" action at all levels of the UN.

Russia and China are permanent members of the UN Security Council and thus have the ability to veto any initiative put forward by the US and/or its allies in that body.

Accompanying the Maduro regime's top diplomat were the UN ambassadors of Cuba, Nicaragua, Iran, Syria and Palestine.

"We are organizing to defend the right of peoples to live in healthy peace, to coexist in accord with the principles of international law, which are being violated in a flagrant and open manner and - in the case of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela - at this time in the most notorious way they can be violated," Arreaza said.

Once again, he attacked the US sanctions imposed on Caracas and other countries emphasizing that Washington has no "moral ... authority to impose sanctions on anyone."

In addition, he charged that the US is threatening to use military force against his nation and stressed that "Venezuela is a sovereign" country and will protect "every millimetre of (its) territory."

"The response that we will give in every situation will be proportional and appropriate to any type of attack or interference that may be made," Arreaza declared.

Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, told reporters that Moscow is very concerned about the possibility that "military action" might be considered against Venezuela.

This week, Arreaza has held meetings at the UN to seek support for his government in the face of the crisis Venezuela is experiencing.

Tension within Venezuela increased markedly starting on January 23, when the head of the country's opposition-controlled Parliament, Juan Guaido, proclaimed himself interim president, given that he and the rest of the opposition consider Maduro to be an illegitimate leader after he won a "fraudulent" election last May in which opposition candidates were barred from running against him.

Guaido's move accelerated the political crisis in the South American nation, with a good portion of the international community - including the US, some 20 European nations and a number of key Latin American countries - backing the interim leader and pressuring for the holding of free and fair elections.

China, Russia and several dozen other countries on Thursday committed themselves at the United Nations to defend the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro in the face of moves by the United States.

China, Russia and several dozen other countries on Thursday committed themselves at the United Nations to defend the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro in the face of moves by the United States. Surrounded by representatives of many of those nations, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza presented a declaration in which that coalition denounced the violation of basic UN principles such as the respect for national sovereignty and criticized Washington's sanctions and threats against the Maduro regime. "In the coming days we will begin a series of actions as a group to raise awareness regarding the dangers that are currently confronting our peoples and, especially, the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," Arreaza stated, reading directly from the document. When asked about the situation, the Venezuelan foreign minister refused to divulge what measures were being contemplated, but he emphasized that Caracas and its supporting nations will seek "coordinated" action at all levels of the UN. Russia and China are permanent members of the UN Security Council and thus have the ability to veto any initiative put forward by the US and/or its allies in that body. Accompanying the Maduro regime's top diplomat were the UN ambassadors of Cuba, Nicaragua, Iran, Syria and Palestine. "We are organizing to defend the right of peoples to live in healthy peace, to coexist in accord with the principles of international law, which are being violated in a flagrant and open manner and - in the case of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela - at this time in the most notorious way they can be violated," Arreaza said. Once again, he attacked the US sanctions imposed on Caracas and other countries emphasizing that Washington has no "moral ... authority to impose sanctions on anyone." In addition, he charged that the US is threatening to use military force against his nation and stressed that "Venezuela is a sovereign" country and will protect "every millimetre of (its) territory." "The response that we will give in every situation will be proportional and appropriate to any type of attack or interference that may be made," Arreaza declared. Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, told reporters that Moscow is very concerned about the possibility that "military action" might be considered against Venezuela. This week, Arreaza has held meetings at the UN to seek support for his government in the face of the crisis Venezuela is experiencing. Tension within Venezuela increased markedly starting on January 23, when the head of the country's opposition-controlled Parliament, Juan Guaido, proclaimed himself interim president, given that he and the rest of the opposition consider Maduro to be an illegitimate leader after he won a "fraudulent" election last May in which opposition candidates were barred from running against him. Guaido's move accelerated the political crisis in the South American nation, with a good portion of the international community - including the US, some 20 European nations and a number of key Latin American countries - backing the interim leader and pressuring for the holding of free and fair elections.

China, Russia, dozens of countries promise to defend Maduro at UN

Twenty-five countries have pledged $100 million in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-enlists-50-countries-at-un-to-show-support-197489">aid to Venezuela</a>, a top US official said Thursday, as the crisis-hit country's Supreme Court took aim at oil executives appointed by the opposition.

Venezuela is plagued by hyperinflation and major shortages of basic goods, and two men -- <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/showdown-looms-as-venezuelan-opposition-leader-guaido-sets-aid-entry-date-197058">opposition leader Juan Guaido</a> and President Nicolas Maduro -- are vying for control of the country.

The United States is among more than 50 countries that have recognized Guaido as interim president, but Maduro -- backed by the country's military as well as Russia, China and dozens of other states -- has so far refused to relinquish his office.

US national security advisor John Bolton made the announcement on the aid pledged to Venezuela following an Organization of American States conference on assisting the country.

"Today, 25 countries, united at the OAS-hosted Conference on Humanitarian Assistance in Support of Venezuela pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance," Bolton tweeted.

According to David Smolanksy, coordinator of an OAS working group on migration and refugees from Venezuela, the money will go directly to aid collection centres set up on the borders with Colombia and Brazil and on the Caribbean island of Curazao.

At the opening of the conference in Washington, Guaido's representative in the United States, Carlos Vecchio, said the priority is to get aid into Venezuela on February 23 -- a month after Guaido declared himself Venezuela's interim president.

Blockade at the border&nbsp;

Guaido and Maduro have been locked in a battle over allowing aid into the country, and the military reinforced a blockade on Thursday at the border with Colombia, where the opposition leader has vowed to bring in desperately-needed goods.

AFP journalists saw several new freight containers blocking the road that connects the town of Urena in Venezuela to Cucuta in Colombia, where tons of US aid has been piling up for a week.

Venezuela is enduring the biggest economic crisis in its modern history, with hyperinflation predicted to hit 10 million per cent this year according to the International Monetary Fund.

On Wednesday, the opposition-controlled National Assembly -- which is headed by Guaido -- appointed executives to form new boards for Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA and its US-based affiliate Citgo.

Venezuela's Supreme Court took aim at the move the following day, ordering that the new appointees face criminal prosecution.

The high court -- which is packed with Maduro loyalists -- ruled that the executives were named by a legislature whose decisions are "null," and that the appointees should face prosecution for crimes including "usurpation," "corruption," "organized crime" and "terrorism."

The Supreme Court decision set in motion the process of extraditing the accused, most of whom are in the United States, and freezing their accounts.

Guaido celebrated the appointments as a "step forward in the reconstruction of PDVSA," but Maduro had warned that those accepting "illegal" appointments would face justice.

The United States, which is leading the push to topple Maduro, has sanctioned key regime financial assets including the Citgo subsidiary, and President Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action against the leftist leader.

Twenty-five countries have pledged $100 million in aid to Venezuela, a top US official said Thursday, as the crisis-hit country's Supreme Court took aim at oil executives appointed by the opposition.

Twenty-five countries have pledged $100 million in aid to Venezuela, a top US official said Thursday, as the crisis-hit country's Supreme Court took aim at oil executives appointed by the opposition. Venezuela is plagued by hyperinflation and major shortages of basic goods, and two men -- opposition leader Juan Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro -- are vying for control of the country. The United States is among more than 50 countries that have recognized Guaido as interim president, but Maduro -- backed by the country's military as well as Russia, China and dozens of other states -- has so far refused to relinquish his office. US national security advisor John Bolton made the announcement on the aid pledged to Venezuela following an Organization of American States conference on assisting the country. "Today, 25 countries, united at the OAS-hosted Conference on Humanitarian Assistance in Support of Venezuela pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance," Bolton tweeted. According to David Smolanksy, coordinator of an OAS working group on migration and refugees from Venezuela, the money will go directly to aid collection centres set up on the borders with Colombia and Brazil and on the Caribbean island of Curazao. At the opening of the conference in Washington, Guaido's representative in the United States, Carlos Vecchio, said the priority is to get aid into Venezuela on February 23 -- a month after Guaido declared himself Venezuela's interim president. Blockade at the border Guaido and Maduro have been locked in a battle over allowing aid into the country, and the military reinforced a blockade on Thursday at the border with Colombia, where the opposition leader has vowed to bring in desperately-needed goods. AFP journalists saw several new freight containers blocking the road that connects the town of Urena in Venezuela to Cucuta in Colombia, where tons of US aid has been piling up for a week. Venezuela is enduring the biggest economic crisis in its modern history, with hyperinflation predicted to hit 10 million per cent this year according to the International Monetary Fund. On Wednesday, the opposition-controlled National Assembly -- which is headed by Guaido -- appointed executives to form new boards for Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA and its US-based affiliate Citgo. Venezuela's Supreme Court took aim at the move the following day, ordering that the new appointees face criminal prosecution. The high court -- which is packed with Maduro loyalists -- ruled that the executives were named by a legislature whose decisions are "null," and that the appointees should face prosecution for crimes including "usurpation," "corruption," "organized crime" and "terrorism." The Supreme Court decision set in motion the process of extraditing the accused, most of whom are in the United States, and freezing their accounts. Guaido celebrated the appointments as a "step forward in the reconstruction of PDVSA," but Maduro had warned that those accepting "illegal" appointments would face justice. The United States, which is leading the push to topple Maduro, has sanctioned key regime financial assets including the Citgo subsidiary, and President Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action against the leftist leader.

25 countries pledge $100 million in humanitarian aid to crisis-hit Venezuela

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-gm-in-talks-to-invest-in-electric-pickup-truck-maker-rivian-sources-197067">Amazon said on Thursday</a> it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians.

The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the US and Canada."

The company had begun considering alternatives last week. The online retailer has not yet acquired any land for the project, which would make it easy to scrap its plans, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Amazon had announced it would create 25,000 jobs and build one of two new headquarters based in the Long Island City neighbourhood in the borough of Queens, just across the East River from Manhattan.

The proposal ran into opposition from local politicians who opposed the $2.8-billion in incentives promised to Amazon in a deal secretly negotiated by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The company said, "for Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term."

Amazon said on Thursday it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians. The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time.

Amazon said on Thursday it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians. The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the US and Canada." The company had begun considering alternatives last week. The online retailer has not yet acquired any land for the project, which would make it easy to scrap its plans, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday. Amazon had announced it would create 25,000 jobs and build one of two new headquarters based in the Long Island City neighbourhood in the borough of Queens, just across the East River from Manhattan. The proposal ran into opposition from local politicians who opposed the $2.8-billion in incentives promised to Amazon in a deal secretly negotiated by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The company said, "for Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term."

Amazon cancels plan to locate headquarters in New York

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-will-sign-shutdown-bill-but-will-also-issue-emergency-declaration-senator-mcconnell-197500">President Donald Trump</a> is technically obese and has put on weight since last year, but his official doctor declared him Thursday to be in "very good health."

The presidential physician, Sean Conley, said Trump, 72, passed his medical exam last week with flying colours.

"It is my determination that the president remains in very good health overall," he said in a brief statement.

Trump, who has confounded health experts with his penchant for junk food and avoidance of strenuous exercise, weighs 243 pounds (110 kg), the report said.

This is a little bulkier than the 239 pounds recorded last year, which was already considered too much. The resting heart rate has gone up too, at 70 beats a minute, compared to 68 beats last year.

Doctor Theodore Strange, associate chair of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, said after reviewing the findings that Trump is technically obese.

The results "show a 72-year-old male who meets criteria for obesity with a BMI (body mass index) of 30," Strange said.

That contributes to the fact that "his cardiac risk scores are higher than normal," Strange said in a statement. However, the president is "in good health despite being mildly obese."

Trump has a history of high cholesterol and this year the dosage of his anti-cholesterol medicine Rosuvastatin was raised from a low 10mg a day to 40mg, Conley said.

"There were no findings of significance or changes to report on his physical exam, including the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth/gums, heart, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal, and neurologic systems," Conley's medical summary said.

Trump may have an unhealthy lifestyle and a stressful job, but on the plus side he doesn't smoke and is a noted teetotaler. He says he's never even had a beer.

Trump has described his chief exercise as walking around the White House compound and standing up at public events. A slightly more active pastime is his beloved golf.

President Donald Trump is technically obese and has put on weight since last year, but his official doctor declared him Thursday to be in "very good health." The presidential physician, Sean Conley, said Trump, 72, passed his medical exam last week with flying colours.

President Donald Trump is technically obese and has put on weight since last year, but his official doctor declared him Thursday to be in "very good health." The presidential physician, Sean Conley, said Trump, 72, passed his medical exam last week with flying colours. "It is my determination that the president remains in very good health overall," he said in a brief statement. Trump, who has confounded health experts with his penchant for junk food and avoidance of strenuous exercise, weighs 243 pounds (110 kg), the report said. This is a little bulkier than the 239 pounds recorded last year, which was already considered too much. The resting heart rate has gone up too, at 70 beats a minute, compared to 68 beats last year. Doctor Theodore Strange, associate chair of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, said after reviewing the findings that Trump is technically obese. The results "show a 72-year-old male who meets criteria for obesity with a BMI (body mass index) of 30," Strange said. That contributes to the fact that "his cardiac risk scores are higher than normal," Strange said in a statement. However, the president is "in good health despite being mildly obese." Trump has a history of high cholesterol and this year the dosage of his anti-cholesterol medicine Rosuvastatin was raised from a low 10mg a day to 40mg, Conley said. "There were no findings of significance or changes to report on his physical exam, including the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth/gums, heart, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal, and neurologic systems," Conley's medical summary said. Trump may have an unhealthy lifestyle and a stressful job, but on the plus side he doesn't smoke and is a noted teetotaler. He says he's never even had a beer. Trump has described his chief exercise as walking around the White House compound and standing up at public events. A slightly more active pastime is his beloved golf.

Trump puts on weight, but in 'very good health:' Doctor

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-media-publish-image-of-local-collaborator-in-khashoggi-killing-197487">Jamal Khashoggi</a> at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash.

Ten of the 12 Republicans from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Chairman Jim Risch, wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking for more information.

"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is committed to pursuing all information available in its oversight role and, to that end, is in the process of arranging a classified briefing for the committee," Risch said in a statement.

