Turkish army and Free Syrian Army (FSA) units have taken “entire control” of Afrin city center in Syria’s northwestern Afrin district as part of the ongoing “Operation Olive Branch,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on March 18. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
The United States said it would oppose on Friday for the first time an annual resolution at the United Nations calling on Israel to rescind its authority in the occupied Golan Heights, drawing praise from Israeli officials. Source: Reuters
North Korea’s leader publicly inspected a new weapon for the first time in nearly a year, state media reported on Friday, while it also decided to release a U.S. prisoner, sending conflicting signals at a time of sensitive negotiations. Source: Reuters
At least three tankers loaded with liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russian LNG facility Yamal have arrived in the United States recently, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Source: Oil Price
