The FBI is looking into emails regarding the CIA's drone program as it investigated Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server The drone program, while widely discussed in public and in the media, is still considered classified A series of emails about the CIA’s drone program are among those being investigated by the FBI as part of its probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state, a law enforcement official tells CNN. Those emails, sent in late 2011 and early 2012, involve a discussion by the then-U.S. ambassador to Pakistan about a planned U.S.-led drone strike in that country, and took place largely on what’s called “low side,” or non-classified, State Department email system. The planned drone strike was later canceled. The Wall Street Journal was first to report the details of planned drone strike email discussion. The exchange in question took place over the December holidays when multiple officials were away from the office and without access to their classified email, and some of the emails were ultimately sent to Secretary Clinton’s private email server, according to the official. The FBI has not yet interviewed Clinton as part of its investigation. As CNN first reported, investigators have not found evidence to support criminal charges against Clinton and none are expected, but no final determination will be made until that interview has taken place. The CIA drone program is covert and considered classified, so while it is widely discussed in public and in media reports, any discussion of the program on a non-classified system is a violation of government rules. For this reason, the CIA insisted that the emails on the subject be retroactively classified. Discussion of classified matters on government non-classified email systems is a perennial problem that occurs widely in the government, but damage is typically contained because violators use government email systems. What is not common is a cabinet-level official using a personal server to conduct all official business, outside the protection of government email servers. Some of Clinton’s closest aides, including her longtime adviser Huma Abedin, have provided interviews to federal investigators, U.S. officials briefed on the investigation previously told CNN. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement, “As we have said previously, the State Department is not going to speak to the content of documents, nor would we speak to any ongoing review.” Clinton’s campaign did not immediately respond for comment for this report. Clinton campaign officials have said she is cooperating fully with the Justice Department review.


'Hundreds' of US troops are stationed at a base 40 miles of Mosul The battle for Iraq's second-largest city could start as soon as October Indications are growing that the attack to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and ISIS’ last major stronghold in the country, could begin as soon as next month. Hundreds of US troops have arrived at an air base 40 miles south of Mosul to support Iraq’s efforts to liberate that city, a US defense official told CNN. The US-led coalition to counter ISIS says it carried out four additional airstrikes near Mosul and Qayyarah Friday, destroying eight ISIS fighting positions and damaging a tunnel entrance. Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, a weapons cache and 29 watercraft. Qayyarah air base was recaptured from ISIS by Iraqi soldiers backed by US airstrikes in July and the American forces operating there will mainly provide logistics, supplies and support for the Iraqi offensive on Mosul. The move brings US personnel closer to the battle and ISIS’ defensive lines. “When the (Iraqi Security Force) is ready to move on in their operations to get after Mosul, we’ll be prepared to support that and the airfield will be ready,” Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian told reporters Tuesday at the Pentagon. He added that coalition forces are conducting intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance efforts in the area. Asked if US forces advising the Mosul operation faced increased risk, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook told reporters Thursday that “the secretary (of defense) has made clear that our forces in Iraq are in harm’s way. Everyone who is serving there is in a dangerous situation.” The air base is also expected to be rebuilt to allow US and coalition aircraft to operate there, since its proximity to Mosul makes it tactically important. “This is a partnered effort. This is something we’re working from both the land component perspective with the Iraqis and clearly ensuring that, as we begin to put some of our airplanes in there in the future, that it’s got the capabilities that we need,” Harrigian added, describing efforts to prepare Qayyarah. Related gallery The ISIS terror threat The assault could begin as early as October, according to several US officials. The next stage of the effort to retake Mosul will involve attempts to seize towns and villages on the southern outskirts of the city. Iraqi security forces air dropped thousands of leaflets south of the city over the weekend warning citizens in anticipation of a new offensive. “Protect yourself, don’t be human shields for the enemy, leave the town immediately,” a leaflet shown by the Iraqi military to CNN said. The coalition is stepping up airstrikes along key infiltration routes into Mosul in hopes of keeping the city from being reinforced further by ISIS, a US defense official added. The coalition announced Friday that it had carried out airstrikes Thursday against a logistics facility in Mosul and an ISIS tactical unit in Qayyarah. The fight for Mosul is expected to be a difficult one. Defense officials and intelligence analysts said ISIS has dug-in since it first seized the city in 2014. There are 3,000 to 4,500 ISIS fighters in Mosul, according to Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian. “There is still a tough fight ahead against an adaptive enemy that will try to challenge us as we hone in on Mosul,” said Harrigian, the commander of US air forces in the Middle East. Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report

US military involvement in the Mosul offensive


Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed with special counsel Robert Mueller what prosecutors should pursue in the Russia probe as early as last May, when Mueller was first appointed, the special counsel’s office said Thursday. At a court hearing, Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben said Rosenstein discussed specific legs of the investigation with Mueller months before he wrote a classified memo in August that outlined Mueller’s directive. Dreeben argued that the Justice Department shouldn’t have to produce documentation of those early talks about the investigation’s scope that occurred before Rosenstein’s August 2 memo. Rosenstein has been overseeing Mueller’s investigation following the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. While Rosenstein and Mueller’s communication about the Russia probe may help the special counsel’s office defend its criminal case against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Mueller’s team is also indirectly pushing back against the President and Republicans’ assertions that the investigation is rogue and corrupt. “We have an alive and awake acting attorney general who’s looking at this investigation, [and] knows what’s going on,” Dreeben said. Manafort has alleged in court that Mueller’s office overstepped its authority by charging him with crimes related to his work before the 2016 campaign. His attorney also demanded they see records of Rosenstein and Mueller’s discussions before August. “We’re all sitting here guessing what happened. There has to be a record,” Manafort’s attorney, Kevin Downing, said Thursday. Mueller’s appointment unfolded in May with a public notice from Rosenstein, directing the special counsel to investigate links between the Russian government and the campaign and other matters that arose from the investigation. The August memo, which was unveiled earlier this month and gets into more specifics, was “reflective of decisions that had already been made,” Dreeben said. Rosenstein’s August 2 memo gives Mueller the green light to investigate Manafort for his lobbying work in Ukraine, years before the campaign. It also outlines several other still-undisclosed allegations that Mueller could investigate and says Mueller could look into allegations that Manafort colluded with Russians during the campaign. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to the foreign lobbying and financial charges. He has not been charged with crimes related to Russian collusion. Downing said, “We’re in a worse place than we were with” previous special investigations that appeared to wander outside their initial purposes. Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, countered that it’s unlikely the Justice Department fully knew what Mueller should pursue when he was first appointed. “As good as he is, I don’t think the deputy attorney general could see into the future,” she said. Investigators shouldn’t have to “start with the conclusion” that crimes were committed, she added. Instead, prosecutors could follow the question of whether Manafort had links to Russians. That work, even if it didn’t connect directly to Manafort’s time on the campaign, would be essential to any criminal investigation, she said, and Dreeben later echoed her. Manafort is also challenging the special counsel’s office’s decision to charge him with both lying to federal authorities and failing to register as a foreign lobbyist and the decision to charge him with a conspiracy money laundering count because of his failure to register his work with federal authorities. Mueller’s prosecutors have pushed back on both arguments on technical legal grounds. If Manafort were to convince the judge to dismiss the money laundering allegation, assets that the government locked down following his indictment in October would become available to him.

special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation


The US military said Wednesday that US troops killed “dozens” of Taliban leaders when a US artillery barrage struck a meeting of insurgent commanders on May 24. US military officials said the strike took place after US military intelligence assets were able to monitor Taliban commanders following their major attack on the Afghan city of Farah, a well-coordinated assault in which the Taliban managed to overrun the police security cordon surrounding the provincial capital before they were repelled by US and Afghan troops in an intense battle. Related article US troops help repel major Taliban attack in Afghanistan The commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, said the retreating Taliban leaders were observed attending a meeting of other leaders in Musa Qala in Helmand Province, an area under the Taliban’s control. Nicholson said the highest ranking insurgent killed in the strike was the deputy shadow governor of Helmand. “It was a group of commanders, meeting in part to discuss the operation in Farah that many of them had just participated in,” Nicholson told reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday via a teleconference from Kabul. The US Marines “tracked 50 of them to a meeting in Musa Qala and struck them with HIMARS rockets, killing dozens of the enemy leaders,” he added. “Among the more than 50 casualties was the deputy shadow governor of Helmand, multiple Taliban district governors, intelligence commanders and key provincial-level leadership from Kandahar, Kunduz, Herat, Farah, Uruzgan and Helmand provinces,” the US military said in a statement issued Wednesday. Related article One-third of US military injuries in Iraq, Afghanistan weren't from battle The artillery strike was carried out by US Marines firing the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, more commonly known by its acronym, HIMARS. US Marines in Afghanistan are based in Helmand Province, where they primarily advise and assist Afghan troops battling the insurgency. Nicholson said the major attack on Farah earlier this month was carried out by the Taliban in order to distract from its setbacks in Helmand, an area which he said was key to the Taliban’s finances due to the presence of the group’s narcotics operations there. He also said that a major focus of the security assistance effort in Afghanistan is now aimed at better defending the country’s capital of Kabul where approximately five million Afghans live. Related article This nation is being robbed of its best and brightest Nicholson lauded the performance of the Afghan police Wednesday saying they were able to stop a coordinated attack on the Interior Ministry in downtown Kabul on Wednesday. While the attackers, using a captured Humvee and military uniforms, managed to penetrate the security corridor, Nicholson noted that during the firefight Afghan special police commandos from the country’s Crisis Response Unit 222 managed to kill seven of the eight attackers and capture the remaining one. One Afghan policeman died in the attack, which Nicholson said is initially assessed to have been carried out by the Taliban’s Haqqani Network. While Nicholson said that the number of car bombs in Kabul had decreased, the local ISIS affiliate had increased the number of suicide bomber attacks against civilians. He said that additional efforts had been made to strengthen the Afghan security forces and their ability to protect Kabul including deploying additional US military advisers from the new Security Force Assistance Brigades, units touted by the US military as critical to the success of the campaign. But despite the strikes against the Afghan leaders, Nicholson also acknowledged that since February the Taliban had managed to capture five rural districts from the Afghan government while saying that Afghan troops managed to recapture all of them within 10 days.

