Lebanon calls for UN decision on ceasefire as Israeli strikes expand – Newstrends
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Lebanon calls for UN decision on ceasefire as Israeli strikes expand

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Lebanon calls for UN decision on ceasefire as Israeli strikes expand

BEIRUT: Lebanese Premier Najib Mikati said on Friday that the Israeli attacks on Lebanon are “completely unacceptable.”

After a Cabinet meeting, he said that the Foreign Ministry “will submit a request to the UN Security Council to take a decision for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of Resolution 1701, which Lebanon adheres to and has reaffirmed in international forums.

“A diplomatic solution is on the table, and Hezbollah, as a partner in the government, agrees to implement Resolution 1701. Most importantly, an immediate ceasefire is necessary.”

The official Lebanese stance came after Israeli strikes expanded to include the capital, Beirut, and the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL in the south.

Lebanon’s military said two of its soldiers were killed and three others were wounded after an Israeli airstrike targeted a military post in Yatter, southern Lebanon.

By noon on Friday, the death toll rose to 2,198 since the beginning of confrontations, including women and children. The number of the injured reached 10,329.

Mikati said Lebanon has become “a victim of Israeli arrogance, which continues unchecked and violates our sovereignty before the eyes of the world, emboldened by the disturbing silence regarding its massacres.

“The Israeli attack on UNIFIL is a condemnable crime and a matter for the international community, whose sanctity is being violated.”

The observation tower in UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters was hit by a heavy airstrike on Friday, marking the second attack on the international forces within 24 hours. The new attack resulted in the injury of two Sri Lankan soldiers, one of them critically.

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A UNIFIL source told Arab News: “The Israeli attacks covered military sites of UNIFIL units during their incursion attempts into Lebanese territory. They entered a Nepalese force’s site in the border town of Blida and smashed cameras and lighting equipment. They also broke into the site of the Irish (force) … in the town of Maroun Al-Ras and destroyed its assets and broke into the site of the Ghanaian force in the town of Yaroun and committed the same aggression.

“In the 2006 war, UNIFIL were not subjected to this type of aggression, as they retreated to their barracks and remained there. The number of those forces at that time did not exceed 3,500 peacekeepers, but today, the situation is different, as the UNIFIL include 10,500 soldiers, and their deployment is wider as they have more sites in the border area.”

UNIFIL recently received threats to retreat from their positions to a depth of 5 km. However, the source said that this retreat would still be subject to new threats and that the UNIFIL commander cannot make such a decision, which is entrusted to the UN Security Council.

According to the source, “at the moment, UNIFIL has stopped all their patrols in the south and remained in barracks and did not use their right to self-defense mentioned in Resolution 1701. Their centers in the areas of deployment are facing shortages of food supplies, with reserves expected to last between one and two weeks, depending on the location.”

In this context, Reuters quoted two sources familiar with Hezbollah operations as saying that “Hezbollah is preparing for a long war of attrition in south Lebanon. It still has a considerable stockpile of weapons, including its most powerful precision missiles, which it has yet to use. Hezbollah’s command was disrupted for the first few days after Nasrallah’s Sept. 27 assassination until it established a new ‘operations room’ 72 hours later.”

Hezbollah later denied the report, calling it “pure fiction.”

Israeli army spokesperson, Capt. Ella Waweya, published a video of Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi wandering around Lebanon’s southern border region.

In the video, Halevi said: “We will not stop until we ensure that we can safely return the residents. If anyone considers rebuilding new terrorist infrastructure, the Israeli army will destroy it again.”

A video was shared of Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari in the southern village of Blida, displaying military belongings and ammunition allegedly “inside the homes of the southerners, for the purpose of breaking into the border.”

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Rescue teams continued to remove rubble in Noueiri and Basta in Beirut, as the Israeli raids on Thursday destroyed two residential buildings, killing 22 civilians and injuring 117.

Reports said the head of Hezbollah’s security apparatus Wafiq Safa, who was targeted by the raids on Beirut, was in a hospital in the capital.

There is conflicting information on whether Safa sustained a critical injury or was killed following the attack.

