Storm in Texas and Arkansas during Thanksgiving holiday leaves at least 14 dead

A deadly storm that has caused flooding and coated parts of the southern Plains in ice during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend has dumped more rain on already swollen rivers in portions of North Texas and Arkansas and made driving dangerous in parts of Oklahoma.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 29 November 2015.

The storms had been moving through parts of the Plains and the Midwest and has resulted in at least 14 deaths, eight of them in Texas and six in Kansas.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has said that roads in the Panhandle remained slick after the slow-moving storm dropped ice and freezing rain in the region. Utilities in Oklahoma has revealed that due to the ice storms, there was power cut to more than 71,000.
The concerns in North Texas and Arkansas was flooding, with flood watches and warnings in effect regularly. In Texas, the swollen Trinity and Brazos rivers were matters of concern and worry.

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Russian airstrike in Syrian town of Ariha kills at least 40

Turkey downed two Russian fighter jets - Putin says the US leaked its flight path

Gunman attacks Colorado abortion clinic - leaves 3 dead, 9 wounded

Russian airstrike in Syrian town of Ariha kills at least 40

Russian bombing raid on the Syrian town of Ariha controlled by rebel forces has left at least 40 dead and dozens wounded. The strike had struck a popular market place in the town of Ariha situated in north-west Syria, as informed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. As per SOHR, there are at least 60 dead and the attack by Russia was in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 29 November 2015.

The town of Ariha is in Idlib province which is an area controlled by anti-government forces, including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and is not a stronghold of ISIS, which controls wide swathes of eastern Syria.
However, Russia says its airstrikes - which began at the end of September - are targeting ISIS and other 'terrorists' while the Western officials and Syrian rebels insist that most of the strikes have focused on central and northern Syria, where ISIS does not have a strong presence.
Since Russia is an ally of Bashar al-Assad, one can presume that the strikes are targeting those who have rebelled against the President.

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Gunman attacks Colorado abortion clinic - leaves 3 dead, 9 wounded

Another case of a gunman attacking innocent civilians has been revealed in Colorado Springs - police have arrested the gunman who had stormed a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs and opened fire with a rifle. The attack left three people dead and nine others injured. The dead included one police officer and two civilians. This has been informed by Colorado Springs Police Chief an hour after the suspect had been captured.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 28 November 2015.

The nine surviving victims consisting of five police officers and four civilians are reported to be out of danger and in good condition at area hospitals.
It seems the suspect had first engaged in a protracted gun battle with police but ultimately surrendered to officers inside the building about five hours after the start of the violence.
Incidentally, the Colorado Springs clinic has been the target of repeated protests by anti-abortion activists. As a result, it had shifted to new quarters on the city`s northwest side. This facility had been derided as a "fortress" by critics of Planned Parenthood.
The police have accepted that fact that progress in securing the building was slowed down because the gunman had brought "some bags" with him into the clinic and left several items outside. All of these had to be checked out for possible booby traps or explosives.

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Turkey downed two Russian fighter jets - Putin says the US leaked its flight path

Russian President Putin has accused the U.S. of being complicit in the destruction of its military jet three days ago - he has suggested that the Americans knew exactly when and where it was traveling and had divuged that to Turkey. Putin made these charges during a press conference at the Kremlin. He has said that the Russians had given prior information to the U.S. of the flight path of the plane - but the U.S. had 'leaked' the information to Turkey.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 November 2015.

The Turkish military had shot down the Russian Su-24 warplane close to the Syrian border after it had reportedly violated its airspace. Both pilots ejected from the plane and one of them was rescued by Russian special forces after he landed in the forest in rebel-held territory. The other pilot was shot dead by rebels.
Anyway, Putin's dreaded S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems that had been mobilized after the destruction of the fighter jets were being unloaded from military transports in Syria.
President Putin has vowed to join France in coordinating bombing campaigns against ISIS forces and has also agreed to share intelligence information.
Incidentally, Russia has accused Turkey of 'planned provocation' and supporting ISIS in selling human organs.
However, thee are hops that there will be closer ties between Moscow and the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition after the Paris terror attacks in spite of animosity surrounding the downed jet.

