(2020-08-08). Turkey's IHH aids thousands in Lebanon after blast. yenisafak.com Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) on Saturday provided humanitarian aid for thousands who have been affected by Tuesday's massive explosion at Beirut port.In a statement, the IHH said rescue efforts are still underway for those still missing after the blast, which killed at least 154 people."The grain silos destroyed by the explosion were a vital artery for the supply of food in the country," IHH said, warning of a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon in case of failure to supply the country with enough quantities of flour within a short period of time.According to the statement, the IHH has launched a camp…
(2020-08-08). 'Lebanese people have suffered too much': US encourages 'peaceful' regime change as protests rage in blast-ravaged Beirut. rt.com 
The US embassy has expressed its solidarity with anti-government protesters in Lebanon, urging all sides to "refrain from violence," after clashes in blast-devastated Beirut left some 500 people injured. | Thousands of people gathered in Beirut on Saturday, demanding government resignation over corruption and negligence that they believe led to the horrific explosion this week. | Also on rt.com | | Amid clashes with riot police, protesters stormed severa…
(2020-08-08). Beirut blasts intensify economic and political crisis in Lebanon. peoplesdispatch.org Decades of neoliberal policies have made Lebanon among the most unequal societies in the world, and social and economic discontent is expected to grow following the blasts…
(2020-08-08). Beirut: Explosion Was 'An Accident Caused By Negligent Governments'. popularresistance.org After the first news and the stupor generated by the violent explosions in the port of Lebanon, all kinds of rumors and false news began to circulate, trying to further poison the atmosphere of pain in which had fallen on the people of that country. In addition to the very high number of deaths (around 100) and thousands of injured, a strategic port of the Lebanese nation was destroyed. To be able to monitor the situation and the consequences of what happened, we spoke with Wafica Ibrahim, a journalist for Al Mayadeen TV and correspondent for Resumen Latinoamericano, in the Middle East…
(2020-08-08). Turkey ready to rebuild Port of Beirut: Turkish VP. yenisafak.com Ankara is ready to send more medical assistance and food aid to help Lebanon during its time of need, Turkey's vice president said on Saturday.Fuat Oktay, who is visiting the Lebanese capital along with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, said all of Turkey's hospitals and air ambulances are at Lebanon's service, as the country deals with the devastating fallout of Tuesday's massive blast at the port of Beirut.He said Ankara has told Lebanon that it can use Turkey's Mersin port until the Beirut port is rebuilt."Turkey is ready to help rebuild the heavily damaged Beirut port and nearby buildings," the vice…
(2020-08-08). At least 43 Syrians among people killed in Beirut blast. yenisafak.com At least 43 Syrian nationals were among those killed in a massive explosion in the port of Beirut on Tuesday that destroyed parts of the Lebanese capital, Al-Mayadeen TV channel said on Saturday, citing the Syrian embassy in Lebanon.Al Mayadeen is a Lebanon-based channel close to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
(2020-08-07). Lebanon's corrupt, colonial system leads to explosion catastrophe. thegrayzone.com Beirut's explosion disaster is the product of a corrupt, sectarian political system maintained by foreign powers, Rania Masri argues. The…
(2020-08-07). Blasts in Beirut 'tragic humanitarian crisis': Nasrallah. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah delivering a speech on the latest developments in Lebanon described blasts in Beirut as a 'tragic humanitarian crisis'.
(2020-08-07). Hezbollah leader denies group had arms at Beirut port, calls for transparent probe into blast. rt.com 
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday denied statements made in Lebanon and abroad that the group had arms warehoused at Beirut port. He also called for a just and transparent investigation into blast that occurred there on Tuesday. | "We know more about the port of Haifa than the port of Beirut," the Jerusalem Post quoted him as saying. "The port of Beirut is not our responsibility, whereas the port of Haifa is part of our defense strategy." | In a televised speech, Nasrallah said that Tuesday's huge explosion in the Lebanese capital was an exceptional event in the country's modern history which…
(2020-08-07). Israel shot down drone on Golan Heights overnight — military. rt.com 
Israel's military said on Friday it had shot down a drone overnight that crossed into Israeli airspace near Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights. The strategic plateau is at the frontier with Syria. | The army said the incident was not connected to the triggering of sirens later in the day by a false alarm regarding a drone infiltration, Reuters reports. | Israel has been on high alert as tensions have escalated with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Earlier in the week Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria. | Most of the Golan Heights were captured by Israel from Syria in a war in 1967.
