President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday Turkey will expand its cross-border operations against Kurdish militants after 13 captured Turks were killed in northern Iraq.

Turkey said on Sunday militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) killed the captives, including police and military personnel, as it was carrying out a military operation against the group.
Erdogan also repeated Ankara’s complaint that it had not received enough international solidarity.
-Whether you speak up or not, we know our duty. We will not give the terrorists a chance- Erdogan told supporters from his AK Party in the Black Sea province of Trabzon.
-We will expand our operations into areas where threats are still dense- he added. -We will stay in the areas we secure as long as necessary to prevent similar attacks again.-The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, has waged a decades-old insurgency in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
In the past two years, Turkey has launched several cross-border operations to fight the PKK in northern Iraq, where the group has its stronghold in the Qandil mountains.
On Monday, the United States told Ankara that it blamed the PKK for killing the 13 Turks, after Turkey called an earlier U.S. statement on the killings “a joke” and summoned the U.S. ambassador.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, briefing parliament on the operation after opposition parties criticised the government for failing to rescue the Turks, said the offensive was launched without ground support due to the harsh conditions in the mountainous region.

He also repeated Ankara’s complaint that it had not received enough international solidarity

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, February 10, 2021.

Erdogan says Turkey will expand operations against Kurdish militants

Two people died in Greece on Tuesday as heavy snowfall not seen in years and gale-force winds lashed the country, disrupting road and sea transport.

The cold snap dubbed "Medea" after the mythical Greek sorceress of the Argonauts brought the most snow to the Greek capital in over a decade, experts said.
A maximum low of minus 19 degrees Celsius was recorded in the nortwestern city of Florina.
On the island of Evia near Athens, an octogenarian suffering from respiratory problems died after an ambulance failed to reach his home in time to repair his breathing apparatus. 
On Crete, a livestock farmer in his 60s was found dead in the snow outside his granary at the village of Kaminaki in the east of the island.
The rare phenomenon prompted authorities to cancel all coronavirus vaccinations planned in the capital for the day.
Evia, Greece's second largest island, has been without power for two days, and falling trees caused local outages in some parts of the greater Athens area.
-Our big concern is the electricity grid- Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after an emergency cabinet meeting. -We need patience to resolve this problem which is truly exceptional.-The weather conditions also sparked concern about conditions for thousands living in migrant camps around the country.
Over the past few days the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR has sent radiators to the camps around the country where tens of thousands of asylum seekers have been struggling with the cold and hail. 
Authorities shut down the main motorway between Athens and Greece's second city Thessaloniki late Monday to prevent traffic backups, while winds of up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) an hour halted shipping between the Greek mainland and the Aegean islands.
The winter wonderland surrounding the snow-cloaked Acropolis offered a reprieve from the cabin fever suffered because of coronavirus restrictions to Athenians like city employee Vangelis Gerantonis, 38, who told AFP: "It's good for the morale after all this confinement. We're very happy to be outdoors, without masks."
The unaccustomed snow that fell through most of the day Monday snarled traffic in the city centre on Tuesday as well as in the northern suburbs.
The weather was forecast to improve from Wednesday.

A maximum low of minus 19 degrees Celsius was recorded in the nortwestern city of Florina

The winter wonderland around the Parthenon contrasted with transport misery elsewhere, with strong winds disrupting maritime traffic to Greece's myriad islands

Two dead as snow front blankets Greece

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday the alliance will not withdraw its troops from Afghanistan "before the time is right", ahead of a discussion by defence ministers on the deployment.

