News Headlines - 15 October 2018
Dozens of Turkish and Saudi officials have entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to begin a joint investigation into the disappearance of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, nearly two weeks after he vanished from the facility.
The visit to the consulate came amid claims the Saudis could admit in a report that Mr Khashoggi was killed in the consulate during an interrogation and rendition attempt that went wrong. CNN cited an unnamed source as saying the Saudis would claim the operation was carried out “without clearance or transparency” and that those involved would be punished
▽Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with Constantinople | The Guardian
The Russian Orthodox Church has announced it will break off relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople in a religious schism driven by political friction between Russia and Ukraine.
The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church elected on Monday to cut ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is viewed as the leading authority for the world’s 300 million Orthodox worshippers.
▽McDonald's refuses to give free drinks to firefighters tackling blaze | Metro News
According to a Facebook post that was uploaded in a local group, some of the group walked a mile to the fast food chain for a refreshment break.
They asked for free drinks as they do not carry money in their equipment, but were turned down.
Fortunately, a kind-hearted member of the public overheard what happened and stepped in to buy hot drinks for the firefighters.
▽Abe says he's going ahead with Japan's consumption tax hike in October 2019 | The Japan Times
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday the government will raise the consumption tax to 10 percent from the current 8 percent as scheduled in October 2019 to help finance ballooning social security costs after twice delaying the hike... The last time the consumption tax was raised — to 8 percent from 5 percent in 2014 — Japan went through a brief recession, but the government sees another hike as indispensable to pay for growing medical and nursing care costs due to the rapidly graying population.
▽Women taking on more frontline roles in Japan's Self-Defense Forces - The Mainichi
A growing number of women in Japan's Self-Defense Forces are entering formerly male-dominated fields, with one recently becoming the country's first-ever female fighter jet pilot... The 26-year-old Matsushima, who stands just 159 centimeters tall, had dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot ever since watching the hit movie "Top Gun" starring Tom Cruise, portraying young naval aviators, when she was in elementary school.
