Tuesday, September 18, 2018

World News Briefs -- September 18, 2018

Vladimir Putin / Sputnik

Reuters: Putin sees chance circumstances behind downing of Russian plane in Syria

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the shooting down of a Russian military plane near Syria’s seacoast was the result of a chain of tragic and chance circumstances.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said earlier that the aircraft was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft systems, but accused Israel of indirectly causing the incident, saying Israeli jets operating nearby had put the Russian plane in the path of danger. The ministry threatened to retaliate over what it called a hostile act.

Putin’s comments, made after talks with Hungary’s prime minister in Moscow, appeared to somewhat defuse the situation though he said Russia needed to look further into what happened.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Russia: Syrian missiles shot down Russian aircraft in crossfire.

Israel blames Syria for Russian aircrew deaths but 'expresses sorrow'.

Idlib assault on hold as Russia, Turkey agree on buffer zone.

Turkish drones & extra troops to patrol Idlib after deal with Moscow – FM .

Kurdish militants vow 'new resistance' against Iran following missile attacks.

Saudi-UAE alliance launches fresh offensive on Yemen's Hodeidah.

Yemen rebels accuse Saudi, allies of targeting food warehouses.

Two Palestinians killed in Israeli air attack in Gaza.

Arabs will aid Palestinian agency after Trump cut off funding.

ASIA

US-China trade war heats up as Beijing vows to hit back at US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs.

China to impose new tariffs on US goods worth $60 billion effective September 24.

Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in meet in Pyongyang for high-stakes summit.

North Korean leader says relations with US have improved.

‘Tied to trees and raped’: UN report details Rohingya horrors.

Toppled PM blames Thai junta for making country worse.

Report exposes Maldives 'orgy of corruption' ahead of election.

AFRICA

Violence in Cameroon’s anglophone regions ‘spiralling out of control’.

Libya rivals clash south of capital, causing blackouts.

Somalia and Djibouti to deploy troops to South Sudan.

16 killed in heavy fighting in S. Somalia.

UK freezes aid to Zambia over corruption concerns.

South Africa's highest court legalises cannabis use.

New Zimbabwean president rules out early return to local currency.

EUROPE

Putin on Israel’s role in Il-20 downing: ‘Looks accidental, like chain of tragic circumstances’.

Brexit should end EU citizens' special access to UK, says report.

MH17 crash: Dutch ask Russia to submit new claims.

Estonia’s defense minister on Russian threats and defending the Baltics.

Angela Merkel to decide on spy chief's fate after far-right row.

'Highly probable' Pussy Riot activist was poisoned, say German doctors.

China decries ‘arrogance’ in Sweden and rejects police response as tourist row escalates.

AMERICAS

Trump accuses China of trying to 'impact' US election with trade war.

US slashes number of refugees to 30,000.

'Really bad things were happening, but they are now being exposed': Trump defends his order to DOJ to release classified information about the Russia probe - including James Comey's texts.

Maduro's Turkish feast sparks outrage as Venezuelans go hungry.

Mexicans outraged after officials leave trailer full of corpses on outskirts of city.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel backs same-sex marriage.

Celia Barquín: European golf champion murdered in Iowa.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

OPEC chief says Iran still 'very important' as US sanctions loom.

BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen face EU diesel emissions probe.

Twitter to offer users option to go back to 'chronological' feed.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fog of war? I doubt it but Putin has to worry about deeper involvement. Israel is fighting for survival, Russia just wants a nice peaceful sea base in Syria, which they already have. So why get between the kinetics going on between Iran and Israel?

De-escalation is the smart move, even if he knows the Israeli's took advantage of that downed planes location.

fred said...

PUTIN ON LATEST STATEMENT

War News Updates Editor said...

Lori,
The public reaction has been remarkably quiet. It seems no one is surprised that this has happened.
Putin's remarks have also been very restrained. My sense is that he does not want to escalate it publicly.

Anonymous said...

If an American plane were to be shot down you can forget Deescalation. People like Fred would call Trump a putin puppet, traitor and coward if he were to do what Putin does now and take some time to think things over and perhaps deescalate. The press outrage actors in the white house press briefing room would spit and foam and call Sanders all names in the book.. that's the state of what the left and Democrats allows to happen.

Matthew Putnam said...

Anon,

There is a long list of things that WNU's liberal troll Freddy would do in such an event. Frothing at the mouth and cunt would certainly be a key part of his emotionally driven blind fervor. Everything is politicized, everything is batshit crazy emotional and careening off a cliff with the mainstream glob that is the democratic party. Thankfully we have a president with balls, less some brains, and a good Secretary of Defense to adequately handle that sort event. It would give the US a lot of leverage, conditions in context, and it would be interesting to see how foreign policy would be navigated in such an event.

fred said...


anon you are hardly anon...your comments always give you away
stay on topic

Anonymous said...

Lapides,
"..your comments always give you away"
Really? You certainly flatter yourself.