Pentagon unveils extra funds to counter Russia

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• The US Defense Secretary has said the Pentagon will seek a 583-billion-dollar budget for next year and will reshape its spending priorities. Ashton Carter added that three-point four billion dollars of the budget will be allocated to counter what he called Russia’s aggression, and to increase US presence in Eastern Europe.
• Russia says the Western countries’ criticism of Moscow’s military intervention in Syria demonstrates that the airstrikes have been effective. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the remark during a joint presser with his Emirati counterpart. Lavrov added that Geneva talks on the Syrian crisis are of critical importance.
• Syria has slammed Turkey over its Monday cross-border shelling which killed a Syrian fighter. Damascus says the move was in flagrant violation of international law and it reserves the right to respond to the quote heinous crime with all available means. Turkey shelled an area in Syria’s northern Latakia province.
• People trapped in Turkey’s southeastern town of Jizre are still suffering under a government curfew with their access to emergency services largely curtailed. Six people trapped under a collapsed building reportedly died after teams were prevented from reaching them. Turkey says it's cracking down on the PKK supporters in the region. 
• Israeli troops have demolished over two dozen palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, calling them illegal. The forces ruined twenty four homes in the city of al-Khalil also known as Hebron, leaving at least eighty people homeless. They also razed two Palestinian homes to the ground in East Jerusalem al-Quds.
• Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, The Campaign to Stop Bombing of Yemen and Doctors Without Borders have all slammed Saudi Arabia’s recent report on its war on Yemen. The rights groups say the report lacks transparency regarding those who have perpetrated violations in Yemen.
• The French foreign minister has denied reports that Paris is pushing for military action against the Daesh terrorist group in Libya. Laurent Fabius said, however, there is pressure for military intervention against Daesh in Libya, without specifying the source of the pressure.
• Greek farmers block a highway leading to capita Athens to protest against the government’s planned tax hikes. The move clogged the road for six hours. The Greek government is trying to cut its spendings further and increase revenues in order to comply with the terms of its agreement with international lenders.

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