Massive Explosions In Beirut Kill At Least 80, Injure Thousands; Widespread Devastation

💥 Updated, 7:45 PM ET (12:01 AM UTC/GMT, Wed 05 Aug 2020)

💥 Speculation and fear after massive explosion in Beirut - Jerusalem Post

💥 Beirut blasts damaged UN ship, badly injured crew - Al Arabiya, which also reports at least 75 dead and 3,700 injured.

💥 Some excellent live reporting by BBC News about the Beirut explosions

💥 A report from USA Today (emphasis added): "Though the cause of the explosion was yet to be officially determined, Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was stored at the port after it was confiscated from a ship. Television channel LBC [Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation] said the material was sodium nitrate. Mohammed Fahmi, Lebanon's interior minister, told Al-Jazeera news the blast appeared to have been caused by ammonium nitrate that was stored in a warehouse. Ammonium nitrate, used in chemical fertilizer production, was a component of the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995." 

💥  Bill Neely (@BillNeelyNBC) tweeted this at 5:29 PM ET: "Lebanese Prime Minister says #Beirut explosions caused by an estimated 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate left unsecured for 6 years in a warehouse. He vows to punish officials responsible. 50+ dead, 3,000 injured, hospitals overwhelmed."  (For comparison, in 1995 Timothy McVeigh blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City with two tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer mixed with fuel oil.)

Israel Wiped Off The Map, Literally

January 1, 2015 - A publisher in the U.K. has accomplished what Arab nations, Muslims and anti-Semites have dreamed of since 1948. They wiped Israel off the map.

Israel was left off a map published by Collins Bartholomew, a subsidiary of publishing giant HarperCollins. "The country is not labelled on the map - bought by English-speaking schools in the majority-Muslim Gulf, while Gaza and Jordan are clearly marked," notes The Daily Mail. The publisher is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The atlas, distributed in English-speaking schools in the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries, shows the West Bank next to Gaza but with Israel not labelled.

A report on December 31st by The Tablet, a weekly Catholic newspaper based in the UK, says that The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales "accused HarperCollins of harming peace efforts in the Middle East through its production of atlases that omit Israel from their maps. Collins Middle East Atlases, which are sold to English-speaking schools in the Muslim-majority Gulf, depict Jordan and Syria extending all the way to the Mediterranean Sea."

Incredibly, Collins Bartholomew actually admitted to The Tablet that they bowed to "local preferences" by omitting Israel. In a region filled with enemies who have vowed to years to destroy the Jewish nation, inclusion of Israel on the map would have been "unacceptable" to customers in region.

The Tablet also reported that "customs officers in one Gulf nation" would only allow school atlases "to reach their intended recipient only once Israel had been struck out by hand."

To put it simply, Collins Bartholomew willingly published an inaccurate map for school children just to satisfy the political demands of paying customers. For the publisher, apparently, reality is less important than profit. Customs officers in Third World countries seem to be editors emeritus for Collins Bartholomew.

The story immediately received big media attention. Busted, embarrassed and called out for their act of deliberate regional revisionism, parent company HarperCollins apologized on Facebook: Commenters on Facebook, however, were not buying the apology.

Post by HarperCollins UK.

The apology is hollow. After all, had there not been an outcry over this, Collins Bartholomew would still be happily selling their fantasy maps sans Israel. And commenters on Facebook were not buying it:

• "Did you actually think you could get away with such revisionism and that nobody would notice? I am certain you only regret that your reprehensible actions were exposed for what they are." 
• "Apart from your appalling decision to facilitate racists, the fact remains the Rhodesia is Zimbabwe now, Ceylon is Sri Lanka and like it or not, Israel is the name of the country that you have deliberately ommited!"
• "Would you have made a map for the Gulf states with Al-Andalus replacing Spain and Portugal? If they want imaginary maps, they should have to make their own."
• "WOW, what a stupid decision. Enjoy the backlash!"

And the backlash has only just begun. One commenter provided the URL of HarperCollins authors as a list of "Books not to buy. Suggest authors move their trade elsewhere." A number of commenters are threatening to boycott of HarperCollins.

Whether or not you agree with a boycott, it seems clear now that anything - anything- published by HarperCollins or any of its subsidiaries must be questioned for accuracy - and honesty. Perhaps the best comment was made by Rick Moran in his post at American Thinker today: "The publisher had little choice - except to abandon a lucrative market or comply. I think there are some business decisions that may cost a company money, but allow it to hang on to its soul. This is one of those times."

