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Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group on Wednesday (Jul&nbsp;31) confirmed the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Beirut.&nbsp;

His body was found among the debris of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, reported news agency Reuters citing Lebanese security sources.

Fuad Shukr's killing marks the most high-profile assassination of a Hezbollah figure in nearly ten months of ongoing conflict with Israel.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:165,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1854}">The Golan Heights attack</h2>

The Israeli military, while announcing the killing late on Tuesday (Jul 30), labelled Shukr as Hezbollah's most senior commander, and accused him of orchestrating the July 27 attack that resulted in the deaths of 12 youngsters in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.&nbsp;

Hezbollah has, however, denied any involvement in this incident.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:83,&quot;y&quot;:307,&quot;w&quot;:620,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:116,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1996}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-faud-shukr-the-hezbollah-senior-terrorist-israel-claims-to-have-eliminated-in-beirut-745752">Who is Faud Shukr? The Hezbollah 'senior terrorist' Israel claims to have 'eliminated' in Beirut</a>

Hezbollah stated that its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah would address the nation during Shukr's funeral. Shukr was known to be an advisor to Nasrallah.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant justified the strike, asserting that Shukr was responsible for numerous Israeli deaths.

He "has the blood of many Israelis on his hands. Tonight, we have shown that the blood of our people has a price and that there is no place out of reach for our forces to this end," Gallant said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hamas-leaders-vow-ismail-haniyehs-death-will-not-go-unanswered-calls-it-a-heinous-terrorist-crime-745827">Global community reacts to Ismail Haniyeh's assassination, Hamas vows it 'will not go unanswered'</a>

The aftermath of the attack left the top corner of a multi-storey building demolished, with charred debris scattered across the vicinity. The strike also claimed the lives of at least two women and two children, according to medical and security sources.

Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar condemned the strike and vowed readiness for war.

"This enemy (Israel) demands war and we are up for it, God willing, we are up for it," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group on Wednesday (Jul 31) confirmed the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Beirut.

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group on Wednesday (Jul 31) confirmed the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Beirut. His body was found among the debris of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, reported news agency Reuters citing Lebanese security sources. Fuad Shukr's killing marks the most high-profile assassination of a Hezbollah figure in nearly ten months of ongoing conflict with Israel. The Golan Heights attack The Israeli military, while announcing the killing late on Tuesday (Jul 30), labelled Shukr as Hezbollah's most senior commander, and accused him of orchestrating the July 27 attack that resulted in the deaths of 12 youngsters in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Hezbollah has, however, denied any involvement in this incident. Also read | Who is Faud Shukr? The Hezbollah 'senior terrorist' Israel claims to have 'eliminated' in Beirut Hezbollah stated that its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah would address the nation during Shukr's funeral. Shukr was known to be an advisor to Nasrallah. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant justified the strike, asserting that Shukr was responsible for numerous Israeli deaths. He "has the blood of many Israelis on his hands. Tonight, we have shown that the blood of our people has a price and that there is no place out of reach for our forces to this end," Gallant said. Also read | Global community reacts to Ismail Haniyeh's assassination, Hamas vows it 'will not go unanswered' The aftermath of the attack left the top corner of a multi-storey building demolished, with charred debris scattered across the vicinity. The strike also claimed the lives of at least two women and two children, according to medical and security sources. Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar condemned the strike and vowed readiness for war. "This enemy (Israel) demands war and we are up for it, God willing, we are up for it," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Hezbollah confirms top commander's assassination; Faud Shukr's body found in Beirut building's rubble

Headlines of the hour: - Iran orders attack on Israel: Report - Israel warns of heavy price against attack - Hezbollah: Fuad killed in Israeli attack - Trump attacks racial identitiy of Harris - PM Modi welcomes Vietnam's PM Chinh - South Korea's exports jump

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Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, survived a drone attack Wednesday on an army graduation ceremony he was attending in the country’s east. Watch in for more details!

Sudan army chief escapes drone strike amid ongoing conflict

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, has agreed to a plea deal that would see him avoid the death penalty in lieu of a life sentence, according to reports citing US prosecutors. Sheikh, usually called KSM, reached the plea deal along with two other convicts, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, while awaiting trial for the terror strikes that killed nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001&nbsp;in New York, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. 
&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed?</h2>

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is a Kuwaiti mechanical engineer of Pakistani origin and self-avowed jihadist, who lived and worked in a host of countries including Qatar, the US, the Philippines, Afghanistan and Sudan.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/911-mastermind-and-accomplices-reach-plea-agreement-746070">9/11 mastermind and accomplices reach plea agreement</a>

He was&nbsp;an aide of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and at one point headed the propaganda wing of the terror organisation.

<h2>Khaled Shaikh Mohammad's involvement in 9/11 terror attacks</h2>

Sheikh, also known as KSM,&nbsp;developed&nbsp;the idea of the 9/11 attacks, and was involved in its planning as well as training of several terrorists to carry it out. The plan was to ram hijacked&nbsp;planes into some of the most iconic and symbolic buildings of America: The World Trade Center, the Pentagon and possibly the White House or US Congress. Two planes hit the twin towers of&nbsp;World Trade Center on the morning rush hour of September 11, 2001. The third plane aimed for Pentagon but went down near the periphery of the defence department headquaters. A fourth plane crashed on a field in Pennsylvania after passengers bravely fought the hijackers.

<h2>Khalid Sheikh Mohammad arrest, detention, torture&nbsp;and 'confession' </h2>

Soon after the attack, a series of arrests followed, and Shaikh was one of&nbsp; those taken into custody from Pakistan's Rawalpindi, in a joint US-Pakistan intelligence operation. Many of the terror suspects arrested were eventually sent to Guantanamo Bay, a notorious US prison and detention camp off the Cuba coast, after being transferred to so-called 'rendition' or 'black' sites, where their years-long torture overshadowed the magnitude of the crimes they had perpetrated.

KSM, a portly man in his late 30s or early 40s at the time allegedly confessed to masterminding the attack. The 9/11 Commission Report&nbsp;named him the "the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks".&nbsp;

But the confessions, allegedly made in March 2007 onwards, were done under physical torture and tough interrogations that included more than 180 rounds of so-called 'waterboarding' in KSM's case. So it is not completely credible that he also confessed to other terror plots like the Richard Reid shoe bombing, the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia as well as a previous bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. He also confessed to the beheading of US Wall Streets Journal reporter&nbsp;Daniel Pearl.

He was also known to be involved in other terror plots, most notably the Bojinka plot in the Philippines to destroy several airlines, which eventually became his blueprint for the 9/11 attacks.

