Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, a former Lebanese diplomat, pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to evading US financial sanctions in a Hezbollah financing scheme, facing up to 20 years imprisonment and forfeiture of $828,528. He was arrested in Romania in 2023 and extradited to the US; his accomplice remains in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden hosted a farewell summit for 'Quad' leaders at his Wilmington, Delaware home, marking the last summit of his presidency before Kamala Harris takes over the Democratic campaign. Key discussions included China’s actions in the South China Sea and the Quad's future in fostering international alliances, set to reconvene in India in 2025.

Over in Moscow, Russian authorities have detained 24 individuals, including Chechen MMA fighter Umar Chichaev, following a deadly shootout involving retail giant Wildberries that left two dead. The incident allegedly ties to a hostile takeover led by Vladislav Bakalchuk with the purported support of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Shifting focus to Lebanon, a series of explosions involving pagers used by Hezbollah members, reportedly orchestrated by Israeli intelligence, led to 37 deaths and thousands of injuries, including Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon. Hezbollah's low-tech devices also exploded the following day, escalating tensions and sparking vows of retribution.

In a security move, Ukraine has banned the use of Telegram on official devices due to concerns over Russian espionage, supported by evidence from Ukraine's military intelligence agency. Telegram has denied these allegations, maintaining it has never disclosed user data or messages to any country.

Ending with news from Syria, an Israeli strike killed Abu Haidar Al-Khafaji, a member of Iraq’s Hezbollah Brigades, near Damascus, injuring another militant as well. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the incident, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.