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Lebanon tribunal implicates Hezbollah in 2005 killing of Rafiq al-Hariri

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Lebanon tribunal implicates Hezbollah in 2005 killing of Rafiq al-Hariri

The remaining three defendants — Hassan Habib Merhi, Assad Hassan Sabra and Hussein Hassan Oneissi — had been acquitted on the premise of inadequate proof to attach them to the crime. Thus concluded an 11-year, $970 million investigation by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a world courtroom that utilized Lebanese legal regulation.

The lads had been tried in absentia, and their whereabouts have by no means been established, together with whether or not they’re even nonetheless alive.

Maybe extra considerably, the judges dominated that whereas Hariri’s assassination was clearly motivated by political elements — and nearly actually by indications that he favored the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon — it was not attainable to attract conclusions as to who ordered his loss of life.

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“The trial chamber is of the view that Syria and Hezbollah could have had causes to get rid of Mr. Hariri,” the presiding choose, David Re, instructed the courtroom in the Netherlands city of Leidschendam.

Nonetheless, he added, the courtroom discovered “no direct proof” of involvement by the Syrian authorities or the management of Hezbollah.

The prosecution additionally did not show that Mustafa Badreddine, a key Hezbollah commander whose title was dropped from the cost sheet after he was killed in Syria in 2016, commanded the cell that carried out the assault, though it was clear he had participated in the plot, Re mentioned.

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Hariri’s son, Saad Hariri, referred to as on Hezbollah, which has since emerged as Lebanon’s strongest single political celebration and army power, to acknowledge its position in the killing, given {that a} Hezbollah member was convicted. “Hezbollah is the one that ought to make sacrifices as we speak,” mentioned Hariri, who has served three phrases as prime minister. “We won’t relaxation till punishment is served.”

In failing to determine the political gamers behind the assassination, the tribunal fell far brief of its authentic lofty aim of ending a tradition of impunity that has allowed political violence to flourish unchecked in Lebanon for years.

Hariri’s loss of life in the large suicide bombing triggered years of political turmoil in Lebanon, together with a spontaneous rebellion referred to as the Cedar Revolution that pressured the withdrawal of Syrian troops, who had been broadly blamed by Hariri’s supporters in the killing.

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The USA was a key supporter of the tribunal, with then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying forward of its creation that she hoped it could “deter additional political assassinations [and] finish an period of concern for Lebanese residents and impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes.”

As a substitute, the killing of Hariri was adopted by a string of assassinations of lesser-known anti-Syrian politicians, journalists and investigators. These instances have by no means been solved. Guarantees that the tribunal would finally take them up had been by no means fulfilled.

Opponents of the tribunal complained that by specializing in one single killing, it couldn’t be seen as neutral.

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The assassination and subsequent rebellion triggered a brand new political cleavage in Lebanon — between pro-Western and pro-Syrian and Iranian camps — that has continued to at the present time. The Lebanese military was on excessive alert on Tuesday for attainable demonstrations related to the decision.

However there was no fast indication that Lebanese grappling with the aftermath of one other main tragedy, the Aug. four explosion at Beirut’s port that killed at the very least 177 folks, injured 1000’s and made one other 300,000 homeless, had been stirred by the decision.

In any case, the tribunal’s conclusions had been undermined lengthy earlier than they had been unveiled by the sheer size of time it took to achieve a conclusion. The proceedings had been repeatedly delayed by false begins in the investigation, funding shortfalls and the in depth bureaucratic calls for concerned in organising a world tribunal.

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Even the scheduled Aug. 7 date for the supply of the decision was delayed — by the port explosion. Out of respect for the victims, the courtroom postponed the announcement till Tuesday.

The courtroom session opened with a minute’s silence for many who perished in the explosion, which has been broadly blamed on Lebanon’s tradition of impunity and the dearth of accountability for senior politicians implicated in the type of negligence and corruption that contributed to the blast.

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Heather Pressdee, The Pennsylvania Nurse Connected To The Deaths Of 17 Patients Sentenced To Hundreds Of Years In Prison

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Heather Pressdee, the Pennsylvania nurse connected to the deaths of 17 patients will be spending the rest of her life in prison. The 41 year old nurse had pleaded guilty for three counts of 1st-degree murder and other charges and this helped her avoid the death sentence.

Heather Pressdee while working as a nurse had administered lethal doses of insulin leading to the death of 17 patients had pleaded guilty in a Butler County courtroom to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of criminal attempt to commit murder. Heather Pressdee was working as a nurse at Quality Life Services before her arrest in May 2023.

Investigations revealed that Pressdee’s killing spree began in 2020 when she started administering “lethal and potentially lethal doses of insulin” to at least 22 patients at facilities in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties. Of these 17 patients died soon or after some time after receiving the insulin doses according to prosecution.

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Heather Pressdee will be serving three consecutive life sentences after pleading to the three counts of first-degree murder. She is also sentenced an additional 380 to 760 years of consecutive jail terms after being found guilty for 19 counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, according to prosecutors.

Attorney General Michelle Henry said, “The defendant used her position of trust as a means to poison patients who depended on her for care. This plea and life sentence will not bring back the lives lost, but it will ensure Heather Pressdee never has another opportunity to inflict further harm. I offer my sincere sympathy to all who have suffered at this defendant’s hands.”

