22 Aug 10
At least 59 people were killed in a suicide bomb in Baghad, Iraq. The attack came a day after talks on forming a coalition government were suspended, and just as American troops start to withdraw from Iraq.
Lebanon’s parliament passed a law which allows Palestinian refugees to work legally. The law gives 400,000 Palestinians the same rights as other foreign workers and ends years of discrimination which limited them to the most menial jobs.
Dubai’s DP World, a large operator of ports, said recovering world-trade volumes has boosted its first-half profits by 17% to $219m.
16 Aug 10
After talks with George Mitchell (US envoy to the Middle-East), Mahmoud Abbas (president of the Palestine Authority) said that direct talks between his side and Israel will resume after a 2-year hiatus.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani of Iraq received a letter from Barack Obama, in which Obama urged him to persuade country’s rival parties to forge a coalition before the departure of US combat troops at the end of this month. Iraq’s elections in March remain inconclusive, a new government is yet to be established.
05 Aug 10
Barack Obama confirmed that the USA will end combat operations in Iraq on the 31st of August, “as promised and on schedule”. Around 50,000 troops will remain to train local security forces.
Clashes broke out on the border between Israel and Lebanon when Israeli troops tried to cut down a tree that both sides claimed was in their territory. Four people were killed. The UN Security Council expressed “deep concern” over the worst border clash since 2006.
31 Jul 10
At least 16 people have been killed in the Iraqi capital Baghdad in a series of shootings and explosions. Three soldiers were reportedly shot in a Sunni district, and several bombs exploded in the same area as security forces arrived at the scene. Iraq is on a high alert for militant attacks following the elections in March which have not produced a clear winner yet.
The Arab League has endorsed restarting direct Palestinian peace talks with Israel. Israeli PM Netanyahu has publicly stated he wishes to start as soon as possible. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas suspended talks in 2008 after Israel carried out an offensive on Gaza in response to, Israel said, Palestinian rocket fire.
26 Jul 10
Avigdor Lieberman, foreign minister of Israel, stated that European governments should assist in making Gaza entirely independent. This would separate Gaza for good from the West Bank, and lighten Israel’s obligations towards its citizens. PM Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed, suggesting strains within his coalition.
Dubai-based airline Emirates announced an order of 30 Boeing 777 passenger jets, a deal worth $9.1 billion. The announcement comes just a month after the company placed a record $11.5 billion order for 32 Airbus A380 super-jumbos.
23 Jul 10
A group of gunmen suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda attacked to security buidlings in the southern province of Abyan, Yemen. It was the second such attack on offices of Yemen’s security service in the past few weeks.
An internal Israeli military investigation concluded that “mistakes were made…at a relatively senior level” during the raid of the ‘Gaza flotilla’ in late May.
Nakheel, a property developer owned by Dubai World, met with creditors in an attempt to renegotiate its $10.5 bn in bank debt. Dubai World caused a scare on the financial markets last November after announcing a freeze on debt repayments.
12 Jul 10
Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Fadlallah died aged 74 in Beirut, Lebanon. Fadlallah, a prominent Lebanese twelver Shia marja, was a spiritual mentor to Hezbollah and to Iraq’s ruling Dawa party. In his later years he urged tolerance among the region’s many sects.
At least 45 Iraqi Shia pilgrims were killed during a series of bombings in Baghdad. Most of them were on their way to a shrine.
05 Jul 10
Turkey closed its airspace to Israeli military flights, one month after the flotilla raid in Gaza which left 9 Turks dead. Nonetheless, there were secret talks between an Israeli envoy and the Turkish foreign minister in an attempt to restore ties between the former allies.
27 Jun 10
According to the World Gold Council, Saudi Arabia’s gold reserves were said to be more than twice as high as previously estimated. The Kingdom is thought to hold 323 tonnes of gold, accounting for only 2.8% of the Saudi central bank’s total reserves.
Iraq’s minister for electricity resigned after protests following a failing energy supply in certain areas. Many towns had energy for less than 3 hours per day, amid temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius.
The Baghdad headquarters of the Trader Bank of Iraq was attacked by insurgents thought to be linked to Al-Qaeda, killing at least 26 people. The assault followed the storming of the country’s central bank last week, leaving at least 18 dead.
23 Jun 10
Israel eased the blockade of the Gaza Strip following intense international pressure after the Gaza flotilla raid. Under UN supervision, building materials and an increased number of civilian goods will be permitted.