Following the difficult night that Beirut witnessed, reconnaissance planes hovered over Lebanon around the clock.

Israel raided about 30 villages in the south, destroying a building in Jebchit and killing four people.

Three people were also killed as a result of an Israeli raid on Arzoun, Tyre.

Moreover, an Israeli drone raided the Civil Defense center in Tayr Debba.

Israeli raids mainly targeted Bekaa, specifically Bodai in west Baalbek, Al-Keiyal in Baalbek, Khodor, Douris, the Nabi Chit valley, the Saraaine Al-Tahta valley, and the border village of Hawsh Al-Sayyid Ali between Hermel and Syria.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, carried out a series of military operations against the Israeli army.

According to its statements, the militant group targeted “a gathering of soldiers in the Yiftah settlement and its surroundings, technical equipment in the Al-Abbad site with a guided missile, and a gathering of soldiers in the Kfar Szold settlement.”

It also targeted “a gathering of soldiers in the Yaara settlement” and carried out “an aerial attack with a fleet of attack drones against the air force command base in Kiryat Eliezer in Haifa.”

Israeli media outlets reported that “a building in the industrial zone of Kiryat Bialik in the Haifa district was directly hit by missiles launched from Lebanon,” adding that “an anti-armor missile injured two people in Yir’on in the upper Galilee.”

They estimated that “about 30 missiles have been launched from southern Lebanon toward the Galilee since the morning.”

The Israeli army stated in the afternoon that “Hezbollah launched 65 rockets from Lebanon toward Israel,” adding that “sirens sounded in Shomera in the Galilee.”

Lebanon calls for UN decision on ceasefire as Israeli strikes expand

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US soldier accused of helping ISIS jailed

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US soldier accused of helping ISIS jailed

Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, a 24-year-old from Stow, Ohio, was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Bridges was also convicted for attempting to murder U.S. military service members by assisting ISIS in planning attacks against American soldiers in the Middle East.

Bridges, who pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in June 2023, joined the U.S. Army in September 2019 and served as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. However, before his enlistment, he had already begun researching jihadist propaganda and supporting ISIS on social media.

In October 2020, about a year after joining the Army, Bridges began communicating with an undercover FBI employee posing as an ISIS supporter. During these communications, Bridges expressed his disillusionment with the U.S. military and his intent to help ISIS. He provided advice to supposed ISIS fighters on training and targets, including potential attacks in New York City.

Bridges’ actions underscore the dangers of radicalization and the threat posed by individuals seeking to assist terrorist organizations from within.

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Mr Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics, with the understanding that the materials would be used by ISIS in future attack planning.

In or about December 2020, Mr Bridges began to supply the OCE with instructions for the purported ISIS fighters on how to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Among other things, Mr Bridges diagrammed specific military maneuvers intended to help ISIS fighters maximize the lethality of future attacks on U.S. troops.

Mr Bridges also provided advice about the best way to fortify an ISIS encampment to ambush U.S. Special Forces, including by wiring certain buildings with explosives to kill the U.S. troops.

Then, in January 2021, Mr Bridges provided the OCE with a video of himself in his U.S. Army body armor standing in front of a flag often used by ISIS fighters and making a gesture symbolic of support for ISIS.

Approximately one week later, Mr Bridges sent a second video in which Mr Bridges, using a voice manipulator, narrated a propaganda speech in support of the anticipated ambush by ISIS on U.S. troops.

The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI field offices in Washington, Atlanta, and Cleveland; U.S. Army Counterintelligence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and U.S. Army Third Infantry Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Matthew Hellman for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

US soldier accused of helping ISIS jailed

(US Department of Justice)

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P Diddy accused of molesting 16-year-old boy, rape in fresh lawsuits

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

P Diddy accused of molesting 16-year-old boy, rape in fresh lawsuits

Six people on Monday filed fresh lawsuits against American music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, accusing him of multiple sexual assaults, rape and molesting a 16-year-old boy.

The lawsuits filed in federal court in Manhattan contribute to a growing list of legal challenges against the embattled hip-hop mogul, all of which he has denied.