(2020-08-07). 'Scene from a post-apocalyptic movie': Russian rescue operations begin at the very epicenter of Beirut explosions. rt.com 
Rescue teams from Russia have begun their search operations at the ruins left by two massive explosions in Lebanon's capital Beirut, while survivors seek medical care in newly set-up emergency hospital tents. | Teams of Russian relief workers and their search dogs arrived in Beirut on Friday and quickly started looking for any survivors trapped under the enormous grain silos near the port, at the very epicenter of the blasts. The corn-filled silo — which sustained severe damage — has been credited with shielding some of the nearby area from the worst of the explosions. | Speaking to RT's Igor Zhdanov…
(2020-08-07). WATCH powerful shockwave from Beirut explosion hit church as guests gather for wedding. rt.com 
An exclusive video from a church shows guests running in fear after a shockwave from the blast in Lebanon's capital Beirut makes the walls shake and blows out the windows. | The clip obtained by RT's Ruptly video agency starts with jubilant guests gathering for a wedding in Ain El Remmaneh, near Beirut. They are confused and startled by what at first appears to be a minor earthquake. | When the shockwave hits the church a few seconds later, the guests scream in horror, stumbling and rushing to the exit. | One person grabs a child before running outside, where a plume of thick reddish smoke billows high into…
(2020-08-07). Beirut blast: Here's how you can help the UN aid Lebanon's recovery. news.un.org After a devasting blast ripped through Beirut Port in Lebanon on Tuesday, wounding thousands and rendering hundreds of thousands homeless, the UN moved rapidly to step up its relief effort.
(2020-08-07). As Beirut rescuers search for survivors, UN warns of 'huge' needs. news.un.org Across Lebanon, "the needs are immediate, and they are huge" in the aftermath of the explosion that destroyed Beirut city port, UN agencies said on Friday.
(2020-08-07). Saudi, Zionist-backed media abusing Beirut blast. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — The Saudi and Zionist-backed media, indifferent to the tragic incident in Lebanon, are seeking to accuse Iran and Hezbollah.
(2020-08-07). VIDEO: Lebanese health min. visits IRCS' field hospital. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — Lebanon's health minister visited the field hospital deployed by Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in Beirut to provide emergency medical care to the people injured in the deadly blast.
(2020-08-07). War and Pandemic Journalism: The Truth Can Disappear Fast. strategic-culture.org The polio epidemic in Cork supposedly ended abruptly in mid-September 1956 when the local press stopped reporting on it, but that was at least two weeks before many children like me caught it. In a similar fashion, right now, wars in the Middle East and north Africa like the ongoing disasters in Libya and Syria that once got significant coverage now barely get a mention much of the time.