All 10 committee Democrats, led by senior member Bob Menendez, along with Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Pat Leahy, signed their own letter demanding that Pompeo brief Congress on why President Donald Trump's administration missed last Friday's deadline to report to Congress on whether Saudi government officials and members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were behind the death of Khashoggi, a legal US resident.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent with the Saudis among many in Washington angry over the kingdom's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Members of Congress have been introducing legislation for months to push back against Riyadh. On Wednesday, the Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. A Senate vote is due within weeks.

While several Republicans had demanded more of a response from Trump last week, Risch told reporters on Tuesday: "I'm really satisfied with the way they are answering questions and giving us information."

A State Department representative, commenting on the senators' letters, said Pompeo had provided an update to Foreign Relations on Friday and would continue to consult with Congress.

After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing.

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash.

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash. Ten of the 12 Republicans from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Chairman Jim Risch, wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking for more information. "The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is committed to pursuing all information available in its oversight role and, to that end, is in the process of arranging a classified briefing for the committee," Risch said in a statement. All 10 committee Democrats, led by senior member Bob Menendez, along with Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Pat Leahy, signed their own letter demanding that Pompeo brief Congress on why President Donald Trump's administration missed last Friday's deadline to report to Congress on whether Saudi government officials and members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were behind the death of Khashoggi, a legal US resident. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent with the Saudis among many in Washington angry over the kingdom's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Members of Congress have been introducing legislation for months to push back against Riyadh. On Wednesday, the Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. A Senate vote is due within weeks. While several Republicans had demanded more of a response from Trump last week, Risch told reporters on Tuesday: "I'm really satisfied with the way they are answering questions and giving us information." A State Department representative, commenting on the senators' letters, said Pompeo had provided an update to Foreign Relations on Friday and would continue to consult with Congress. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing.

US lawmakers want more information on Saudi journalist Khashoggi's death

JeM chief Masood Azhar: His plan, origin and motive to target India

Top US and Chinese trade negotiators had "productive meetings", US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a tweet on Friday, as the world's largest economies wound down two days of high-level talks to resolve their bruising trade war.

Mnuchin did not elaborate on the discussions he and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, a top economic advisor to President Xi Jinping, who the two US officials met later on Friday in Beijing.

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Productive meetings with China’s Vice Premier Liu He and <a href="https://twitter.com/USTradeRep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USTradeRep</a> Amb. Lighthizer. <a href="https://t.co/KxOZffFXAa">pic.twitter.com/KxOZffFXAa</a>
— Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevenmnuchin1/status/1096302248324448256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The US delegation had a banquet with Chinese counterparts at a Beijing hotel on Thursday night, a person with knowledge of the meetings said. But neither country had offered details on how the two sides might de-escalate a tariff war that has roiled financial markets and disrupted manufacturing supply chains.

US duties on $200 billion worth of imports from China are scheduled to rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent if no deal is reached by March 1 to address US demands that China curb forced technology transfers and better enforce intellectual property rights.

Although US President Donald Trump said earlier in the week that an extension of the deadline was possible if a "real deal" was close, Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said the White House had made no such decision.

Several sources informed about the meetings told Reuters there was little indication negotiators had made major progress on sticking points to pave the way for a potential meeting between Xi and Trump in coming weeks to hammer out a deal.

"Stalemate on the important stuff," said one of the sources, all of whom requested anonymity because the talks are confidential.

"There's still a lot of distance between parties on structural and enforcement issues. I wouldn't quite call it hitting a wall, but it's not a field of dreams either," said a second source.

The Financial Times cited sources as saying the two sides were trying to reach a memorandum of understanding to help bring about a leaders meeting.

A third source told Reuters the White House was "irate" over earlier reports that the Trump administration was considering a 60-day extension to the tariff deadline.

Lighthizer and Mnuchin left their Beijing hotel on Friday afternoon without taking questions from reporters.

'Sleigh of hand'

Reuters reported earlier that in recent meetings China has pledged to make its industrial subsidy programs compliant with World Trade Organization rules and end those that distort markets but had offered no details on how it intends to achieve that goal.

The offer has been met with scepticism from US negotiators, in part because China has long refused to disclose its subsidies.

And some in US industry have been unimpressed with the extent of other reported Chinese offers to address US concerns, such as Beijing's proposal to increase purchases of US semiconductors to $200 billion over six years.

John Neuffer, President and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), told Reuters that the offer would be "akin to an accounting sleight of hand" and "an attempt to rearrange our supply chains and drive them deeper into China".

"We are confident US government negotiators will wisely dismiss this offer and continue pushing for meaningful reforms that create a fair and level playing field for US companies doing business in China," Neuffer said.

The proposal, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, was part of a "recycled" package of goods purchase offers that Beijing first presented in the spring of 2018, a source told Reuters on Thursday.

Many US lawmakers and business groups have urged Trump in recent weeks not to settle for an agreement based largely on increased Chinese purchases of farm and energy commodities.

Trump has said he did not expect to meet with Xi before March 1, but White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders has raised the possibility of a meeting between the leaders at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida.

China has long denied Washington's accusations of trade abuses, and it has retaliated to US tariffs with its own duties on American goods.

Some trade experts say China appears focused on securing a Xi-Trump meeting, in the hope that it would make a near-term deal to limit or reduce tariffs more likely.

Top US and Chinese trade negotiators had "productive meetings", US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a tweet on Friday, as the world's largest economies wound down two days of high-level talks to resolve their bruising trade war.

Top US and Chinese trade negotiators had "productive meetings", US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a tweet on Friday, as the world's largest economies wound down two days of high-level talks to resolve their bruising trade war. Mnuchin did not elaborate on the discussions he and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, a top economic advisor to President Xi Jinping, who the two US officials met later on Friday in Beijing. Productive meetings with China’s Vice Premier Liu He and @USTradeRep Amb. Lighthizer. pic.twitter.com/KxOZffFXAa — Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) February 15, 2019 × The US delegation had a banquet with Chinese counterparts at a Beijing hotel on Thursday night, a person with knowledge of the meetings said. But neither country had offered details on how the two sides might de-escalate a tariff war that has roiled financial markets and disrupted manufacturing supply chains. US duties on $200 billion worth of imports from China are scheduled to rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent if no deal is reached by March 1 to address US demands that China curb forced technology transfers and better enforce intellectual property rights. Although US President Donald Trump said earlier in the week that an extension of the deadline was possible if a "real deal" was close, Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said the White House had made no such decision. Several sources informed about the meetings told Reuters there was little indication negotiators had made major progress on sticking points to pave the way for a potential meeting between Xi and Trump in coming weeks to hammer out a deal. "Stalemate on the important stuff," said one of the sources, all of whom requested anonymity because the talks are confidential. "There's still a lot of distance between parties on structural and enforcement issues. I wouldn't quite call it hitting a wall, but it's not a field of dreams either," said a second source. The Financial Times cited sources as saying the two sides were trying to reach a memorandum of understanding to help bring about a leaders meeting. A third source told Reuters the White House was "irate" over earlier reports that the Trump administration was considering a 60-day extension to the tariff deadline. Lighthizer and Mnuchin left their Beijing hotel on Friday afternoon without taking questions from reporters. 'Sleigh of hand' Reuters reported earlier that in recent meetings China has pledged to make its industrial subsidy programs compliant with World Trade Organization rules and end those that distort markets but had offered no details on how it intends to achieve that goal. The offer has been met with scepticism from US negotiators, in part because China has long refused to disclose its subsidies. And some in US industry have been unimpressed with the extent of other reported Chinese offers to address US concerns, such as Beijing's proposal to increase purchases of US semiconductors to $200 billion over six years. John Neuffer, President and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), told Reuters that the offer would be "akin to an accounting sleight of hand" and "an attempt to rearrange our supply chains and drive them deeper into China". "We are confident US government negotiators will wisely dismiss this offer and continue pushing for meaningful reforms that create a fair and level playing field for US companies doing business in China," Neuffer said. The proposal, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, was part of a "recycled" package of goods purchase offers that Beijing first presented in the spring of 2018, a source told Reuters on Thursday. Many US lawmakers and business groups have urged Trump in recent weeks not to settle for an agreement based largely on increased Chinese purchases of farm and energy commodities. Trump has said he did not expect to meet with Xi before March 1, but White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders has raised the possibility of a meeting between the leaders at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida. China has long denied Washington's accusations of trade abuses, and it has retaliated to US tariffs with its own duties on American goods. Some trade experts say China appears focused on securing a Xi-Trump meeting, in the hope that it would make a near-term deal to limit or reduce tariffs more likely.

Had 'productive' trade meetings with China: US Secretary Mnuchin 

By Jeffrey Heller and Maayan Lubell

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's face beams down from election billboards depicting him as a statesman, shaking hands with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Opponents portray him as a criminal. Even before he called an election for April 9, he was branded "CRIME MINISTER" in huge banners at protest rallies, a reference to three corruption investigations threatening his decade of political dominance.

Love him or loathe him, the election is all about Netanyahu.

Although the names of parties will be on ballot papers, the vote will amount to a referendum on Netanyahu in the shadow of his legal woes. If he wins, he will become Israel's longest-serving prime minister this summer.

"There's no central issue other than Netanyahu's reign and clean government - whether he remains prime minister and what the price is for corruption," said Tamar Hermann, a political science professor with the Israel Democracy Institute.

Opinion polls show Netanyahu's Likud party is likely to win about 30 seats in the 120-member parliament, enough for the right-wing leader, now 69 and in his fourth term, to form the type of nationalist-religious coalition government he already heads.

He faces a strong challenge from former armed forces chief Benny Gantz. But Gantz's centrist Resilience party, which is second in opinion polls, would need to pursue groundbreaking political alliances to outstrip a right-wing bloc.

In power since 2009, after the first stint as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, the man ardent supporters hail as "King Bibi" has struck a chord with an electorate that has moved to the right and watched with delight as, under Trump, Washington lined up with many of Netanyahu's policies.

That has included US withdrawal from the international deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme, Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and a cut-off of US aid to the Palestinian Authority over its refusal to resume peace talks that collapsed in 2014.

"He (Netanyahu) has brought us excellent achievements, he represents me with dignity. I feel like my country is flourishing because of him," said Ronit Levy, a 49-year-old insurance agent from the northern city of Afula who goes by the handle of "Ronit the Bibi'ite" on Twitter and Facebook.

The sign on the giant city-centre billboards featuring Netanyahu and Trump says: "Netanyahu. In a different league." 
 
Corruption Cases

But in three corruption cases, Netanyahu is suspected of wrongfully accepting gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensing favours in alleged bids for favourable coverage in an Israeli newspaper and a website.

He has denied wrongdoing, saying he is a victim of a left-wing witchhunt to topple him and that he has no intention of resigning. But his opponents are attacking his record and underlining the need for clean governance.

In a speech that boosted his ratings on January 29, Gantz said Israel's present leadership encouraged incitement, subversion and hatred, and was so detached from the people that it had adopted "the mannerisms of a French royal house".

"There was already a king who said: 'The State is me,' Gantz said, referring to King Louis XIV of France. "But no. Not here. No Israeli leader is a king. The state is not me. The state is you. The state is actually us. The state is all of us."

Netanyahu's legal saga looks set to enter a new chapter soon. Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit could announce by the end of February whether he intends to file criminal charges, as police have recommended, in the three corruption investigations.

The indictment in court would await the outcome of pre-trial hearings in which Netanyahu would try to dissuade Mandelblit from filing formal charges.

Those hearings would be unlikely to be wrapped up before the election, meaning voters would go to the polls aware that the attorney-general believes there is sufficient evidence to convict Netanyahu of criminal activity.

"The mere notion that in Israel a prime minister can remain in office while under indictment is ridiculous," Gantz said. 
 
Palestinian Issue

Palestinian leaders have had little to say about the Israeli election, maintaining their traditional policy of watching quietly from the sidelines.

They have already broken off contacts with the Trump administration, accusing it of pro-Israel bias. Any new Netanyahu government would be likely to include veteran allies opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Comments last week by Gantz that Israel must find a way "not to have dominion over other people" -- a reference to its continued occupation of the West Bank -- won praise from a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"It's encouraging if he succeeds and he sticks to this opinion," the spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said.

Trump intends to present a long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan only after the election and has been trying to enlist the support of US&nbsp;Arab allies in the region. But expectations of a breakthrough are low.

Another question looms for after the election: will coalition partners still stick with Netanyahu if Mandelblit, after a hearing, moves ahead with the indictment?

Knives are already out: former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, an erstwhile political ally of Netanyahu, has predicted that right-wing parties now pledging their support would eventually turn on the Israeli leader.

Hermann, of the Israel Democracy Institute, said Netanyahu enjoys loyalty from his core supporters of lower-income Israelis who see him as their champion.

Netanyahu's backers, many of them Jews with roots in the Middle East and North Africa, hold grudges against left-wing parties that once dominated Israeli politics, accusing them of maltreating immigrants from those regions.

"It doesn't matter what he does, they don't expect him to conduct himself by the same moral standards that bind ordinary people," Hermann said. "You don't regard the king the same way you do a peasant."

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

By Jeffrey Heller and Maayan Lubell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's face beams down from election billboards depicting him as a statesman, shaking hands with US President Donald Trump.