Also See:
HarperCollins erases Israel from atlases Times of Israel
Sin of omission? HarperCollins leaves Israel off the map Al Bawaba
The Fake Map Of ‘Lost Palestinian Territory’ The Muslim Issue
UAE's Etihad Airways denies omitting Israel from in-flight map Haaretz
How Putin Manipulates Russians Using Revisionist History Forbes
Russia Propaganda Rises Again: Fake Maps Depict a Much Smaller Ukraine Daily Signal

Updated With Video: Taliban Attack On Afghan Presidential Palace Ends, All Attackers Killed

June 24, 2013 - 11:00 PM EDT - The Presidential palace ("the Arg") in Kabul, Afghanistan was attacked by four Taliban suicide bombers Monday morning. None breached the palace's security walls. One bomber blew himself up and three others were shot by Afghan security forces. Casualties were reported but the number is not known.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in the palace compound when the attack began around 6:20 AM local time (0200 GMT). Karzai had a scheduled meeting with journalists.

Karzai "never appeared to be in danger," reports The Guardian. He was "behind several more walls inside the heavily fortified palace itself. One source who was inside the complex, which has outer walls several dozen metres thick in places, said the fighting never approached the inner area."

The attack was put down entirely by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Earlier this month, ANSF  took the lead in providing security for Afghanistan, with NATO now in a support-only role.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and said their targets included the Ariana Hotel, which is home to the CIA station in Kabul.

Afghan security officials said they believe the attack was actually executed by the Taliban-linked Haqqani Network, reports Reuters.  "The Haqqani Network is accused of masterminding high-profile attacks in Kabul and is believed to have close links to al Qaeda."

Earlier Reports, as it was happening:

Photos of Car Bomb Attack on French Embassy in Tripoli, Libya

April 23, 2013 - A car packed with explosives blew up in front of the French embassy in Tripoli, Libya just past 7:00 AM local time (5:00 AM GMT). Two embassy guards were injured. Here are some amazing photos taken moments after the blast by Ehab (Twitter @Eh4b10). Ehab tweeted this about the photos: "General Statement: if anyone wants to use the photos & to credit, thats fine." These were the first photos used by all of the major media in reporting the story. See our earlier post about the bombing.

Click images to enlarge them

The explosion burst water and sewage pipes. Source: @Eh4b10

No remains of the bomb car were left outside. Source: @Eh4b10

Waiting for firefighters at the French embassy. Source: @Eh4b10

Embassy staffer asses damage, attend to wounded. Source: @Eh4b10

Guard pulled from embassy on a make-shift stretcher. Source: @Eh4b10 

Bursting water and sewage pipes. Source: @Eh4b10 

Nearby homes suffered heavy damage. Source: @Eh4b10

French Embassy Hit By Car Bomb in Libya, 2 Guards Injured (Updated)

April 23, 2013 - Updated - Reuters is reporting that a booby trapped car exploded at the French embassy in a residential part of Libya's capitol city Tripoli. The bomb caused considerable damage, injuring two of embassy guards. One of the guards is described as being "gravely injured." According to the Libya Herald, several local residents helped to rescue one of the guards.

Image from Twitter/@Eh4b10
Click Here To See More Photos

"France's embassy in Libya was hit by what appeared to be a car bomb on Tuesday, injuring two guards in the first such attack in the Libyan capital since the 2011 war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi.  "There was an attack on the embassy. We think it was a booby trapped car," a French official told Reuters. "There was a lot of damage and there are two guards wounded." ~ More at Reuters.com

"The explosion destroyed the outer walls of the embassy complex and the facade of the building," reports the Libya Herald. "The first floor  is destroyed. Ten vehicles parked in the street have been wrecked.  Every office in the building has been ruined, the [French] diplomat said. The blast also brought down the garden walls of two houses opposite the chancellery entrance.  It was strong enough too to blow out windows in buildings in several streets around."  The Libya Herald notes that nobody, as yet, has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. "However," the Herald continued, "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has vowed to attack France following its intervention in Mali."

"Black smoke billowed from the wreckage of the vehicle that exploded close to the Embassy’s entrance as fire crews arrived to put out the flames. Part of the Embassy complex’s outer wall was partly destroyed in the explosion as well as two nearby cars." More at RT.com.  The explosion happened just after 7:00 AM local time (5:00 AM GMT). "The blast took place in a small side street, causing extensive damage to the buildings and parked cars, our correspondent said," reports BBC.

The local authorities were slow to send help to the scene. In another report by the Libya Herald quotes a man who lives next to the French embassy, Abdurrauf Al-Alam. His home was badly damaged by the blast. He said that police and fire fighters were slow to respond.  “It took 30 minutes for the fire-fighters to arrive,” he said.  The police and security “came at 9 am”, almost two hours after the attack. Three hours after the explosion, trees on the street outside the embassy were still burning.

Related:

• Photos of Car Bomb Attack on French Embassy in Tripoli, Libya Chicago News Bench
• French Embassy Bombed Libya Herald

Mixed and Dangerous Signals From Egypt

Dec. 8, 2012 - Two stories out of Egypt today seem to conflict with each other because of their very different implications.

