Counterterrorism analyst Patrick Skinner comments on the emerging reports that Los Angeles schools have been ordered shut due to a "credible" terror threat.
A Lebanese minister has insisted that his country is not part of a newly announced Saudi-led counterterror alliance, contradicting Riyadh’s own statement on its formation, NOW Media reports.
“Lebanon is not a participant in the Islamic coalition against terrorism,” Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi told MTV in an interview today.
Russia's General Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford have discussed cooperation in Syria between Russia and the U.S.-led coalition against IS, RIA Novosti is reporting.
The telephone call was initiated by the United States, according to RIA.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that Gerasimov and Dunford "exchanged views on the situation in Syria and the practical aspects of cooperation between the Russian air force and the coalition's aircraft, in the war against IS."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told Russia's President Putin that the United States is "grateful to Russia for its cooperation," RIA is reporting.
Kerry is meeting Putin in Moscow following earlier discussions on Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
This tweet from the BBC's Steve Rosenberg sums up the current situation regarding news of U.S. Secretary of State Kerry's talks with his Russian counterpart Lavrov today on Syria.
RIA Novosti is suggesting that Kerry's meeting with Putin has started.
U.S. Secretary of State Kerry has started his meeting with Putin.
Putin told him, "You know, we are searching together for resolutions to the most complex crises."
Putin has just said to U.S.Secretary of State Kerry, according to RIA:
"Today you have had extensive talks with Russia's Foreign Ministry. Minister Lavrov has reported to me in detail about your proposals and about several questions that need further consideration. I am very pleased to meet with you and talk."
Saudi-Led Anti-Terror Alliance Hasn't Ruled Out Ground Troops
Saudi Arabia's Islamic anti-terror alliance will share information and train, equip and provide forces if necessary for the fight against the IS group, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said at a briefing in Paris on Tuesday, Reuters reports.
"Nothing is off the table," al-Jubeir said when asked whether the initiative could include ground troops.
Pro-Kremlin news site RIA Novosti is quoting U.S. Secretary of State Kerry as saying that the Vienna talks on Syria were a good start and opened a whole range of possibilities, and that together, Russia and the United States could achieve a great deal.
Cairo-based Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's leading seat of learning, has praised the formation of a 34-nation alliance against terrorism in the Islamic world and called on all Muslim countries to join the Saudi-led military coalition. AFP reports.
Al-Azhar said that the formation of the alliance was "historic", and said it hoped it would defeat the "evils of terrorism".