6. august 2006

Iran attempted to smuggle uranium from Africa It has been uncovered that Iran has tried to smuggle uranium from the Congo: A United Nations report, dated July 18, said there was “no doubt” that a huge shipment of smuggled uranium 238, uncovered by customs officials in Tanzania, was transported from the Lubumbashi mines in the Congo. Tanzanian customs officials told The Sunday Times it was destined for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, and was stopped on October 22 last year during a routine check. The disclosure will heighten western fears about the extent of Iran’s presumed nuclear weapons programme and the strategic implications of Iran’s continuing support for Hezbollah during the war with Israel.  Iran just said it has no intention of honoring the Security Council's demand for an end to enrichment. I guess that can be called saying the blindingly obvious. 6:25:23 PM    comment []  trackback []

The reality according to Reuters Charles at LGF has an example of a photoshopped picture of Beirut by Reuter's Adnan Hajj, incidentally the same man who took a few of the staged Qana pictures. I suspect this fraud will have no consequences for the involved. Reuters could just as well be the PR department of Hamas or Hezbollah. If they aren't, they are doing a good job for free. Update: Well, this time he didn't get away with it. Reuters withdraws photograph of Beirut after Air Force attack after US blogs, photographers point out 'blatant evidence of manipulation.' Reuters' head of PR says in response, 'Reuters has suspended photographer until investigations are completed into changes made to photograph.' Photographer who sent altered image is same Reuters photographer behind many of images from Qana, which have also been subject of suspicions for being staged. More important than deceptive photo manipulation by itself, which is serious enough, is the fact that this is an obvious example of which bias these press agencies have. 12:32:13 PM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2006 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.09.2006; 04:59:15.