The plaintiffs are anonymous, with two women referred to as Jane Does and four men as John Does.

Some of these individuals, echoing previous allegations made against Mr Combs in recent months, contend that he exploited his celebrity status and the allure of potential fame to lure victims to extravagant parties or drug-fuelled gatherings, where they were subsequently assaulted.

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Claims include allegations of physical violence, drugging, and threats of death should the victims resist or disclose their experiences.

The lawsuits recount alleged assaults dating back to the mid-1990s, occurring at Mr Combs’ high-profile white parties in the Hamptons, a Brooklyn celebration for his late collaborator Biggie Smalls, and even in a storeroom at Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan.

The plaintiffs are among what their legal representatives described as a collective of over 100 accusers currently pursuing legal action against Mr Combs following his arrest on sex trafficking charges on September 16.

Attorney Tony Buzbee announced the forthcoming litigation at a press conference on October 1 and provided a hotline number for other potential accusers.

However, Mr Combs’ legal team condemned these tactics as “clear attempts to garner publicity.”

“In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman,” the team said.

P Diddy accused of molesting 16-year-old boy, rape in fresh lawsuits

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Woman who slept with 122 students in 3 weeks replies parents, critics

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Bonnie Blue

Woman who slept with 122 students in 3 weeks replies parents, critics

An adult content creator believes the parents of the men she’s slept with should be ‘thanking’ her after she invited them to ‘marathon’ sex sessions at various UK universities.

Late last month, Bonnie Blue, a 25-year-old who resides in Australia, returned to England to embark on a month-long erotic odyssey.

It’s understood she planned to sleep with as many freshman students as possible in the hopes of ‘helping’ young men gain confidence when it came to doing the deed.

The OnlyFans star, who originally hails from Nottingham, began her ‘educational’ sex tour in her home town before traveling over to institutions in Cambridge and Derby.

She reportedly encouraged ‘virgins’ and ‘fresh 18-year-olds’ to contact her so they could embark on an hour-long sexual encounter.

“I gave everyone a time slot. It’s like you’re going for your hair,” she told the Daily Mail. “I said you can do whatever you want to me in this slot and then someone else is coming in.”

Initially, slots with Bonnie were capped at 60 minutes each. However, presumably due to her popularity, she later reduced time to just 20 minutes per man.

Bonnie reportedly filmed each of her sessions – ensuring each of the men had valid IDs and signed a consent form beforehand – and plans to post each video on her OnlyFans account.

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The social media star has taken on critics and parents who have taken issue with her event.

Bonnie claims the mums, dads and legal guardians of the men she slept with should be ‘thanking’ her for ‘educating’ their sons.

“I’m helping their children out,” she told the publication. “When I’m sleeping with them it’s educational and they walk away with such confidence.”

Bonnie also claimed that she found men in the UK to be ‘stiff’ in the bedroom compared to their Gold Coast counterparts. She’s also been forced to defend her decision to target freshmen for her sexperiment.

“If people want to think that an 18-year-old doesn’t want to sleep with a porn star then they really have to get out from under their rock,” she claimed.

“When 18-year-olds are having sex it’s usually unprotected and it’s never that good of an experience because the girls are inexperienced too. I have a video of them and they clearly are enjoying it.”

However, students were not the only people Bonnie slept with during her marathon.

“It was mostly students but there was also a group of grandads,” she admitted. “The oldest was 71. One was retired. He heard about me from his grandson.

“The people who turn up might look weird or be weird to someone else but I’m happy to pleasure anyone.”

Earlier this year, Bonnie admitted to sleeping with ‘122 students’ during a three week period.

The adult star headed to Cancun for Spring Break and allegedly made $250,000 from her Mexican trip with friend Leilani May.

“The college boys enjoyed Spring Break, but I gave them one to remember,” she told the Daily Star.

“Many Spring Breakers actually called it a bonding experience. They enjoyed every second of it, as did I!”

Bonnie said she’s considering going back for round two in Cancun next year and that she also hopes to tick off Freshers Week in Manchester and London, too.

Woman who slept with 122 students in 3 weeks replies parents, critics

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