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The United States (US) is not expecting a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war before Joe Biden leaves the White House.&nbsp;Citing top sources in the White House, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday (Sept 19) that the prospects of a peace deal have waned following a recent surge of violence.

Billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil, within&nbsp;24 hours of its temporary come-back.&nbsp;Earlier, X itself acknowledged that its service was "inadvertent and temporary."

In other news from around the world, a&nbsp;prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the&nbsp;government passed legislation that would impose&nbsp;curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country.&nbsp;

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-us-not-expecting-ceasefire-before-joe-biden-leaves-white-houses-760240">Israel-Hamas war: US not expecting ceasefire before Joe Biden leaves White House</a>

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This realisation is fast setting in among US officials that a Gaza peace plan may be finally out of President Joe Biden’s reach now. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Sept 19) that the deal may be finalised only after Biden leaves the White House in late January.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-x-blocked-again-in-brazil-after-temporary-comeback-sc-judge-threatens-massive-fine-760255">Elon Musk’s X blocked again in Brazil after ‘temporary’ comeback, SC judge threatens massive fine</a>

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US billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil on Thursday (Sept 19), within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. The app became available to some users in the South American country on Wednesday following an update to its communications network.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prominent-georgian-trans-model-kesaria-abramidze-killed-a-day-after-parliament-passes-anti-lgbtq-law-760242">Prominent Georgian trans model Kesaria Abramidze killed a day after Parliament passed anti-LGBTQ+ law</a>

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A prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the&nbsp;government passed legislation that would impose&nbsp;curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country.&nbsp;37-year-old&nbsp;Kesaria Abramidze was believed to have been stabbed to death at her apartment in&nbsp;Tbilisi on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-odisha-cops-suspended-for-alleged-brutality-against-indian-army-officer-his-fiancee-760263">Five Odisha cops suspended for alleged brutality against Indian Army officer, his fiancée</a>

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Five police personnel in the Indian state of Odisha were suspended in connection with the police brutality against an army officer and his&nbsp;fiancée, according to media reports on Thursday (Sept 19).

Watch |&nbsp;Andhra CM attacks predecessor on 'Prasadam'

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The United States (US) is not expecting a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war before Joe Biden leaves the White House. Citing top sources in the White House, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday (Sept 19) that the prospects of a peace deal have waned following a recent surge of violence.

The United States (US) is not expecting a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war before Joe Biden leaves the White House. Citing top sources in the White House, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday (Sept 19) that the prospects of a peace deal have waned following a recent surge of violence. Billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil, within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. Earlier, X itself acknowledged that its service was "inadvertent and temporary." In other news from around the world, a prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the government passed legislation that would impose curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Click on the headlines to read more: Israel-Hamas war: US not expecting ceasefire before Joe Biden leaves White House This realisation is fast setting in among US officials that a Gaza peace plan may be finally out of President Joe Biden’s reach now. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Sept 19) that the deal may be finalised only after Biden leaves the White House in late January. Elon Musk’s X blocked again in Brazil after ‘temporary’ comeback, SC judge threatens massive fine US billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil on Thursday (Sept 19), within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. The app became available to some users in the South American country on Wednesday following an update to its communications network. Prominent Georgian trans model Kesaria Abramidze killed a day after Parliament passed anti-LGBTQ+ law A prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the government passed legislation that would impose curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country. 37-year-old Kesaria Abramidze was believed to have been stabbed to death at her apartment in Tbilisi on Wednesday. Five Odisha cops suspended for alleged brutality against Indian Army officer, his fiancée Five police personnel in the Indian state of Odisha were suspended in connection with the police brutality against an army officer and his fiancée, according to media reports on Thursday (Sept 19). Watch | Andhra CM attacks predecessor on 'Prasadam' ×

Morning brief: Gaza war updates; X blocked again in Brazil, and more

Sri Lanka is all set to go to polls on the 21st of September. The countdown to Sri Lanka's presidential election has begun, with 17 million voters set to decide the country's next leader. As the nation prepares for this crucial vote, the election promises to be a turning point for Sri Lanka's future. Watch to know more.

Sri Lanka Polls: Youth raise concerns on unemployment, corruption & cost of living

Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores, who has been accused of rape and sexual assault by over 20 women in a documentary, has now been described as a "monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods" by lawyers representing the alleged victims.&nbsp;

Mohamed Al Fayed was the owner of the luxury department store Harrods, in London, England, which sells high-end goods and services. He was also the father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed.&nbsp;

<h2>Fayed was&nbsp;a 'predator'</h2>

One of his alleged victims said that Fayed was a "predator" who "preyed on the most vulnerable".&nbsp;

The lawyers representing 37 alleged victims of sexual abuse, while speaking at a press conference in London, said that he was a "monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods".&nbsp;

Barrister&nbsp;Dean Armstrong KC said the case "combines some of the most horrific elements" of those including Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.

One of his alleged victims, Natacha, described how she was a "young, naive and totally innocent" 19-year-old when she moved to London. Natacha&nbsp;said that she believed she had been given "the chance of a lifetime" when she was hired at Harrods.&nbsp;

She continued saying&nbsp;that she thought it seemed "entirely innocent" when she was offered extra money and gifts to take home to her parents.

Describing Fayed as a "predator", Natacha said, "Unbeknownst to me, I had walked into a lion's den, a lair of cover-ups, deceit, lies, manipulation, humiliation, and gross sexual misconduct", adding that he "preyed on the most vulnerable".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/mohamed-al-fayed-was-a-rapist-20-women-come-out-against-father-of-lady-dianas-boyfriend-dodi-al-fayed-760351">Also read:&nbsp;Mohamed Al Fayed was a rapist? 20 women come out against father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed</a>

She said she was summoned to Fayed's private apartment one night "on the pretext of a job review" before "the door was locked behind me".

"I saw his bedroom door partially open - there were sex toys on view," Natacha&nbsp;said. "I felt petrified. I perched myself at the very end of the sofa and then… my boss, the person I worked for, pushed himself onto me."

<h2>How she freed herself</h2>

Natacha said, that after she managed to "kick herself free", he laughed at her and told her "never to breathe a word of this to anyone", leaving her feeling "scared and sick".

Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, has been accused by five women of rape, while another woman has now come forward to claim she was subjected to a "sickening" sexual assault by the billionaire.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Lesser-known facts about Princess Diana on her 25th death anniversary

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Reportedly, most of the alleged victims were aged 19 to 24, while some were as young as 15 or 16.&nbsp;

The assaults took place in properties in London, Paris, St Tropez, and Abu Dhabi.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores, who has been accused of rape and sexual assault by over 20 women in a documentary, has now been described as a "monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods" by lawyers representing the alleged victims.

Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores, who has been accused of rape and sexual assault by over 20 women in a documentary, has now been described as a "monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods" by lawyers representing the alleged victims. Mohamed Al Fayed was the owner of the luxury department store Harrods, in London, England, which sells high-end goods and services. He was also the father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed. Fayed was a 'predator' One of his alleged victims said that Fayed was a "predator" who "preyed on the most vulnerable". The lawyers representing 37 alleged victims of sexual abuse, while speaking at a press conference in London, said that he was a "monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods". Barrister Dean Armstrong KC said the case "combines some of the most horrific elements" of those including Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. One of his alleged victims, Natacha, described how she was a "young, naive and totally innocent" 19-year-old when she moved to London. Natacha said that she believed she had been given "the chance of a lifetime" when she was hired at Harrods. She continued saying that she thought it seemed "entirely innocent" when she was offered extra money and gifts to take home to her parents. Describing Fayed as a "predator", Natacha said, "Unbeknownst to me, I had walked into a lion's den, a lair of cover-ups, deceit, lies, manipulation, humiliation, and gross sexual misconduct", adding that he "preyed on the most vulnerable". Also read: Mohamed Al Fayed was a rapist? 20 women come out against father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed She said she was summoned to Fayed's private apartment one night "on the pretext of a job review" before "the door was locked behind me". "I saw his bedroom door partially open - there were sex toys on view," Natacha said. "I felt petrified. I perched myself at the very end of the sofa and then… my boss, the person I worked for, pushed himself onto me." How she freed herself Natacha said, that after she managed to "kick herself free", he laughed at her and told her "never to breathe a word of this to anyone", leaving her feeling "scared and sick". Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, has been accused by five women of rape, while another woman has now come forward to claim she was subjected to a "sickening" sexual assault by the billionaire. Watch | Lesser-known facts about Princess Diana on her 25th death anniversary × Reportedly, most of the alleged victims were aged 19 to 24, while some were as young as 15 or 16. The assaults took place in properties in London, Paris, St Tropez, and Abu Dhabi. (With inputs from agencies)

Mohamed Al Fayed was 'monster enabled by system that pervaded Harrods', say victims' lawyers

Close ally of Putin, Volodin is warning western government for a nuclear war. Watch to know more.

