<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>J-H Post &#187; country</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.j-hady.com/tag/country/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.j-hady.com</link>
	<description>We deliver news in the easiest way of our choice</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:55:58 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Activists Say Syrian Troops Kill 50 in Homs</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/activists-say-syrian-troops-kill-50-in-homs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/activists-say-syrian-troops-kill-50-in-homs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:55:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deputy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[photo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/activists-say-syrian-troops-kill-50-in-homs/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Syrian rights activists say government forces have killed at least 50 people in an ongoing assault on the central city of Homs, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has pledged to consider sending a joint U.N.-Arab League team to Syria to monitor the escalating violence. British-based activist say troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attacked Homs with gunfire, rockets and shells on Wednesday, heavily damaging more than 20 buildings in rebel-held districts. The activists say the government bombardment of Homs has killed hundreds of people since it began early Saturday. They say at least 13 other people were killed in violence around Syria Wednesday. Syrian state media say "armed terrorists" detonated a car bomb in Homs, killing and wounding civilians and troops. State media also accused rebels of attacking the city's oil refinery. Undated citizen journalism image provided by Local Coordination Committees in Syria shows man weeping as he sits next to a man who was purportedly killed in shelling by Syrian government forces, Homs, February 8, 2012. (AP Photo) In an opposition video, a young man named Danny Abou Diyne, working in a field clinic in the Homs district of Baba Amr, points to the dead body of a two-year old boy. He says the child was killed when a shell slammed into his house, destroying it. “He's about two years old," he said. "He got hit in this war zone, in his house. Is this what the U.N. is waiting for, until there are no more children left? Until they kill all the children and all the women? VOA cannot independently confirm the video or opposition figures concerning deaths because Syria restricts independent reporting. Free Syrian Army (FSA) members in Saqba, a Damascus suburb, February 8, 2012. (Reuters photo) Homs low on medical supplies A doctor calling himself Mohammed Mohammed told Al Arabiya TV via webcam that he and his colleagues were working under extreme duress and that medical supplies were running low.  He begged the world to pressure Syria to allow ambulances to evacuate the wounded. Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in London told Alhurra TV that the government shelling was creating a human disaster. He added that it is difficult to get an exact casualty figure because many people were buried under the rubble. Abdel Rahman also said pro-government militias killed 30 members of three families overnight when they stormed their homes on the outskirts of Homs.  He called the killings “a massacre.” Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, says Syrian military actions are taking place in a number of parts of the country and that most of the operations are under the command of President Assad's family members. He says the military campaign is taking place in the northern district of Idlib, the southern Horan region bordering Jordan, in the outer suburbs of Damascus, as well as in Homs.  He says top members of Assad's family, including his brother-in-law Assef Shawqut and his brother Maher, are directing the campaign, resembling the Gadhafi family's involvement in the fighting in Libya. Recent Comments on Syria U.S. President Barack Obama said February 4 the citizens of Syria must know the United States is with them, and the Assad regime must come to an end. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin condemned all violence "regardless of its source," but said February 8 outside forces should let Syrians settle their conflict "independently." Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Februray 7 the recent failure of the U.N. Security Council to pass a motion pressuring Syria was a fiasco. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said February 6 no government can attack its population "without its legitimacy being eroded." U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay has called for urgent international action to protect civilians in Syria, saying she is "appalled" by the government's "willful assault on the city of Homs." French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said February 8 Mr. Assad's reform promises are merely manipulation and should not be believed. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday Russia and China had set themselves apart from Arab and world opinion by voting against a U.N. resolution on Syria. Turkey proposes conference Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday his government is ready to host an international conference to support the Syrian people. He said the conference should be held promptly in Istanbul or in another regional country. Davutoglu spoke before leaving for Washington to meet U.S. congressional leaders and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for talks likely to focus on Syria. Washington has been exploring the possibility of providing humanitarian aid to Syrians in cooperation with U.S. allies. Western powers and Arab nations have said repeatedly they do not want to intervene militarily in the Syrian conflict. A senior EU official said the 27-nation bloc plans to announce a tightening of economic sanctions on the Assad government at a foreign ministers meeting February 27. The EU official said new measures against Syria are likely to include a block on financial transactions with the Syrian central bank and a ban on purchases of Syrian phosphates - one of the country's main natural resources. EU nations buy about 40 percent of Syria's phosphate exports. The EU stopped importing oil from Syria last year. Russia opposes unilateral moves The Kremlin said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy to avoid "hasty unilateral moves" toward Syria. Mr. Medvedev spoke to the French president by telephone Wednesday. Moscow used its U.N. Security Council veto last week to block a Western and Arab-backed resolution that would have endorsed an Arab League plan calling on Mr. Assad to step aside. The Syrian president is a key Russian military ally. Mr. Sarkozy's office said he used the phone conversation to call on the Russian president to fully support the Arab League plan and increase pressure on Mr. Assad to stop brutally repressing the Syrian people. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Mr. Assad in Damascus on Tuesday and secured a pledge from the Syrian president to assign his deputy ((Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa)) to hold a dialogue with the Syrian opposition. But Syrian opposition groups have rejected dialogue with the Assad government. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday Mr. Assad had an opportunity to talk to the opposition early in the uprising, but Washington believes that opportunity no longer exists. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday he has "very little confidence" in the Russian-Syrian efforts, while French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Mr. Assad's promises are merely manipulation and should not be believed. U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay called for urgent international action to protect civilians in Syria, saying she is "appalled" by the government's "willful assault on the city of Homs." Pillay also said is it time for the international community to "cut through the politics and take action" to protect the civilian population. VOA Wire Services and reporter Dorian Jones in Istanbul contributed to the report. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/activists-say-syrian-troops-kill-50-in-homs/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>US Closes Damascus Embassy as Assad Forces Kill More Syrians</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/us-closes-damascus-embassy-as-assad-forces-kill-more-syrians/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/us-closes-damascus-embassy-as-assad-forces-kill-more-syrians/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:02:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis-group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[street]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syrian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/us-closes-damascus-embassy-as-assad-forces-kill-more-syrians/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The United States has closed its embassy in Syria as the government there escalates its violent crackdown on an opposition uprising. Syrian government forces on Monday were bombarding the country's third largest city of Homs, large parts of which are in rebel hands. Residents say shells slammed into apartment blocks, causing numerous casualties, as Syrian government forces pounded areas of Homs with heavy artillery.  Opposition sources indicated that tanks had blocked all entrances to the city. Videos on opposition websites showed bodies in the street amid pools of blood.  Other videos showed men trying to evacuate people from a field hospital which had been hit.  It was impossible to independently verify the videos. Al Arabiya TV showed live webcam images of shells slamming into the Bab Amr district of Homs as smoke rose from buildings which had caught fire.  The most intense shelling was reported in the districts of Bab Amr, Khalidiya, Bab Sibai and Insha'at. Opposition activist Omar Idliby told al Hurra TV that government forces began to prepare for the bombardment hours in advance: He says government forces withdrew from many positions inside Homs overnight in preparation for the bombing campaign, which is being conducted from a distance.  He says the rebel soldiers defending parts of Homs have only light arms.  He claims the government used attack helicopters, as well as artillery and Grad rockets, adding that civilians have been trying to flee, but that it's been difficult. Other witnesses say medical supplies are running short in Homs and that government forces are firing on anything that moves, preventing the work of ambulances and rescue workers.   Elsewhere, opposition sources report government attacks on suburbs of Damascus, including Daraya and the mountain resort of Zabadani.  In northern Idlib province, rebel soldiers attacked government troops, reportedly killing three officers and capturing 19 soldiers. Peter Harling, of the International Crisis Group, says the Syrian government has lost control of much of its territory and is conducting scattered attacks, but is unable to hold what it's retaken. "The regime has lost control of its territory, by and large. It's lost control of some of its units, that have been behaving like militias going on the rampage. Even where the army and the security services are showing a great degree of cohesiveness, what we see is something like occupation forces, completely cut from society. So, they can move in with massive firepower, doing a tremendous amount of damage, but they can't really stay. If they do try to stay, very quickly they're sniped, they're ambushed and they're forced to leave," Harling said. The United States announced Monday that it has suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus and removed its diplomats, citing a worsening security situation. Meanwhile, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby has warned the Syrian government to end to its military escalation, saying it is pushing the country towards civil war. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/us-closes-damascus-embassy-as-assad-forces-kill-more-syrians/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN Chief Condemns Syria Resolution Veto</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/un-chief-condemns-syria-resolution-veto/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/un-chief-condemns-syria-resolution-veto/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:32:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security-council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-nations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/un-chief-condemns-syria-resolution-veto/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Vetoes by Russia and China of a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria condemning President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on his people and calling for him to step down have drawn outrage from around the world. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the failure to pass the resolution, saying the Security Council "lost an opportunity to take unified action" to help end the crisis.  The 13 remaining Security Council members voted in favor, including the United States, France and Germany. Tunisia's prime minister said Sunday his country is cutting ties with Syria.  