The ministers of the 30 NATO member states will on Wednesday and Thursday hold their highest-level talks since US President Joe Biden took office vowing to work closer with allies after four years of tensions under Donald Trump. 
Top of the agenda for the virtual conference will be the fate of the alliance's 9,600-strong support mission in Afghanistan after Trump struck a deal with the Taliban to withdraw troops. 
The deployment's future hinges on whether Biden agrees to stick to a May deadline to pull out foreign forces or risks a bloody backlash from the Islamist insurgents by staying put. 
-While no ally wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary, we will not leave before the time is right- Stoltenberg told a media conference. 
-Ministers will continue to assess the situation on the ground and monitor developments very closely-.Biden's administration says it is reviewing the deal, and the Pentagon has accused the Taliban of not fulfilling promises that include reducing attacks and cutting ties to insurgent groups like Al-Qaeda.
Defence ministers are not expected to make a concrete announcement on the deployment's future at their meeting. 
NATO allies want the US to consult more closely with them after feeling sidelined when Trump cut US troop numbers to 2,5000 in January, their lowest figure since the start of the war in 2001. 
Taliban violence has surged in recent months amid stuttering peace talks with the Kabul government. The group has warned NATO ministers not to seek a "continuation of occupation and war".
-The Taliban must reduce violence, negotiate in good faith and live up to their commitment to stop cooperating with national terrorist groups- Stoltenberg said.
-Our common goal is clear. Afghanistan should never again serve as a haven for terrorists to attack our homelands.-A study mandated by the US Congress has called for a delay in the pullout, warning it would effectively hand the Taliban a victory.

Stoltenberg: Ministers will continue to assess the situation on the ground and monitor developments very closely

Stoltenberg: Afghanistan should never again serve as a haven for terrorists to attack our homelands

NATO will not leave Afghanistan before 'time is right'

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday blamed the European Union for its deteriorating relations with Russia and accused the bloc of systematically destroying mechanisms for cooperation.

Ties between Russia and the West, already at post-Cold War lows, have come under renewed pressure over the fate of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, whose jailing and treatment by Moscow have raised the prospect of further sanctions on Russia.
Last week Lavrov said Moscow would be ready to sever ties with the European Union if the bloc hit it with painful economic sanctions, a statement that Germany described as disconcerting and incomprehensible.
At talks with Finland’s foreign minister on Monday, Lavrov laid the blame for the bad state of ties on Brussels.
-Relations have been consistently torn apart by the European Union- Lavrov was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. -The carcass of these relations was consciously destroyed at the initiative of Brussels.-Pressure for sanctions has grown since Russia infuriated European countries this month by expelling German, Polish and Swedish diplomats without informing the EU’s foreign policy chief, who was in Moscow for a visit at the time.
Lavrov on Monday said: -The EU has consistently destroyed all mechanisms without exception.-However, he said, this did not mean Russia would pull back from its relations with individual member states.
-Don’t confuse Europe with the European Union. When it comes to Europe, we are not going anywhere- Lavrov said. “We have many friends in Europe.”

Ties between Russia and the West, already at post-Cold War lows, have come under renewed pressure over the fate of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

Lavrov: Don’t confuse Europe with the European Union

Lavrov blames EU for demise of its Russia ties

A Singaporean activist was jailed for three weeks Monday after pleading guilty to holding a small protest aboard a metro train against the controversial 1980s arrest of alleged communists. 

The tightly controlled city-state has tough laws against dissent that make it illegal for even one person to hold a demonstration without a police permit.
Jolovan Wham, who has had numerous run-ins with authorities, and a group of fellow activists staged a protest aboard the train in June 2017.
They were demanding "justice" for a group of 22 people arrested in 1987 under tough laws that allow for detention without trial.
The group was accused of being part of an alleged communist plot to overthrow the government.
While the government insists the arrests were aimed at stopping a Marxist plot, critics say they were politically motivated.
Wham was also charged with vandalism for pasting notices on the train's window, and with refusing to sign a police statement related to the protest.
He pleaded guilty to all three charges, and was ordered to pay Sg$8,000 (US$6,049), or serve 32 days in jail. He chose to pay part of the fine and serve 22 days in jail.
The judge described Wham as a "repeat offender".
He served a 10-day jail sentence last year for organising an event in 2016 that featured prominent Hong Kong democracy campaigner Joshua Wong, speaking via Skype.
Wham, 40, told the court: "I am not ashamed of what I have done... I believe my conscience is still clear".
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, criticised Singapore authorities for "pursuing an arbitrary, discriminatory, and vindictive campaign against" Wham.