(2020-08-07). Top Turkish officials due in Lebanon after huge blast. yenisafak.com Turkey's top officials will visit Lebanon's capital on Saturday following a massive deadly explosion shaking Beirut this week, according to Turkish authorities.Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are expected to meet Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the office of the vice president said on Friday.A fire at a warehouse at the Port of Beirut led to a huge blast on Tuesday causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital. At least 154 people were killed and around 5,000 others injured in tragic in…
(2020-08-07). Russia offers to supply Philippines with COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com Russia is willing to supply a coronavirus vaccine to the Philippines, or team up with a local firm to mass produce it, its ambassador to Manila said on Friday, as infections in the Southeast Asian nation surge.Russia is expecting regulatory approval for its first potential COVID-19 vaccine this month, with doses to be administered to frontline health workers first.But the frenetic race globally to develop a COVID-19 vaccine is raising some concern that speed could compromise safety and that some countries could be putting national prestige before solid science."We are ready to supply vaccines to the Philippines,"
(2020-08-07). WHO appeals for $15 million aid for Lebanon after Beirut blast. yenisafak.com The blast, which killed more than 150 and injured more than 5,000, also destroyed 17 containers holding WHO medical supplies including personal protective equipment, the agency's regional office for the Middle East said in a statement late on Thursday.Five hospitals in the area affected by Tuesday's blast are either not functioning or partially functioning, and early reports indicate that many health centres and primary care facilities are also damaged or out of action, it said.Up to 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes and need food or shelter, which "also risks accelerating the spread of COVID-19…
(2020-08-07). Beirut port blast: Death toll rises to 154, nearly 5,000 wounded. yenisafak.com The death toll from Tuesday's huge blast in Lebanon rose to 154, the country's health minister confirmed on Friday.Hamad Hasan told the state-run National News Agency that around 5,000 people were injured in the blast at the Port of Beirut, with 20% of them in need of medical treatment in hospitals.He also said that 120 of injured are currently in critical condition and many others require delicate surgeries.A fire at a warehouse at the Port of Beirut led to a huge blast on Tuesday causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital.The Lebanese government announced the formation of an investi…
(2020-08-07). Lebanon to probe Beirut blast for foreign interference. yenisafak.com The president of Lebanon on Friday said the causes of a massive explosion in the capital Beirut's port had yet to be determined, without ruling out the possibility of foreign interference.Michel Aoun said in a press conference in the presidential palace that he asked French President Emmanuel Macron to provide photos of the blast via satellite.He added that if such photos were not available with France, he would ask other countries, without naming them.Aoun said the investigation into the blast would include port officers and that no legal cover would be offered to any person found to be responsible.A fire at a w…
(2020-08-07). Turkey rushes to help Lebanon amid deadly explosion. yenisafak.com Turkey got mobilized both with state-run aid organizations and charity foundations to heal the wounds of the Lebanese capital Beirut, which was rocked with a catastrophic explosion on Tuesday.A massive blast took place in a warehouse containing explosives at the Port of Beirut, causing widespread damage in several surrounding suburbs of the capital, leaving at least 154 people dead and injured thousands.Following the incident, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call extended his condolences to his counterpart Michel Aoun and the Lebanese people, noting that Turkey stands by Lebanon and is ready to provide…
(2020-08-06). Rouhani voices Iran's readiness for helping Lebanese people. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 06 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a phone talks with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Thursday, voicing Iran's readiness for any humanitarian cooperation and assistance with Lebanon.
(2020-08-06). EU to mobilize over ‚Ǩ33 million to support Lebanon. yenisafak.com The European Union is mobilizing over ‚Ǩ33 million for Lebanon after Tuesday's deadly explosion at Beirut's port, the head of the EU Commission told Lebanon's premier over the phone on Thursday.According to a readout of the phone call issued by the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen told Hassan Diab the bloc will provide further support depending on the ongoing humanitarian needs assessment.The EU's long-term support to help with the city's reconstruction also discussed during the phone call.The 27-member bloc Wednesday announced that it activated its "Civil Protection Mechanism" and send…
(2020-08-06). Iran sends aid to Lebanon over explosion at Beirut port. yenisafak.com The devastating tragedy in Beirut on Tuesday has drawn tremendous outpouring of shock and grief around the world with many countries, including Iran, coming forward with offers of help.Iran, one of Lebanon's key allies in the region, dispatched the second shipment of humanitarian aid to Beirut on Thursday, following the first shipment late on Wednesday.The consignment of humanitarian aid includes mainly food and medical supplies, said Mohammad Baqer Mohammadi, the deputy head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).Iran has also set up a field hospital in Beirut and sent a 37-member medical team comprising gen…
(2020-08-06). Apocalyptic Scenes from the Site of the Deadly Beirut Blast. mintpressnews.com 
A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. More than 100 people are feared dead and thousands injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said. | It was not clear what caused the blast, which struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany's geosciences center GFZ, and was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) across the Mediterranean. Lebanon's interior minister said it appeared that a large cache of ammonium nitrate i…
(2020-08-06). Macron says 'Lebanon is not alone' as he visits devastated Beirut, gets quickly blasted for hypocrisy. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted in solidarity with people of Lebanon following the massive explosion in its capital. It did not go over well and just reminded critics of the troubled history the two countries share. | On Thursday Macron became the first international leader to visit Beirut, which was literally
(2020-08-06). Beirut port fire: A crime against Lebanese workers. wsws.org The blast is a damning indictment of Lebanon's political elite, which allowed vast quantities of highly explosive ammonium nitrate to be stored in a wharfside warehouse for years without proper safety controls.