US military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan


Of the 4 million Syrian men, women and children who have fled their country, the Obama administration wants the United States to take in 10,000 over the next year. Britain has promised that it will revise its policy and resettle up to 20,000 Syrians over the next five years. And then there is Germany, where an estimated 800,000 asylum-seekers from Syria and other countries will arrive this year alone — more than in all of Europe last year. You would think that German generosity would spur other countries to emulate or at least thank and praise it. Not quite. Some European politicians have been quick to criticize Germany for violating European Union rules, for creating a magnet that will attract more refugees and for increasing the risk of jihadi infiltration. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, “The problem is not a European problem. The problem is a German problem.” Marine Le Pen, France’s populist leader, said at a meeting of her party that “Germany probably thinks its population is moribund, and it is probably seeking to lower wages and continue to recruit slaves through mass immigration.” It was almost certainly a deliberate, sly reference to the Nazi policy of forced labor during World War II. Read the Washington Post column


Admiral Harry Harris spoke at Osan Air Force Base in South Korea The news conference comes on the second day of US-South Korean joint military exercises The top American military commander in the Indo-Pacific region said Tuesday it would be “foolhardy” for adversaries of the United States to try to take advantage of any perceived weaknesses in US operational capacity. The comments from Admiral Harry Harris, the head of US Pacific Command (PACOM), came a day after the USS John McCain collided with a merchant ship, leaving 10 sailors missing and another five injured. It was the fourth such accident involving a US military ship in Asia this year – and has prompted questions about the operational capabilities of US forces in the region. “Perception is in the eyes of the beholder, and I will hope that no one will test the US on the perception that we’ve had a problem with USS John McCain and three other assets – that would be a very foolhardy thing to do,” Harris told reporters at a news conference Tuesday. Harris’ comments come amid continued tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Washington and Pyongyang trading heated rhetoric and dueling threats. Observers worry that a miscalculation on either side could have serious consequences. Tuesday was the second day of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, joint military drills between the US and South Korea that both sides say are defensive in nature but draw the ire of the North Korean regime, who view them as practice for an eventual invasion. Harris said he believed the McCain’s collision would not affect the US military’s ability “to defend the (Korean) peninsula and our interest in the region.” “The US Navy is large, we have a lot of capacity, and we will bring that capacity forward if we need to,” he said. Navy plans 1-day operational pauseSpate of accidents in AsiaWhy are so many Navy ships crashing?Collision sheds light on territorial dispute Navy plans 1-day operational pauseSpate of accidents in AsiaWhy are so many Navy ships crashing?Collision sheds light on territorial dispute The US Navy ordered a one-day operational pause – which will be spread out over a couple weeks and conducted at the discretion of individual commands – in response to the McCain collision, but Harris stressed that the string of incidents will not affect the US military’s ability to defend itself from incoming threats. The John McCain is equipped with the Aegis missile defense system, which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles from adversaries like North Korea. A spokesman for the Pacific-based US 7th Fleet said the McCain is one of 14 Aegis-equipped ships the Navy has forward-deployed to Japan, and it plans to add another one next year. In total, the US Navy has 84 vessels equipped with the Aegis system. “The ballistic missile defense destroyers and cruisers we have in the region are only part of the layered defense we have in the region,” said Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, the commander of US Forces Korea. Flanked by two Patriot missile batteries – another missile defense system designed to shoot down incoming projectiles – Harris spoke Tuesday at Osan Air Base just south of Seoul. The news conference came on the second day of the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military exercises between the American and South Korean militaries. Seoul and Washington say the exercises, which have been going on for years, are meant to “enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula,” according to the US Department of Defense. North Korea, however, sees them as practice for an eventual invasion. A propaganda video released by North Korea’s state-run Uriminzokkiri website Saturday, shortly before the start of the exercises, showed senior US leaders – including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis – above flames and warned the Trump administration to keep “its eyes and ears open from now on.” The provocative video also appeared to show a missile heading toward the US territory of Guam, an island in the western Pacific that’s home to two US military assets, and speculated that “this is the fateful end of sinful US.” The tiny Pacific island, the largest in the Marianas group, is home to two significant US military bases.Bomber sorties flown above South Korea Tuesday originated from Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base.Around 5,000 US military personnel are based on the island, which is a US territory.It is often referred to as the “tip of the spear” and home to the US’ most westerly military installations.Except US bases in Japan and South Korea, it’s the closest US base to North Korea. The tiny Pacific island, the largest in the Marianas group, is home to two significant US military bases.Bomber sorties flown above South Korea Tuesday originated from Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base.Around 5,000 US military personnel are based on the island, which is a US territory.It is often referred to as the “tip of the spear” and home to the US’ most westerly military installations.Except US bases in Japan and South Korea, it’s the closest US base to North Korea. Guam, which is the closest US territory to North Korea, was ensnared in last week’s heated back-and-forth between Pyongyang and the United States after being specifically threatened by North Korean state media. The tense rhetoric has died down somewhat since last Tuesday, when North Korea’s state-run news outlet KCNA reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would opt to wait and see what the “foolish Yankees” do next after being briefed by his military advisers on plan to fire missiles off the coast of Guam. As the threats rolled, US and Guam officials have reiterated that the multi-layered missile defense system the US operates throughout Asia is designed to keep Guam safe from threats like these, though independent analysts have issued more cautious assessments. Harris and Brooks offered strong praised US’ missile defense systems Tuesday, both made it clear that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula must be resolved diplomatically. “We hope and we work for a diplomatic solution to the challenge presented by Kim Jong Un.  A strong diplomatic effort, backed by a strong military effort, is key,” Harris said. “Credible combat power should be in support of diplomacy, not the other way around.” CNN’s Elaine Ly, Sol Han and Brad Lendon contributed to this report

United States military presence and missile defense systems in the Korean Peninsula region


US officials said they were “deeply concerned” after Turkey carried out a series of airstrikes Tuesday against US allies fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq. A senior US defense official told CNN that the US was given about one hour’s advance notice of the strikes by the Turkish military. The official added that no US or coalition advisers were in the vicinity. Turkish warplanes struck targets in northern Syria and the area of Sinjar in northern Iraq. The Turkish armed forces issued a statement saying it had “neutralized” 70 PKK “terrorist” fighters – 40 in northern Iraq and 30 others in northeastern Syria. The Turkish government has been conducting a decades-long fight against the PKK, a Kurdish separatist group that has carried out terrorist attacks in Turkey. But Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces, America’s primary Syrian ally in the fight against ISIS, and the Iraq-based Kurdish Peshmerga both said that they suffered casualties as well as a result of the airstrikes. “We are very concerned, deeply concerned, that Turkey conducted airstrikes earlier today in northern Syria as well as northern Iraq without proper coordination either with the United States or the broader global coalition to defeat ISIS,” acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Tuesday. “We have expressed those concerns to the government of Turkey directly,” Toner added. Related video Satellite images give rare glimpse into Syria The Pentagon also released a statement on its concerns about the strikes. “These airstrikes were not approved by the Counter-ISIS Coalition and led to the unfortunate loss of life of our partner forces in the fight against ISIS, including the Kurdish Peshmerga,” Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway said. A statement issued by the Peshmerga, the military arm of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, said that five of its fighters were killed in the air raid and another nine wounded. The KRG blamed the nearby presence of PKK fighters for the casualties. The government of Iraq also protested the unilateral airstrikes by Turkey. “Given the extraordinarily complex battle space in these areas, it is vital that Turkey and all partners in the defeat-ISIS effort coordinate their actions closely as we work together to maintain maximum pressure on ISIS and ensure the safety of all Coalition personnel in theater,” Rankine-Galloway said. Turkey has long been opposed to the PKK, considered a terrorist organization by both Turkey and the US. Related video Erdogan denies dictator charges Ankara sees the PKK and the Kurdish forces in the Syrian Democratic Forces – known as the YPG – as closely linked, while the US views them as distinct organizations. The US sees the SDF as the most effective force fighting ISIS in Syria supporting its push on the city of Raqqa, ISIS’ self-declared capital. “We recognize the threat the PKK poses to Turkey, but Turkey cannot pursue that fight at the expense of our common fight against terrorists that threaten us all,” Rankine-Galloway said. While Turkey has struck PKK targets in Iraq in the past, Turkey’s latest military action comes days after President Donald Trump called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him after he prevailed in a closely contested referendum that granted his presidency additional powers. Trump’s congratulatory call stood out among Western leaders, many of whom struck a less laudatory tone over the controversial vote. In the wake of his referendum victory, some US officials had hoped that Erdogan would be more flexible in cooperating with – or at least tolerating – US efforts aimed at backing the SDF offensive on Raqqa.