By Jeffrey Heller and Maayan Lubell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's face beams down from election billboards depicting him as a statesman, shaking hands with US President Donald Trump. Opponents portray him as a criminal. Even before he called an election for April 9, he was branded "CRIME MINISTER" in huge banners at protest rallies, a reference to three corruption investigations threatening his decade of political dominance. Love him or loathe him, the election is all about Netanyahu. Although the names of parties will be on ballot papers, the vote will amount to a referendum on Netanyahu in the shadow of his legal woes. If he wins, he will become Israel's longest-serving prime minister this summer. "There's no central issue other than Netanyahu's reign and clean government - whether he remains prime minister and what the price is for corruption," said Tamar Hermann, a political science professor with the Israel Democracy Institute. Opinion polls show Netanyahu's Likud party is likely to win about 30 seats in the 120-member parliament, enough for the right-wing leader, now 69 and in his fourth term, to form the type of nationalist-religious coalition government he already heads. He faces a strong challenge from former armed forces chief Benny Gantz. But Gantz's centrist Resilience party, which is second in opinion polls, would need to pursue groundbreaking political alliances to outstrip a right-wing bloc. In power since 2009, after the first stint as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, the man ardent supporters hail as "King Bibi" has struck a chord with an electorate that has moved to the right and watched with delight as, under Trump, Washington lined up with many of Netanyahu's policies. That has included US withdrawal from the international deal curbing Iran's nuclear programme, Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and a cut-off of US aid to the Palestinian Authority over its refusal to resume peace talks that collapsed in 2014. "He (Netanyahu) has brought us excellent achievements, he represents me with dignity. I feel like my country is flourishing because of him," said Ronit Levy, a 49-year-old insurance agent from the northern city of Afula who goes by the handle of "Ronit the Bibi'ite" on Twitter and Facebook. The sign on the giant city-centre billboards featuring Netanyahu and Trump says: "Netanyahu. In a different league." Corruption Cases But in three corruption cases, Netanyahu is suspected of wrongfully accepting gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensing favours in alleged bids for favourable coverage in an Israeli newspaper and a website. He has denied wrongdoing, saying he is a victim of a left-wing witchhunt to topple him and that he has no intention of resigning. But his opponents are attacking his record and underlining the need for clean governance. In a speech that boosted his ratings on January 29, Gantz said Israel's present leadership encouraged incitement, subversion and hatred, and was so detached from the people that it had adopted "the mannerisms of a French royal house". "There was already a king who said: 'The State is me,' Gantz said, referring to King Louis XIV of France. "But no. Not here. No Israeli leader is a king. The state is not me. The state is you. The state is actually us. The state is all of us." Netanyahu's legal saga looks set to enter a new chapter soon. Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit could announce by the end of February whether he intends to file criminal charges, as police have recommended, in the three corruption investigations. The indictment in court would await the outcome of pre-trial hearings in which Netanyahu would try to dissuade Mandelblit from filing formal charges. Those hearings would be unlikely to be wrapped up before the election, meaning voters would go to the polls aware that the attorney-general believes there is sufficient evidence to convict Netanyahu of criminal activity. "The mere notion that in Israel a prime minister can remain in office while under indictment is ridiculous," Gantz said. Palestinian Issue Palestinian leaders have had little to say about the Israeli election, maintaining their traditional policy of watching quietly from the sidelines. They have already broken off contacts with the Trump administration, accusing it of pro-Israel bias. Any new Netanyahu government would be likely to include veteran allies opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state. Comments last week by Gantz that Israel must find a way "not to have dominion over other people" -- a reference to its continued occupation of the West Bank -- won praise from a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "It's encouraging if he succeeds and he sticks to this opinion," the spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said. Trump intends to present a long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan only after the election and has been trying to enlist the support of US Arab allies in the region. But expectations of a breakthrough are low. Another question looms for after the election: will coalition partners still stick with Netanyahu if Mandelblit, after a hearing, moves ahead with the indictment? Knives are already out: former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, an erstwhile political ally of Netanyahu, has predicted that right-wing parties now pledging their support would eventually turn on the Israeli leader. Hermann, of the Israel Democracy Institute, said Netanyahu enjoys loyalty from his core supporters of lower-income Israelis who see him as their champion. Netanyahu's backers, many of them Jews with roots in the Middle East and North Africa, hold grudges against left-wing parties that once dominated Israeli politics, accusing them of maltreating immigrants from those regions. "It doesn't matter what he does, they don't expect him to conduct himself by the same moral standards that bind ordinary people," Hermann said. "You don't regard the king the same way you do a peasant." (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Love him or loathe him, Israeli election is all about Benjamin Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wasn't "happy" with a preliminary deal by US lawmakers to provide funding for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-holds-firm-on-border-wall-offers-steel-option-as-compromise-188851">a border wall with Mexico</a> but added another government shutdown was not likely.&nbsp;

"I can't say I'm happy, I can't say I'm thrilled," he told a cabinet meeting in the White House.

But he indicated he could supplement the offer from Congress from other sources and lay the dispute to rest.

"Wall's getting built anyway," he said, suggesting he would find additional funding from "far less important areas."

US lawmakers reached a preliminary deal to provide some funding for Trump's wall but were waiting to see if he would accept the compromise and cancel the shutdown.

At nearly $1.4 billion for wall construction, the budget agreed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers was far less than the $5.7 billion that Trump wanted.

Trump has not given a definite answer, telling a crowd of supporters at a rally in the Texas frontier city of El Paso late Monday only that there was "probably some good news, but who knows?"

The money, along with other border security measures, was presented as a workable deal to satisfy both sides and allow Trump to shelve his threat to shut down swaths of government on Friday.

In December, Trump tried to pressure Congress into approving the $5.7 billion by refusing to sign off on funding large parts of the government that have nothing to do with the wall, putting 800,000 jobs, from FBI agents to airport security, on hold for five weeks.

The Democrats refused to budge and Trump was forced into an embarrassing climbdown, allowing new negotiations to open with a new deadline of this Friday.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wasn't "happy" with a preliminary deal by US lawmakers to provide funding for a border wall with Mexico but added another government shutdown was not likely.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wasn't "happy" with a preliminary deal by US lawmakers to provide funding for a border wall with Mexico but added another government shutdown was not likely. "I can't say I'm happy, I can't say I'm thrilled," he told a cabinet meeting in the White House. But he indicated he could supplement the offer from Congress from other sources and lay the dispute to rest. "Wall's getting built anyway," he said, suggesting he would find additional funding from "far less important areas." US lawmakers reached a preliminary deal to provide some funding for Trump's wall but were waiting to see if he would accept the compromise and cancel the shutdown. At nearly $1.4 billion for wall construction, the budget agreed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers was far less than the $5.7 billion that Trump wanted. Trump has not given a definite answer, telling a crowd of supporters at a rally in the Texas frontier city of El Paso late Monday only that there was "probably some good news, but who knows?" The money, along with other border security measures, was presented as a workable deal to satisfy both sides and allow Trump to shelve his threat to shut down swaths of government on Friday. In December, Trump tried to pressure Congress into approving the $5.7 billion by refusing to sign off on funding large parts of the government that have nothing to do with the wall, putting 800,000 jobs, from FBI agents to airport security, on hold for five weeks. The Democrats refused to budge and Trump was forced into an embarrassing climbdown, allowing new negotiations to open with a new deadline of this Friday.

Trump says not 'happy' with budget deal but another shutdown unlikely

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would consider extending the deadline for a trade deal with China beyond March 1.

"If we're close to a deal ... I could see myself letting that slide for a little while," Trump said at the White House.

The comments came as the third round of trade negotiations were set to resume in Beijing to avert more than doubling tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would consider extending the deadline for a trade deal with China beyond March 1. "If we're close to a deal ... I could see myself letting that slide for a little while," Trump said at the White House.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would consider extending the deadline for a trade deal with China beyond March 1. "If we're close to a deal ... I could see myself letting that slide for a little while," Trump said at the White House. The comments came as the third round of trade negotiations were set to resume in Beijing to avert more than doubling tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

Trump says could extend China trade talks deadline

The value of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/scotch-whisky-makers-tell-uk-politicians-avoid-no-deal-brexit-185336">Scotch whisky</a> exports rose nearly 8 percent in 2018, backed by booming sales in India, France and the United States and the impact of pricier Scotch, data from Britain's tax authority HMRC showed on Tuesday.

Britain's biggest food and drink export grew 7.8 percent to 4.7 billion pounds ($6.05 billion) last year, with the number of 70 centilitre bottles sold abroad up 3.6 percent to 1.28 billion.

With Britain's exit from the European Union trading bloc due in six weeks, there is still no decision on what the trade rules for British exports will be after that. Producers of Scotland's flagship tipple are particularly worried about sales to the EU which make up about a third of their world market.

Scotch growth in recent years has been driven by demand for single malts, which are made at one distillery and pricier than blended Scotch which is made from mixing one or more whiskies.

Exports of single malts rose 11.3 percent to 1.3 billion pounds.

In volume terms, exports were primarily driven by growth in India, which expanded by 23.1 million to 112.6 million bottles. The United States and France - the world's heaviest Scotch drinker - each grew exports by 9.4 million bottles.

At the same time, exports to Germany and Spain fell by around 10 million and 4.5 million pounds apiece.

"(The) industry does not take continued growth for granted," said Karen Betts, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association which represents 90 percent of the producers.

She urged Britain not to leave the EU without a Brexit deal at the end of March.

"We also want to see the UK and EU agree to an open and positive future relationship, which delivers frictionless trade with the EU, and the UK to secure ambitious trading relationships with key markets around the world."

The United States became the first billion-pound export market for Scotch in 2018, growing 7.8 percent to 1.04 billion pounds last year to retain its place as the largest market in the world for Scotch in terms of value.

Britain's trade minister Liam Fox said in response to the data: "My international economic department is focused on turning the UK into an exporting superpower and, as our single largest food and drink export, the success of Scotch whisky overseas is key to this ambition."

The value of Scotch whisky exports rose nearly 8 percent in 2018, backed by booming sales in India, France and the United States and the impact of pricier Scotch, data from Britain's tax authority HMRC showed on Tuesday.

The value of Scotch whisky exports rose nearly 8 percent in 2018, backed by booming sales in India, France and the United States and the impact of pricier Scotch, data from Britain's tax authority HMRC showed on Tuesday. Britain's biggest food and drink export grew 7.8 percent to 4.7 billion pounds ($6.05 billion) last year, with the number of 70 centilitre bottles sold abroad up 3.6 percent to 1.28 billion. With Britain's exit from the European Union trading bloc due in six weeks, there is still no decision on what the trade rules for British exports will be after that. Producers of Scotland's flagship tipple are particularly worried about sales to the EU which make up about a third of their world market. Scotch growth in recent years has been driven by demand for single malts, which are made at one distillery and pricier than blended Scotch which is made from mixing one or more whiskies. Exports of single malts rose 11.3 percent to 1.3 billion pounds. In volume terms, exports were primarily driven by growth in India, which expanded by 23.1 million to 112.6 million bottles. The United States and France - the world's heaviest Scotch drinker - each grew exports by 9.4 million bottles. At the same time, exports to Germany and Spain fell by around 10 million and 4.5 million pounds apiece. "(The) industry does not take continued growth for granted," said Karen Betts, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association which represents 90 percent of the producers. She urged Britain not to leave the EU without a Brexit deal at the end of March. "We also want to see the UK and EU agree to an open and positive future relationship, which delivers frictionless trade with the EU, and the UK to secure ambitious trading relationships with key markets around the world." The United States became the first billion-pound export market for Scotch in 2018, growing 7.8 percent to 1.04 billion pounds last year to retain its place as the largest market in the world for Scotch in terms of value. Britain's trade minister Liam Fox said in response to the data: "My international economic department is focused on turning the UK into an exporting superpower and, as our single largest food and drink export, the success of Scotch whisky overseas is key to this ambition."

As Brexit looms, India drives Scotch whisky sales 

US lawmakers reached a preliminary deal to provide some funding for President Donald Trump's Mexico border wall but waited Tuesday to see if he accepts the compromise and cancels a threatened government shutdown.

At nearly $1.4 billion for wall construction, the budget agreed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers was far less than the $5.7 billion that Trump wanted.

Trump has not given a definite answer, telling a crowd of supporters at a rally in the Texas frontier city of El Paso late Monday only that there was "probably some good news, but who knows?"

The money, along with other border security measures, was presented as a workable deal to satisfy both sides and allow Trump to shelve his threat to shut down swaths of government on Friday.

The funds would allow 55 miles of new walls along the border.

Hundreds of miles of barriers already run along the US-Mexican border but Trump says far more is needed to bring what he often calls an "invasion" of migrant criminals under control. Democrats say Trump vastly exaggerates the crime problem and uses the issue to whip up his right-wing voter base.

In December, Trump tried to pressure Congress into approving the $5.7 billion by refusing to sign off on funding swaths of government that have nothing to do with the wall, putting 800,000 jobs, from FBI agents to airport security, on hold for five weeks.

The Democrats refused to budge and Trump was forced into an embarrassing climbdown, allowing new negotiations to open with a new deadline of this Friday.

Republicans appear desperate to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-meet-on-border-security-scrambling-to-avert-shutdown-196776">avoid a second shutdown</a>.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the compromise deal was "certainly good news."

"It provides new funds for miles of new border barriers," he told senators. By approving this, the government could then work "with predictability and certainty."

Senator Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the upper house, agreed.

"While the details are still being hammered out, the tentative agreement represents a path forward for our country, away from another round of fraught negotiations, up against a government funding cliff, away from a dreaded government shutdown," Schumer said.

Election ploy

Although there's little doubt that organized Mexican drug crime and people smugglers present a threat along the US border, Trump's fixation on wall building has polemicized Americans to the point where the left and right can barely discuss the issue.

For Trump, chants of "build the wall" were crucial to his surprise 2016 election victory. At the El Paso rally he introduced a new slogan for his coming 2020 reelection bid: "Finish the wall."

The thousands of devoted Trump fans, many of them wearing his red "Make America great again" campaign hats, cheered at the dire warnings about Mexican criminals and calls for bigger and longer walls.

"Walls save lives, walls save tremendous numbers of lives," Trump told them.

There was a counter-message a short distance from where Trump spoke when rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke -- a possible challenger in 2020 -- held his own rally.

A former congressman who excited grassroots Democrats last November with an against-the-odds near upset of Republican Senator Ted Cruz, O'Rourke is from El Paso.

"Tonight, we will meet lies and hate with the truth and a positive, inclusive, ambitious vision for the future from the US-Mexico border," he said.

Trump dismissed O'Rourke as "a young man who's got very little going for himself except he's got a great first name."

Making fun of what he said was O'Rourke's much smaller crowd, Trump said: "That may be the end of his presidential bid."

&nbsp;

US lawmakers reached a preliminary deal to provide some funding for President Donald Trump's Mexico border wall but waited Tuesday to see if he accepts the compromise and cancels a threatened government shutdown.

