French and Syrian heads of state meet in advance of Mediterranean Summit, reflecting an improvement in the two influential countries’ relations regarding Lebanon:
- Sarkozy to Meet Syrian President (BBC News)
Iran’s Foreign Minister recognizes the US public’s aversion to yet another war…
- Iran Appears to Warm to Diplomacy (Washington Post)
…while Secretary Rice’s proposal for a US interests-section in Tehran meets skepticism regarding the sincerity of a possible policy shift toward diplomacy and multilateralism:
- Will the U.S. Open an Office in Iran? (Christian Science Monitor)
Recognizing the importance of education, local communities in Somali war-zones pool together resources to rebuild schools…
- Fighting for an Education (Inter Press Service/All Africa)
…while the US uses the dangerous humanitarian aid situation as a pretext to organize African Union forces in Al-Qaeda’s African stronghold:
- Nigeria and Burundi to Deploy Troops in Somalia (Christian Science Monitor)
While Western companies look to acquire Iraqi oil field contracts, the resource-rich nation still lacks the infrastructure to distribute its own gas and electricity:
Israel loosens restrictions on commercial goods crossing the border, perhaps allowing the reconstruction of destroyed Palestinian infrastructure:
- Gaza Gets First Cement for a Year (BBC News)
A move away from social conservatism in Egypt’s censorship board allows film-makers to approach more controversial topics and strive for foreign markets:
- A New Start for Egyptian Cinema (BBC News)
An Indonesian legislator advises the Corruption Eradication Commission to expand its bribery investigation of his colleague:
- Businessman Detained for Bribing Lawmaker (Jakarta Post)
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