<h2>Khalid Sheikh Mohammad: A long-term jihadist</h2>

Sheikh was born on 14 April 1965&nbsp;in Pakistan. His family subsequently moved to Kuwait. He was radicalised as a teenager after listening to speeches of some clerics who called for jihad.&nbsp; He joined the Muslim Brotherhood while in his youth.&nbsp;

He got a mechaniacl engineering degree in&nbsp;the US and went on to work in Qatar.

According to reports, he had a negative experience as an immigrant student in the US. He was jailed in the US once for not paying bills. He reportedly felt that&nbsp;the US was was "a debauched and racist" country.

At the height of Taliban resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afganistan in the 1980s, Sheikh&nbsp;joined the resistance forces. KSM used to travel to key sites of jihadist groups across the world, and met Osama bin Laden in Sudan during one such trip. He later became one of his close associates. Initially he refused to join al Qaeda, but eventually became&nbsp;the head of its propaganda wing.

He drew detailed plans on how the 9/11 plot will unfold and did reconnaissance missions to the target sites. He presented the plan to&nbsp;Osama bin Laden some time in 1996, and then helped train and direct some of the hijackers.

<h2>Khalid Sheikh Mohammad: The Pakistan connection</h2>

Sheikh hails from Balochistan in Pakistan, where his father,&nbsp;Shaikh Muhammad Ali Dustin al-Baluchi, was a Deobandi imam.

It was Sheikh's presence among the plotters that pointed to Pakistan's involvement in the terror plot. Eventually, Osama bin Laden was found living in a safe house in Abbottabad, just few kilometres away from the military garrisons in Pakistani capital Islamabad. He was killed by US Marines in a night operation in May 2011. 
 
Terrorism also runs in the family of KSM. His nephew Ramzi Yousef is a convicted terrorist for involvement in&nbsp;the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Another nephew,&nbsp;Ammar Al Baluchi, was involved in several terror plots.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, has agreed to a plea deal that would see him avoid the death penalty in lieu of a life sentence, according to reports citing US prosecutors.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, has agreed to a plea deal that would see him avoid the death penalty in lieu of a life sentence, according to reports citing US prosecutors. Sheikh, usually called KSM, reached the plea deal along with two other convicts, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, while awaiting trial for the terror strikes that killed nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001 in New York, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Who is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed? Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is a Kuwaiti mechanical engineer of Pakistani origin and self-avowed jihadist, who lived and worked in a host of countries including Qatar, the US, the Philippines, Afghanistan and Sudan. Also read: 9/11 mastermind and accomplices reach plea agreement He was an aide of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and at one point headed the propaganda wing of the terror organisation. Khaled Shaikh Mohammad's involvement in 9/11 terror attacks Sheikh, also known as KSM, developed the idea of the 9/11 attacks, and was involved in its planning as well as training of several terrorists to carry it out. The plan was to ram hijacked planes into some of the most iconic and symbolic buildings of America: The World Trade Center, the Pentagon and possibly the White House or US Congress. Two planes hit the twin towers of World Trade Center on the morning rush hour of September 11, 2001. The third plane aimed for Pentagon but went down near the periphery of the defence department headquaters. A fourth plane crashed on a field in Pennsylvania after passengers bravely fought the hijackers. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad arrest, detention, torture and 'confession' Soon after the attack, a series of arrests followed, and Shaikh was one of those taken into custody from Pakistan's Rawalpindi, in a joint US-Pakistan intelligence operation. Many of the terror suspects arrested were eventually sent to Guantanamo Bay, a notorious US prison and detention camp off the Cuba coast, after being transferred to so-called 'rendition' or 'black' sites, where their years-long torture overshadowed the magnitude of the crimes they had perpetrated. KSM, a portly man in his late 30s or early 40s at the time allegedly confessed to masterminding the attack. The 9/11 Commission Report named him the "the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks". But the confessions, allegedly made in March 2007 onwards, were done under physical torture and tough interrogations that included more than 180 rounds of so-called 'waterboarding' in KSM's case. So it is not completely credible that he also confessed to other terror plots like the Richard Reid shoe bombing, the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia as well as a previous bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. He also confessed to the beheading of US Wall Streets Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. He was also known to be involved in other terror plots, most notably the Bojinka plot in the Philippines to destroy several airlines, which eventually became his blueprint for the 9/11 attacks. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad: A long-term jihadist Sheikh was born on 14 April 1965 in Pakistan. His family subsequently moved to Kuwait. He was radicalised as a teenager after listening to speeches of some clerics who called for jihad. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood while in his youth. He got a mechaniacl engineering degree in the US and went on to work in Qatar. According to reports, he had a negative experience as an immigrant student in the US. He was jailed in the US once for not paying bills. He reportedly felt that the US was was "a debauched and racist" country. At the height of Taliban resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afganistan in the 1980s, Sheikh joined the resistance forces. KSM used to travel to key sites of jihadist groups across the world, and met Osama bin Laden in Sudan during one such trip. He later became one of his close associates. Initially he refused to join al Qaeda, but eventually became the head of its propaganda wing. He drew detailed plans on how the 9/11 plot will unfold and did reconnaissance missions to the target sites. He presented the plan to Osama bin Laden some time in 1996, and then helped train and direct some of the hijackers. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad: The Pakistan connection Sheikh hails from Balochistan in Pakistan, where his father, Shaikh Muhammad Ali Dustin al-Baluchi, was a Deobandi imam. It was Sheikh's presence among the plotters that pointed to Pakistan's involvement in the terror plot. Eventually, Osama bin Laden was found living in a safe house in Abbottabad, just few kilometres away from the military garrisons in Pakistani capital Islamabad. He was killed by US Marines in a night operation in May 2011. Terrorism also runs in the family of KSM. His nephew Ramzi Yousef is a convicted terrorist for involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Another nephew, Ammar Al Baluchi, was involved in several terror plots. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks who'll avoid death penalty?

Bangladeshi teachers took to the streets on August 1 protesting over the deaths of students during recent countrywide violence. The teachers, led by faculty members of Dhaka University, initially gathered at different points inside the campuses, but later converged with hundreds of students to rally. Watch in for more details!

Bangladesh teachers protest against deaths of students

France's Leon Marchand won a historic double gold to become a double Olympic champion in one session Wednesday.

Paris Olympics: Leon Marchand seals historic double with gold in 200m butterfly and breaststroke

Complex negotiations spanning over months finally led to a 24-person prisoner swap, one of the largest since the end of the Cold War — among the U.S., Russia, Germany and three other Western countries, on Thursday.