Russia-Ukraine War: Close ally of Putin warns of Nuclear War

Nearly 5 years since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and researchers intelligence agencies continued to tussle over the main scenarios for its origin. Watch to know more.

New study sheds light on Covid-19 origin

An Indian embassy official was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the mission premises here, officials here said.

Local police and the Secret Service are currently investigating the incident that occurred two days ago, including the possibility of suicide.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-embark-on-3-day-us-trip-from-quad-to-un-summit-heres-what-the-schedule-looks-like-760476">Also read:&nbsp;PM Modi to embark on 3-day US trip: From Quad to UN Summit, here's what the schedule looks like</a>

“With deep regret, we wish to confirm that a member of the Embassy of India passed away on the evening of 18th September 2024. We are in touch with all relevant agencies and members of the family to ensure the swift transfer of the mortal remains to India,” the Indian Embassy said in a statement on Friday.

Watch |&nbsp;India- US to sign at least two agreements

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“Additional details regarding the deceased are not being released out of concern for the family’s privacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family in this time of grief,” it said, without giving any further details.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

An Indian embassy official was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the mission premises here, officials here said. Local police and the Secret Service are currently investigating the incident that occurred two days ago, including the possibility of suicide.

An Indian embassy official was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the mission premises here, officials here said. Local police and the Secret Service are currently investigating the incident that occurred two days ago, including the possibility of suicide. Also read: PM Modi to embark on 3-day US trip: From Quad to UN Summit, here's what the schedule looks like “With deep regret, we wish to confirm that a member of the Embassy of India passed away on the evening of 18th September 2024. We are in touch with all relevant agencies and members of the family to ensure the swift transfer of the mortal remains to India,” the Indian Embassy said in a statement on Friday. Watch | India- US to sign at least two agreements × “Additional details regarding the deceased are not being released out of concern for the family’s privacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family in this time of grief,” it said, without giving any further details. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Indian embassy official found dead at mission premises in US under mysterious circumstances

US billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil on Thursday (Sep 19), within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. The app became available to some users in the South American country on Wednesday following an update to its communications network.

However, Brazilian Supreme Court was quick to intervene, saying the company had "unlawfully, persistently and intentionally" disregarded judicial rulings and would face a daily fine exceeding $900,000 for non-compliance.

Earlier, X itself acknowledged that its service was "inadvertent and temporary."

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-x-to-end-operations-in-brazil-effective-immediately-following-spat-with-judge-751000">&nbsp;Elon Musk's X to end operations in Brazil 'effective immediately' following spat with judge</a>

The Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers (Abrint) said the app went offline again “just before 4pm local time.”

Judge Alexandre de Moraes, the high-profile judge who has been involved in a prolonged dispute with Elon Musk, on Thursday called X "recalcitrant", while instructing the state telecommunications agency to immediately take measures to block access to the app again.

<h2>Feud between X and&nbsp;Moraes</h2>

X, owned by&nbsp;Musk, last month claimed its representative in Brazil&nbsp;was threatened by the Supreme Court judge with legal action if it did not comply with legal orders to take down some content.

"Moraes has chosen to threaten our staff in Brazil rather than respect the law or due process," X's Global Government Affairs account posted.&nbsp;

"As a result, to protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately," the statement added.

Earlier this year,&nbsp;Moraes ordered X to take down accounts accused of posting fake news and spreading hatred&nbsp;during the regime of former&nbsp;President Jair Bolsonaro.

Musk called the order "unconstitutional,"&nbsp;and moved to unblock the previously-banned accounts. Following this,&nbsp;Moraes ordered an inquiry into the American&nbsp;billionaire.

(With inputs from agencies)

US billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil on Thursday (Sep 19), within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. The app became available to some users in the South American country on Wednesday following an update to its communications network.

US billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X was once again blocked in Brazil on Thursday (Sep 19), within 24 hours of its temporary come-back. The app became available to some users in the South American country on Wednesday following an update to its communications network. However, Brazilian Supreme Court was quick to intervene, saying the company had "unlawfully, persistently and intentionally" disregarded judicial rulings and would face a daily fine exceeding $900,000 for non-compliance. Earlier, X itself acknowledged that its service was "inadvertent and temporary." Also read: Elon Musk's X to end operations in Brazil 'effective immediately' following spat with judge The Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers (Abrint) said the app went offline again “just before 4pm local time.” Judge Alexandre de Moraes, the high-profile judge who has been involved in a prolonged dispute with Elon Musk, on Thursday called X "recalcitrant", while instructing the state telecommunications agency to immediately take measures to block access to the app again. Feud between X and Moraes X, owned by Musk, last month claimed its representative in Brazil was threatened by the Supreme Court judge with legal action if it did not comply with legal orders to take down some content. "Moraes has chosen to threaten our staff in Brazil rather than respect the law or due process," X's Global Government Affairs account posted. "As a result, to protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately," the statement added. Earlier this year, Moraes ordered X to take down accounts accused of posting fake news and spreading hatred during the regime of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Musk called the order "unconstitutional," and moved to unblock the previously-banned accounts. Following this, Moraes ordered an inquiry into the American billionaire. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk’s X blocked again in Brazil after ‘temporary’ comeback, SC judge threatens massive fine

A prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the government passed legislation that would impose curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Citing Georgia's interior ministry, a report by The Guardian on Thursday (Sept 19) said that 37-year-old Kesaria Abramidze was believed to have been stabbed to death at her apartment in Tbilisi on Wednesday.

A prominent transgender model in Georgia was murdered a day after the government passed legislation that would impose curbs on LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Citing Georgia's interior ministry, a report by The Guardian on Thursday (Sept 19) said that 37-year-old Kesaria Abramidze was believed to have been stabbed to death at her apartment in Tbilisi on Wednesday. The report said that the man behind the attack had been arrested. Abramidze was one of Georgia's first openly trans public figures. Her death came after the government passed the controversial legislation on “family values and the protection of minors.” A look at the legislation The "family values" legislation would allow officials to outlaw Pride events and censor films and books. It includes a ban on same-sex marriages and gender-affirming treatments. Also read | Rewind 2023: Did the LGBTQ movement cross the line? The law was approved by the Georgian Parliament on Tuesday. The Guardian report said that although the motive behind Abramidze's murder remained unclear, her death was swiftly cast by Georgian civil society as part of a state campaign against minorities in the country. Criticism of the legislation Critics (of the law) argue that the bill, initially introduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party in the summer, mirrors laws enacted in neighbouring Russia, where authorities have implemented a series of repressive anti-LGBTQ+ measures over the last 10 years. Georgia has seen a rise in violence against the LGBTQ+ community under the leadership of the Georgian Dream Party. The introduction of the law comes just five weeks before parliamentary elections. On Wednesday, Josep Borrell, the EU’s (European Union) top diplomat, called on Georgia to withdraw the law, warning it would harm the country’s chances of joining the bloc. (With inputs from agencies)

Prominent Georgian trans model Kesaria Abramidze killed a day after Parliament passed anti-LGBTQ+ law

This realisation is fast setting in among US officials that a Gaza peace plan may be finally out of President Joe Biden’s reach now. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Sep 19) that the deal may be finalised only after Biden leaves the White House in late January. Citing top sources in the White House, the newspaper reported that the prospects of a peace deal have waned following a recent surge of violence.

This comes after Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters Thursday that the peace plan was “not falling apart.” “I can tell you that we do not believe that deal is falling apart,” she said. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had noted that 90 per cent of a ceasefire deal had been agreed upon.

<h2>Major obstacles</h2>

The officials identified two major hurdles that have prevented both Hamas and Israel from hammering out a peace deal. The first is that Israel wants to keep forces in the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt and is refusing to budge. Secondly, there are doubts over the specifics of an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

<h2>Biden’s proposal</h2>

In late May, Biden had put forward a three-phase ceasefire proposal, which Israel had reportedly agreed to. But as the talks got derailed, the US administration claimed a new peace proposal would soon be proposed. Since then, mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt have toiled to help reach an agreement between the two sides but to no avail.