Photo from news.malaysia.msn.com

First, President Mohamed Morsi is showing an inclination to declare martial law in order to subdue massive crowds protesting his recent power grab. Second, Morsi is sending signals that he might back down from his recent seizure of extra-constitutional powers.

It would be good if Morsi does relinquish the powers he gave himself, the result of which is violent protests and violent reaction by the police. People have died because of the tensions. On the other hand, Morsi's indication that marshal law might be declared is a bad signal: The only reason he would do that, most likely, is to deal with the protesters who are unhappy about his power grab. If he is really going to give up the powers he granted himself, the protesters would be satisfied and less of a threat, thereby reducing the need for police and any need for marshal law.

Tens of thousand marched on Egypt's presidential
palace, Dec. 7. Photo from The Telegraph (UK)

Unfortunately, it appears that neither Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood allies nor the opposition are willing to make any significant concessions. The Deccan reports today that "Egypt’s main Islamist parties, including President Mohammed Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, on Saturday rejected opposition demands to delay a referendum on a new constitution."

Egypt's military is warning of "disastrous consequences" if the crisis is not resolved by dialog. Voice of America has a story up now that says Egypt's top opposition leaders "are boycotting a national dialogue meeting at the presidential palace Saturday, despite appeals by the country's military to resolve the current political standoff at the negotiating table.  Meanwhile, Egyptian media warned that President Morsi would soon re-impose martial law. "In the ensuing violence of the past few days," reports Egypt's Ahram Online, "at least seven were killed and over 1000 injured. Assailants on both sides used firearms and bladed weapons."

Morsi has not rushed to declare marshal law, however, and seems to have floated that possibility as a bargaining tool. He has not actually put marshal law into effect as of this writing. Perhaps this is due to pressure from the U.S. and other Western nations. From the Times of India this afternoon:

Struggling to subdue continuing street protests, the government of President Mohamed Morsi has approved legislation reimposing martial law by calling on the armed forces to keep order and authorizing soldiers to arrest civilians, Egypt's state media reported on Saturday. Morsi has not yet issued the order, the flagship state newspaper Al Ahram reported. But even if merely a threat, the preparation of the measure suggested an escalation in the political battle between Egypt's new Islamist leaders and their secular opponents over an Islamist-backed draft constitution. 

 Will Morsi back away from his heightened powers? From the Jerusalem Post today:

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi is preparing to modify the controversial decree awarding himself sweeping powers, puting him above the law, AFP quoted Prime Minister Hisham Kandil as saying on Saturday. AFP quoted Kandil as saying to Al-Mihwar television that Morsi has tasked six officials who met with members of the opposition to "modify the constitutional declaration."

Our Prediction: Egypt will crumble into civil war before June, 2013.

Update3: Beirut Car Bomb Kills Lebanon's Top Spy: Violence Spreads

Beirut's Christian section. Photo: Bilal Hussein/Associated Press

Update3: Raw video of blast added - see it below.

Oct. 19, 2012 - A massive vehicle bomb exploded in Beirut, the capitol city of Lebanon, earlier today. It killed at least ten people and injuring many dozens more. Lebanese officials are calling the bombing a "terrorist attack." The bombing today is the first attack of this kind since 2008, and was centered in district of Ashrafiyeh.

Some Middle East experts say that the assassination bombing in Beirut could signal the spread of the Syrian conflict over international borders. Just as bad, it could also spark another civil war in Lebanon. Memories of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war is still the stuff of nightmares in Lebanon and the region.

One of those killed is Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan, Lebanon's Chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces (ISF).  It is believed that the bomb was meant for Gen. al-Hassan. He "was the official behind uncovering a recent bomb plot that led to the arrest of a pro-Syrian Lebanese politician," reports the Associated Press.

Al-Jazeera says that Hassan was "a key figure in supporting the armed opposition in Syria." That report also notes that a former Lebanese interior minister says it is too early to tell who is responsible for the bombing today.

Update: Large and violent protests are already taking place in the wake of today's bombing. Angered by the death of el-Hassan, protesters "cut the highway between Beddawi to Tripoli, in northern Lebanon, following the announcement of the death of chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces, General Wissam el-Hassan," reports Al Bawaba News. "Other roads in the same area were also blocked, according to the same source" and gunfire was reported in a number of other parts of Lebanon. 

An excellent report at Naharnet says that the ISF "played a central role in the arrest in August of former Lebanese information minister Michel Samaha, who has close links to Damascus and was charged with planning attacks in Lebanon and transporting explosives in collaboration with Syrian security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk."



Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi has condemned the bombing and called it "terrorist" and "cowardly."  Not everyone is buying that, however. Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt has accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of setting up the assassination Gen. al-Hasan, according to the Daily Star.

