Russia says jet ' near border with Syria
Military official says fighter jets destroyed plane after it violated the Turkey’s airspace
Turkey says its fighter jets have shot down a warplane near the Syrian border after it violated Turkey’s airspace.
The jet was warned 10 times in the space of five minutes over airspace violations before it was shot down by F-16 fighter jets, the Turkish military said in a statement.
Presidential sources said the plane was a Russian-made SU-24. Russia’s defence ministry said the downed fighter jet was Russian and did not violate Turkish airspace, the RIA news agency reported.
Footage from private broadcaster Habertürk TV showed a warplane going down in flames in a woodland area, a long plume of smoke trailing behind it. The plane crashed in an area known by Turks as “Turkmen Mountain” in northern Syria near the border, Habertürk said.
Opinion: Belgian charm can't make up for incompetence
Brussels has been on lockdown for several days, but nothing has come of it so far. And that is no surprise: If Belgium's authorities are known for one thing, it's incompetence, DW's Max Hofmann writes.
You have to put up with a lot in Brussels: the architectural eyesores, the permanent traffic jams, the garbage on the streets, the nonstop rain in autumn. But, then, there are umbrellas and there is the oft-cited charm that covers up a multitude of this odd and lively city's sins. The problem is, charm alone never caught any terrorists .
It's now the third day in a row that a giant "closed" sign seems to be hanging over the capital of Europe: no subways, no big events, no school. The people of Brussels have abandoned their everyday activities, preferring to stay at home - far away from their windows, of course, as per the authorities' instructions. They're hoping that the police and the military will be able to prevent a "serious and imminent attack," according to the government.
But it's a mystery to me why anyone should have faith in Belgium's authorities. Even before the district of Molenbeek became known across Europe as a haven for extremists, the police of this "charming" country were known for being arbitrary and incompetent. One of the most notorious examples of shameful failure was their botched investigation into Marc Dutroux, a barbaric pedophile whose crimes shocked all of Europe 20 years ago.
Australian anti-Islam protests use ‘Paris’ as rallying cry
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra… On Sunday, all these Australian cities were hit by anti-Islam rallies, each of which was countered by anti-racism protests. During these tense standoffs, the anti-Islam side used the recent terrorist attacks in Paris as a rallying cry for their cause.
“Reclaim Australia” is a campaign that has already organised several rallies throughout Australia to protest what they call the ‘encroachment’ of Islam. According to their website, they want the “freedom to be ‘Australian’” and notably ask that the country get rid of halal food certifications. Their earlier protests were marred by violence, and the latest batch was no exception: in Melbourne, where the Reclaim Australia protesters were also demonstrating against the building of a mosque, three men were arrested for possessing a weapon, and two others for riotous behaviour. Earlier during the week, a Melbourne man who claimed to have links with the movement was charged with illegally possessing tasers and a bomb-making manual.
“Reclaim Australia” is a campaign that has already organised several rallies throughout Australia to protest what they call the ‘encroachment’ of Islam. According to their website, they want the “freedom to be ‘Australian’” and notably ask that the country get rid of halal food certifications. Their earlier protests were marred by violence, and the latest batch was no exception: in Melbourne, where the Reclaim Australia protesters were also demonstrating against the building of a mosque, three men were arrested for possessing a weapon, and two others for riotous behaviour. Earlier during the week, a Melbourne man who claimed to have links with the movement was charged with illegally possessing tasers and a bomb-making manual.
North Korea's No.2 believed banished by Kim Jong Un
Updated 0706 GMT (1506 HKT) November 24, 2015
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is believed to have "banished" his presumed number two from Pyongyang for "re-education," according to a South Korean lawmaker.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told the country's Parliament in a briefing Tuesday that they believe Choe Ryong Hae was sent to a farm in the North Korean countryside in early November, Shin Kyung-min, a lawmaker who was present during the briefing, told CNN Tuesday.
The reason for his exile is not known but the NIS said it may be because of differences of opinion with Kim, or because of the poor quality of construction of the Baekdusan Power Plant, said to be part of Choe's remit.
Choe is believed to be North Korea's point person on China after he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, acting as Kim's envoy.
Choe also made a surprise visit to South Korea in October last year for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games.
Speculation has surrounded Choe's whereabouts for several weeks after he was not named as part of a funeral committee for a marshal in North Korea's military.
Refugees sew lips in Greece-Macedonia border protest
Refugees stranded by recent decision by Balkan nations to screen refugees by country, not merit, go on hunger strike.
A group of refugees stranded at the Greece-Macedonia border have launched a hunger strike in protest against a filtering system by some Balkans countries which began days ago, rejecting those classed as "economic migrants".
The hunger strikers at the Idomeni border crossing are among thousands of asylum seekers now trapped at borders.
Images have been posted on social media showing several refugees, reportedly including Iranians and Kurds, sewing each other's lips shut with nylon and a needle.
Amid a sit-in attended by fellow asylum seekers, they protested against measures enacted on November 17 by four Balkan governments led by Slovenia, which blocked refugees that could not prove citizenship from Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq.
China slams UN for 'irresponsible' criticism of deportations
China on Monday accused the United Nations of making "irresponsible remarks" in its recent criticism of China, Thailand and Vietnam over deportations, insisting none of those deported were refugees.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), had on Friday told reporters that Thailand had deported two recognised Chinese refugees who had been due for resettlement in a third country.
Pointing to allegations of widespread torture in Chinese police custody, Shamdasani urged Thailand to stop deporting people, including potential refugees, to countries where they could face "an imminent risk of grave human rights violations".
But Beijing's mission to the UN in Geneva insisted the Chinese pair were not refugees.
No comments:
Post a Comment