The Biden administration on Thursday announced it had secured the release of three American prisoners in Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. 
 
Gershkovich, Whelan and&nbsp;Kurmasheva, imprisoned by the Kremlin, were exchanged for Russians, including a convicted murderer, held in the US and Europe. In all, eight Russians were released in the swap deal, among which three were&nbsp;being held in U.S. prisons: Vadim Konoshchenok, Vladislav Klyushin and Roman Seleznyov.

Two Russians held in Slovenia, one in Poland and another in Norway are also headed home. They all were known to have suspected ties to Russian intelligence.

The prisoner exchange&nbsp;is said to have taken place on Thursday on a tarmac in Ankara, Turkey.

During a White House briefing with the families of the US citizens incarcerated in Russia, President Joe Biden shared that they had spoken with the recently freed prisoners via phone, that they have left Russia and are heading to the US. He expressed his gratitude to the allies involved in the challenging negotiations.

Watch |&nbsp;Haniyeh Assassination: How did the attack on Hamas leader Haniyeh take place?

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"Now, their brutal ordeal is over," Biden announced. “Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia,” Biden said.

“The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship,” he said, adding, “Today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world.”

“Our alliances make our people safer,” he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-prisoner-swaps-between-russia-and-the-us-in-recent-decades-746357">Timeline: Prisoner swaps between Russia and the US in recent decades</a>

In his speech, Joe Biden stopped to lead everyone in singing "Happy Birthday" to 13-year-old Miriam, the daughter of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was freed as part of the exchange.

"Now, she gets to celebrate with her mom. That’s what this is all about, families able to be together again, but they should have been all along," said Biden.&nbsp;

"Thank you again to everyone who did their part. In just a few hours, welcome home, our fellow Americans. We’re looking forward to that, God willing, Thank you. And it’s a good day," Biden added.

The deal is a significant for the Biden administration, which has secured the release of more than 60 hostages or wrongful detainees from around the world over the past three years.

Whelan, who is the longest-held American detainee in Russia, was arrested in December 2018 when he traveled to the country to attend a friend's wedding. He was also charged with espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020.&nbsp;

Gershkovich, 32, was accused of espionage and kept behind bars for more than a year before a three-day trial after which a judge ordered him sent to a penal colony for 16 years. 
 
Kurmasheva, a journalist based in Prague&nbsp;who holds dual Russian and American citizenship, was detained&nbsp;in June 2023, after visiting her mother in May. Russian authorities charged her with disseminating false information about Russia's military.

(With inputs from agencies)

Complex negotiations spanning over months finally led to a 24-person prisoner swap, one of the largest since the end of the Cold War — among the U.S., Russia, Germany and three other Western countries, on Thursday.

Complex negotiations spanning over months finally led to a 24-person prisoner swap, one of the largest since the end of the Cold War — among the U.S., Russia, Germany and three other Western countries, on Thursday. The Biden administration on Thursday announced it had secured the release of three American prisoners in Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva, imprisoned by the Kremlin, were exchanged for Russians, including a convicted murderer, held in the US and Europe. In all, eight Russians were released in the swap deal, among which three were being held in U.S. prisons: Vadim Konoshchenok, Vladislav Klyushin and Roman Seleznyov. Two Russians held in Slovenia, one in Poland and another in Norway are also headed home. They all were known to have suspected ties to Russian intelligence. The prisoner exchange is said to have taken place on Thursday on a tarmac in Ankara, Turkey. During a White House briefing with the families of the US citizens incarcerated in Russia, President Joe Biden shared that they had spoken with the recently freed prisoners via phone, that they have left Russia and are heading to the US. He expressed his gratitude to the allies involved in the challenging negotiations. Watch | Haniyeh Assassination: How did the attack on Hamas leader Haniyeh take place? × "Now, their brutal ordeal is over," Biden announced. “Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia,” Biden said. “The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship,” he said, adding, “Today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world.” “Our alliances make our people safer,” he said. Also read: Timeline: Prisoner swaps between Russia and the US in recent decades In his speech, Joe Biden stopped to lead everyone in singing "Happy Birthday" to 13-year-old Miriam, the daughter of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was freed as part of the exchange. "Now, she gets to celebrate with her mom. That’s what this is all about, families able to be together again, but they should have been all along," said Biden. "Thank you again to everyone who did their part. In just a few hours, welcome home, our fellow Americans. We’re looking forward to that, God willing, Thank you. And it’s a good day," Biden added. The deal is a significant for the Biden administration, which has secured the release of more than 60 hostages or wrongful detainees from around the world over the past three years. Whelan, who is the longest-held American detainee in Russia, was arrested in December 2018 when he traveled to the country to attend a friend's wedding. He was also charged with espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020. Gershkovich, 32, was accused of espionage and kept behind bars for more than a year before a three-day trial after which a judge ordered him sent to a penal colony for 16 years. Kurmasheva, a journalist based in Prague who holds dual Russian and American citizenship, was detained in June 2023, after visiting her mother in May. Russian authorities charged her with disseminating false information about Russia's military. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden hails release of Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva from Russia: ‘Brutal ordeal is over’

Paris Olympics organisers and French authorities avoided embarrassment as both the men’s and women’s triathlon events were successfully held in Paris. A test conducted early Wednesday morning confirmed that the Seine water was safe for swimming.

Paris Olympics 2024: France avoids embarrassment as Triathlon events held successfully

Headlines of the hour: - Iran orders attack on Israel: Report - Israel warns of heavy price against attack - Hezbollah: Fuad killed in Israeli attack - Trump attacks racial identitiy of Harris - Maduro willing to show poll results - Two cloudbursts in India's Himachal Pradesh - The golden boy: Leon Marchand

Trump attacks racial identity of Harris | Maduro willing to show poll results

Russia on Thursday (August 1) released incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, reported Bloomberg&nbsp;citing people familiar with the situation.&nbsp;In other news, Swapnil Kusale won his maiden bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 position event. Swapnil finished with a score of 451.4, behind second-positioned Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine (461.3) and gold medallist Yukun Liu (463.6).&nbsp;

Click on the headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-releases-us-journalist-evan-gershkovich-in-major-prisoner-swap-report-746308">Russia frees US journalist Gershkovich in biggest prisoner swap since Cold War</a>

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Russia on Thursday (August 1) released incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, Bloomberg reported while citing people familiar with the situation.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-swapnil-kusale-wins-third-medal-for-india-in-50m-rifle-3-positions-746203">Paris Olympics 2024: Swapnil Kusale wins bronze in 50m Rifle 3 Position event</a>