<h2>Recent violence in Lebanon</h2>

Now, as tensions soar between Israel and its northern neighbour Lebanon over Hezbollah pager and walkie-talkie explosions, it may not bode well for Gaza peace talks.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjy6e3rxNCIAxWwTmwGHXsQHYEQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-strikes-hezbollah-in-southern-lebanon-after-iran-backed-plot-to-assassinate-netanyahu-revealed-760078" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-strikes-hezbollah-in-southern-lebanon-after-iran-backed-plot-to-assassinate-netanyahu-revealed-760078&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjy6e3rxNCIAxWwTmwGHXsQHYEQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">Israel strikes seven Hezbollah sites in Lebanon after Iran-backed plot to assassinate Netanyahu revealed</a>

Blinken also looked visibly annoyed when he was asked a question about Israel’s fresh assault on Hezbollah during his visit to Cairo.

“Time and again” when the US and others working on a Gaza cease-fire plan think they are moving forward, “we’ve seen an event that … threatens to slow it, stop it, derail it,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

This realisation is fast setting in among US officials that a Gaza peace plan may be finally out of President Joe Biden’s reach now. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Sep 19) that the deal may be finalised only after Biden leaves the White House in late January.

This realisation is fast setting in among US officials that a Gaza peace plan may be finally out of President Joe Biden’s reach now. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Sep 19) that the deal may be finalised only after Biden leaves the White House in late January. Citing top sources in the White House, the newspaper reported that the prospects of a peace deal have waned following a recent surge of violence. This comes after Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters Thursday that the peace plan was “not falling apart.” “I can tell you that we do not believe that deal is falling apart,” she said. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had noted that 90 per cent of a ceasefire deal had been agreed upon. Major obstacles The officials identified two major hurdles that have prevented both Hamas and Israel from hammering out a peace deal. The first is that Israel wants to keep forces in the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt and is refusing to budge. Secondly, there are doubts over the specifics of an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Biden’s proposal In late May, Biden had put forward a three-phase ceasefire proposal, which Israel had reportedly agreed to. But as the talks got derailed, the US administration claimed a new peace proposal would soon be proposed. Since then, mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt have toiled to help reach an agreement between the two sides but to no avail. Recent violence in Lebanon Now, as tensions soar between Israel and its northern neighbour Lebanon over Hezbollah pager and walkie-talkie explosions, it may not bode well for Gaza peace talks. Also read: Israel strikes seven Hezbollah sites in Lebanon after Iran-backed plot to assassinate Netanyahu revealed Blinken also looked visibly annoyed when he was asked a question about Israel’s fresh assault on Hezbollah during his visit to Cairo. “Time and again” when the US and others working on a Gaza cease-fire plan think they are moving forward, “we’ve seen an event that … threatens to slow it, stop it, derail it,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: US not expecting ceasefire before Joe Biden leaves White House

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday (Sep 20) after it attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, reported news agency AFP citing&nbsp;a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group.&nbsp;

The group's elite Radwan unit chief was killed in what Israel called a "targeted strike".&nbsp;

The Israeli attack hit near key Hezbollah facilities, the security sources in Lebanon told the news agency.&nbsp;

<h2>Who was Ibrahim Aqil?&nbsp;</h2>

Aqil, also known as Tahsin, "serves on Hezbollah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council," according to the&nbsp;US Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program.&nbsp;

He was the armed forces' second-in-command after Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike in July, also in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> | Israel launches deadly air strikes on Hezbollah stronghold in South Beirut; civilian casualties feared <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IsraelHezbollahConflict?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IsraelHezbollahConflict</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lebanon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lebanon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Beirut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Beirut</a> <a href="https://t.co/4DlY1lOFHM">pic.twitter.com/4DlY1lOFHM</a>
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Aqil has also been wanted by the United States for his role in the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut, and in directing the taking of American and German hostages in Lebanon in the 1980s.&nbsp;

Hezbollah's local media al-Manar TV reported that the southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, had been subjected to an act of aggression, killing one and injuring 14 people.&nbsp;

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they conducted a targeted strike in Beirut.&nbsp;

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) conducted a targeted strike in Beirut. At this moment, there are no changes in the Home Front Command defensive guidelines," the Israeli military said without&nbsp;providing any further&nbsp;details.

<h2>How was Hezbollah deputy leader Fuad Shukr killed?&nbsp;</h2>

Hezbollah deputy leader Fuad Shukr was lured to his seventh-floor residence from his second-floor office in Beirut in July this year, where he was killed in an airstrike.&nbsp;

The Israeli strike on July 30 killed Shukr, his wife, two other women and two children. Hezbollah was reportedly working with Iran to investigate the security breach that led to the airstrike, killing one of its important assets.&nbsp;

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Israel launches deadly air strikes on Hezbollah stronghold in South Beirut; Five people, including children, killed and 17 wounded 
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lebanon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lebanon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Beirut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Beirut</a> <a href="https://t.co/QjU1xgjvJr">pic.twitter.com/QjU1xgjvJr</a>
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The tensions in West Asia have risen after the pagers and walkie-talkies attack across Lebanon, earlier this week.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday (Sep 20) after it attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, reported news agency AFP citing a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group.

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday (Sep 20) after it attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, reported news agency AFP citing a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group. The group's elite Radwan unit chief was killed in what Israel called a "targeted strike". The Israeli attack hit near key Hezbollah facilities, the security sources in Lebanon told the news agency. Who was Ibrahim Aqil? Aqil, also known as Tahsin, "serves on Hezbollah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council," according to the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program. He was the armed forces' second-in-command after Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike in July, also in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold. #BREAKING | Israel launches deadly air strikes on Hezbollah stronghold in South Beirut; civilian casualties feared #IsraelHezbollahConflict #Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/4DlY1lOFHM — WION (@WIONews) September 20, 2024 × Aqil has also been wanted by the United States for his role in the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut, and in directing the taking of American and German hostages in Lebanon in the 1980s. Hezbollah's local media al-Manar TV reported that the southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, had been subjected to an act of aggression, killing one and injuring 14 people. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they conducted a targeted strike in Beirut. "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) conducted a targeted strike in Beirut. At this moment, there are no changes in the Home Front Command defensive guidelines," the Israeli military said without providing any further details. How was Hezbollah deputy leader Fuad Shukr killed? Hezbollah deputy leader Fuad Shukr was lured to his seventh-floor residence from his second-floor office in Beirut in July this year, where he was killed in an airstrike. The Israeli strike on July 30 killed Shukr, his wife, two other women and two children. Hezbollah was reportedly working with Iran to investigate the security breach that led to the airstrike, killing one of its important assets. Israel launches deadly air strikes on Hezbollah stronghold in South Beirut; Five people, including children, killed and 17 wounded . . .#Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/QjU1xgjvJr — WION (@WIONews) September 20, 2024 × The tensions in West Asia have risen after the pagers and walkie-talkies attack across Lebanon, earlier this week. Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike in Beirut

Hezbollah's top commander Ibrahim Aqil, alongside two others, were killed in a strike,&nbsp;carried out by Israel on Friday (Sep 20) evening. The strikes took place in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut and its&nbsp;southern suburbs dealing a huge blow to the militant outfit whose chief, Hassan Nasrallah had vowed revenge against Israel, only a day before in a televised address.&nbsp;

Aqil was the second-in-command of Hezbollah's armed forces, behind Fuad Shukr who was also killed in an Israeli strike in July.&nbsp;

The Israeli military confirmed Aqil's death saying he alongside his troops had&nbsp;gathered underground when they were targeted and killed in an airstrike.

“They gathered underground, under a residential building, in the heart of the Dahiyeh, while using civilians as a human shield. They met to coordinate terror activities against Israeli civilians,” said Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.&nbsp;

According to the IDF, Aqil was planning to "raid Israeli territory, occupy the communities of the Galilee, murder and kill innocents, similar to what the Hamas terror organisation carried out in the murderous massacre on October 7".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-hamas-war-eu-west-bank-becoming-a-new-gaza-758718">Watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war | EU: West Bank becoming a new Gaza</a>

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&nbsp;

<h2>Who was Ibrahim Aqil?</h2>

Ibrahim Aqil, also known as Tahsin, served in Hezbollah's&nbsp;highest military body, the Jihad Council. He also led the elite Radwan Force, the outfit's top military unit.