US lawmakers reached a preliminary deal to provide some funding for President Donald Trump's Mexico border wall but waited Tuesday to see if he accepts the compromise and cancels a threatened government shutdown. At nearly $1.4 billion for wall construction, the budget agreed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers was far less than the $5.7 billion that Trump wanted. Trump has not given a definite answer, telling a crowd of supporters at a rally in the Texas frontier city of El Paso late Monday only that there was "probably some good news, but who knows?" The money, along with other border security measures, was presented as a workable deal to satisfy both sides and allow Trump to shelve his threat to shut down swaths of government on Friday. The funds would allow 55 miles of new walls along the border. Hundreds of miles of barriers already run along the US-Mexican border but Trump says far more is needed to bring what he often calls an "invasion" of migrant criminals under control. Democrats say Trump vastly exaggerates the crime problem and uses the issue to whip up his right-wing voter base. In December, Trump tried to pressure Congress into approving the $5.7 billion by refusing to sign off on funding swaths of government that have nothing to do with the wall, putting 800,000 jobs, from FBI agents to airport security, on hold for five weeks. The Democrats refused to budge and Trump was forced into an embarrassing climbdown, allowing new negotiations to open with a new deadline of this Friday. Republicans appear desperate to avoid a second shutdown. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the compromise deal was "certainly good news." "It provides new funds for miles of new border barriers," he told senators. By approving this, the government could then work "with predictability and certainty." Senator Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the upper house, agreed. "While the details are still being hammered out, the tentative agreement represents a path forward for our country, away from another round of fraught negotiations, up against a government funding cliff, away from a dreaded government shutdown," Schumer said. Election ploy Although there's little doubt that organized Mexican drug crime and people smugglers present a threat along the US border, Trump's fixation on wall building has polemicized Americans to the point where the left and right can barely discuss the issue. For Trump, chants of "build the wall" were crucial to his surprise 2016 election victory. At the El Paso rally he introduced a new slogan for his coming 2020 reelection bid: "Finish the wall." The thousands of devoted Trump fans, many of them wearing his red "Make America great again" campaign hats, cheered at the dire warnings about Mexican criminals and calls for bigger and longer walls. "Walls save lives, walls save tremendous numbers of lives," Trump told them. There was a counter-message a short distance from where Trump spoke when rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke -- a possible challenger in 2020 -- held his own rally. A former congressman who excited grassroots Democrats last November with an against-the-odds near upset of Republican Senator Ted Cruz, O'Rourke is from El Paso. "Tonight, we will meet lies and hate with the truth and a positive, inclusive, ambitious vision for the future from the US-Mexico border," he said. Trump dismissed O'Rourke as "a young man who's got very little going for himself except he's got a great first name." Making fun of what he said was O'Rourke's much smaller crowd, Trump said: "That may be the end of his presidential bid."

Trump mulls border wall deal ending threat to government

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin posed a threat to democracies worldwide <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-pledges-slovakia-support-on-latest-stop-to-curb-russia-china-196961">as he arrived in Slovakia</a>, the latest stop on a Central European charm offensive aimed at curbing the growing influence of both Moscow and Beijing.

"Vladimir Putin is intent on undermining democracies throughout the world, make no mistake about it. We should be very candid about that," Pompeo told journalism students in the capital Bratislava.

He later warned Slovaks about the "need to guard against China's economic and other efforts to create dependence and manipulate your political system."

Pompeo is seeking to highlight the US role in the fall of communism three decades ago at a time when Putin finds a widening audience in the former Eastern bloc.

The first US secretary of state to visit Slovakia in 14 years, Pompeo told President Andrej Kiska: "It's been too long since America has been deeply engaged here."

He met with five former political prisoners at a memorial to the so-called Gate of Freedom on the border with Austria, where 400 people were killed from 1945 to 1989 as they tried to break through the Iron Curtain to the West.

"Where barbed wire and armed guards stood, today people, goods and information cross freely," Pompeo said.

"The United States has stood with the people of Slovakia as a friend, as a partner... for the past 30 years, and we will continue to stand with you in the decades to come.

"On behalf of the United States I'm proud to stand in union with the people of Slovakia and Europe in recommitting to a future that is more prosperous, more secure and, most of all, great," he said.

Kiska, a staunch liberal, called the US an "important partner and ally".

Alternative to Russia

President Donald Trump has voiced admiration for Putin but the wider US government remains suspicious of the Russian leader and is seeking to find alternatives for European nations to Russia's energy exports.

A senior US official travelling with Pompeo said the Trump administration was pursuing a strategy similar to that in Asia, where for years the United States has been seeking to curb China's power.

"It emphasises in vulnerable regions where our rivals, the Chinese and the Russians, are gaining ground that we want to increase our diplomatic, military and cultural engagement," the official told reporters.

He said Washington was also looking across Central Europe to boost an independent media, amid concerns about an erosion of press freedom.

In Hungary, the most pro-Russia member of the European Union, Pompeo raised concerns to Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government both over ties with Moscow and Budapest's contract with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to develop the country's fifth-generation mobile network.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto welcomed Pompeo's calls for closer ties and promised more defence cooperation but also brushed off the criticism on relations with Russia and China.

Western concerns on Hungary's ties with Moscow amounted to "enormous hypocrisy," he said, adding that Western Europe was doing energy deals with Russia.

Pompeo heads later Tuesday to Poland, where he is co-hosting a conference on the Middle East that will promote Trump's hard line on Iran and strong support for Israel. 
&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin posed a threat to democracies worldwide as he arrived in Slovakia, the latest stop on a Central European charm offensive aimed at curbing the growing influence of both Moscow and Beijing.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin posed a threat to democracies worldwide as he arrived in Slovakia, the latest stop on a Central European charm offensive aimed at curbing the growing influence of both Moscow and Beijing. "Vladimir Putin is intent on undermining democracies throughout the world, make no mistake about it. We should be very candid about that," Pompeo told journalism students in the capital Bratislava. He later warned Slovaks about the "need to guard against China's economic and other efforts to create dependence and manipulate your political system." Pompeo is seeking to highlight the US role in the fall of communism three decades ago at a time when Putin finds a widening audience in the former Eastern bloc. The first US secretary of state to visit Slovakia in 14 years, Pompeo told President Andrej Kiska: "It's been too long since America has been deeply engaged here." He met with five former political prisoners at a memorial to the so-called Gate of Freedom on the border with Austria, where 400 people were killed from 1945 to 1989 as they tried to break through the Iron Curtain to the West. "Where barbed wire and armed guards stood, today people, goods and information cross freely," Pompeo said. "The United States has stood with the people of Slovakia as a friend, as a partner... for the past 30 years, and we will continue to stand with you in the decades to come. "On behalf of the United States I'm proud to stand in union with the people of Slovakia and Europe in recommitting to a future that is more prosperous, more secure and, most of all, great," he said. Kiska, a staunch liberal, called the US an "important partner and ally". Alternative to Russia President Donald Trump has voiced admiration for Putin but the wider US government remains suspicious of the Russian leader and is seeking to find alternatives for European nations to Russia's energy exports. A senior US official travelling with Pompeo said the Trump administration was pursuing a strategy similar to that in Asia, where for years the United States has been seeking to curb China's power. "It emphasises in vulnerable regions where our rivals, the Chinese and the Russians, are gaining ground that we want to increase our diplomatic, military and cultural engagement," the official told reporters. He said Washington was also looking across Central Europe to boost an independent media, amid concerns about an erosion of press freedom. In Hungary, the most pro-Russia member of the European Union, Pompeo raised concerns to Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government both over ties with Moscow and Budapest's contract with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to develop the country's fifth-generation mobile network. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto welcomed Pompeo's calls for closer ties and promised more defence cooperation but also brushed off the criticism on relations with Russia and China. Western concerns on Hungary's ties with Moscow amounted to "enormous hypocrisy," he said, adding that Western Europe was doing energy deals with Russia. Pompeo heads later Tuesday to Poland, where he is co-hosting a conference on the Middle East that will promote Trump's hard line on Iran and strong support for Israel.

Vladimir Putin is intent on undermining democracies throughout the world: Mike Pompeo

China and Russia have developed robust and capable space services and the two countries pose a challenge and threat to the space capabilities of the US, the Pentagon has said.

Chinese and Russian military doctrines indicate they view space as important to modern warfare and counter space capabilities as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness, the Pentagon said in a report released by the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The report "Challenges to Security in Space" examines the space and counter space programmes that could challenge the US or partner interests in the space domain.

Noting that both countries have developed robust and capable space services, including space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the report said China and Russia were making improvements to existing systems including space launch vehicles and satellite navigation constellations.

"These capabilities provide their militaries with the ability to command and control their forces worldwide with enhanced situational awareness, enabling them to monitor, track and target US and allied forces," it said.

Running into more than 40 pages, the report mentions India a few times and describes China and Russia as a major challenger to the US, Iran and North Korea as other space challenges.

The Pentagon lists India as one of the nine countries and one international organisation which can independently launch spacecraft: China, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, the United States, and the European Space Agency (from French Guiana).

While the European Union, Russia and the US' satellite navigation constellations offer global coverage, Japan and India operate regional systems, it said.

China operates both a regional and worldwide satellite navigation system.

In its report, the Pentagon said Chinese and Russian space surveillance networks were capable of searching, tracking and characterising satellites in all orbits.

This capability supports both space operations and counter space systems, it said.

"Both states are developing jamming and cyberspace capabilities, directed energy weapons, on-orbit capabilities and ground-based antisatellite missiles that can achieve a range of reversible to non-reversible effects," said the report.

The report is intended to support a deeper public understanding of keyspace and counter space issues and inform open dialogue and partner engagement on these challenges.

"Beijing and Moscow will continue to see space as integral to winning modern wars. They are developing systems that pose a threat to freedom of action in space. Both will continue their efforts to enhance their space and counterspace capabilities, and better integrate them into their respective militaries," the report said.

The report notes that some actors will seek counter space capabilities that target the perceived United States and allied reliance on space, including the ability to use secure satellite communications, precision strike capabilities, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance or ISR assets.

Globally, the space industry will continue to expand as technological and cost barriers fall and international partnerships for joint production grow. State, non-state and commercial actors increasingly will have access to information from space.

"The number of satellites and debris on orbit will grow concurrently, making tracking satellites, discriminating threats from non-threats, and predicting and preventing collisions a greater challenge," it said.

China and Russia have developed robust and capable space services and the two countries pose a challenge and threat to the space capabilities of the US, the Pentagon has said.

China and Russia have developed robust and capable space services and the two countries pose a challenge and threat to the space capabilities of the US, the Pentagon has said. Chinese and Russian military doctrines indicate they view space as important to modern warfare and counter space capabilities as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness, the Pentagon said in a report released by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The report "Challenges to Security in Space" examines the space and counter space programmes that could challenge the US or partner interests in the space domain. Noting that both countries have developed robust and capable space services, including space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the report said China and Russia were making improvements to existing systems including space launch vehicles and satellite navigation constellations. "These capabilities provide their militaries with the ability to command and control their forces worldwide with enhanced situational awareness, enabling them to monitor, track and target US and allied forces," it said. Running into more than 40 pages, the report mentions India a few times and describes China and Russia as a major challenger to the US, Iran and North Korea as other space challenges. The Pentagon lists India as one of the nine countries and one international organisation which can independently launch spacecraft: China, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, the United States, and the European Space Agency (from French Guiana). While the European Union, Russia and the US' satellite navigation constellations offer global coverage, Japan and India operate regional systems, it said. China operates both a regional and worldwide satellite navigation system. In its report, the Pentagon said Chinese and Russian space surveillance networks were capable of searching, tracking and characterising satellites in all orbits. This capability supports both space operations and counter space systems, it said. "Both states are developing jamming and cyberspace capabilities, directed energy weapons, on-orbit capabilities and ground-based antisatellite missiles that can achieve a range of reversible to non-reversible effects," said the report. The report is intended to support a deeper public understanding of keyspace and counter space issues and inform open dialogue and partner engagement on these challenges. "Beijing and Moscow will continue to see space as integral to winning modern wars. They are developing systems that pose a threat to freedom of action in space. Both will continue their efforts to enhance their space and counterspace capabilities, and better integrate them into their respective militaries," the report said. The report notes that some actors will seek counter space capabilities that target the perceived United States and allied reliance on space, including the ability to use secure satellite communications, precision strike capabilities, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance or ISR assets. Globally, the space industry will continue to expand as technological and cost barriers fall and international partnerships for joint production grow. State, non-state and commercial actors increasingly will have access to information from space. "The number of satellites and debris on orbit will grow concurrently, making tracking satellites, discriminating threats from non-threats, and predicting and preventing collisions a greater challenge," it said.

China, Russia pose threat to US space capabilities: Pentagon report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/if-huawei-is-co-located-with-american-systems-it-would-be-difficult-for-us-to-partner-pompeo-to-hungary-196791">If Huawei is co-located with American systems, it would be difficult for us to partner: Pompeo to Hungary</a>

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo during his visit to Hungary cautioned the government against Chinese and Russian influence.

Pompeo was particularly insistent on Hungry not allowing Chinese telecom giant Huawei access to 5G network.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-9-dead-as-fire-breaks-out-in-karol-baghs-hotel-196800">Delhi: 9 dead as fire breaks out in Karol Bagh hotel</a>

At least nine people died in a massive fire that broke out in Delhi's Karol Bagh Hotel Arpit Palace early Tuesday morning.

While many others were feared trapped inside the hotel, the authorities rescued around 25 people from the site.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-that-its-up-to-the-democrats-if-government-shuts-down-again-196783">It's up to Democrats if </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-that-its-up-to-the-democrats-if-government-shuts-down-again-196783">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-that-its-up-to-the-democrats-if-government-shuts-down-again-196783"> shuts again: Trump</a>

The President of the United States, said Monday that it depends on the Democrats whether there will be a partial government shutdown again this weekend due to lack of funds, as he began a visit to the border with Mexico to continue his campaign in favour of the construction of a wall there.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-cabinet-ministers-believe-pm-may-preparing-to-resign-report-196794">British cabinet ministers believe PM May preparing to resign: Report</a>

Cabinet ministers now believe Theresa May is preparing to resign as British Prime Minister this summer so she can influence who succeeds her, The Sun newspaper reported.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/footballer-sala-killed-by-head-trunk-injuries-inquest-196796">Footballer Emiliano Sala killed by </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/footballer-sala-killed-by-head-trunk-injuries-inquest-196796">head</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/footballer-sala-killed-by-head-trunk-injuries-inquest-196796">, trunk injuries: Inquest</a>

Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala died of "head and trunk injuries", an inquest in England heard Monday as it began to examine his death in a plane crash in the sea.

