Hostage-taking drama ends in northern French town of Roubaix

1. Syria has slammed Turkey for shooting down a Russian warplane over its airspace. Damascus described the plane’s downing as flagrant aggression against Syria's sovereignty. Turkey claims the Russian fighter had violated its airspace. Moscow denies this, saying the plane was flying over Syria.

2. Meanwhile, Russia is to suspend all military contacts and cooperation with Turkey over Ankara’s downing of the Russian plane near the Syrian border. Russia’s Defense Ministry says it has more plans to ensure Moscow’s airbase in Syria is safe.

3. A hostage-taking standoff in the northern French town of Roubaix has ended with officials confirming the safe release of hostages. Local officials say one of the hostage takers has been killed during the police operation. A group of armed men took hostages in the town late Tuesday.

4. The French interior minister says police have arrested 165 people in the security crackdown following the November 13 terror attacks in Paris. Bernard Cazenueve said the police also conducted over 1,200 searches and seized 230 weapons. He said the number of confiscated weapons shows the effectiveness of the searches in providing security for citizens.

5. Tunisia's president has declared a state of emergency throughout the country following a terrorist attack in the capital Tunis. Beji Caid Essebsi also declared a curfew in the capital. At least a dozen people were killed after an explosion hit a bus carrying presidential guards in downtown Tunis.

6. Several people have been killed after a car bomb went off at a checkpoint on a coastal road east of the Libyan capital city of Tripoli. Officials say more than a dozen people were also wounded in the bombing. Libya has been grappling with political uncertainty and violence in the last four years.

7. Taliban militants have taken hostage over a dozen soldiers, including two foreigners after their helicopter crash-landed in the northern Afghan province of Faryab. Officials say at least three people were killed in the crash. The Taliban has threatened to execute the hostages if the army continues its rescue operation.

8. The Ansarullah fighters, backed by the Yemeni army, have targeted a Saudi warship with a rocket off Ta'izz province. Meanwhile, clashes have erupted between Ansarullah fighters and forces loyal to the former Yemeni regime in Lahij province. At least 20 pro-Saudi mercenaries have been killed or wounded in the clashes.

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