Grab a cup of coffee and settle in. Here’s what you might have missed in a busy news week: Capturing an elephant isn’t easy. Imagine trying to capture 500. Ten years after the first iPhone was sold, a look at some of the stories of how the iPhone was born. A lot of resources go into building cars, like steel, aluminum, rubber and glass. Also critical: Brains. If you think of yourself as a geeky boy, you may want to thank your old man, according to a study published Tuesday in Translational Psychiatry. Joey Jackson outlines how the nearly $23 million in settlements to the families of Philando Castile, Michael Brown and other prominent police shooting victims were arrived at and says that no matter what the number, cash won’t help anyone heal. In light of the massive ransomware attack, Cyber expert Arun Vishwanath explains how policies (and people) are critical to dealing with this incident and the bigger attacks to come. The British Royal Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, leaves its dock for the first time to begin its anticipated sea trials.


As Jeb Bush struggled to frame his position on the invasion of Iraq this week, the tendency among many of his GOP rivals was to pile on. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would have had a clearer answer. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told The Associated Press that Bush’s initial refusal to answer the question meant that the American people would “get George Bush 3.” Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum questioned the younger Bush’s readiness for the rigors of a presidential race. But Mike Huckabee said Friday that he and the rest of the field should cut the former Florida governor some slack. The former Arkansas governor said the discussion over Jeb Bush’s shifting answers this week on whether he would have invaded Iraq given the information that Americans know now about intelligence failures amounted to a lot of “wasted energy.” Huckabee dismissed the query as a “ridiculous frame of questioning” that he said was like going into the future and then coming back. “Leadership is about making decisions with the information you have, not the information people will have 12 years later,” Huckabee told reporters Friday before addressing the spring meeting of the Republican National Committee. Related video Jeb Bush: I would not have gone into Iraq “I kind of feel sorry for my friend Jeb Bush,” Huckabee continued. “I feel like he’s been caught in the crosshairs of an unfortunate game of semantics and I’m going to cut him some slack on this one.” He was much more keen on talking to reporters about his affinity for Apple products – declaring that he was “an Apple snob” who has “everything Apple.” Unlike Bush – who proudly wore his new Apple Watch to the RNC meeting this week – Huckabee said he wasn’t sold on that accessory. “I’m going to wait a while,” he said. “I just haven’t convinced myself that I need it.” Though he said he’s typically into the latest Apple product, “that’s one that hasn’t caught my fancy yet.” Told that Bush had the watch, Huckabee paused. “Huh,” he said. “Did he say whether he liked it though?” The newly announced presidential candidate also said he wasn’t sure he needed the feature that would allow him to talk to his watch. “I’m having enough trouble carrying on a conversation with humans,” he quipped, “much less a piece of machinery.”


White House condemns "'what appears to have been a terrorist attack" Berlin police: 12 are dead, 48 injured A tractor trailer barreled into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin on Monday night, killing 12 people and injuring 48 others. Witnesses said shoppers screamed and dropped packages and glasses of mulled wine as the truck plowed into the market. Officials are investigating the crash as an act of terrorism, according to a German intelligence official familiar with the matter. After a tip, Berlin police arrested a man on foot about a mile and a half away from the crash site. Authorities are working to determine whether he is linked to the case. Some of the 48 people in the hospital have serious injuries, Berlin police tweeted. The truck that was involved in the crash at Breitscheidplatz, in the western part of central Berlin, had Polish license plates, police spokeswoman Kerstin Ziesmer said. Berlin police tweeted that a passenger found dead in the truck was a Polish citizen. Ariel Zurawski, owner of the truck company, told TVN 24, a private Polish television news network and CNN affiliate, the truck, carrying a steel shipment, may have been hijacked. Zurawski said his cousin – the truck’s regular driver – couldn’t have been behind the wheel. “My scenario is that they did something to him and hijacked this truck,” he said. Witness Emma Rushton told CNN that the truck didn’t slow down. She said the truck was traveling about 40 mph through the crowded pedestrian area. “There’s no way it was an accident,” Rushton said. “We saw at least 10 people” injured and lying on the ground. Another witness, Shandana Durrani, was 20 feet away from the truck when it rammed several market stalls “I think everybody thought there was a terrorist attack happening,” she said. “People dropped what they were carrying and ran for cover. … It seemed like the truck just jumped the curb and took a wrong turn and barreled through the crowd.” Durrani, an American who moved to Berlin a few months ago, said slowing to respond to a text message “saved me from being hit.” The incident, which officials are probing as an act of terrorism, triggered memories of the use of trucks in attacks. Julian Reichelt, editor in chief at German tabloid Bild, told CNN the incident “looks like something that was adapted by Nice,” referring to the Bastille Day truck attack in France that killed 86 people and injured more than 200 in July. Terror groups have used the Internet to encourage followers in the West to use vehicles to stage attacks, according to CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen. Al Qaeda’s Yemeni branch encouraged its recruits in the West in its 2010 webzine, Inspire, to use the trucks as a weapon in an article headlined “The Ultimate Mowing Machine,” Bergen wrote. In September 2014, an ISIS spokesman similarly encouraged such attacks, saying of ISIS’ enemies, “Run him over with your car,” according to Bergen. Last month, an attacker who investigators believe was inspired by ISIS used a car and a knife as weapons to injure 11 at the Ohio State University. German officials have been concerned about security around Christmas markets, which are the main place for holiday shopping and refreshments, such as the mulled beverage Gluhwein. The US State Department alerted US citizens in November to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, especially during the holiday season. The alert, which encouraged citizens to be cautious at the holiday festivals, expires on February 20. Reichelt told CNN that the market would be busy every night of the week leading up to Christmas. The market at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church has existed for 33 years, according to the Visit Berlin website. The stands offer delights such as handmade crafts, “sweet waffles, candied fruit and nuts crafts.” In a statement, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was “deeply shaken by the awful news.” The White House said the United States “condemns in the strongest terms what appears to have been a terrorist attack.” US President-elect Donald Trump offered his condolences to the victims. “Innocent civilians were murdered in the streets as they prepared to celebrate the Christmas holiday,” Trump said in a statement. “ISIS and other Islamist terrorists continually slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship as part of their global jihad.” The incident in Berlin is the latest in a string of attacks in Germany over the past 12 months. July 2016 On July 24, a Syrian suicide bomber injured 15 people in an attack on a music festival in Ansbach. He left behind a video pledging allegiance to ISIS. Days earlier, nine people were killed in Munich by an 18-year-old gunman with dual German and Iranian nationality. The gunman committed suicide. His motives were unclear. Four days prior to that, an immigrant teen, apparently inspired by ISIS, stabbed five passengers on a train in Bavaria. Police shot the teenager, an Afghan refugee who was armed with a knife and an ax. June 2016 Three Syrian men were arrested in June on suspicion of planning a terror attack on Dusseldorf on behalf of ISIS. May 2016 A German man killed one person and injured three others in a May knife attack at a train station in Bavaria. Witnesses told police the attacker had shouted out “Allahu akbar” and “Infidels must die” as he carried out the attacks. But intelligence services said they knew of no link between him and Islamist networks. December 31, 2015 On New Year’s Eve 2015, two train stations in Munich were evacuated and train service stopped among concerns of a possible terror plot. The planned suicide attacks were reported to be connected to ISIS, officials said. Frederik Pleitgen reported from Berlin. CNN’s Laura Goehler, Donie O’Sullivan, Emanuella Grinberg, Stephanie Halasz, Lonzo Cook and Deborah Bloom contributed to this report.


Ioffe questions how Melania Trump would do under a points-based system "She is a beautiful white woman from Europe, and we like those" American journalist Julia Ioffe slammed the Trump administration’s plan to curb legal immigration calling it “very restrictive” and part of a formula that would “provide the right kind of demographic engineering,” for his base. Ioffe said first lady Melania Trump initially came to America on an H-1B visa, one of the visas the government is now working to restrict. “When you ask Trump supporters, they don’t care because she’s a different – she’s the right kind of immigrant.” “She is a beautiful white woman from Europe, and we like those. Even though she doesn’t have a college degree. You know, I don’t know how she would have done under this point system,” Ioffe told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act, announced earlier this week, aims to reduce the number of low-skilled immigrants who are allotted green cards by 50% and would replace the current employment-based system with a merit-based system grading possible immigrants according to specifics such as education, English-language ability, high-paying job offers, and age. CNN’s Acosta, White House aide clash over immigration at briefing An immigrant herself, Ioffe came to the United States from Russia with her family in 1990. She was 7 years old. She made headlines earlier this week when she tweeted: “I didn’t speak English when I immigrated to the United States. Now, I get paid to write in it.” I didn't speak English when I immigrated to the United States. Now, I get paid to write in it. Just saying. Now a staff writer at The Atlantic magazine, Ioffe said she thinks most people could pick up English in a few months. She further criticized the Trump administration’s numerous attempts to drastically reduce the number of refugees calling it “immoral and cruel.” “Especially if you’re pursuing a kind of isolationist foreign policy and you’re not going out into the world and trying to help these countries fix the situations they’re in so that they’re not creating these massive refugees flows,” she said.