If Huawei is co-located with American systems, it would be difficult for us to partner: Pompeo to Hungary US secretary of state Mike Pompeo during his visit to Hungary cautioned the government against Chinese and Russian influence.

If Huawei is co-located with American systems, it would be difficult for us to partner: Pompeo to Hungary US secretary of state Mike Pompeo during his visit to Hungary cautioned the government against Chinese and Russian influence. Pompeo was particularly insistent on Hungry not allowing Chinese telecom giant Huawei access to 5G network. Delhi: 9 dead as fire breaks out in Karol Bagh hotel At least nine people died in a massive fire that broke out in Delhi's Karol Bagh Hotel Arpit Palace early Tuesday morning. While many others were feared trapped inside the hotel, the authorities rescued around 25 people from the site. It's up to Democrats if government shuts again: Trump The President of the United States, said Monday that it depends on the Democrats whether there will be a partial government shutdown again this weekend due to lack of funds, as he began a visit to the border with Mexico to continue his campaign in favour of the construction of a wall there. British cabinet ministers believe PM May preparing to resign: Report Cabinet ministers now believe Theresa May is preparing to resign as British Prime Minister this summer so she can influence who succeeds her, The Sun newspaper reported. Footballer Emiliano Sala killed by head, trunk injuries: Inquest Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala died of "head and trunk injuries", an inquest in England heard Monday as it began to examine his death in a plane crash in the sea.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The President of the United States, said Monday that it depends on the Democrats whether there will be a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-meet-on-border-security-scrambling-to-avert-shutdown-196776">partial government shutdown</a> again this weekend due to lack of funds, as he began a visit to the border with Mexico to continue his campaign in favour of the construction of a wall there.

"It's up to the Democrats," Donald Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if there will be another partial closure of the administration later this week.

On February 15 the legislation expires that temporarily provided funds to the government at the end of January, which put an end to a 35-day shutdown of numerous government activities due to disagreement over the financing of the wall that Trump wants to build on the border with Mexico.

A bipartisan committee with members of the lower house and the Senate has been negotiating for two weeks to reach an agreement on immigration that can adhere to a new budget, thus avoiding a repeat of the partial paralysis.

In such political climate, Trump travelled to the border city of El Paso, Texas, on Monday to hold his first rally this year, while former Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke prepares an alternative rally in the city at the same time.

"We're going to El Paso... We have a line that is very long already... And I understand our competition's got a line, too, but it's a tiny, little line," the president said.

Trump lambasted a Democrats' plan to limit the number of beds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can keep in their detention centres.

"Now it turns out not only don't they want to give us money for the wall, but they also don't want to give us the space to detain murderers, criminals, drug dealers, human smugglers," Trump said.

Trump's government last month asked Congress for $ 4.2 billion to support the maintenance of 52,000 beds in its immigrant detention centres, a notable increase from the current 40,000 beds.

Democrats believe that, with that increase, ICE is also trying to detain undocumented immigrants with no criminal record, and they want to use the current negotiations to set a limit of 35,520 beds for the rest of this fiscal year, including a maximum of 16,500 for US detainees.

ICE acting deputy director Matt Albence warned that cutting funds for the detention centres of his department would be "extremely damaging to public safety."

In a telephone press conference, Albence confirmed that the ICE detained some "20,000 or 22,000" undocumented people, who were captured inside the country, the majority with a criminal record, and claimed that a cut of funds would force his department to "release" some of them.

The President of the United States, said Monday that it depends on the Democrats whether there will be a partial government shutdown again this weekend due to lack of funds, as he began a visit to the border with Mexico to continue his campaign in favour of the construction of a wall there.

The President of the United States, said Monday that it depends on the Democrats whether there will be a partial government shutdown again this weekend due to lack of funds, as he began a visit to the border with Mexico to continue his campaign in favour of the construction of a wall there. "It's up to the Democrats," Donald Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if there will be another partial closure of the administration later this week. On February 15 the legislation expires that temporarily provided funds to the government at the end of January, which put an end to a 35-day shutdown of numerous government activities due to disagreement over the financing of the wall that Trump wants to build on the border with Mexico. A bipartisan committee with members of the lower house and the Senate has been negotiating for two weeks to reach an agreement on immigration that can adhere to a new budget, thus avoiding a repeat of the partial paralysis. In such political climate, Trump travelled to the border city of El Paso, Texas, on Monday to hold his first rally this year, while former Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke prepares an alternative rally in the city at the same time. "We're going to El Paso... We have a line that is very long already... And I understand our competition's got a line, too, but it's a tiny, little line," the president said. Trump lambasted a Democrats' plan to limit the number of beds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can keep in their detention centres. "Now it turns out not only don't they want to give us money for the wall, but they also don't want to give us the space to detain murderers, criminals, drug dealers, human smugglers," Trump said. Trump's government last month asked Congress for $ 4.2 billion to support the maintenance of 52,000 beds in its immigrant detention centres, a notable increase from the current 40,000 beds. Democrats believe that, with that increase, ICE is also trying to detain undocumented immigrants with no criminal record, and they want to use the current negotiations to set a limit of 35,520 beds for the rest of this fiscal year, including a maximum of 16,500 for US detainees. ICE acting deputy director Matt Albence warned that cutting funds for the detention centres of his department would be "extremely damaging to public safety." In a telephone press conference, Albence confirmed that the ICE detained some "20,000 or 22,000" undocumented people, who were captured inside the country, the majority with a criminal record, and claimed that a cut of funds would force his department to "release" some of them.

It's up to Democrats if government shuts again: Trump

The choice of Vietnam as host of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kim-trump-summit-a-remarkable-breakthrough-for-peace-south-korean-president-moon-196694">this month's summit</a> between US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shows the Southeast Asian nation is headed in the right direction, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Tuesday.

Last week, Trump said he would hold his second meeting with Kim in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on February 27 and 28. That follows an unprecedented June 11 summit of the two leaders in the wealthy city of Singapore.

"This important event has shown that Vietnam's investment environment is good, that Vietnam's development model is going in a right direction and especially that the security and safety in Vietnam is wonderful," Phuc told government officials at the Hanoi Stock Exchange.

"Vietnam will demonstrate its international role and do its best to let the word 'Vietnam'&nbsp;ring out."

Vietnam's foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, will visit North Korea from February 12 to 14 ahead of the summit.&nbsp;

In a statement on Tuesday, North Korean state news agency KCNA confirmed the Vietnamese delegation had arrived, but did not provide any details of their itinerary or agenda.

As Vietnam prepares for the summit, its reform model is being widely touted as the economic path for impoverished and isolated North Korea to follow.

Last year, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said North Korea could follow the example of Vietnam, adding that Trump believed Pyongyang could replicate Hanoi's path to normal relations with Washington and to prosperity.

The choice of Vietnam as host of this month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shows the Southeast Asian nation is headed in the right direction, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Tuesday.

The choice of Vietnam as host of this month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shows the Southeast Asian nation is headed in the right direction, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Tuesday. Last week, Trump said he would hold his second meeting with Kim in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on February 27 and 28. That follows an unprecedented June 11 summit of the two leaders in the wealthy city of Singapore. "This important event has shown that Vietnam's investment environment is good, that Vietnam's development model is going in a right direction and especially that the security and safety in Vietnam is wonderful," Phuc told government officials at the Hanoi Stock Exchange. "Vietnam will demonstrate its international role and do its best to let the word 'Vietnam' ring out." Vietnam's foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, will visit North Korea from February 12 to 14 ahead of the summit. In a statement on Tuesday, North Korean state news agency KCNA confirmed the Vietnamese delegation had arrived, but did not provide any details of their itinerary or agenda. As Vietnam prepares for the summit, its reform model is being widely touted as the economic path for impoverished and isolated North Korea to follow. Last year, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said North Korea could follow the example of Vietnam, adding that Trump believed Pyongyang could replicate Hanoi's path to normal relations with Washington and to prosperity.

Vietnam says being chosen to host second Trump-Kim summit is positive sign

US-backed forces pressed the battle to expel diehard jihadists from the last pocket of land under their control in eastern Syria on Tuesday after hundreds fled the holdout overnight.

The extremist group declared a cross-border "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq in 2014, but various military campaigns have chipped it down to a fragment on the Iraqi border.

After a pause of more than a week to allow out civilians, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared the last push to retake the "Baghouz pocket" from the extremists on Saturday.

Aided by the warplanes and artillery of a US-led coalition, the Kurdish-led alliance has made way into a patch of four square kilometres (one square mile).

SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/seven-children-among-16-killed-in-strike-on-islamic-state-syria-holdout-war-monitor-196790">heavy clashes were ongoing</a> on Tuesday after hundreds fled the battle zone overnight.

"A group of 600 civilians escaped from Baghouz at one in the morning and they are being searched now," he said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the new arrivals included women and children from France and Germany.

"Most of those who got out are foreigners," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Coalition spokesperson Sean Ryan said US-backed forces were facing a fierce fightback.

"The progress is slow and methodical as the enemy is fully entrenched and IS fighters continue to conduct counter-attacks," he said.

"The coalition continues to strike at IS targets whenever available."

The SDF launched the battle to expel IS from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor in September, slowly tightening the noose around the jihadists and their families since December.

French women

In the past two months, more than 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of jihadist fighters, have fled into SDF-held areas, the Observatory says.

That figure includes some 3,400 suspected jihadists detained by the SDF, according to the Britain-based monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information.

On Monday, AFP saw dozens of new arrivals at an SDF-held screening location.

Dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas.

Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground.

Two French women told AFP they paid smugglers to take them out of the battered IS-held holdout, but Iraqi jihadists had prevented other foreigners from leaving.

"They said only the Syrians and Iraqis can be smuggled out," said one of the women, who gave her first name as Christelle, from the city of Bordeaux.

Bali, the SDF spokesman, said on Saturday that up to 600 jihadists could remain inside the pocket.

But the group's elusive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who proclaimed the "caliphate" in 2014 was likely not there, he said.

At the height of their proto-state, Baghdadi's followers implemented their brutal implementation of Islamic law in an area the size of the United Kingdom.

But various offensives, including by the US-backed SDF and Russia-backed regime forces, have taken back all but a morsel of that territory near the village of Baghouz.

'Clearing operations'

Once the "caliphate" is declared over, the fight will continue to eliminate IS sleeper cells, the SDF and their allies have said.

"After Baghouz, clearing operations will have to take place as well," Ryan said.

"IS has purposely left IEDs (improvised explosive devices) behind to intentionally kill innocent civilians."

The jihadist group, also known as ISIS, retains a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and has continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held areas.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the coalition may declare victory over IS in the region in the coming days.

"Our brave warriors have liberated virtually 100 per cent of ISIS (territory) in Iraq and Syria," he said.

"Soon it will be announced, soon, maybe over the next week, maybe less," he told a rally in the US city of El Paso.

Trump shocked Washington's allies in December by announcing a pullout of all 2,000 US troops from war-torn Syria.

The decision has left Syria's Kurds scrambling for protection from Damascus against a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey.

After decades of marginalisation, the Kurds have largely stayed out of the eight-year civil war, instead of setting up their own semi-autonomous institutions in northeast Syria.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. 
&nbsp;

US-backed forces pressed the battle to expel diehard jihadists from the last pocket of land under their control in eastern Syria on Tuesday after hundreds fled the holdout overnight.

US-backed forces pressed the battle to expel diehard jihadists from the last pocket of land under their control in eastern Syria on Tuesday after hundreds fled the holdout overnight. The extremist group declared a cross-border "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq in 2014, but various military campaigns have chipped it down to a fragment on the Iraqi border. After a pause of more than a week to allow out civilians, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared the last push to retake the "Baghouz pocket" from the extremists on Saturday. Aided by the warplanes and artillery of a US-led coalition, the Kurdish-led alliance has made way into a patch of four square kilometres (one square mile). SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said heavy clashes were ongoing on Tuesday after hundreds fled the battle zone overnight. "A group of 600 civilians escaped from Baghouz at one in the morning and they are being searched now," he said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the new arrivals included women and children from France and Germany. "Most of those who got out are foreigners," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Coalition spokesperson Sean Ryan said US-backed forces were facing a fierce fightback. "The progress is slow and methodical as the enemy is fully entrenched and IS fighters continue to conduct counter-attacks," he said. "The coalition continues to strike at IS targets whenever available." The SDF launched the battle to expel IS from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor in September, slowly tightening the noose around the jihadists and their families since December. French women In the past two months, more than 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of jihadist fighters, have fled into SDF-held areas, the Observatory says. That figure includes some 3,400 suspected jihadists detained by the SDF, according to the Britain-based monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information. On Monday, AFP saw dozens of new arrivals at an SDF-held screening location. Dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas. Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground. Two French women told AFP they paid smugglers to take them out of the battered IS-held holdout, but Iraqi jihadists had prevented other foreigners from leaving. "They said only the Syrians and Iraqis can be smuggled out," said one of the women, who gave her first name as Christelle, from the city of Bordeaux. Bali, the SDF spokesman, said on Saturday that up to 600 jihadists could remain inside the pocket. But the group's elusive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who proclaimed the "caliphate" in 2014 was likely not there, he said. At the height of their proto-state, Baghdadi's followers implemented their brutal implementation of Islamic law in an area the size of the United Kingdom. But various offensives, including by the US-backed SDF and Russia-backed regime forces, have taken back all but a morsel of that territory near the village of Baghouz. 'Clearing operations' Once the "caliphate" is declared over, the fight will continue to eliminate IS sleeper cells, the SDF and their allies have said. "After Baghouz, clearing operations will have to take place as well," Ryan said. "IS has purposely left IEDs (improvised explosive devices) behind to intentionally kill innocent civilians." The jihadist group, also known as ISIS, retains a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and has continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held areas. US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the coalition may declare victory over IS in the region in the coming days. "Our brave warriors have liberated virtually 100 per cent of ISIS (territory) in Iraq and Syria," he said. "Soon it will be announced, soon, maybe over the next week, maybe less," he told a rally in the US city of El Paso. Trump shocked Washington's allies in December by announcing a pullout of all 2,000 US troops from war-torn Syria. The decision has left Syria's Kurds scrambling for protection from Damascus against a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey. After decades of marginalisation, the Kurds have largely stayed out of the eight-year civil war, instead of setting up their own semi-autonomous institutions in northeast Syria. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Hundreds flee US-backed Syria battle for last IS holdout

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/acting-pentagon-chief-supports-kabul-role-in-peace-talks-196764">Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan</a> arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit Tuesday for talks on the sensitive issue of a continued troop presence following withdrawal from neighbouring Syria.