Kings of Pressdee’s victims who were present at the nurse’s sentencing hearing recounted the “pain and anguish caused by learning their loved one’s death was not natural, but was caused by a criminal act,”

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Sister of one of the victims, Nicholas Cymbol, Melinda Brown said that the nurse was pure evil. She added that this is not complete justice and justice will be delivered when she meets her maker. Daughter of another victim Irene Simons said that she will never forgive Pressdee. She added that she is angry because Pressdee disguised herself as a caring nurse and she tried to play God and take the life of someone from the world that she had no right to take.

Attorney General Michelle Henry first became aware of Pressdee’s crimes when her office received a referral in late 2022 regarding a patient under the nurse’s care. A thorough investigation was launched which revealed the full extent of Pressdee’s horrific actions.

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‘Dad’ of Wally, the missing pet support alligator, makes emotional plea for his return on TikTok

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A man living in the city of Brunswick on Georgia’s southeast coast is devastated after his pet alligator was stolen from his home on April 21, 2024. In an emotional video which was posted on TikTok the man who was crying said that he is the dad of Wallygator (the name of the pet alligator) and appealed to the public for help to bring his pet back home.

It has been almost 11 days since Wally the pet support alligator was reportedly kidnapped and stolen in Georgia. The Walygator disappeared from his home on April 21 when his handler Joie Henney was visiting friends.

The owner of the alligator in a video posted on TikTok through tears said, “I’m Wallygator’s dad. We need all the help we can get to bring my baby back. Please, we need your help.”

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The owner is also offering a reward for the safe return of his pet and said that no questions will be asked.

The owner Joie Henney has two alligators as pets and lives in Strinestown. The alligator, which is said to be a 4-foot-long, nearly 60-pound, emotional support alligator lives in SpiriTrust Lutheran Village at Sprenkle Drive and a number of people come to have a glimpse of the reptile.

Henney also revealed that he is putting through a search party for Wally after a Georgia Department of Natural Resources official contacted him and informed him of the theft of his pet by someone who stole Wally with the intent of dropping him off in a resident’s yard “to terrorize them.” The residents called the authorities and the services of a trapper were called for who caught and released the reptile into a swamp. Henney posted on Facebook that Wally is unlikely to survive in the wild on his own.

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Who is Wallygator?

Wallygator is an eight year old emotional support animal and provided solace and comfort to people at nursing homes and baseball games. He was adopted by Henney when he was 1 year old in 2019. Henney revealed that the alligator was very docile and loved to be hugged and kissed by people. He was also fond of going for walks. The pet alligator also was very fond of adventures which included leashed park visits and supervised swimming stints. His frolics were often posted on social media where Wally has tens of thousands of followers.

The search for the missing alligator has also received support from the Gator boys who have joined efforts with other agencies that specialize in rescuing alligators.

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Dartmouth Jewish Studies HOD, Annelise Orleck Arrested; Video Surfaces 

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Dartmouth Jewish Studies HOD, Annelise Orleck Arrested; Video Surfaces 

Annelise Orleck, a professor of Dartmouth College, is all over the internet. She is the head of Jewish Studies at the institution. 

Annelise Orleck was arrested on Wednesday night during a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. Along with her, dozens of other professors were also arrested. Allegedly, they all showed up to support students. 

Recalling the incident, the 65-year-old stated that when police moved into the college on Wednesday night to arrest them, Dartmouth Green was unrecognizable. 

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Annelise said that when she was trying to protect students, her phone was snatched from her and she was knocked down. 

Annelise Orleck added that, in her entire career of being a professor at the college for decades, she had never witnessed anything like that. 

A video of this incident has gone viral all over social media platforms in which police officers can be spotted pushing her against the ground, and then they detain her.

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According to WMUR9, Orleck stated,

“I was mad because they had taken my phone, and I was mad because they just body-slammed me, and it hurt. And so, I went and said, ‘Give me back my phone’. I’m trying to get my phone back. I did. And, at that moment, three police lifted me up in the air, slammed me down onto the ground. I mean, I threw myself down onto the ground on my bad shoulder. And they said I was resisting arrest.”

The video of the 65-year-old that went viral was captured at the protest by news channels. 

She added,

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“And it’s really shameful in a sleepy little campus, in a rural area like Dartmouth, that they brought in this ridiculous show of arms and strength and violence.”

Who is Annelise Orleck?

As per womenalsoknowhistory.com, Annelise Orleck was born and brought up in Brooklyn. Currently, she resides with the journalist Alexis Jetter, her partner in Thetford Center, Vermont. 

At the college, the 65-year-old teaches Jewish Studies, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, and History. 

Moreover, she has been serving at Dartmouth for more than thirty years now. However, her bail condition states that she is banned from entering Dartmouth’s campus. 

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Annelise Orleck stated she sent some emails to the institution, but was left unanswered. She said that being a Jewish woman, she was quite worried about her safety, especially after Wednesday night’s police response.

Also Read: Christopher Bouie Jr Video: Minor Arrested For Sanford, Florida Shooting Leaving 10 Injured

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