Minister details what he calls positive call He says leaders will work on differences A phone call last week between Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and US President Donald Trump was constructive and not confrontational, Mexico’s foreign minister told CNN in an exclusive US television interview. Luis Videgaray also told “Anderson Cooper 360˚” that his nation was very willing to discuss the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the White House. Videgaray said the conversation last Friday between Trump and Peña Nieto was “very constructive.” The two leaders agree on more points than they disagree on, he said Thursday. Related video Mexico Foreign Minister on working with Trump “It was not a confrontational call,” he said. The presidents agreed to keep working on important matters such as security. As to conflicting reports about issues raised in the call, the foreign minister said, based on his recollection, CNN’s reporting of Trump’s comments about offering US troops to help with drug cartels was accurate. According to an excerpt of the transcript of the call with Peña Nieto provided to CNN, Trump said, “You have some pretty tough hombres in Mexico that you may need help with. We are willing to help with that big-league, but they have be knocked out and you have not done a good job knocking them out.” The excerpt of the transcript obtained by CNN differs from an official internal readout of the call that wrongly suggested Trump was contemplating sending troops to the border in a hostile way. An Associated Press report said Trump also threatened to send US troops to stop criminals in Mexico unless the government did more to control them. Related article Trump had heated exchange with Australian PM, talked 'tough hombres' with Mexican leader “That was … nothing close to reality,” Videgaray said. He said media reports from a Mexican journalist that Trump told Peña Nieto that Mexico was going to pay for a border wall whether they like it or not was false. “It’s very clear, we have a significant difference and the presidents have a significant difference,” the foreign minister said. “And it’s … well-known, but they agreed that they would not continue to publicly argue about that, because there are so many other things that we need to work on.” Videgaray said he talked to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday and the two planned to meet in their new roles soon. As to NAFTA, Videgaray said, “We’re absolutely open to making NAFTA better.” Related video Trump takes on world: Tensions rise with allies He pointed out the agreement  – which also includes Canada – was signed in 1994. “It was crafted in a different world,” he said, adding that there was no ecommerce at the time. Before meetings can be held between the nations, Mexican leaders must consult with their country’s Senate, union bosses and businesses, he told CNN. “This does not have to be a negotiation in which one of the countries loses,” he said. “We can make it a very good deal for both countries.” Peña Nieto had canceled a meeting with Trump that had been set for this week after renewed tensions erupted last week over Trump’s plan to build a wall on the border. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless and I want to go a different route,” he said in prepared remarks. “We have no choice.” Trump had tweeted that it would be better to skip the meeting if his Mexican counterpart continued to insist Mexico would not pay for the wall. While saying that Mexico paying for the wall is “totally unacceptable,” Videgaray said his ministry would take a cooperative stance toward Mexico’s northern neighbor and largest trading partner.


Donald Trump has investments in Indonesia, the world's most-populous Muslim nation Many Indonesians wary of Trump after his proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S. The businessman may face backlash from his political stances Donald Trump has made it clear he doesn’t trust Muslims, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to make money in majority Muslim countries. Take the Lido Lakes One Stop Adventure Hotel for example. Even staff at this scruffy resort admit it has seen much better days. During a recent visit the cavernous lobby sat mostly empty, apart from a stray cat. Several aging cakes collected dust in the showcase of an apparently abandoned hotel pastry shop. The paint was peeling off the seats of children’s swings next to a forlorn swimming pool. The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world However, according to the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, Lido Lakes will soon be transformed into a shining example of the “next generation of luxury hospitality.” The future Trump International Lido Hotel is one of two resorts Trump Hotel announced it is developing in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country. Trump Hotels publicized its joint venture with the Indonesian investment firm MNC last September. Four months later, Trump himself made a startling policy announcement. “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on,” his campaign announced. Trump’s unapologetic criticisms of the Muslim world is provoking questions at the most senior levels of government here in Indonesia. “How come he won’t allow Muslim people to enter America while he has money in Indonesia, investment in Indonesia,” asks cabinet minister Luhut Panjaitan. In an interview with CNN, Panjaitan suggested that Indonesia would turn to other trading partners if a future President Trump shut U.S. doors to the more than 200 million Indonesian Muslims. In 2015, the U.S. bilateral trade in goods and services with Indonesia exceeded $20 billion. “I don’t think America can survive alone,” Panjaitan said. Unsurprisingly, Trump evokes polarizing views among Indonesians. At a university graduation ceremony in Jakarta, three separate students told CNN they do not like Trump because he “discriminates against Muslims.” A fourth graduate however said “Trump is a good businessman.” Teachers and students at an Islamic boarding school in the city all reacted with dismay at the mention of the Republican candidate. Dini Muzadlifah, 17, who dreams of one day going to study in California, urged Americans to think “over and over again” before voting for Trump. Muslims, she added, are “not your enemy. We are friends.” Fuad Hasan, also 17, called Trump an “extremist.” “Donald Trump is not good for America or for the world,” he added. “I feel very sad and disappointed with his statements.” A spokesman for one of Indonesia’s Islamist political parties warned that if Trump imposed his ban on Muslims visiting the U.S., there would be calls for reciprocity. “Muslims in many countries would also demand their governments do the same to Americans and this means that Trump would be creating political instability,” said Arsul Sani of the United Development Party (PPP). “It would even increase extremism against U.S. interests, including in Indonesia.” Related video Donald Trump's tough talk resonates with some in China Despite calls from some Indonesian politicians for a Trump boycott, ministers say that for now, his business deals are safe here. MNC, Trump Hotel’s Indonesian partner, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. An employee at Lido Lakes, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Trump’s Islamophobic remarks were outweighed by the promise of new jobs and economic growth in the community. “The resort will be an economic boost for local people here,” the employee said. “That’s why there are no demonstrations here against Donald Trump.” Down the road in the bustling, working class town of Cicurug, several residents weren’t so generous. “(Trump) shouldn’t build a hotel here as long as he discriminates against Muslims in the U.S.,” said Ahmed Jamjuri, a local teacher. “I was angry when I heard he wants to ban Muslims,” said shopkeeper Willy Handarwan. Indonesia isn’t the only majority Muslim country where Trump companies have investments. According to Trump’s personal financial disclosure, he also has business interests in the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Turkey. In its announcement about Trump International Hotel Lido in Indonesia, Trump Hotels boasted a future “luxurious retreat … with elevated services for luxury-minded guests.” The press release did not mention whether the former hotel’s mosque will be part of the redevelopment. CNN Money’s Jim Boulden contributed to this report.


Don Blankenship, a Republican candidate for US Senate in West Virginia, is defending an ad his campaign released Monday in which he referred to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as “Cocaine Mitch.” In a press release on Tuesday, Blankenship’s campaign claimed McConnell and his family have “extensive ties” to China before elaborating on the reasoning behind the ad. “His father-in-law who founded and owns a large Chinese shipping company has given Mitch and his wife millions of dollars over the years. The company was implicated recently in smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Europe, hidden aboard a company ship carrying foreign coal was $7 million dollars of cocaine and that is why we’ve deemed him ‘Cocaine Mitch,’” the press release reads. James Chao, McConnell’s father-in-law, was born in China, but moved to the United States before starting the Foremost Group, a shipping company, in New York. The press release points to a 2014 article in The Nation that reported cocaine was found on a ship belonging to Chao’s company. A spokesman for McConnell referred a request for comment on the ad to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and did not respond to a request for comment on the press release. The NRSC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Blankenship campaign also did not immediately respond to a request comment. In the ad released Monday, Blankenship said, “One of my goals as US senator will be to ditch Cocaine Mitch.” This isn’t the first time that Blankenship has attacked McConnell’s family. Last month, the he referred to McConnell’s father-in-law as “a wealthy Chinaperson,” saying, “I have an issue when the father-in-law is a wealthy Chinaperson and there’s a lot of connections to some of the brass, if you will, in China.” McConnell, who is married to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, later told Fox News, “My father-in-law is an American who lives in New York. I don’t have any comment about ridiculous observations like that.” Josh Holmes, a former chief of staff to McConnell, tweeted, “this candidate is as contemptible a human being as you will find,” in response to those remarks. Blankenship, a former coal executive who served a year in prison stemming from a 2010 mine explosion, is running against Republican Representative Evan Jenkins and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey in the West Virginia Senate Republican primary, which will take place next week. A recent Fox News poll showed Blankenship lagging behind Jenkins and Morrisey. The winner of the primary will face off against Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin in the general election. CNN’s Eric Bradner contributed to this report


