Rebels continue to class with Assad’s troops in an area of Homs dubbed ‘sniper alley’
– Fighting in Syria has destroyed the once bustling city of Homs where fighting has boiled down to one chaotic street dubbed ‘sniper alley’ – CNN
– Russia and China have come out fully against any planned military intervention in Syria, meaning that, for the mean time, diplomacy will have to suffice to calm down the escalating conflict there – Al-bawaba
– As thousands of protesters gathered outside to protest Mubaraks ‘lenient’ sentence, the former president’s health continues to deterioriate as he begins his life sentence – Al-Bawaba
– Al Qaeda’s #2 man has reportedly been eliminated by US drone attacks, causing many to wonder if Al-Qaeda has much left – Al-Bawaba
– Violence continues in Tripoli, Libya as a bomb went off outside of the United States embassy – BBC – Meanwhile though, the Tripoli airport has been cleared of the rebel militia who held it for over two days and flights have resumed – BBC
– Some in Germany have begun to question their country’s long accepted military support for Israel in light of two nuclear submarines that were recently sold to Egypt – BBC
– Continued US military intervention in Pakistan is hampering efforts to finally eradicate polio in the country – Polio incidents were reported in an all-time high this past year as human rights groups say mistrust grows between Pakistanis and any foreign influence due to destructive US military strikes – CNN
– The Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) has rejected a bill that would have allowed five Israeli buildings to legally exist on formerly Palestinian land – Al-Jazeera – Will Israel be adding another settlement onto Jerusalem, and how does this effect peace talks between Israel and Palestine? – Al-Jazeera
– Slavery still continues in Mauritania, though international efforts are slowly shedding light on this medieval custom persisting in the modern world – CNN
The Middle East Studies Program 