Plane problems emerge over Syria. President Obama apologizes. And FIFA’s president is (or is not) suspended.
It’s Thursday, and here are five things to know for your new day.
RUSSIA IN SYRIA
Diverted: It’s getting pretty crowded in the skies over Syria. U.S planes attacking ISIS. Russia’s planes allegedly attacking ISIS (though they’re probably really attacking Syrian rebels). Sounds like a recipe for a really bad military “incident.” To avoid that, U.S. pilots have been ordered to change their flight paths if a Russian plane comes within 20 nautical miles. That’s why yesterday, two U.S. planes flying from an air base in Turkey into Syria changed flight paths to keep a safe flying distance from a Russian fighter aircraft. That’s the first time it’s happened since Russia started military operations in Syria last month.
AFGHANISTAN HOSPITAL BOMBING
Sorry: President Obama apologized yesterday for the U.S. airstrike that killed 22 people at a hospital in Afghanistan run by Doctors Without Borders. But will it be enough? The president of the medical charity stills wants an independent agency — and not the U.S. government — to conduct the investigation of the bombing. Obama also called Afghanistan’s president to offer condolences for Afghan civilians killed during the airstrike.
CAMPAIGN 2016
Realness: Who knew that an Australian-born media mogul could be such an expert on black America? Rupert Murdoch definitely knows a “real” black president when he sees one, at least that’s what he said in a tweet yesterday that rocketed around the world. In the tweet, Murdoch expressed admiration for GOP hopeful Ben Carson, implying that the former neurosurgeon was somehow more racially authentic than the current White House occupant. In a follow-up tweet, Murdoch pointed to a magazine article that exposed “minority community disappointment” with Obama. Murdoch’s comments were widely denounced; he hasn’t responded to the backlash.
FIFA
Questions: Media: Sepp Blatter is suspended. Lawyers: Not necessarily. That’s where things stand right now with the embattled soccer president. Initial media reports yesterday said Blatter had been provisionally suspended for 90 days. But his lawyers said Blatter was unaware “of any action taken” by FIFA. Blatter still considers himself the president of FIFA and is “still prepared to serve FIFA.” Glad that’s cleared up.
SUNKEN SHIP
Suspended: The search is over for the El Faro. The U.S. Coast Guard called off its search yesterday, nearly a week after the cargo ship disappeared as Hurricane Joaquin was bearing down on it. The president of the company that owned the El Faro promised to help those affected by the tragedy. The NTSB has requested that a salvage unit of the U.S. Navy head to the search site to undertake underwater surveying.