Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada had intelligence from multiple sources indicating that a Ukrainian airliner which crashed outside Tehran was mistakenly shot down by Iran.
"We have intelligence from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence. The evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile," Trudeau told reporters.
"This may well have been unintentional," Trudeau added in a press conference.
A total of 176 people, including 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians, were killed when the plane came down shortly after take-off on Wednesday, shortly after Iran launched missiles towards bases in Iraq housing US troops.

Trudeau cites 'multiple' intel sources that Iran downed jet

PTI Automatic

Iran on Thursday ruled out a missile strike as the cause of a Ukrainian passenger plane crash near Tehran, saying such a scenario made "no sense".
The plane crashed shortly after take off Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board, shortly after Iran fired a volley of missiles against military bases in Iraq housing US personnel.
"Several internal and international flights were flying at the same time in Iranian airspace at the same altitude of 8,000 feet (2,440 metres)," Iran's transport ministry said.
"This story of a missile striking a plane cannot be correct at all," it said in a statement.
"Such rumours make no sense," Ali Abedzadeh, head of Iran's civil aviation organisation and deputy transport minister, said in the statement.
Abedzadeh was reacting to rumours on social networks that the Boeing 737 was hit by a missile fired by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
He said Iran and Ukraine were in the process of "downloading information" from black boxes retrieved from the crash ...

Iran says rumours missile caused plane crash make 'no sense'

NATO will consider an increased role in the Middle East, particularly in training missions, the head of the alliance said Thursday, after US President Donald Trump demanded it do more.
Responding to a call from the US leader for the transatlantic alliance to "become much more involved" in the troubled region, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this did not have to mean large deployments of combat troops.
He pointed to training missions run by the alliance in Afghanistan and Iraq -- where some 500 NATO forces are deployed to train local troops.
"I strongly believe that the best way we can fight international terrorism is not always by deploying NATO troops in big combat operations," Stoltenberg told reporters.
"The best way is to enable local forces to fight terrorism themselves, and that is exactly what we do in Afghanistan, what we do in Iraq, and of course we can look into if we can do more of that kind of activity."
Trump and Stoltenberg spoke on Wednesday after the president .

NATO to examine Middle East options after Trump request

Twitter has announced it will test new ways to limit online abuse by offering users control over who can reply to tweets.
"We want to help people feel safe participating in the conversation on Twitter by giving them more control over the conversations they start," the company tweeted.
"We'll be experimenting with different options for who can reply to Tweets in early 2020."
Company officials gave details of the move at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the specialty website TechCrunch reported.
Four options are in play: the strictest option would bar all replies, while another would allow only people mentioned in the tweet to respond.
A third option would allow only a user's followers to reply. The broadest option would be for anyone to be allowed to reply.
"We thought, well, what if we could actually put more control into the author's hands?" asked Suzanne Xie, head of conversations for the platform, according to TechCrunch.
"Right now, public conversation on ..

Twitter to test limiting replies to tackle online abuse

Queen Elizabeth II and senior royals have called on aides to find a "workable solution" to the future of Prince Harry and his wife in the royal family within "days, not weeks", UK media reported Thursday.
The domestic Press Association and Sky News television both quoted an unnamed Buckingham Palace source saying that the monarch, and princes Charles and William wanted answers as soon as possible.

Queen calls for urgent solution to Prince Harry crisis: media

President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States had imposed new sanctions on Iran following missile strikes on bases housing US troops in Iraq that resulted in no American or Iraqi deaths.
"It's already been done. We've increased them. They were very severe, but now it's increased substantially," Trump said, without offering any specifics.
Trump had promised the "additional punishing sanctions" in an address to the nation Wednesday in retaliation for the attack -- seen by experts as a measured first response by Tehran to the killing of Iran's top General, Qasem Soleimani, in an American drone strike in Baghdad.

