Daily Archives: August 9, 2020

2020-08-09: News Headlines

South Front (2020-08-09). Video: Syrian Army Undertakes Failed Advance in Northern Lattakia Amid Rise of ISIS Attacks in Deir Ezzor. globalresearch.ca Iranian-backed militias and the Syrian National Defense Forces (NDF) have launched a joint security operation against ISIS cells in the area between the towns of al-Mayadin and al-Bukamal, on the western bank of the Euphrates. According to pro-government sources, hundreds …

General Wesley Clark (2020-08-09). Global Warfare: "We're Going to Take out 7 Countries in 5 Years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan & Iran.." globalresearch.ca Originally published in March 2007. | Global Research Editor's Note: | This interview serves as a reminder regarding the diabolical timeline of America's hegemonic project. Is Iran the next target "to be taken out"? | All these countries including Lebanon and Iran are …

Israel Shahak (2020-08-09). "Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-09). Iran, Bosnia seeking to expand media coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Sarajevo Mahmoud Heidari met and held talks with the head of the state broadcasting of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-09). New US rep. for Iran indicates Trump's confusion. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Venezuela Hojjatollah Soltani said that the new US special representative for the Islamic Republic of Iran indicates Trump's confusion.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-09). Parl. mulls over Lebanon's developments after blast: Spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission addressed the developments in Lebanon after a devastating explosion happened in Beirut Port last week.

_____ (2020-08-09). There Is No Political Solution To The Syrian Conflict. popularresistance.org 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 conflict it appears there is neither a military, nor political solution for Syria. Despite the fact that the Syrian government under President Assad, with help from Russia, has regained 70% of the territory, and all the major cities are calm, still there is no possibility for recovery or reconstruction of hospitals, schools, homes and lives due to the US sanctions.

yenisafak (2020-08-09). France to host fundraising conference for Beirut. yenisafak.com France's President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday will bring the international community together to raise funds for Beirut in the aftermath of the deadly blast earlier this week.The virtual conference will be held at 1200GMT with Macron hosting the conference from his vacation home in the south of France.The conference is backed by the United Nations and will involve major world leaders, including Lebanon's President Michel Aoun and US President Donald Trump.Leaders from the EU, Britain, China, Russia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE are also expected to participate.Two massive explosions tore through…

yenisafak (2020-08-09). Ex-Lebanon premier denies knowledge of Beirut shipment. yenisafak.com Former Lebanese premier Tammam Salam has denied receiving correspondence or information about the arrival of hazardous chemical materials shipment in Beirut, which allegedly caused a deadly blast in the capital on Tuesday.In a statement on Sunday, Salam's media office said reports alleging that he was aware of the arrival of a ship carrying chemical materials to Beirut were "false and bare of truth." Earlier, media reports suggested that a Lebanese court had ordered the ship to unload its cargo at the Beirut port when Salam was the prime minister.Salam, who served as a prime minister from Feb. 2014 to Dec. 2016,…

yenisafak (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…

RT (2020-08-08). You will hang! Lebanese protesters 'execute' cardboard cutouts of PM, President & Hezbollah's Nasrallah (VIDEO). rt.com Lebanese protesters have built gallows in Beirut to hang cardboard cutouts of Prime Minister Hassan Diab, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and other politicians they blame for the recent port blast and crisis in the country. | The anger of people spilled into the streets on Saturday, with some 10,000 gathering at Martyrs' Square in the center of the capital. They chanted anti-government slogans and staged a performance, which apparently served as a warning to those in power. Many in Lebanon blame the negligence of the authorities for a massive ammonium nitrate explosion on Tuesday that killed more than 150 p…