Hamadi Jebali said Tunisia is expelling Syria's ambassador, and he urged other Arab nations to do the same. After the Council vote Saturday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said Washington was "disgusted" with vetoes by Russia and China.  However, she said the U.S. will not give up on Syria.   British ambassador to the U.N. Mark Lyall Grant said Russia and China have turned their backs on the Arab world to support tyranny.   Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari accused members of the United Nations of supporting what he called "armed terrorists." Russia has defended its decision, saying members of the Council have been undermining the opportunity for political settlement by calling for a regime change, and pushing the opposition towards power. Chinese Ambassador Wang Min said Beijing supports Moscow's stance on the resolution, and called for more discussions on the divisive parts of the paper. On the ground in Syria Sunday, there are some reports of clashes between Syrian soldiers and rebels in Idlib province, near the border with Turkey. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.   Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/un-chief-condemns-syria-resolution-veto/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>US Urges UN Action Against Syria</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/us-urges-un-action-against-syria/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/us-urges-un-action-against-syria/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:36:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[british]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cairo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jordan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[peace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saudi-arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/us-urges-un-action-against-syria/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United Nations must act to end what she calls the Syrian government's "divide and conquer" strategy against its own people. But Russia vows to veto any U.N. action against its allies in Damascus. A Look at the Arab League The League of Arab States, or Arab League, is an association of 22 Arab states, based in Cairo. It was founded on March 22, 1945 in Cairo, with the aim of strengthening the relationships between member states through political, cultural and economic cooperation. The first six members of the organization were Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Yemen joined a few months later Nabil Elaraby was elected secretary-general of the Arab League in May 2011. Syria's membership was suspended in November 2011, following bloodshed caused by brutal government crackdowns on pro-democracy protests. On Jan. 22, 2012, the Arab League proposed to Syria that President Bashar al-Assad should transfer power to a deputy and form a national unity government within two months. The plan was rejected by Syria. After meeting with her French and British colleagues in New York, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went before the United Nations Security Council to support Arab League action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "The United States urges the Security Council to back the Arab League’s demand that the Syrian government immediately stop all attacks against civilians and guarantee the freedom of peaceful demonstrations," she said. Secretary Clinton says President Assad has driven his country to the brink of chaos and the longer he continues, the harder it will be to rebuild Syria once he is gone. "We all know that change is coming to Syria.  Despite its ruthless tactics, the Assad regime’s reign of terror will end and the people of Syria will chart their own destiny.  The question is how many more innocent civilians will die before this country is able to move forward to the kind of future it deserves," she said. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says U.N. action could make the situation even worse. "An essential element of any U.N. resolution must be the firm statement that this resolution can not be interpreted to justify any kind of outside military intervention in Syria," he said. Steve Heydemann, a Middle East analyst for the United States Institute of Peace, says Moscow fears a change of government in Damascus would weaken Russia's position. "If the regime were to change and Syria were to move in a more pro-Western direction, I think the Russians would view that as a blow to their strategic posture in the region. And so one of the things that the U.S. might do is to offer reassurances to the Russians that even if a process of regime transition happens in Syria, they won't be left out," he said. In order to avert a Russian veto, U.S. officials say they are ready to work with all U.N. members to pass a resolution supporting Arab League efforts to end the crisis. Secretary Clinton says failing to do so would abandon the Syrian people and embolden a dictator. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/us-urges-un-action-against-syria/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Diplomatic Efforts Continue as Syrian Crackdown Intensifies</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/diplomatic-efforts-continue-as-syrian-crackdown-intensifies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/diplomatic-efforts-continue-as-syrian-crackdown-intensifies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:47:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[capital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colonel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syrian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the-government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turkey]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/diplomatic-efforts-continue-as-syrian-crackdown-intensifies/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Syrian government forces intensified their military crackdown against opposition forces near the capital, Damascus, retaking a number of key towns that had fallen to rebel soldiers in recent days. The fighting is occurring amid a frenzy of diplomatic activity to try to resolve the more than 10-month-old conflict. Heavily armed Syrian government forces pounded a string of Damascus suburbs for a second day, reportedly retaking the towns of Saqba, Kafr Batna and Hammouriya from rebel soldiers. The shelling was so heavy in places that black smoke was visible on the horizon in Damascus. An opposition supporter named Abou Ayman al Dimashqi told al-Hurra TV that government tanks and field artillery caused widespread destruction in several suburbs, and troops went house-to-house to arrest