Trump says new Iran sanctions already in effect

Britain's parliament finally approved Brexit on Thursday, allowing it to become the first country to leave the European Union by the end of this month, ending years of arguments that toppled two governments and divided a nation.
The House of Commons erupted in cheers after MPs ratified Prime Minister Boris Johnson's divorce deal with Brussels 330 votes to 231, drawing a line under an extraordinary era of political drama and chaos.
For much of the time since the 2016 Brexit referendum, lawmakers have been at each others' throats over how, when or even if Britain should leave its closest trading partners after nearly 50 years.
Some viewed Brexit with horror, fearing that it stripped them of their European identities and turned Britain into an insular, less important nation.
Others embraced it with fervour, viewing it as a chance to "take back control" from officials in Brussels and see Britain regain some of its past might.
Businesses and governments in Europe, puzzled by Britain's ...

British lawmakers finally approve historic Brexit deal

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had "suspicions" about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner outside Tehran as US media reported it had been mistakenly shot down by Iran.
"I have my suspicions," Trump said.
"It was flying in a pretty rough neighbourhood and somebody could have made a mistake."
Trump's remarks came as Newsweek, CBS and CNN reported that the plane had been accidentally shot down by Iranian air defense systems.
All 176 people aboard died in the crash near Tehran on Wednesday.
"Some people say it was mechanical. I personally don't think that's even a question," Trump said, adding that "something very terrible happened.

Trump has 'suspicions' over crash amid reports Iran downed plane

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Thursday for a "full, credible and transparent" investigation into how a Ukrainian passenger plane crashed in Iran, killing all 176 people on board.
A spokesman said reports about what happened were "very concerning", after a Ukrainian security official said investigators were pursuing several leads, including the possibility of a surface-to-air missile strike.
Johnson spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call in which he offered his condolences for the loss of life and received an update on Ukraine's efforts to establish the facts, the spokesman said.
"The prime minister said that there needed to be a full, credible and transparent investigation into what happened," the spokesman said.
He added: "The reports we have seen are very concerning and we are urgently looking into them."
The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 737NG went down on Wednesday, shortly after Tehran launched missiles at US forces in Iraq in .

UK demands full probe into Iran air crash

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler was fined 15 percent of his match fee Thursday by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for swearing at South Africa's Vernon Philander during the second Test at Newlands.
Buttler was heard on the stump mic using an obscenity towards South African all-rounder Philander while keeping wicket on a tense final day in Cape Town.
The 29-year-old will also pick up one demerit point for breaching the ICC's disciplinary code, his first such offence. Players can be suspended if they accumulate four demerit points over a two-year period.
"Buttler was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to 'use of an audible obscenity during an international match' following an incident with South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander," read an ICC statement.
"Buttler admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as ...

Buttler fined for angry Philander outburst

Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal supporters not to expect "big things" in the January transfer window, with the club unlikely to make permanent signings after a hefty outlay in the summer.
Arsenal broke their club transfer record to recruit Nicolas Pepe as well as completing moves for David Luiz, Gabriel Martinelli, Kieran Tierney and William Saliba at a total cost of around Pound 130 million (USD 170 million).
"I don't know, I'm not expecting big things," Arteta said when asked on Thursday about potential transfer business.
"I'm expecting big things from the players I have at the moment, the players that are recovering from injuries. That's the biggest expectations from my side.
"If we can find something to help us go through the season in a more balanced way in certain areas, and which is helpful, we'll look at the options."
Arteta, who joined the club last month, has overseen victories in his past two games, a 2-0 Premier League win over Manchester United before a hard-fought FA Cup 

Arsenal boss Arteta not expecting 'big things' in transfer window

Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond has something special in his bag as he prepares for the US Masters -- the Buddhist meditation techniques learned as a monk that have helped him become the talk of Asian golf.
The 24-year-old is Augusta-bound after a huge year when he won the Asian Tour order of merit, with two tournament victories, and impressed at the PGA Championship at Bethpage.
Jazz's victory at the Indonesian Masters in December saw him safely inside the world top 50, and secured his place among golf's elite at the Masters in April.
The unassuming Thai is now 40th in the rankings, the second-highest Asian behind South Korea's Im Sung-jae, and he walked off with four 2019 Asian Tour awards including Players' Player of the Year.
The former teen prodigy -- who goes by the nickname given by his music-loving father -- became the youngest player, at 14 years and 71 days, to make the cut at an Asian Tour event in Bangkok in 2010.
But after turning pro at 15, there have been tough moments .

