Abu Ali Express in English

2021-08-11 23:06:37 A second helicopter landed in Ramallah, apparently with the head of the British intelligence services on board, most likely also on his way to meet with Abu Mazen, according to Palestinian sources. Open / Comment

2021-08-11 21:02:43 Another photo from Algeria Open / Comment

2021-08-11 20:57:05 Iran - Coronavirus

A clip of a nurse from an Iranian hospital:
"There's a tsunami of dead people here caused by the Coronavirus."

According to the Iranian Ministry of Health, in the past day 536 people died from the virus, and more than 42,000 new cases have been reported.

Supreme leader Khamenei stated in an announcement earlier that battling the virus is the most pressing issue Iran has to face at the moment. Open / Comment

2021-08-11 20:47:59 Israel - USA - West Bank

A helicopter with the chief of the CIA on board has landed in Ramallah, most likely ahead of a meeting between him and Abu Mazen.

Earlier today the chief of the CIA met with Israeli Prime Minister Bennett alongside senior members of Israeli defense servies.

The Syrian Research Institute speculated that the purpose of the visit, among other things, is to prevent Israel from responding to the Iranian attack on the ship at the Gulf of Oman, especially when the west is trying to persuade Iran to return to the negotiating table. Open / Comment

2021-08-11 20:32:59 After Greece, Lebanon and Turkey, huge forest fires in 14 different provinces in Algeria.

65 people have perished in the fires in the last two days, half of them are military personnel. Open / Comment

2021-08-10 21:21:41 The ship that was damaged in the port of Latakia

The "Nur News" website (affiliated with the Iranian government) claims that the ship that was damaged in Syria today is not Iranian - but rather Syrian. The website adds that a fire started on the ship, at a time when it wasn't carrying any cargo, as it was being repaired.

On the other hand, the vessel tracking company "Tanker Trackers" notes that this ship was previously used to transport Iranian oil to Syria. Open / Comment

2021-08-10 21:19:16 Why are Iranian ships sailing under the Panama flag?

Quite a few followers have approached me with the question of why Iranian ships sail under the Panama flag, or Liberian flag, etc.

Well there are a number of reasons:
First, a ship with a Panama flag will be accepted in many more countries as opposed to a ship with an Iranian flag.
Second, Liberia and Panama serve as tax havens for shipowners.
Third, mandatory procedures, such as safety protocols. Liberia and Panama are much more laxed when it comes to mandatory safety procedures.

There are political and economic reasons at play. Open / Comment

2021-08-10 17:57:38 Lebanon

Chairman of the Lebanese Medical Association:
"If the supply of diesel to the hospitals in Lebanon will not be guaranteed, then we will witness a major catastrophe very soon (the diesel is needed to run the generators which provide electricity for the hospitals)." Open / Comment

2021-08-10 17:53:47 Unofficial Iranian sources are reporting that the ship on which the explosion took place is the Iranian oil tanker "Wisdom", sailing under the Panama flag. Open / Comment

2021-08-10 17:52:49 A video of the fire on the ship in Latakia Open / Comment