There’s a word in Norwegian for when the horizon vanishes, an illusion on a certain kind of day where the land or sea appear to melt into the sky. It’s hildring, and it has special significance for Craig Dykers and Kjetil Traedal Thorsen, co-founders of the design practice Snøhetta, which claims to break down divides between architecture, landscape architecture, product design and graphics. Since last May, Norway’s banknotes have borne one of Snøhetta’s visions of the hildring: a pixelated representation of the horizon printed on the back of 100 and 200 krone bills. But its importance to the designers becomes clearer during the firm’s regular pilgrimage up the highest hilltop in central Norway’s Dovrefjell range, Snøhetta, the mountain from which the firm gets its name. As the whole staff finds its way across rock and through fog, toward the snow-capped mountain peak, the horizon provides a new guide to understanding our place in the world, says Thorsen, the Norwegian founding partner. “One way to know your location is to look at the map. But another one is to look at contour lines and recognize the ‘three-dimensionality’ of the landscape, or even to look at the horizon,” Thorsen said in a phone interview, adding that, to the observer’s eye, this line moves and warps as you approach the mountaintop. World's top architects and designers revealed in 2018's AD100 list Snøhetta has made its name shuffling people, buildings, animals and the natural environment in playful new arrangements. Like the firm’s celebrated Norwegian National Opera and Ballet house in Oslo, designed to allow visitors to climb up its exterior and explore its jagged, icy roof. Or the sloping concrete slab in Lindesnes, southern Norway, that invites visitors to climb down into a long void that will become Europe’s first underwater restaurant when it opens next year. Dykers, the American co-principal, says that the pair are not especially interested in any formal theory “of what objects should look like”. Instead, their designs aim to transport you from one place to another, redefining a person’s relations to their environment and creating new ways of interacting with the world. “Essentially, hildring refers to a kind of hallucination,” says Dykers. “You understand that landscape, the things we walk on, and the sky, the thing we walk through, are very closely connected. Starting out as an informal group of designers who met above a beer hall in Oslo, Snøhetta took off in 1989, when the firm won the competition to build a new Alexandria Library in Egypt, and now employs 200 staff in eight offices from San Francisco to Adelaide, designing the World Trade Center Memorial and the popular extension of San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art. Carsten Höller installs huge slide in historic palace to test if plants can feel But a smaller building could be their most maverick design: a private residence, designed for artist Bjarne Melgaard just outside the Norwegian capital, on a plot of land next door to the estate of Edvard Munch, the expressionist painter of “The Scream.” Plans for a floating, angular UFO-like structure has faced stark opposition from residents and supporters of the artist community that now lives on Munch’s land. But the project represents something truly exciting, argues Thorsen: a new way of living and “the transition of a fantasy into some sort of reality.” The seven-year design process has involved working with controversial artist Melgaard to transform his paintings and sculptures into a vision for a new kind of house, envisaged to ignite creativity. This burnt oak structure, resembling a jagged shard of onyx, appears to hover over a pool of water, propped up by white sculptures based on Melgaard’s anthropomorphic animal motifs. Inside, the architects suggest rooms will double-up functions that are usually divided: combining in one space a swimming pool and dining room, or a workspace and spa. “It’s really breaking all the conditions that you would have for a normal living quarter. But it’s still a habitat,” says Thorsen. The house – known as the “House to Die in,” for the owner’s desire to be buried on-site – is defined by its refreshingly honest way of presenting the life of its artist-occupier, the architects say. Inside the world's quietest room Death remains something we tend to push to the side as a “taboo”, says Dykers. “But that’s not necessarily healthy as a society,” he adds. “Being open and honest about the things we require as human beings is important to understand, and if we can design places – architectures, landscapes, things – that respond to these most primitive components of life, we’ll feel more natural in our skin and theoretically more natural with each other.” Thorsen continues: “It would be like if you’d have a habitat for a bee, it would look different from the habitat of a human. This is the habitat of an artist.” The Norwegian’s comment might be strange, had Snøhetta not already built a home for bees: a 2014 project for the roof of an Oslo food court. That came amid projects for reindeer and musk ox, and the underwater restaurant, which doubles as a research environment for marine animals. The experience of working with 80,000 clients who can’t talk back – the bees – has taught them to be more understanding, Dykers says, half-joking. He says humans are not so different from their animal relations: just as captive polar bears can live better, healthier, more fulfilled, and longer lives if their zoo enclosures are better designed for their needs, architecture allows humans to build betters “zoos” for themselves, in our cities, buildings, and parks. Europe's first underwater restaurant to open in Norway The pair say the experience of connecting with their habitat is what brings them back to the mountain hike: “In the end, it’s really putting yourself out of the everyday situation, in order for you to discover new things in yourself, by changing your surroundings, by changing the things that you’re talking about to others,” says Thorsen. Returning to the drawing board, the experience stays with you, Dykers adds. “You may not be climbing a mountain when you’re going to work every day, but your manner of thinking about what you do can be more explorational.”


The prayers follow clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces A CNN photo of the prayer has been widely shared on social media Nidal Aboud stood out as one among many. As the men around him bowed, he made the sign of the cross. As they chanted their prayers, he read the Bible to himself. And as they said “Allahu Akbar” – God is greatest – he stood silently and respectfully. He was the only Christian among thousands of Muslims at Friday prayers in the Wadi el-Joz neighbourhood, outside the Old City of Jerusalem. A Christian man prays alongside Muslims outside the Old City of Jerusalem during mid-day prayers on Friday. pic.twitter.com/ixvdcpkNIY The photograph, taken by CNN, of this simple interfaith moment has been published in local media and widely shared on social network sites as a touching example of cooperation in a time of conflict. The prayers took place after Israel restricted access to Al-Aqsa mosque, which sits on the holiest site in the Old City, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount. Related article Israel installs security cameras as Jerusalem tensions build After an attack at the Lion’s Gate entrance to the site left two Israeli police officers dead last week, Israeli authorities  installed metal detectors and limited entry to men over 50 and women. On Sunday, they installed security cameras, a move that is likely to further inflame tensions. The security measures are seen by Palestinians and Arab countries as a unilateral attempt by Israel to control the site – considered holy by both the Muslim and Jewish communities – and they have triggered widespread demonstrations and violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. Aboud, a 24-year-old Palestinian who has never before joined the midday Muslim prayers, says he wanted to stand alongside Muslims as they worshiped. “I had a dream since I was a child. I wanted to spread the world with love. I wanted to be the one who plants love in people’s hearts,” Aboud told CNN. Holding a Bible with a cross draped around his neck, he said he didn’t feel out of place. “I asked my Muslim friends for their permission to pray between them. They were asking me to stand beside them,” he said. “My motivation was to stand in solidarity with my Muslim brothers and in solidarity with our Palestinian issue against the (Israeli) occupation and its policies against our holy sites, whether it’s the mosque or the church.” Aboud says he would refuse to walk through a metal detector if one were placed outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City, the biblical site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He is urging all Christians to unite with Muslims against what he says is blatant unfairness, and even urged Jews to stand against Israeli occupation. Tensions have been high in Jerusalem and the West Bank following the attack on police in the Old City and the increased security measures. Aboud sees his small act of inclusiveness as a way of bridging the gap between the region’s religions. “I see it as a sign from God that my dream came true to be the ambassador of goodwill between religions.”


Following more harsh words from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the impending nuclear deal between Iran and the West, Jeb Bush took to Twitter Wednesday to denounce the Obama administration’s efforts to broker an agreement. The GOP presidential candidate and former Florida governor tweeted that “The Ayatollah moves the goal post again. Obama can’t seem to take no for an answer, assume more concessions coming…”. Iran’s supreme leader expressed stark dissatisfaction with the nuclear agreement on Tuesday, laying out new “red lines” only a week before the deal’s June 30 deadline. Khamenei stated that Iran not only disagrees with the 10-12 year limitation on nuclear development and research, but that sanctions must be immediately removed under any deal. Related video Obama on Iran: 'Deal is not completed' “Lifting of sanctions should not be tied to Iran’s execution of its commitments,” Khamenei said. “It should not be said that you carry out the commitments, then, IAEA verifies so that the sanctions will be lifted. We will never agree with it.” He also slammed the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency and indicated Iran would be reluctant to cooperate with it, saying that “the agency has repeatedly proved that it is not an independent and fair body.” READ: Iran talks may continue past deadline The White House, however, downplayed Iranian rhetoric on Wednesday afternoon. “We’re less concerned about the words and much more concerned about the actions,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said at the daily news briefing. He said those actions include both what negotiators do when they sit down with the United States and other world powers and the behavior of the Iranians “as they implement an agreement, if one can be reached.” He did, however, note that hurdles remain in hammering out a deal. Related video Rising tension between Iran and U.S. “I would acknowledge that there continues to be some difficult challenges that have to be met in order to successfully complete an agreement along the time frame that we have set out here,” he said. Khamenei’s statements Tuesday night pose complications for the United States, which has said that the agreement would remove sanctions gradually as IAEA inspectors confirm Iran is continuing to fulfill its part of the agreement. “Studying the process of Americans’ demands shows that their target is uprooting Iran’s nuclear industry, destroying the country’s nuclear nature and transforming it to a caricature and a picture without substance,” Khamenei said in reference to the nuclear talks with the U.S. While Earnest did not related directly to Khamenei’s comments, he said the inspections remained a key component of the deal. “Central to this agreement will be Iran’s commitment to cooperate with a set of intrusive inspections to verify their compliance with the agreement,”  he said.


