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Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘Israel, Chad renew diplomatic ties

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country has renewed its ties with Chad during a trip to the central African country. "We renew the diplomatic relations between the countries!" Netanyahu posted on Twitter on Sunday during his trip, which he earlier hailed as a "historic and important breakthrough". Chad, a Muslim-majority country, borders Libya and Sudan. Chad's President Idriss Deby visited Jerusalem in November, the first by a leader of the Central African country. The country broke its relations with Israel in 1972. Netanyahu has pushed to extend Israeli diplomacy to Africa and has visited the continent several times in recent years.

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Turkey ready for biggest cross-border op in its history – pro-gov’t daily

Turkey has made all necessary preparations for the biggest cross-border operation in the country's history, into Syria's Manbij and east of the Euphrates river, pro-government daily Yeni Şafak reported on Monday. Some 80,000 Turkish soldiers are ready for the new operation in areas controlled by the Syrian-Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), according to the news outlet. This is double the number of troops required in the 1974 military offensive to take control of northern Cyprus, which still stands as Turkey's biggest cross-border operation.

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Saudi teen Rahaf Alqunun due to arrive in Canada Thailand for asylum

An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family saying she feared for her life, is due to arrive in Canada on Saturday, after being granted asylum in the North American country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday that Canada had accepted a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to take in Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, who grabbed international attention earlier this week after she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to resist being sent home to her family, which denies any abuse.

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US-led coalition against the Islamic State has begun the process of withdrawing from Syria

President Donald Trump announced last month the decision to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops who have deployed to Syria in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia in the fight against Islamic State. The coalition “has begun the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria. Out of concern for operational security, we will not discuss specific timelines, locations or troop movements,” Colonel Sean Ryan said. Washington’s Kurdish allies in northern Syria fear the withdrawal will open the way for Turkey to mount a long-threatened offensive against their area. Turkey views the dominant Syrian Kurdish groups as a national security threat.

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U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump gives no timetable for Syria exit, wants to protect Kurds

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States would get out of Syria "over a period of time" and wants to protect the US-backed Kurdish fighters in the country as Washington draws down troops.

Trump did not provide a timetable for the planned military exit from Syria, which he unexpectedly announced last month against the advice of top national security aides and without consulting politicians or US allies participating in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).