These are the headlines we are tracking for you in this episode of On the News Line:

Tillerson: A coup d'etat scenario?

It’s no secret that the United States is not happy with the developments in Venezuela. Washington and Caracas have been at odds for some time. But the recent comments by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have shed more light on Washington’s disruptive policy toward Venezuela. Just ahead of touring a group of Latin American countries, Tillerson hinted at the idea of a military coup against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. "In the history of Venezuela and South American countries, it is often times that the military is the agent of change when things are so bad and the leadership can no longer serve the people. Whether that will be the case here or not, I do not know."

Israel's flagrant violations

Emboldened by the unlimited support it receives from the US, the Israeli regime is pressing ahead with its efforts to promote its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. This, Israel is doing through using tourism with the aim of legalizing the townships which are all illegal under international law. The European Union has condemned Israel’s use of tourism to promote the settlements, saying Tel Aviv is bent on erasing the Palestinian culture. The EU has opposed Israel’s expansionist policies, though it’s alone in trying to pressure the regime which enjoys Washington’s support in every aspect. The question is if the bloc can exert meaningful pressure on Israel which would force it into stopping its aggression.