PENTAGON WANTS TO TRY AGAIN WITH SYRIAN PROGRAM THAT TRAINED 150 FIGHTERS FOR $384 MILLION

The U.S. military has requested permission from the administration to restart a halted program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels, the top commander in the Middle East said Tuesday.

“I’ve asked for permission to restart the effort by using a different approach,” Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom), told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a hearing.

The $500 million..

80 PERCENT COAL PLANTS IN 2015’S ELECTRICITY RETIREMENTS

In the US, electricity demand is growing very slowly, which means that capacity additions don’t have to exceed retirements by much in order to keep the grid functioning. Tracking the comings and goings from the electric grid can help provide a picture of the country’s changing energy mix.

PRIZNO AGREEMENT: ALL-PARTY AGREEMENT STILL NEEDED, SAY EP MEDIATORS

Members of the European Parliament Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, SI), Richard Howitt (S&D, UK) and Eduard Kukan (EPP, SK), EP mediators for the 15 July 2015 Przino Agreement, after talks with all parties in Skopje, take note of the vote of the Macedonian parliament to set a new date to hold parliamentary elections on 5 June 2016 but insist all-party agreement remains essential to fulfil all elements of the agreement which can put the country back on track towards the Euro-Atlantic perspective.

Mr Vajgl, Howitt and Kukan issued the following statement today:

Obama to make ‘historic’ Cuba visit

US President Barack Obama will pay a landmark visit to Cuba next month to enhance ties with the former Cold War adversary, the White House says.

 The White House, making the announcement on Thursday, said Obama is set to visit Cuba on March 21 and 22 to be the first US president stepping foot on the Island to peruse a historic thaw after nearly a century. The last sitting US president to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

Galatasaray draws 1-1 with Lazio in Europa League

Turkish football heavyweight Galatasaray drew 1-1 with Italian club Lazio late Thursday in Istanbul in UEFA Europa League.

Sabri Sarioglu scored for Galatasaray at the 12th minute and just nine minutes after Lazio replied with Savic's goal for the Italian side.

Turkey continues to shell PYD positions in Syria's Azaz

Turkish military is continuing to shell PYD positions in Syria’s Azaz district located in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Turkish security sources confirmed to Anadolu Agency Thursday.

PYD is the Syrian affiliate of the terrorist PKK organization, which has targeted security forces as well as civilians in Turkey since 1984.

The latest round of shelling comes a day after a deadly bomb attack killed 28 people and injured dozens others in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Juncker ‘confident’ of deal to avoid British EU exit

British Prime Minister David Cameron has declared he is “battling for Britain” as he arrived at a crucial Brussels summit to discuss his country’s future in the European Union.

Cameron is hoping to secure an agreement from 27 other European heads of state and government on his renegotiation of Britain’s membership terms.

“We have got some important work to do today and tomorrow and it’s going to be hard.