BBC在线收听下载:世界经济论坛年会在瑞士召开

Hello, I'm Mary Marshall with the BBC News.

The US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has become the first member of President Trump's cabinet to be questioned by the Special Counsel, investigating alleged Russia interference in the presidential election. The BBC's North America editor Jon Sopel reports. The Special Counsel is moving ever closer to the center of power. Jeff Session is the first member of Donald Trump's cabinet to be questioned. The investigators were wanted to know about contacts that Mr. Sessions had with the Russian ambassador before and after the presidential election. A subject Mr. Sessions was decidedly opaque about at his confirmation hearings. And they want to know about the sequence of events that resulted in the director of FBI James Comey being fired, and whether the President got rid of him because of the Russian investigation, something that could indicate obstruction of justice.

There are reports said Turkey's attack on the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin in northern Syria has forced about 5000 people to flee from their homes. The UN said it's heard the people will leave in border areas which seems some of the heaviest fighting in the Turkish army's latest offensive. Kurdish leaders in Afrin have meanwhile urged civilians to join the fight. Alan Johnston reports. The Kurdish administration in Afrin said it was announcing a general mobilization, calling on all Kurds to defend the region. For a fourth day, the Turks have targeted Kurdish's positions with artillery fire. The army says it is now push as far as eight kilometers into Afrin from the North. It says it is also being pressing in from the west. Meanwhile, there is a battle going on for control of a mountainous area that dominates the route into the enclave from the east. Back in Turkey, President Erdogan has attended the funeral of the first Turkish soldier killed in the campaign.

The World Economic Forum has opened in Switzerland amid warnings about the growing sway of protectionism. Addressing the opening session, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said globalization was losing ground. He suggested that politicians should become more adaptable rather than pursue isolationist policies. When he speaks in Davos this week, President Trump is expected to do defend measures to protect American industry.

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