Updates From The Middle East: ISIS Retreat Reveals Terror Plots Against Europe, Syrian Troops Capture Aleppo Stronghold From Rebels,

Islamic State retreat 'reveals terror plots against Europe'

Intelligence of attack plots across Europe is being uncovered as Islamic State’s caliphate is beaten back, the top British officer in the military coalition fighting the extremists has disclosed.

A trove of information has already been found and the capture of the Iraqi city of Mosul is expected to deliver more on the plans, finances and members of Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil).

The volume of intelligence being found is so large the coalition has set up a lab in the Gulf to plunder militants’ laptops, phones and drives for their secrets and then pass them to intelligence agencies.

The capture of the Syrian town of Manbij, which acted as a gateway for jihadists travelling into Turkey and on to Europe, was an intelligence breakthrough, he said. But he warned the militants would still be able to direct plots while they remained in their capital, Raqqa.

“For as long as Raqqa is sitting there, they can orchestrate external operations. So the sooner it’s liberated or the sooner Daesh are liberated from there, the better.”

Maj Gen Jones said: “I am absolutely certain that an extraordinary amount of intelligence will come out of Mosul. We have ramped up as a coalition our ability to gather and process all that intelligence, because it will be a labyrinth of intelligence and we need to get that into the hands of intelligence agencies.”

Syrian Troops Capture Aleppo Stronghold From Rebels

Syrian government forces have retaken “full control” of the rebel-held district of Masaken Hanano in northern battlefield city Aleppo, state media said on Saturday.

State television said “the armed forces retook full control” of the largest rebel district in the east of the city, and official news agency SANA said operations were now under way to clear it of mines and bombs.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there,” the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

SANA said government forces, backed by its allies, also recaptured the area around the district and “army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares.”

The capture of Masaken Hanano in the northeast of Aleppo could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city’s rebel-held east.

One-third of about 90 fires caused by arson, police estimate

Police on Sunday said that one-third of the fires raging across the country are suspected to have been set deliberately.

In a statement, the police said that they suspect between 30-40 of the 90 fires they have investigated thus far were started by arsonists.

Police also said that although much of the evidence was destroyed by the fires, they are using forensic samples to determine whether the fires were ignited intentionally.

However, police have not yet found any evidence that the arson was coordinated nationally or planned in advance. Their assessment is that the arson was local and opportunistic, the statement said.

“Many of the incidents were caused by normal reasons, like weather or an electrical short circuit. But a serious number were caused by arson,” a spokesperson said. Many fires starting over a small area is an indicator of possible arson, he added.

“We are setting up a nationwide team to centralize the local details and are trying to find a connection,” the spokesperson said. “We are trying to understand who is behind the arson, and we are trying to reach them.”

Popocatépetl volcano erupts, sending ash 3 miles into sky

A volcano in Mexico erupted, sending ash three miles into the air and prompting warnings from government officials for tourists and residents to stay away.

The Popocatépetl volcano, located in Pueblo state, erupted with a billowing cloud of dark ash billowing into the morning sky Friday. In the 24 hours since the eruption started, Mexican officials said there have been 129 exaltations of ash, three explosions and one measurable earthquake, a magnitude-1.8 tremor.

19 volcanic eruptions last week: We are within a serious period of volcanic unrest

There have been at least 19 eruptions last week.

Are there still any people around saying that the seismic activity isn’t high around the world?

Here are the following eruptions and ash emissions as mentioned in the weekly report by the Global Volcanism Program (GVP) of the Smithsonian Institution from 16-22 November 2016.

Ulawun, Papua New Guinea: 16-18 November.

Turrialba, Costa Rica: plumes containing minor amounts of ash during 19th November.

Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands: 16-17 and 20-21 November.

Sinabung, Indonesia: 20th November.

Sheveluch, Kamchatka Peninsula: 11-18 November.

Sangay, Ecuador: 16-17 November.

Nevados de Chillan, Chile: 18th November.

Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia: 16th November.

Kliuchevskoi, Kamchatka Peninsula: 17th November.

Kilauea, Hawaii: lava flows during 16-22 November.

Fuego, Guatemala: 16-17 and 19-22 November.

Dukono, Indonesia: 16th and 18-22 November.

Zhupanovsky, Kamchatka Peninsula: 20th November.

Ubinas, Peru: 17th November.

Sabancaya, Peru: 16-21 November.

Unknown source: pumice raft observed floating near Minerva Reef in the South Pacific during 15-16 November. The source of the pumice is unknown but thought to originate from either Monowai or Havre seamounts.

Langila, Papua New Guinea: 16th November.

Kerinci, Indonesia: 16-19 and 21st November.

Copahue, Chile-Argentina Border: 16-18 and 21-22 November.

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