Shanahan is keen to reassure Iraqi leaders after President Donald Trump angered many by saying he wanted to keep troops at the Al-Asad airbase, northwest of Baghdad, to keep an eye on Iran.

The acting defence secretary, who flew in from Afghanistan on his foreign tour since taking office last month, is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and top military advisers and commanders.

Trump's comments about Iran, in an interview with CBS television aired on February 3, drew a stern rebuff from President Barham Saleh, who said the use of Iraq as a base against a third country violated its constitution.

They also sparked renewed calls for a US withdrawal both from pro-Iran factions within the government and from Iran-trained armed groups whose power has risen sharply during the fightback against the Islamic State group that culminated in December 2017.

Those calls are likely to intensify as Washington carries out the full troop withdrawal from Syria unveiled in a shock announcement by Trump in December.

The plan, judged precipitate by both US allies and senior figures within Trump's own administration, prompted the resignation of Shanahan's predecessor, Jim Mattis.

But with US-backed Kurdish-led fighters poised to overrun the Islamic State group's last tiny enclave in eastern Syria, perhaps as early as this week, the withdrawal, which other administration figures had managed to slow, is now likely to gather pace.

- 'Incredible base' - 
Trump's comments about the Al-Assad airbase came after the US president had already angered Iraqi leaders in December by paying a Christmas visit to US troops based there without travelling to Baghdad to talk with them.

"We spent a fortune on building this incredible base. We might as well keep it," Trump said in the CBS interview.

A draft law that would set a timetable for a US troop withdrawal is now before the Iraqi parliament.

It is backed by both of Iraq's most powerful political groupings, the nationalist alliance led by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, and the pro-Iran movement of former anti-IS fighters.

At a rare joint news conference on Monday, the two groupings demanded at the very least a "new agreement" setting tight conditions on any future foreign troop presence.

Following the US-led invasion that overthrew since-executed dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, US troop numbers peaked at some 170,000 before a full withdrawal was completed in 2011.

Troops returned to Iraq in 2014 as part of an international coalition set up to fight IS after it swept through much of the north and west as well as swathes of neighbouring Syria that year.

Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit Tuesday for talks on the sensitive issue of a continued troop presence following withdrawal from neighbouring Syria.

Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit Tuesday for talks on the sensitive issue of a continued troop presence following withdrawal from neighbouring Syria. Shanahan is keen to reassure Iraqi leaders after President Donald Trump angered many by saying he wanted to keep troops at the Al-Asad airbase, northwest of Baghdad, to keep an eye on Iran. The acting defence secretary, who flew in from Afghanistan on his foreign tour since taking office last month, is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and top military advisers and commanders. Trump's comments about Iran, in an interview with CBS television aired on February 3, drew a stern rebuff from President Barham Saleh, who said the use of Iraq as a base against a third country violated its constitution. They also sparked renewed calls for a US withdrawal both from pro-Iran factions within the government and from Iran-trained armed groups whose power has risen sharply during the fightback against the Islamic State group that culminated in December 2017. Those calls are likely to intensify as Washington carries out the full troop withdrawal from Syria unveiled in a shock announcement by Trump in December. The plan, judged precipitate by both US allies and senior figures within Trump's own administration, prompted the resignation of Shanahan's predecessor, Jim Mattis. But with US-backed Kurdish-led fighters poised to overrun the Islamic State group's last tiny enclave in eastern Syria, perhaps as early as this week, the withdrawal, which other administration figures had managed to slow, is now likely to gather pace. - 'Incredible base' - Trump's comments about the Al-Assad airbase came after the US president had already angered Iraqi leaders in December by paying a Christmas visit to US troops based there without travelling to Baghdad to talk with them. "We spent a fortune on building this incredible base. We might as well keep it," Trump said in the CBS interview. A draft law that would set a timetable for a US troop withdrawal is now before the Iraqi parliament. It is backed by both of Iraq's most powerful political groupings, the nationalist alliance led by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, and the pro-Iran movement of former anti-IS fighters. At a rare joint news conference on Monday, the two groupings demanded at the very least a "new agreement" setting tight conditions on any future foreign troop presence. Following the US-led invasion that overthrew since-executed dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, US troop numbers peaked at some 170,000 before a full withdrawal was completed in 2011. Troops returned to Iraq in 2014 as part of an international coalition set up to fight IS after it swept through much of the north and west as well as swathes of neighbouring Syria that year.

Acting Pentagon chief makes surprise Baghdad visit

Beijing called the latest US warning against using Huawei equipment "groundless" on Tuesday, as the Chinese telecom giant faces espionage fears in a growing number of countries.

The world's second-largest smartphone maker and biggest producer of telecommunications gear has been under fire in recent months after the arrest of a top executive in Canada and a global campaign by Washington to blacklist its equipment.

"The US has spared no effort in unscrupulously fabricating all kinds of groundless charges," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing Tuesday.

She also accused the US of "sowing discord" between China and other countries, and called the actions of Washington "neither fair nor moral."

On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on a visit to Hungary that it would be difficult for the United States to partner with countries that co-locate Huawei equipment near "important American systems".

"We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment," he said.

His comments came less than week after a team of US officials toured EU capitals -- including Brussels -- urging European governments to scrap Huawei 5G technology from their telecom infrastructure plans.

Several Western nations have voiced fears that using Huawei base stations and other gear could give Chinese authorities access to critical network infrastructure worldwide, possibly allowing it to spy on foreign governments.

In December, Britain's largest mobile provider said it was removing Huawei equipment from its 4G cellular network after the foreign intelligence service singled out the company as a security risk.

Australia, New Zealand, and the United States also enacted similar bans last year.

Huawei has remained dismissive of these concerns, with the company's vice president and representative to the EU Abraham Liu calling them "ungrounded and senseless allegations" in a speech last week.

Beijing called the latest US warning against using Huawei equipment "groundless" on Tuesday, as the Chinese telecom giant faces espionage fears in a growing number of countries.

Beijing called the latest US warning against using Huawei equipment "groundless" on Tuesday, as the Chinese telecom giant faces espionage fears in a growing number of countries. The world's second-largest smartphone maker and biggest producer of telecommunications gear has been under fire in recent months after the arrest of a top executive in Canada and a global campaign by Washington to blacklist its equipment. "The US has spared no effort in unscrupulously fabricating all kinds of groundless charges," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing Tuesday. She also accused the US of "sowing discord" between China and other countries, and called the actions of Washington "neither fair nor moral." On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on a visit to Hungary that it would be difficult for the United States to partner with countries that co-locate Huawei equipment near "important American systems". "We want to make sure we identify (to) them the opportunities and the risks with using that equipment," he said. His comments came less than week after a team of US officials toured EU capitals -- including Brussels -- urging European governments to scrap Huawei 5G technology from their telecom infrastructure plans. Several Western nations have voiced fears that using Huawei base stations and other gear could give Chinese authorities access to critical network infrastructure worldwide, possibly allowing it to spy on foreign governments. In December, Britain's largest mobile provider said it was removing Huawei equipment from its 4G cellular network after the foreign intelligence service singled out the company as a security risk. Australia, New Zealand, and the United States also enacted similar bans last year. Huawei has remained dismissive of these concerns, with the company's vice president and representative to the EU Abraham Liu calling them "ungrounded and senseless allegations" in a speech last week.

China calls US concerns over Huawei 'groundless'

The top four Democratic and Republican negotiators in the US&nbsp;Congress on border security funding plan to meet on Monday in a bid to reach an elusive deal by a Friday deadline <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-more-us-congressional-talks-scheduled-to-avert-shutdown-196466">to avert another partial government shutdown</a>.

The talks were scheduled to resume in Washington hours before Republican President Donald Trump plans a rally in the Texas border city of El Paso, where he is expected to promote his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border.

An anti-wall protest will greet the Republican president, led by hometown Democrat Beto O'Rourke, the former congressman who is considering running for his party's 2020 presidential nomination after gaining national prominence last year by nearly upsetting Republican Ted Cruz in a US&nbsp;Senate race in Texas.

In Washington, the lawmakers hope to reach an agreement on Monday to allow time for the legislation to pass the House of Representatives and Senate and get Trump's signature by Friday when funding is due to expire for the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and several other federal agencies.

Negotiations broke down during the weekend over funding for immigrant detention beds and physical barriers along the US-Mexico border.

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat, and the panel's top Republican, US&nbsp;Representative Kay Granger, will attend the meeting with Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, and the panel's senior Democrat Patrick Leahy, according to congressional aides. They were tentatively set to meet at 3:30 p.m. (2030 GMT).

Trump's December demand for $5.7 billion to help construct a border wall triggered a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended last month without the president getting wall funding. Trump agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow congressional negotiators time to find a compromise on government funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30, to avert another shutdown on February 15.

The disagreement over border barriers and making detention facilities able to hold more immigrants to be deported are at the heart of the dispute between congressional Democrats and Trump, who has sought to crack down on illegal and legal immigration.

Campaign promise

Trump made a border wall one of his central campaign promises in 2016, saying it is needed to curb illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other crimes. Democrats, who assumed control of the House last month from Trump's fellow Republicans, oppose a wall as ineffective, expensive and immoral.

A sticking point in the border security talks has been a Democratic demand for funding fewer detention beds. Democrats oppose the Trump administration expanding its capacity to hold more people arrested by US&nbsp;Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for eventual deportation.

Democrats generally push for less use of detention, arguing it is much cheaper to release some immigrants but require restrictions on them such as wearing ankle bracelets that track their location. Republicans want to increase the number of beds in detention facilities to enable holding more people to speed up and expand deportations.

Trump has called the situation at the border a national security crisis and deployed an extra 3,750 US&nbsp;troops there this month.

His 2020 re-election campaign made a wall the centrepiece of a fundraising drive seeking contributions of $5 or more from supporters by midnight on Monday.

California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, was poised to withdraw all 360 of his state's National Guard troops from the border to counter Trump's claim of a national security crisis, according to US&nbsp;media reports. Democratic-governed New Mexico made a similar move last week.

&nbsp;

The top four Democratic and Republican negotiators in the US Congress on border security funding plan to meet on Monday in a bid to reach an elusive deal by a Friday deadline to avert another partial government shutdown.

The top four Democratic and Republican negotiators in the US Congress on border security funding plan to meet on Monday in a bid to reach an elusive deal by a Friday deadline to avert another partial government shutdown. The talks were scheduled to resume in Washington hours before Republican President Donald Trump plans a rally in the Texas border city of El Paso, where he is expected to promote his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border. An anti-wall protest will greet the Republican president, led by hometown Democrat Beto O'Rourke, the former congressman who is considering running for his party's 2020 presidential nomination after gaining national prominence last year by nearly upsetting Republican Ted Cruz in a US Senate race in Texas. In Washington, the lawmakers hope to reach an agreement on Monday to allow time for the legislation to pass the House of Representatives and Senate and get Trump's signature by Friday when funding is due to expire for the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and several other federal agencies. Negotiations broke down during the weekend over funding for immigrant detention beds and physical barriers along the US-Mexico border. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat, and the panel's top Republican, US Representative Kay Granger, will attend the meeting with Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, and the panel's senior Democrat Patrick Leahy, according to congressional aides. They were tentatively set to meet at 3:30 p.m. (2030 GMT). Trump's December demand for $5.7 billion to help construct a border wall triggered a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended last month without the president getting wall funding. Trump agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow congressional negotiators time to find a compromise on government funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30, to avert another shutdown on February 15. The disagreement over border barriers and making detention facilities able to hold more immigrants to be deported are at the heart of the dispute between congressional Democrats and Trump, who has sought to crack down on illegal and legal immigration. Campaign promise Trump made a border wall one of his central campaign promises in 2016, saying it is needed to curb illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other crimes. Democrats, who assumed control of the House last month from Trump's fellow Republicans, oppose a wall as ineffective, expensive and immoral. A sticking point in the border security talks has been a Democratic demand for funding fewer detention beds. Democrats oppose the Trump administration expanding its capacity to hold more people arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for eventual deportation. Democrats generally push for less use of detention, arguing it is much cheaper to release some immigrants but require restrictions on them such as wearing ankle bracelets that track their location. Republicans want to increase the number of beds in detention facilities to enable holding more people to speed up and expand deportations. Trump has called the situation at the border a national security crisis and deployed an extra 3,750 US troops there this month. His 2020 re-election campaign made a wall the centrepiece of a fundraising drive seeking contributions of $5 or more from supporters by midnight on Monday. California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, was poised to withdraw all 360 of his state's National Guard troops from the border to counter Trump's claim of a national security crisis, according to US media reports. Democratic-governed New Mexico made a similar move last week.

US lawmakers to hold border security talks in bid to avert shutdown

Acting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/acting-pentagon-chief-patrick-shanahan-arrives-in-afghanistan-196580">US&nbsp;Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan</a> said on Monday it was important for the Afghan government to be included in talks to end the country's 17-year war, an involvement that the Taliban has so far rejected.

Shanahan, making his first trip to Afghanistan in his new role, met US troops and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. He said he had so far not received any direction to reduce the nearly 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan, but noted what he called strong US security interests in the region.

