While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 2
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US journalist Evan Gershkovich (left) and ex-US Marine Paul Whelan were part of a complex multi-prisoner swop that was negotiated in secrecy for over a year.
PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS
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Americans Gershkovich, Whelan freed in prisoner swop
US journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-US Marine Paul Whelan were released by Russia on Aug 1, as part of the biggest East-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, a complex deal negotiated in secrecy for more than a year.
The White House said the US had negotiated the complex trade with Russia and other countries. It said eight prisoners held in the West were being sent back to Russia.
Germany confirmed that they included Vadim Krasikov, convicted of murdering an exiled dissident in Berlin.
President Joe Biden hailed the deal as “a feat of diplomacy and friendship” and praised Washington’s allies for their “bold and brave decisions”.
Hezbollah says fired ‘dozens’ of rockets at northern Israel
Hezbollah said it launched rockets at northern Israel on Aug 1 “in response” to a deadly Israeli strike in south Lebanon - the group’s first attack after Israel killed a top commander earlier this week.
The Iran-backed group said in a statement that it “launched dozens of Katyusha rockets... in response to the Israeli enemy’s attack on... (the southern village of Shama) that killed a number of civilians”.
The Israeli military said that shortly after the rocket fire, the air force “struck the Hezbollah launcher from which the projectiles were launched”.
Bomb smuggled into Iran guesthouse killed Hamas leader
EPA-EFE
Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was assassinated on July 31 by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran, Iran, guesthouse where he was staying, according to seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and a US official.
The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, according to five of the Middle Eastern officials. The guesthouse is run and protected by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in an upscale neighbourhood of northern Tehran.
Haniyeh was in Iran’s capital for the presidential inauguration. The bomb was detonated remotely, the five officials said, once it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guesthouse. The blast also killed a bodyguard.
Yeo Jia Min suffers agonising Olympics last-16 exit
The Straits Times
Against an opponent whom she had never taken a game off in three previous attempts, Singapore’s world No. 20 Yeo Jia Min broke the duck but still crashed out of the Paris 2024 Olympics as Japan’s 10th-ranked Aya Ohori came from behind to win 11-21, 21-14, 24-22 in their badminton women’s singles last-16 match on Aug 1.
The 27-year-old will play Spain’s world No. 4 and Rio 2016 champion Carolina Marin on Aug 3 at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena for a place in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, former junior world No. 1 Yeo, 25, will rue her inability to seal a victory that she may feel was there for the taking, as she lost a matchpoint in a contest that was evenly matched and at times error-ridden.
Biles reclaims all-around crown for sixth Olympic gold
REUTERS
Simone Biles clinched her sixth Olympic gold medal in front of an ecstatic crowd at the Paris Games on Aug 1, reasserting her status as the number one all around gymnast three years after she withdrew from the same final at the Tokyo Games.
In a tight race between Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the American was surprising left trailing in third place after a flawed performance on the uneven bars.
But she was back on top after a solid performance on her next apparatus - the balance beam.