All that Jazz: the ex-Buddhist monk meditating his way to golf's Masters

EU chief Charles Michel defended the crumbling Iran nuclear deal Thursday after US President Donald Trump urged Europe to quit it, but warned Tehran against "irreversible acts" that would sink the accord.
The president of the European Council used a call with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to call for a de-escalation of tensions after Tehran carried out missile strikes on US military bases in Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of one of its top generals.
A White House statement from Trump calmed fears of all-out war erupting, but the US leader demanded that the other parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal follow his lead and withdraw from the pact.
The European parties -- Britain, France and Germany -- have led efforts to save the deal, which has been crumbling since Trump pulled out in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, and Michel insisted it remained vital.
"The JCPOA agreement was an important achievement after 10 years of intense international negotiations and remains an ...

EU chief defends Iran deal after Trump call to quit

Gunmen have killed 12 people in an attack on a village in a region of central Nigeria known for bloody clashes between cattle herders and farmers, police said on Thursday.
Unknown armed assailants "suspected to be herdsmen" attacked the residents of Kulben village in Plateau state on Wednesday night, the regional police said in a statement.
The raid left 12 dead and one person seriously wounded, the authorities said. Local people said 19 people had died.
Plateau state is part of Nigeria's so-called middle-belt that divides the mainly-Muslim north from the predominantly Christian south.
Deadly clashes between nomadic Fulani herders and farmers over land, grazing and water have plagued the area for years.
Aid group Mercy Corps said in May last year that violence between farmers and pastoralists in Nigeria had "contributed to more than 7,000 deaths in the past five years".
Attacks in remote areas often go unreported but the authorities in Plateau state insist the bloodshed has decreased .

Gunmen kill 12 in central Nigeria attack

Protestors poured into streets across France on Thursday in the latest mass demonstrations against a pensions overhaul that critics say would require millions of people to push back retirement.
Unions are demanding the government drop its reform in their biggest show of strength in decades, with a record-breaking public transport strike now in its 36th day.
Teachers and other public-sector workers joined a fourth day of nationwide rallies against the project since the strike began on December 5, leading to school closures that forced parents to scramble for daycare.
Commuters in Paris were again hard hit by the metro strike, and national train services remained severely disrupted.
Aviation authorities warned of potential cancellations as traffic controllers walked off the job, though Air France said at least 90 per cent of domestic flights would go ahead as planned.
Officials have said they are ready to negotiate, in particular on the hotly contested "pivot age" of 64 the government ..

New mass protests in France as pension dispute grinds

Stocks rallied, the dollar jumped and oil prices steadied Thursday as traders saw an easing of tensions between the United States and Iran that weighed on haven investments such as gold and the yen.
"Stock markets are strong... as US-Iran tensions have faded," noted David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets UK.
"The strong finish in New York last night prompted buying in Asia overnight, so now the bullish sentiment has reached Europe.
"The US and Iran are still at odds with each other, but as long as a conflict doesn't seem to be on the horizon, the feel good factor is likely to last," Madden added.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday pulled back from the brink of war with Iran, saying Tehran appeared to be "standing down" after firing missiles -- without causing casualties -- at US troops based in Iraq.
The comments cooled what threatened to become an uncontrolled boiling over of tensions after Trump ordered the killing last Friday of a top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani.
Oil prices, 