scores of people. He said the suburb of East Ghouta was devastated by the shelling of buildings and civilian targets by government artillery, tanks, rockets, helicopters and planes in the face of lightly armed rebel soldiers. Al Dimashqi added that plumes of smoke poured into the sky over the town of Arbein, while government snipers deployed in Hammouriya, and troops made arrests. Witnesses say hundreds of civilians fled the outlying suburbs for interior districts of Damascus. Government tanks and military hardware also  were deployed in central squares of the capital to allay fears that rebel soldiers might breach the capital's defenses. Opposition sources say more than several dozen civilians were killed in the government offensive, which included attacks on the cities of Homs, Daraa, Hama and Deir ez Zor. State-controlled TV reported six soldiers were killed near the southern city of Daraa. A gas pipeline near Homs also reportedly was blown up. Video on opposition websites showed fields being flooded in Idlib province near the Turkish border. Opposition sources claimed the government opened dams to prevent civilians from fleeing to Turkey. Al-Arabiya TV reported the government hanged a founder of the rebel forces, Hussein Harmoush. In a report that could not be independently confirmed, the Syrian League for Human Rights said he was executed last week. Lieutenant Colonel Harmoush was the first Syrian officer to publicly declare his opposition to the deadly government crackdown on protesters. He fled to Turkey, where opposition activists say he was kidnapped and taken back to Syria. Peter Harling of the International Crisis Group said the military balance is still “massively” in favor of the government, although its power has slowly been eroding. But he said it is not clear if and when the government might fall. "The regime has been eroding for months now, but it still has an ability to do a tremendous amount of damage," said Harling. "But it is not in a position really to design and implement any strategy, let alone regain control over the country and start ruling anew. So now we see the crisis accelerating, the only question is, in what direction things are going into. It could be downfall, a collapse of the regime, it could be civil war, but there is no clear third option at this stage." As fighting intensified, the U.N. Security Council prepared for talks about the Syrian crisis. Meanwhile Russia, which has been blocking a Security Council resolution, indicated the Syrian government was ready to hold talks with the opposition in Moscow. But opposition sources are refusing to take part. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/diplomatic-efforts-continue-as-syrian-crackdown-intensifies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia Clashes with Europeans, Arabs Over Syria UN Resolution</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/russia-clashes-with-europeans-arabs-over-syria-un-resolution/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/russia-clashes-with-europeans-arabs-over-syria-un-resolution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:05:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colleague]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[qatar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/russia-clashes-with-europeans-arabs-over-syria-un-resolution/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ European and Arab nations are calling on the U.N. Security Council to back a resolution supporting the Arab League’s plan to end the 10-month-old political crisis in Syria. But, Russia has expressed concerns about the new text. Following a lengthy closed-door discussion Friday afternoon on a draft resolution proposed by council members Morocco, Britain and France, Russia’s Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the new text ignores what he called Moscow’s “red lines” where they could not go. “The red lines included any indications of sanctions, the red lines included any sort of imposition of arms embargo - because we know how in real life arms embargo means you supply arms to illegal groups but you cannot supply weapons to the government - we cannot accept that," he said. "Unfortunately, the draft we saw today did not only ignore our red lines but also added some new elements which we find unacceptable as a matter of principle.” The Russian envoy said the Arab League plan, which includes the transfer of power from President Bashar al-Assad to a deputy in preparation for multi-party elections, imposes a certain outcome of political dialogue before that dialogue even starts. “We need to concentrate on establishing political dialogue," he said. "The Arab League may have its ideas about where that political dialogue should go, they are free to express those ideas, but certainly the Security Council cannot be a tool to impose specific solutions on countries, including in this particular situation, Syria.” He said Moscow does not see the new draft text as one on which they could agree, but said they would be willing to engage in negotiations.         British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant rejected his colleague's objections, saying the proposed text does not include an arms embargo or sanctions, nor does it call for regime change. He noted that it also includes some language from an earlier Russian proposed draft resolution on the subject. Essentially, Lyall Grant said, the new resolution simply supports the Arab League’s efforts to end the crisis. “Frankly, the time has come where we should be supporting the Arab League’s efforts," he said. "They took a very strong, binding decision on the Arab League members at the weekend. They have come with a credible plan that involves dialogue, a political transition, and we believe that we should support it.” Lyall Grant said negotiations on the text would begin Monday and he hoped to have a vote on the measure next week, possibly as early as Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon the Arab League Secretary-General Nabil ElAraby and the Prime Minister of Qatar will brief the 15-member Security Council on the League’s month-long monitoring mission in Syria, which was plagued by difficulties. Read the Arab League report in English Syria has rejected the Arab League’s plan of January 22nd, but has said the League’s observer mission may remain in the country for another month. The United Nations estimates that more than 5,000 people have been killed during the 10-month-long crackdown on anti-government dissenters. On Friday, the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, said nearly 400 children have been killed during the crisis. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/russia-clashes-with-europeans-arabs-over-syria-un-resolution/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Arab League Suspends Observer Mission in Syria</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/arab-league-suspends-observer-mission-in-syria/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/arab-league-suspends-observer-mission-in-syria/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conversation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[general-nabil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[league]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national-unity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plan-on-tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[qatar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/arab-league-suspends-observer-mission-in-syria/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The Arab League says it is suspending its observer mission in Syria due to an upsurge of violence in the country. But Arab League officials said Saturday observers will stay in Syria until further notice. The mission has been in Syria for the past month to monitor the Syrian regime's deadly crackdown on dissent.  The Arab League has put forth a plan calling for President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to a deputy and form a national unity government to prepare for elections. More than 70 people have been killed in Syria in recent days.  Activists said government forces killed more than 37 people in attacks on Friday. The head of the Arab League mission said Friday violence has escalated in Syria since Tuesday, especially in the flashpoint cities of Homs and Hama, and in the northern Idlib region. Arab League Secretary-General Nabil ElAraby and the prime minister of Qatar plan on Tuesday to brief the U.N. Security Council about the league’s mission in Syria, which has been plagued by difficulties and has come under criticism. The Arab League also is expected next week to formally present its plan to the Security Council for regime change and a national unity government in Syria.  A vote is expected soon after. The United Nations says violence linked to the unrest in Syria has killed more than 5,400 people, including nearly 400 children.  But the U.N. said this week it has stopped compiling a death toll because it is too hard to obtain information. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/arab-league-suspends-observer-mission-in-syria/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Syrian Violence Escalates as Diplomatic Efforts Falter</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-violence-escalates-as-diplomatic-efforts-falter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-violence-escalates-as-diplomatic-efforts-falter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:24:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[damascus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[friday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[minister-sheikh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[neighborhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[northwestern]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paris]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syrian-army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[university]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-violence-escalates-as-diplomatic-efforts-falter/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Violence in Syria continued Friday, bringing to more than 50 the number of people killed there over the past two days, as a resolution to curb the bloodshed appeared to be stalled in the United Nations. In the northwestern city of Idlib, six security forces were among the more than 20 people left dead as a result of Friday's violence. Syrian activist Rami Abdul-Raham says the security forces were killed by a car bomb at a security checkpoint. Government forces were also reported to have carried out a raid in the flashpoint city of Homs. Syrian government forces continued also to attack the country's fourth largest city of Hama for a third day. Witnesses in the poor district of Hamadiya reported that artillery shells were being fired "randomly" at their neighborhood. Other witnesses say government forces continued to shell the Damascus suburb of Douma, inflicting numerous casualties. Outer suburbs of the capital came under attack, as well. Opposition websites also reported what they claim was a "massacre" in Syria's third largest city of Homs. The Free Syrian Army claimed in a video to be holding five Iranian captives.  The Free Syrian Army claims the men were working as government "snipers" and belong to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Iran's Mehr news agency, however, says they are engineers, kidnapped in Homs last October. A large crowd of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Homs to bury several victims of recent fighting, The Syrian government's attacks are taking place close to the 30th anniversary of a bloody siege that nearly destroyed the city of Hama in 1982, when government artillery killed between 12,000 and 20,000 people. Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, says it will be difficult for Syria's government to repeat what happened in 1982.   Diab says the government of Bashar al-Assad faces a revolt spread out across the four corners of the country.  Diab says he doesn't believe the regime can regain control, and says it is losing control in many places. Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani are due to meet with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York to discuss implementing a league plan for a national unity government and new elections. The Security Council was due to meet later Friday to begin discussions on Syria. Russia said Friday it will not support a joint Arab-Western draft resolution in the U.N. to end the 10-month-old crisis because it "does not take into account" Moscow's positions on how to curb the violence.  The stance is likely to stall progress on any U.N. action concerning Syria. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-violence-escalates-as-diplomatic-efforts-falter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Egyptians Participate in &#8216;Second Day of Anger&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/egyptians-participate-in-second-day-of-anger/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/egyptians-participate-in-second-day-of-anger/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:33:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anniversary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[armed-forces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cairo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mohamed-gerisha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mohamed-hussein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ruling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[second-friday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[supreme-council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uprising]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/egyptians-participate-in-second-day-of-anger/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Egyptian activists have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, as the country continues to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. A small group of protesters has camped out in the square since Wednesday, when massive crowds of Egyptians filled the streets - some celebrating the anniversary of the start of the protests, others calling for an end to military rule. Friday's protest is dubbed by many as the "Second Friday of Anger," in reference to the climax of last year's 18-day revolt. At least 27 pro-democracy groups are expected to take part in the protest. Many protesters, such as Mohamed Gerisha, are demanding the immediate end to military rule and the transfer of power to a civilian government. "Our demand is to continue to the uprising, it is to move forward the transfer of power to civilians," he said. "We want to maintain the stability of the country." The election of a newly-seated lower house of parliament has failed to satisfy many liberal politicians and activists, who say the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has resorted to the same brutal tactics used by former President Mubarak to quell dissent. The military council, led by Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, has promised to hand over power to an elected president by the end of June. The council has made several apparent concessions to reformists in recent days, pardoning about 2,000 prisoners and promising to partially lift the country's 30-year-long state of emergency. But, the ruling military said authorities will continue to apply the widely-disliked law in fighting acts of "thuggery." The New York-based Human Rights Watch says the exception is an "invitation to continued abuse" and an "insult" to Egyptians. It says Egypt's military rulers frequently have described "peaceful" demonstrators as "thugs" and put them on trial in military courts for the offense. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/egyptians-participate-in-second-day-of-anger/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Yemen&#8217;s President Remains in Oman, Departure for US Uncertain</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/yemens-president-remains-in-oman-departure-for-us-uncertain/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/yemens-president-remains-in-oman-departure-for-us-uncertain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:42:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[muslim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[source]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[successor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yemen]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/yemens-president-remains-in-oman-departure-for-us-uncertain/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains in the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman and it is unclear when his planned trip to the United States for medical treatment will take place. An official at the Yemeni embassy in Washington told VOA Thursday he has no information on when Saleh might arrive. Mohammed Albasha also denied an article in The Wall Street Journal saying the president's family is searching for a plane to fly him to New York. The article said Saleh’s presidential plane, an aging Boeing 727, is prohibited from landing at U.S. airports. Albasha said President Saleh does have access to a plane that can fly him to the United States. He departed the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, Sunday on a jet for neighboring Oman, where he said he would stop for a brief period before traveling on to New York. Media reports citing diplomats in Oman and aides to Saleh say he is trying to secure approval from the Omani ruler for permanent exile, but Albasha "strongly" denied the speculation. A source close to the negotiations that led to Saleh's departure told the French news agency that if Saleh does eventually arrive in the U.S. he will stay until at least February 21, the day presidential elections are scheduled for Yemen. AFP quotes the source as saying Saleh will "not be admitted to a hospital but will see consultants in New York." The U.S. has said Saleh's request to travel to the United States was approved for the sole purpose of medical treatment, and that his stay would be for a "limited time." The embattled leader was severely wounded in a bomb attack on his presidential compound last June and spent several months recuperating in Saudi Arabia. He has spoken previously of a desire to seek further treatment in the United States. In a televised farewell speech just hours before he left Yemen, the outgoing president asked his people to forgive him for any "shortcomings" made during his 33-year autocratic rule. He also vowed to return to the country and continue leading his ruling General People's Congress party. Yemeni opposition activists have staged a year of mass protests demanding his immediate ouster, inspired by popular uprisings in other parts of the region. Thousands of Yemenis rallied in Sana'a Sunday, calling for Saleh to be put on trial for a violent crackdown in which hundreds of people have been killed. The anti-Saleh protesters reject granting Saleh full immunity from prosecution. Yemen's parliament approved the immunity last week as part of a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed deal to encourage the president to leave office. Saleh signed the plan last November and agreed to transfer presidential powers to his deputy ahead of the February 21 elections to pick his successor. Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the consensus candidate of Yemen's ruling party and parliamentary opposition for that election. Reuters reported that at least 22 people were killed Thursday in clashes between Shi'ite Muslim rebels and fighters from a Sunni Islamist group in a province under rebel control in the country's rugged north. A source close to the Houthi rebels told Reuters that Salafist fighters attacked them overnight in Hajja and in the Kataf area of Saada province, a location that has seen intense sectarian fighting in recent months. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/yemens-president-remains-in-oman-departure-for-us-uncertain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