The judge described Jolovan Wham as a "repeat offender"

Jolovan Wham arriving in court in Singapore where he was jailed for three weeks

Singapore activist jailed for train protest

Fallout from a devastating flash flood in a remote north Indian valley hit the capital New Delhi more than 500 kilometres downstream on Monday, when water supplies were cut to tens of thousands of residents.

Authorities blamed the high quantities of mud and debris from the February 7 deluge, which left more than 50 dead and 150 missing, for the shortages.
The Rishiganga valley in Uttarakhand state is 530 kilometres (330 miles) upstream to the northeast of Delhi but its water is a key supplier for the capital.
Authorities would not say how long taps would be shut down.
The flood swept through the valley devastating a power complex and destroying roads and bridges. 
Rescuers are just starting to pull out bodies from a tunnel engulfed by mud and debris where more than 30 workers were believed to be trapped. 
The flood is believed to have been triggered by a chunk of glacier sliding down a mountainside or a glacial lake breaching its banks.
Water from the valley flows into the Ganges and from there to Delhi.
Raghav Chadha, vice-chairperson of Delhi's water board, urged residents to use water "judiciously" as two of the city's main water treatment plants were unable to operate at full capacity due to the dirty raw water.
He said teams were "deployed round the clock" cleaning filters and "flushing high ammonia raw water".
Delhi, which has a population of over 20 million, faces water shortages every summer.
Sixty percent of the water supplied in Delhi comes from the Yamuna river and about 34 percent from the Ganges. Both have faced severe pollution problems in recent years.

Authorities would not say how long taps would be shut down

The Rishiganga valley in Uttarakhand is a key water supplier for New Delhi

Himalaya flood disaster hits Delhi water supply

China is celebrating its Lunar New Year with week-long public holidays in the country amid measures to avoid contracting the coronavirus.

The week-long holidays began on Thursday. This festival lasts for at least 16 days, from the Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival or the Spring Lantern Festival. This year it will run through Feb. 26.
In the Chinese tradition, this new year has come in the “spirit of the Ox,” a zodiac animal that symbolizes stamina, energy, and dedication.
According to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News, China is entering a new beginning of great significance for both the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China (CPC) with more than 91 million members, and leading cadres in particular.
It credited the CPC for leading the country with a population of over 1.4 billion to overcome many challenges, including COVID-19.
This year’s eve was defined as “three cattle spirit” – the term first used by China’s President Xi Jinping at a New Year’s gathering hosted by the CPC’s National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing late last December.
Chinese people are celebrating the New Year amid cautious restrictions to avoid contracting coronavirus, which was first reported in China’s Wuhan city in the central Hubei province in December 2019.
Since then, over 107 million people have been infected globally and more than 2.3 million deaths have been reported. Though China successfully managed to suppress the infection, it witnessed fresh outbreaks last month.
Due to the increased number of commutations between provinces during holidays, the risk of COVID-19 spread remains high. However, provincial and local authorities have issued strict guidelines for people not to leave their homes to control the spread of coronavirus.
China reported 89,748 confirmed cases of COVID-19 until Friday, including 4,636 deaths, according to the National Health Commission.
Beijing also used this moment to rehabilitate its relations with the US as Chinese Ambassador to Washington DC Cui Tiankai said in the New Year's message: “The two countries should work together for a better-shared future in the spirit of the Ox.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message on the occasion said: “I send my best wishes to all, for prosperity, health, and happiness in the Year of the Ox.”

Week-long holidays start as celebrations run through Feb. 26

In the Chinese tradition, this new year has come in the “spirit of the Ox,” a zodiac animal that symbolizes stamina, energy, and dedication

Cautious Lunar New Year festivities in China amid virus

Three Turkish soldiers have died in a new offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, the Turkish defence ministry said on Thursday.

Turkey on Wednesday launched an operation dubbed "Claw-Eagle 2" against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels holed up in the northern Iraqi region of Dohuk.
Two Turkish soldiers died and two others were wounded Wednesday in clashes with the "terrorists", the defence ministry said.
Another soldier was killed on Thursday, said the ministry, without proving casualty figures for the PKK.
The PKK, listed as a terror group by Turkey and much of the international community, has for decades used Iraq's mountainous areas as a springboard for its insurgency against the Turkish state. 
The Turkish army regularly conducts cross-border operations and air raids on PKK bases in northern Iraq.
Turkey launched its first "Claw-Eagle" operation in June.
Last month, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar visited Baghdad and northern Iraq where he said Turkey intended to eliminate PKK attacks in the region to ensure border security and regional peace.
The Kurdish insurgency against the Turkish state is believed to have killed tens of thousands of people since being launched in 1984.

