Middle East

Israel hits hundreds of targets in Gaza as soldier is confirmed missing
Israel continued to pound Gaza overnight, including hitting 100 targets in Shujai'iya, the scene of the most intense fighting of the conflict, as the Israeli military confirmed that one of its soldiers was missing. Hamas claimed on Sunday that it had captured an Israeli soldier during the intense battle in Shujai'iya. [...]
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Israeli tank strikes on Gaza hospital kill 4, scores injured – medics
Four Palestinian's have been killed and dozens wounded after an Israeli tank shell hit the third floor of Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza, according to a Health Ministry spokesman. Ashraf Al-Qidra said that the third floor housed an intensive care unit and operating theaters. [...]
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US admits sending “lethal aid” to Syrian rebels
Washington is supplying some Syrian rebels with both "lethal and non-lethal" aid, according to National Security Adviser Susan Rice, who confirmed the longstanding suspicion that the Obama administration is arming anti-Assad forces. “That’s why the United States has ramped up its support for the moderate vetted opposition, providing lethal and nonlethal support where we can to support both the [...]
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Egypt proposes ceasefire to Israel, Hamas
Egypt has launched an initiative to end the Israel-Gaza conflict by establishing a truce between the two sides which will start at 6 a.m. GMT on Tuesday. It will be followed by a 12-hour ceasefire, Egypt's state news agency reported. The truce is to be followed by negotiations in Cairo in 48 hours which will be attended by both sides, according to AFP. [...]
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Thousands of civilians flee Gaza, Palestinian death toll surpasses 160
Thousands have fled northern Gaza after Israel warned residents to leave the area to avoid airstrikes. At least 167 people, mostly civilians, have already died as a result of Operation Protective Edge, which entered its sixth day on Sunday. Israel dropped leaflets in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya, located near the border with Israel, urging residents to leave the region by midday Sun [...]
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Sunni militants seize Tal Afar city of 200k citizens enlarging control of Iraq
The Sunni militants fighting to make an Islamic state in Iraq have scored another victory in their move to control more territory. They captured Tal Afar, a city of 200,000 residents in north-west of the country. The city was taken just before dawn on Monday, Mayor Abdulal Abdoul confirmed to AP. [...]
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“€˜Blair Has Finally Gone Mad!” London mayor ridicules ex-PM over Iraq
Tony Blair'€™s essay on how the Middle East should blame its own religious dynamics for its troubles -€“ instead of Western attempts at intervention - has seen London Mayor Boris Johnson launch a scathing attack on the "€œunhinged"€ former PM. Johnson’s strong condemnation is a reaction to the arguments made in the former British Prime Minister’s piece entitled 'Iraq, Syria and the Mi [...]
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The birth of a Eurasian century: Russia and China do Pipelineistan
A specter is haunting Washington, an unnerving vision of a Sino-Russian alliance wedded to an expansive symbiosis of trade and commerce across much of the Eurasian land mass - at the expense of the United States. And no wonder Washington is anxious. That alliance is already a done deal in a variety of ways: [...]
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Coups for export: US has history of supporting anti-govt upheavals
The US has been selective in supporting the self-determination of nations. It continues to dismiss Crimea's choice to reunite with Russia, while at the same time backs the coup in Kiev. And the idea is hardly new for Washington. The current situation in Ukraine has something in common with the one in Colombia, James Petras, a political analyst and Professor (Emeritus) at Binghamton University, New [...]
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Obama 2013: How low can you go?
No doubt 2013 will go down as Barack Obama'€™s annus horribilis. The President of the United States (POTUS) currently faces a 55 percent disapproval rating on "€œthe way he is handling his job,"€ according to the latest Washington Post-ABC poll. [...]
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Putin: Russia not aspiring to be superpower, or teach others how to live
Russia does not seek the role of a regional or global hegemony, but will defend its core values and interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. All attempts to impose on other nations have failed, he added. [...]
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The Test We’re Giving Iran Is Rigged
Why Obama has to go bigger, much bigger, in making a deal with Iran -- or be prepared for a messy failure. Be still, my heart. First Iranian President Hasan Rouhani embarks on a very charming charm offensive. Perhaps a breakthrough is at hand. But then he decides to forgo a handshake with President Barack Obama and skips lunch. [...]
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American exceptionalism an “€˜outdated”€™ concept
The longstanding notion of US exceptionalism has deep roots in the American psyche, but as the world experiences a “tectonic shift in global geopolitics” the very idea of Washington’s superiority is being challenged, analyst Eric Draitser told RT. Earlier this week, President Barack Obama reaffirmed Washington's desire to engage in the affairs of other states, particularly in the Mi [...]
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It’s Not Just Rouhani. Many Israelis Want to Come Clean About Their Nukes, Too.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani demanded on Thursday that Israel to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, a step that would require Israel to dismantle the nuclear weapons it has never publicly acknowledged that it possesses. It's a time-honored talking point from Tehran's leaders. But it comes with an ironic twist. [...]
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UN nuclear meeting rejects Arab push for Israel to join weapons pact
Member states of the UN nuclear agency voted down an Arab-backed resolution targeting the Jewish state for criticism over its clandestine nuclear weapons arsenal. Fifty-one countries voted against the so-called ‘Israeli Nuclear Capabilities’ measure and 43 states voted for it in what was viewed as a victory for the United States, which opposed the initiative. [...]
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