ONS: 01 August 2012

by TRG Alerts Admin on August 1, 2012

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: In Somalia, security forces shot dead a suicide bomber targeting the venue for a national conference on a draft constitution, while a second bomber blew himself up and wounded six police officers.
AMERICAS: Mexican prosecutors filed charges against three generals for allegedly providing protection to the Beltran-Leyva drug cartel
ASIA: In Afghanistan, the ISAF reported a senior Taliban commander had been captured during an operation in Zabul province.
EUROPE: Spain’s government set debt limits for regions, though Catalonia and Andalucia rejected them.
MIDDLE EAST: Iran has allowed the Taliban to open an office in eastern Iran and discussed providing them with surface-to-air missiles, ramping up the potential for cooperation with the insurgents.
TECHNOLOGY: Dropbox admitted some user accounts were hacked and that it was adding security features in response

TOP STORY

Syria: Battle of Aleppo continued, Assad calls on Syrian army to fight harder

The army continued fighting for control over Aleppo, striking rebel positions with aircraft and artillery.
President Assad made public remarks addressing security forces, calling on them to continue fighting a “crucial” battle for the fate of the nation.
Members of the Syrian National Council, dissatisfied with the organization, formed a new opposition group, the Council for the Syrian Revolution.
Coverage: NYT, BBC, Guardian, Reuters, Al Jazeera, AP, CNN

AFRICA

DR Congo: Government forces abandoned villages to rebel forces in eastern DRC after running out of ammunition, diplomats said amid mounting concern over the new conflict. (AFP)
Egypt: PM Qandil selected his new cabinet, which will be formally announced on Thursday. (AFP)
Libya: Seven Iranian aid workers were kidnapped by gunmen in Benghazi. (Reuters)
Libya: A bombing struck a military intelligence building in Benghazi. (Xinhua)
Somalia: In Mogadishu, security forces shot dead a suicide bomber targeting the venue for a national conference on a draft constitution, while a second bomber blew himself up and wounded six police officers. (Reuters)
Sudan: Eight were killed in a protest against austerity measures in Darfur. (Reuters)
Tunisia: The country’s state of emergency has been extended by just one month, rather than the usual three, due to an improvement in the country’s security situation. (AFP)

AMERICAS

Colombia: A high-level FARC commander, Fabian Ramirez, stated he is ready to end the conflict. (AP)
Colombia: Police seized 10,600 grams of heroin worth USD80 million at a bus terminal in Medellin, preventing it from being shipped to the United States. (UPI)
Mexico: Prosecutors filed charges against three generals for allegedly providing protection to the Beltran-Leyva drug cartel. (AP)
Venezuela: US GEN Fraser said he doesn’t consider Venezuela to pose a national security threat to the US. (AP)

ASIA

Region: Pakistan told India recently obtained evidence of the Mumbai attacks is inadmissible in court because Pakistanis were not allowed to cross-examine Indian officials. (AFP)
Afghanistan: The ISAF reported a senior Taliban commander had been captured during an operation in Zabul province. (Xinhua)
Korea, South: Seoul rejected allegations by Pyongyang that it was preparing to launch terrorist attacks. (AFP)
Myanmar: The World Bank announced it was ready to resume aid to the country. (AP)
Pakistan: New ISI chief LTGEN Zahir ul-Islam arrived in Washington to meet with CIA Director Petraeus and other officials. . (NYT)
Philippines: The military says militiamen have rescued 12 Asian crewmen who were left floating on a raft after Indonesian pirates hijacked their vessels. (AP)

EUROPE

Greece: A senior official in the Socialist party stated the ruling coalition still had significant disagreements over a new round of austerity measures. (AP)
Kosovo: An EU prosecutor charged Kosovo’s former prosecutor and 13 other judicial officials with corruption during the privatization of state-run companies. (AFP)
Romania: PM Ponta told the EU his government will respect a ruling invalidating an impeachment referendum against his rival President Basescu. (AFP)
Spain: Madrid set debt limits for regional governments, though Catalonia and Andalucia rejected them. (AFP, FT)
Turkey: Two soldiers were killed in a clash with PKK rebels. (AFP)

MIDDLE EAST

Iran: US President Obama announced tightened sanctions on foreign banks involved in the sale of Iranian oil. (Reuters)
Iran: The Taliban have been allowed to open an office in eastern Iran and discussed providing them with surface-to-air missiles, ramping up the potential for cooperation with the insurgents. (WSJ)
Iraq: Two car bombings in Baghdad killed at least 21. (AP)
Israel: PM Netanyahu said he is still deliberating whether or not to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities and downplayed a report that the military echelon are not in favor of attacking Iran. (Xinhua)
Jordan: Police in Amman say they have arrested a 12-member “terrorist cell” and seized “large quantities” of arms and ammunition. (AP)
Yemen: Two policemen were killed in an attack by al Qaeda linked militants on a police station in Jaar. (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cybersecurity: Dropbox admitted some user accounts were hacked and that it was adding security features in response. (TechCrunch)

WORLD

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (02AUG)

Middle East: Anniversary of Iraq invading Kuwait sparking the Gulf War – 1990.
Egypt: New Cabinet announced.
Italy: Anniversary of Bologna bombing – 1980.
Macedonia: Anniversary of the Day of the Republic (Independence Day) – 1944.
Pakistan: ISI and CIA chiefs meet in Washington, DC.

END