AFGHAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE TALIBAN PRISONERS AS UN BACKS PUSH TO END WARAfghan President Ashraf Ghani is preparing to release 1,500 Talibanprisoners in coming days, according to a decree viewed by Reuters onTuesday, as the United Nations backed a U.S.-led push to end Afghanistan's18-year war.The two-page decree signed by Ghani, which requires all released Talibanprisoners to provide "a written guarantee to not return to the battlefield",is aimed at paving the way for direct talks with the hardline insurgentgroup.The United States warned the Taliban that the current high level of violencewas "not conducive to advancing the peace process" after the 15-member U.N.Security Council unanimously adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution.The United States signed an agreement with the Taliban last month for aphased withdrawal of U.S.-led foreign forces if the Taliban keeps itscommitments. It also prescribed the start of talks between the insurgentsand an Afghan government delegation on a political settlement to end decadesof conflict.The prisoner release decree, which is expected to be made public later byGhani's office, said the process will begin in four days."The process of releasing 1,500 Taliban prisoners will be completed within15 days, with 100 prisoners walking out of Afghan jails every day," it said.The decree said talks between the government and the Taliban will runparallel with the prisoner release, and requires the insurgents to stick tocommitments to a reduction in violence.Taliban commanders have sent vehicles to be ready to collect the prisonersand said they will honour the deal by handing over 1,000 government troops.Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Cherith Norman Chalet said the Talibanhad taken steps to stop attacks in cities and against major bases.TURKEY VOWS STRONG MILITARY ACTION IF SYRIA TRUCE VIOLATEDTurkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Wednesday that his militarywould launch its harshest retaliation yet if the Syrian government breaks afragile truce in Idlib province brokered last week.The cease-fire arranged by Turkey and Russia-which support opposing sides inthe conflict - halted a three-month air and ground campaign by the Syriangovernment against the rebel-held province.That offensive killed hundreds and sent 1 million people fleeing toward theTurkish border.The Russian-backed Syrian government offensive made significant gains inSyria's last rebel stronghold, and Turkey sent thousands of troops acrossthe border to reinforce the rebels, leading to rare direct fighting betweenSyrian and Turkish troops."If those across from us don't keep their promise, we will never shy awayfrom advancing on them in a much more serious way than before," Erdogan saidin his weekly address to his ruling party's legislators.U.S. SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP 'REMAIN IN MEXICO' WINThe US Supreme Court handed the White House a victory on Wednesday byallowing a policy to remain in place that allows asylum seekers to be sentback to Mexico. The "Remain in Mexico" policy unveiled in December 2018 bythe Trump administration calls for non-Mexican asylum seekers to remain inMexico while their cases are being decided.Tens of thousands of asylum seekers, most of them fleeing poverty orpersecution in Central American nations, have been forced under the policyto stay in Mexico while their cases are under consideration. A federalappeals court ruled the practice illegal last month but allowed it to remainin place while the Trump administration appealed the ruling to the SupremeCourt.The Supreme Court granted a stay of the ruling by the lower court pending afull consideration of the issue. Solicitor General Noel Francisco said ifthe "Remain in Mexico" policy was struck down, then "substantial numbers ofthe up to 25,000 returned aliens who are awaiting proceedings in Mexico willrush immediately to enter the United States."A surge of that magnitude would impose extraordinary burdens on the UnitedStates and damage our diplomatic relations with the government of Mexico,"Francisco argued. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the SupremeCourt order."The Court of Appeals declared it illegal and (the Supreme Court) should aswell," the ACLU said. "Asylum seekers face grave danger and irreversibleharm every day from this policy." President Donald Trump has named twoconservative justices to the nine-member Supreme Court since taking office,and they now outnumber liberals by a five to four margin. The court hashanded the Trump administration several notable victories on immigration inthe past few months, including allowing the use of military funds to helpbuild the US-Mexico border wall.Trump, who is seeking reelection in November, has made cracking down onillegal immigration one of the cornerstones of his presidency.ISRAEL PRESIDENT SEEKS AGREEMENT AFTER 3RD STALEMATE VOTEIsraeli President Reuven Rivlin urged political leaders to seek compromiseon Wednesday, as he received official results from Israel's third stalemateelection in less than a year."Any agreement you are able to come to that produces a stable governmentthat gains the trust of the people will be welcomed," he told party heads."I am hopeful that the 23rd Knesset (parliament) that will be sworn in nextweek will last longer than its predecessors," he said, referring todeadlocked polls in April and September 2019.The final results of the March 2 poll showed right-wing Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu's Likud party gaining 29.46 per cent of the vote and 36seats in parliament.With his allies-two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and a nationalistone-Netanyahu's right-wing bloc has 58 seats, three short of a majority inthe 120-seat knesset.Centrist rival Benny Gantz's Blue and White party gained 26.59 per cent,earning 33 seats.With the support of a leftwing alliance and the tacit backing of thepredominantly Arab Joint List, which has 15 seats, he has the backing of 55lawmakers.In a repeat of the situation following the April and September votes, thenationalist Yisrael Beitenu, which won seven seats, holds the balance ofpower.Its leader Avigdor Lieberman refused to back either candidate following bothelections last year.President Rivlin, whose role is largely ceremonial, has until March 17 todesignate a candidate to form a government.He has previously supported forming a unity government and called on allsides to put aside personal interests.Netanyahu is due to face trial on March 17 over a series of corruptioncharges he denies.MYANMAR MPS REJECT BID TO ALLOW SUU KYI TO BECOME PRESIDENTMyanmar's parliament rejected on Wednesday a proposed constitutionalamendment that would have allowed the country's de facto leader, Aung SanSuu Kyi, to officially become president.The rejection had been expected because the proposal was opposed by themilitary, which under the constitution adopted when it held power, holdsenough parliamentary seats to block any constitutional change. The defeatedmotion was one of several constitutional changes proposed by Suu Kyi'sruling National League for Democracy party, with most expected to beblocked.Article 59(f) of the constitution bars a person from becoming president ifhis or her spouse or children are foreign citizens. Suu Kyi's two sons areBritish nationals, as was her late husband.The efforts to change the constitution come ahead of a general electionslated for late this year.In addition to wielding a veto over constitutional change, the militarycontrols three key ministries: defense, border and home affairs.Any constitutional change requires the approval of more than 75% of themembers of the combined houses of parliament. Members of the militaryautomatically hold 25% of the seats, and can usually also count of thesupport of a civilian opposition party allied with it, the Union Solidarityand Development Party.HARVEY WEINSTEIN SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULTIN #METOO CASEHarvey Weinstein was sentenced Wednesday to 23 years in prison for rape andsexual assault, a sight the Hollywood mogul's multitude of accusers thoughtthey would never see.Weinstein, who has been accused of violating scores of women, was convictedlast month of raping a woman in a New York City hotel room in 2013 andforcibly performing oral sex on another woman at his apartment in 2006. Hefaced a maximum of 29 years in prison.Both women that Weinstein was convicted of assaulting a once-aspiringactress and a former TV and film production assistant spoke in courtWednesday before Judge James Burke announced the sentence, confrontingWeinstein again after their testimony helped seal his conviction at thelandmark (hash)MeToo trial.Burke also heard from Weinstein's lawyers, who pleaded for leniency becauseof his age and frail health, and prosecutors, who said the man oncecelebrated as a titan of Hollywood deserved a harsh sentence that wouldaccount for allegations of wrongdoing dating to the 1970s.Harvey Weinstein told a court Wednesday that the men facing allegations inthe (hash)MeToo movement are being accused of "things that none of usunderstood," saying he was confused by the rape case that was about to puthim in prison."Thousands of men are losing due process. I'm worried about this country,"the disgraced Hollywood mogul said after two of his accusers confronted himin court.