BEIRUT — Hezbollah’s leader pledged Thursday to continue daily attacks on Israel despite this week’s tragic sabotage of its fighters’ communication equipment, and claimed Israelis displaced from homes near the Lebanon border due to fighting would be unable to return until the conflict in Gaza ended.

Hezbollah and Israel conducted more attacks across the border, with Hassan Nasrallah speaking for the first time since the mass bombing of devices in Lebanon and Syria, which he called a “severe blow” and threatened to retaliate for.

The two days of strikes on thousands of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies have been largely blamed on Israel, raising concerns that 11 months of near-daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel will develop into an all-out war. Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement in the assaults.

Hezbollah Leader Vows Retaliation Against Israel For Attacks On Devices As Both Sides Trade Strikes

During Nasrallah’s address, Hezbollah hit at least four times in northern Israel, killing two Israeli troops earlier that day. Israeli warplanes swooped low over Beirut as Nasrallah spoke, breaking the sound barrier and scattering birds, leading residents in houses and offices to rapidly open windows to avoid breaking them.

Israel also launched attacks in southern Lebanon on Thursday, claiming to have hit dozens of missile sites and other Hezbollah infrastructure, though it was unclear whether any casualties had occurred.

In recent weeks, Israeli commanders have increased their warnings about a wider military campaign against Hezbollah, stating that they are committed to putting an end to the group’s fire so that tens of thousands of Israelis can return to their homes near the border.

In a Thursday briefing, Israel’s defense minister stated that Hezbollah will “pay an increasing price” as Israel works to make conditions near its border with Lebanon secure enough for civilians to return.

“The sequence of our military actions will continue,” he informed us.

The attack on electronic equipment appeared to be the conclusion of Israel’s months-long campaign to target as many Hezbollah militants as possible at once, but civilians were also killed. The bombings on Tuesday and Wednesday killed at least 37 people, including two children, and injured approximately 3,000.

Nasrallah stated that the group is researching how the bombings were carried out.

“Yes, we were subjected to a huge and severe blow,” he informed me. “The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines,” he told me. He accused Israel of attempting to kill thousands of people at once, citing the large number of pagers and walkie-talkies. “The enemy will face a severe and fair punishment from where they expect and don’t expect.”

He stated that Hezbollah will continue to launch rockets into northern Israel as long as the war in Gaza continues and that Israel will be unable to return its citizens to the border region. “The only way is stop the aggression on the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” he argued. “Neither strikes, nor assassinations nor an all-out war will achieve that.”

Earlier Thursday, Hezbollah claimed to have hit three Israeli military positions near the border, two of which were equipped with drones. According to Israeli hospitals, eight persons were lightly or moderately hurt.

Hezbollah claims its near-daily fire is a demonstration of support for Hamas. Israel’s 11-month conflict with Hamas in Gaza began on October 7, when its fighters led an attack on Israel.

Israel has retaliated to Hezbollah bombings in southern Lebanon by striking prominent members of the group in the capital, Beirut. The exchanges killed hundreds in Lebanon and dozens in Israel, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee on both sides of the border.

Under intense pressure from the US, France, and other countries, Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly backed away from a full-fledged conflict.

However, Israeli leaders have recently warned that they are determined to significantly alter the status quo.

Gallant told Israeli forces on Wednesday, “We are at the start of a new phase in the war—it requires courage, determination, and perseverance.” He made no mention of the exploding bombs, instead praising Israel’s army and security agencies, stating, “The results are very impressive.”

He claimed that after months of fighting Hamas in Gaza, “the centre of gravity is shifting to the north by diverting resources and forces.”

Israel began sending extra troops to its border with Lebanon on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, according to Israeli officials. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Israel’s army chief, said plans for more action against Hezbollah have been draughted out, but media reports suggest the government has yet to decide whether to start a major offensive in Lebanon.