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History was made for India at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, as shooter Swapnil Kusale won his maiden bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 position event. Swapnil finished with a score of 451.4, behind second-positioned Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine (461.3) and gold medallist Yukun Liu (463.6). Swapnil’s bronze is the third medal for India in this edition of the Summer Games, with all coming in the Shooting discipline.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-asks-its-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-amid-deep-west-asia-turmoil-746266">India asks its citizens to leave Lebanon amid deep West Asia turmoil</a>

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The Indian embassy in Lebanon's capital Beirut asked all nationals to leave the country in the wake of raging turmoil in West Asia days after Israel targeted a site in Beirut to kill a Hezbollah operative.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hamas-chief-haniyeh-was-killed-by-bomb-hidden-two-months-ago-in-tehran-guesthouse-746338">Hamas chief Haniyeh was killed by bomb hidden 2 months ago in guesthouse</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/04/10/424269-wion-images-2024-04-10t210750713.png?imwidth=400" />

Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, was assassinated using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran, Iran, according to a report in the&nbsp;New York Times.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-offers-300mn-loan-to-vietnam-during-pm-pham-minh-chinhs-new-delhi-visit-746299">India offers $300mn loan to Vietnam during PM Pham Minh Chinh's Delhi visit</a>

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The Indian government on Thursday (Aug 1) offered a $300 million loan to build up Vietnam's maritime security to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-confirms-hamas-military-leader-deifs-death-in-airstrike-day-after-haniyehs-assassination-746225">Israel confirms Hamas military leader Deif’s death in airstrike, day after Haniyeh's assassination</a>

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The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday (Aug 1) that&nbsp;Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month. The confirmation comes a day after the terror organisation's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh&nbsp;was assassinated in Tehran.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-4-dead-200-pilgrims-stranded-as-cloudburst-hits-kedarnath-route-746129">India: 4 dead, 200 pilgrims stranded as cloudburst hits Kedarnath route</a>

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Amid heavy rain in Uttarakhand on Wednesday (July 31), four people, including two children, were killed and several others were injured. Nearly 200 pilgrims on the Kedarnath Yatra route were also stranded.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-slammed-for-holidaying-during-olympics-as-city-workers-do-overtime-746258">Macron slammed for holidaying during Olympics as city workers do overtime</a>

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Emmanuel Macron has come under scrutiny after the French president jetted off for a holiday as the Olympics are underway in Paris. Macron taking a hiatus comes at a time when police leaves have been cancelled, accident and emergency doctors are on stand-by and municipal workers are putting in overtime to keep the city running for the biggest sporting event.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/olympics/live-india-at-paris-olympics-2024-day-6-swapnil-kusale-nikhat-zareen-shuttlers-hockey-team-in-action-746122">LIVE | Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6: PV Sindhu in action at 10 PM IST</a>

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Catch all the live updates from India's sixth day at the Paris Games with a chance for the Indian contingent to add to their medal tally.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/squid-game-to-end-with-season-3-netflix-confirms-746354">Why it is a good idea to end Squid Game after third season</a>

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Squid Game, the Korean show that had gripped the whole world back in 2021, will be ending after the third season. On Thursday, Netflix revealed the trailer of the highly anticipated second season heightening everyone's excitement levels.&nbsp;

Russia on Thursday (August 1) released incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, reported Bloomberg citing people familiar with the situation.

Russia on Thursday (August 1) released incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, reported Bloomberg citing people familiar with the situation. In other news, Swapnil Kusale won his maiden bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 position event. Swapnil finished with a score of 451.4, behind second-positioned Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine (461.3) and gold medallist Yukun Liu (463.6). Click on the headlines to read more Russia frees US journalist Gershkovich in biggest prisoner swap since Cold War Russia on Thursday (August 1) released incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, Bloomberg reported while citing people familiar with the situation. Paris Olympics 2024: Swapnil Kusale wins bronze in 50m Rifle 3 Position event History was made for India at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, as shooter Swapnil Kusale won his maiden bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 position event. Swapnil finished with a score of 451.4, behind second-positioned Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine (461.3) and gold medallist Yukun Liu (463.6). Swapnil’s bronze is the third medal for India in this edition of the Summer Games, with all coming in the Shooting discipline. India asks its citizens to leave Lebanon amid deep West Asia turmoil The Indian embassy in Lebanon's capital Beirut asked all nationals to leave the country in the wake of raging turmoil in West Asia days after Israel targeted a site in Beirut to kill a Hezbollah operative. Hamas chief Haniyeh was killed by bomb hidden 2 months ago in guesthouse Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, was assassinated using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran, Iran, according to a report in the New York Times. India offers $300mn loan to Vietnam during PM Pham Minh Chinh's Delhi visit The Indian government on Thursday (Aug 1) offered a $300 million loan to build up Vietnam's maritime security to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Israel confirms Hamas military leader Deif’s death in airstrike, day after Haniyeh's assassination The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday (Aug 1) that Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month. The confirmation comes a day after the terror organisation's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran. India: 4 dead, 200 pilgrims stranded as cloudburst hits Kedarnath route Amid heavy rain in Uttarakhand on Wednesday (July 31), four people, including two children, were killed and several others were injured. Nearly 200 pilgrims on the Kedarnath Yatra route were also stranded. Macron slammed for holidaying during Olympics as city workers do overtime Emmanuel Macron has come under scrutiny after the French president jetted off for a holiday as the Olympics are underway in Paris. Macron taking a hiatus comes at a time when police leaves have been cancelled, accident and emergency doctors are on stand-by and municipal workers are putting in overtime to keep the city running for the biggest sporting event. LIVE | Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6: PV Sindhu in action at 10 PM IST Catch all the live updates from India's sixth day at the Paris Games with a chance for the Indian contingent to add to their medal tally. Why it is a good idea to end Squid Game after third season Squid Game, the Korean show that had gripped the whole world back in 2021, will be ending after the third season. On Thursday, Netflix revealed the trailer of the highly anticipated second season heightening everyone's excitement levels.

Top 10 world news: Russia frees US journalist Gershkovich; Indian shooter Kusale wins Olympic bronze; and more

A New York state appeals court on Thursday (Aug 1) rejected Donald&nbsp;Trump's challenge to a gag order in his hush money criminal case, where the former US president was convicted in May on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.

The decision by the Appellate Division in Manhattan means&nbsp;Trump, the Republican presidential nominee in the November 5 election, cannot comment publicly about individual prosecutors and others in the case until Justice Juan Merchan sentences him on September 18.

Trump's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. They argued that the gag order violated his constitutional free speech rights under the First Amendment.

