08/16/13

* Egypt crisis: Dozens dead in Egypt 'day of anger' At least 38 people have been killed in Egypt, officials say.

* The Pentagon Has Lost Its Leverage with Egypt. Now What? Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has been on the phone with his Egyptian counterpart, Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Sissi, almost every day.

* Defiant Hezbollah leader says ready to fight in Syria himself Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused radical Sunni Islamists on Friday of being behind a car bomb that killed 24 people in Beirut.

* US, Iraq work together to combat Syria spillover effects The United States and Iraq agreed on Thursday to boost cooperation to keep Iran from flying weapons over Iraq to Syria.

* Palestinians protest Egypt's bloody crackdown Hundreds of Palestinian Islamists rallied on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City Friday against the interim government in Egypt.

* Merkel backs plans to retake EU powers German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become the latest EU leader to raise the prospect of shifting powers.

* Netanyahu: Recognition of Jewish state is key issue in peace talks Palestinian refusal to recognize that Israel is a Jewish state is the core issue keeping the sides from reaching a peace agreement.

* Egypt's military leader is riding the wave of world condemnation The Egyptian military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, routed the Muslim Brotherhood, killing many of its members in a show of force.

* EU convenes emergency meeting on Egypt EU foreign ministers may be called to Brussels for snap talks on Egypt in the coming days.

* Mideast Christians: an Endangered Species in their Ancestral Land Egypt's Christians are being targeted and scapegoated for the ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood.