Iran warns against “change in Syria’s government”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi warned against “dire consequences of change in Syria’s government,” the English language satellite Press TV reported on Sunday. (more…)

Turkey lost confidence in Syria after months of bloodshed

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said he’s lost confidence in Syria after months of bloodshed and the Arab League announced it was sending its secretary general to Damascus to press for a halt to the violence.

“In today’s world there is no place for authoritarian rule, one-party governments and closed regimes,” Gul said (more…)

MP Mashnouq blasts Nasrallah’s statement over reform in Syria

March 14 MP Nohad al-Mashnouq blasted on Sunday Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s statement about reform in Syria by saying it “does not imply seriousness and is a proof of despair.” (more…)

New York Wakes to Hurricane’s Fury

Hurricane Irene made its second landfall, this one early Sunday in southern New Jersey, as the storm continued its relentless push toward New York City.

Though the storm weakened as it moved up the Eastern Seaboard, it continued to funnel storm surge and flood water to the Jersey shore overnight (more…)

Syrian Army fights defectors near Damascus

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fought gun battles overnight near a northeast Damascus suburb with army defectors who had refused to shoot at a pro-democracy protest, residents said on Sunday.
Five months into a popular uprising, Assad is under pressure from street protests, galvanized by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and from Arab foreign ministers who told Syria early on Sunday to work to end bloodshed “before it is too late”. (more…)

Syrian security forces deploy on borders with Jordan

Al-Jazeera television reported on Sunday that Syrian security forces deployed heavily on Syria’s borders with Jordan.

Al-Jazeera quoted Eyewitness Abu Mohammad al-Hourani, who is located in Tal Chehab in Syria’s Daraa as saying: (more…)

Cracks within the new majority, report

In an interview with Voice of Lebanon, Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra said on Sunday that “cracks” in the new majority were expected because the cabinet lineup is inconsistent.

“There is a party attempting to control the country ( in reference to Hezbollah) , (more…)

Gaddafi’s African ‘mercenaries’ leaving Libya

The United Nations has called on all sides in the Libyan conflict to prevent acts of revenge.

It follows reports both of killings by pro-Gaddafi forces and of attacks on African troops who fought on the government side.

African soldiers recruited by Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi have begun streaming home. (more…)

More protests and arrests in Syria, report

Al-Arabiya quoted activists as saying “the Syrian security forces are conducting arrests in Damascus’ neighborhood of Rokeneddine (more…)

Calls for investigation of Gaddafi war crimes in Libya

On Saturday, Sky’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay uncovered evidence of a mass killing, which witnesses said had been carried out days before by pro-Gaddafi forces.

“Their skeletons were still smouldering. One of the bodies appeared to be lying on a chair; he or she had died while resting.” (more…)