09 Feb 2019; DW: Overcoming differences between Paris and Berlin, EU diplomats reached a deal on the pipeline, placing stricter regulations on the project. France said it wanted to "ensure European control" of its own energy needs.

France and Germany have reached a compromise that will allow Berlin to remain the lead negotiator with Russia on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, European leaders confirmed on Friday.

New Delhi, Feb 8; PTI: The Prime Minister's Office was directly involved in negotiations with the French on the Rafale deal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guilty in the scam, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Friday in a fresh attack on the government over the fighter jet agreement.

It is an open and shut case, Gandhi declared, citing a report in The Hindu newspaper claiming the Defence ministry raised strong objections to "parallel discussions" conducted by the PMO during the negotiations over the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal between India and France.

Haridwar/Saharanpur, Feb 9 (PTI): The death toll in the spurious liquor tragedy that hit two adjoining districts has risen to 70 with more people dying of the hooch they drank at a Haridwar village, officials said Saturday.

Twenty-four of the victims died in Balupur and its neighbouring villages in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district, an official said.

A woman with a history of psychiatric problems has been charged with starting a fire in a Paris apartment building in which ten people died, French prosecutors said.

The Paris prosecutor said the suspect, who has been held in a police psychiatric facility since her arrest, was charged on Friday with arson "resulting in death".

Tuesday's fire on the upper floors of a building in the upscale 16th Paris district was the deadliest in the capital since 2005.

Thirty people were also hurt in the blaze, which ravaged much of the back of the building.

09 Feb 2019; DW: The outspoken Brexit campaigner has said he will stand as a candidate for the European Parliament if Britain's departure from the EU is delayed. He called Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, "the worst deal in history."

Former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader and prominent Brexit supporter Nigel Farage announced Friday that a new "Brexit Party" has been formed with his approval

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed in avalanches and landslides that hit Indian-controlled Kashmir following heavy snowfall and rains, officials said Friday.

The avalanches struck at Kokernag in Anantnag district and Jawahar tunnel in Kulgam district, while landslides were triggered in Ramban district.

All these districts lie south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

09 Feb 2019; DW: Germany's Bundeswehr has suspended a lieutenant colonel in the elite Special Forces Command (KSK) commando unit on suspicion of right-wing extremism, according to the military's counterintelligence service MAD.

"The person is already known by the MAD," a spokesperson said. "The responsible authorities have already taken disciplinary measures."

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Five juveniles have been charged with criminal homicide for Thursday's fatal shooting of a local musician outside his home in Nashville, state of Tennessee, authorities said Friday.

The investigation shows that the five were in a stolen pickup truck in an alley that runs behind the home of local musician Kyle Yorlets when they spotted him outside, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a press release.

Guwahati, Feb 8 (PTI) All Assam Students Union (AASU) members shouted slogans against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and waved black flags at Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived here Friday evening on a two-day visit to the Northeast.

The prime minister witnessed the protests when he travelled to the Raj Bhavan here, where he will spend the night, from Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.

WASHINGTON; 09 Feb 2019; AA: A UN special rapporteur for Myanmar on Friday expressed concerns over the Myanmar military constructing new bases in Rakhine state.

Yanghee Lee said she was told the Myanmar military is constructing new bases throughout the entire area and received information that civilians in Myanmar had seen troops moving through villages in Rakhine and heard gunfire nearby.

Kolkata, Feb 8 (PTI) In a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday called him "Maddy babu", who has transformed from a "chaiwala (tea-seller) to Rafalewala", and said she supported the views of the Congress on the fighter jet deal.

She also termed the Rafale deal "one of the biggest scam of the country".

WASHINGTON; 09 Feb 2019; AA: U.S. officials are considering the controversial military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to house captured suspected Daesh fighters as Washington prepares to withdraw from Syria, according to a report.

U.S. partners who have roughly 1,000 Daesh suspects in custody have warned they may not be able to continue to hold the detainees following the withdrawal.

The State Department told The Associated Press they could be transferred to Guantanamo "where lawful and appropriate.”