https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lawsuit-filed-against-a-us-shipping-company-linked-to-beirut

Lawsuit filed against a US shipping company linked to Beirut blast

The families of Beirut port blast victims have filed a lawsuit against US firm TGS Nopec Geophysical, owner of British firm Spectrum Geo for its suspected links to the Ammonium nitrate-carrying ship Rhosus.

The probe was filed this week in Texas against the US-Norwegian geophysical services group TGS.

Families of the Beirut port blast victims accuse Spectrum of "negligence that resulted in the death of their loved ones”.

Meanwhile, the prosecutors hope that Spectrum's exact role in the explosion will be clarified.

The explosion was described as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands, and destroying entire neighborhoods.

The complaint accuses Spectrum of chartering the Moldovan-flagged Rhosus in 2013 to sail to the port of Beirut, a dilapidated boat containing hundreds of tons of nitrates originally intended for Mozambique.

While the ship was not supposed to head to Beirut, Spectrum sent it there to retrieve a large amount of seismic analysis equipment, and as soon as it arrived, it began loading 160 tons of seismic survey equipment that the Lebanese authorities had allegedly previously requested.

The ship unloaded the ammonium nitrate and stored it in the Beirut port because the extra load could permanently break and damage the boat. The nitrates were left there for seven years.

The complaint says that chartering a boat that is "recklessly unseaworthy and carrying explosives without the necessary permits, is a violation of individual contract terms, local law, and industry best practice, and is ultimately responsible for this horrific explosion."

The cataclysmic explosion occurred when the remaining 2,750-tonne stock of ammonium nitrate left by Rhosus seven years earlier caught fire.

It is still unknown what caused the fire.

The nine plaintiffs are all US citizens and include Sarah Copland, the mother of two-year-old Isaac Copland, who was one of the explosion's youngest victims.

Ford O'Brien Landy LLP is the lead counsel in the "strict liability" case, and Accountability Now's lawyer Zena Wakim said TGS' response should be known "in the coming months."

"The evidence that will be generated by this lawsuit can also benefit the Lebanese investigation," Wakim said as quoted by AFP.

"The spirit of the claim is to benefit all the victims," she added.

Two years after the explosion, one of the victims, lawyer Tania Abu Alam, was quoted in Swiss newspaper Le Temps as saying: "There are a lot of gray areas. Why did Spectrum hire the Rhosus (the cargo-carrying ammonium nitrate) to transport earthquake machines when it was a death ship? ".

Abu Alam questioned the reason behind the company’s decision to choose this particular ship from among all available ships, despite the fact that it was already at 300 percent of its maximum allowable capacity, with 2,750 tons of explosives on board, flying the Moldovan flag, and lacking the ramps required to transport the alleged seismic machinery."

>> Planned years ago.

>>16731489

Kek! Everyone who visits Zelenski gets zapped a short time later. First to go was the British, next the Italian. Who's next? The German or the French?

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hamas:-bidens-visit-attempt-to-integrate-israel-into-region

Hamas: Biden's visit attempt to integrate "Israel" into region

Today, Wednesday, Hamas remarked that Biden's visit to "Israel" is an act of bias and support for the Israeli occupation and is a rejected attempt to integrate the entity into the region.

Biden, who landed in "Israel" today, will also be visiting Saudi Arabia, concluding his trip on July 16th.

In a press statement, Hamas said, "We are keeping up with Biden's visit to the Zionist entity and the region, and its agenda which clearly expresses this administration's continuous approach to bolstering and supporting the Zionist occupation, its past colonial aggression against our land, our people, and our sanctities, and its denial of the rights of our people."

"This visit is a practical embodiment of the US's absolute support for the occupation and its blatant bias towards it, and it constitutes a cover for its crimes against our land, our people and our holy sites, which holds the US administration politically, legally and humanitarian-wise accountable for the relevant repercussions," the statement added.

Furthermore, Hamas warned of "this visit's dangerous agendas," including "attempts to integrate the Zionist entity into the region and expand the scope of normalization along with it, which constitutes a new challenge to the security of the region and the stability of its populations."

The movement called on the Biden administration to "stop undermining the rights of the Palestinian people and stop siding with the brutal occupation that undermines international conventions, laws, and relevant Security Council resolutions."

In this context, Hamas urged the Palestinian Authority not to "bet on the US in protecting and supporting the rights of the Palestinian people."