Editor’s Note: CNN’s Original Series “The History of Comedy” airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT starting July 16. The Dalai Lama says leaders should act "more human" Playful adults have less stress, lower others' stress levels and are happier When you are the spiritual leader of an entire people, you’ve lived your entire adult life in exile, your movements are restricted by ever-watchful bodyguards and you must watch every word for fear of setting off an international incident, you would think your face would reflect the weight of the world. But when you are the Dalai Lama, the deepest lines on your 81-year-old skin are laugh lines. His Holiness knows how to find joy in nearly everything and everyone, largely because of his sense of humor. It is something he uses regularly to quickly win over crowds and something he thinks everyone should embrace in order to have a better life. When he presided over the Emory-Tibet Symposium in December at an imposing temple owned by the Tibetan community in exile in Mundgod, India, he showed his teasing nature right away. Gathered were thousands of saffron-robed nuns and monks, world-renowned scientists, Tibetans and many interested followers, eager learn how to “bridge science and Buddhism for mutual enrichment.” Get fit with Daily BurnTry a new workout every day30-day fitness trial, 50% off first monthSpartan Race obstacle training program Related article Dalai Lama: 5 things to keep in mind for the next four years The crowd looked as serious as the topic. As they waited in the temple, they murmured quietly and shifted in their seats. Finally, the low moan of a guttural chant began, and everyone quieted and sat up a little straighter. When His Holiness finally emerged from a side door, the sound of scraping plastic chairs echoed throughout the hall as the crowd stood and applauded. Some prostrated themselves on the ground. His Holiness walked in slowly, surrounded by monks in traditional robes and bodyguards in Western dress. Two monks gently guided him down a small set of steps. At the bottom, the Dalai Lama smiled with great joy, laughing and waving at the friends gathered in his honor. Related article Tibet Fast Facts “When you smile, I notice everyone around you smiles. I notice it is very contagious as well,” said Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical correspondent, in an interview with His Holiness after the event. “Basically, we are social animal,” the Dalai Lama replied. “We need friend. In order to develop genuine friendship, trust is very important. For trust, if you show them genuine sort of respect, genuine love, then trust come, so here I think the expression of genuine warm feeling smile I think part of that, that’s genuine smile.” But it is clear that joking around is also key to winning over a crowd. At the event, the Dalai Lama finally sat in his floral chair, against what looked like a pillow one of the monks must have grabbed from his bed, hoping to make him more comfortable. The crowd quieted, leaning forward to hear what His Holiness had to say. But instead of a prayer or a gentle word of wisdom, he decided it was the perfect time to wipe his brow. He took his time and then, rather than putting the white washcloth on the table next to him, he immediately put it on his head, where it rested like an absurd floppy hat. Giggling, he wore it through first part of the meeting, for about an hour. Then, he reached with some ceremony for a glass jar of candy on the low table in front of him. “This is not decoration,” he joked, holding it up. He pointed to himself – “eat” – and promptly unwrapped the gold foil to pop a hard candy into his mouth. His impish behavior, laughing and joking did the trick. The solemn and respectful crowd began laughing with him, warming up immediately. Everyone seemed ready to listen to a discussion of heavy topics such as “What are the fundamental constituents of the universe, and how did it originate?” and “How is knowledge established and what constitutes valid reasoning?” Related article 'There is no good card for this': What to say and do when bad things happen When Gupta later asked His Holiness about why he decided to wear the washcloth so comically, the Dalai Lama admitted it was, in part, because he is practical and gets hot. But he also hinted that there was something deeper: It’s important for leaders, particularly spiritual leaders, to “act like a human being” and to be playful. Often, “everyone too much formal,” he said,  “That is self-torture.” Related article Finding your own personal totem And though he knows he must respect those leaders, despite “no word, no movement” from them, he has sometimes developed “a strange thinking” and often hopes something unexpected will happen to make that leader act more “like a human being.” “I had this experience (in) 1954 when I was in Peking,” His Holiness said. “Some Indian ambassador, he call on me, come to my room, then as usual, some Chinese foreign ministries officials come. “Everyone too much formal like that,” he said then mimed being stiff. “Then somehow they brought some fruit, somehow dumped over, and then everyone acted like a human being,” he said, laughing and miming people scrambling around, as he saw them do around on the floor. His Holiness suggests everyone let themselves be playful and find the funny in life. In his book “My Spiritual Journey,” he calls himself a “professional laugher” and writes that he comes from a cheerful family that is always “amusing ourselves, teasing each other, joking. It’s our habit.” A quick laugh and an ability to see humor in daily situations and to be playful have been shown to help adults lower stress levels, both for themselves and for those around them, studies show. By being playful and using humor, people also become more observant and more empathetic. They are often bored less, they learn more, they have more friends, and studies show that people who are willing to let out their playful side tend to have a better sense of all-around well-being. See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. His Holiness believes that no matter how difficult your life may be, this approach will bring you something much deeper. “Thinking only of the negative aspect doesn’t help to find solutions and it destroys peace of mind,” he writes. “I love smiles, and my wish is to see more smiles, real smiles. … If we want those smiles, we must create the reasons that make them appear.”


South Africa issued a diplomatic protest to the United States Monday over President Donald Trump’s “shithole countries” comments, according to its foreign ministry. South African diplomats also met with the US Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires Monday to express their concerns. In a statement, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) didn’t specifically mention the vulgarity but said it was concerned about “statements that were allegedly made by President Donald Trump” concerning African nations. DIRCO noted South Africa’s contributions to the United States and said international reactions “clearly serve as a united affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora.” The statement also noted that Monday was Martin Luther King Day in the United States. The US Embassy and its top diplomat responded by saying, “there has been no change in the United States’ dedication to our partners across the Continent” and that “the United States deeply respects the people of Africa and … South Africa,” according to the DIRCO statement. No US reaction to the meeting was immediately available. Related article World wonders if Trump is eroding US 'moral authority' During an Oval Office meeting on immigration Thursday, Trump expressed frustration with people coming to the United States from countries in Africa and elsewhere, sources told CNN. Trump on Friday denied describing certain nations in such vulgar terms, tweeting: “The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used.” He also defended himself Sunday night, telling reporters he is “not a racist.” Prior to the meeting at the US Embassy in Pretoria, the South African Department of International Relations issued a statement, saying “The Department will provide an opportunity to the Charges de Affaires to explain the statement that African countries, alongside Haiti and El Salvador, constitute ‘shitholes’ from where migrants into the United States are undesirable.” Trump decries immigrants from ‘shithole countries’ coming to USWhy people come to the US from Trump’s ‘shithole’ countriesTrump’s other insensitive comments on race, ethnicityAnalysis: Trump’s ‘shithole’ remark was a shocker, but hardly a departureOpinion: Trump’s outrageous remark shows his affinity for the worst of America’s pastTrump had promised to be a ‘champion’ of Haitian-AmericansCNN’s Cuomo: ‘We come from the shitholes’Lawmakers condemn Trump’s ‘shithole’ remarkHaitian-American GOP congresswoman demands Trump apologizeCillizza: Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment is his new rock bottom Trump decries immigrants from ‘shithole countries’ coming to USWhy people come to the US from Trump’s ‘shithole’ countriesTrump’s other insensitive comments on race, ethnicityAnalysis: Trump’s ‘shithole’ remark was a shocker, but hardly a departureOpinion: Trump’s outrageous remark shows his affinity for the worst of America’s pastTrump had promised to be a ‘champion’ of Haitian-AmericansCNN’s Cuomo: ‘We come from the shitholes’Lawmakers condemn Trump’s ‘shithole’ remarkHaitian-American GOP congresswoman demands Trump apologizeCillizza: Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment is his new rock bottom The statement said the government noted Trump’s denial that this exact language was used but said it “has noted further that President Trump’s denial was not categorical, referring only to Haiti and not addressing the entirety of the statement attributed to him.” “South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union and the Africa group of Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York. Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora.” Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein told CNN that the top US diplomats in South Africa and Ghana had been summoned to meet with the governments on Monday. The governments of Haiti, Botswana and Senegal also summoned US diplomats in those countries in the past few days. The State Department is expecting more diplomats to be called in this week, Goldstein said. The “President has the right to make whatever remarks he wants and we respect the President,” Goldstein said, but he noted that diplomats had been instructed to “reaffirm that the US remains committed to its relationships with these countries and cares deeply about their people.” “They will have to work extra hard to send that message right now, but that’s part of their responsibility. It doesn’t change what they do,” Goldstein said. State Department officials said diplomats have been advised not to try to interpret or soften the President’s remarks but rather to listen and acknowledge the countries’ concerns. The envoys have been instructed to emphasize areas of shared cooperation, which transcend any comments that may have been made by the President, officials said. The African Union, a group representing the continent’s countries, and African ambassadors to the United Nations Friday sharply denounced Trump’s reference to African nations as “shitholes” and called on him to retract his statement and apologize. Related article African Union, African UN envoys demand Trump apology “The African Union Mission wishes to express its infuriation, disappointment and outrage over the unfortunate comment made by Mr. Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, which remarks dishonor the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity,” the African Union mission to the United States said in a blistering statement. Condemning the comments “in the strongest terms,” the AU demanded “a retraction of the comment as well as an apology, not only to the Africans, but to all people of African descent around the globe.” African UN envoys issued a statement saying their group is “extremely appalled at, and strongly condemns the outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks attributed to the President of the United States of America.” The envoys released a joint statement Friday after an emergency meeting was held to address the issue. The group “is concerned at the continuing and growing trend from the US administration towards Africa and people of African descent to denigrate the continent and people of color,” it said. Other governments in Africa have also responded angrily. The government of Botswana said it had summoned the US ambassador to the southern African nation to “express its displeasure” over Trump’s reported comments, which it views as “highly irresponsible, reprehensible and racist.” Related article 'Shame on Trump!' World reacts to Trump's 'shithole countries' remarks The government said it had also asked the United States to “clarify if Botswana is regarded as a ‘shithole’ country.” “I am shocked by the words of President Trump on Haiti and Africa,” Senegalese President Macky Sall said in an official tweet. “I reject them and condemn vigorously. Africa and the black race deserve the respect and consideration of all.” A senior official from Somalia, also on the US list of TPS nations, told CNN that Trump’s comments were unworthy of a response. “It sounds like fake news to me,” Somali Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman said by phone from Mogadishu. “If it’s real, it doesn’t need a response. Those comments do not deserve a response.” Newsmakers and ordinary citizens have also reacted on social media. South Africa’s best known morning-news anchor Leanne Manas tweeted Friday: “Good morning from the greatest most beautiful ‘shithole country’ in the world!!!” David McKenzie reported from Johannesburg and Susannah Cullinane wrote from Auckland, New Zealand. CNN’s Nicole Gaouette, Stephen Collinson, James Griffiths and Laura Smith-Spark also contributed to this report.


