Dozens dead as Syria regime pounds Homs: Activists

DAMASCUS: Syrian forces pressed a relentless assault on the protest city of Homs on Wednesday, with dozens of civilians reported killed, hours after President Bashar al-Assad said he was committed to ending the bloodshed.

The barrage of gunfire, mortars and shells was launched at daybreak and continued during the day. (more…)

MP Chehayeb accuses Aoun’s bloc of faking reforms

Progressive Socialist Party MP Akram Chehayeb said on Sunday that Lebanon needs “real reform” and accused MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform parliamentary bloc of faking reforms.

“The country needs real reform at a time where many people are faking reforms while they need to change and reform,” National News Agency quoted him as saying, in a reference to the Change and Reform bloc. (more…)

Muallem accuses West of seeking to ‘dismember’ Syria

Western nations are trying to unleash “total chaos” in Syria that will lead to the break-up of the country, Syria’s foreign minister told the UN on Monday.

With Europe and the United States pressing for UN Security Council sanctions against Syria, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem (more…)

Arab League chief: Assad Agrees on Reform Steps

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil el-Arabi said yesterday that he and Syrian President Bashar al- Assad have agreed on a series of measures to apply political reforms in Syria, Al Arabiya television reported.

The measures will be presented to an Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, el-Arabi said during a brief news conference (more…)

US envoy insisted he will continue to travel throughout Syria

The US Ambassador to Syria, Robert S. Ford, insisted he will continue to travel throughout the country and meet Syrians, and predicted that if the Syrian regime does not quickly address local protesters’ demands for reform “the street will wash them away,” adding that most of the regime’s current reform promises have been “irrelevant.” (more…)

Syria’s opposition meeting was a PR exercise

Allowing opposition figures to meet openly was an attempt to show the world Syria is serious about reform, if only it were true

7 protesters killed in Syria including a teenager as protest turn violent

Syrian President Bashar Assad’s effort to drown out pro-democracy protests exploded into clashes between government supporters and opponents Tuesday, and security forces opened fire and killed seven people, including a teenager, activists said. (more…)

Assad’s speech may buy him time, but not survival

Beirut, Lebanon- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad offered promises of imminent elections and reforms today as as part of a “national dialogue” process that could lead to a new constitution and possibly end the dominance of the ruling Baath Party. (more…)

Egypt urges Syrian president to reform

Egypt on Monday urged the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad to enact reforms to satisfy pro-democracy protesters as violence there saw another 15 people killed, according to activists. (more…)

Syrian children orphaned By crackdown escape to Lebanon

A bloody crackdown by Syrian troops sent four children fleeing their hometown, sometimes crawling across the mountainous terrain between Lebanon and Syria, in a frantic effort to get to safety. (more…)