Biden's visit to West Asia

It is expected that Biden will be visiting Saudi Arabia on a quest for more oil production and cementing a normalization agreement with "Israel". However, the visit is more involved in regional security than oil production.

With Biden's deeming Saudi Arabia a "pariah" state, while also blaming the Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the murderer of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Biden swallowed his pride and defended the trip as necessary for US security interests.

The US administration has been mediating negotiations to cede the very strategic islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, which claimed ownership of the islands before 1950, the year when Riyadh gave Egypt authority over them.

An earlier Axios report revealed that If negotiations between the US, "Israel", Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are successful, it will pave the way for the normalization of relations between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia.

>>16731498

60 is in red.

>>16731560

I hope he will b the next one to go.

>>16731522

It's the Zelenski curse.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/saudi-israeli-normalization-inevitable—ex-us-ambassador

Saudi-Israeli normalization 'inevitable' - ex-US ambassador

Riyadh and "Tel Aviv" normalizing ties is "inevitable," former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Westphal said Monday, urging US President Joe Biden to mend ties with the kingdom during his upcoming trip to the Gulf state.

"I think [normalization is] coming, that's absolutely coming, and it's inevitable. It's inevitable," Westphal told The National News on Monday. Westphal used to be Washington's ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Obama administration from 2014 until 2017.

Recent efforts, such as a push by the Biden administration ahead of Biden's trip to the region that will kick off today, have opened the door for the bolstering of ties.

The inevitability of normalization stems from the shift in Saudi Arabia's policy that will take place when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman takes the place of his father, King Salman, Westphal said, calling the matter a "generational shift" while also citing Riyadh and "Tel Aviv's" common security and economic interests.

"King Salman, who I got to know very well when I was there as ambassador and have huge respect for him, he is from the generation that really believes that we should do more to help the Palestinian people," he added. MBS, though, "is of a different generation that sees the world with a different set of lenses."

Saudi's policy, he said, will eventually shift as long as Washington continues working in West Asia and "support[ing] the Palestinian people."

Saudi Arabia and the Israeli occupation have been working closely together in technology, cyberspace, economy, and security, he said, hinting that Riyadh and "Tel Aviv" would grow closer soon.

Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia was described by the former diplomat as "extremely important" in the context of bilateral, regional, and global politics, especially in light of the schism that exists between Washington and Riyadh.

Over the past year and a half, ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia have been deteriorating in light of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the kingdom's position on oil production, especially following the start of the Ukraine war.

Riyadh has rebuffed requests by the United States for more oil, as Saudi Arabia has the potential of easing pressure on supply and prices, which would mitigate the current economic crisis.

"[Biden] is a bridge builder. He did it for years and years in the Senate, with Republican opponents and sometimes with his own Democrats who opposed him. He will come around and find a way to work with Prince Mohammed and to restore this relationship in a positive [manner]," the former diplomat said.

He proceeded to highlight the "sweeping social and economic reforms" enacted by MBS in Saudi Arabia, hailing the "progress" he made. "He's made mistakes and he's realized those mistakes and now it's time to you to put everything on the table."

Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia will see him attending a GCC meeting on Saturday, during which he will mainly discuss security and regional "defense", he said, noting that the US plays a unique role in the region's security.

"It focuses on things like security, cyber security, intelligence, as well as economic trade and development. In other words, to create a better union of these countries to protect the trade routes," he said regarding the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting.

"This would be just the beginning, the first step, then we will send the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, the secretary of commerce, engage the private sector and others within the region to talk about how we work on all these issues," Westphal stressed.

Reports about Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia visit - ironically - come the same day as White House Spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said Biden's remarks about Saudi Arabia, which he described as a "pariah", still stood.

The Biden admin has been cooperating closer and closer with Saudi Arabia in recent months, especially on the Saudi-led war on Yemen, as Washington pushed Riyadh to extend an armistice with Sanaa. Biden also went as far as praising the role of Saudi officials in the armistice, saying that the country "demonstrated courageous leadership" just because it decided to stop dropping bombs on Yemeni civilians - as it has been doing for nearly a decade.

>>16731710

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sri-lanka-protesters-to-hand-back-official-buildings

Sri Lanka protesters to hand back official buildings

Anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka announced the end of their occupation of government buildings on Thursday, vowing to continue their campaign to depose the President and Prime Minister considering the country's catastrophic economic situation.

