Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Israel shoots down Syrian jet at Golan
ISRAEL shot down a Syrian warplane yesterday and cranked up tension in the Middle East.
The jet, said to be Sukhoi 22 or 24, was brought down in Syria but Israel said it had ventured into its airspace over the disputed Golan Heights.
Israel insisted the fighter was in its airspace when it fired its Patriot missiles.
Damascus claimed the jet was fired on during assaults on rebel positions inside Syrian territory.
Syrian news firm SANA said: “The Israeli enemy confirms its support for terror groups and targets one of our warplanes.”
But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said his nation had suffered a “gross violation” of a demilitarisation agreement with Syria. THE Duke of Sussex and Sir Elton John share an emotional hug as the pop legend helps launch a global effort to tackle the Aids epidemic.
Prince Harry, 33, praised the singer for his efforts in campaigning to eradicate the disease during the launch of the Menstar Coalition, which will encourage men to test themselves.
Elton, who performed at Harry’s wedding reception in May, said more work was needed to bring young men “into the fold” so they can become a way of ending the epidemic – which is growing among certain groups.
The 71-year-old told delegates at an international Aids conference in Amsterdam: “If we want to end Aids once and for all, we must make men part of the solution.
“It is time there was a global coalition to teach men to protect themselves and in doing so it will teach them to better protect not only their wives and girlfriends, their sisters and daughters but also, critically, their brothers and sons.”
The project will get under way in Africa next year.
The Kingdom Choir, who sang a gospel version of Ben E King’s Stand By Me at Harry and Meghan’s wedding, have signed a record deal with Sony Music UK and will release their debut album on November 2.