Israel kills three top Hamas commanders

August 21, 2014

Gaza, Aug 21: Israeli aircraft have killed three top Hamas commanders in southern Gaza, inflicting a heavy blow on the movement's armed wing after failing to kill its top military chief.

blow gaza

Thursday's attack, on a day when a total of 26 people were reported killed in Gaza, came a day after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel's offensive may be an extended operation.

The Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, said Mohamed Abo Shamaleh, Raed al-Attar and Mohamed Barhoum had been killed in an Israeli attack in Rafah, the Reuters news agency reported.

The raid came a day after Israel attempted to kill the brigades' leader Mohammed Deif. Dief's wife and baby son died in the attack.

"The assassination... is a big Israeli crime, which will not succeed in breaking our will or weakening our resistance," said spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, adding: "Israel will pay the price."

Jacky Rowland, reporting from West Jerusalem, said Israel had turned to its historical tactic of targeting senior figures.

"This could be seen as an acknowledgement that military tactics have not been delivering on several different levels," she said.

Israel said on Thursday it was rotating 10,000 troops - meaning fresh soldiers were being prepared for future operations.

At a news conference on Wednesday in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu pledged "a continued campaign" in Gaza aimed at restoring "calm and safety to Israeli citizens".

"Operation Protective Edge is not finished, not for a minute, we are talking about a continued campaign," Netanyahu said, before adding he saw a "new diplomatic horizon for the state Israel" in the coming months.

Hamas spokesman Zuhri denounced Netanyahu's speech as "a pathetic attempt to heal Israel's psyche".

"The assassination threats ... reflects the extent of the occupation's violence and [Israel's] lack of seriousness in achieving a ceasefire," he said

"These threats will not frighten Hamas leaders. We will continue to protect and defend our people in facing Israeli crimes or foolishness," he said.

Jane Ferguson, reporting from Gaza, said the Hamas commanders killed on Thursday had been implicated in the kidnapping of its soldier Gilad Shalit, who was freed in 2011 under a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.

She added that Hamas and other Palestinian factions were still open to talks, an "indicator of how both sides ... are aware that while they say they're prepared to fight, they also know that they need a political solution at some stage".

Hamas is seeking an end to a seven-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has battered Gaza's economy, while Israel wants guarantees that Hamas will disarm.

More than 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza since a week-long ceasefire collapsed on Tuesday, raising the total death toll to over 2,035 since the beginning of Israel's "Operation Protective Edge" on July 8.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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