Iran Elections: Police detain aides of reformist candidate

Iranian police have arrested several people campaigning for a reformist candidate in this month’s presidential election, an aide said Sunday, as a senior official pledged to impose ideological limitations on the race. (more…)

Kerry Is Hoping to Nudge Egypt Toward Reforms

John Kerry made his first trip to an Arab capital as secretary of state on Saturday, hoping to prod Egyptian politicians to commit themselves to a series of economic reforms. (more…)

Russian PM: Chances of Assad retaining power getting bleak

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has committed ‘grave, perhaps fatal error’ and that chances of him retaining power are getting “smaller and smaller” every day.

Medvedev made the statements in an interview with CNN. His remarks were the most vocal Russian statement that Assad’s days could be numbered. (more…)

Lebanon, UN ink deal on reforming elections , government

Lebanese  interior minister  Marwan Charbel and United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon Robert Watkins inked an agreement to implement  international standards  in  the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections  , reforming the electoral system and government  in Lebanon . (more…)

China’s Hu Jintao dismisses any hopes of reform

Hu Jintao, the outgoing president, opened the 18th Party Congress with promises of more economic miracles, but little of genuine political or social reform.

“We must not take the treacherous road of changing flags and banners,” he said.

Beneath a 20ft-tall hammer and sickle (more…)

Turkish PM accuses Assad of ‘autocratic’ behaviour

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday accused his one-time ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of autocratic behaviour, saying that such an approach would not serve peace.
“So far, I haven’t seen him approach reforms with a democratic understanding. He is still approaching issues with … an autocratic approach,” (more…)

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…)