Merchan imposed the gag order a few weeks before the trial began on April 22, saying&nbsp;Trump's history of threatening statements could derail the proceedings.

Watch |&nbsp;Former US President Donald Trump found guilty in hush money case

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The order initially prevented&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;from commenting on prosecutors and court staff, witnesses and jurors.

Merchan lifted the restrictions on witnesses and jurors in June, after the trial ended.

The appeals court had upheld Merchan's original gag order in May, citing the need to protect people from "threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm," and rejecting&nbsp;Trump's First Amendment argument.

Jurors on May 30 found&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;guilty of falsifying business records to cover up former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-found-guilty-live-the-7-things-that-helped-prove-donald-trumps-guilt-in-hush-money-trial-727339">Also read |&nbsp;Hush money case: Trump campaign announces $35mn fundraising haul after guilty verdict</a>

The payments were made in exchange for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had with&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;a decade earlier, which&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;denied.

Trump&nbsp;defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 to win the presidency. He has vowed to appeal his conviction after he is sentenced.

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 New York state appeals court on Thursday (Aug 1) rejected Donald Trump's challenge to a gag order in his hush money criminal case, where the former US president was convicted in May on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.

A New York state appeals court on Thursday (Aug 1) rejected Donald Trump's challenge to a gag order in his hush money criminal case, where the former US president was convicted in May on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star. The decision by the Appellate Division in Manhattan means Trump, the Republican presidential nominee in the November 5 election, cannot comment publicly about individual prosecutors and others in the case until Justice Juan Merchan sentences him on September 18. Trump's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. They argued that the gag order violated his constitutional free speech rights under the First Amendment. Merchan imposed the gag order a few weeks before the trial began on April 22, saying Trump's history of threatening statements could derail the proceedings. Watch | Former US President Donald Trump found guilty in hush money case × The order initially prevented Trump from commenting on prosecutors and court staff, witnesses and jurors. Merchan lifted the restrictions on witnesses and jurors in June, after the trial ended. The appeals court had upheld Merchan's original gag order in May, citing the need to protect people from "threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm," and rejecting Trump's First Amendment argument. Jurors on May 30 found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to cover up former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Also read | Hush money case: Trump campaign announces $35mn fundraising haul after guilty verdict The payments were made in exchange for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump a decade earlier, which Trump denied. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 to win the presidency. He has vowed to appeal his conviction after he is sentenced. 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.

Trump hush money case: Former US prez loses appeal against gag order

In a sign of major escalation in the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered a direct assault on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, according to three officials briefed on the order. Watch in for more details!

Iran vows revenge on Israel after Hamas leader assassinated in Tehran; Israel warns of heavy price

Heavy rainfall lashed India's national capital Delhi on Wednesday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued advisory, urging Delhi-NCR residents to avoid going out until necessary. Watch in for more details!

India: Delhi-NCR receives heavy rainfall, IMD issues red alert

Headlines of the hour: - Iran orders attack on Israel: Report - Israel warns of heavy price against attack - Ayatollah: Fad killed in Israeli attack - Trump attacks racial identitiy of Harris - Maduro willing to show poll results - India: 200 dead in Wayanad landslides - Nvidia's volatile rally to continue

Iran orders attack on Israel: Report | Israel warns of heavy price against attack

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated in the men's doubles quarterfinals at the Paris Games, losing 6-2 6-4 to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

Paris Olympics 2024: Rafael Nadal-Carols Alcaraz pair bows out of men's doubles

The Israeli military said its fighter jets "eliminated" Hezbollah military commander in the area of Beirut on Tuesday, accusing him of being responsible for a rocket strike on the annexed Golan Heights. Watch to know more.

Israel-Hezbollah tensions: Fuad Shukr body recovered from Israeli strike rubble, UNSC holds meet

At least 11 people have been killed in different parts of Venezuela since Sunday's election after protests erupted following electoral authority declaring Nicolas Maduro the winner for a third term. Watch in for more details!

Venezuela elections: Maduro says willing to show election records, vote tallies

Haniyeh's killing: A calculated risk or strategic misstep?

The prisoner exchange reported by US media to be underway on Thursday between Russia and the United States continues a long history of swaps between Moscow and the West.

AFP takes a look at the main prisoner swaps since the Cold War:

<h2>December 2022: basketball player Brittney Griner</h2>

US basketball star Brittney Griner, now 33, spent nine months in a Russian jail before being freed in December 2022 in an exchange at the Abu Dhabi airport for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

She had been arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022, one week before the invasion of Ukraine, and sentenced in August 2022 to nine years in jail on charges of smuggling cannabis vape cartridges into the country.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-releases-us-journalist-evan-gershkovich-in-major-prisoner-swap-report-746308">Russia releases US journalist Evan Gershkovich, ex-marine Paul Whelan in biggest prisoner swap since Cold War</a>

Several days after her release, US citizen Suedi Murekezi was freed as well as 64 Ukrainian military members in a Ukraine prisoner swap with Russian forces. He had been arrested in June 2022 in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine and convicted of taking part in pro-Ukrainian and anti-Russian demonstrations.

<h2>April 2022: ex-Marine Trevor Reed</h2>

Trevor Reed, who had been jailed for nine years for assaulting police, was released in April 2022 in a prisoner swap in Turkey with Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot and alleged drug smuggler who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by an American court.

Reed, now in his 30s, was a Texas university student in 2019 when he travelled to Russia with his Russian girlfriend. He was arrested for assault on law enforcement officers after getting drunk and spent two years in prison, going on a hunger strike in November 2021.

<h2>July 2010: historic swap in Vienna</h2>

On July 9, 2010, Russia and the United States carried out their biggest spy swap since the fall of the Iron Curtain at the Vienna airport, exchanging 10 agents deported by the US for four freed by Moscow.

In the highly choreographed cloak-and-dagger operation, special Russian and US flights carried the spies to Vienna, parked next to each other on the runway, then took off within 15 minutes of each other after the exchange by shuttle bus.

A government jet flew the 10 Russian spies, including Anna Chapman, who cultivated a femme fatale image as a business executive before her arrest, back to Moscow's Domodedovo airport.

The four released by Russia included three convicted of spying for the West.

Among them was Sergei Skripal, a former colonel with Russian military intelligence whose 2018 poisoning in southern England, where he had taken refuge, sparked a diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West.&nbsp;

Several Western countries have accused Moscow of being behind the assassination attempt of the former double agent, something that Moscow has denied.

<h2>The Cold War: the Bridge of Spies</h2>

Before the end of the Cold War in 1991, prisoner swaps were a regular occurrence between Moscow and the West, but they mainly involved spies.