Formed after the 2006 Second Lebanon War, the Radwan Force was created to bolster Hezbollah’s offensive capabilities. The unit is primarily responsible for ground warfare, including high-risk missions such as infiltrating&nbsp;Israeli territory.&nbsp;

In the 1980s, he was a principal member of Hezbollah's terrorist cell&nbsp;the Islamic Jihad Organisation, which claimed responsibility for the bombings of the American&nbsp;embassy in Beirut in April 1983, which killed 63 people, and the US&nbsp;Marine Corps barracks in October 1983, which killed 241 US&nbsp;personnel.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/senior-hezbollah-commander-ibrahim-aqil-killed-in-israeli-strike-in-beirut-760479">Also read |&nbsp;Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike in Beirut</a>

In July 2015, the US&nbsp;Department of the Treasury listed Aqil as a Specially Designated National,&nbsp;for acting for or on behalf of Hezbollah.&nbsp;

In April last year, on the 40th anniversary of the attack on the US embassy, Washington put a reward of $7 million on Aqil's head.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Commenting on Aqil's death,&nbsp;White House national security spokesman John Kirby said he was “not aware” of Israel giving the US&nbsp;prior notice about the Beirut strike.&nbsp;

"War is not inevitable up there at the Blue Line, and we're going to continue to do everything we can to try to prevent it," added Kirby.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Hezbollah's top commander Ibrahim Aqil, alongside two others, were killed in a strike, carried out by Israel on Friday (Sep 20) evening. The strikes took place in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut and its southern suburbs dealing a huge blow to the militant outfit whose chief, Hassan Nasrallah had vowed revenge against Israel, only a day before in a televised address.

Hezbollah's top commander Ibrahim Aqil, alongside two others, were killed in a strike, carried out by Israel on Friday (Sep 20) evening. The strikes took place in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut and its southern suburbs dealing a huge blow to the militant outfit whose chief, Hassan Nasrallah had vowed revenge against Israel, only a day before in a televised address. Aqil was the second-in-command of Hezbollah's armed forces, behind Fuad Shukr who was also killed in an Israeli strike in July. The Israeli military confirmed Aqil's death saying he alongside his troops had gathered underground when they were targeted and killed in an airstrike. “They gathered underground, under a residential building, in the heart of the Dahiyeh, while using civilians as a human shield. They met to coordinate terror activities against Israeli civilians,” said Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. According to the IDF, Aqil was planning to "raid Israeli territory, occupy the communities of the Galilee, murder and kill innocents, similar to what the Hamas terror organisation carried out in the murderous massacre on October 7". Watch | Israel-Hamas war | EU: West Bank becoming a new Gaza × Who was Ibrahim Aqil? Ibrahim Aqil, also known as Tahsin, served in Hezbollah's highest military body, the Jihad Council. He also led the elite Radwan Force, the outfit's top military unit. Formed after the 2006 Second Lebanon War, the Radwan Force was created to bolster Hezbollah’s offensive capabilities. The unit is primarily responsible for ground warfare, including high-risk missions such as infiltrating Israeli territory. In the 1980s, he was a principal member of Hezbollah's terrorist cell the Islamic Jihad Organisation, which claimed responsibility for the bombings of the American embassy in Beirut in April 1983, which killed 63 people, and the US Marine Corps barracks in October 1983, which killed 241 US personnel. Also read | Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike in Beirut In July 2015, the US Department of the Treasury listed Aqil as a Specially Designated National, for acting for or on behalf of Hezbollah. In April last year, on the 40th anniversary of the attack on the US embassy, Washington put a reward of $7 million on Aqil's head. Commenting on Aqil's death, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said he was “not aware” of Israel giving the US prior notice about the Beirut strike. "War is not inevitable up there at the Blue Line, and we're going to continue to do everything we can to try to prevent it," added Kirby. Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Who was Ibrahim Aqil, chief of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, killed in Israeli strike

In one of the deadliest attacks across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel had established a shell company in Hungary, posing as an international pager producer, the New York Times reported citing&nbsp;intelligence officers.

The company manufactured ordinary pagers for various clients, however, the devices sent to Lebanon contained explosive batteries.&nbsp;

Tuesday's blasts reportedly&nbsp;claimed the lives of at least nine people, including an eight-year-old girl, and injured nearly 3,000 others, when the pagers blasted&nbsp;simultaneously across Lebanon.&nbsp;

The coordinated blasts are said to be the&nbsp;result&nbsp;of a months-long operation by Israel targeting members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.&nbsp;

<h2>5000 pagers imported &nbsp;</h2>

Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Israel's Mossad spy agency had planted explosives in 5000 pagers imported by Hezbollah from Taiwan.

The pagers had the labels of Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, however, the Taiwanese company denied manufacturing the explosive devices.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-what-we-know-about-budapest-based-company-linked-to-hezbollah-pagers-760436">Also read:&nbsp;Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers</a>

Instead, they alleged that the pagers were produced by BAC Consulting KFT, a European company based in Budapest, Hungary, which had been granted the right to use Gold Apollo's brand name.

According to the New York Times report, Israel had set up at least two additional shell companies to conceal the identities of intelligence officers involved in creating the pagers.&nbsp;

The devices were being sent to Lebanon from 2021 in small numbers, and the orders increased with time.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Israel unleashes heavy strikes on Lebanon | Nasrallah vows retaliation against Israel

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Before the pagers attack happened, Israel reportedly&nbsp;informed US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that a military operation would take place in Lebanon, and did not provide specific details.&nbsp;

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously&nbsp;warned members not to carry cell phones, as Israel could use them to track the group's movements.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

In one of the deadliest attacks across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel had established a shell company in Hungary, posing as an international pager producer, the New York Times reported citing intelligence officers.

In one of the deadliest attacks across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel had established a shell company in Hungary, posing as an international pager producer, the New York Times reported citing intelligence officers. The company manufactured ordinary pagers for various clients, however, the devices sent to Lebanon contained explosive batteries. Tuesday's blasts reportedly claimed the lives of at least nine people, including an eight-year-old girl, and injured nearly 3,000 others, when the pagers blasted simultaneously across Lebanon. The coordinated blasts are said to be the result of a months-long operation by Israel targeting members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. 5000 pagers imported Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Israel's Mossad spy agency had planted explosives in 5000 pagers imported by Hezbollah from Taiwan. The pagers had the labels of Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, however, the Taiwanese company denied manufacturing the explosive devices. Also read: Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers Instead, they alleged that the pagers were produced by BAC Consulting KFT, a European company based in Budapest, Hungary, which had been granted the right to use Gold Apollo's brand name. According to the New York Times report, Israel had set up at least two additional shell companies to conceal the identities of intelligence officers involved in creating the pagers. The devices were being sent to Lebanon from 2021 in small numbers, and the orders increased with time. Watch | Israel unleashes heavy strikes on Lebanon | Nasrallah vows retaliation against Israel × Before the pagers attack happened, Israel reportedly informed US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that a military operation would take place in Lebanon, and did not provide specific details. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously warned members not to carry cell phones, as Israel could use them to track the group's movements. Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

How Israel used shell companies to execute pagers attack across Lebanon

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday, according to a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group. The attack hit near key Hezbollah facilities, the security sources in Lebanon told the news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in India, amid the Tirupati Prasadam row, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy called the lab report which claimed that animal fat, including beef tallow, was used to make Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering, during his tenure, false.&nbsp;

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/senior-hezbollah-commander-ibrahim-aqil-killed-in-israeli-strike-in-beirut-760479">Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike in Beirut</a>

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Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday (Sep 20) after it attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, reported news agency AFP citing&nbsp;a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tirupati-prasadam-row-ex-andhra-cm-jagan-reddy-says-lab-report-false-blames-naidu-of-playing-faith-politics-760443">Tirupati Prasadam row: Ex-Andhra CM Jagan Reddy says lab report false, blames Naidu for playing faith politics</a>

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Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has responded to the allegations that during&nbsp;his tenure, animal fat, including beef tallow was used to make&nbsp;Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering.&nbsp;Reddy called the lab report false and accused Telugu Desam Party&nbsp;(TDP) leader and incumbent CM Chandrababu Naidu of using "faith for politics".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-jews-would-be-to-blame-if-he-lost-election-reiterates-israel-would-cease-to-exist-if-enemy-wins-760415">&nbsp;Trump says Jews would be to blame if he lost election, reiterates Israel may cease to exist if 'enemy' wins</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/09/19/455637-trump-10.png?imwidth=400" />

Former United States President Donald Trump has claimed that if he were to lose the presidential election in November, it would be due to Jewish Americans not voting for him en masse.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-bought-iranian-jammers-to-block-news-channels-critical-of-regimes-terrible-ways-760396">Taliban bought Iranian jammers to block news channels critical of regime's terrible ways</a>