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2-million expected to fly out each day during Thanksgiving amidst terror threats

With nearly two million people traveling out every day during Thanksgiving, the United States security are on tenterhooks fearing terrorist attacks. Travelers are being warned of facing long queues at airports as they head home for Thanksgiving with fears of a terrorist attack hanging on their heads.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 25 November 2015.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates this week to be the busiest travel season in its history and the estimate of more than two million passengers expected to take a flight each day during the holiday period, it will be the highest figure since 2007.
AAA has predicted that 42 million people will travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving.
Security has already been tightened at transport hubs across the US in the wake of recent terror attacks in Paris and Mali apart from the bombing of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt.
The US State Department has already issued a worldwide travel alert for Americans due to "increased terrorist threats". This alert will remain in place until 24 February. It advises Americans to avoid large crowds or crowded places and to "exercise particular caution during the holiday season".

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Terror attacks in Paris makes the US issue global alert for its citizens

In view if the recent terror attacks in Paris and elsewhere, the US has issued a worldwide travel alert for its citizens. The instructions suggest that due to "increased terrorist threats" and with the current information suggesting that ISIL (another name for Islamic State), al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions, warnings have been issued for US citizens.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 24 November 2015.

Citing recent attacks in Denmark, France, Mali, Nigeria and Turkey, the instructions are to ensure safety because these attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests. US citizens must always be vigilant when in public places or using transportation. Americans have also been advised to avoid large crowds or crowded places and to "exercise particular caution during the holiday season".
The travel alert will be in place until 24 February and is consequent to simultaneous attacks at several locations in Paris that killed 130 people, and a hotel siege in which 19 people died in Mali.
Extremists have targeted large sporting events, theaters, open markets and aviation services and, the State Department cautions that there is a likelihood of terror attacks continuing as members of ISIL/Daesh return from Syria and Iraq. The US regularly issues individual country travel alerts, but worldwide alerts are rare. Obviously, Americans must be extra careful.

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Gun violence in New Orleans "Bunny Friend" park while shooting a music video

Another case of gun violence has happened in New Orleans in which at least sixteen people have been taken to hospital after a mass shooting at a playground the "Bunny Friend" park in New Orleans. At the time of the incident, there were as many as 500 people present at the venue. The occasion was the filming of a music video.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 23 November 2015.

As informed by a spokesman for New Orleans Police Department, officers had been on their way to the playground to break up a large crowd when gunfire erupted. It was between two groups who had been fighting.
There were 16 casualties and the victims have been shifted to hospital and have either suffered a "direct gunshot wound" or a graze wound. The full extent of their injuries is yet to be determined but the saving grace was that no one was killed in the shooting.
Witnesses have indicated that there were at least two gunmen involved in firing into the crowd - and one of the gunmen had a silver machine gun.

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French Army guards water facilities in Paris fearing chemical attacks by ISIS

Terrorism in Europe is taking on new dimensions with the French Army protecting water facilities around Paris fearing a chemical attack by Islamic State terrorists. Scientists were also busy conducting tests on the city’s water supply after equipment used to guard against chemical products, including protective suits, was stolen from a Paris hospital.
Paris Water president Célia Blauel confirmed that water samples were being analysed and six vital sites were under armed guard.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 22 November 2015.

In addition, Brussels was in lockdown over the threat of an imminent Paris-style attack.
The country terror threat level was raised over ‘precise information of possible multiple gun and bomb attacks’ and armed police and soldiers patrolled the streets, shops were closed, sporting events cancelled and the underground metro system was also shut down.
Six British men of Pakistani origin were arrested while traveling through Belgium in three old ambulances. They were believed to be traveling on an aid convoy – possibly destined for Syria – and police searched the vehicles.
Police also raided a property in the Brussels suburb of Moolenbeek, described as the ‘jihadi capital of Europe’ and home to three of the Paris gunmen and confiscated three guns.
Police commandos also arrested four people in a suspicious vehicle at the Place du Grand Sablon in Brussels.
Turkish authorities detained a Belgian man of Moroccan origin on suspicion he scouted out the target sites for the Paris attacks.

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ISIS getting ready to launch chemical warfare

#ISIS #Parisattacks #chemicalweapon #mustardgas With the focus of the world on trying to keep the ISIS in check, the Islamic State group is believed to be aggressively pursuing the development of chemical weapons. It is setting up a branch dedicated to research and experiments with the help of scientists from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region. This is the feedback of Iraqi and U.S. intelligence officials as reported in foxnews.com dated 20 November 2015.

