1. ISRAEL KILLS PALESTINIANS ON GAZA BORDER…Israeli soldiers killed two Palestinians and injured a third, according to Gazan officials. Israel has confirmed it hit two men and captured a third alongside the perimeter fence that separates Gaza from Israel. Military sources say a group of four Palestinians approached the fence and were possibly seen placing a device by its side.
2. TEHRAN, DAMASCUS INCREASE TIES…As the international community seeks ways to further isolate Iran and Syria, the two countries seem to be seeking comfort in bilateral trade deals. Tehran and Damascus reportedly have already signed arms deals and now the two have signed agreements in the realms of trade, oil and agriculture. The two also intend establishing transport and energy links. The countries face possible international sanctions as the United Nations investigates Iran’s nuclear program and Syria’s alleged role in the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri.
3. WOMEN LOSE KEY TEST VOTE IN SAUDI ARABIA…Voters have rejected all women candidates in a first-of-its-kind election in Saudi Arabia. There were six female candidates in the poll in a chamber of commerce election in the east of the country. As with several other states in the Persian Gulf, the Saudis are allowing female participation in political/business arenas for the first time. Feminists in the Arab world are saying that voters should choose their preferred representatives on the basis of their qualities rather than their gender, but that for the time being quota systems are needed until women can prove themselves as worthy equals to men in public life.