Prisoner exchanges regularly took place on the iron Glienicke Bridge that linked West Berlin with Soviet-controlled Potsdam over the Havel River.

The first memorable spy swap of the Soviet era took place there on February 10, 1962, involving one of the most famous Soviet spies, Rudolf Abel, and American pilot Gary Powers.

Also watch |&nbsp;26 prisoners exchanged between Russia and West

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Director Steven Spielberg turned their story into a blockbuster, "Bridge of Spies", in 2015.

On June 11, 1985, 25 East German political prisoners crossed paths on the bridge with four East Bloc agents convicted in the United States.

The most spectacular swap on the bridge, however, took place on February 11, 1986, when Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky was exchanged for Czech spy couple Karl and Hana Koecher, who were held in the US, and three spies held in West Germany.&nbsp;

Sharansky had spent nine years in a Siberian gulag on charges of spying for the US. He immediately emigrated to Israel, where he went into politics.

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.

The prisoner exchange reported by US media to be underway on Thursday between Russia and the United States continues a long history of swaps between Moscow and the West.

The prisoner exchange reported by US media to be underway on Thursday between Russia and the United States continues a long history of swaps between Moscow and the West. AFP takes a look at the main prisoner swaps since the Cold War: December 2022: basketball player Brittney Griner US basketball star Brittney Griner, now 33, spent nine months in a Russian jail before being freed in December 2022 in an exchange at the Abu Dhabi airport for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. She had been arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022, one week before the invasion of Ukraine, and sentenced in August 2022 to nine years in jail on charges of smuggling cannabis vape cartridges into the country. Also read | Russia releases US journalist Evan Gershkovich, ex-marine Paul Whelan in biggest prisoner swap since Cold War Several days after her release, US citizen Suedi Murekezi was freed as well as 64 Ukrainian military members in a Ukraine prisoner swap with Russian forces. He had been arrested in June 2022 in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine and convicted of taking part in pro-Ukrainian and anti-Russian demonstrations. April 2022: ex-Marine Trevor Reed Trevor Reed, who had been jailed for nine years for assaulting police, was released in April 2022 in a prisoner swap in Turkey with Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot and alleged drug smuggler who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by an American court. Reed, now in his 30s, was a Texas university student in 2019 when he travelled to Russia with his Russian girlfriend. He was arrested for assault on law enforcement officers after getting drunk and spent two years in prison, going on a hunger strike in November 2021. July 2010: historic swap in Vienna On July 9, 2010, Russia and the United States carried out their biggest spy swap since the fall of the Iron Curtain at the Vienna airport, exchanging 10 agents deported by the US for four freed by Moscow. In the highly choreographed cloak-and-dagger operation, special Russian and US flights carried the spies to Vienna, parked next to each other on the runway, then took off within 15 minutes of each other after the exchange by shuttle bus. A government jet flew the 10 Russian spies, including Anna Chapman, who cultivated a femme fatale image as a business executive before her arrest, back to Moscow's Domodedovo airport. The four released by Russia included three convicted of spying for the West. Among them was Sergei Skripal, a former colonel with Russian military intelligence whose 2018 poisoning in southern England, where he had taken refuge, sparked a diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West. Several Western countries have accused Moscow of being behind the assassination attempt of the former double agent, something that Moscow has denied. The Cold War: the Bridge of Spies Before the end of the Cold War in 1991, prisoner swaps were a regular occurrence between Moscow and the West, but they mainly involved spies. Prisoner exchanges regularly took place on the iron Glienicke Bridge that linked West Berlin with Soviet-controlled Potsdam over the Havel River. The first memorable spy swap of the Soviet era took place there on February 10, 1962, involving one of the most famous Soviet spies, Rudolf Abel, and American pilot Gary Powers. Also watch | 26 prisoners exchanged between Russia and West × Director Steven Spielberg turned their story into a blockbuster, "Bridge of Spies", in 2015. On June 11, 1985, 25 East German political prisoners crossed paths on the bridge with four East Bloc agents convicted in the United States. The most spectacular swap on the bridge, however, took place on February 11, 1986, when Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky was exchanged for Czech spy couple Karl and Hana Koecher, who were held in the US, and three spies held in West Germany. Sharansky had spent nine years in a Siberian gulag on charges of spying for the US. He immediately emigrated to Israel, where he went into politics. 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.

Timeline: Prisoner swaps between Russia and the US in recent decades

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday, an attack that drew threats of revenge on Israel and fuelled further concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war. Watch in for more details!

What an all-out war between Israel & Iran could look like

Turkey is coordinating an extensive prisoner swap between Russia and Belarus on one side and the United States, Germany and Slovenia on the other. US reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan are among 26 prisoners released.

26 prisoners exchanged between Russia & west

Ukraine has received the first F-16 fighter jets that it has sought for months to fight back against an onslaught of Russian missile strikes. Watch in for more details!

Ukraine receives first F-16 fighter jets to bolster defenses against Russia

A bomb exploded in a teahouse in a village in northeast Nigeria, killing 19 people and wounding two dozen more, the second major attack in a few weeks, security sources said on Thursday.

The blast in Kawuri village in Borno State on Wednesday evening was one of the deadliest in recent years in northeast Nigeria, where violence from a grinding jihadist conflict has been on the decline.

"There was an explosion at a tea joint in Kawuri around 8:00 pm yesterday. We have recovered 19 dead bodies and 27 injured," Ibrahim Liman, a member of an anti-jihadist militia that works with the army, told AFP.&nbsp;

Two other militiamen confirmed the toll in Kawuri, around 50 kilometres (around 30 miles) from the state capital Maiduguri.

No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's blast, but the Boko Haram jihadist group and their rival Islamic State West Africa Province are both active in Borno.

Borno State governor on Thursday declared a 24-hour curfew after the attack, a police statement said.

The curfew was imposed as Nigerians demonstrated nationwide Thursday over a cost of living crisis, including in the capital Abuja and Maiduguri.

Islamist militants still carry out ambushes, roadside bombings and kidnappings from rural hideouts, but bomb attacks in towns and villages are now less common in the northeast.

<h2>- 'Surprise' attack -</h2>

"Boko Haram struck in Kawuri last night. They took us all by surprise because it has been a while without such attacks," Babakura Kolo, a militia commander, told AFP.

The wounded were transported to hospitals in Maiduguri, he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-releases-us-journalist-evan-gershkovich-in-major-prisoner-swap-report-746308">Russia releases US journalist Evan Gershkovich in major prisoner swap: Report</a>

Nigeria's military did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.

