Friday, July 23, 2010

07/23/10

* Israel urges Lebanon and world: Stop new Gaza flotilla or we will Israel is urging Lebanon and the international community to prevent two ships from sailing to the Gaza Strip from a Lebanese port.

* U.S. upgrades diplomatic ties with Palestinians in bid to woo Abbas The U.S. announced this week that it would upgrade its diplomatic relations with the PA by granting its mission in Washington.

* 'Very dangerous' pro-Al Qaida group said active in every West Bank city The Palestinian Authority has intensified surveillance over a pro-Al Qaida movement. .

* Hague confirms Kosovo's independence The UN's highest court declared Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia to be legal on Thursday.

* FBI Targets Online Terror, 70,000 Blogs Closed As many as 70,000 blogs have been shut down as the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation targets online terrorism.

* NKorea tensions spike at Asian security forum North Korea on Friday threatened the United States and South Korea with a "physical response" to planned weekend naval exercises.

* Gaza tunnel smugglers cutting through Egypt's wall A Palestinian tunnel smuggler with a blowtorch sliced through an underground steel wall early Thursday.

* Hezbollah members 'facing Rafik Hariri charges' Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the militant Shia movement, said some of the group would be indicted by the UN-backed court within the coming months.

* Iran Revolutionary Guards Begin to Feel the Bite of Sanctions The industrial wing of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, Khatam al-Anbiya, has pulled out of development projects in the South Pars gas field due to international sanctions.

* IDF expects Hizbullah to target roads Fearing massive missile fire on main roads and bases in a future war with Hizbullah and Syria, the IDF will in the near future test its ability to move assets and platforms.