Protesters had stormed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's palace over the weekend, forcing him to leave for the Maldives the next day, and later on, they also stormed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office. Rajapaksa had promised to quit on Wednesday, but no statement had been made.

In his absence, Rajapaksa appointed the Premier as Acting President, ordering the evacuation of official buildings and instructing security personnel to do "whatever is necessary to restore order."

"We are peacefully withdrawing from the Presidential Palace, the Presidential Secretariat, and the Prime Minister's Office with immediate effect, but will continue our struggle," a spokeswoman for the protesters said.

Hundreds of thousands of people had sit-ins within the property after Rajapaksa fled and his security guards backed down.

Wickremesinghe claimed on television after thousands of protesters stormed his office in Colombo, "Those who come to my office want to prevent me from carrying out my duty as acting president."

"We can't allow fascists to take over. That is why I declared a nationwide emergency and a curfew," he added.

President on the run

On Thursday, Rajapaksa is in the Maldives, expecting a private jet to take him, his wife Ioma, and two bodyguards to Singapore.

According to local media, he refused to board a commercial airplane with other passengers after being met with hostility when he arrived in the Maldives early Wednesday.

As he walked out of Velana International Airport, he was booed and insulted, and another group mounted a protest in the capital that afternoon, imploring Maldivian authorities not to allow him safe passage. According to Maldivian media, he spent the night at the Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi super luxury resort.

They compared his opulent lodgings with his countrymen's economic suffering, with four out of five Sri Lankans skipping meals due to the country's catastrophic economic crisis.

According to security sources in Colombo, Rajapaksa is expected to leave the Maldives on Thursday, and his resignation could be announced once he is in the air. "The resignation letter has been prepared," the source told AFP. "No sooner he gives the green light, the Speaker will issue it."

The diplomatic sources stated that Rajapaksa's attempts to obtain a visa to the United States were denied because he relinquished his US citizenship in 2019 before campaigning for president.

Last week, thousands of men and women stormed Rajapaksa's residence, which drove him out to escape to a military base, later fleeing the country, on the day he previously promised to resign.

In April, all 24 ministers of Sri Lanka's cabinet resigned from their posts amid protests and clashes in the capital, Colombo.

Sri Lanka has been facing a severe shortage of fuel, medicine, and food, as well as record inflation rates.

Economic crisis

The political turmoil in Sri Lanka, coupled with the worst economic crisis in seven decades, has been exacerbated by a severe shortage of foreign currency, which has slowed imports of essentials such as fuel, food, and medicines.

The financial crisis arose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the tourism-dependent economy and reduced remittances from overseas workers.

It has been exacerbated by the government's massive and growing debt, rising oil prices, and a seven-month ban on importing chemical fertilizers last year, which devastated agriculture.

Petrol has been severely rationed, and long lines have formed in front of cooking gas stores. In order to save fuel, the government has asked people to work from home and has closed schools. Headline inflation in the 22-million-person country reached 54.6% last month, and the central bank has warned that it could reach 70% in the coming months.

>>16731722

>>16731761

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-calls-for-forming-anti-iran-alliance-following-lapid-m

Biden calls for forming anti-Iran alliance following Lapid meeting

US President Joe Biden discussed with caretaker Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid means of integrating "Tel Aviv" in the region, according to a statement following a meeting with the premier.

"At the conclusion of his meeting with Lapid, Biden stated that they spoke of ways to integrate the Israeli occupation into the region and his adherence to his security," Israeli KAN broadcaster reported.

The Israeli leader, on the other hand, said he spoke with Biden about "the Iranian threat, and we believe that this matter is not only a matter of concern for Israel, but the world as a whole […] there will be no nuclear Iran."

"We spoke about Saudi Arabia and the importance of forming a regional coalition to counter Iran," Lapid added.

Iranian Shura Council Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tuesday that the expansion of NATO toward the east and its neglect of geopolitical consequences has caused the war to erupt in Ukraine, pointing out that this scenario is now being repeated in West Asia.

A few days prior to this statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that "the plans of the US and Israel to conclude a joint military agreement with Arab countries will only increase tension in the region," stressing that "this issue is provocative, and Iran views these statements as a threat to its national security and the security of the region."

"The United States and the fake Zionist entity seek to destabilize the region," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said in late June, noting that their plans of establishing an Arab-Israeli coalition were "a mere illusion, and those who stand behind it have other goals, such as selling arms in the region."