Editor’s Note: Michael Kugelman is deputy director and senior associate for South Asia with the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center. The views expressed here are his own. US President Trump considering whether to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan Kugelman: 'Reconciliation won't come easily or quickly, but it's still worth pursuing' In recent days, with Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgency continuing to gain steam and America’s longest war staggering through its 16th year, analysts have started invoking the v-word (and it’s not “victory”). Vietnam is a sadly apt analogy. Indeed, just as they did in Vietnam 50 years ago, US troops in Afghanistan are fighting a costly, intractable, and unending conflict against a relentlessly resilient asymmetric foe. However, it’s not a perfect analogy. The Vietnam War provoked impassioned debate back home, but Americans are hardly discussing the war in Afghanistan. It’s completely off the radar. It’s high time we talk about this forgotten war, and especially with the Trump administration considering a new policy that would escalate US military involvement. Escalation would be a mistake, and it would further prolong a conflict that can’t be won. Vietnam War: How they saw it from both sides of the divide The proposed strategy, according to the Washington Post, would deploy more military force against the Taliban to pressure it to come to the negotiating table. The problem with the White House plan is that we’ve tried it before, during the troop surge in 2010 and 2011, and it didn’t work – even with the withering firepower of 100,000 soldiers unleashed on the Taliban. One may reasonably argue that the warfighting capacities of Afghan security forces have improved considerably in recent years, and that these better-trained servicemen, aided by US troops, will have more success tackling the Taliban this time around. And yet, to assume that more robust military force alone will put the Taliban on the defensive is to badly underestimate the group’s strength and to underappreciate the many different sources of that strength. The Taliban leadership has safe havens in neighboring Pakistan, and insurgencies never die so long as they enjoy cross-border sanctuaries. The Taliban has also received periodic military support from Tehran. With U.S.-Iran relations having taken a tumble since President Trump took office, such support could intensify. Moscow, according to the US military, is now funneling aid to the Taliban as well. Additionally, the Afghan government is an unwitting source of strength for the Taliban. The weak and dysfunctional administration in Kabul is hampered by corruption and personal animosities and is hard-pressed to carry out even the most basic of tasks – much less craft a formal counterinsurgency policy. Related video Commander: MOAB bomb intended to kill ISIS Meanwhile, the arrival of ISIS in Afghanistan has enabled the Taliban to project itself as a softer, more palatable alternative to the savagery of ISIS. All of this increases the Taliban’s appeal and helps boost recruitment. The Taliban, like all effective insurgent groups, knows how to win hearts and minds. The takeaway is that the war in Afghanistan can’t be won. But it need not be lost either, so long as the option remains of pursuing a negotiated end to the war. Admittedly, this makes for the tallest of orders; the Taliban’s battlefield successes give it little incentive to stop fighting. And yet, pursuing reconciliation is the only option, short of a complete US military withdrawal from Afghanistan – a drastic move that would fulfill one of the Taliban’s preconditions for peace talks, but could also lead to spectacular Taliban battlefield gains and increase the possibility that international terrorists would once again use Afghanistan as a base to plan attacks. This is why withdrawal is likely a non-starter for Washington. Reconciliation must be Plan A, B, and C. Big battlefield triumphs against the Taliban, despite what the White House suggests, aren’t prerequisites for launching a reconciliation process. What’s needed instead is a patient, sustained diplomatic strategy that addresses key questions: What will it take to get the Taliban talking to Kabul? What type of concessions would Kabul be willing to make? Should Washington negotiate directly with the Taliban? Who else should be involved? Related article Afghan warlord returns to Kabul after nearly 20 years Unfortunately, such a strategy is best led by a State Department sidelined by an administration seemingly bent on outsourcing Afghanistan policy to the military (the White House reportedly wants the Pentagon to make final troop number decisions). The risk of a securitized Afghanistan policy is that military strategy will dominate policy discussions and leave critical considerations about reconciliation in the lurch. President Trump says he wants to start winning again in Afghanistan. However, he’s better off thinking about negotiating than winning. As a businessman who relishes the art of the deal, that shouldn’t be a hard sell. Accordingly, the president should ensure that his Afghanistan policy includes a reconciliation strategy, overseen by diplomats, that maps out a political plan for how Kabul – with US assistance – can pursue a deal with the Taliban. Reconciliation won’t come easily or quickly, but it’s still worth pursuing. Recall how Colombia, after decades of insurgency and a difficult negotiation process, finally reached a deal last year (albeit a fragile one) to end its long-running conflict. The Colombia model offers inspiration for Afghanistan – and a more hopeful analogy than Vietnam.


Editor’s Note: This story was first published last February. The USS Pueblo was seized by North Korea off the coast of the Korean Peninsula on January 23, 1968 A US judge previously awarded over $60 million in damages to USS Pueblo crew members in a 2008 lawsuit Survivors of the USS Pueblo are suing North Korea, 50 years after the American spy ship was seized off the Korean Peninsula and its crew held hostage and tortured for 11 months. More than 100 crew members and relatives have joined a lawsuit, filed in February 2018 in a federal court under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows victims to sue state sponsors of terrorism for torture, hostage-taking, personal injury or death. North Korea will almost certainly not respond to the lawsuit, and plaintiffs are unlikely to be able to recover funds directly from Pyongyang, but if successful they will be eligible for relief from a US government fund set up to support victims of terrorism. US President Donald Trump named North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism in November, after it was removed from the list in 2008 by President George W Bush, re-opening the window to litigation against Pyongyang under the 1976 Act. “Our clients are seeking to hold North Korea accountable for the unspeakable acts committed against the crew of the USS Pueblo more than 50 years ago and the impact it has had on them and their families since then,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers said in a statement. “Even though they can’t get back that nearly entire year of their lives, they hope this case will finally bring closure to that horrible chapter.” The Pueblo was seized by North Korea while it was in international waters off the coast of the Korean Peninsula on January 23, 1968. After a tense standoff in which they desperately radioed for assistance that never came, the 83 crew members were transported to the North Korean port of Wonsan and later to a detention center near Pyongyang. There they remained for 11 months as tensions on the peninsula ratcheted up to the extent that US generals drew up a potential nuclear strike plan, eventually opening negotiations with the North Koreans at the so-called Panmunjom “peace village,” on the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. After months of talks, the US agreed to sign a North Korean-drafted apology and the men were released across the DMZ. Speaking to CNN last month, USS Pueblo crew member Stu Russell described their eventual release as the “greatest day” of his life, but he said many of the others were “completely out of it, almost completely devoid of emotion after suppressing our feelings and thoughts for months.” “We were beaten down so far, and trying to come up,” said Russell, who is a party to the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, the experience of their captivity – which included regular beatings and torture, malnourishment and general ill treatment – left many of the men with “severe and lasting or permanent physical injuries and disfigurement and psychological harm.” It also details the “mental anguish, pain and suffering” caused to the families of the crew, as they waited anxiously for news of their loved ones for 11 months and dealt with the after effects of North Korean abuse. The 104 plaintiffs in the new case are seeking at least $600 million in damages, or around $5.7 million each. Many of the crew are now advanced in age, and still dealing with health problems as a result of their capture and the resulting medical expenses. The new case, “John Doe A-1 et al. v. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” follows a successful lawsuit in 2008 brought by three members of the crew, William Thomas Massie, Dunnie Richard Tuck and Donald Raymond McClarren, and Rose Bucher, wife of the Pueblo’s late commander, Lloyd Bucher. In that case, the court awarded the three surviving crew members $16.75 million each, and Bucher’s estate $12.5 million for the abuse suffered during capture and the “physical and mental harm that (they) likely will continue to endure throughout the rest of their lives.” North Korea did not respond to that lawsuit, and while it had been initially hoped the plaintiffs could recover damages from North Korean funds seized or frozen under international sanctions, this proved impossible. However, last year the four were successful in arguing their eligibility for a relief under a $1.1 billion dollar fund established by the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act, which can be awarded to people who have “secured final judgments in a United States district court against a state sponsor of terrorism.” The fund was originally designed to compensate the 53 Americans held hostage in Iran for 444 days between November 1979 and January 1981. They received $4.4 million each in 2015. According to their lawyers, the four Pueblo plaintiffs were awarded $9 million collectively from the fund in October 2017.


