U.S. President Barack Obama has said that he supports Turkey's right to defend itself following the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet near the Syrian border last week.
Obama made his comments after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris this morning, Reuters reports.
"The United States supports Turkey's right to defend itself and its air space," Obama said.
"We discussed how Turkey and Russia can work together to de-escalate tensions."
Obama told Erdogan that "we all have a common enemy. That's [IS]," according to ABC News.
More photographs of Saja Dulaimi, IS leader Baghdadi's ex-wife, released from a Lebanese prison today in a Qatari-negotiated prisoner deal with Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front.
The 16 Lebanese captives held by Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front have left the prisoner swap location in Lebanese Red Cross vehicles, Lebanon's Daily Star says.
Al Aan TV's Jenan Moussa has more on comments from Saja Dulaimi, IS leader Baghdadi's ex-wife who was released today in a prisoner swap between Lebanon and the Al-Nusra Front, and who says she wants to go to Turkey.
Saja Dulaimi, the ex-wife of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and who was released today in a Qatari-brokered prisoner swap deal between Lebanon and Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front, gave birth to a baby girl in prison in June, Al Jazeera says.
Dulaimi was arrested in December 2014 by Lebanese security forces on charges of belonging to a terrorist group.
The IS leader's former wife was released today along with her children, who remained with her during her time in prison in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Army and Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front, have conducted a prisoner swap outside the border town of Arsal.
The Qatari-brokered deal sees the release of 16 Lebanese security officers abducted by the militant group in 2014, according to Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV.
The deal is expected to include the release of 13 Islamists currently held in Lebanese jails including the Saja al-Dulaimi, the ex-wife of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, security sources say, according to Reuters.
Al-Jazeera has footage of the prisoner swap.
One of the released soldiers told Al-Jazeera, "We would like to thank al-Nusra Front for releasing us. We would like to thank everyone who took part in the negotiations that led to our release."
Russia has accused NATO of political participation in the downing of the Russian Su-24 jet near the Syrian border, Russian media is reporting today.
The accusation came from Russia's permanent representative to NATO, Alexander Grushko, who said he had spoken with Alexander Vershbow, NATO's Deputy Secretary General, about the incident.
Interfax quoted Grushko as saying:
"I outlined the Russian assessment of the incident and gave a set of military and political factors that point to the attack on the Russian plane in Syrian air space as having an intentional character. I stressed that NATO, without giving a principled assessment of this wrongful act, has in essence politically covered for Turkey -- a member of the alliance; and therefore is responsible for the incident. Once again, we see that concerns about political expediency take precedence over objectivitiy and common sense."
Oleg Peshkov, the Russian pilot killed when his plane was shot down by a Turkish F-16 jet near the Syrian border last week, is to be buried tomorrow, December 2, in Lipetsk, local media is reporting.
The authorities are still considering whether to erect a monument in honor of Peshkov in the city's Aviators Square.
Britain's ITV News speculates this morning about which weapons the UK could use if it joins the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition air strikes in Syria.
These could include Brimstone missiles -- rocket-propelled, radar-guided missiles that have already been used by the UK's Tornado fighter jets against IS targets in Iraq last year.
Britain has also used laser-guided Paveway IV bombs against IS in Iraq, leading to speculation that these could also be used in Syria if Cameron wins his vote.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is to stage a Commons vote on Wednesday on whether to extend UK airstrikes against IS targets to Syria.
If the UK's Parliament votes in favor of extending air strikes, British RAF crews could be bombing IS in Raqqa by the end of the week, The Guardian points out.
"The decision to take military action is one of the most serious a prime minister can make," Cameron said, adding that IS "poses a very direct threat to the United Kingdom."
Air strikes against IS in Syria were "only a part of a comprehensive strategy for Syria" that must include a political solution, he added.
Britain is a member of the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition and has been involved in air strikes against IS in Iraq.