Brussels schools and metro to reopen Wednesday, highest terror alert stays
Brussels will remain under the highest level of alert for another week because of an ongoing terrorism threat, but schools and the underground train system will reopen from Wednesday, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said.
"The crisis centre decided to maintain the alert level four, which means the threat remains serious and imminent," Michel told a press conference, adding the threat level will be reviewed again next Monday.
"We want to thank the people for their calm and understanding," he added.
France strikes ISIS in Iraq from newly-deployed carrier
French fighter jets took off on Monday (Nov 23) from the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier, newly deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, in an operation against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), military sources said.
"We carried out strikes in Ramadi and Mosul in support of ground forces that were pushing against troops of (ISIS)," said army chief of staff General Pierre de Villiers, aboard the carrier.
He said planes from the Charles de Gaulle would launch strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, including command and recruitment centres as well as oil facilities, in "a matter of hours or days".
Paris attacks: France finds explosive belt, detects Paris suspect's phone
A suspected explosive belt was found dumped near Paris on Monday and the mobile phone of a fugitive believed to have taken part in the attacks on Nov 13 was detected in two locations in the city, a source close to the investigation said.
France and Belgium have launched a manhunt following the attacks that killed 130 people, with a focus on Brussels barkeeper Salah Abdeslam, 26, who returned to the city from Paris hours after the attacks and is still at large.
Abdeslam's mobile phone was detected after the attacks in the 18th district in the north of Paris, near an abandoned car that he had rented, and then later in Chatillon in the south, the source said on Monday.
Adele's 25 album sells record 2.3 million US copies in first 3 days
British singer Adele's new album 25 has sold a record 2.3 million copies in the United States in the first three days of its release, Nielsen Music said on Monday.
The monster sales for the first three days mean Adele will break the first week sales record currently held by boy band NSync's 2000 album No Strings Attached, which opened with 2.4 million copies.
Adele's independent UK label XL Recordings last week decided to withhold 25 from online streaming platforms such as Apple Inc's Apple Music service, privately owned Spotify and Google Play.
After a gory death, Game of Thrones hints at return of Jon Snow
HBO's medieval saga Game of Thrones is known for serving up graphic deaths of its lead characters, but when fan favourite Jon Snow was killed off, avid followers speculated every theory and sighting that would bring back their heroic soldier.
It looks like they prevailed. Game of Thrones tweeted a teaser poster on Monday with a partial shot of Jon Snow's rugged, bloodstained face and trademark hair, with the simple caption "APRIL. #GoTSeason6".
The sixth season will air on HBO in April 2016.