The PKK, listed as a terror group by Turkey and much of the international community, has for decades used Iraq's mountainous areas as a springboard for its insurgency against the Turkish state

The Turkish army regularly conducts cross-border operations and air raids on PKK bases in northern Iraq

Three Turkish soldiers killed in northern Iraq

The third day of Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial got underway on Thursday, with the Democrats who are making the case for his conviction for inciting the deadly rampage at the U.S. Capitol set to focus on the damage wrought in the rampage and the former president’s role in inflaming the rioters.As the Senate reconvened on Thursday, the nine House of Representatives lawmakers serving as prosecutors planned to illustrate the riot’s “terrible toll” and Trump’s “role in assembling, inciting and inflaming the insurrectionists,” a House aide said before the session began.
The Democratic-led House on Jan. 13 charged the Republican former president with inciting an insurrection by exhorting thousands of supporters to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress gathered to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s election win.
The House trial “managers” spent much of Wednesday recounting the events that led to the riot and highlighting the threat to Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president.
There also will be a focus on Thursday on Trump’s “lack of remorse” during and following the siege, “which is an element in the impeachment calculus,” the House aide said.
Democrats face a difficult task in securing a conviction and barring Trump from ever again holding public office given his continued popularity with many Republican voters. Trump has expressed interest in again running for president in 2024.
While some Republican senators in the Senate have said that the House managers are presenting their arguments well, many hold fast to their position that Trump should not be convicted.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio told Fox News that while the Jan. 6 attack was “horrifying,” impeachment was not appropriate given that Trump was no longer in office.
House managers have said Trump planted the seeds for the riot by encouraging violence and making false claims that the Nov. 3 election was stolen long before Jan. 6. They also have said he did little to put an end to the violence as it spiraled out of control, despite pleas from many Republicans to ask his supporters to stop.

Senators on Wednesday were shown searing security footage of the pro-Trump mob stalking the Capitol hallways chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” and searching for Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Previously unseen videos from inside the Capitol showed rioters smashing windows and fighting with police, coming within 100 feet (30 m) of the room where Pence was sheltering with his family. The mob had set up a gallows outside.
The footage, which also included body-camera views of brutal attacks on Capitol police, showed Pence and lawmakers being hustled to safety steps ahead of an advancing mob. The attack on the Capitol resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer.Trump had repeatedly said Pence had the power to stop the certification of the election results, even though he did not.
Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro pointed out that during the rampage, Trump tweeted that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.” A video showed rioters spreading word of Trump’s tweet to one another on bullhorns.
A two-thirds majority in the Senate must vote to convict, which means at least 17 Republicans would have to defy Trump.
On Tuesday, the Senate voted largely along party lines that the impeachment trial could move ahead even though Trump’s term ended on Jan. 20. Six of 50 Republican senators broke with their caucus to side with Democrats.
On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer left open the possibility that Congress might seek a different way to punish Trump if the Senate acquits him. That includes potentially invoking the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which gives Congress the power to bar public officials from holding office if they engaged in insurrection or rebellion.
Dozens of former Republican officials who said they are frustrated with their party’s unwillingness to stand up to Trump are in talks to form a center-right breakaway party, four people involved in the discussions told Reuters.
Trump’s lawyers, who will have up to 16 hours to deliver their defense, said the video and other evidence presented by Democrats had not made the case for his culpability.
One of Trump’s lawyers, David Schoen, told reporters on Thursday he hoped the team would not need all 16 hours to make its case.
Biden, speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday morning before meeting with senators about infrastructure spending, said of the impeachment trial: “I think the Senate has a very important job to complete. And, I think, my guess is some minds may have been changed, but I don’t know.”
The Senate trial could conclude as early as Saturday or Sunday, according to a senior Senate aide.
Trump is the first U.S. president to be impeached twice and the first to face trial after leaving office. His first impeachment trial, which stemmed from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden, ended in an acquittal a year ago in what was then a Republican-controlled Senate.

