Lebanon bank gunman who sought access to his own savings released

A Lebanese judge orders the release from detention of the man who last week took hostages at a Beirut bank in an attempt to access his savings frozen after the country's 2019 financial implosion.

Hussein has been hailed as a hero by many in the country and observers have speculated the incident may inspire copycats. (AP)

Lebanon’s state prosecutor has released a man who took up to 10 people hostage in a bank at gunpoint while demanding funds from his locked savings account.

In the court decision obtained by the Associated Press, state prosecutor Ghassan Ouweidat said Federal Bank had dropped its charges against food delivery driver Bassam al Sheikh Hussein on Tuesday.

In a case that has drawn nationwide attention, Hussein, 42, fired three warning shots from a shotgun last Thursday at a Federal Bank branch in Beirut.

He threatened to douse himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze if the bank didn't let him withdraw his $210,000 in savings for his father’s medical bills and other expenses.

Hussein was released from custody after he went on a hunger strike and the bank dropped charges against him.

Hussein had locked himself in the bank and held up to 10 people hostage for about seven hours. 

Dozens of protesters gathered around the bank to support him, while soldiers and riot police cordoned off the area. No one was injured.

READ MORE:Hostage drama at Beirut bank ends after armed man turns himself in

During the hostage situation, a crowd gathered outside the bank to support Hussein, chanting "Down with the rule of the banks!" (AP)

Tied up savings

Lebanon’s cash-strapped banks since 2019 have imposed strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency, tying up the savings of millions of people. 

About three-quarters of the population have slipped into poverty, as the tiny Mediterranean country’s economy continues to spiral.

After hours of negotiations, Hussein and officers agreed that the bank would release $35,000 of his savings, while he and his brother would be briefly questioned at the Internal Security Forces headquarters in the Lebanese capital. 

Hussein's lawyers said his family had received the money.

The bank’s lawyer declined to talk about the details of the settlement reached with Hussein allowing him to withdraw some of his savings last week.

Hussein had been held in pre-trial detention after Federal Bank pressed charges. 

A small group of protesters had gathered outside the courthouse earlier Tuesday, temporarily closing off the main road to traffic. They chanted slogans calling for Hussein's release.

The state has yet to drop its charges against Hussein, whose actions could land him up to two years in jail.

READ MORE: Beirut blast: Pleas for international probe after two years of disaster

A small group of protesters had gathered outside the courthouse on Tuesday, temporarily closing off the main road to traffic. They chanted slogans calling for Hussein's release. (AP)

Source: AP

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Exclusive Preview of 'Special' Medal to be Released on I-Day

Last Updated: August 14, 2022, 01:02 IST

The 75th Independence Medal has Ashoka Lion on the front and Ashoka Chakra on the back. (Image: Special arrangement)

There is a tradition of giving out commemorative Independence Day medals to the armed forces and central armed police forces every 25 years

India will be awarding newly minted “special” medals to its bravest citizens on the 75th year of the country’s independence. There is a tradition of giving out such medals to the armed forces and central armed police forces every 25 years. These were last awarded on August 15, 1997, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of freedom from British rule.

According to details of an exclusive preview, the new medal will have the Ashoka Lion on the front and Ashoka Chakra on the back. It will be released on August 15, a perfect finishing touch to celebrations centred around the Centre’s flagship, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ programme.

The central government had approved the special medal to be awarded to members of the armed forces as well as CAPF days ago, as per reports.

In the past, India has awarded circular medals with a diameter of 35 mm, made of cupro-nickel and attached to a horizontal bar.

Here’s all you need to know about these special medals:

1. The central government, as per tradition, has issued a commemorative Independence Medal on the 75th anniversary of freedom.
2. The medal will be awarded to all the serving personnel of the armed forces — army, air force and navy — and central armed police forces, as well as state police units.
3. The circular medal will have Ashoka Lion on the front, Ashoka Chakra on the back and a blue-coloured ribbon with the colours of the national flag. The medal also has 75th Anniversary of Independence written on it along with 1947-2022.
4. 50th Independence Medal: This medal had an image of Red Fort embossed with ’50th Anniversary of Independence 1947-1997′ written along the rim in English. The Indian Union’s map was featured on the back. The medal was awarded to all serving personnel of army, navy and air force, territorial army, other reserve forces, railway police force, paramilitary forces, including home guards, civil defence organisation and fire services.
5. 25th Independence Medal: The phrase ‘25th Independence Anniversary Medal’ was imprinted beneath the State Emblem on the front. Its back featured the Ashoka Chakra, with the dates 1947 and 1972 embossed around it. It was given to the three services, reserve forces, territorial army, and technical staff of the Intelligence Bureau, Calcutta Special Police Force, home guards, civil defence organisation, fire services, jail staff, and Central Industrial Security Force among others.
6. First Independence Medal in 1947: According to reports, the first medal was distributed to all Indian men and women as well as Nepalese Gurkhas serving in the armed forces. The medal was also awarded to all princes of states in power who had joined the Dominion of India and anybody serving in such state forces. The medal was also given to Britons.

