IN BRIEF (Page 12)

China Daily | Updated: 2019-03-04 07:31

Syria

Al-Qaida militants in Syria kill IS suspects

A Syrian war monitor and a news agency of an al-Qaida-linked group said militants had shot dead eight men suspected of being members of the Islamic State group a day after a suicide bombing killed seven people in a restaurant in northwestern Syria. Friday's explosion in Idlib was the latest in a string of bombings in the city where lawlessness is rampant. Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, controlled by the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, HTS, or Levant Liberation Committee. The HTS-linked Ibaa news agency said HTS members shot dead members of IS sleeper cells on Saturday, in front of the restaurant where the attack occurred.

United Kingdom

EU offering long Brexit delay 'not possible'

British trade minister Liam Fox said on Sunday that it is not possible for the European Union to offer Britain a long delay to Brexit because of upcoming European elections. Fox said it was still "entirely possible" Britain will leave the bloc as scheduled on March 29 but an extension to the Article 50 negotiating period may be necessary in order to deliver a smooth exit. Prime Minister Theresa May has said any extension should not be beyond the end of June. Asked how he would react if the EU insisted on a much longer delay of 21 months or two years, Fox told BBC TV: "I would be shocked because I think it is actually not a possible outcome."

Ap - Reuters

(China Daily 03/04/2019 page12)