Lebanon is still reeling from the devastating device attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hezbollah Leader Vows Retaliation Against Israel For Attacks On Devices As Both Sides Trade Strikes

The explosions have alarmed the Lebanese who fear a full-scale war. The Lebanese Army said it has begun identifying and detonating suspicious pagers and communication devices, while the country’s civil aviation authorities have banned pagers and walkie-talkies from all planes departing Beirut’s international airport till further notice.

The attack was expected to seriously disrupt Hezbollah’s internal communication as members scrambled to find safe ways to communicate with one another. Hezbollah announced the deaths of five combatants on Thursday but did not clarify whether they were killed in blasts or on the front lines.

The blasts went off wherever pagers or walkie-talkies were found in Beirut, eastern and southern Lebanon — in homes and cars, grocery stores and cafes, and on the street, even at a funeral for some of those killed in the bombings, often with family and other bystanders nearby.

Many people sustained gaping wounds on their legs, abdomens, and faces, or were mutilated in the hand. The pager blasts on Tuesday killed 12 people, including two children, and injured an estimated 2,300 more. The following day’s explosion killed 25 people and injured over 600, according to Health Minister Firas Abiad’s latest estimates.

Abiad told reporters that the injuries on Wednesday were more severe than the day before because the exploding walkie-talkies were larger than the pagers. He commended Lebanon’s hospitals, saying they had dealt with the influx of wounded in just hours. “The onslaught was indiscriminate. It was a war crime,” he stated.

SOURCE | AP

(VOR News) – The European Union made the announcement on Thursday that it would publish a summary of the ways that it will use to compel Apple to make its operating systems for the iPhone and iPad open to other technologies that are in direct competition with those invented by Apple.

The implementation of this action is being carried out in a manner that is in conformity with the severe new digital code that has been set by the European Union. In the event that this code is violated, the breach may result in the imposition of severe fines.

A statement was issued by the European Commission, which is the executive body of the European Union. The announcement stated that the Commission has begun two “specification proceedings” in accordance with the Digital Markets Act of the 27-nation bloc. Within the context of these proceedings,

Details on Apple’s legal requirements will be provided.

One of the most important goals of the Digital Market Authority (DMA) is to stop “gatekeepers” from huge technology companies from exercising control over online communities.

It is one of the goals of the DMA to bring about the destruction of closed technical ecosystems in order to accomplish this fundamental objective.

In order to make it simpler for clients to transfer platforms, it is essential for companies that deal in technology to make certain that their systems are compatible with those that are manufactured by their rivals. Customers will have an easier time switching platforms as a result of this changes.

During one of the events, the topic of discussion will be the idea of “effective interoperability” between Apple’s operating system and connected devices like smartwatches and headphones. This concept will be discussed.

There is going to be a conversation that goes into great detail about this concept. It has been reported by the commission that the other will begin an investigation into the manner in which Apple handles requests for interoperability from software developers for iOS and IPadOS.

Members of the commission have contributed this information to the discussion. As per the recommendations of the panel, Apple ought to address these petitions in a manner that is “transparent, timely, and fair.”

It is possible that Apple will be informed of the findings of the commission during the course of this process, which may take up to six months.

There is a Apple presumption that this will eventually take place.

This is the very first time that the commission has employed this particular approach, which is significant because the DMA entered into place earlier this year.

This is due to the fact that the DMA was put into effect. A preliminary inquiry into Apple’s criteria concerning the parameters that developers are needed to adhere to in order to make use of the App Store has already been launched by the group. This study is being conducted within the context of the App Store.

There was a recent press statement issued by Margrethe Vestager, who is responsible for competition policy and holds the position of executive vice president at the commission. In the announcement, she noted that the technique will “provide clarity” for developers in addition to being beneficial to Apple.

Apple asserts that it has successfully “created ways for apps in the European Union to request additional interoperability with iOS and iPad OS while protecting our users.” iOS and iPad OS are the operating systems that Apple has developed.

An announcement similar to this one was made during the annual conference that the company was responsible for organising.

The firm has asserted in a statement that “undermining the protections we’ve built over time would put European consumers at risk.” The statement was given by the corporation. An further point of interest is that the corporation has declared that it would move on with “working constructively” with the commission.