The Israeli official also stressed his disapproval of Washington's return to the 2015 nuclear agreement, calling on his western ally to pressure Tehran into returning to the negotiations table to work out an "alternative agreement".

'Israel' safer with new Iran nuclear deal

President Biden, in a bid to assure his allies in the Israeli occupation regarding their concerns about Iran's nuclear capabilities, said he would use force to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and pledged not to give in to the Islamic Republic's key demands.

"If that was the last resort, yes," Biden said upon being asked if he would use force against the Islamic Republic to stop it from further developing its nuclear program.

Former US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018 rendered "Israel" more vulnerable, Biden argued. It will be safer with a renewed agreement, he added.

"The only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons, and if we can return to the deal, we can restrict them," Biden told Israeli Channel 12. "I think it was a gigantic mistake for the last president to get out of the deal. They're closer to a nuclear weapon now than they were before."

Major powers and Iran were holding talks in the Austrian capital of Vienna with the aim of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement and returning the United States to it following Washington's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who accompanied his decision with the imposition of harsh sanctions on Tehran.

The negotiations are yet to yield a deal, and Biden wants to ensure that Washington, "Tel Aviv", and Riyadh are on the same page on Tehran if the Iran nuclear talks fail, The New York Times said, noting that the US President is hoping the talks succeed.

"I still think it makes sense," he said. "We've laid it out on the table, we've made the deal, we've offered it, and it's up to Iran now."

Biden is likely to face questions from the Israeli occupation and Gulf states, namely Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, about the wisdom of Washington's attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid have been reportedly discussing signing an accord that will see the two upping the commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and carrying out "destabilizing activities", a senior US administration official said Thursday.

Part 1

>>16731793

The signing of the agreement will take place during Biden's visit to occupied Palestine, the first leg of his West Asia tour. He arrived at Al-Lydd's Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday, where he was received by high-ranking Israeli officials on his first official visit to occupied Palestine as President. He is scheduled to meet with Lapid and other senior Israeli officials on Thursday.

The tour will see the US leader try and mend ties with Saudi Arabia to persuade Riyadh and other Gulf allies to pump out more oil in the markets as the Biden administration faces mounting criticism over the soaring oil prices.

"This declaration is pretty significant, and it includes a commitment to never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon and to address Iran's destabilizing activities, particularly threats to Israel," the official revealed.

The new declaration signed between Washington and "Tel Aviv" would emphasize the former's support for the normalization process with the Israeli occupation and expanding the occupation's colonial objectives in the region.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-israeli-leaders-jointly-pledge-to-deny-iran-nuclear-weapo

>> Wait till you see what the other side is doing.

>>16731793

>>16731761

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/tehran-is-moscows-reliable-partner:-russian-deputy-foreign-m

Tehran is Moscow’s reliable partner: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, considered on Thursday that Iran is Russia’s reliable partner, and Moscow intends to increase cooperation with Tehran, especially amid external pressure.

"We see in Iran a reliable partner, a like-minded country in the context of global changes associated with the formation of a multipolar world order and the attempts of the collective West to resist this objective process by all means," Bogdanov told a conference about Russia-Iran relations.

The diplomat stressed that increased Moscow-Tehran cooperation would be the best response to challenges imposed by the West.

>> US and Israel on one side. Russia and Iran on the other side.

>>16731907

He looks so girly.

>>16731916

Macron resigning maybe

>>16731929

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/borrell:-eu-needs-to-refill-stocks-drained-by-supplies-to-uk

Borrell: EU needs to refill stocks drained by supplies to Ukraine

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday that the European Union should increase cooperative weapons purchases to restore stocks depleted by the military support provided to Ukraine, improving NATO and the bloc's defensive capacities.

According to the EU foreign policy chief, the EU needs more deployable and interoperable armed forces to confront the whole spectrum of dangers and threats the unit is now experiencing. This would demand more defense spending by the member states. Borrell contends that it is critical to use money more effectively at the same time.

"The defense investment gap analysis presented to EU leaders last May shows the nature of the problem, but also what can be done, for example with the Commission and the European Defence Agency supporting member states to proceed with joint procurement. One urgent example is the replenishing of stockpiles depleted due to the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine," Borrell said in a blog.

>> This one wins the biggest kek of the day

>>16731973

Seems François Hollande is involved too.

>>16732016

>>16732149