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Further culling&nbsp;the freedom and choices of its citizens, the Taliban have allegedly purchased jammers from Iran to shut down independent television channels reporting on the regime's terrible ways, from reaching the masses.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-envoy-warns-israeli-ground-incursion-will-lead-to-doomsday-regional-war-760406">Lebanese envoy warns Israeli ground incursion will lead to 'doomsday' regional war</a>

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Lebanon's Ambassador to the United Kingdom warned that an Israeli ground incursion would lead to a "doomsday" regional war.&nbsp;Lebanese envoy Rami Mortada told The Times of Israel that Lebanon's armed forces will not stand by, like they have been so far, if Israel launches a major assault on the ground or from the air.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-what-we-know-about-budapest-based-company-linked-to-hezbollah-pagers-760436">Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers</a>

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After Taiwanese firm&nbsp;Gold Apollo claimed it had not manufactured the pagers that exploded and killed 12 people, including two children, the focus has now shifted towards a Hungary-based company called&nbsp;BAC Consulting which allegedly had the license to develop the devices.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-embark-on-3-day-us-trip-from-quad-to-un-summit-heres-what-the-schedule-looks-like-760476">PM Modi to embark on 3-day US trip: From Quad to UN Summit, here's what the schedule looks like</a>

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be embarking on a three-day trip to the US from Saturday (Sep 21)&nbsp;to Monday (Sep 23)&nbsp;where he will attend the fourth annual Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by United States President Joe Biden in his home residence of Wilmington, Delaware.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-pm-netanyahu-to-delay-departure-for-us-amid-security-situation-in-north-760491">Israeli PM Netanyahu to delay departure for US amid security situation in north</a>

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country's north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-ricky-ponting-reveals-why-he-chose-punjab-kings-over-other-teams-details-on-essentials-760482">IPL 2025: Ricky Ponting reveals why he chose Punjab Kings over other teams; details on essentials</a>

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Newly-appointed Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting revealed what attracted him to accept their offer despite interests from several teams ahead of IPL 2025. Ponting, who previously coached Delhi Capitals for seven seasons, detailed what he told his new team owners and shared his thoughts on retention plans as the mega auction date nears.

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Transformers One,&nbsp;the untold story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is finally in India. The film was released today&nbsp;(September 20) in theatres in India and we talked&nbsp;to the director of the film, Josh Cooley who spoke about Keegan-Michael Key who voiced the character of Bumblebee and gave him an interesting new twist in the origins film.&nbsp;

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday, according to a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group.

Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday, according to a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group. The attack hit near key Hezbollah facilities, the security sources in Lebanon told the news agency AFP. Meanwhile, in India, amid the Tirupati Prasadam row, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy called the lab report which claimed that animal fat, including beef tallow, was used to make Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering, during his tenure, false. Click on the headlines to read more: Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike in Beirut Hezbollah's Operations Division head Ibrahim Aqil has been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday (Sep 20) after it attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, reported news agency AFP citing a source close to the Lebanon-based militant group. Tirupati Prasadam row: Ex-Andhra CM Jagan Reddy says lab report false, blames Naidu for playing faith politics Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has responded to the allegations that during his tenure, animal fat, including beef tallow was used to make Tirupati laddoos - given to devotees as an offering. Reddy called the lab report false and accused Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and incumbent CM Chandrababu Naidu of using "faith for politics". Trump says Jews would be to blame if he lost election, reiterates Israel may cease to exist if 'enemy' wins Former United States President Donald Trump has claimed that if he were to lose the presidential election in November, it would be due to Jewish Americans not voting for him en masse. Taliban bought Iranian jammers to block news channels critical of regime's terrible ways Further culling the freedom and choices of its citizens, the Taliban have allegedly purchased jammers from Iran to shut down independent television channels reporting on the regime's terrible ways, from reaching the masses. Lebanese envoy warns Israeli ground incursion will lead to 'doomsday' regional war Lebanon's Ambassador to the United Kingdom warned that an Israeli ground incursion would lead to a "doomsday" regional war. Lebanese envoy Rami Mortada told The Times of Israel that Lebanon's armed forces will not stand by, like they have been so far, if Israel launches a major assault on the ground or from the air. Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers After Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo claimed it had not manufactured the pagers that exploded and killed 12 people, including two children, the focus has now shifted towards a Hungary-based company called BAC Consulting which allegedly had the license to develop the devices. PM Modi to embark on 3-day US trip: From Quad to UN Summit, here's what the schedule looks like Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be embarking on a three-day trip to the US from Saturday (Sep 21) to Monday (Sep 23) where he will attend the fourth annual Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by United States President Joe Biden in his home residence of Wilmington, Delaware. Israeli PM Netanyahu to delay departure for US amid security situation in north Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country's north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday. IPL 2025: Ricky Ponting reveals why he chose Punjab Kings over other teams; details on essentials Newly-appointed Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting revealed what attracted him to accept their offer despite interests from several teams ahead of IPL 2025. Ponting, who previously coached Delhi Capitals for seven seasons, detailed what he told his new team owners and shared his thoughts on retention plans as the mega auction date nears. Transformers One director Josh Cooley on why he cast Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee Transformers One, the untold story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is finally in India. The film was released today (September 20) in theatres in India and we talked to the director of the film, Josh Cooley who spoke about Keegan-Michael Key who voiced the character of Bumblebee and gave him an interesting new twist in the origins film.

Top 10 world news: Senior Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli strike; Tirupati 'laddoo' row; and more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country's north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed his visit to the US by one day in light of the security situation in the north of Israel," the official said, asking not to be named. He said that Netanyahu will now travel on September 25, instead of September 24 as previously planned.

During his visit to the United States, Netanyahu will address the annual UN General Assembly session. He is scheduled to return to Israel on September 28.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-pm-netanyahu-to-return-to-us-to-address-unga-meet-officials-report-755641">Also read:&nbsp;Israeli PM Netanyahu to address UNGA session, meet world leaders: Report</a>

Israel is engaged in a fierce cross-border clash in the country's north with the Lebanese Hezbollah group, with the situation deteriorating in recent days.

Watch |&nbsp;America snubs Netanyahu as Israeli PM expands war

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On Friday, the Israeli military carried out a "targeted strike" in Beirut, which a source close to Hezbollah said killed one of its top military leaders.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country's north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country's north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed his visit to the US by one day in light of the security situation in the north of Israel," the official said, asking not to be named. He said that Netanyahu will now travel on September 25, instead of September 24 as previously planned. During his visit to the United States, Netanyahu will address the annual UN General Assembly session. He is scheduled to return to Israel on September 28. Also read: Israeli PM Netanyahu to address UNGA session, meet world leaders: Report Israel is engaged in a fierce cross-border clash in the country's north with the Lebanese Hezbollah group, with the situation deteriorating in recent days. Watch | America snubs Netanyahu as Israeli PM expands war × On Friday, the Israeli military carried out a "targeted strike" in Beirut, which a source close to Hezbollah said killed one of its top military leaders. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Israeli PM Netanyahu to delay departure for US amid security situation in north

India and the US will sign two pacts during the PM-President Joe Biden bilateral meet to be held on the sidelines of the Quad summit.

India- US to sign at least two agreements

On 20 September 2024, the world celebrates the 90th birthday of Sophia Loren,

Happy 90th birthday Sophia Loren

Israel said it had conducted a "targeted strike" in Beirut, where an air strike had hit Hezbollah's stronghold in the south of the city. Watch in for more details!

BREAKING | Israeli Jets Attack Lebanon: 5 Killed, 17 Injured

An Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut, near Al-Qaem mosque, according to a Lebanese security source. The series of four bomb strikes resulted in five deaths, including children and civilians, and left 17 others wounded. Among the dead is Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force commander, Ibrahim Aqil, reportedly the group’s second-in-command after Fuad Shukr, who was killed in a previous Israeli strike in July. While the Israeli military claims it conducted a “targeted strike,” the exact target remains unclear.

Lebanon: Aftermath Of Israeli Airstrike In Beirut Causes Widespread Destruction

The Chief Minister of Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has accused the previous YSR Congress party for using animal fat in preparing holy offering. Watch to know more.

Andhra CM attacks predecessor on 'Prasadam'

A county sheriff was charged with murder Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed a district court judge in the southern US state of&nbsp;Kentucky.&nbsp;

Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines was taken into custody in connection with a shooting at the Letcher County courthouse, the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper reported.

