Moscow / AFP Russian officials probing the crash of a Syria-bound military plane said on Thursday that there was no explosion on board, but equipment was functioning abnormally when it plunged into the Black Sea. “There was no explosion on board, I can say that for certain,” said Sergei Bainetov, head of flight safety for the Russian airforce. “But an …

  Istanbul / AFP Turkish authorities on Thursday detained a prize-winning journalist over a succession of tweets and articles for an opposition daily, state media said, as alarm grows over press freedom in the country. Ahmet Sik was detained on accusations of making “terror propaganda” and denigrating the Turkish Republic, the judicial authorities and police, according to the state-run Anadolu news …

  Jerusalem / AFP Israel’s right wing dismissed US Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech on the conflict with the Palestinians on Thursday as a parting shot of little consequence, especially with Donald Trump soon taking office. One minister repeated his assertion that a Palestinian state will be “off the agenda” once expected ally Trump takes over, while others from what …