Russia is continuing with its allegations that Turkey is buying oil from the IS group, but now says that this information is needed for the "war on terror."
A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters this morning that information on Ankara's oil purchases from IS are needed for the war on terror and not for accusations against the Turkish leadership.
"This is not a new declaration," Dmitry Peskov said of the allegation that Turkey is purchasing oil from IS.
"In this case, the main thing is to have information and use it for efforts that are focussed not on proving something or other but in the war against terrorism, this information is to be used in the war against terrorism," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
Here's an item just in from our news desk:
The German cabinet has approved plans to join the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria.
The mandate to commit up to 1,200 soldiers was endorsed by ministers on December 1, but still requires parliamentary approval.
It isn't yet clear when lawmakers will consider it, but Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition has a large majority and approval looks assured.
Following deadly attacks by Islamic State extremists in Paris that killed 130 people, Merkel agreed to honor a request from France to provide support for its operations against IS in Syria. Germany plans to send reconnaissance aircraft, tanker planes, and a warship to the region in support roles, but won't actively engage in combat.
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the daily Bild that he doesn't expect Germany to have 1,200 soldiers participating at any one time.
(dpa, Reuters, AP)
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.