He was charged with one count of murder in the first degree, according to CBS News.&nbsp;

A spokesman for police told the outlet the shooting occurred after an argument between Stines and Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, in the latter's office.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-hunt-armed-and-dangerous-suspect-after-kentucky-i-75-highway-shooting-leaves-several-injured-756757">Also read |&nbsp;US: Police hunt 'armed and dangerous' suspect after Kentucky I-75 highway shooting leaves several injured</a>

Investigators have not yet announced a motive.

Kentucky&nbsp;Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the shooting in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon," Beshear said.

"There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow."

Gun violence is common in the United States, a country where there are more firearms than people.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-counting-the-cost-the-rising-numbers-in-us-gun-violence-666610">Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Counting the Cost: The Rising Numbers in US Gun Violence</a>

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Earlier this month, a man shot and injured five people on a&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;highway. The gunman's body was found Wednesday after a 10-day manhunt.

Despite polls showing Americans favour more gun restrictions, a powerful gun rights lobby, constitutional protections and a passionate culture around firearm ownership mean that attempts to clamp down on gun rights are always met with stiff political resistance.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A county sheriff was charged with murder Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed a district court judge in the southern US state of Kentucky. Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines was taken into custody in connection with a shooting at the Letcher County courthouse, the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper reported.

A county sheriff was charged with murder Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed a district court judge in the southern US state of Kentucky. Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines was taken into custody in connection with a shooting at the Letcher County courthouse, the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper reported. He was charged with one count of murder in the first degree, according to CBS News. A spokesman for police told the outlet the shooting occurred after an argument between Stines and Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, in the latter's office. Also read | US: Police hunt 'armed and dangerous' suspect after Kentucky I-75 highway shooting leaves several injured Investigators have not yet announced a motive. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the shooting in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon," Beshear said. "There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow." Gun violence is common in the United States, a country where there are more firearms than people. Watch | Gravitas: Counting the Cost: The Rising Numbers in US Gun Violence × Earlier this month, a man shot and injured five people on a Kentucky highway. The gunman's body was found Wednesday after a 10-day manhunt. Despite polls showing Americans favour more gun restrictions, a powerful gun rights lobby, constitutional protections and a passionate culture around firearm ownership mean that attempts to clamp down on gun rights are always met with stiff political resistance. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US sheriff charged for killing judge inside Kentucky courthouse

Lebanon's Hezbollah was still handing its members new Gold Apollo branded pagers hours before thousands blew up this week, two security sources said, indicating the group was confident the devices were safe despite an ongoing sweep of electronic kits to identify threats.

One member of the Iranian-backed militia received a new pager on Monday that exploded the next day while it was still in its box, said one of the sources.

A pager given to a senior member just days earlier injured a subordinate when it detonated, the second source said.

In an apparently coordinated attack, the Gold Apollo branded devices detonated on Tuesday across Hezbollah's strongholds of south Lebanon, Beirut's suburbs, and the eastern Bekaa valley.

On Wednesday, hundreds of Hezbollah walkie-talkies exploded. The consecutive attacks killed 37 people, including at least two children, and injured more than 3,000 people.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-what-we-know-about-budapest-based-company-linked-to-hezbollah-pagers-760436">Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers</a>

The batteries of the walkie-talkies were laced with a highly explosive compound known as PETN, another Lebanese source familiar with the device's components told Reuters on Friday. Up to three grams of explosives hidden in the pagers had gone undetected for months by Hezbollah, Reuters reported earlier this week.

One of the security sources said it was very hard to detect the explosives "with any device or scanner." The source did not specify what type of scanners Hezbollah had run the pagers through.

Hezbollah examined the pagers after they were delivered to Lebanon, starting in 2022, including by travelling through airports with them to ensure they would not trigger alarms, two additional sources told Reuters. In total, Reuters spoke to six sources familiar with the details of the exploding devices for this story.

The sources did not specify the names of the airports where they conducted the tests.

Lebanon and Hezbollah say Israel was behind the attacks. Israel's secretive military intelligence Unit 8200 was involved in the planning, a Western security source told Reuters this week. Israel, which has since stepped up airstrikes on Lebanon, has neither denied nor confirmed involvement.

Rather than a specific suspicion of the pagers, the checks had been part of a routine "sweep" of its equipment, including communications devices, to find any indications that they were laced with explosives or surveillance mechanisms, one of the security sources said.

The attacks, and the distribution of the devices despite the routine sweep and checks for breaches, have struck at Hezbollah's reputation as the most formidable of Iran's allied 'Axis of Resistance' umbrella of anti-Israel irregular forces across the Middle East.

In a televised speech on Thursday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said the attacks were "unprecedented in the history" of the group.

Hezbollah's media office and Israel's armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story.

Taiwan-based Gold Apollo has said it did not manufacture the devices used in the attack, saying they were made by a company in Europe licensed to use the firm's brand. Reuters has not been able to establish where they were made or at what point they were tampered with.&nbsp;

A batch of 5,000 of the pagers were brought into Lebanon earlier this year. Reuters previously reported that Hezbollah turned to pagers in an attempt to evade Israeli surveillance of its mobile phones, following the killing of senior commanders in targeted airstrikes over the past year.

Hezbollah's conflict with Israel dates back decades but has flared up in the past year in parallel with the Gaza war, heightening worries of a full-blown regional war.

<h2>Too little, too late&nbsp;</h2>

After the pagers detonated on Tuesday, Hezbollah suspected more of its devices may have been compromised, two of the security sources, as well as an intelligence source, told Reuters.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanese-envoy-warns-israeli-ground-incursion-will-lead-to-doomsday-regional-war-760406">Lebanese envoy warns Israeli ground incursion will lead to 'doomsday' regional war</a>

In response, it intensified the sweep of its communications systems, carrying out careful examinations of all devices. It also began investigating the supply chains through which the pagers were brought in, the two security sources said.

But the review had not been concluded by Wednesday afternoon when the hand-held radios exploded.&nbsp;

Hezbollah believes that Israel opted to detonate the group's hand-held radios because it feared Hezbollah would soon find that the walkie-talkies were also rigged with explosives, one of the sources told Reuters.

The walkie-talkie explosions left 25 people dead and at least 650 injured, according to Lebanon's health ministry - a much higher fatality rate than the previous day's pager blasts, which killed 12 and wounded nearly 3,000.&nbsp;

That is because they carried a higher payload of explosives than the beepers, one of the security sources and the intelligence source said.&nbsp;

The group's probe into precisely where, when and how the devices were laced with explosives is ongoing, three of the sources said. Nasrallah later said the same in the speech on Thursday.

One of the security sources said Hezbollah had foiled previous Israeli operations targeting devices imported from abroad by the group - from its private landline telephones to ventilation units in the group's offices.&nbsp;

That includes suspected breaches in the past year.&nbsp;

"There are several electronic issues that we were able to discover - but not the pagers," the source said. "They tricked us, hats off to the enemy."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Lebanon's Hezbollah was still handing its members new Gold Apollo branded pagers hours before thousands blew up this week, two security sources said, indicating the group was confident the devices were safe despite an ongoing sweep of electronic kits to identify threats.