(2020-08-06). Beirut Blast: Authorities Confirm 137 Dead, Over 5,000 Injured. telesurenglish.net Lebanon's Health Minister Hamad Hasan confirmed that the explosion in downtown Beirut on Tuesday has caused 137 deaths and over 5,000 injuries so far. | RELATED: | His government, which is coordinating with Arab and European countries to ensure medical aid, continues to search for survivors among the rubble. | On Tuesday, in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate generated an explosion…
(2020-08-06). Trump Administration Approves the "Stealing" of Syria's Oil. globalresearch.ca Months after US president Donald Trump…
(2020-08-06). There Is No Political Solution to the Syrian Conflict. globalresearch.ca US Secretary of State, John Kerry, of the Obama administration, created a mantra for the media: "There is no military solution to Syria." He said it so many times, he seemed to convince everyone. However, after 9 years of …
(2020-08-06). VIDEO: Azadi Tower lights up in solidarity with Lebanon. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 06 (MNA) — Tehran's Azadi Tower was lit up with projection mapping on Wednesday night in solidarity with Lebanese people over the deadly Beirut blast.
(2020-08-06). Tehran's Milad Tower lit up with projection of Lebanon's flag. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 06 (MNA) — Lebanon's flag was projected on the Milad Tower in Tehran on Wednesday night in solidarity with the Lebanese people over the tragic incident of Beirut explosion.
(2020-08-06). Lebanese people united against devastating blast. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — Amal Abou Zeid, Advisor to the President of the Lebanese Republic, said in an exclusive interview with MNA that the Zionist regime is extremely frightful of Lebanon's possible reaction to Beirut devastating blast.
(2020-08-06). Daesh 'Exploited' COVID-19 Restrictions, Ramped Up Attacks in Iraq – IG Report. sputniknews.com Daesh forces stepped up attacks in Iraq during the holy month of Ramadan while also managing to exploit COVID-19 restrictions that have impacted Iraqi security forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and US-led coalition forces, according to a new report issued from the US Department of Defense Inspector General's Office.
(2020-08-06). Capacity to confront blast impact 'limited': Lebanon. yenisafak.com Lebanon's financial capacity to deal with the impact of the port warehouse explosion is "very limited," the country's economy minister said Thursday. | Raoul Nehme told a TV channel that damages of the devastating explosion, which killed at least 137 people and injured about 5,000 others in the capital Beirut on Tuesday, are estimated to be in billions of dollars. | "The capacity of the state is very limited, and so is that of the central bank and the banks," he said. "Grain silos [structures for storing bulk materials] have been completely destroyed, and we need time to evaluate the damages." | The Port of Beiru…
(2020-08-06). French president urges to prioritize aid to Lebanon. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on Thursday to prioritize aids for blast-hit Lebanon without any condition.Following his arrival in Beirut, Lebanon's capital, Macron met with his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun and the two leaders visited the site of massive explosion at the Port of Beirut.Macron said: "Lebanon is not alone … and we are fully aware that Lebanon's crisis is massive."He also vowed to secure and coordinate international aid to Lebanon, including medical supplies and medicine.The massive blast that rocked the Port of Beirut on Tuesday has left so far at least 135 dead and around 5,000 in…
(2020-08-05). "Despair and Destruction": Doctor in Beirut Describes Harrowing Scenes After Massive Port Explosion. democracynow.org 
As Beirut reels from a massive explosion that killed at least 100 people and injured thousands, we get an on-the-ground update from pediatrician and writer Dr. Seema Jilani, who treated her own daughter for injuries after the blast. "It was extremely packed because we're just coming out of a four-day lockdown," says Jilani. "Everybody was out." Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a "national catastrophe."
