Latest relevant world news - Overview

Battle for Mosul: Direct Iraqi assault targets ISIL - Al Jazeera

Troops approach Gogjali neighbourhood but run into resistance from ISIL fighters who have controlled Mosul since 2014. 

Trump avoided potentially hundreds of millions in taxes in way even his own lawyers considered questionable - The Independent

'He deducted somebody else’s losses. He is double dipping big time'

Far-right Wilders skips hate speech trial in Amsterdam - DW

Geert Wilders stayed home as his trial began in  Amsterdam on charges of hate speech and incitement of violence. His  far-right Freedom Party could double its seats in the lower house of the  Dutch parliament in March.

Giving ex-prisoners psychiatric drugs leads to huge cut in re-offending rates, study finds - The Independent

Treatment with antipsychotic drugs brought a 42 per cent  reduction in the rate of re-offending, and a similar effect was seen  with other treatments 

ISIL's blazing trail of destruction in Qayyara - Al Jazeera

Amid their retreat from the Iraqi town, ISIL fighters lit oil wells ablaze, blanketing the area in suffocating smoke.

'We will not surrender,' says Turkey's 'Cumhuriyet' newspaper after detentions - DW

A Turkish opposition newspaper has vowed not to remain  silent after several executive staff members were detained in police  raids. The crackdown has been sharply criticized by Western politicians.

Central African Republic: 20,000 stranded at UN base - Al Jazeera

Humanitarian workers suspend relief efforts amid renewed fighting between militia groups, putting thousands at risk.

Brexit latest: Manufacturing price input cost rises hit 69-month high - The Independent

Purchase price inflation was the highest since 2010 and the fourth-highest reading since the survey began in 1992 

BPs profits halved as low prices hurt oil companies - The Independent

Earnings have fallen for nine consecutive quarters, piling pressure on chief executive Bob Dudley to cut spending and sell assets whilst still maintaining future growt

Saudi Arabia appoints Bahraini judge involved in Arab Spring crackdown to investigate alleged war crimes in Yemen - The Independent

Military lawyer Mansour Al-Mansour presided over the prosecutions of hundreds of peaceful protesters and has been criticised by international rights groups 

Venezuela's Maduro and opponents to continue talk - Al Jazeera

New meeting next month on agenda following Vatican-mediated conference, with opposition reconsidering planned protests.

Russia to hold military drills in the Balkans to coincide with Nato exercises - The Independent

Armed exercise will involve 150 Russian paratroopers, 50 air force staffers, three transport planes and an unspecified number of troops from Serbia and Belarus

Donald Trump's companies destroyed emails in defiance of court orders - The Independent

The company's tactics have enraged judges, prosecutors, opposing lawyers and the many ordinary citizens entangled in litigation with the Republican presidential candidate

Veteran spy alleges Russia tried to woo Trump to bring down US democracy - The Independent

'Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting and assisting Trump for at least 5 years'

Aleppo: Who controls what - Al Jazeera

Aleppo, once Syria's largest city, is an important battleground in the war with at least 250,000 besieged in the east.

Brexit: EU workers 'adding £7.3bn to Scottish economy' - The Independent

Around one in 20 workers in Scotland come from other EU countries, with patterns of employment 'markedly different' north of the border

Turkey detains top staff of Cumhuriyet daily - Al Jazeera

At least 12 Cumhuriyet employees affected by decision described by government as arising from probe launched in August.

Russia poses growing threat to stability of the UK, MI5 chief warns - The Independent

'There is high-volume activity out of sight with the cyber-threat,' warns Mr Parker

So long.