Lebanon's Hezbollah was still handing its members new Gold Apollo branded pagers hours before thousands blew up this week, two security sources said, indicating the group was confident the devices were safe despite an ongoing sweep of electronic kits to identify threats. One member of the Iranian-backed militia received a new pager on Monday that exploded the next day while it was still in its box, said one of the sources. A pager given to a senior member just days earlier injured a subordinate when it detonated, the second source said. In an apparently coordinated attack, the Gold Apollo branded devices detonated on Tuesday across Hezbollah's strongholds of south Lebanon, Beirut's suburbs, and the eastern Bekaa valley. On Wednesday, hundreds of Hezbollah walkie-talkies exploded. The consecutive attacks killed 37 people, including at least two children, and injured more than 3,000 people. Also Read | Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers The batteries of the walkie-talkies were laced with a highly explosive compound known as PETN, another Lebanese source familiar with the device's components told Reuters on Friday. Up to three grams of explosives hidden in the pagers had gone undetected for months by Hezbollah, Reuters reported earlier this week. One of the security sources said it was very hard to detect the explosives "with any device or scanner." The source did not specify what type of scanners Hezbollah had run the pagers through. Hezbollah examined the pagers after they were delivered to Lebanon, starting in 2022, including by travelling through airports with them to ensure they would not trigger alarms, two additional sources told Reuters. In total, Reuters spoke to six sources familiar with the details of the exploding devices for this story. The sources did not specify the names of the airports where they conducted the tests. Lebanon and Hezbollah say Israel was behind the attacks. Israel's secretive military intelligence Unit 8200 was involved in the planning, a Western security source told Reuters this week. Israel, which has since stepped up airstrikes on Lebanon, has neither denied nor confirmed involvement. Rather than a specific suspicion of the pagers, the checks had been part of a routine "sweep" of its equipment, including communications devices, to find any indications that they were laced with explosives or surveillance mechanisms, one of the security sources said. The attacks, and the distribution of the devices despite the routine sweep and checks for breaches, have struck at Hezbollah's reputation as the most formidable of Iran's allied 'Axis of Resistance' umbrella of anti-Israel irregular forces across the Middle East. In a televised speech on Thursday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said the attacks were "unprecedented in the history" of the group. Hezbollah's media office and Israel's armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story. Taiwan-based Gold Apollo has said it did not manufacture the devices used in the attack, saying they were made by a company in Europe licensed to use the firm's brand. Reuters has not been able to establish where they were made or at what point they were tampered with. A batch of 5,000 of the pagers were brought into Lebanon earlier this year. Reuters previously reported that Hezbollah turned to pagers in an attempt to evade Israeli surveillance of its mobile phones, following the killing of senior commanders in targeted airstrikes over the past year. Hezbollah's conflict with Israel dates back decades but has flared up in the past year in parallel with the Gaza war, heightening worries of a full-blown regional war. Too little, too late After the pagers detonated on Tuesday, Hezbollah suspected more of its devices may have been compromised, two of the security sources, as well as an intelligence source, told Reuters. Also Read | Lebanese envoy warns Israeli ground incursion will lead to 'doomsday' regional war In response, it intensified the sweep of its communications systems, carrying out careful examinations of all devices. It also began investigating the supply chains through which the pagers were brought in, the two security sources said. But the review had not been concluded by Wednesday afternoon when the hand-held radios exploded. Hezbollah believes that Israel opted to detonate the group's hand-held radios because it feared Hezbollah would soon find that the walkie-talkies were also rigged with explosives, one of the sources told Reuters. The walkie-talkie explosions left 25 people dead and at least 650 injured, according to Lebanon's health ministry - a much higher fatality rate than the previous day's pager blasts, which killed 12 and wounded nearly 3,000. That is because they carried a higher payload of explosives than the beepers, one of the security sources and the intelligence source said. The group's probe into precisely where, when and how the devices were laced with explosives is ongoing, three of the sources said. Nasrallah later said the same in the speech on Thursday. One of the security sources said Hezbollah had foiled previous Israeli operations targeting devices imported from abroad by the group - from its private landline telephones to ventilation units in the group's offices. That includes suspected breaches in the past year. "There are several electronic issues that we were able to discover - but not the pagers," the source said. "They tricked us, hats off to the enemy." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Hezbollah handed out pagers to its members hours before blasts

BREAKING: Israeli Army Says it Conducted a 'Targeted Strike' in Beirut

After Taiwanese firm&nbsp;Gold Apollo claimed it had not manufactured the pagers that exploded and killed 12 people, including two children, the focus has now shifted towards a Hungary-based company called&nbsp;BAC Consulting which allegedly had the license to develop the devices.&nbsp;

According to BAC's company records, the firm was incorporated in 2022 and has a single shareholder, with its registered address being a building in Budapest's 14th district.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A BBC report stated that apart from BAC, 13 more companies and one person are also registered at the same building. The initial investigation did not reveal BAC's connection to other companies or the person.&nbsp;

The balance sheet of the company revealed that BAC had a net turnover of 256,996,000 Hungarian Forint ($725,000) in 2022, and 210,307,000 Hungarian Forint ($593,000) in 2023.

The company's website, which is now inaccessible, listed Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono as its chief executive and founder.&nbsp;

Quizzed by NBC about her company's association with the incident, Bársony-Arcidiacono confirmed BAC worked with Gold Apollo but denied manufacturing any of the pagers.&nbsp;

"I don’t make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong," she was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

Zoltan Kovács, the spokesperson for the Hungarian prime minister's office also said BAC&nbsp;was&nbsp;"a trading intermediary", with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary.

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‼️ 🇭🇺 The Hungarian government’s position on the "pager issue": authorities have confirmed that the company in question is a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. It has one manager registered at its declared address, and the referenced…
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) <a href="https://twitter.com/zoltanspox/status/1836404440451969464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israels-pager-blasts-hezbollah-vows-to-punish-israel-after-blasts-759617" target="_blank">Watch |&nbsp;Israel's pager blasts: Hezbollah vows to punish Israel after blasts</a>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israels-pager-blasts-hezbollah-vows-to-punish-israel-after-blasts-759617/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<h2>What did Gold Apollo say?&nbsp;</h2>

After the blasts rocked Lebanon,&nbsp;unverified images of two damaged pagers surfaced on social media which showed the word "Gold" and a&nbsp;serial number starting either “AP” or “AR”. The early reports indicated that Gold Apollo may have been involved in the manufacturing of the pagers.&nbsp;

However, the company’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang,&nbsp;immediately set the record straight and said the&nbsp;pagers used in detonations were made by a company in Europe that has the right to use the Taiwanese firm’s brand.

"The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," said Hsu.&nbsp;

"We may not be a large company but we are a responsible one. This is very embarrassing."

The company in a statement released stated that the AR-924 model was produced and sold by BAC.&nbsp;

"We only provide brand trademark authorisation and have no involvement in the design or manufacturing of this product," the statement said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-explosions-components-for-pagers-used-in-blast-not-made-in-taiwan-says-minister-760365">Also read |&nbsp;Lebanon explosions: Components for pagers used in blasts not made in Taiwan, says minister</a>

Taiwan's Economy Minister Kuo-Jyh-Huei also corroborated Gold Apollo's version and said&nbsp;

"The situation as we understand it is, all the components in the pagers produced by this company (Gold Apollo) will not explode. Roughly during the last two years, this company has exported about 260,000 pagers, there has never been any explosions. So, we can determine that the pagers produced in Taiwan do not explode," said Kuo.&nbsp;

Kuo said that a judicial investigation into the matter was already underway.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

After Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo claimed it had not manufactured the pagers that exploded and killed 12 people, including two children, the focus has now shifted towards a Hungary-based company called BAC Consulting which allegedly had the license to develop the devices.

After Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo claimed it had not manufactured the pagers that exploded and killed 12 people, including two children, the focus has now shifted towards a Hungary-based company called BAC Consulting which allegedly had the license to develop the devices. According to BAC's company records, the firm was incorporated in 2022 and has a single shareholder, with its registered address being a building in Budapest's 14th district. A BBC report stated that apart from BAC, 13 more companies and one person are also registered at the same building. The initial investigation did not reveal BAC's connection to other companies or the person. The balance sheet of the company revealed that BAC had a net turnover of 256,996,000 Hungarian Forint ($725,000) in 2022, and 210,307,000 Hungarian Forint ($593,000) in 2023. The company's website, which is now inaccessible, listed Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono as its chief executive and founder. Quizzed by NBC about her company's association with the incident, Bársony-Arcidiacono confirmed BAC worked with Gold Apollo but denied manufacturing any of the pagers. "I don’t make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong," she was quoted as saying. Zoltan Kovács, the spokesperson for the Hungarian prime minister's office also said BAC was "a trading intermediary", with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. ‼️ 🇭🇺 The Hungarian government’s position on the "pager issue": authorities have confirmed that the company in question is a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. It has one manager registered at its declared address, and the referenced… — Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) September 18, 2024 × Watch | Israel's pager blasts: Hezbollah vows to punish Israel after blasts What did Gold Apollo say? After the blasts rocked Lebanon, unverified images of two damaged pagers surfaced on social media which showed the word "Gold" and a serial number starting either “AP” or “AR”. The early reports indicated that Gold Apollo may have been involved in the manufacturing of the pagers. However, the company’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, immediately set the record straight and said the pagers used in detonations were made by a company in Europe that has the right to use the Taiwanese firm’s brand. "The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," said Hsu. "We may not be a large company but we are a responsible one. This is very embarrassing." The company in a statement released stated that the AR-924 model was produced and sold by BAC. "We only provide brand trademark authorisation and have no involvement in the design or manufacturing of this product," the statement said. Also read | Lebanon explosions: Components for pagers used in blasts not made in Taiwan, says minister Taiwan's Economy Minister Kuo-Jyh-Huei also corroborated Gold Apollo's version and said "The situation as we understand it is, all the components in the pagers produced by this company (Gold Apollo) will not explode. Roughly during the last two years, this company has exported about 260,000 pagers, there has never been any explosions. So, we can determine that the pagers produced in Taiwan do not explode," said Kuo. Kuo said that a judicial investigation into the matter was already underway. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

Here's what we know about Budapest-based company linked to Hezbollah pagers

Scientists have stored the full Human Genome on a 5D memory Crystal. They hope it will provide a blueprint to bring humanity back from extinction, thousands if not Millions of years in the future. The team from the University of Southampton's research center has called this data storage format revolutionary as it can survive for billions of years. Watch in for more details!

