UPDATES: News and Links

 

Gaza blockade ends: Egyptian authorities open Rafah Crossing permanently Saturday morning after four years, first Gaza bus crosses into Egypt; Palestinians want Cairo to also allow goods to pass through crossing

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4074927,00.html

Fatah official hails 'brave' Egyptian decision to open Rafah crossing

Deputy Hamas FM says opening of Egypt-Gaza border crossing 'a unique and positive development'; crossing had been closed since 2007.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/fatah-official-hails-brave-egyptian-decision-to-open-rafah-crossing-1.364572

 

Arab League chief backs U.N. path for Palestinians

DOHA (Reuters) - The head of the Arab League said on Saturday the Palestinians should seek U.N. recognition for their statehood in September because negotiations with Israel have proven futile.

http://www.indianas4.com/sns-rt-us-palestinians-isrtre74r10a-20110528,0,7980450.story

Death toll from Syrian protests on the rise

(CNN) -- The death toll in Friday's violence in Syria rose to as many as 13 Saturday, according to human rights activists.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/05/28/syria.unrest/index.html?eref=edition_meast&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fedition_meast+%28RSS%3A+Middle+East%29

Sporadic gunfire fills Yemeni capital after mediation efforts fail

(CNN) -- Sporadic gunfire erupted in the Yemeni capital early Saturday evening, just moments after a mediation deadline expired without a peace agreement between the country's long-time president Ali Abdullah Saleh and tribal factions, according to witnesses and a senior tribal leader involved in mediation efforts who was not authorized to speak to the media.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/05/28/yemen.unrest/index.html?eref=edition_meast&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fedition_meast+%28RSS%3A+Middle+East%29

Travelers sought as Gaza terminal empties quickly

(Reuters) - Hamas policemen at the Rafah border crossing toured nearby coffee shops on Saturday calling on travelers to Egypt to go to the terminal which emptied fast under Cairo's easier travel procedures.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/28/us-palestinians-egypt-crossing-idUSTRE74R18820110528?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29

Egypt permanently opens Gaza border crossing

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) - Egypt lifted a four-year-old blockade on the Gaza Strip's main link to the outside world Saturday, bringing relief to the crowded territory's 1.5 million Palestinians but deepening a rift with Israel since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year.

http://www.news9.com/story/14740049/in-border-opening-gazan-relief-but-israeli-worry

NATO's commander for north Afghanistan survived Takhar blast

(Reuters) - The top commander of foreign troops in north Afghanistan was in the compound of the governor of Takhar province when a huge blast killed two top Afghan police officers, but he survived the attack, a NATO spokesman said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/28/us-afghanistan-blast-idUSTRE74R11Z20110528?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29

Obama reaffirms US security pledge to ally Poland

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama pledged close U.S. cooperation with Poland on Saturday on missile defense, the upgrading of its air defenses and in developing shale gas and nuclear power to boost its energy security.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/28/us-poland-obama-idUSTRE74Q5FW20110528?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29

Qaddafi and rebel commanders agree on truce. NATO carries on war

Combat in Libya is winding down. debkafile's exclusive military sources report that Muammar Qaddafi and the rebel commanders are close to concluding a series of accords for ending the war after two weeks of secret talks. Meanwhile, as NATO warplanes continued to pound Tripoli Wednesday night, May 25,

http://www.debka.com/article/20969/

Mubarak fined for cutting internet and phones

Former president and two other former officials fined by Egyptian court for cutting communications.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/05/201152811555458677.html

Ex-British diplomat criticises US commander

Former ambassador to Afghanistan, Sherard Cowper-Coles, harshly criticises Petraeus.

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2011/05/2011527114512723286.html

Yemen to cartoonist: 'We can squash you'

Exposing crimes of Yemen's president and the US military is a dangerous game, one cartoonist learns.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/05/2011527819552932.html