Middle Orient

WITH America determined to thwart Iran’s possibly nuclear-tipped ambitions, and the Islamic Republic set on blocking the superpower’s regional sway, some are calling the contest between Iran and the United States a new cold war.

Egypt has increased security at its international airport in response to threats of an Al Qaida strike.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has announced a proposed $13 billion military aid deal with Egypt and a $30 billion military package for Israel.

The smuggling of weapons, ammunition and drugs through tunnels from Egypt into the Gaza Strip has dropped significantly since the Islamist movement Hamas took control in June, Egyptian military officials said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates will ask Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to help more with U.S. efforts in Iraq and discuss a big arms deal for Washington’s Gulf ally.

A 15-year-old Egyptian boy died on Tuesday of gunshot wounds sustained during anti-government protests between Sinai Bedouin and Egyptian police a day earlier near the border with the Gaza Strip, his father said.

An Israeli parliament committee passed a measure on Monday that would strip many post-office perks from disgraced former president Moshe Katsav, embroiled in a sex scandal. The Knesset finance committee voted to strip privileges accorded to former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and magistrates who have been convicted of moral turpitude …

Darfur’s rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has split again, a spokesman said on Monday, ahead of a United Nations and African Union (AU) meeting to unite the insurgents before peace talks with the Sudanese government.

Israel launched an air strike on Monday against a vehicle in the central Gaza Strip, wounding seven people, three of them activists, medics said.

JORDAN ON MONDAY took part in the meeting of the Arab League to discuss the efforts of the league’s ministerial committee tasked with rallying support for the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.