The House trial “managers” spent much of Wednesday recounting the events that led to the riot and highlighting the threat to Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president

Police release tear gas into a crowd of pro-Trump protesters during clashes at a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021.

Trump impeachment trial resumes with Democrats to focus on riot's 'terrible toll'

Boeing delivered an improved 26 aircraft in January, boosted by the clearing of the 737 MAX jet to fly again after a 20-month ban as it also won four new orders for its 747-8 freighters.MAX deliveries are seen as central to Boeing’s financial recovery in 2021 after a sharp slump in demand for its bigger, more profitable wide-body jets due to the coronavirus crisis added to the company’s woes last year.
Boeing, which books revenue after actual deliveries, said it handed over 21 737 MAX jets last month, along with one P8 military plane and four wide-body aircraft other than the 787 Dreamliner that had no deliveries for the third straight month.
The overall figure compared to 39 aircraft in December and was double the 13 planes delivered in January of last year, as Boeing struggled with the MAX’s grounding. In January two years ago, the company delivered 46 planes.
Intensive inspections over recent production flaws have compounded delays from the COVID-19 crisis for the 787s - the second most important cash generator for Boeing after the 737 MAX.
Following January’s deliveries, Boeing is now estimated to have a total of about 400 737 MAX jets in storage, down from about 450 at the end of November, when the U.S. regulator gave a green light to start the jet’s shipments.
The company reaffirmed last month that it expects to deliver about half of the 737 MAXs in storage by the end of 2021, but warned that surging COVID-19 infections could affect that timeline.
The four gross orders for the 747-8 freighters from Atlas Air had already been announced.
January orders net of cancellations and conversions, however, stood at negative two, as customers scrapped two orders for 737 MAX jets and four wide-body 747-8 aircraft.
Boeing removed from its backlog another 11 737 MAX jets seen as unlikely to be filled when stricter accounting standards are applied. When adjusted for the accounting standard, that made January net orders negative 13.
European rival Airbus SE reported deliveries of 21 aircraft in January with no orders or cancellations.

MAX deliveries are seen as central to Boeing’s financial recovery in 2021.

A Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft lands during an evaluation flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S. September 30, 2020.

Boeing kicks off new year with 26 jet deliveries, four orders

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Tuesday he will propose the bloc's 27 member states impose sanctions on Russia after Moscow rebuffed his attempts to renew a dialogue. 

-It will be for the member states to decide the next step, but yes this could include sanctions and I will put forward concrete proposals- Borrell told lawmakers at the European Parliament. 
A number of eastern European countries have called for punitive measures to be slapped on Russia over the jailing of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on protesters. 
EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the issue at their next meeting on February 22. 
Borrell addressed legislators after a chastening visit to Russia last week, during which the Kremlin expelled three European diplomats.
Despite opposition from some capitals, the former Spanish minister insisted on making the trip to confront the Kremlin over Navalny and sound it out over cooperation on other issues. 
-I had no illusion before the visit, I am even more worried after- Borrell told lawmakers. 
-One thing became clear, there is no intention on the Russian side to engage in a constructive discussion if we address human rights and political freedom.-Borrell has drawn flak for his performance during the visit -- the first by a top EU envoy to Moscow since 2017 -- as he failed to counter a slew of criticism from counterpart Sergei Lavrov at a press conference. 
Dozens of lawmakers signed a letter calling for his resignation over the "humiliating" trip. 
The EU's relations with Moscow have been in the doldrums since the Kremlin annexed Crimea in 2014 and began fuelling the war in Ukraine. 
The bloc hit six senior Russian officials with asset freezes and visa bans in October over the poisoning of Navalny with a nerve agent.
Navalny has accused the President Vladimir Putin of ordering the attack -- something the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.
Putin's most prominent domestic opponent was sentenced to almost three years in jail after returning to Russia last month following treatment in Germany.&nbsp;

A number of eastern European countries have called for punitive measures to be slapped on Russia over the jailing of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on protesters

Josep Borrell speaking at the European Parliament

Borrell will propose EU leaders impose Russia sanctions

Spain on Tuesday extended a ban on arrivals by air from Britain, Brazil and South Africa until March 2 over the new virus variants detected in those nations.