The Kawuri attack came just weeks after multiple suicide attackers killed 32 people in Borno State's Gwoza area when they targeted a wedding, a hospital and a funeral.

Large bomb attacks have become rare since Nigeria's army pushed militants back from territory they controlled at the height of the conflict in 2014. Chadian forces helped drive jihadists out.

Tackling insecurity was one of the priorities for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he came to office more than a year ago.&nbsp;

Nigeria's armed forces are also fighting heavily armed gangs in the country's northwest.

More than 40,000 people have been killed by the jihadist conflict in the northeast, and another two million have been displaced since 2009.

Hundreds of thousands of people have also been displaced in the northwest and central states of Nigeria, where gangs known locally as bandits target villages and farms for mass kidnapping for ransom.

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.

A bomb exploded in a teahouse in a village in northeast Nigeria, killing 19 people and wounding two dozen more, the second major attack in a few weeks, security sources said on Thursday.

A bomb exploded in a teahouse in a village in northeast Nigeria, killing 19 people and wounding two dozen more, the second major attack in a few weeks, security sources said on Thursday. The blast in Kawuri village in Borno State on Wednesday evening was one of the deadliest in recent years in northeast Nigeria, where violence from a grinding jihadist conflict has been on the decline. "There was an explosion at a tea joint in Kawuri around 8:00 pm yesterday. We have recovered 19 dead bodies and 27 injured," Ibrahim Liman, a member of an anti-jihadist militia that works with the army, told AFP. Two other militiamen confirmed the toll in Kawuri, around 50 kilometres (around 30 miles) from the state capital Maiduguri. No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's blast, but the Boko Haram jihadist group and their rival Islamic State West Africa Province are both active in Borno. Borno State governor on Thursday declared a 24-hour curfew after the attack, a police statement said. The curfew was imposed as Nigerians demonstrated nationwide Thursday over a cost of living crisis, including in the capital Abuja and Maiduguri. Islamist militants still carry out ambushes, roadside bombings and kidnappings from rural hideouts, but bomb attacks in towns and villages are now less common in the northeast. - 'Surprise' attack - "Boko Haram struck in Kawuri last night. They took us all by surprise because it has been a while without such attacks," Babakura Kolo, a militia commander, told AFP. The wounded were transported to hospitals in Maiduguri, he said. Also read: Russia releases US journalist Evan Gershkovich in major prisoner swap: Report Nigeria's military did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation. The Kawuri attack came just weeks after multiple suicide attackers killed 32 people in Borno State's Gwoza area when they targeted a wedding, a hospital and a funeral. Large bomb attacks have become rare since Nigeria's army pushed militants back from territory they controlled at the height of the conflict in 2014. Chadian forces helped drive jihadists out. Tackling insecurity was one of the priorities for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he came to office more than a year ago. Nigeria's armed forces are also fighting heavily armed gangs in the country's northwest. More than 40,000 people have been killed by the jihadist conflict in the northeast, and another two million have been displaced since 2009. Hundreds of thousands of people have also been displaced in the northwest and central states of Nigeria, where gangs known locally as bandits target villages and farms for mass kidnapping for ransom. 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.

Deadly bomb blast in Nigerian teahouse kills 19, sparks curfew

Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, was assassinated using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran, Iran, according to a report in the&nbsp;New York Times.&nbsp;

The bomb was hidden nearly two months ago in the guesthouse, the report claimed, citing seven&nbsp;Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official. The bomb was detonated remotely after it was confirmed that&nbsp;Haniyeh was in the room at the guesthouse. The blast also killed one of Haniyeh's bodyguards.&nbsp;

Reports indicate that the blast was so powerful that it shook the building and shattered some windows causing the partial collapse of an exterior wall.&nbsp;

Notably, the guesthouse where&nbsp;Haniyeh met his fate&nbsp;was run and protected by&nbsp;the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which suggests it was a massive intelligence failure on the part of Tehran.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hamas-chief-haniyehs-assassination-iran-orders-attack-on-israel-report-746163" target="_blank">Watch |&nbsp;Hamas chief Haniyeh’s assassination: Iran orders attack on Israel: Report</a>

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<h2>Israel briefed US about attack</h2>

Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital to attend the presidential inauguration of&nbsp;Masoud Pezeshkian, recently endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.&nbsp;

Both Iranian officials and Hamas on Wednesday (Jul 31) claimed that Israel was responsible for the assassination. Hamas in a statement said its leader was killed in "a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran".

"Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president," said the group.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ismail-haniyeh-assassinated-a-video-of-hamas-leader-watching-oct-7-attacks-on-israel-resurfces-745823">Also read |&nbsp;Ismail Haniyeh assassinated. A video of Hamas leader watching Oct 7 attacks on Israel resurfaces</a>

Up until now, Israel has neither acknowledged nor rejected&nbsp;Iran or Hamas' claims about the assassination. The NYT report, however, claimed that Tel Aviv had briefed the United States and other Western governments on the details of the operation in the immediate aftermath.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Haniyeh was appointed to the Hamas top job in 2017. He moved between Turkey and Qatar's capital Doha, escaping the travel curbs of the blockaded Gaza Strip.&nbsp;

Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the attack with&nbsp;Khamenei proclaiming that avenging&nbsp;Haniyeh's blood was their 'duty'.&nbsp;Other Iranian leaders, including Pezeshkian, have also openly stated that the nation has a right to defend itself against a transgression on its sovereignty.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, was assassinated using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran, Iran, according to a report in the New York Times.

Ismail Haniyeh, the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, was assassinated using an explosive device that was smuggled into the guesthouse he was staying at in Tehran, Iran, according to a report in the New York Times. The bomb was hidden nearly two months ago in the guesthouse, the report claimed, citing seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official. The bomb was detonated remotely after it was confirmed that Haniyeh was in the room at the guesthouse. The blast also killed one of Haniyeh's bodyguards. Reports indicate that the blast was so powerful that it shook the building and shattered some windows causing the partial collapse of an exterior wall. Notably, the guesthouse where Haniyeh met his fate was run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which suggests it was a massive intelligence failure on the part of Tehran. Watch | Hamas chief Haniyeh’s assassination: Iran orders attack on Israel: Report Israel briefed US about attack Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital to attend the presidential inauguration of Masoud Pezeshkian, recently endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Both Iranian officials and Hamas on Wednesday (Jul 31) claimed that Israel was responsible for the assassination. Hamas in a statement said its leader was killed in "a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran". "Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president," said the group. Also read | Ismail Haniyeh assassinated. A video of Hamas leader watching Oct 7 attacks on Israel resurfaces Up until now, Israel has neither acknowledged nor rejected Iran or Hamas' claims about the assassination. The NYT report, however, claimed that Tel Aviv had briefed the United States and other Western governments on the details of the operation in the immediate aftermath. Haniyeh was appointed to the Hamas top job in 2017. He moved between Turkey and Qatar's capital Doha, escaping the travel curbs of the blockaded Gaza Strip. Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the attack with Khamenei proclaiming that avenging Haniyeh's blood was their 'duty'. Other Iranian leaders, including Pezeshkian, have also openly stated that the nation has a right to defend itself against a transgression on its sovereignty. (With inputs from agencies)

Hamas chief Haniyeh was killed by bomb hidden two months ago in Tehran guesthouse: Report

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Israel on Tuesday (Jul&nbsp;30) announced that it has "eliminated" Faud Shukr, an elusive Hezbollah military commander. Accusing Shukr of being behind the rocket strike on the annexed Golan strike, Israel said the military commander was killed using fighter jets in the Beirut area.