These developments have given rise for an alarming scenario for the West because ISIS has made its intentions clear by attacking major cities as they have shown with its attack last week in Paris.
The United States intelligence officials do not believe that the IS has the capability to develop sophisticated weapons like nerve gas that are most suited for a terrorist attack on a civilian target. The group has, till now, used mustard gas on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria.
However, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned that Islamic extremists might at some point use chemical or biological weapons. He made these comments in the lower house of Parliament.
Intelligence reports indicate that the ISIS now enjoys complete freedom to select locations for their labs and production sites and have a wide range of experts, both civilians and military, at their disposal to aid them. Till now, the only sign of the group's chemical weapons program has been the apparent use of mustard gas against Iraqi Kurdish fighters and in Syria. This is confirmed from mortars that had struck Kurdish forces in northern Iraq earlier this year - preliminary tests on these by the U.S. showed traces of the chemical agent sulfur mustard.

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Sucide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

#bokoharam #ISIS #nigeria #suicidebomber In two suicide bomb attacks in Nigeria, the Boko Haram have killed a total of 49 people - one of these was in the town of Yola where at least 34 people were killed and another 80 wounded. This town is packed with refugees from Nigeria's Islamic uprising. The suicide bomber exploded as truckers were having their dinner at the bustling marketplace where vendors urged them to buy sugar cane.
Subsequently, two more suicide bombers killed at least 15 people in the northern city of Kano and injured 53. As per Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency, more than 100 are believed to have been wounded.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 19 November 2015.

These suicide attacks were the latest by Boko Haram which is Nigeria's home-grown extremists - its 6-year insurgency has killed 20,000 and forced 2.3 million to flee their homes.
The outfit Boko Haram has been named as the world's most deadly extremist group in the Global Terrorism Index. Deaths attributed to Boko Haram increased by 317 percent in 2014 to 6,644. In comparison, there were 6,073 deaths blamed on the Islamic State group. Incidentally, Boko Haram had pledged allegiance to IS in March and identifies itself as that group's West Africa Province.

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France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

#terrorattack #ISIS #Parisattacks #raqqa #airstrikes The terror attack by ISIS in Paris has acted as a wake up call for the whole world and, France joined hands with Russia to carry out air strikes in Syria targeting weapons depots, barracks and checkpoints in the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa. At least 33 ISIS terrorists have been killed in three-days of air strikes over northern Syria.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 18 November 2015.

Dozens more jihadists have been wounded in the raids and dramatic new footage of the French airstrikes shows rockets slamming into buildings below during a bombing campaign that lasted 72-hours.
The feelings of France can be understood from the fact that the attacks in Paris left 129 innocents dead.
Russia also pounded Raqqa with long-range bombers and sea-launched missiles - this was done after Moscow confirmed that a bomb attack had brought down a Russian passenger jet over Egypt last month in which all 224 people on board were killed.
It seems the ISIS militants are aware of the fact that there would be counter assaults and are stiffening their defences on their de-facto capital. Fighters are believed to be hiding in civilian neighborhoods, preventing anyone from fleeing.
Russia has deployed its Tupolev-160 bombers for their first ever combat mission. These supersonic war planes can carry up to 12 missiles and fly at up to 2,000-Km per hour.
The residents of Raqqa numbering around 350,000 are gripped by fear and are rattled by powerful Russian and French bombing raids that shake the city daily.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

#ISIS #VladimirPutin #BarackObama #G20Antalya #Parisattacks The simultaneous terror attacks in Paris that left nearly 150 dead in divergent locations in the city has forced the two most important leaders of the world into a huddle. They are the two Presidents Barack Obama of the United States and Vladimir Putin of Russia. They have, in fact, agreed on the first steps towards peace in Syria.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 17 November 2015.

The horror of the attacks in Paris have visibly shaken the leaders out of their slumbers at the G20 summit in Turkey and has added a new urgency to their search for a solution to the four-year war in Syria that has enabled the rise of ISIS (Islamic State) jihadists.
The two leaders had met over a coffee table on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Antalya to align their positions on Syria and the conversation lasted about 35 minutes. In the opinion of observers, the way they were interacting was in sharp contrast to the frigid body language that had marked previous meetings.
It is understood that both the leaders have agreed on the need for United Nations talks, a ceasefire and a transition government in Syria.
This is believed to be a plan for Syria that had been forged by diplomats in Vienna the previous day. The Kremlin said "divergences" remained on tactics even if they shared the same goal against ISIS. It was their first meeting since Russia in September launched an air campaign in Syria and ISIS had claimed that they had shot down a Russian jet in Egypt.
World leaders have raised the alarm over the entry of foreign terrorist fighters and have agreed to share intelligence, track border crossings and boost aviation security.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

#ISIS #jihadihohn #raqqa Information has filtered out that Jihadi John, the executioner of ISIS, has been eliminated by a missile that was traveling at 1000mph and struck his vehicle in Raqqa. The missile was released from a Predator drone operated by USAF personnel from a location thousands of miles away in Las Vegas.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 14 November 2015.

Neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Pentagon have revealed precisely how Jihadi John was tracked down and killed. But the method had been employed to good effect in Afghanistan.
Broadly, the technology helped staff at the Government’s GCHQ spy agency in Cheltenham to analyze voice-recordings collected by Nimrod spy planes. Making use of these, individual voice profiles of terrorists were created - this is similar to how the police use fingerprints.
Once identification was confirmed that Jihadi John had been found by ‘other means’ – most likely through an informant - the order was given: 'Find – Fix – Finish’.
His full name was Mohammed Emwazi was blitzed by a missile fired from a drone controlled by U.S. air force pilots sitting in a control center thousands of miles away.br> He had been located in June and was under constant surveillance by British or US unmanned drones operated by crew at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire – 2,250 miles from Raqqa – or American pilots at Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas, 7,200 miles away.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Coordinated terror attacks in Paris leave more than 150 dead

More than 150 have been killed in coordinated terror attacks in Paris and Deputy Mayor Patrick Klugman has indicated that the death toll is going to rise significantly. Residents and tourists in Paris were enjoying a soccer match between France and world champion Germany when terror struck. Terrorists - some with AK-47s, some reportedly with bombs strapped to them - attacked sites throughout the French capital and at the stadium where the soccer match was underway.
This has been reported in edition.cnn.com dated 14 November 2015.

The worst carnage occurred at the Bataclan concert hall, where at least 112 died. There was a heavy metal concert there and the terrorists shot at the assembled people for 10 to 15 minutes. It was like a bloodbath.
As a witness has revealed one of them had heard them talk about Iraq and Syria. Later, the men were speaking in French.
On an initial count, at least 153 people were killed in the Paris and Saint-Denis shootings and bombings. Saint-Denis is home to the national stadium where the soccer match was being played.
Four of the attackers are believed to have been killed - three of them were wearing explosive belts.
While the identity of the terrorists are not clear, in the opinion of US experts, the attacks resembled tactics that have been employed by a number of terror groups -- including al Qaeda's focus on mass casualty and visibility. The small, tactical nature of attacks are more the hallmark of ISIS and its acolytes.

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ISIS engineered twin blasts kill at least 41 in Beirut shopping center

ISIS engineered twin blasts have killed at least 41 in Beirut shopping center. The location was a busy shopping street in a Beirut stronghold of the Shiite movement Hezbollah and is believed to be the worst such attack in years.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 13 November 2015.

As indicated by Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, more than 200 people had been wounded, many of them in serious condition. The blasts appeared to be a return to a campaign of attacks that had targeted the group's strongholds between 2013 and 2014. The attacks were in revenge for its military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The blasts took place in a narrow shopping street in the Burj al- Barajneh neighborhood which is also home to a street market.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the blasts in an online statement. The explosives had been planted on a motorbike in an area frequented by Shiites.
The attacks were carried out by two suicide bombers and the body of a third, who had failed to detonate his explosive device, had been found at the scene of the second blast.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Syrian forces break siege on Syrian air base by ISIS since 2013

Syrian forces have finally broken a siege imposed by the Islamic State on a military air base since 2013 and, the move is considered to be one of the first major achievement by the troops of President Bashar Assad since Russia began its airstrikes in late September.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 11 November 2015.

The air base is the Kweiras air base in the northern province of Aleppo and Syrian troops, backed by pro-government gunmen, had launched a large-scale offensive to reach the base last month under the cover of Russian airstrikes.
ISIS had taken over the base since 2013 when they defeated rival militant groups who had already been surrounding the base for a year and the victory is a major one for the government against ISIS, which controls nearly half of Syria.
It seems Russian airstrikes have helped to evict ISIS from the area.
these ISIS fighters had been holding nearly 1,000 soldiers inside the base since 2013 and it does credit to them that they have managed to hold on despite repeated attacks using multiple suicide bombings.
Incidentally, last year, ISIS had killed more than 160 Syrian government troops who had been seized in a military base in the northern province of Raqqa.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

It was on 10 November 1975 that freighter Edmund Fitzgerald sank to the bottom of Lake Superior with 29 people on board - its reason of sinking remains mired in maritime mystery till this day. The 729-foot ore-carrier, called the "Queen of the Great Lakes" had gone down during a brutal storm on the eastern section of the lake, but the exact reason continues to elude experts and historians.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 10 November 2015.

