While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 26, 2024
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Smoke rises from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted Beiruts southern suburbs on Nov 25.
PHOTO: AFP
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US says Lebanon ceasefire deal ‘close’
The United States believes a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah is “close” but negotiations are still ongoing, the White House said on Nov 25.
“We believe we’ve reached this point where we’re close,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, adding however that “we’re not there yet.”
“We believe that the trajectory of this is going in a very positive direction – but again nothing is done until everything is done, nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated.”
Damian Williams, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, to resign ahead of Trump inauguration
REUTERS
Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said on Nov 25 he planned to resign on Dec. 13, about a month before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated.
Edward Kim, who is currently serving as Williams’ deputy, will take over on an acting basis as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Williams’ office has an unusual degree of independence from the Justice Department and is known for bringing high-profile financial fraud and public corruption cases.
Man charged with bomb hoax over incident at US embassy in London, UK police say
REUTERS
A man has been charged with a bomb hoax after an incident outside the United States Embassy in London last week, British police said on Nov 25.
Daniel Parmenter, 43, who has been charged, was arrested on Nov 24 after a search of his home address. He was remanded in custody at a court hearing on Nov 25 and will appear at the Old Bailey on Dec 23, police said in a statement.
“There are no current links between this investigation and any similar incidents of reported suspicious packages in recent days,” the statement added.
Russian man jailed for burning Quran sentenced to 14 years on separate Ukraine treason charge
REUTERS
A Russian man serving time in prison for burning a copy of the Quran was found guilty by a court on Nov 25 in a separate treason case and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
A regional court in Volgograd in southwestern Russia said it had convicted Nikita Zhuravel, 20, of state treason for corresponding online with a member of the Security Service of Ukraine and for acts “directed against the security of the Russian Federation.”
Zhuravel’s case drew attention last year when Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov published video showing his son Adam, then 15, beating and kicking him while he was in prison in Chechnya awaiting trial for burning a Quran in Volgograd, his hometown.
Alonso jokes about playing return amid Leverkusen injury woes
EPA-EFE
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso joked Nov 25 he may be forced to return to the pitch amid his side’s injury crisis “if they give me a player contract”.
Leverkusen are missing seven regulars, but the damage is particularly acute in attack, where forwards Victor Boniface, Amine Adli, Jonas Hofmann and Martin Terrier are all missing.
Speaking ahead of Nov 26’s home clash with Red Bull Salzburg on his 43rd birthday, the former midfielder – who won several trophies across a glittering playing career with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – toyed with the idea of a return.