Only legal residents or nationals of Spain and the neighbouring micro-state of Andorra are currently allowed in on flights from these countries. 
The restriction on arrivals from Britain was imposed at the end of December while the ban on arrivals from Brazil and South Africa came into effect on February 3.
Spain's cabinet agreed Tuesday to extend these entry restrictions for another two weeks, Health Minister Carolina Darias told a news conference.
This is the fourth time that Spain has extended its restrictions on arrivals from Britain.
Other European nations have also imposed curbs on arrivals from the three nations due to fears that new variants may spread more easily or contain mutations that allow the virus to evade the effects of vaccines.
Spain on Friday confirmed the first case of the Brazilian variant while at least two cases of the South African variant and 479 cases of the British one have already been detected.
Officials predict the British variant could become the dominant strain in Spain by March.
Spain has been hard-hit by the pandemic, recording over 62,000 deaths from nearly three million cases so far.

Only legal residents or nationals of Spain and the neighbouring micro-state of Andorra are currently allowed in on flights from these countries

Officials predict the British variant could become the dominant strain in Spain by March

Spain extends ban on arrivals from UK, Brazil, S.Africa

Indonesia would evacuate its citizens if the situation worsened in Myanmar, the Indonesian ambassador said on Tuesday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Iza Fadri, Indonesia’s ambassador to Myanmar, said the evacuation plan was a part of the procedures set by the Foreign Ministry, stressing that the citizens are safe so far.
-Yes, it [evacuation plan] is in accordance with the Foreign Ministry’s procedures- said Fadri.
Meanwhile, Teuku Faizasyah, Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the decision to evacuate citizens will be made by the embassy in Myanmar.
-Indonesian citizens are in good condition. The Indonesian embassy has the capacity to provide assessments and recommend the implementation of contingent measures- Faizasyah told Anadolu Agency.
According to data from the ministry, there are currently 500 Indonesians residing in Myanmar, with most of them working in oil and gas sector, garment industry, and at ships in Yangon.
The Indonesian Embassy in Yangon urged citizens to remain calm and alert, pay close attention to the security situation, and refrain from leaving their homes unnecessarily.
Hundreds of thousands of anti-coup protesters gathered again in the streets of Yangon and several parts of the country for a fourth consecutive day, demanding an end to the military rule and the release of detained leaders.
Myanmar's military, officially known as the Tatmadaw, declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1, hours after detaining President Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and other senior members of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
Suu Kyi served as the late counselor of Myanmar from 2016 to 2021, following a long struggle for democracy in the nation that earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. But her silence over the massacre of Rohingya Muslims and defense of the military's genocide at the international court drew harsh criticism across the globe.
The coup took place hours before the first session of the country's new parliament was set to convene following elections last November in which Suu Kyi's NLD party made sweeping gains. The military claimed the coup was staged due to "election fraud" in the polls.

Ambassador to Myanmar confirms Indonesian citizens are safe amid rallies against military rule

According to data from the ministry, there are currently 500 Indonesians residing in Myanmar, with most of them working in oil and gas sector, garment industry, and at ships in Yangon

Indonesia to evacuate citizens from Myanmar if needed

Israel and Greece signed a deal Monday to allow tourists who have been vaccinated for the coronavirus to travel between the two countries. 

Israeli Foreign Ministers Gabi Ashkenazi met with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, and Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis who were in Israel as part of an official visit.
Ashkenazi and Dendias signed the agreement to boost tourism between the two countries.
According to the deal, travelers who receive the vaccine will be allowed to travel between the two countries without being quarantined and would not face other restrictions.
Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Prime Ministry office.
Noting that cooperation between Israel and Greece in trade, security and technology is growing, Netanyahu said they discussed several issues including the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) pipeline project, development of tourism between the two countries and the fight against the virus.