Martin Chulov covers the Middle East for The Guardian (UK) and is posting updates on Twitter today. He tweeted this earlier: "Wissam al-Hassan had led case against former Inf Minister Michel Samaha, accused of bringing bombs to #Lebanon on Syrian orders."  Another tweet by Chulov said, "Death of Wissam al-Hassan the most dangerous event in #Lebanon since assassination of Rafiq Hariri in 2005."

Photo: Yorgo El-Bittar @YorgoElBittar

The bomb exploded near the Christian Phalange Party's offices. They are known for their outspoken  anti-Syria statements. "Another anti-Syrian bloc, the March 14 alliance" says the AP report, has offices nearby. "Sejaan Azzi, a leading member of the Phalange, said he believes his party is being targeted for its views on Syria."

The death toll seems likely to rise as rescue teams sift through the wreckage left by the huge explosion. The blast was so powerful that it ripped balconies off of large apartment buildings.

"Lebanese security officials and Red Cross workers said eight people were killed and 60 wounded, 20 of them critically," reports AP. "Other news reports, citing the health ministry, said three people had been killed and 96 wounded. The state-run National News Agency put the number of wounded at 78."

Related:

• Security chief dies in Beirut blast - Live Updates The Guardian
• Top Security Official Among the Dead in Beirut Blast New York Times
• Lebanon's great divide exposed by assassination of security chief The Guardian 
• Why Wissam al-Hassan, security official killed in Beirut blast, matters... Washington Post 
• On Twitter, Videos and Photos of the Aftermath of the Beirut Bombing The Lede 
• Former Lebanese minister detained after discovery of bomb plot Daily Star Lebanon
• Beirut blast brings back nightmare of civil war Now Lebanon
• March 14 Alliance - Lebanon's Cedar Revolution MiddleEast.about.com

Taliban Attack On Pakistan Airbase Foiled

PAF Kamra - Photo: AFP

August 16, 2012 - Yesterday's assault on a key northern Pakistan airbase was successfully repelled. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Minhas base at the town of Kamra outside Attock, was attacked by nine heavily armed members of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The pre-dawn attack happened at 2:00 a.m. on August 16, Pakistan time. The attackers were dressed in military fatigues. Most also wore suicide vests.

The militants used rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons, reports Reuters today, "in a brazen challenge to the nuclear-armed country’s powerful military." Only one aircraft was damaged, says Reuters. A report at Radio Australia says that two Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attack and that the base commander was shot in the shoulder as he led the counterattack but is in stable condition.

When the attackers neared aircraft hangars, reports The Express Tribune, "Security forces opened fire when militants approached aircraft hangars, prompting other militants to fire rocket-propelled grenades from outside the base’s walls, said the air force spokesperson."

All nine attackers were killed by Air Force troops, the Tribune report says. Eight died inside the airbase boundary wall and one "exploded himself outside the perimeters where he was hiding," the air force said. The fighting went on for over two hours. Millitary spokesperson Tariq Mahmood confirmed the base was "totally safe," says the Tribune story.

AIR BASE NOT NUCLEAR: Nearly all of the media reports about this attack have said that Minhas Airbase houses nuclear weapons. This appears to be false, however. Reuters quoted an air force spokesman who said that the Minhas airbase has no nuclear weapons. In fact, Reuters quoted him as saying that, "No air base is a nuclear air base in Pakistan."

Our earlier report: UNDER CONTROL: Militants Attacked, Entered Pakistan Nuclear Air Base

UNDER CONTROL: Militants Attacked, Entered Pakistan Nuclear Air Base

Pakistan's nukes on display

UPDATE 2: Taliban Attack On Pakistan Airbase Foiled

UPDATE 1: IT'S ALL UNDER CONTROL. A report by SiasiTV (Pakistan) says that the situation is "under control now. Terrorists didn't get to destroy a jet due to prompt action of forces." (See their video, below, and Siasi's page on Facebook for updates.)

Earlier Reports:

PAKISTAN - A Pakistan Air Force base is under attack, probably by Taliban militants. PAF Kamra Airbase (also called PAF Minhas Airbase) is thought to have nuclear weapons. [Map]

The gun fighting was ongoing, according to reports of 8:00 p.m. EDT/New York time. Earliest reports said that as many as nine militants "wearing military uniforms had attacked the airbase," according to Tribune.com.pk.

"The militants were said to be armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide vests," reports Dawn.com (Pakistan). "Intense exchange of fire between militants and forces ensued after the attackers infiltrated the base."  Dawn also notes that Kamra airbase "is a heavily guarded compound with the Pakistan Air Force’s Kamra Aeronautical Complex in its vicinity, where Pakistan assembles and overhauls fighter jets in collaboration with China. Located about 70 kms from the Pakistani capital Islamabad, the base is known to house the PAF’s JF-7 Thunder and Mirage jets."  Dawn says that "least 30 aircraft were on the base" according to sources.