Tropical Storm Franklin is strengthening over the Caribbean Sea, menacing Mexico with storm warnings and a hurricane watch issued for the Yucatan peninsula. The government of Mexico has issued a hurricane watch for part of the eastern peninsula from Chetumal to Punta Allen. Track the storm here The National Hurricane Center said Franklin lay about 265 miles (425 km) east of Belize City at 5 a.m ET Monday and was expected to pass well north of Honduras to bring storm conditions to the peninsula by the afternoon. “Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast until the center reaches the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula, and Franklin could be near hurricane strength by the time landfall occurs this evening. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) from the center,” the center’s advisory said. The government of Mexico has issued a #Hurricane Watch for #Franklin from Chetumal northward to Punta Allen.  More: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/48CtNjrbsf Tropical storm conditions were expected for the area from Chetumal to Campeche and could also affect Belize City north to the border of Mexico and for Campeche to Sabancuy, where a watch was in place. “Interests elsewhere around the Bay of Campeche should monitor the progress of this system,” the NHC said. Franklin could also bring rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated amounts of around 12 inches, that could produce life-threatening flash floods through the peninsula until Wednesday, it warned. Belize’s National Meteorological Service issued a small craft caution for gusty winds and rough seas near heavy showers and thunderstorms.


200 airstrikes pummel eastern Aleppo since Friday, a volunteer group says 50 people are reportedly buried in rubble in Aleppo Bloodied toddlers wail on a hospital bed. Rescuers pull a baby from rubble, unsure whether the child will survive. The latest videos from rebel-held eastern Aleppo purportedly show scenes from a nightmare that a joint US-Russian peace plan was supposed to resolve. Instead, there’s been more violence in Syria as diplomacy seems to have failed once again. Air raids are worse than before the ceasefire went into effect, the opposition says. Activists say the wounded children in footage from the besieged city were hit by airstrikes as the Syrian government announced a new offensive in the area. Related gallery Syria: The tragedy of Aleppo continues About 200 airstrikes have pummeled neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo since Friday morning, said Ammar al-Selmo, the head of the Syria Civil Defense group, a volunteer emergency medical service. Rescue teams are still working to extract people from the rubble, he said. Al-Selmo estimated that more than 100 people have been killed and hundreds more injured within Aleppo neighborhoods by the airstrikes. This figure does not include neighborhoods in the countryside. CNN could not immediately confirm the death toll. During a rescue operation overnight Friday into Saturday, at least five members of the Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, were injured by a nearby airstrike, al-Selmo said. One of those hurt is in critical condition. An activist with the opposition-aligned Aleppo Media Center, Mujahed Abu Aljood, told CNN on Friday that more than 60 airstrikes rained down that day. He said the center believed more than 50 people, including children, were trapped in rubble in different areas of Aleppo. “Civil defense crews are incapable of extracting them from underneath the rubble due to the intense airstrikes on the city of Aleppo,” he said. “Since midnight until now, there are eight dead people and 10 injured as a result of the airstrikes.” The AMC cited the Syria Civil Defense as saying that Russian jets were involved in an airstrike north of Aleppo; CNN has reached out to Russian authorities for comment, but has yet to receive a response. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the Syrian offensive’s airstrikes, incendiary weapons and bunker-buster bombs in densely populated places may amount to war crimes, the Ban’s spokesman said Saturday. “The secretary-general is appalled by the chilling military escalation in the city of Aleppo, which is facing the most sustained and intense bombardment since the start of the Syrian conflict,” the statement said. “The secretary-general considers this a dark day for the global commitment to protect civilians.” The secretary-general urged the international community to unite and say it will not tolerate the indiscriminate use of power weapons against civilians. Syrian rebels, meanwhile, launched a counter-offensive against government forces Saturday to try to retake the area north of the city that was lost to the government earlier in the day, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). There were conflicting reports as of late Saturday about the success of the counterattack. The fragile ceasefire that went into effect on September 12 fell apart less than a week later after US-led coalition forces struck a Syrian position, killing scores of soldiers. The US military did not dispute the strike, but characterized it as “unintentional” and relayed its “regret” to Syria through Russia. The strike has erupted in a diplomatic row between the US and Russia, the brokers of the ceasefire. After an attack on an aid convoy – which no one has admitted to carrying out – and the new fighting, the head of the United Nations acknowledged the international community’s failure. “The Syrian tragedy shames us all,” the secretary-general said. “The collective failure of the international community should haunt every member of this Council.” Speaking at the United Nations on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for an investigation of the latest violence. “It is essential to prevent the disruption of these agreements and to carry out an unbiased and impartial investigation of the incidents,” Lavrov said. Rooting out terrorism groups in Syria, he said, “is absolutely important in order to have truces and reconciliation.” The United States has pointed its finger at the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, blaming it for the breakdown of the cessation of hostilities and demanding the grounding of all military aircraft. US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Syria and Russia to end aerial bombardment of eastern Aleppo, stating there is “no chance” of peace without an end to military operations and coordination between the parties. Al-Assad on Thursday said the United States is not interested in a ceasefire, but that his government is ready and willing to commit to one. “I believe that the United States is not genuine regarding having a cessation of violence in Syria,” he told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. Read: How the world failed Syria this week The latest air strikes on Aleppo come after 20 people were killed and the city’s main water pumping station was destroyed, according to the media center. The military operation, conducted by Syrian forces, formally marked the end of the short-lived ceasefire that sought to quell violence, coordinate efforts to defeat ISIS and allow aid to enter the besieged city. The UN children’s agency said the damage Thursday to the water pumping station, plus the retaliatory closure of another serving the western part of Aleppo, left almost 2 million people in the city without access to running water. “Depriving children of water puts them at risk of catastrophic outbreaks of waterborne diseases and adds to the suffering, fear and horror that children in Aleppo live through every day,” said Hanaa Singer, UNICEF’s representative in Syria. UNICEF announced early Sunday local time that water was again flowing in the western part of the city, although the pumping station in the eastern section still needed repairs. #Aleppo update: Good news. Water is now flowing again in the western part of the city. Pumping station for the East still needs repairs. Syria’s military announced the “start” of military operations in eastern Aleppo, warning residents to keep away from specific sites and centers of “armed terrorist groups,” according to state-run news agency SANA. Activists say allied Russian forces have participated in the strikes, though Moscow has not confirmed its involvement. An airstrike on Monday destroyed a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) aid convoy in Urum al-Kubra, west of Aleppo, prompting the United Nations to halt its aid operations in Syria. Russia denied carrying out the strike, instead charging that the convoy was hit by a “terrorists’ pickup truck carrying a large-caliber mortar,” according to Russian state news agency Tass. A convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid did reach the besieged town of al-Muadamiyah in the Damascus countryside, a UN spokesperson told CNN on Thursday. It’s an interagency humanitarian effort of the United Nations and SARC, carrying aid for 7,000 people, according to a tweet from the SARC. Syrians in eastern Aleppo and other besieged cities and towns are facing a dire shortage of food, medicine and other supplies. The country’s civil war, which is in its sixth year, has so far claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people and sparked a refugee crisis, according to the United Nations. CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh, Ben Wedeman, Steve Visser, Roba Alhenawi and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.


Space lab is a precursor to a 20-ton space station China is pressing ahead with ambitious space plans China has launched its second space lab, taking one step further in Beijing’s plan to establish a permanent space station. A Long March 2F rocket blasted off successfully at 10:04 p.m. local time Thursday (10:04 a.m. ET) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert carrying the lab known as Tiangong-2, which translates to “heavenly vessel,” according to state media China Central Television. Once in space, the Tiangong-2 will maneuver itself into orbit roughly 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) above the Earth, CCTV reported. A spacecraft will ferry a two-man crew to the lab in October – China’s first manned mission since 2013. The astronauts will remain in the lab for a month, where they will be carrying out experiments related to medicine, physics and biology. It’s China’s longest mission yet. The Tiangong-2 and its predecessor, Tiangong-1, are prototypes for China’s ultimate goal – a permanent 20-ton space station, which is expected to launch after 2020. “Tiangong is a precursor test bed of capabilities; building toward the large space station has always been the culminating goal of the Shenzhou program,” said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the US Naval War College specializing in space programs and space security. The Chinese space station is expected to be sent into orbit just as the US-led International Space Station goes out of service – making China potentially the only country with a permanent space presence. European astronauts are already said to be learning Chinese in anticipation. Since 2011, the US Congress has barred NASA from contact with China’s space program because of national security fears. China’s ‘Cape Canaveral’Next space superpower?Giant telescope hunts for aliensMoon’s dark side to be exploredTop astronaut wants cooperationChina plans Mars roverPhotos show moon’s surfaceChina’s space raceHow astronauts prepare China’s ‘Cape Canaveral’Next space superpower?Giant telescope hunts for aliensMoon’s dark side to be exploredTop astronaut wants cooperationChina plans Mars roverPhotos show moon’s surfaceChina’s space raceHow astronauts prepare “Chinese politicians certainly have wanted to work with the United States in space, to show they are an accepted part of the international family of space-faring nations, but with their own space station forthcoming and international partners other than the US willing and lining up to work with them, that imperative decreases,” Johnson-Freese said. China was late to the space race – it didn’t send its first satellite into space until 1970 – just after the United States put the first man on the moon. But in the decades since, China has pumped enormous amounts of money and resources into research and training. Future plans include sending a robotic probe to Mars and a potential manned mission to the moon. “If the US does not change its policies very soon and begin to work with China in space, it will lose whatever leverage it might have in shaping Chinese space plans for the future, ” Johnson-Freese said.