Isis uses human shields as Iraq begins to retake Ramadi: Thousands of civilians stranded in Ramadi under the control of the Islamic State fear being used as human shields as Iraqi forces begin to retake the city  after it was captured by Isis in May this year. 

The Iraqi forces have already recaptured the  Al-Tameem area in the capital of Anbar province, and as the troops close in, Daesh militants are reportedly panicking and killing anyone who tries to escape, Reuters reported. 

"Daesh fighters are becoming more hostile and suspicious. They prevent us from leaving houses. Everyone who goes out against orders is caught and investigated," a Ramadi resident told Reuters. 

At least 1,200 families are estimated to be living in Ramadi and there are fears of them being used as human shields by Isis. 

Baghdad suicide bombing kills 8 Shias: A suicide bomber killed eight people at a Shiite mosque in Baghdad on Tuesday, in the latest attack on the Shia community by Sunni extremists. 

Last month, 18 people were killed in a suicide bombing at the funeral of a pro-government Shi'ite Muslim fighter in Baghdad. 

Third Bataclan concert hall bomber identified: The third bomber who attacked the Bataclan concert in Paris on 13 November has been identified as 23-year-old Foued Mohamed Aggad, who used to live in the eastern French city of Strasbourg. 

Aggad had travelled to Syria in 2013 with his brother, AFP reported. His DNA matched with that of his family members. 

Aggad and two other attackers, Omar Ismaïl Mostefai and Samy Amimour, killed nearly 90 people at the Bataclan hall during the Eagles of Death Metal concert last month. 

Taliban attacks Kandahar airport: At least 18 people were killed after Taliban militants attacked the Kandahar airport complex late on Tuesday, a day before the Afghan President arrived in Pakistan for the 'Heart of Asia' summit which focused on the menace of terrorism in the region. 

Both civilians and security force members were among the dead, TOLO News reported. 

"The attackers entered Shaheed Padshah School and Teachers Training Center and started attacking the police and army compound," a spokesman for the Kandahar Governor told the news channel. 

'Europe will be invaded by Muslim extremists in 2016':  Prophetess Baba Vanga, a blind Bulgarian woman known for her chillingly accurate predictions of natural disasters and terror attacks, including the 9/11 attacks and the 2004 tsunami, had predicted that Europe will "cease to exist" by the end of 2016.

She had warned of an invasion of Europe by Muslim extremists in 2016 and spoke of a "great Muslim war" before she died in 1996, news.com.au reported. 

Vanga had also reportedly said that a caliphate will be formed with Rome at its centre by 2043.

The predictions have a chilling resonance with recent events, such as the Paris attacks last month and the warning by Isis of launching more attacks in Europe. 

Russia hits Isis with submarine-launched missiles: For the first time, Russia fired missiles at Isis targets in Syria from its submarine in the Mediterranean, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday. 

The Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles were fired from the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine Rostov-on-Don and  reportedly hit Isis oil infrastructure, a weapons store and a factory in Raqqa.

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