The airbase, in Punjab province, is approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest of Islamabad, Pakistan's capitol city. The attackers are most likely Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Business Insider reports that gunmen have "attacked and entered an air force base in central Pakistan." The attack came Thursday, Aug. 16 local time.

The Pakistani air calling the attackers “terrorists,” which the Pakistanis often call the Taliban and similar groups, says Reuters. Mulitple reports say that the "intense" and "heavy" gunfire has been ongoing for at least three hours. The Business Insider story cites multiple news sources.  For live updates, see "Kamra airbase attack: Live updates" at Tribune.com.pk.

Nukes: Come and get 'em

Intelligence knew that this specific attack was probable. Tribune.com.pk reported that the threat was great on August 10. "The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning attacks on the Pakistan Air Force Base and other military and security establishments in Lahore before Eid," reporter Asad Kharal wrote, "according to intelligence reports received by the Home Department."  

Raw Video: Syrian Airstrike Kills At Least 20 In Village of Marea

August 15, 2012 - (Video Below) - A brutal and savage bombardment of Marea, a small village in Syria (see map). The damage to buildings is very visible as two men carry an injured girl to a car. The t-shirt of the man who holds her is stained with her blood. At least 20 people were killed by the airstrike. At least another 30 people were killed in the village of Azaz, about 15 miles northwest of Marea (see map), reports Australian Broadcasting Corp.  Syria's government seems to be on the verge of total collapse. A report from ArabTimesOnline.com yesterday said that, "Syria’s former prime minister, the highest profile government figure to defect, said Tuesday the regime was collapsing and controlled barely a third of the conflict-wracked country."

AP noted this on their YouTube posting today: "Syrian fighter jets screamed through the sky dropping bombs over the rebel-held town of Marea, that leveled the better part of a neighborhood and wounded scores of people. Activists said more than 20 people were killed. (NOTE: Graphic material)."

AIRSTRIKE KILLS AT LEAST 20 IN MAREA:


AIRSTRIKE KILLS AT LEAST 30 IN AZAZ:
The Arabic title says "Khtirjadda of the senior civilian objects recovered from the rubble of buildings - Izaz City 15 8 2012"

Climbing from rubble, Azaz, Syria (AFP: Bulent Kilic)

The conflict in Syria has spilled over the country's borders in recent weeks. Over the past several months, refugees have crossed into Turkey.

As many as 150,000 refugees have sought safety in four of Syria's neighboring nations. More recently, fighting has overflowed into Lebanon.

A Fox News report today notes that Shiite clansmen in Lebanon said today that they were holding about 20 Syrians "and will hold them until one of their relatives seized by rebels inside Syria is freed. The tensions were a stark reminder of how easily Syria's civil war could spill over to neighboring states."

UPDATE 4: LOUD EXPLOSIONS ROCK IRANIAN CITY | CONFLICTING REPORTS CAUSE CONFUSION

November 28, 2011 - IRAN - Two mysterious explosions shook the city of Isfahan (or "Asfahan") in western Iran today, reports Ya Libnan, which quotes the semi-official Fars News Agency. The explosions are thought to have happened at or very near the Shahab-4 Ballistic missile facility.

"Two explosions have been reported in the Iranian town of Isfahan," reports JewishPress.com. "The first occurred at around 2:30 AM and was originally reported by Farsnews, until the report was taken down. Israel’s Channel 10 is reporting that a second explosion occurred not long ago at a Shahab-4 ballistic missile facility, also in Isfahan. Isfahan hosts a nuclear technology center and a uranium conversion facility, as well as a production plant which make alloys for nuclear reactors."

www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/shahab-4.htm

It is still not clear what exploded or what caused the explosions. The only thing that is certain is that there are conflicting reports and a lot of confusion about the incident, as the Israel Matzav blog reports.


This may be significant because a uranium conversion plant not far from Isfahan went became fully functional in 2004. Today's blast comes as tensions between Israel and Iran are at an all-time high, and there is much speculation that Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities in an effor to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.

An updated item from Haaretz highlights how confusing this story really is. Some of the confusion is intentional. "Speaking with Fars news agency," reports Haaretz, "Isfahan’s deputy mayor confirmed the reports and said the authorities are investigating the matter. However, after the incident was reported in Israel, the report was taken off the Fars website." (My emphasis added.)

According to The Telegraph UK, "some sources told news agencies there had been a blast on military facilities, [but] others said there had been a fireball at a petrol station. Residents of the city were independently telling relatives and friends overseas that the city had been shaken by a massive blast in the early afternoon."

Fox News is also referring to the Fars report, and added "the Pentagon and the International Atomic Energy Agency both said they had no reports of an explosions in the city, which has a uranium conversion plant nearby."