Equities rally, oil steadies as US-Iran tensions appear to ease

A dynamic Nick Kyrgios and dogged Alex de Minaur powered Australia into the ATP Cup semi-finals Thursday with an epic 2-1 win against the Tim Henman-led Britain, and they were joined by Russia who overpowered Argentina.
The home team clinched the tie after an 18-16 third-set tiebreaker in the doubles to set up a potential blockbuster last-four clash against Rafael Nadal's Davis Cup-winning Spain who face Belgium on Friday.
Russia, spearheaded by world number five Daniil Medvedev won both their singles to sweep past Argentina.
Their reward is a semi-final against either Novak Djokovic's Serbia, or Canada.
Kyrgios crushed Cameron Norrie in the opening singles 6-2, 6-2 before Dan Evans came through a memorable showdown against De Minaur 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) to set up the decisive, winner-takes-all doubles.
Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt took a huge gamble by dropping regular doubles pair John Peers and Chris Guccione in favour of Kyrgios and de Minaur, and it looked a poor ...

Australia, Russia storm into ATP Cup semi-finals

The condition of a figure skater seriously injured during practice for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games has improved, Olympic chief Thomas Bach said Thursday.
The skater was taken to hospital and her life was "in danger" after a heavy fall Tuesday during the practice session, Swiss police said.
The skater, a 35-year-old Russian who lives in Germany, fell five metres (16 feet) onto the ice during final preparations at the Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, where the youth Games ceremony will open later Thursday.
"We have been told that her condition has improved a little," Bach told a press conference.
Police said that the skater was attached to rings above the ice when the accident happened, causing "serious injuries.

Youth Olympics ceremony performer improving after horror fall - IOC

French architects want the roof of the fire-ravaged Notre-Dame cathedral to be rebuilt in wood and not in metal or concrete.
One of the heads of the country's biggest architects' body said reconstructing the roof in anything other than the original wood would be a mistake.
The intervention by Eric Wirth of the Guild of French Architects comes amid controversy over French President Emmanuel Macron's wish for the spire of the 13th-century monument to be given a "contemporary" touch.
"The most modern and ecological material today is wood," Wirth said Wednesday, which, as well as being more fire-resistant than the alternatives, also traps carbon, he insisted.
His comments come after the army general put in charge of the restoration, Jean-Louis Georgelin, dismissed reports that the massive roof would be redone in oak as nothing more than "lobbying" by the wood industry.
"There will be a study, and all possible options will be examined," he said.
But Wirth took him to task, telling French ..

French architects want Notre-Dame roof rebuilt in wood

German regional lawmakers gave the green light on Thursday for electric carmaker Tesla to buy land just outside Berlin for its first European factory.
"The Gigafactory investment project has taken a big step forward" with the positive vote from the Brandenburg parliament's finance committee, regional finance minister Katrin Lange said.
The contract for the 300-hectare plot in Grueneheide, east of Berlin, calls for a purchase price of 40.9 million euros (USD 45.5 million), although that figure could yet be revised and Tesla's board has yet to give its final OK.
Tesla chief Elon Musk aims to begin churning out the firm's Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan as soon as 2021 in the German capital region, ultimately producing 500,000 cars per year.
The idiosyncratic billionaire will hope his project does not run into the delays that have kept the new Berlin-Brandenburg airport nearby shuttered for close to a decade after its originally scheduled opening date.
Brandenburg, a state surrounding ...

Way clear for Tesla to buy Berlin factory site

Spain's Supreme Court on Thursday refused to recognise jailed Catalan separatist Oriol Junqueras as a European MP because of his October conviction over a failed 2017 independence bid.
In a long-awaited ruling, the court said it would not authorise his temporary release from prison to collect his European parliamentary credentials, thereby rejecting a December ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
"The court found that Junqueras should not be freed (to collect his MEP credentials) following his October conviction, which implies the suspension of his status as a European parliamentarian," it said.
Junqueras won a seat in the European Parliament in May elections, despite being in pre-trial detention in Spain on charges linked to his role in a banned Catalan referendum and a short-lived declaration of independence.
But he was prevented from leaving prison in June to attend a Spanish swearing-in ceremony, and thus from travelling to Brussels to take up his post, prompting him to .

AFP

AFP

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