Ghani's government has been shut out of the peace talks between Taliban negotiators and US envoys, with the hardline Islamist movement branding it a US puppet. Kabul is concerned that a sharp drawdown of US forces could lead to chaos in the region.

"It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan," Shanahan told reporters traveling with him on the previously unannounced trip. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it is about Afghanistan."

Shanahan, who took over the job after Jim Mattis quit in December over policy differences with US President Donald Trump, said he could not make any guarantees because US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks.

"The US military has strong security interests in the region. (The) presence will evolve out of those discussions," Shanahan said.

He said the aim of his trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then brief Trump on his findings.

Shanahan's meeting with Ghani covered a range of defence issues important to the bilateral relationship, Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson said.

That included "achieving a political settlement to the war that ensures Afghanistan is never again used as a safe haven from which terrorists can plan and launch terrorist attacks against the United States, our interests and our allies," Robertson said.

US officials have held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since last year in what is widely seen as the most serious bid yet for peace in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001.

Both sides hailed progress after the latest round last month, although significant obstacles remain. Those include the involvement of the Afghan government.

The next round of talks is due in Qatar on February 25.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said Shanahan's main priority in Kabul should be to address Afghan government concerns.

"The top priority of Shanahan has to be to impress upon the government that we're going to do everything we can to get you into this conversation," Kugelman said.

'Leverage'

Afghanistan and neighbouring countries are concerned about the effect of a sudden withdrawal of US forces on the region.

An Afghan official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said even the suggestion of US troops leaving was dangerous.

"Of course it has given leverage to the Taliban, there is no question about that," the official told Reuters.

Trump has offered no specifics about when he would bring home US troops from Afghanistan but has said progress in negotiations with the Taliban would enable a troop reduction and a "focus on counter-terrorism".

Shanahan said a withdrawal of about half the US troops was not something that was being discussed.

"The presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability and then any type of sizing is done in a coordinated and disciplined manner," he said.

Khalilzad said after six days of talks with the Taliban in Doha last month that the United States and the Taliban had sketched the outlines for an eventual peace accord.

He has said since then there has been progress on the future of US troops in Afghanistan.

The Taliban have put out contradictory information on what timeline the United States has agreed to in any potential withdrawal. Most recently, a Taliban official said no timetable had been agreed with the US government.

US officials have told Reuters that while no formal orders have been sent, the military is preparing for what a withdrawal of about half of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan would look like.

Officials have expressed concern that Afghan security forces, already stretched thin, could crumble if US troops leave.

Shanahan met with a group of elite Afghan commandos later on Monday and backed using more resources for offensive operations by the special forces.

Afghanistan’s special forces units suffered increasingly heavy casualties last year as the Taliban mounted major assaults on provincial centres including Ghazni and Farah in the southwest.

Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Monday it was important for the Afghan government to be included in talks to end the country's 17-year war, an involvement that the Taliban has so far rejected.

Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Monday it was important for the Afghan government to be included in talks to end the country's 17-year war, an involvement that the Taliban has so far rejected. Shanahan, making his first trip to Afghanistan in his new role, met US troops and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. He said he had so far not received any direction to reduce the nearly 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan, but noted what he called strong US security interests in the region. Ghani's government has been shut out of the peace talks between Taliban negotiators and US envoys, with the hardline Islamist movement branding it a US puppet. Kabul is concerned that a sharp drawdown of US forces could lead to chaos in the region. "It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan," Shanahan told reporters traveling with him on the previously unannounced trip. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the US, it is about Afghanistan." Shanahan, who took over the job after Jim Mattis quit in December over policy differences with US President Donald Trump, said he could not make any guarantees because US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks. "The US military has strong security interests in the region. (The) presence will evolve out of those discussions," Shanahan said. He said the aim of his trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then brief Trump on his findings. Shanahan's meeting with Ghani covered a range of defence issues important to the bilateral relationship, Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson said. That included "achieving a political settlement to the war that ensures Afghanistan is never again used as a safe haven from which terrorists can plan and launch terrorist attacks against the United States, our interests and our allies," Robertson said. US officials have held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since last year in what is widely seen as the most serious bid yet for peace in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Both sides hailed progress after the latest round last month, although significant obstacles remain. Those include the involvement of the Afghan government. The next round of talks is due in Qatar on February 25. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said Shanahan's main priority in Kabul should be to address Afghan government concerns. "The top priority of Shanahan has to be to impress upon the government that we're going to do everything we can to get you into this conversation," Kugelman said. 'Leverage' Afghanistan and neighbouring countries are concerned about the effect of a sudden withdrawal of US forces on the region. An Afghan official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said even the suggestion of US troops leaving was dangerous. "Of course it has given leverage to the Taliban, there is no question about that," the official told Reuters. Trump has offered no specifics about when he would bring home US troops from Afghanistan but has said progress in negotiations with the Taliban would enable a troop reduction and a "focus on counter-terrorism". Shanahan said a withdrawal of about half the US troops was not something that was being discussed. "The presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability and then any type of sizing is done in a coordinated and disciplined manner," he said. Khalilzad said after six days of talks with the Taliban in Doha last month that the United States and the Taliban had sketched the outlines for an eventual peace accord. He has said since then there has been progress on the future of US troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban have put out contradictory information on what timeline the United States has agreed to in any potential withdrawal. Most recently, a Taliban official said no timetable had been agreed with the US government. US officials have told Reuters that while no formal orders have been sent, the military is preparing for what a withdrawal of about half of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan would look like. Officials have expressed concern that Afghan security forces, already stretched thin, could crumble if US troops leave. Shanahan met with a group of elite Afghan commandos later on Monday and backed using more resources for offensive operations by the special forces. Afghanistan’s special forces units suffered increasingly heavy casualties last year as the Taliban mounted major assaults on provincial centres including Ghazni and Farah in the southwest.

Acting Pentagon chief supports Kabul role in peace talks

Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition battled a fierce jihadist fightback Monday as they pushed to retake the last morsel of territory from the Islamic State group.

Mushrooming black clouds rose over the embattled jihadist holdout in eastern Syria, as missiles and a warplane streaked through the sky.

More than four years after the extremists declared a "caliphate" across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, several offensives have whittled that proto-state down to a tiny holdout.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday announced the final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from that patch on the Iraq border.

The US-led coalition maintained a steady beat of bombings on the last IS pocket on Monday after an early morning IS counterattack caused several SDF casualties.

"IS launched a counterattack on our forces and we are now responding with rockets, air strikes and direct clashes," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told AFP.

The sound of bombs echoed dozens of kilometres (miles) away and columns of dark grey smoke could be seen from SDF territory.

Bali said there were "dozens of SDF hostages held by IS" inside their last foothold, but denied reports of executions.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters had pressed on Monday morning in the face of tough obstacles.

"The SDF are advancing slowly in what remains of the IS pocket" on the edges of the village of Baghouz, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

But landmines, IS snipers, and tunnels the extremists have dug out for their defence are hindering the advance, he said.

Screening for jihadists

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF alliance has been battling to oust the jihadists from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor since September.

Since December, tens of thousands of people, most women and children related to IS fighters, have fled to SDF territory.

US-backed forces have screened the new arrivals, weeding out potential jihadists for questioning.

On Monday, dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas.

Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground.

Some 600 people were able to reach SDF territory on Sunday after fleeing the fighting, the Observatory said.

Among them, were 20 suspected IS members, including two French women, seven Turks, and three Ukrainians, said the monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria.

The SDF -- which has said it expects the final offensive to be over in days -- announced Sunday that it had taken some 40 positions from the jihadists following direct combat involving light weapons.

The alliance had earlier said that up to 600 jihadists, as well as hundreds of civilians, could remain inside a patch four square kilometres (one-mile square).

Spokesman Bali said IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the man who pronounced the cross-border "caliphate" in 2014, was not among them, and likely not in Syria.

Planned US withdrawal

At the height of their rule, the jihadists imposed their brutal interpretation of Islamic law on territory roughly the size of Britain.

But military offensives in both countries, including by the SDF, have since retaken the vast bulk of their territory.

The jihadists, however, retain a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and have claimed a series of deadly attacks in SDF-held areas.

US President Donald Trump in December shocked Washington's allies by announcing a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria as IS had been "beaten".

But the US military warned in a report published this month that IS "could likely resurge in Syria within six to twelve months and regain limited territory" if sustained pressure is not maintained.

Trump's decision to withdraw US troops has left Syria's Kurds scrambling for safeguards.

A US departure makes them more vulnerable to a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, who considers Kurdish fighters to be "terrorists", and dashes their dreams of autonomy.

The Kurds have largely stayed out of Syria's nearly eight-year civil war, instead of building their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country.

But the expected US pullout has seen them grappling to mend ties with the Damascus regime, which is against Kurdish self-rule.

Syria's war has killed 360,00 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. 
&nbsp;

Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition battled a fierce jihadist fightback Monday as they pushed to retake the last morsel of territory from the Islamic State group.

Syrian fighters backed by artillery fire from a US-led coalition battled a fierce jihadist fightback Monday as they pushed to retake the last morsel of territory from the Islamic State group. Mushrooming black clouds rose over the embattled jihadist holdout in eastern Syria, as missiles and a warplane streaked through the sky. More than four years after the extremists declared a "caliphate" across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq, several offensives have whittled that proto-state down to a tiny holdout. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday announced the final push to expel hundreds of diehard jihadists from that patch on the Iraq border. The US-led coalition maintained a steady beat of bombings on the last IS pocket on Monday after an early morning IS counterattack caused several SDF casualties. "IS launched a counterattack on our forces and we are now responding with rockets, air strikes and direct clashes," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told AFP. The sound of bombs echoed dozens of kilometres (miles) away and columns of dark grey smoke could be seen from SDF territory. Bali said there were "dozens of SDF hostages held by IS" inside their last foothold, but denied reports of executions. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters had pressed on Monday morning in the face of tough obstacles. "The SDF are advancing slowly in what remains of the IS pocket" on the edges of the village of Baghouz, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. But landmines, IS snipers, and tunnels the extremists have dug out for their defence are hindering the advance, he said. Screening for jihadists Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF alliance has been battling to oust the jihadists from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor since September. Since December, tens of thousands of people, most women and children related to IS fighters, have fled to SDF territory. US-backed forces have screened the new arrivals, weeding out potential jihadists for questioning. On Monday, dozens of coalition and SDF fighters were stationed at a screening point for new arrivals from IS areas. Coalition forces stood over about 20 men who were crouching on the ground. Some 600 people were able to reach SDF territory on Sunday after fleeing the fighting, the Observatory said. Among them, were 20 suspected IS members, including two French women, seven Turks, and three Ukrainians, said the monitor, which relies on sources inside Syria. The SDF -- which has said it expects the final offensive to be over in days -- announced Sunday that it had taken some 40 positions from the jihadists following direct combat involving light weapons. The alliance had earlier said that up to 600 jihadists, as well as hundreds of civilians, could remain inside a patch four square kilometres (one-mile square). Spokesman Bali said IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the man who pronounced the cross-border "caliphate" in 2014, was not among them, and likely not in Syria. Planned US withdrawal At the height of their rule, the jihadists imposed their brutal interpretation of Islamic law on territory roughly the size of Britain. But military offensives in both countries, including by the SDF, have since retaken the vast bulk of their territory. The jihadists, however, retain a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert and have claimed a series of deadly attacks in SDF-held areas. US President Donald Trump in December shocked Washington's allies by announcing a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria as IS had been "beaten". But the US military warned in a report published this month that IS "could likely resurge in Syria within six to twelve months and regain limited territory" if sustained pressure is not maintained. Trump's decision to withdraw US troops has left Syria's Kurds scrambling for safeguards. A US departure makes them more vulnerable to a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, who considers Kurdish fighters to be "terrorists", and dashes their dreams of autonomy. The Kurds have largely stayed out of Syria's nearly eight-year civil war, instead of building their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country. But the expected US pullout has seen them grappling to mend ties with the Damascus regime, which is against Kurdish self-rule. Syria's war has killed 360,00 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

US-backed Syrian forces battle to take last IS pocket

The US&nbsp;government will continue investigating the murder of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-dont-know-about-khashoggis-body-saudi-foreign-office-196509">Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a>, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Hungary on Monday.

"America is not covering up for a murder," he said, adding that the United States would take more action to hold accountable all those responsible for Khashoggi's death.

The US-based Saudi journalist was slain inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed him but denied its senior leaders were behind the killing.

The Trump administration had faced a February 8 deadline to submit a report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death and whether Washington would impose sanctions on those behind the killing.

On Friday, a State Department representative said Pompeo had briefed US&nbsp;lawmakers on the murder investigation but gave no other details.

Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, on Sunday said the required report was not submitted.

"This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the cover-up of a murder," Kaine said in a statement on Sunday. "America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy."

The US government will continue investigating the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Hungary on Monday.

The US government will continue investigating the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Hungary on Monday. "America is not covering up for a murder," he said, adding that the United States would take more action to hold accountable all those responsible for Khashoggi's death. The US-based Saudi journalist was slain inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed him but denied its senior leaders were behind the killing. The Trump administration had faced a February 8 deadline to submit a report to Congress on who was responsible for Khashoggi's death and whether Washington would impose sanctions on those behind the killing. On Friday, a State Department representative said Pompeo had briefed US lawmakers on the murder investigation but gave no other details. Democratic US Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, on Sunday said the required report was not submitted. "This amounts to the Trump administration aiding in the cover-up of a murder," Kaine said in a statement on Sunday. "America should never descend to this level of moral bankruptcy."

US is not covering up Jamal Khashoggi's murder: Mike Pompeo

Bangladesh faced widespread international criticism over the conduct of recent elections, but the United States looks set for business as usual as it sees strong common interests with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

As the eighth most populous nation in the world, with a moderate Muslim population that largely welcomes cooperation with the West, Bangladesh has a warming relationship with the United States -- yet not one so close as to give Washington significant leverage.

Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won an incredible 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament in the December 30 election, with opposition leader Khaleda Zia -- her bitter nemesis for decades -- in jail on charges her opponents say are politically motivated while the press faces draconian new restrictions.

