From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David DeForest reporting.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Monday, banning for four months entry to the U.S. by all refugees. It would also bar for three months entry to people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

John Kelly is the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security. "Today's executive order, which President Trump signed this morning, will make America more secure, and address long overdue concerns about the security of our immigration system."

The administration's first such measure was blocked by U.S. courts.

Among the most notable changes is the exclusion of Iraqis from the list of banned travelers.

The order also removes a provision indefinitely barring Syrian refugees from the U.S. Also removed is language giving preference to "religious minorities."

Reaction - pro and con - is following mostly along party lines.

White House aides Monday defended President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claim that former President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on Mr. Trump's telephones during the presidential campaign.

A spokeswoman said the president was unwilling to accept an assertion by FBI Director James Comey that Mr. Obama did not order any illegal wiretap on Mr. Trump.

Iranian vessels came within 550 meters of a U.S. Navy ship Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz. Navy officials say it was an "unprofessional and unsafe" encounter that forced the U.S. [state] ship, rather, to change directions.

Syrian fighters have taken control of the only major road linking Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group, and Deir Ezzor province, which is partially now under control of the militants.

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The Italian Coast Guard said Sunday rescuers have recently picked up about 500 migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya. It says almost 1,300 have landed at ports in Sicily.

The migration is due to worsening conditions in Libya.

The United Nations says South Sudan's government is blocking food aid and restricting United Nations peacekeepers. The information is found in a confidential report by the U.N. secretary-general and a statement by a top official.

The U.N. says the South Sudanese government is impeding efforts to get food to people facing starvation.

The U.S. Defense Department is calling North Korea's latest missile launch a "very serious threat" and says it is taking steps to increase defenses against the missiles.

Meanwhile, North Korea says the current U.S.-South Korean military exercises are driving the region toward what it calls "nuclear disaster."

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a long phone call on Monday about strategic threats posed by Iran.

Mr. Netanyahu has been a vocal opponent of the nuclear agreement signed between Iran and major world powers.

The two leaders on Monday also discussed the recent wave of anti-Semitic incidents across the U.S.

Germany's foreign minister stressed the need to normalize what he called a "highly strained" relationship with Turkey. Sigmar Gabriel made the remarks as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, has condemned remarks by Turkey's president accusing Germany of what he called "Nazi practices" days after a local authority prevented a Turkish minister from addressing a rally.

On Monday, Altmaier called Erdogan's remarks "absolutely unacceptable."

A United Nations court has referred Turkey to the Security Council for failing to release a judge imprisoned for suspected involvement in last year's failed coup.

The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals had given Turkey until February 14 to release Aydin Sefa Akay. He is a judge who was due to hear a request for the case of a Rwandan genocide convict to be reopened.

Pakistan says overnight attacks from across the Afghan border have killed five soldiers and ten militants.

A military statement said Monday terrorists stormed three border posts in the Mohamand tribal area in an area adjacent to Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province.

Pakistan repeated a call for Afghanistan to boost security on its side of the border.

Taking a brief look at markets, on Wall Street, U.S. stock indexes were down at the close of trade today. European markets were also lower.

In Washington, I'm David DeForest.

That's the latest world news from VOA.