Meanwhile, Haaretz (Israel) is also reporting that North Korea has supplied Syria and Iran "with a special kind of steel used to upgrading missiles and building centrifuges for uranium enrichment, the German newspaper Die Welt reported over the weekend."

And, just as a footnote, it will be 64 years ago tomorrow that the United Nations created the modern nation of Israel. On November 29, 1947 the U.N. passed Resolution 181, which divided the British-ruled Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

Video: Gaddafi Zenga-Zenga Song (With Girl, Without Girl Versions)

February 28, 2011 - One good thing has already come out of the troubles in Libya: A cool video by Noy Alooshe, a 31-year-old Israeli reporter, who took a speech by Colonel Gaddafi and set it to a techno-dance beat. The song's title, "Zenga-Zenga," is a variation of of "zanqa," reports PC Magazine. That's an Arabic word "meaning alleyway that Qaddafi used repeatedly in his speech." Okay, but here's the really fun part: Alooshe first released his version last Wednesday with a insets of a sexy woman dancing. Arab viewers objected and asked him, via YouTube, to make a "no girl" version. He did, and here are both versions....

UPDATED Gaddafi On Way To Venezuela? (No)

February 21, 2011 - The BBC is seems to have put to rest the rumors about the Libyan dictator fleeing to Venezuela. BBC News Africa reports late today that Moammar Gaddafi appeared "on state television" to deny the rumors of his departure. According to BBC, Gaddafi spoke on TV "from outside a ruined building," and said, "I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela." CNN has posted a video of Gaddafi's television statement. Rumors flew today that Gaddafi was on his way to Venezuela. Deutsche Presse Agentur reported that, for example, according to Newsmax.com. There was much confusion about this. Other news sources, such as Rianovosti, said that rumors of Gaddafi fleeing to Venezuela "were dismissed by Venezuelan diplomats and Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kayem." Perhaps Venezuela feels that they already have one too many crazy dictators. But... The Express (UK) reported that "Gaddafi was believed to be on the run last night after fresh bloodshed and violence across Libya." The article goes on to say that he "is believed to have travelled first to his desert hometown before seeking a flight out of the country, possibly to Venezuela. News of his apparent departure came from British Foreign Secretary William Hague who said he had seen information to suggest Gaddafi was on his way" to Venezuela. One thing seems certain: Libya is headed for civil war and Gaddafi's too-long reign is over.

How Most Americans View the Crisis in Egypt

If you want to know what's really happening, read this: Rage in Egypt as Mubarak stays in power (Also see the video below)

State of Alert in Lebanon; New Sanctions For Iran

Flashpoints, Middle East: These are breaking news items late on February 6, 2010 (as of 21:00 EST). Trouble Brewing in Lebanon: Haaretz.com - Hezbollah has raised its state of alert in Lebanon following the recent war of words between Israeli and Syrian officials, according to a report by the Beirut correspondent of Saudi daily Al-Okaz. The report cites growing concerns in Lebanon that Israel is either planning to attack Lebanon, or that tensions in the region will result in an Israeli operation there... IsraelNN.com - US Threatens Iran with Fresh Sanctions (Note: Is anybody else getting a feeling of deja vu? I half expect Colin Powell to give a slide show in a few weeks at the UN to explain why we need to invade Iran.) Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Israel Preps for War with Iran, Syria Beats War Drums

February 3, 2010 - Breaking - War seems imminent in the Middle East. This report today from debka.com is very alarming: Arab voices were fanning Middle East war fever Wednesday night, Feb. 3. debkafile's military sources report that not only are Syrian leaders beating war drums - Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem said in Damascus: "Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities" - but Egyptian military sources have put out information purporting to outline Israel's preparations to strike Iran. Debka.com's article goes on, with more info, which I've put into abbreviated list form here: - Israeli Navy and the US Fifth Fleet have been charting Persian Gulf waters and Iranian shorelines "in preparation for attacks" - Israeli Defense Forces intelligence and special forces ... have been marking out routes.... to hit Iran's nuclear installations - Egyptian sources say that Saudi Arabia is [to put it in my own words] freaking out about all of this - Some of this has already been "leaked in Cairo Wednesday night to ... a publication which Egyptian intelligence often uses ..." Full Article and more details at debka.com QUESTIONS: Since this is so widely known now, will the Obama Administration talk about it? How has Hillary Clinton been involved in all of this? Will Israel soon find itself embroiled in a war with Iran and its puppet state Syria? How deeply will the U.S. get pulled in, and how will this affect our efforts on the ground in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan? RELATED: Syria: If Israelis declare war, we'll hit their cities US seeks to restore Damascus envoy Assad: Israel pushing Middle East to war Ehud Barak Warns Syria Of Confrontations, Incite Against Iran Netanyahu: If Hamas wants a deal - there will be one Analysis: negotiation with Iran an "unending waltz" After test failure, US warns Iran over defensive missiles Iranian Proxies: An Intricate and Active Web UN Gives Green Light for Israel, Syria, Iran War Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Functioning Iran Proxies (Updated)

