BBC在线收听下载:菲律宾总统60年来首次访问以色列

Hello, I'm Eileen Mchugh with the BBC News.

The US Defense Department has said it's seeking to divert three hundred million dollars in aid destined for Pakistan to other urgent priority areas after Islamabad failed to act against militant groups. Islamabad denies that it provides safe havens to militants. Here is Naresh Cossack. United States has been very frustrated with Pakistan's inability to take any action against militant groups. Some of these groups are supported, United States alleges, by the Pakistan's powerful military intelligence. If you remember, at the start of 2018, President Trump accused Pakistan of taking billions and billions of dollars of US aid, but not taking any action against the militants.

The British Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected calls for a second referendum on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, saying it would be a gross betrayal of democracy. A campaign group is calling for a public vote on the final Brexit deal. Chris Mason has more details. The Prime Minister argues that in the EU referendum, millions of people had their say and in many cases voted for the first time in decades. She writes that they trusted that their vote would count and another referendum would be a betrayal of that trust. Theresa May claims she is confident the UK will get a good deal with the EU and while a no-deal Brexit would be a challenge for some, we would get through it and go on to thrive.

The Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is due to begin a four-day visit to Israel later today, the first by a Philippine leader in more than sixty years. The trip is intended to promote commercial and military ties between the two countries. Kant Winer reports. President Duterte is one of the world's most controversial politicians, well known for his foul mouthed diatribes. Just months after taking office, he provoked anger in Israel by comparing himself favorably to Hitler. However, the Philippines has emerged as a significant new customer for Israeli military hardware with purchases totaling 21 million dollars in 2017. And there are close historical links between the two countries. During the second world war, Manila sheltered more than a thousand jews fleeing the holocaust.

World news from the BBC.