Israel confirms bombing Hezbollah sites deep inside Lebanon – Newstrends
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Israel confirms bombing Hezbollah sites deep inside Lebanon

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Residents rush to help the injured after projectiles hit a football ground in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, July 27, 2024 [Hassan Shams/AP Photo

Israel confirms bombing Hezbollah sites deep inside Lebanon

The Israeli military says it carried out a series of strikes across Lebanon after blaming Hezbollah for Saturday’s deadly attack in the occupied Golan Heights, as its foreign ministry said the Lebanese group had crossed a “red line”, raising fears of regional escalation.

The Israeli military said on Sunday its jets bombed weapons depots and infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, in Shabriha and Burj el-Shemali near the southern city of Tyre, and the villages of Kafr Lila or Kfar Kila, Rab el-Thalathine, Khiam and Tayr Harfa.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday blamed Hezbollah for the rocket attack on a football ground that killed 12 people.

“Saturday’s massacre constitutes the crossing of all red lines by Hezbollah. This is not an army fighting another army, rather it is a terrorist organisation deliberately shooting at civilians,” the ministry said in a statement.

Hezbollah has “categorically denied” responsibility for the attack. There have been unconfirmed claims that a failed Israeli interceptor missile may have caused the incident.

Iran, Hezbollah’s regional ally, warned Israel against any “new adventure concerning Lebanon” using the Majdal Shams incident as an “excuse”.

“After 10 months of mass killing in the Gaza Strip and mass murder of Palestinian children and women, the apartheid Israeli regime is trying to distract public opinion and global attention from its wide-ranging crimes in Palestine using a fabricated scenario,” Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a statement on Sunday, adding that Israel will be responsible for any moves that will further destabilise the region.

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United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said there was “every indication” that Hezbollah was behind the rocket strike, renewing Washington’s backing for “Israel’s right to defend its citizens from terrorist attacks”.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo alongside the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday, he said the US does not want to see the conflict escalate following the Majdal Shams incident.

“We are determined to bring the Gaza conflict to a close. It’s gone on for far too long. It’s cost far too many lives. We want to see Israelis, we want to see Palestinians, we want to see Lebanese live free from the threat of conflict and violence,” Blinken said, adding that the US is maintaining contact with the Israeli government.

‘Tipping point’

Reporting from Beirut in Lebanon, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said the latest Israeli attacks were a message to Hezbollah, not the response it has promised.

“What we witnessed overnight was really normal activity, something that we have seen in the past 10 months since Hezbollah opened up a front in southern Lebanon to help the people of Gaza,” she said.

According to Khodr, the Israeli response and whether it would hit military or civilian targets could signal a “tipping point” that will determine the trajectory of the border conflict that started on October 8.

The Israeli security cabinet is expected to have a meeting later on Sunday to decide on a response to the rocket attack in Majdal Shams.

Israeli commanders meet Druze leaders

In a video message from the site of the attack on Sunday morning, Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi reiterated the claim that an Iranian-made Falaq rocket – which has been employed by Hezbollah since the start of border fighting last October – carrying a 53kg (116 pounds) warhead hit the football field.

“This is a Hezbollah rocket. And whoever fires such a rocket into an urban area wants to kill civilians, wants to kill children,” he said.

Halevi added that the Israeli military is “increasing our readiness for the next stage of fighting in the north” as it keeps attacking the Gaza Strip to deadly effect.

He and other commanders met Druze leaders and community members in the area.

The United Nations, the US and the European Union condemned the attack. The UN and the EU urged all parties to exercise “restraint” to prevent an all-out war, with the 27-member bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell calling for an “independent international investigation”.

More than 350 people, including about 100 civilians have been killed in repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the start of the war on Gaza, according to the UN. Israeli officials say more than 30 people, including 10 civilians, have been killed in attacks originating from Lebanon.

Israel confirms bombing Hezbollah sites deep inside Lebanon

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

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Trump may be sentenced Jan 10 in hush money case

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2 hours ago

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January 4, 2025

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President-elect Donald Trump

Trump may be sentenced Jan 10 in hush money case

A judge has ordered that Donald Trump will be sentenced on 10 January in his hush-money case in New York – less than two weeks before he is set to be sworn in as president.

New York Justice Juan Merchan signalled he would not sentence Trump to jail time, probation or a fine, but instead give him an “unconditional discharge”, and wrote in his order that the president-elect could appear in person or virtually for the hearing.

Trump had attempted to use his presidential election victory to have the case against him dismissed.

The president-elect has posted on social media dismissing the judge’s order as an “illegitimate political attack” and calling the case “nothing but a rigged charade”.

Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.

The charges related to attempts to cover up reimbursements to his ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who in the final days of the 2016 election campaign paid off the adult-film star to remain silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.

The president-elect has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty, arguing the case was an attempt to harm his 2024 presidential campaign.

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In the post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday Trump said the judge’s sentencing order “goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it”.

Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung earlier called the order part of a “witch hunt”.

“President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts,” Cheung said.