Deal will allow vaccinated Israeli, Greek tourists to travel between countries without restriction

According to the deal, travelers who receive the vaccine will be allowed to travel between the two countries without being quarantined and would not face other restrictions

Israel, Greece sign tourism deal amid coronavirus

US President Joe Biden's administration will ask resignation of nearly all attorneys appointed by former President Donald Trump as soon as Tuesday, according to a report.

Citing a Justice Department official, CNN reported that the process will be done with two exceptions.
David Weiss from Delaware will remain in place as he oversees the tax probe of Biden's son Hunter. John Durham also will continue as an attorney to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, but will not continue as Connecticut attorney, according to the official.
When Trump assumed power in 2017, he ordered the resignation of 46 attorneys appointed by former President Barack Obama "as was the case in prior transitions."
The official did not say when the resignations would take effect.

2 attorneys who oversee Russia probe and Biden's son tax probe to remain in their positions

Biden to ask resignation of Trump-era US attorneys

Two Belarusian journalists working for the Polish television channel Belsat went on trial in the capital Minsk on Tuesday on charges related to their coverage of mass protests in 2020, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.

Yekaterina Andreeva and Darya Chultsova, a reporter and a camerawoman for Belsat, were arrested in November after a demonstration.
Months of protests took place in Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory over opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in an election in August. The opposition said the result was rigged.
Prosecutors accused Andreeva and Chultsova of coordinating the protests by broadcasting live reports. They have denied the charges, for which they could be sentenced to three years in prison. They appeared in court inside a cage.
International human rights organisations have condemned the detention of Andreeva and Chultsova.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists urged Belarusian authorities to drop the “absurd” charges against Andreyeva and Chultsova and release them unconditionally.
-The Belarus government must stop punishing journalists for reporting on important political events, and allow them to work freely and without fear of reprisal- it said in a statement on Monday.
Thousands of protesters were rounded up and nearly all opposition political figures were driven into exile or jailed as the government cracked down.

Yekaterina Andreeva and Darya Chultsova, a reporter and a camerawoman for Belsat, were arrested in November after a demonstration

Yekaterina Andreeva and Darya Chultsova, Belarusian journalists working for the Polish television channel Belsat accused of coordinating mass protests in 2020 by broadcasting live reports, listen to lawyers while standing inside a defendants' cage before a court hearing in Minsk, Belarus February 9, 2021.

Erdogan says Turkey will expand operations against Kurdish militants

Two dead as snow front blankets Greece

NATO will not leave Afghanistan before 'time is right'

Lavrov blames EU for demise of its Russia ties

Singapore activist jailed for train protest

Himalaya flood disaster hits Delhi water supply

Cautious Lunar New Year festivities in China amid virus

Three Turkish soldiers killed in northern Iraq

Trump impeachment trial resumes with Democrats to focus on riot's 'terrible toll'

Boeing kicks off new year with 26 jet deliveries, four orders

Borrell will propose EU leaders impose Russia sanctions

Spain extends ban on arrivals from UK, Brazil, S.Africa

Indonesia to evacuate citizens from Myanmar if needed

Israel, Greece sign tourism deal amid coronavirus

Biden to ask resignation of Trump-era US attorneys

TV journalists face three years in prison for reporting on Belarus protests

World

Erdogan says Turkey will expand operations against Kurdish militants

Two dead as snow front blankets Greece

NATO will not leave Afghanistan before 'time is right'

Lavrov blames EU for demise of its Russia ties

Singapore activist jailed for train protest

Himalaya flood disaster hits Delhi water supply

Cautious Lunar New Year festivities in China amid virus

Three Turkish soldiers killed in northern Iraq

Trump impeachment trial resumes with Democrats to focus on riot's 'terrible toll'

Boeing kicks off new year with 26 jet deliveries, four orders

Borrell will propose EU leaders impose Russia sanctions

Spain extends ban on arrivals from UK, Brazil, S.Africa

Indonesia to evacuate citizens from Myanmar if needed

Israel, Greece sign tourism deal amid coronavirus

Biden to ask resignation of Trump-era US attorneys

TV journalists face three years in prison for reporting on Belarus protests