SOURCE: AP

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(VOR News) – The vice president, Kamala Harris, is trying harder to win over members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She is rallying prominent followers of the faith in Arizona, a critical state, to back her assertion that Donald Trump does not align with the organization’s principles.

According to her state campaign on Thursday, the formation of an advisory board formalised the outreach to both present and former members of the religion, frequently referred to as the Mormon church.

It’s conceivable that Latter-day Kamala Harris Saints and former church members will prove to be significant in what is anticipated to be an extremely close race. Approximately 450,000 people attend church in Arizona, which is 6% of the state’s entire population.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members are very inclined to stick with the Republican alliance. They have long been a significant influence in Republican primaries and Western regional politics, and they are primarily found in states with sizable majorities of Republicans.

However, Kamala Harris hasn’t influenced national elections.

According to AP VoteCast, nearly 90% of Mormon voters worldwide backed Donald Trump in the 2020 election, while over 25% backed Democrat Joe Biden.

Part of Kamala Harris’ approach is to prevent Trump from obtaining meaningful leads among the demographic groups that he supports.

Although it is highly improbable that she would receive even a small portion of the votes voted by Latter-day Saints, a small proportion would still be enough to make a significant difference in a state where recent elections have been close.

In the 2020 election, Biden won by almost 10,500 votes. The Democratic candidate for attorney general in 2022, Kris Mayes, won by a slim margin of 280 votes.

Supporters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arizona subscribe to the church doctrine that the US Constitution was inspired by God. They make a faith-based plea, persuading voters to support the Democratic ticket despite their misgivings.

Joel John, a former state legislator for the Republican party, will serve as co-chair of the organisation.

“The Constitution is a tenet of our faith, and we certainly shouldn’t be voting for people who have shown disdain for it,” John stated. John will also serve on the committee. We should give absolutely no assistance at all to someone who attempted to overthrow the government on January 6.

However, Kamala Harris and John stated that it is the policy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to back candidates who are “good, honest, and wise.”

The church is located in Salt Lake City, although it does not endorse any political parties or politicians. The assumption was made that these moral attributes, which they believed Trump lacked, outweighed any intellectual differences they might have with Kamala Harris over issues like her economic ideas or her stance on gun ownership.

It has been tough for Trump to win over Latter-day Saints, despite the fact that many of his conservative religious supporters have progressively warmed up to him.

Trump’s practice of using profanity and disparaging language towards women and people of colour offends a lot of churchgoers because it contradicts the moral values, humility, and compassion that the church espouses.

However, it hasn’t helped that Trump is an opponent of two of Kamala Harris’ most well-known practitioners of the faith:

Kamila Harris Utah Senator Mitt Romney with former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake.

A significant portion of the population in the East Valley of metro Phoenix, which is located in the state of Arizona, belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In this suburban area, voters of all stripes have voiced their displeasure with Republicans who support Trump, contributing to the transformation of a state that has traditionally been a Republican bastion into a battleground.

Mesa, home to almost 500,000 people, is the third-biggest city in Arizona. Its present history begins with a community established in the 1800s by churchgoers who were pioneers.

Furthermore, churchgoers colonised a significant portion of rural Arizona, and as a result, their descendants continue to have strong links to the area.

Converting Latter-day Saints has always been a goal of the Democratic Party. In 2016, Hillary Clinton made a comparison between President Trump’s promise to forbid Muslim immigration and the long history of religious persecution experienced by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additionally, four years later, Biden made an investment in a religious membership organization—exactly what Kamala Harris is attempting to achieve now.

Brittany Romanello, an anthropologist and post-doctoral fellow at Arizona State University, says Kamala Harris has an especially high chance of winning over younger Latter-day Saints, despite the significant “social expectations” that followers of the faith associate with conservatives.

The greater variety of both the country as a whole and younger Latter-day Saints is the cause of this. She has conducted a study on Latter-day Saint identity and culture.

Romanello no longer attends church services, despite having grown up in one. According to studies he cited, Mormons think voting is about more than just supporting their political party. Their morals are the basis for their voting.

SOURCE: AP

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