World News Briefs For Saturday, 26 March 2016
Hello Australia!! - Belgium cracks down on terror suspects - The US says it took out an important IS leader - After a week of troubling world events threatening world security, the men who want to lead the "Free World" are arguing over tabloid newspaper crap - And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:
Authorities in Belgium carried out a series of dramatic raids, including one caught on video in which a terror suspect was shot at a tram stop and the use of a bomb disposal robot. This person is one of three people arrested apparently in relation to the terror plot revealed by French officials after the arrest of a suspect north of Paris yesterday. Also, Belgian prosecutors confirmed that the second suicide bomber from the attack at the Brussels airport earlier this week was Najim Laachraoui, and that his DNA was found at sites of the 13 November attacks in Paris, which formally links the two plots, both of which are claimed by Islamic State.
US forces killed Islamic State's second-in-command in an operation earlier this week. Although officials didn't specify how this was carried out, NBC News reported that Abdul Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli was killed by US Special Forces on Thursday morning. There had been a US$7 Million bounty on al Qaduli's head and troops apparently tried to capture him alive. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says the deaths of al-Qaduli and his deputies would harm Islamic State's operations for the time being.
Syrian forces have pushed Islamic State further back and are closer to regaining control of the ancient ruins at Palmyra and the adjoining town. They've retaken the old citadel on hill overlooking the site. Although some of the colonnades are still standing, many of Palmyra's temples and tombs have already been systematically looted and dynamited by Islamic State fighters - a war crime, according to the United Nations.
But Islamic State is still able to strike out with suicide bombers: At least 29 people have been killed in a suicide attack in a crowded park where a football match had been taking place in the Iraqi city of Iskandariya. And at least 22 people have been killed by three suicide bombings in checkpoints in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. This will undoubtedly be followed by thousands of tweets of support with the expression "Je Suis Iskandariya" and Facebook profile photos altered with the Yemen flag. Totally. Gonna happen.
No sewer is deep or scuzzy enough for the Republican Party candidates. Instead of clarifying their positions on security and terrorism after a week of very serious events, Donald Trump spent the last couple of days insulting the appearance of rival candidate Se. Ted Cruz's wife on Thursday. And then on Friday, Trump suggested that Cruz had extra-marital affairs, based on a story in a notoriously unreliable tabloid newspaper that was probably planted there by someone in the Trump organization.
Nigeria has indicted around 300 entities - individuals, companies, both foreign and local - for allegedly defrauding the country of AU$321 Million in fake arms contracts. Several military officers are among those charged. President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a probe last year after funds meant to buy weapons to fight Boko Haram terrorists went missing. Around AU$50 Million has been recovered so far.