The US State Department voiced concern ahead of the election, accusing Bangladesh of foot-dragging on letting in electoral observers and urging greater efforts to ensure a free vote.

The United States followed up after the election with a letter by President Donald Trump that wished Sheikh Hasina success but asked her to "renew her commitment to protecting human rights, individual freedom of expression and democratic institutions," a US official said.

Sheikh Hasina is a sworn enemy of Islamists, mounting a crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami party that included hanging five of its leaders over charges related to Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

She has also earned widespread praise in Washington for taking in more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled from neighbouring Myanmar in a brutal campaign the United States has called ethnic cleansing -- stopping the crisis from become more regional in dimension.

Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said that Bangladesh was effectively becoming a one-party authoritarian state -- but one whose orientation largely suits Washington.

"I think the bottom line is that the US sees Sheikh Hasina as a useful partner. She's very tough on terror and she's presided over a remarkable degree of economic growth," he said.

"I think, in that regard, the US sees her as a supporter and practitioner of stability in Bangladesh in spite of the tradeoff of having a very troubled domestic political situation in Bangladesh."

Seeking greater ties&nbsp;

Bangladesh's government has shown no sign it takes seriously the concerns about the election, also voiced by the European Union.

Sajeeb Wazed, Sheikh Hasina's US-based son who serves as her adviser on information and communications technology, said the pre-election US statement was "disappointing" and blamed it on what he called opposition supporters among local staff at the US embassy in Dhaka.

But he saluted the relationship with the United States and voiced hope for further ties, saying a top priority was to draw greater US investment in an economy that has been growing by more than six per cent annually.

"We have a huge consumer market. You have almost 80 million people in the middle class," he said.

He said that Bangladesh has been "phenomenally successful in combatting terrorism," calling it "one of the few Muslim countries that is considered relatively terrorism-free."

Wazed added that the government felt genuine empathy for fleeing Rohingyas in light of Bangladesh's plight at independence and noted that the refugees have not seen the type of backlash experienced by migrants to Europe.

Limited scope to criticize&nbsp;

The United States see a friendly rapport with Bangladesh as vital to Washington's goal of an open, US-friendly Indo-Pacific region. Unlike neighbors such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh has not drawn high-profile infrastructure deals with China.

Another country is even more critical to the US relationship with Bangladesh -- regional power and emerging US ally India, which has staunchly supported Sheikh Hasina, limiting the scope for Washington to take another approach even if it so chose.

The opposition, however, is hopeful that US criticism can make headway.

Humaiun Kobir, the international affairs secretary of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party who met policymakers in Washington ahead of the vote, said the United States should make clear that relations will be limited "unless you show us you are democratizing."

He said that Sheikh Hasina had turned Bangladesh into a country like Cambodia or Venezuela, where the United States to varying degrees had criticized strongmen.

Kobir praised a US House of Representatives resolution that had urged free elections and noted the opposition's concerns.

"The United States is the largest bilateral investor and largest trading market," he said. "The US will need to show that it is not business as usual, or otherwise it sends a totally wrong signal."

Bangladesh faced widespread international criticism over the conduct of recent elections, but the United States looks set for business as usual as it sees strong common interests with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh faced widespread international criticism over the conduct of recent elections, but the United States looks set for business as usual as it sees strong common interests with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As the eighth most populous nation in the world, with a moderate Muslim population that largely welcomes cooperation with the West, Bangladesh has a warming relationship with the United States -- yet not one so close as to give Washington significant leverage. Sheikh Hasina's Awami League won an incredible 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament in the December 30 election, with opposition leader Khaleda Zia -- her bitter nemesis for decades -- in jail on charges her opponents say are politically motivated while the press faces draconian new restrictions. The US State Department voiced concern ahead of the election, accusing Bangladesh of foot-dragging on letting in electoral observers and urging greater efforts to ensure a free vote. The United States followed up after the election with a letter by President Donald Trump that wished Sheikh Hasina success but asked her to "renew her commitment to protecting human rights, individual freedom of expression and democratic institutions," a US official said. Sheikh Hasina is a sworn enemy of Islamists, mounting a crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami party that included hanging five of its leaders over charges related to Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. She has also earned widespread praise in Washington for taking in more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled from neighbouring Myanmar in a brutal campaign the United States has called ethnic cleansing -- stopping the crisis from become more regional in dimension. Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said that Bangladesh was effectively becoming a one-party authoritarian state -- but one whose orientation largely suits Washington. "I think the bottom line is that the US sees Sheikh Hasina as a useful partner. She's very tough on terror and she's presided over a remarkable degree of economic growth," he said. "I think, in that regard, the US sees her as a supporter and practitioner of stability in Bangladesh in spite of the tradeoff of having a very troubled domestic political situation in Bangladesh." Seeking greater ties Bangladesh's government has shown no sign it takes seriously the concerns about the election, also voiced by the European Union. Sajeeb Wazed, Sheikh Hasina's US-based son who serves as her adviser on information and communications technology, said the pre-election US statement was "disappointing" and blamed it on what he called opposition supporters among local staff at the US embassy in Dhaka. But he saluted the relationship with the United States and voiced hope for further ties, saying a top priority was to draw greater US investment in an economy that has been growing by more than six per cent annually. "We have a huge consumer market. You have almost 80 million people in the middle class," he said. He said that Bangladesh has been "phenomenally successful in combatting terrorism," calling it "one of the few Muslim countries that is considered relatively terrorism-free." Wazed added that the government felt genuine empathy for fleeing Rohingyas in light of Bangladesh's plight at independence and noted that the refugees have not seen the type of backlash experienced by migrants to Europe. Limited scope to criticize The United States see a friendly rapport with Bangladesh as vital to Washington's goal of an open, US-friendly Indo-Pacific region. Unlike neighbors such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh has not drawn high-profile infrastructure deals with China. Another country is even more critical to the US relationship with Bangladesh -- regional power and emerging US ally India, which has staunchly supported Sheikh Hasina, limiting the scope for Washington to take another approach even if it so chose. The opposition, however, is hopeful that US criticism can make headway. Humaiun Kobir, the international affairs secretary of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party who met policymakers in Washington ahead of the vote, said the United States should make clear that relations will be limited "unless you show us you are democratizing." He said that Sheikh Hasina had turned Bangladesh into a country like Cambodia or Venezuela, where the United States to varying degrees had criticized strongmen. Kobir praised a US House of Representatives resolution that had urged free elections and noted the opposition's concerns. "The United States is the largest bilateral investor and largest trading market," he said. "The US will need to show that it is not business as usual, or otherwise it sends a totally wrong signal."

After criticising vote, US charts careful course on Bangladesh

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oil-dips-on-rising-us-supply-but-opec-cuts-and-venezuela-sanctions-support-195744">Oil prices fell</a> by around 1 per cent on Monday as drilling activity in the United States, the world's largest oil producer, picked up and financial markets were pulled down by trade concerns.

A refinery fire in the US state of Illinois, which resulted in the shutdown of a large crude distillation unit, that could cause crude demand to fall also weighed on prices, traders said.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $52.09 per barrel at 0347 GMT, down 63 cents, or 1.2 per cent, from their last settlement.

International Brent crude oil futures were down 49 cents, or 0.8 per cent, at $61.61 a barrel.

In the United States, energy firms last week increased the number of oil rigs operating for the second time in three weeks, a weekly report by Baker Hughes said on Friday.

Companies added seven oil rigs in the week to February 8, bringing the total count to 854, pointing to a further rise in US crude production, which already stands at a record 11.9 million bpd.

WTI prices were also weighed down by the closure of a 120,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) crude distillation unit (CDU) at Phillips 66's Wood River, Illinois, refinery following a fire on Sunday.

Elsewhere, the head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, has written to the Russian President Vladimir Putin saying Moscow's deal with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to withhold output is a strategic threat and plays into the hands of the United States.

The so-called OPEC+ deal has been in place since 2017, aimed at reining in a global supply overhang. It has been extended several times and, under the latest deal, participants are cutting output by 1.2 million bpd until the end of June.

OPEC and its allies will meet on April 17 and 18 in Vienna to review the pact.

Analysts said economic concerns were also weighing on crude oil futures.

Vandana Hari of Vanda Insights said in a note that crude prices were dragged down "as China returned from a week-long Lunar New Year holiday and regional stock markets plunged into the red amid resurgent concerns over the US-China trade dispute."

Trade talks between the Washington and Beijing resume this week with a delegation of US officials travelling to China for the next round of negotiations. The United States has threatened to increase tariffs already imposed on goods from China on March 1 if the trade talks do not produce an agreement.

Preventing crude prices from falling further have been US sanctions on Venezuela, targeting its state-owned oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA).

"The issues in Venezuela continue to support prices. Reports are emerging that PDVSA is scrambling to secure new markets for its crude after the US placed additional sanctions on the country," ANZ bank said on Monday.

Oil prices fell by around 1 per cent on Monday as drilling activity in the United States, the world's largest oil producer, picked up and financial markets were pulled down by trade concerns.

Oil prices fell by around 1 per cent on Monday as drilling activity in the United States, the world's largest oil producer, picked up and financial markets were pulled down by trade concerns. A refinery fire in the US state of Illinois, which resulted in the shutdown of a large crude distillation unit, that could cause crude demand to fall also weighed on prices, traders said. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $52.09 per barrel at 0347 GMT, down 63 cents, or 1.2 per cent, from their last settlement. International Brent crude oil futures were down 49 cents, or 0.8 per cent, at $61.61 a barrel. In the United States, energy firms last week increased the number of oil rigs operating for the second time in three weeks, a weekly report by Baker Hughes said on Friday. Companies added seven oil rigs in the week to February 8, bringing the total count to 854, pointing to a further rise in US crude production, which already stands at a record 11.9 million bpd. WTI prices were also weighed down by the closure of a 120,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) crude distillation unit (CDU) at Phillips 66's Wood River, Illinois, refinery following a fire on Sunday. Elsewhere, the head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, has written to the Russian President Vladimir Putin saying Moscow's deal with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to withhold output is a strategic threat and plays into the hands of the United States. The so-called OPEC+ deal has been in place since 2017, aimed at reining in a global supply overhang. It has been extended several times and, under the latest deal, participants are cutting output by 1.2 million bpd until the end of June. OPEC and its allies will meet on April 17 and 18 in Vienna to review the pact. Analysts said economic concerns were also weighing on crude oil futures. Vandana Hari of Vanda Insights said in a note that crude prices were dragged down "as China returned from a week-long Lunar New Year holiday and regional stock markets plunged into the red amid resurgent concerns over the US-China trade dispute." Trade talks between the Washington and Beijing resume this week with a delegation of US officials travelling to China for the next round of negotiations. The United States has threatened to increase tariffs already imposed on goods from China on March 1 if the trade talks do not produce an agreement. Preventing crude prices from falling further have been US sanctions on Venezuela, targeting its state-owned oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA). "The issues in Venezuela continue to support prices. Reports are emerging that PDVSA is scrambling to secure new markets for its crude after the US placed additional sanctions on the country," ANZ bank said on Monday.

Oil prices fall as US rig count rise, trade concerns

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/grammys-2019-ariana-grande-wins-best-pop-vocal-album-gives-the-ceremony-a-miss-196500">Grammys 2019: Ariana Grande wins Best Pop Vocal Album; gives the ceremony a miss</a>

Reigning pop princess Ariana Grande took home the first Grammy of her career for Best Pop Vocal Album on Sunday for her fourth studio album 'Sweetener,' topping a tough field including perennial favourite Taylor Swift.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bafta-2019-the-complete-list-of-winners-196479">BAFTA 2019: 'The Favourite', 'Roma' take home big awards of the night</a>

It was a big night for Oscar favourites ‘Roma’ and ‘The Favourite’ that picked up big awards at BAFTA. The British Academy Film and Television Awards took place in London.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/german-migrant-rescue-ship-renamed-after-tragic-toddler-alan-kurdi-196483">German migrant rescue ship renamed after tragic toddler Alan Kurdi</a>

A German migrant rescue ship which operates in the Mediterranean was renamed Sunday after Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian refugee boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach at the height of the migrant crisis, sparking global outrage

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lawyer-denies-tabloid-blackmailed-amazon-chief-jeff-bezos-196477">Lawyer denies tabloid blackmailed Amazon chief Jeff </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lawyer-denies-tabloid-blackmailed-amazon-chief-jeff-bezos-196477">Bezos</a>

A lawyer denied Sunday allegations by Jeff Bezos that the National Enquirer tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail him, insisting that embarrassing photographs were obtained from a "reliable" source.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-representative-zalmay-khalilzad-to-be-back-to-focus-on-intra-afghan-dialogue-196488">US representative Zalmay Khalilzad to be back to focus on intra-Afghan dialogue</a>

United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will be back in the region during which he will be visiting six countries - Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Grammys 2019: Ariana Grande wins Best Pop Vocal Album; gives the ceremony a miss Reigning pop princess Ariana Grande took home the first Grammy of her career for Best Pop Vocal Album on Sunday for her fourth studio album 'Sweetener,' topping a tough field including perennial favourite Taylor Swift.

Grammys 2019: Ariana Grande wins Best Pop Vocal Album; gives the ceremony a miss Reigning pop princess Ariana Grande took home the first Grammy of her career for Best Pop Vocal Album on Sunday for her fourth studio album 'Sweetener,' topping a tough field including perennial favourite Taylor Swift. BAFTA 2019: 'The Favourite', 'Roma' take home big awards of the night It was a big night for Oscar favourites ‘Roma’ and ‘The Favourite’ that picked up big awards at BAFTA. The British Academy Film and Television Awards took place in London. German migrant rescue ship renamed after tragic toddler Alan Kurdi A German migrant rescue ship which operates in the Mediterranean was renamed Sunday after Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian refugee boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach at the height of the migrant crisis, sparking global outrage Lawyer denies tabloid blackmailed Amazon chief Jeff Bezos A lawyer denied Sunday allegations by Jeff Bezos that the National Enquirer tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail him, insisting that embarrassing photographs were obtained from a "reliable" source. US representative Zalmay Khalilzad to be back to focus on intra-Afghan dialogue United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will be back in the region during which he will be visiting six countries - Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

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