Terror attack plots thwarted across the globe

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART TGIF, 23rd December “It`s better to ask Santa Claus for a pair of slippers for Christmas rather than peace on earth. You might actually get it.” Terry Pratchett PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA/KIMIMASA MAYAMA A diver wearing costumes of Santa Claus feeds fishes and rays at Sunshine Aquarium during a special seasoning feeding show in Tokyo, Japan, 22 December 2016. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [New terror arrests made in Germany] Two brothers in Oberhausen have been arrested by authorities on suspicion of intent to carry out a terror attack. The pair, aged 28 and 31, from Kosovo, are suspected of intending to attack a local shopping centre in the German town. It is unclear whether they acted alone or in conjunction with others. [Christmas day terror plot foiled in Australia] An ISIL-linked series of attacks planned for Melbourne on Christmas day have been thwarted today. Police carried out a number of raids throughout the city, arresting several suspects. The attackers are believed to have intended to target Flinders Street train station, Federation Square and St Paul's Cathedral with knives and a gun. [After Trump meddles, UN vote delayed] An intervention by president-elect Donald Trump may well have delayed a United Nations vote condemning Israel's expanding settlements. After calling Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Cairo requested the UN's vote be delayed while it considers its options. Egypt is likely to now abstain from the vote, on the pain of swift and orange retribution in 2017. [Syrian troops captures Aleppo] Regime troops regained complete control of Aleppo on Thursday, marking a significant step forward in the fight against anti-Assad rebels. With the shell of the town now in regime control, and a total of five major cities now in Assad's hands, Idlib to the north-west sits firmly in the Assad forces' sights. — FEATURED ARTICLES [Op-Ed: Industrialisation is just as important as cost when considering IRP options] [Op-Ed: Industrialisation is just as important as cost when considering IRP options] BY Mike Levington [Letter to the Editor: The Myopic Matisonn?] [Letter to the Editor: The Myopic Matisonn?] BY Daily Maverick [Elephant Dawn: The high cost of hanging out with elephants] [Elephant Dawn: The high cost of hanging out with elephants] BY Don Pinnock [2016: A Big Year for Putin] [2016: A Big Year for Putin] BY Saif Islam [Letter to the Editor: Beneath the surface of the UCT convocation AGM] [Letter to the Editor: Beneath the surface of the UCT convocation AGM] BY Daily Maverick [Op-Ed: A 2017 Springbok Wish List] [Op-Ed: A 2017 Springbok Wish List] BY Daniel Gallan OPINIONISTAS [Eskom & DoE must act in the interest of public, or face the consequences] [Eskom & DoE must act in the interest of public, or face the consequences] A column by Wayne Duvenage [All they want for Christmas: A sunny day, the right documents, and maybe a parent or two] [All they want for Christmas: A sunny day, the right documents, and maybe a parent or two] A column by ROBYN WOLFSON VORSTER [Spartacus lives! Remembering Kirk Douglas on his 100th birthday] [Spartacus lives! Remembering Kirk Douglas on his 100th birthday] A column by Kalim Rajab [A Common Thread] [A Common Thread] A column by Paul Hoffman [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND] Copyright © 2016 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. Stay tuned to Daily Maverick's beat. [Click here for announcements]. [Preferences] | [Unsubscribe]