Tragic end: Kannada film director Guruprasad found hanging in Bengaluru apartment

Israeli forces have captured two towns in the southwestern Syrian province of Quneitra near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and are moving towards the neighboring Dara’a province, after militant groups took control of the Arab country.

Israeli troops seized the towns of Madinat al-Baath and Hader after they pushed into the buffer zone in the Quneitra area and launched artillery shelling in the strategic region.

According to Israeli media outlets, the incursion was launched following heavy shelling of surrounding areas.

Israeli army soldiers are now heading towards areas in Dara’a, located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the capital Damascus.

Earlier, Israeli soldiers had taken over a Syrian army outpost at the summit of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.

Soldiers from Shaldag, the Israeli Air Force’s commando unit, captured the outpost “without encountering resistance,” according to Kan TV News.

The commander of the Israeli military’s Northern Command, Ori Gordin, and the commander of the Training Command, David Zini, also visited the summit, the broadcaster said.

The Syrian army reportedly left the post amid the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Israeli media also reported the entry of the regime’s tanks into Khan Arnabeh, which is to the northeast of Quneitra and five kilometers from the border of the occupied Golan.

The regime’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the decades-old agreement with Syria had collapsed, and he ordered Israeli forces to grab a buffer zone in the Golan Heights after Syrian soldiers had abandoned their positions.

The Israeli military also issued a warning, calling on residents of five towns in southern Syria to stay in their homes until further notice as it carried out dozens of air strikes against Syrian military bases, facilities and weapon depots.

These towns are Ofania, Quneitra, al-Hamidiyah, western al-Samadaniyah, and al-Qahtaniyah. 

Armed groups, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants, announced on Sunday that they had fully captured the Syrian capital and confirmed reports of the fall of the Assad government.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

Mangaluru: In a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking online, a man from Mangaluru fell victim to a sophisticated investment scam, losing a staggering ₹16.9 lakh. The fraudsters, posing as investment advisors, lured the victim via a WhatsApp group with promises of lucrative returns in the share market.

The trap was set when the victim clicked on a link sent by the fraudsters and downloaded a suspicious app. Over time, he transferred substantial sums of money to the fraudsters’ bank accounts, believing he was making profitable investments.

The scam unraveled when the victim tried to withdraw his money but found himself unable to do so. Realizing he had been duped, he lodged a complaint with the Mangaluru Rural Police, who have since registered a case and launched an investigation.

Be cautious

Always verify the authenticity of financial offers, especially when approached via social media or messaging apps. Avoid clicking on unsolicited links or downloading unverified apps. Stay vigilant to protect your hard-earned money from scammers.

A student, who was addicted to online gambling, has ended his life after he failed to repay the loan on Thursday. The deceased is identified as B.Sc final year nursing student Somnath Chidri (22) who was studying at Gulbarga Institute of Medical College. He is a resident of Donagapur village in Bhalki taluk of Bidar district.

He had reportedly lost more than Rs 80 lakh in online gaming and borrowed money for the interest ranging from 4 per cent to 10 per cent.

Frustrated by lenders' harassment, he hanged himself from a tree near the Veerashaiva Hostel in the city. Somnath had also called his father and demanded Rs Rs 30 thousand. But, ended his life though his father agreed to send money.

Kalaburagi City Police Commissioner Sharanappa S D said that the parents of the deceased had agreed to send the money demanded by him. But, he ended his life before money was reached to him. His parents have lodged a complaint that he has lost Rs 70-80 thousand in online gaming, he added.