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Daybreak: Melting Point

Plus the Islamic center around the world, and more in the news

by
Marc Tracy
August 23, 2010
President Abbas last Friday.(Atef Safadi/AFP/Getty Images)
President Abbas last Friday.(Atef Safadi/AFP/Getty Images)

• President Abbas threatened to end the announced direct peace talks if the West Bank construction freeze is lifted, as it is currently scheduled to be in late September. [AP/LAT]

• Iran unveiled a new long-range unmanned bomber drone, which President Ahmadinejad called a potential “ambassador of death.” [NYT]

• Iran’s Russia-built Bushehr nuclear reactor will be fully ready in two to three months. The United States would prefer it hadn’t been built, but at the same time doesn’t consider it a big deal. [Laura Rozen]

• The Park51 debate is working at cross-purposes with post-9/11 U.S. efforts at image-building in the Islamic world, with many Muslims worldwide wondering why the prospect of a mosque near Ground Zero bothers people so much. [LAT]

• What does the new Gaza City mall symbolize? Well, that depends on whom you ask. [NYT]

• What the gigantic, newly discovered offshore natural gas deposits mean for Israel. [NYT]

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.