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Geopolitics

Tunisia, Lebanon, Pakistan: Anti-West Riots Spread Further Across Muslim World

AL JAZEERA (Qatar), REUTERS, BBC (UK), SANA (Syria)

Worldcrunch

Anger against the West is spreading throughout the Muslim world as further reports of attacks on the UK, German and US embassies develop Friday afternoon.

Following Pope Benedict XVI's arrival Friday for a three-day trip to Lebanon, anti-Western protests amassed in the country's second-largest city Tripoli. Reuters reports at least one demonstrator has been killed and a branch of the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food restaurant was set on fire earlier in the afternoon.

Reuters is also reporting that the U.S. Embassy compound in Tunis has been attacked, with officials firing warning shots. Demonstrators in Tunisia, where the pro-democracy Arab Spring was launched, are reportedly waving an Islamic flag similar to the one used after protestors tore down the American flag in Cairo on Tuesday, that reads: "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger."

Al Jazeera is currently reporting that black smoke is rising from the German embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. Reports have confirmed that the fire has been contained in the embassy compound and not the building itself.

RT @reuters: FLASH: Protesters set fire to American school in Tunis, follow live updates here: bit.ly/PpLQAG

— Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) September 14, 2012

SANA the state-run Syrian news agency is reporting that hundreds of protesters have assembled outside the American embassy in Damascus. The protesters seem to be pro-Syrian government supporters, brandishing images of current President Bashar al-Assad.

The BBC reported there have also been additional clashes in Egypt and Yemen, which have witnessed previous scenes of anti-American discontent.

Similar protests against the anti-Islam film have spread to Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria and Pakistan amongst others since Tuesday.

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

Nuclear Card And Firing Squads: Lukashenko's Long Game To Retain Power

A few weeks after an explosion at a military field in Belarus, Vladimir Putin announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. There is a connection, even if Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko is walking a tight rope of domestic control and keeping Putin satisfied.

Image of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin in his arms.

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko welcoming his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Minsk National Airport.

Igar Ilyash

-Analysis-

Back on the afternoon of February 26, local Belarus media reported explosions at the military airfield in Machulishchy, near Minsk, and increased activity of military services. Soon after, the BYPOL association, created by former security forces to fight the regime of Alexander Lukashenko,, announced that Belarusian partisans had used drones to attack a Russian A-50U long-range radar detection aircraft.

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Neither Minsk nor Moscow acknowledged that such a valuable aircraft had been disabled. However, a few days later, the A-50U left the territory of Belarus for repairs.

The day after the explosions, Lukashenko convened a meeting of the security forces. He looked agitated, demanding "the strictest discipline" and spoke vaguely about some "internal events" and attempts to "stir up" the situation in Belarus. The Belarusian authorities publicly acknowledged the sabotage only on March 7.

That same day, Lukashenko accused the Ukrainian special services of organizing the terrorist attack in Machulishchy. "Well, the challenge has been met," he declared, before quickly clarifying that he did not intend to use the incident to draw Belarus into war. "If you think that throwing this challenge will drag us into a war that is already going on all over Europe, you are mistaken."

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