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| Beautiful city of Paris |
World leaders, including many arriving in Vienna for Syria peace talks, have expressed horror at the attacks in Paris, including Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, who called the attacks “heinous”.
“I wanted to express our condolences to the government and people of France for the heinous terrorist attacks that took place yesterday which are in violation and contravention of all ethics, morals and religions,” Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in the Austrian capital.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has long called for more intensified international efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and shapes.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was inevitable the talks would be affected.
“Those events which happened not far from here will absolutely cause adjustments in the agenda of today’s event,” she told reporters.
The Philippines has pledged “higher security” for world leaders meeting at an economic summit in Manila next week, where US President Barack Obama is set to join the leaders of China, Japan, Australia, Canada and 15 others at an annual Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.
“There is no credible threat registered at this time, but let us all be cooperative and vigilant,” President Benigno Aquino said in a statement.
Across the world, landmarks have been lit red, white and blue, including New York’s World Trade Centre and the Sydney opera house.
In Sydney, New South Wales state Premier Mike Baird said he had also asked for a French flag to fly over the city’s famous harbour bridge.
“Turns out, there isn’t one in the country that is big enough,” he wrote on Facebook. “So, if we can’t source one, we are going to make one.”
“We mourn with you, and we stand with you, Paris,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had earlier said that protecting freedom was a global battle after the attacks left more than 120 people dead. He said it was a battle against those who seek to suppress freedom and seek to assert “some form of religious tyranny; a threat in the name of God but is truthfully the work of the devil”.
“In France and Australia, all around the world, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of France and with all free peoples in the battle against terrorism,” Turnbull said in a statement.
In Canada last night, members of the French-speaking community in Montreal gathered late Friday in a spontaneous show of support.
About 500 people assembled under a light rain to honour the victims of the deadly Paris assaults, carrying signs that read “We will not retreat,” and “We will defend our values.”
The crowd sang the Le Marseillaise and observed a moment of silence.
Back in Europe, Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged support from Germany to hunt down the perpetrators of the Paris attacks.
“The people in Paris are enduring a nightmare of violence, terror and fear,” Merkel said in Berlin this morning. “We, the German friends, we are feeling with them. We are crying with them.”
“This attack on freedom is not only aimed against Paris. It’s aimed against us all,” Merkel said, adding that Europe would stand united to defend its values. We know that our free life is stronger than terror.”
…………..Culled from Theguardian
………………………………………. And Twitter reacts
The horror in Paris, France have locked down the social media with Paris topping the trends in Twitter with the hashtag #parisattacks.
According to a report from Skynews a state of emergency has been declared in the world’s most beautiful city after the attack that has left scores dead and hundreds injured.
The Germany Chancellor, Angela Merkel has reiterated her country’s support for France, declaring that Germany will help France hunt down the perpetrators of the attack and “jointly battle to defend European values.”
Also, @DougChapmanSNP tweeted that “our hearts are with the people of Paris today”, he continued by quoting the words of Robert Burns, saying “man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.”
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| Eiffel Tower, Paris |
