(2021-04-25). Lebanon Vows To Punish Drug Smugglers As Saudi Import Ban Bites. eurasiareview.com By Najia Houssari | Lebanon has vowed to punish drug smugglers after massive quantities of narcotics were intercepted and seized by Saudi Arabia and Greece. | Saudi authorities on Friday reported foiling an attempt to smuggle millions of amphetamine pills stashed in a pomegranate shipment from Lebanon at Dammam's King Abdulaziz Port. It said that five people involved in the case were arrested, four citizens and an expatriate. | There was another interception of a pomegranate shipment, also from Lebanon and also containing drugs, in Jeddah. | Shortly after the Saudi statement, Greek authorities announced seizin…
(2021-04-24). Continuing the War in Syria. dissidentvoice.org 
The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and Global Counterterrorism held a hearing on April 15, 2021, on "10 Years of War: Examining the Ongoing Conflict in Syria." As is customary of American exceptionalism, the feasibility of regime change in Damascus was not left undiscussed. Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, …
(2021-04-24). Challenged on Syria cover-up, OPCW chief lies and US-UK-France evade. thegrayzone.com Facing new outcry over the Syria cover-up scandal, OPCW chief Fernando Arias has been caught lying, while the US-UK-France are desperately trying to change the subject. Aaron Maté recaps recent meetings at the EU and UN, where the growing Douma controversy was center stage. The US-UK-France bombed Syria in April 2018 after accusing it of a chemical weapons attack in the city of Douma. Leaks later revealed that OPCW inspectors found no evidence of a Syrian government chemical weapons attack. …
(2021-04-24). Turkish Convoy Attacked In The Midst Of Militant Stronghold In Northern Syria (Photos). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image. | Late on April 23, a convoy of the Turkish Armed Forces was attacked in the town of al-Bab, a stronghold of Turkish-backed Syrian militants in northern Aleppo. | An explosion, likely caused by an improvised explosive device, targeted the convoy. A military truck was damaged. The attack took place near headquarters of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. | According to Syrian opposition sources, a Turkish service member was wounded in the attack. The Turkish Ministry of D…
(2021-04-24). Drone Strike Targets Iranian Tanker Anchored Off Syria's Main Oil Terminal (Photos). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image. | On April 24 afternoon, an unidentified drone targeted a tanker anchored off Syria's main oil terminal in the town of Banias. | In an official statement, the Ministry of Oil and Natural Resources said that the hostile drone came from the direction of Lebanon's waters. The ministry also said that a fire caused by the strike was put down by the tanker's crew."Firefighters controlled by the fire which erupted in one of the oil tanker's sections off the oil terminal in Banias," the statement reads.
(2021-04-24). Military Situation In Syria On April 24, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 24, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 25 times: 12 — in Idlib province, 6 — in Latakia province, 6 — in Hama province, 1 — in Aleppo province | On April 23, a car bomb explosion was reported in the al-Bab city. Several people were wounded | On April 23, clashes between the YPG and Turkish-backed forces were reported southeast of Afrin | On April 23, a series of clashes erupted between the N…
(2021-04-24). Video: Syria to Pay for "Planned Explosion" in Israeli Weapon Factory. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | On April 20 a large explosion took place in central Israel, …
(2021-04-24). Zarif upcoming visit to Qatar "very promising": Iran envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 24 (MNA) —Iranian Ambassador to Qatar Hamidreza Dehghani said about FM Zarif's upcoming visit to Doha that his visit "is very promising after the recent developments."
(2021-04-24). Turkish FM Summons US Ambassador to Ankara Over Biden's Recognition of Armenian Genocide. sputniknews.com On Saturday, US President Joe Biden announced that from now on, Washington recognises the actions of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century against the Armenians as a 'genocide'.
(2021-04-24). 'Photo Exhibition of Western China' opens in ROK. ecns.cn "Colorful China and Charming West — Photo Exhibition of Western China" opened in Seoul on Wednesday. Chinese Ambassador to the ROK Xing Haiming said in the opening ceremony that "Regions in Western China are making great progress in economic, social, national unity and people's livelihood."
(2021-04-24). Pentagon Believes Russia Behind Mysterious Directed Energy 'Attacks' on Troops in Syria: Report. sputniknews.com The Department of Defense reportedly stopped short of linking the alleged attacks with a mysterious incident at the American embassy in Havana, Cuba, which was subsequently evacuated after numerous diplomatic workers complained of suffering from an unidentified ailment.
(2021-04-24). Violence-Legitimizing Verses In Religious Scriptures Increase Support For Lethal Violence. eurasiareview.com Extremist perpetrators of violence often quote verses from their religion's holy scriptures that authorize, or even prescribe, attacks on enemies of the faith. Abdullah H., the Syrian now on trial who stabbed a homosexual couple with a knife and killed a man in Dresden in October 2020, also testified that he had been inspired to commit the crime by a Quranic sura. However, whether the religious motivation that extremist perpetrators of violence emphasize is causally related to their actions is often doubted. Now, WZB researchers Ruud Koopmans and Eylem Kanol can prove for the first time that verses in religiou…
(2021-04-23). Four Soldiers, Intelligence Officers Killed Or Injured In New Wave Of Attacks In Daraa. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | On April 22, four Syrian soldiers and intelligence officers were killed or wounded in two new separate attacks in the southern governorate of Daraa. | In the first attack, unidentified gunmen opened fire at two soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army 4th Division while they were passing on a road between the towns of Tell Shihab and Muzayrib in western Daraa. One of the soldiers died on the sport, while the other was wounded. Both victims are natives of Daraa. | Th…
(2021-04-23). Satellite Images: Israel Wiped Out Syrian Air-Defense Base Responsible For Recent Missile Incident. southfront.org 
The "Adir" jets first flight in Israel. Pictured: "Adir" jet and F-16I "Sufa". Photo by: Maj. Ofer | The Israeli military had wiped out the Syrian air-defense base responsible for the The base, which is located near the town of al-Dumayr around 35 km to the east of the capital, launched an S-200 anti-aircraft…
(2021-04-23). Syrian Missile strikes Near Israel's Nuclear Facility at Dimona, Which could have Turned into a Dirty Bomb. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Israeli site i24 reports that on early Thursday morning, a Syrian missile slammed into the desert very near to the Israeli nuclear reactor at Dimona, which Israeli authorities have used to produce an arsenal of an estimated two hundred nuclear bombs. Air raid sirens sounded in southern Israel. Explosions …
(2021-04-23). Turkey summons Greek, French ambassadors over Mediterranean incident. wsws.org The naval incident points to mounting conflicts among rival NATO alliance members in the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa.
(2021-04-23). Russia summons Polish envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 23 (MNA) — Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Polish ambassador on Friday.
(2021-04-23). New App Reconstructs Ancient Glory Of Baalbak's Roman Ruins In Lebanon. eurasiareview.com By Rawaa Talass | In 1898, an unlikely royal visit was made to the 10,000-year-old city of Baalbek, a jewel in the crown of Lebanon's archeological history. As part of his grand tour of the Orient — an expedition that involved 100 coaches, 230 tents and 10 guides — the last emperor of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and his wife Augusta Victoria were awestruck by Baalbek's famed Roman ruins. Although the Emperor spent just a few waking hours in the 'City of the Sun' — his last stop before heading back to Potsdam via the Port of Beirut — he was so captivated by what he witnessed that he deci…