International
US drone strike in Baghdad kills Iraq-based militia leaders
US drone strike in Baghdad kills Iraq-based militia leaders
On Wednesday evening, the United States launched a drone hit in Iraq’s capital, killing three Kataib Hezbollah militia members, including a top commander.
Washington’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed credit for the attack.
This comes after the US government admitted that it failed to alert officials in Baghdad about airstrikes on Iraqi soil last Friday, despite initially saying they had been notified in advance. A top US spokesperson said there was no “intent to deceive,” attributing the mishap to a simple misunderstanding.
A car in which the trio was travelling was struck in the Mashtal neighborhood of Baghdad, at around 9:30 pm local time. Local outlet Sabereen News described the attack as “American aggression.”
Photos circulating on social media showed the remnants of what seems to have been a Hellfire missile, commonly used by US attack drones.
Two of the dead have since been identified as Haj Arkhan Al-Alawi and Wissam Mohammed ‘Abu Bakr’ al-Saadi, who was in charge of Kataib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria, RT reports.
In a statement posted on X, (formerly Twitter), CENTCOM said it had carried out “a unilateral strike in Iraq in response to the attacks on US service members, killing a Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region.”
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The US has blamed Kataib Hezbollah for last month’s attack that killed three US soldiers at a base on the Syria-Jordan-Iraq border. Following a series of retaliatory US airstrikes, the group announced it would “suspend” attacks.
Local media in Baghdad have reported that crowds of protesters gathered at the strike site chanting slogans branding the US “Greater Satan.”
Al-Saadi is the most senior Kataib Hezbollah member to have been killed in Iraq since the January 2020 drone strike that killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Tehran had responded to that assassination by bombarding US bases with ballistic missiles.
Shia militias have attacked US bases in the region with rockets and drones at least 150 times since last October, following Israel’s declaration of war on Hamas in the aftermath of the militant group’s deadly raids from Gaza.
The White House has blamed Tehran for the attacks but has stopped short of attacking Iran as some members of Congress have demanded. The US has continued to station troops in Iraq even after the government in Baghdad explicitly requested them to leave. The Pentagon’s presence in Syria is illegal under international law.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby corrected a prior statement about the “pre-notification to Iraqi officials” before last week’s air raid, which targeted more than 85 sites across both Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
“I deeply apologise for the error, and I regret any confusion that it caused. It was based on information we had or that was provided to me in those early hours after the strikes. Turns out that information was incorrect,” Kirby said, adding, “I hope that you’ll understand there was no ill-intent behind it, no deliberate intent to deceive or to be wrong.”
US drone strike in Baghdad kills Iraq-based militia leaders
International
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
A 30 year old American man whose name was not given by security officials, has been arrested for beating up a 60 year old tourist to death at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, Ireland.
The Irish police force commonly known as ‘Garda Síochána’ announced that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12.
Ballyfin Demesne hotel, is a popular luxury five-star hotel located in Laois, Ireland and special guests such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, George Clooney e.t.c had made use of the hotel in times past.
The victim was discovered unconscious in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12 and was then rushed to the hospital were he died due to severe beating inflicted on him by the culprit.
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Independent local councilor James Kelly stated that nearby communities were ‘stunned’ upon learning about the incident at the renowned hotel.
He said, “There would be a lot of staff from the area and they’re totally shocked by what has happened here.
“It’s something we didn’t think we’d be waking up to this morning.”
The police also noted that a senior officer has been assigned to lead the investigation and an incident room has been set up at Portlaoise Garda Station, Ireland.
Furthermore, a family liaison officer will be designated to assist the family of the deceased.
International
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday carried out a raid at the home of Shayne Coplan, CEO of cryptocurrency prediction outlet Polymarket.
Authorities seized Mr Coplan’s phone during the raid, according to New York Post which first reported the incident.
Mr Coplan, 26, has been running the famous platform for bets throughout the 2024 presidential election in the United States.
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It wasn’t immediately clear why the search was conducted, but Polymarket promptly said it might be due to its activities during the election. Users on the platform had correctly predicted Donald Trump was going to defeat Kamala Harris. The company paid out a substantial amount to winners following the election.
“This is obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election,” a spokesperson for Polymarket said in a statement from its headquarters in New York. “Polymarket is a fully transparent prediction market that helps everyday people better understand the events that matter most to them, including elections.”
It was unclear whether or not the FBI would be filing charges after the raid.
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
International
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two employees of Givaudan sense colour, a factory known for making colourings for beverages, located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States (US) were killed in an explosion that took place at the company’s facility.
The factory reported that the incident which took place on Tuesday, November 12 in the afternoon have also destroyed buildings around the company.
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Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg stated that firefighters managed to rescue and evacuate numerous individuals from the site, including some who sustained life-threatening injuries.
He also confirmed that all employees present at the plant during the explosion have been accounted for.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 11 workers were hospitalized.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
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