FUNCTIONING IRAN PROXIES As of 1:30 PM (Chicago Time), 15 June 2009: 218.128.112.18:8080 and 218.206.94.132:808 and 218.253.65.99:808 218.253.65.99:808 and 219.50.16.70:8080 The June 12 general election in Iran smells bad. Very bad. Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed victory over challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi, but millions of Iranians question the honesty of the election results. A huge number of the ballots were cast on paper, yet only hours after the polling booths closed Ahmadinejad was officially declared the winner. The question was asked en masse, "How could the results have been known so quickly?" One way, of course, would be if the results were known in advance. In other words, if the fix was in for Ahmadinejad. This is what has tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets of Tehran and other cities, in protest of what they consider to be a case of election fraud. Another reason to be very suspicious of the election results is the fact that Iran has cracked down China-style on Internet activity. Social web sites, such as Facebook and others, have been effectively blocked by Iran's government. Twitter seems to be the only outlet for Iranians in Iran to communicate with the rest of the world. In 1989, their spiritual counterparts in the dark days of the Tiananmen Square Massacre used fax machines successfully to get their messages of despair and oppression out. Now, in Iran, Twitter is a digital message in a bottle, telling of police beatings, large-scale arrests and more of what you would expect from a totalitarian regime. The Australian newspaper reports this today about the communications crackdown: As reports of political violence in Iran intensified after Friday's disputed election won by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Islamic republic has managed to shut down most forms of communication with the outside world. Access to the popular networking site Facebook has been restricted on occasion before, during and after elections, stopping Iranians from sharing their stories with the world. But Twitter has somehow avoided being blocked and has provided a rare glimpse into the violence that has engulfed the capital, Tehran. The 140-character limit has not stopped protesters from giving vivid accounts of the violent scenes they had witnessed.... Mobile phone and satellite communications seem be to victims of jamming as well, according to a report from Guardian.co.uk. RELATED: Shots fired as more than 100000 Iranians defy rally ban - (15 June) Guardian.co.uk See Comments... Visit Our Online Store Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

Iran Protesters Killed, Violence Increasing

In the wake of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-election on Friday, June 12, thousands of protesters are in the streets. Many have been badly beaten by riot police. There are now reports that at least three protesters have been killed. The man who ran against Ahmadinejad in last week's election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, is urging his disappointed followers to act nonviolently. Many Iranians suspect that the election may have been rigged in favor of Ahmadinejad. In a government crackdown on opposition, more than 10 Iranian reformist leaders - supporters of Mousavi - have been arrested, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday. According to ynetnews.com, "The al-Arabiya network has reported at least three people dead in riots that broke out in Tehran following the results of the Iranian elections." Facebook, YouTube, Friend Feed, Twitter and other social networking sites were reportedly blocked on Saturday. (Source) Some are still able to get their messages out, however, such as these folks on Twitter, probably through third-party applications. BBC reports that "Some of the protesters in Tehran wore Mr Mousavi's campaign colour of green and chanted 'Down with the dictator', news agencies report." Photo source: http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/ RELATED: Riots Erupt in Tehran as Iranian President Ahmadinejad declares victory - LA Times Violence escalates in Iran, first deaths reported, communication cut off - breakingtweets.com West concerned by Iran fraud claims - Aljazeera.net Iran arrests 10 leaders of reformist groups - Agence France-Presse/Inquirer.net World reacts to Ahmadinejad election - Washington Times Iran news coverage - Guardian.co.uk Iran: True Revolution Against False Revolution - netwmd.com See Comments... Visit Our Online Store Chicago News Bench RSS Feed ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

ALERT - LEBANON LOBS ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL

BREAKING NOW, DEVELOPING: BEIRUT (AFP) – Israel shelled southern Lebanon on Saturday after a rocket slammed into its territory in a tit-for-tat exchange of fire across their tense border, sources on both sides said. Israeli public radio said a woman was lightly injured by flying glass in her home when the rocket landed near the Israeli town of Maalot near the Lebanese border. In Lebanon, panicked residents were fleeing the border area, where loud explosions could be heard, an AFP correspondent said. FULL REPORT... More as this develops....... CNB RSS Feed