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Trent Boult released from NZC contract

New Zealand Cricket is confident that Trent Boult's decision to leave his central contract will not lead other players into a similar step despite the lure of the expanding domestic T20 scene.

While Boult's move, which has only come to a head over the last week, is not a retirement from international cricket, it means he will play much less for New Zealand - his selection will be made on a case-by-case basis - with priority given to those players who hold central or domestic contracts.

"What the debate has been is that is this going to start more players doing this from a New Zealand point of view? We've had no approaches from anyone else," David White, the NZC CEO, told ESPNcricinfo. "They [the players] are still talking about Test cricket - and performing for New Zealand - as being incredibly important. And we've got a global event every year now.

"The other thing is that if you are going to get a big offer from a big league, you've got to be a successful international cricketer. So it's very important that players perform in bilateral cricket as well."

The desire to tour less and spend more time with his family was a key part in Boult's decision, with White adding that the impact of Covid restrictions had been a factor too.

"He's struggled more than most over the last year or two with isolation - he's got three young boys - and we've tried to manage his workload, but think it's still got to a stage where he's found it incredibly difficult to be away from home," White said.

However, there is also the link to the rapidly-growing T20 franchise world. NZC, which is unable to pay centrally-contracted players sums to match that available in England, Australia and India, has taken a pragmatic approach to the IPL for a number of years, allowing players to miss late-season home matches to join the league, and then either arrive very close for international fixtures or even miss the occasional Test.

But White said that such an approach would not extend more broadly given the impact it could have on the New Zealand season.

"We've indicated today that we are going to be very protective of our domestic window," he said.

As with many teams, the upcoming crunch of T20 leagues in January impacts a period where New Zealand will usually be involved in international cricket, although this season it will see them overseas in Pakistan rather than at home, while it is also the heart of a domestic calendar which will include the Super Smash T20 competition.

Following the ongoing tour of the West Indies, which Boult will complete, New Zealand's schedule includes an ODI series in Australia, a T20I tri-series at home ahead of the men's T20 World Cup, a home series against India and then a tour of Pakistan. Their home season then resumes with visits by England and Sri Lanka.

Boult is still expected to be part of the World Cup, but beyond that, White said the parameters for any future selection had yet to be firmed up.

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Names of 15 children martyred by merciless Israeli strikes released

Since 2008, Israel has waged four wars on the Palestinian territory, killing nearly 4,000 people – one-quarter of them children.

According to data compiled by Defense for Children International, at least 2,200 children have been killed by the Israeli military and Israeli settlers across the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 2000 – the beginning of the second intifada.

Here are the names and faces of the 15 children aged 18 and under killed by Israeli air strikes over the past three days:

Jamil Najm al-Deen Naijm, (4), Alaa Abdullah Riyad Qaddoum, (50, Momen al-Nairab, (5), Hazem Salem, (9), Ahmad al-Nairab, (11), Jamil Ihab Najim, (13), Muhammad Yasser Nimr al-Nabahin, (13), Dalia Yasser, Nimr al-Nabaheen, (13), Mohammed Hassouna, (14), Hamed Haider Najim, (16), Nazmi Fayez, Abu Karsh, (16), Ahmed Walid al-Farram, (16), Mohammed Salah Naijm, (17) Khalil Abu Hamada, (18)

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'Batgirl' film no longer being released by Warner Bros.

"The decision to not release 'Batgirl' reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," a Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. (CNN is part of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

The movie was set to star "In the Heights" star Leslie Grace in the title role.

The studio also announced that their film "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt" will also be pulled.

"Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance," the statement added. "We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of 'Batgirl' and 'Scoob! Holiday Haunt' and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future."

The film, directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, was due out later this year on the streaming service HBO Max.

In a statement posted to Instagram, the directors said they were "saddened and shocked by the news."

"We still can't believe it. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves," they wrote, adding "maybe one day they will."

Aside from Grace, the film starred Michael Keaton as Batman, J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser.

Grace, the directors added, "portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity." They also thanked the cast and crew for doing a "tremendous job" and working "so hard to bring Batgirl to life."

"We are forever grateful to have been part of that team," they wrote.

The announcement of scrapping plans for the two films comes amid Warner Bros. Discovery trying to cut costs, a whopping $3 billion, in the wake of WarnerMedia's merger with Discovery Inc. in April.

J.J. Abrams' "Demimonde" for HBO was pulled last month. Networks within Warner Bros. Discovery -- like TNT and TBS -- have also seen cuts, including Samantha Bee's "Full Frontal" after seven seasons.

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