There have been possibilities ranging from space aliens, to various other theories and, in the absence of survivors, the mystery remains because the ship was traveling with 90 mph winds and waves measuring 25 feet and the vessel was laden with taconite pellets. It was headed from Superior, Wis., to Detroit and should have been able to survive.
Its captain was the experienced E.R. McSorley and it was being followed by another ship, the Arthur M. Anderson, which never heard a distress call.
The ship is believed to be resting under 535 feet of cold Lake Superior water. It is on the Canadian side of the lake and the Canadian government has closed off all diving to preserve the ship and honor the crew members who rest there.
In 1995, crews were able to retrieve only the ship's bronze bell.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

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Mad rush for tourists stranded in Egypt to return home

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Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Indonesia to have crocodiles to stand guard over death row drug convicts

In what could be termed to be a first, Indonesia could introduce crocodiles to stand guard over death row drug convicts - that is what the head of Indonesia's anti-drugs agency has proposed. A prison island would be built to house death-row drug convicts and it would be guarded by crocodiles.
This has been reported in bbc.com dated 9 November 2015.

In the opinion of Budi Waseso, crocodiles often made better guards than humans - because they could not be bribed. He has embarked on a mission of visiting different parts of the Indonesian archipelago in order to locate the fiercest reptiles and relocate as many crocodiles as possible there.
Incidentally, Indonesia has some of the toughest drug laws in the world and has put an end to a four-year moratorium on executions in 2013.
His logic is simple - you can not bribe crocodiles, neither can you convince them to let the inmates escape.
Of course, the plan is still in the early stages, and neither the location nor the potential opening date of the jail have yet been decided.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

Fight fire with fire - have ‘Award Return Festivals’(satire)

Moody in the mute mood (satire)


Mad rush for tourists stranded in Egypt to return home

Study reveals that online shopping is good for health

Inmates use mouse to carry drugs between cells in Brazil prison


Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Downing of Russian aircraft in Egypt sends Americans wanting counter attack on ISIS

Top congressional lawmakers have called for heightened security and a revamped U.S. foreign policy to prevent a similar attack on an American passenger jet. They are worried that since there is little doubt that ISIS is responsible for the recently downed Russian jetliner, therefore, America should carry out suitable counter attacks.
The ISIS attack calls for a more aggressive response and it was made by Capitol Hill Democrats and Republicans, including leaders in intelligence, foreign policy and homeland security.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 8 November 2015.

ISIS had planted a bomb on the Russia-bound A-321 plane that exploded in midair on Oct. 31 in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.
One member also indicated that the Transportation Security Administration has been "proactive" in ordering additional screenings and other measures. He also suggested that the tepid efforts of the Obama administration to destroy the Islamic State terror group in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East is in large part to blame for the tragedy.
It seems an employee at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport in Egypt, from where the plane departed, or somebody else who could have avoided passenger checkpoints, is the likely culprit. Obviously, it called for tighter security in the airports in that region.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

Fight fire with fire - have ‘Award Return Festivals’(satire)

Moody in the mute mood (satire)


Mad rush for tourists stranded in Egypt to return home

Study reveals that online shopping is good for health

Inmates use mouse to carry drugs between cells in Brazil prison


Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Based on fresh evidence coming to light, it is now believed that the crash of the Airbus A321 in Sinai Peninsula was caused by a bomb that had been planted by the Islamic State terror group inside the Russian airliner. The aircraft crashed over Egypt's Sinai peninsula after it had taken off from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on its way to the Russian city of St Petersburg. All 224 people on board were killed.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 5 November 2015.

Islamic State controls large swathes of Iraq and Syria and is battling the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula and, it had accepted responsibility for bringing down the airplane. However, the US and European security sources have not yet arrived at any final conclusions about the crash. Of course, Britain had hinted the possibility of an explosive device as the cause of the crash without making any mention of any group that may have been responsible.
Britain has advised against all but essential air travel through Sharm el-Sheikh airport which would mean that, henceforth, there will be no UK passenger flights out to Sharm el-Sheikh.
In case it is established that it was a bomb that knocked the plane out of the sky, it would deal a heavy blow to tourism in Egypt. Tourism is the pillar of the economy that is struggling to recover after years of political turmoil.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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