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MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Netanyahu Aide Faces Indictment Over Gaza Leak
An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces indictment on security charges pending a hearing, Israel's attorney general has said, for allegedly leaking top secret military information during Israel's war in Gaza. Netanyahu's close adviser, Jonatan Urich, has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which legal authorities began investigating in late 2024. Netanyahu has described probes against Urich and other aides as politically motivated and on Monday said that Urich had not harmed state security. Urich's attorneys said the charges were baseless and that their client's innocence would be proven beyond doubt. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a statement late on Sunday that Urich and another aide had extracted secret information from the Israeli military and leaked it to German newspaper Bild. Their intent, she said, was to shape public opinion of Netanyahu and influence the discourse about the slaying of six Israeli hostages by their Palestinian captors in Gaza in late August 2024. The hostages' deaths sparked mass protests in Israel and outraged hostages' families, who accused Netanyahu of torpedoing ceasefire talks that had faltered in the preceding weeks for political reasons. Netanyahu vehemently denies this. He has repeatedly said that Hamas was to blame for the talks collapsing, while the militant group has said it was Israel's fault no deal had been reached. Four of the six slain hostages had been on the list of more than 30 captives that Hamas was set to free if a ceasefire had been reached, according to a defence official at the time. The Bild article in question was published days after the hostages were found executed in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza. It outlined Hamas' negotiation strategy in the indirect ceasefire talks and largely corresponded with Netanyahu's allegations against the militant group over the deadlock. Bild said after the investigation was announced that it does not comment on its sources and that its article relied on authentic documents. The newspaper did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. A two-month ceasefire was reached in January this year and included the release of 38 hostages before Israel resumed attacks in Gaza. The sides are presently engaged in indirect negotiations in Doha, aimed at reaching another truce. In his statement on Monday, Netanyahu said Baharav-Miara's announcement was "appalling" and that its timing raised serious questions. Netanyahu's government has for months been seeking the dismissal of Baharav-Miara. The attorney general, appointed by the previous government, has sparred with Netanyahu's cabinet over the legality of some of its policies.
MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- MTV Lebanon
14 Jul 2025 13:22 PM Historic lodge destroyed in Grand Canyon blaze
A raging wildfire near the Grand Canyon in the US has destroyed dozens of buildings - including a historic lodge that was the only accommodation available within the surrounding national park's North Rim. The fire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge is one of two that has swept across tens of thousands of acres in the area. The blazes have also forced the closure of the North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 tourist season. Authorities in the state of Arizona are still working to contain the fires, which have been dubbed the Dragon Bravo Fire and White Sage Fire. Located approximately 8,000ft (2,438m), the Grand Canyon Lodge also included dining facilities, a gift shop and post office. It had been operating since the 1930s. "As stewards of some of our country's most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge," Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said in a statement. "We are grateful that all of our employees and guests have been safely evacuated," the statement added. No injuries are reported to have been caused by the blaze, which was fuelled by sustained winds that reached up to 40mph (64km/h). But preliminary assessments from the National Park Service (NPS) indicate that between 50 and 80 buildings have been lost to the Dragon Bravo Fire, including administrative buildings and visitor facilities. Firefighters in several areas were forced to evacuate due to a leak of chlorine at a nearby water treatment facility, the NPS added. Chlorine gas is heavier than air and can settle in lower elevations, potentially posing a risk to both firefighters and hikers in the area. The second blaze, the White Sage Fire, has so far burned more than 40,000 acres of the Kaibab National Forest, forcing hundreds to evacuate. Both the fires are believed to have been started by lightning, the park service said. Nearly five million people visited the Grand Canyon in 2024, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US. The canyon's South Rim remains open.
MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- MTV Lebanon
Army dismantles Lebanon's largest captagon lab in Yammouneh
The Lebanese Army announced that one of the largest Captagon manufacturing facilities to date was dismantled during a raid in the town of Yammouneh, Baalbek, on July 13, 2025. In a statement, the Army said the operation was conducted by a Military Intelligence unit, supported by Army forces, following confirmed intelligence about the site. Inside the facility, troops discovered a vast drug production operation, including approximately 10 tons of specialized equipment and machinery, part of which was destroyed on-site. Large quantities of Captagon pills, crystal meth, and various other narcotics were seized. The Army also uncovered and sealed a 300-meter underground tunnel used to access and store equipment inside the lab. The seized materials were handed over to judicial authorities, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend those involved.
MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
14 Jul 2025 12:59 PM Ben-Gvir says humanitarian city plan is ‘spin' for ceasefire deal
Far-right Israeli security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, says the outrage about the 'humanitarian city' is 'spin' aiming to hide the ceasefire deal that is currently being negotiated. Over the past week, Israel and Hamas have been negotiating, through mediators, to secure a ceasefire deal. According to reports, the main issue being discussed is the Israeli army's withdrawal from the enclave during the ceasefire.
MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- Business
- MTV Lebanon
14 Jul 2025 12:29 PM Bisat arrives in Sidon for inspection tour across south Lebanon
Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Bisat arrived moments ago at the Sidon Governmental Serail, accompanied by the Ministry's Director General Mohammad Abou Haidar and media advisor Rita Makhlouf. They were welcomed by South Lebanon Governor Mansour Daou, in the presence of head of the ministry's regional office in the South. The visit comes as part of a broader southern tour that began earlier in the day in Nabatieh. In Sidon, Minister Bisat is set to inspect the regional ministry office, conduct a field tour of the city's commercial market, and conclude the visit with a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce.