Human Genome Stored on 5D Memory Crystal Which Can Last Billions of Years

Former United States President Donald Trump has claimed that if he were to lose the presidential election in November, it would be due to Jewish Americans not voting for him en masse.&nbsp;

Addressing an event on combating antisemitism and supporting Israel, Trump lamented&nbsp;that he was trailing his Democrat rival, Kamala Harris, among the community and its voters.

“If I don’t win this election,&nbsp;the Jewish people would have a lot to do with that if that happens because if 40 per cent, I mean, 60 per cent of the people are voting for the enemy – Israel, in my opinion, will cease to exist within two years,” Trump declared.&nbsp;

“I will put it to you very simply and gently: I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated&nbsp;right, because you’re putting yourself in great danger,” he added.

The Republican leader said the Democratic Party had a&nbsp;“hold, or curse” on Jewish Americans and that he should be getting “100 per cent” of Jewish votes because of his policies on Israel.

“My promise to Jewish Americans is this: With your vote, I will be your defender, your protector, and I will be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House.&nbsp;But in all fairness, I already am," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-warns-israel-will-be-gone-under-kamala-harris-756318">Watch |&nbsp;Trump warns Israel will be ‘gone’ under Kamala Harris</a>

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<h2>Israel won't exist: Trump</h2>

This is not the first instance when the former US president&nbsp;has attempted to galvanise the Jewish votes for his campaign. During the first presidential debate against Harris earlier this month, Trump went on an explosive tirade, claiming that Israel as the state we know today, will cease to exist if Harris came to power.&nbsp;

"She hates Israel. If she is President, I believe that Israel will not exist in two years from now," Trump said.&nbsp;

He also alleged that Harris "hated the Arab population"&nbsp;and that the Middle East was calm during his stint in the White House.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/autonews/elon-musk-endorses-trump-but-employees-favor-harris-with-donations-760054">Also read |&nbsp;Elon Musk endorses Trump, but employees favor Harris with donations</a>

On her part, Harris denied Trump's claims and said he was trying to "divide and distract from the reality".

"Israel has a right to defend itself... What we know is that this war must end, it must end immediately. We need a ceasefire deal, and we need the hostages out.”

Recent polls indicate that while the competition is close, Harris might be edging Trump in a few swings states, primarily due to her performance in the debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Former United States President Donald Trump has claimed that if he were to lose the presidential election in November, it would be due to Jewish Americans not voting for him en masse.

Former United States President Donald Trump has claimed that if he were to lose the presidential election in November, it would be due to Jewish Americans not voting for him en masse. Addressing an event on combating antisemitism and supporting Israel, Trump lamented that he was trailing his Democrat rival, Kamala Harris, among the community and its voters. “If I don’t win this election, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with that if that happens because if 40 per cent, I mean, 60 per cent of the people are voting for the enemy – Israel, in my opinion, will cease to exist within two years,” Trump declared. “I will put it to you very simply and gently: I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated right, because you’re putting yourself in great danger,” he added. The Republican leader said the Democratic Party had a “hold, or curse” on Jewish Americans and that he should be getting “100 per cent” of Jewish votes because of his policies on Israel. “My promise to Jewish Americans is this: With your vote, I will be your defender, your protector, and I will be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House. But in all fairness, I already am," he added. Watch | Trump warns Israel will be ‘gone’ under Kamala Harris × Israel won't exist: Trump This is not the first instance when the former US president has attempted to galvanise the Jewish votes for his campaign. During the first presidential debate against Harris earlier this month, Trump went on an explosive tirade, claiming that Israel as the state we know today, will cease to exist if Harris came to power. "She hates Israel. If she is President, I believe that Israel will not exist in two years from now," Trump said. He also alleged that Harris "hated the Arab population" and that the Middle East was calm during his stint in the White House. Also read | Elon Musk endorses Trump, but employees favor Harris with donations On her part, Harris denied Trump's claims and said he was trying to "divide and distract from the reality". "Israel has a right to defend itself... What we know is that this war must end, it must end immediately. We need a ceasefire deal, and we need the hostages out.” Recent polls indicate that while the competition is close, Harris might be edging Trump in a few swings states, primarily due to her performance in the debate. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says Jews would be to blame if he lost election, reiterates Israel may cease to exist if 'enemy' wins

China said Friday (Sep 20) that it would "gradually resume" importing seafood from Japan after imposing a blanket ban last year over the release of water from the disabled Fukushima nuclear plant.

China said Friday (Sep 20) that it would "gradually resume" importing seafood from Japan after imposing a blanket ban last year over the release of water from the disabled Fukushima nuclear plant. In August 2023, Japan began discharging treated water from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean in an operation it insists is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency. The release, however, generated a fierce backlash from China, which branded it "selfish" and banned all Japanese seafood imports. Beijing and Tokyo said Friday they had come to a consensus over the wastewater release that would allow China to phase the imports back in. "China will begin to adjust the relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet the regulation requirements and standards," Beijing's foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry said officials from both sides recently conducted "multiple rounds of consultations" on the discharge from Fukushima. It said Japan had committed to "fulfilling its obligations under international law, doing its utmost to avoid leaving (a) negative impact on human health and the environment, and conducting continuous evaluations of the impact on the marine environment and marine ecosystems". Around the same time as Friday's announcement, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tokyo had informed Beijing of "its readiness to carry out additional monitoring of the... treated water, while the Chinese side has decided to... steadily restore imports of Japanese fishery products that meet certain standards". The IAEA said in a statement that it would "coordinate with Japan and other stakeholders, including China, to ensure that the additional measures are implemented appropriately... to ensure that water discharge levels are, and will continue to be, in strict compliance and consistent with international safety standards". In 2011, three reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people. Since then, plant operator TEPCO has collected water contaminated as it cooled the wrecked reactors, along with groundwater and rain that has seeped in. After China banned Japanese seafood imports over the wastewater release, Russia did the same in October as a "precautionary measure". Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday (Sep 18) cited a top sanitary official as saying Moscow would maintain the embargo. Watch | Tokyo Electric Power Company Suspends Operations At Fukushima Plant × Positions unchanged Both China and Japan on Friday were keen to stress that there were limits to the consensus. A spokesperson for Beijing's foreign ministry said China still "resolutely opposes the Japanese side's arbitrary discharge into the sea". "This position has not changed," Mao Ning said at a regular press conference in the capital. "The fact China and Japan have reached this consensus does not mean that the Chinese side will immediately resume imports of Japanese aquatic products in their entirety," she added. Kishida, for his part, said Tokyo also remained resolute. "Japan's position remains unchanged that the regulations should be scrapped immediately, and we will use this announcement to pave the way for the abolition of the regulations," he said. The head of Japan's national association of fisheries groups said Friday that it took the announcement as "only the first step" towards a full resumption of imports. "The Japanese government should remain fully aware of the plight of fishermen across the country who are affected by the total import suspension measures and continue to make every effort to lift the suspension as soon as possible," Masanobu Sakamoto said. Bilateral tensions Beijing and Tokyo are major trade partners, and China imported more than $500 million worth of seafood from Japan in 2022, according to customs data. But the two countries are also perennial rivals in East Asia whose ties are freighted with the baggage of Japan's imperial past and China's more recent rise to superpower status. The wastewater release has been a flashpoint recently, alongside squabbles over trade, territorial disputes and espionage allegations. Also read | Fukushima disaster: Japan says experts met in China to dispel concerns over radioactive water When a Chinese aircraft carrier this month sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time, Tokyo called the passage "totally unacceptable from the perspective of the security environment of Japan and the region". A Japanese boy was also stabbed to death in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen this week, an attack that Beijing called an "individual case" but which prompted Kishida to demand an explanation. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Fukushima disaster: China to resume seafood imports from Japan, a year after imposing blanket ban

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