(2020-08-05). Journalist Rami Khouri: Beirut Explosion Follows Years of Lebanese Gov't Incompetence & Corruption. democracynow.org 
The explosion in the Port of Beirut, which killed at least 100 people and injured about 4,000 others, is the latest blow to Lebanon, which already faces an economic, political and public health crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. The blast is believed to have been triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years. Journalist Rami Khouri says it's further proof of "the cumulative incompetence, corruption, lassitude, amateurism and uncaring attitude by successive Lebanese governments" that have failed the country. "It's the ruling political elit…
(2020-08-05). Headlines for August 5, 2020. democracynow.org Massive Explosion Tears Through Beirut, Leaving Hundreds Missing and Thousands Injured, Lebanon's PM Says 2,700 Tons of Ammonium Nitrate Sparked "National Catastrophe" in Beirut, Mississippi Becomes Biggest U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spot as Governor Mandates Masks, Georgia Prisoners Live-Stream Video from Prison Uprising Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Chicago Schools Cancel September Classes as Union Threatens Strike over Coronavirus Safety, U.N. Warns Coronavirus School Closures Have Impacted Over 1 Billion Students, Brazil COVID-19 Deaths Approach 100,000 as Infections Surge in India, Black Lives Matter & Ferguson Activ…
(2020-08-05). Iran to send 2000 humanitarian packs to Beirut. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) — "2,000 packages weighing 9 tons of food, as well as medicine and medical supplies, will be sent to Lebanon by IRCS", Iranian Red Crescent Society spokesman announced.
(2020-08-05). Iran's shipment of humanitarian aid to Lebanon. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) — Iranian Red Crescent Society sent 95 tons of food and medicine to Beirut from Mehrabad Airport on Wednesday evening.
(2020-08-05). Beirut Blast a Deadly Blow to Lebanon's Already Shattered Economy. mintpressnews.com 
With Lebanon already suffering from a food crisis, currency collapse, and economic sanctions, the devastating explosion at Beirut's biggest port may be a death knell for the country's economy.
(2020-08-05). Explosion Rocks Beirut; Trump Defies SCOTUS, GOP Stimulus Failure. sputniknews.com Lebanon's capital of Beirut is reeling from an explosion on Tuesday that killed more than 135 people, injured thousands more and left the economy crippled. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump continues to push against a Supreme Court ruling on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, making life harder on immigrants.
(2020-08-05). Israel Hits Beirut with Nuclear Missile, Trump and Lebanese Govt. Confirm (continually updating). thealtworld.com 
Trump confirms this was a bombing, not an accident and is immediately scourged by pro-Israel press…starting with the Daily Beast | #Breaking #Syria President Assad orders all borders and ports in the country open to #Lebanon, orders caravans of ambulances to head to #Beirut and ferry injured to hospitals in #Damascus, and launches an air bridge of medical and food supplies between the two cities | Israeli Delilah missile carrying 6 kiloton (6000 tons of TNT equivalent) nuclear missile (unretouched photo via VT Damascus) Ti…
(2020-08-05). Lebanon ARRESTS ALL port officials as images are thought to reveal the poorly stored ammonium nitrate which blew up Beirut. rt.com 
After a colossal port explosion rocked the capital city of Beirut, the Lebanese government has decided to put all officials who oversaw storage and security there since 2014 under house arrest, until investigations are complete. | The country's Information Minister Manal Abdelsamad said the military will oversee their confinement, until all those responsible among the suspects are found. The port officials will be put under arrest "as soon as possible," according to Abdelsamad, and the whole procedure is expected to be finished "within the next five days." It is unclear as yet how many people are going to be a…
(2020-08-05). Devastating Beirut Explosion: An Accident or Something More Sinister? globalresearch.ca On Tuesday, a massive explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon's port area. | Scores were killed, thousands wounded, dozens of people missing, along with widespread destruction and damage. | According to Lebanese authorities, around 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate were stored in …
(2020-08-05). Breaking: Israel Bombed Beirut? globalresearch.ca Photo: Massive mushroom cloud from Hezbollah warehouse bombing and its aftermath | A note to our readers | Important report by Tikun Olan
(2020-08-05). Shadowy US Firm Run by Former Diplomat Cinches Syria Oil Deal with Kurds. mintpressnews.com A Delaware-based company formed by a former American diplomat, a CEO of a private mercenary company and an old hand in the oil business has inked a deal with U.S.-backed Kurdish rebels to develop crude in Syria.