“There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”

In his latest motion against the case, Trump had argued the case would hang over him during his presidency and impede his ability to govern.

Justice Merchan said he had been advised of several measures he could employ that could assuage Trump’s concerns about being distracted by a criminal case while serving as president that fell short of the “extreme remedy” of overturning the jury’s verdict.

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His options included delaying the sentencing until Trump, 78, leaves the White House in 2029, or guaranteeing a sentence that would not involve prison time.

Trump had initially, and unsuccessfully, argued the case against him ran afoul of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

In July, the country’s top court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official actions” they take while in office.

However, last month Justice Merchan ruled Trump’s hush money conviction was valid.

Trump is currently set to be the first convicted felon to serve in the White House.

He may attempt to appeal against the conviction after the sentencing.

While falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison in the US, there is no minimum sentence and incarceration is not required.

Even before his election victory, legal experts thought it was unlikely Trump would face jail time given his age and his legal record.

Trump has also been charged in three other state and federal criminal cases: one involving classified documents and two relating to his alleged efforts to overturn his loss in the election of 2020.

The president-elect was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 26 November, but Justice Merchan pushed the date back after Trump won the presidential election.

 

Trump may be sentenced Jan 10 in hush money case

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Visa: UK raises salary entry requirement for skilled workers

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16 hours ago

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January 3, 2025

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Visa: UK raises salary entry requirement for skilled workers

The UK government has announced an update to its immigration rules, notably increasing salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas.

This change is targeted at ensuring that only highly skilled and well-compensated workers are able to access the UK job market, with some salary requirements rising by as much as 82%.

Effective from January 1, 2025, the minimum salary for most applicants will rise from £26,200 to £38,700.

This adjustment is projected to impact a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, and engineering, making it more challenging for workers to obtain a Skilled Worker visa without a higher-paying job offer.

For applicants with a relevant PhD, the salary threshold will also increase from £23,800 to £34,830, while those holding a relevant STEM PhD will need to meet a higher threshold of £30,960, up from £20,960.

Jobs on the shortage occupation list and new entrants to the workforce will also see their salary requirement increase to £30,960.

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“This increase signifies the government’s plan to ensure that only the most qualified individuals can access the Skilled Worker visa programme,” said a government spokesperson.

The raised thresholds are based on median salary figures, which will further narrow the pool of eligible applicants to the highest earners in their fields.

According to DAAD Scholarship, these changes present both challenges and opportunities for job seekers aiming to work in the UK.

“Workers in fields such as software development, engineering, and healthcare will now need to secure job offers that meet the new salary thresholds,” the scholarship noted.

Furthermore, the 20% discount for shortage occupation roles will be removed under the new system.

However, workers with relevant PhDs, especially in STEM fields, will still be eligible for some discounts.

New entrants to the workforce, including recent graduates, will continue to benefit from discounts, making it slightly easier for them to meet the new salary requirements.

For employers in the UK, these increased salary requirements will lead to higher costs when sponsoring foreign workers.

Companies will need to adjust their budgets to accommodate these changes, but the result may be a more qualified workforce entering the UK.

 

Visa: UK raises salary entry requirement for skilled workers

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Two dead after small plane crashes into California building

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1 day ago

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January 3, 2025

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Two dead after small plane crashes into California building

Two people have died and 18 others were injured after a small plane crashed into a commercial building in southern California, officials say.

Ten people were taken to hospital with injuries, the Fullerton Police Department said in a post on X on Thursday afternoon. Eight others were treated for injuries and released at the scene.

The single-engine Van’s RV-10 crashed at 14:15PST (20:15GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officials have provided no further details about how the crash occurred. It is unclear whether the two people who died were workers or were on board the plane.

Police say they are evacuating buildings in the area, and are asking the public to stay away from the crash site.

Congressman Lou Correa, who represents the area of Orange County, about 25 miles (40km) south of Los Angeles, said that the building that was struck is a furniture manufacturing business.

In a post on X, Correa said that at least a dozen of the victims are factory workers.

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Aerial photos of the scene show parts of the plane inside the building. The crash also sparked a fire which was extinguished by fire crews.

Security footage recorded from a building across the street shows a fiery explosion, according to local news outlets.

“People are just shaken over the situation,” witness Mark Anderson told KRCA-TV.

“It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, ‘Oh my gosh, the building’s on fire.'”

The area where the plane crashed is near the Fullerton Municipal Airport, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Disneyland.

The plane appears to have been turning back to the airport shortly after takeoff, according to KRCA-TV.

Around 100 people were ultimately evacuated from the Michael Nicholas Designs furniture factory, according to the Orange County Register newspaper.

Juanita Ramirez, an employee, told the newspaper that she heard a loud bang before seeing a large ball of fire flying towards her.

“It felt like a dream,” she said.

This is the second plane to crash in the area in the past two months, according to CBS, the BBC’s US partner.

On 25 November, another plane crashed into a tree roughly one block away from this most recent crash. No major injures were reported in that crash.

Two dead after small plane crashes into California building

BBC

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