RT (2020-08-08). Almost 240 people injured, 1 officer killed in Beirut protests amid clashes, reports of fire & police shooting. rt.com Army has been deployed to Beirut downtown to quell protests over the deadly blast earlier this week. At least 238 people were injured and 63 of them hospitalized and police said an officer was killed in the clashes. | Thousands of protesters gathered at Martyrs' Square in central Beirut, attempting to reach the Parliament and clashing with riot police. | Demonstrators threw rocks and projectiles at the officers, who responded by employing tear gas and other special means. |

RT (2020-08-08). Lebanese PM calls for early parliamentary elections as protests rage following Beirut explosion. rt.com As protests gather steam in Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has called for early elections, saying they are the only way out of the deep political crisis which has worsened following the explosion in the city's port. | In a short speech on Saturday, Diab said the country "cannot get out of this crisis without early parliamentary elections." He added he was not to blame for the country's deep economic and political woes, Reuters reported. | Short speech by Hassan Diab included a call for early parliamentary elections in Lebanon. Aside from that, just a lot of vague talk of accountability, "national…

RT (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 around 500 people injured. | Thousands of people gathered in Beirut on Saturday, demanding the government resign over corruption and negligence, which they believe led to the horrific explosion this week. | Also on rt.com | | Amid clashes with riot police, protesters stormed sev…

RT (2020-08-08). Lebanese protesters occupy Foreign Ministry & other govt buildings in Beirut (PHOTO, VIDEO). rt.com Demonstrators who took to the streets of Beirut after the Lebanese capital was rocked by a massive blast earlier this week have stormed the Foreign Ministry and other government buildings, amid violent clashes with police. | Around 10,000 people gathered at Martyrs' Square in central Beirut to accuse the government of negligence, which they say allowed a massive ammonium nitrate explosion to occur at the port on Tuesday. | Read more | | T…

Abdul Rahman (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…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-08). Iran calls on IAEA to clarify Saudis' secret nuclear program. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (MNA) — Iran's ambassador to IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi has called for the IAEA to put forward a report on Saudi Arabia's secret program of building yellowcake uranium processing plant.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-08). UN experts renew call for removal of US anti-human sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 08 (MNA) — A group of UN experts has once agian called for unilateral US sanctions to be lifted on countries including Iran, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, and Cuba.

_____ (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…

sputniknews (2020-08-08). Militants Shell 8 Towns in Syria's Idlib, Aleppo Provinces, Russian Military Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Syrian militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist group shelled eight towns in the northwestern Idlib and Aleppo provinces, the head of Russia's Syria reconciliation centre said Saturday.

Staff (2020-08-08). Fertilizer Likely Behind the Beirut Explosion Is Unevenly Regulated Across US. truthout.org This article about the Beirut explosion was originally published by the A powerful explosion that ripped through Beirut on Tuesday and killed more than 130 people may be the latest example of the danger posed by a common fertilizer stored in communities throughout the U.S. | As investigators work to find the official cause of the blast, Lebanon President Michel Aoun said i…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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.

Aaron Maté (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…

Mehr News Agency (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'.

RT (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.

RT (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…

RT (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…

RT (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…

Elijah Magnier (2020-08-07). The Beirut Explosion: Who is responsible? thealtworld.com On Tuesday 4thof August, an explosion at the Lebanese harbour in the heart of the capital Beirut caused devastating human casualties and material destruction. Over 140 people died instantly, 80 are still missing under the rubble, and over 5000 were wounded. More than 300,000 homes were destroyed and many more were damaged. 2,750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) (an equivalent of 1,000 tons of TNT) somehow ignited and registered the largest explosion since the end of World War II. Many theories, accusing Israel or Hezbollah or the CIA, are circulating like wildfire in the Lebanese capital. Where is the truth? Cui bon…

news.un (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.

news.un (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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,"

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

Mehr News Agency (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.

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

MintPress News Desk (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…

RT (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

teleSUR (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…

WSWS (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.

TRT World (2020-08-06). Trump Administration Approves the "Stealing" of Syria's Oil. globalresearch.ca Months after US president Donald Trump…

Mehr News Agency (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.