Earlier, reports suggested that while there were casualties due to the Israeli fighter jet attack, Faud Shukr had escaped. However, the Israeli military in a statement said,&nbsp;"Israeli air force fighter jets eliminated the Hezbollah terrorist organisation's most senior military commander and the head of its strategic unit, Fuad Shukr, in the area of Beirut."

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:150,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1990}">Who is Faud Shukr?</h2>

Faud Shukr, as per an AFP report citing an anonymous source close to Hezbollah, was the successor of the group's top commander Imad Mughniyeh — killed in a 2008 car bombing in Damascus that the Iran-backed group blames Israel for.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:243,&quot;w&quot;:624,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2083}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-army-says-it-carried-out-targeted-strike-in-beirut-745704">Israel says it struck Beirut, targeted Hezbollah commander behind Golan Heights attack</a>

A shadowy figure, Shukr went by the nom de guerre Hajj Mohsen Shukr, and "commands military operations in southern Lebanon".

He is wanted in the US for playing "a central role" in the deadly 1983 bombing of the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.

In 2017, describing him as "a senior adviser" to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the US Treasury offered a $5 million bounty for information on Shukr's whereabouts.

<img alt="Faud Shukr" bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:405,&quot;w&quot;:2047,&quot;h&quot;:1200,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2245}" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ad8ddeb-2ebc-4703-8f71-b56a843aa1cd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/21-July-Fuad-Shukr-English.jpg" />

As per&nbsp;Israeli military spokesperson&nbsp;Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, he was a "senior terrorist who has the blood of Israelis and many others on his hands".

In a video statement, Hagari blamed Shukr for the "Majdal Shams massacre," the Saturday (July 27) attack on Golan Heights that claimed the lives of a dozen children.

"Fuad Shukr was the commander responsible for the Majdal Shams massacre, in which 12 children were murdered after Hezbollah fired an Iranian Falaq-1 rocket directly at a soccer field in northern Israel on Saturday evening," said Hagari.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:1771,&quot;w&quot;:713,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3611}" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/facebook-targeting-trump-meta-calls-july-13-assassination-attempt-fictional-event-and-misinformation-745472">Facebook targeting Trump? Meta calls July 13 assassination attempt 'fictional event' and 'misinformation'</a>

He also claimed that the slain Hezbollah commander was the "right-hand man to Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, and his adviser in planning and directing attacks and operations."

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:1873,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3713}">Responsible for Hezbollah attacks on Israel</h2>

The Israeli military alleged that Faud Shukr was behind most of the militant group's advanced weaponry. This, it said, includes precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs.

Allegedly, he was also "directly involved" in the abduction of the bodies of three Israeli soldiers — Benyamin Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Sawaid. In the 1990s, the&nbsp;Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah while patrolling the security fence adjacent to Har Dov, it added.

"Since then, he has planned and directed numerous terror attacks against innocent civilians," it said, as quoted by AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel on Tuesday (Jul 30) announced that it has "eliminated" Faud Shukr, an elusive Hezbollah military commander. Accusing Shukr of being behind the rocket strike on the annexed Golan strike, Israel said the military commander was killed using fighter jets in the Beirut area.

Israel on Tuesday (Jul 30) announced that it has "eliminated" Faud Shukr, an elusive Hezbollah military commander. Accusing Shukr of being behind the rocket strike on the annexed Golan strike, Israel said the military commander was killed using fighter jets in the Beirut area. Earlier, reports suggested that while there were casualties due to the Israeli fighter jet attack, Faud Shukr had escaped. However, the Israeli military in a statement said, "Israeli air force fighter jets eliminated the Hezbollah terrorist organisation's most senior military commander and the head of its strategic unit, Fuad Shukr, in the area of Beirut." Who is Faud Shukr? Faud Shukr, as per an AFP report citing an anonymous source close to Hezbollah, was the successor of the group's top commander Imad Mughniyeh — killed in a 2008 car bombing in Damascus that the Iran-backed group blames Israel for. Also read | Israel says it struck Beirut, targeted Hezbollah commander behind Golan Heights attack A shadowy figure, Shukr went by the nom de guerre Hajj Mohsen Shukr, and "commands military operations in southern Lebanon". He is wanted in the US for playing "a central role" in the deadly 1983 bombing of the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut. In 2017, describing him as "a senior adviser" to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the US Treasury offered a $5 million bounty for information on Shukr's whereabouts. As per Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, he was a "senior terrorist who has the blood of Israelis and many others on his hands". In a video statement, Hagari blamed Shukr for the "Majdal Shams massacre," the Saturday (July 27) attack on Golan Heights that claimed the lives of a dozen children. "Fuad Shukr was the commander responsible for the Majdal Shams massacre, in which 12 children were murdered after Hezbollah fired an Iranian Falaq-1 rocket directly at a soccer field in northern Israel on Saturday evening," said Hagari. Also read | Facebook targeting Trump? Meta calls July 13 assassination attempt 'fictional event' and 'misinformation' He also claimed that the slain Hezbollah commander was the "right-hand man to Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, and his adviser in planning and directing attacks and operations." Responsible for Hezbollah attacks on Israel The Israeli military alleged that Faud Shukr was behind most of the militant group's advanced weaponry. This, it said, includes precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs. Allegedly, he was also "directly involved" in the abduction of the bodies of three Israeli soldiers — Benyamin Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Sawaid. In the 1990s, the Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah while patrolling the security fence adjacent to Har Dov, it added. "Since then, he has planned and directed numerous terror attacks against innocent civilians," it said, as quoted by AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Faud Shukr? The Hezbollah 'senior terrorist' Israel claims to have 'eliminated' in Beirut

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