No Shit: IAEA Says Iran Plans Secret Nuclear Experiments

From the "When Will We Learn" files, we get this so-called "news" on Thursday, October 30, 2008: "Iran has recently tested ways of recovering highly enriched uranium from waste reactor fuel in a covert bid to expand its nuclear program, according to an intelligence assessment made available to The Associated Press." Uhm, duh. This is "news" only in the strictest sense. It is more akin, however, to a nightmarish, recurrent dream. The only "news" in this story is this: "The intelligence, provided by a member of the 145-nation International Atomic Energy Agency, also says a report will soon be submitted to the Iranian leadership for a decision on whether to go ahead with the project." The dismaying part of the AP story: "The alleged tests loosely replicate Saddam Hussein's attempts to build the bomb nearly two decades ago. But experts question the conclusion by those providing the intelligence that Tehran, too, is trying to reprocess the fuel to make a nuclear weapon. They note that the spent fuel at issue as the source of the enriched uranium is not enough to yield the approximately 30 kilograms (65 pounds) of weapons-grade material needed for a bomb." FULL ARTICLE at AP... (Update, 9/13/2009: This story has mysteriously been removed by AP!!!) Why is that dismaying? Here's why: 1) This all sounds rather familiar, in a deja vu sort of way. The same AP report notes that "If the information is accurate then Iran is 'trying to get their nose in the tent' of reprocessing material potentially suitable for a warhead, said David Albright, whose Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security tracks suspect secret proliferators." Without rehashing history, we heard essentially the same thing from both the Clinton and the Bush administrations about Sadam Hussein and Iraq's desire to resurrect their nuclear materials processing plants. 2) Prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, warnings and coinciding reports from a number of our allies' intelligence agencies said that Iraq tried to get "yellow cake," (unprocessed uranium) from Africa. General Powell, the Bush stooge who just endorsed Obama, was roundly ridiculed by Democrats and the Left for being "duped" into presenting that so-called "lie" to the United Nations. News flash: There really was yellow cake in Hussein's hands, and in fact about 500 tons of it was transported for storage in Canada back in June of this year. CNN reported that on July 7, 2008. The fact of the yellow cake is more like history than news by now. Tragically, though, most Americans are still not aware of the 500 tons of uranium, thanks primarily to the intentional downplaying of the story by the mainstream media, which in some cases outright suppressed it. In fact, the Chicago Tribune actually apologized for downplaying the story ("An unforgivable omission" by Nancy Thorner). (Update, 9/13/2009: This story has mysteriously been removed by The Chicago Tribune!!! SEE THORNER'S FULL TEXT HERE: PROOF: SADDAM HAD URANIUM) Jim Garamone of the American Forces Press Service reported, "The Iraqi government asked the United States to help transfer the yellowcake -- as the ore is known -- from Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center near Baghdad to its buyer in Canada, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said today." The AFPS report was also on July 7, 2008. Note that AP reported today that, in the case of Iran, "the spent fuel at issue as the source of the enriched uranium is not enough to yield the approximately 30 kilograms (65 pounds) of weapons-grade material needed for a bomb." So how will the Democrats, who have been speaking against an Iranian nuclear program, avoid being labeled hypocrites in the Iran scenario, when they still mock the Bush Administration for the Iraqi yellow cake, which most Democrats and Liberals still refuse to believe was real? 3) Back in 2002 and 2003, prior to the invasion of Iraq, the US and its allies demanded repeatedly that Saddam Hussein come clean about his intentions to go ahead with nuclear weapons manufacturing (which are, of course, weapons of mass destruction). He ignored us, of course, as well as 17 United Nations resolutions. In 1998, for example, UN Security Council Resolution 1205 demanded that "Iraq must provide 'immediate, complete and unconditional cooperation' with UN and IAEA inspectors." [Source of summary: http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/01fs/14906.htm] Then, in late 2002, UNSCR 1441, the last of the pre-invasion resolutions, called for three things: (A) "The immediate and complete disarmament of Iraq and its prohibited weapons." (B) "Iraq must provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA full access to Iraqi facilities, individuals, means of transportation, and documents." and finally, warned Iraq that (C) "it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations." [Source of summary: http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/01fs/14906.htm] 3) How many UN resolutions will be required this time before Iran to backs down? Will Iran back down? What will the UN do if Iran does not back down? How would Obama respond to it if, God forbid, he is our president when the decision time arrives? If Iran ignores UN resolutions and continues to ignore diplomatic pleading and begging by the US and our allies, and if embargos and sanctions continue to be laughed at by Iran, the only option left is military force. Actually, there is another option, and that is the option of sticking our collective heads in the sand and trying to wish the problem away. The problem won't go away, of course, if left to the pleasure of Tehran. We should have learned that after Iraq ignored UN resolutions for a dozen years. We should have that after Hitler assured Chamberlain that Germany had no ill intentions for England. We should have learned that a thousand times over the course of history. Sadly, however, we seem to have missed all of those memos. RELATED: AFP: Iraqi uranium transferred to Canada France 24 Iraq sells uranium to Canada France 24