WASHINGTON, February 5. /TASS/. The Senate of the US Congress on Tuesday approved a bill imposing sanctions on Syria and its allies, including Russia and Iran, according to a live broadcast of the session by the C-SPAN TV channel.

5 Feb 2019; DW: Germany's economy minister, Peter Altmaier, on Tuesday officially launched a controversial plan aimed at developing the country's industrial sector and increasing its international competitiveness in technology and innovation.

Though it was the first time Altmaier fully detailed the "National Industry Strategy 2030," some key points had previously been revealed to the German media the previous week, prompting the minister to take the defensive against claims of protectionism and intrusive state intervention.

BRUSSELS, February 5. /TASS/. The growing risk of an accidental nuclear war is the main threat stemming from the looming demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), a diplomat from one of the European countries’ missions to NATO told TASS on Tuesday.

"A new arms race is not the main consequence of the INF Treaty’s demise. The growing risk of an accidental nuclear war is the real threat," he said.

5 Feb 2019; DW: Members of the Taliban have sat down with prominent Afghan politicians, including women, in an attempt to find a solution to nearly two decades of conflict. The sidelined president, Ashraf Ghani, isn't thrilled.

Members of the Taliban and high-ranking Afghan politicians opposed to President Ashraf Ghani outlined their future visions for the country in Moscow on Tuesday.

Both sides are trying to end 17 years of war that began in the aftermath of the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. Underwater trials of a power unit of Russia’s nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) Poseidon confirmed its previously declared unlimited range and maximum speed of over 200 kmph, a Russian defense industry source has told TASS.

"During the at-sea trials of the unmanned vehicle’s power unit, the previously declared specifications of its unlimited range of use and speed of over 200 kmph were confirmed," the source said.

LONDON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to Brussels on Thursday to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for further talks on Brexit concessions despite repeated public statements by the European Union that the Brexit deal reached earlier by London and Brussels will not be renegotiated.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations for the exchange of prisoners in the Yemen civil war began in Jordanian capital of Amman on Tuesday and talks on demilitarizing in and around the key Red Sea port city of Hodeidah are progressing, a UN spokesman said.

Also, retired Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert, temporary chairman of the Hodeidah talks that are being held on a ship berthed in the port was replaced Tuesday evening by Michael Lollesgaard of Denmark, said the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric.

CARACAS, February 6. /TASS/. The deep political crisis in Venezuela won’t spill into an armed conflict in the country and claims about that have been exaggerated, political analyst and consultant in Venezuela Dimitris Pantulas told TASS.

"Civil war between the opposition and Chavists [supporters of left-wing ideology of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez - TASS] is highly unlikely," the expert said. The reason is very simple: the authorities are using only electoral support, let’s say, they don’t have a political movement that Chavez had."

CARACAS, February 5. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has urged Western states to remove sanctions on the South American country instead of sending humanitarian aid there if they want to help Venezuelans.

"At first they [Western states] block our billions of dollars and then they say that they want to send humanitarian assistance. If you want to help Venezuela, then stop the blockade and lift the sanctions," Maduro said, according to the Foreign Ministry’s Twitter.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The governor of New Mexico ordered the withdrawal of the majority of the state’s National Guard troops from the U.S. border with Mexico on Tuesday, in a move that challenges President Trump’s description of a security crisis.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the partial withdrawal shortly before Trump’s State of the Union address. Her Republican predecessor deployed National Guard troops to the border in April 2018 at Trump’s suggestion, and 118 remained there before Tuesday’s reversal.

ZAGREB, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Greece will support Croatia's entry into the Schengen area as soon as possible, and next year will be crucial when Croatia assumes the EU Presidency, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said here on Tuesday as he started a two-day official visit to Croatia.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic stressed Greece's significant role in managing the migration crisis, saying it plays the role of Europe's first border guard.

LONDON; 06 Feb 2019; AA: A demonstration was held outside the Chinese embassy in London on Tuesday against China’s human rights violations against the Turkic Uighur minority in the country’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region, also referred to as East Turkestan.