Daily News Brief — August 6, 2010
UAE says Japanese tanker was attacked The UAE is confirming that the Japanese oil tanker damaged last month in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman was in fact attacked. Brigades of Abdullah Azzam — an al Qaeda-linked group — claims one of its suicide bombers hit the tanker. The group posted its announcement on the ...
UAE says Japanese tanker was attacked
The UAE is confirming that the Japanese oil tanker damaged last month in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman was in fact attacked. Brigades of Abdullah Azzam -- an al Qaeda-linked group -- claims one of its suicide bombers hit the tanker. The group posted its announcement on the Internet, and said it delayed going public with its hand in the attack until other group members involved in the operation "returned safely to base."
UAE says Japanese tanker was attacked
The UAE is confirming that the Japanese oil tanker damaged last month in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman was in fact attacked. Brigades of Abdullah Azzam — an al Qaeda-linked group — claims one of its suicide bombers hit the tanker. The group posted its announcement on the Internet, and said it delayed going public with its hand in the attack until other group members involved in the operation “returned safely to base.”
- Tareq Aziz, Saddam’s former deputy prime minister, says the U.S. is “leaving Iraq to the wolves.”
- Saudi Arabia implements a BlackBerry ban starting today, while Algeria also considers joining the ban.
- Conflicting statements on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reflect a rift in the ruling party.
- Settlers assault a Palestinian woman in Hebron.
- Peace in Palestine could boost Palestinian economy by 20 percent.
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai shakes hands with his counterparts from Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Tajikistan’s Emomali Rakhmon in Tehran on August 05, 2010 at the Trilateral Summit (Atta KenareAFP/Getty Images).
Arguments & Analysis?
‘Israel’s security trap’ (Paul Rogers, Open Democracy) Current Israeli evaluation of its regional threats (Michael Oren, Washington Post) is based on a narrative of preparing for peace, preparing for war, and ultimately deciding on a course based on the degree to which a united regional opposition chooses to cross certain ‘lines in the sand’. Yet rather than achieving specific targets and objectives that would yield regional fruits, the status quo security mindset in Israel is in fact ill-equipped to deal with its challenges–and only sets up the further likelihood of perpetual regional conflict and continued insecurity for the country.
‘Triangle of trouble: Egypt’s restive bedouin population’ (The Economist) Recent skirmishes involving the Sinai have seen both Egyptian security forces shooting at migrants attempting to cross into Israel, and also rockets launched from the desert into both Israel and Jordan. While the region seems to always attract news (and not the good kind), what remains largely unreported is the degree of strained relations between the government and the Sinai’s frustrated bedouin population–an issue that is likely to get worse before it gets better.
‘Case studies: child workers in Gaza’ (BBC News) With continued rates of widespread unemployment and a general economic picture in tatters, a growing number of Gazan children, increasingly unable to attend school, have begun to take up whatever forms of employment can be found.
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