<?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; united-states</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.j-hady.com/tag/united-states/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 10:35:35 +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>Syrian Activists Say Troops Continue Deadly Homs Assault</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-activists-say-troops-continue-deadly-homs-assault/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-activists-say-troops-continue-deadly-homs-assault/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:09:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saudi-arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secretary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skype]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[violence]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/syrian-activists-say-troops-continue-deadly-homs-assault/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Syrian activists say government troops have killed scores of civilians in Homs, continuing a months-long siege of the city that has been a hub of protests against President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year autocratic rule. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shelling Wednesday also heavily damaged more than 20 buildings in the city's Baba Amr district.  The bombardment follows days of assaults on Homs that activists say killed hundreds of people. Casualty figures cannot be confirmed because Syria restricts independent reporting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that a solution to the crisis through a national dialogue should come from Syrians themselves and that it is not up to the international community to decide the outcome of such talks in advance. During a Tuesday meeting  in Damascus, Assad said he wants Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa to head up talks with the opposition. Efforts by the Arab League and Russia to organize talks have been rejected by Syrian opposition groups angered by the Assad government's deadly crackdown on the 11-month-old uprising. Lavrov said Tuesday that Assad will push ahead with promised reforms and soon set a date for a referendum on a new constitution aimed at broadening political participation. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Tuesday it is hard to believe Assad's latest reform pledges as his forces continue to bombard civilians.  The Obama administration shut its embassy in Damascus Monday as part of a Western and Arab campaign to isolate Assad diplomatically and pressure him into stopping the crackdown. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday Washington also is exploring the possibility of providing humanitarian aid to Syrians, in cooperation with U.S. allies. He did not elaborate. Western powers and Arab nations have repeatedly said they do not want to intervene militarily in the Syrian crisis. France, Italy and Spain recalled their ambassadors to Syria on Tuesday, citing the Assad government's continued repression. The six Gulf Cooperation Council states, led by Saudi Arabia, also announced they are withdrawing their ambassadors from Damascus and expelling Syrian envoys in response to the worsening violence. Syrian activists say the international community's words and actions are not enough. Syrian activist and engineer Abo Emad, who did not want his real name to be used, spoke with VOA via Skype Tuesday from the basement of a building in Homs where he was taking cover from the shelling with about 20 other people.  He said the Syrian people have lost confidence in the international community. "They're saying that they're all partners in killing us," he said. "Even the Security Council.  Even the United Nations." He said Syrian security forces were bombing everything, including homes, schools and mosques. "They surrounded the area by snipers, and they're shooting at everything that moves," added Abo Emad. "Even the cats." The Syrian government blames the violence on "armed terrorists" bent on dividing and sabotaging the country. Turkey said Tuesday it will launch a new initiative to address the situation in Syria.  Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is due to arrive in Washington Wednesday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has said the United States would work with other nations to tighten sanctions against Assad's government and deny it arms in the absence of a U.N. resolution. On Saturday, Russia and China vetoed a Western and Arab-backed U.N. Security Council resolution that would have endorsed an Arab League plan for Assad to step aside, order his troops to stand down and enact democratic reforms.  Moscow and Beijing said they blocked the measure because they perceived it as taking sides in a domestic conflict and providing a possible pretext for foreign military intervention. 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/syrian-activists-say-troops-continue-deadly-homs-assault/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia, China Defend Syria Resolution Veto, US Calls Move &#8216;Travesty&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/russia-china-defend-syria-resolution-veto-us-calls-move-travesty/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/russia-china-defend-syria-resolution-veto-us-calls-move-travesty/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:08:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[china]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chinese]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clinton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-nations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/russia-china-defend-syria-resolution-veto-us-calls-move-travesty/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Russia and China are defending their veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have endorsed an Arab League plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to a deputy to help end Syria's months-long unrest. The Russian government said Sunday it vetoed the Western and Arab-backed resolution the previous day because of what it viewed as "ultimatum-like" demands for the removal of Mr. Assad, Moscow's only military ally in the Middle East.  Moscow accused the resolution's supporters of lacking the "political will" to reach an international agreement on resolving the Syrian crisis. Thirteen of the Security Council's 15 members voted in favor of the draft. Moscow also said its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and spy agency chief Mikhail Fradkov will travel to Syria on Tuesday to call on President Assad to "rapidly" implement democratic reforms to stabilize the situation. Syria's 11-month opposition uprising against Mr. Assad's autocratic rule has escalated into open conflict between rebels and pro-Assad forces in recent months after a deadly government crackdown on peaceful protesters. A commentary published by the Chinese state news agency, Xinhua, said Beijing vetoed the resolution to oppose what it perceived as an effort to promote "regime change" in Syria through "external force" in violation of international norms.   It said China believes the international community should promote dialogue in Syria and "respect the ability of the Syrian people to resolve the crisis by themselves." U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the double veto as a "travesty" while on a visit to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. She said the United States will work with its allies outside the United Nations to tighten "regional and national" sanctions on Syria and "dry up sources of funding and arms shipments" that keep the Assad government's "war machine going," as she put it. Clinton also called for "friends of a democratic Syria" to coordinate assistance to the Syrian opposition and support what she said is the Syrian people's right to have a better future.  She gave no details about which nations might join the effort or what specific steps they might take. The head of the main opposition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, called the double veto "a new license to kill ... for Bashar al-Assad and his criminal regime." Syrian rights activists said fighting between pro-Assad troops and loosely-organized rebels killed at least 56 people across Syria on Sunday, about half of them civilians. The activists reported more shelling in the central city of Homs, where they said at least 200 people were massacred in a government bombardment late Friday into Saturday in what appeared to be one of the deadliest incidents of the revolt. There was no independent confirmation of the casualties as Syria restricts independent reporting in the country. Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby said Sunday the Arab bloc will continue its efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis.  He said the Russian and Chinese veto "does not negate" what he called "clear international support" for the league's plan for a Syrian transition of power. The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Ja'afari, said the nations backing the vetoed resolution were supporting what he called "armed terrorists" that Damascus blames for the country's unrest. The double veto sparked protests around the world Sunday.  Anti-Assad activists stormed Russia's embassy in Libya's capital, Tripoli, climbing on the roof and tearing down the flag.  Elsewhere, Turkish police fired tear gas to disperse protesters seeking to storm the Syrian consulate in Istanbul.  In Beirut, hundreds of Syrian opposition activists and Lebanese supporters demonstrated outside the Russian embassy. In another show of Arab anger toward the Syrian government, Tunisia's prime minister said Sunday his country is cutting ties with Damascus. Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP. 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-china-defend-syria-resolution-veto-us-calls-move-travesty/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>NATO Ministers Review US, French Plans to End Afghanistan Combat Role</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/nato-ministers-review-us-french-plans-to-end-afghanistan-combat-role/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/nato-ministers-review-us-french-plans-to-end-afghanistan-combat-role/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:49:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[afghan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[afghanistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[director-giles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[france]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[general-anders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secretary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/nato-ministers-review-us-french-plans-to-end-afghanistan-combat-role/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ NATO defense ministers are gathering in Brussels for a long-scheduled meeting that follows announcements by the United States and France they will end their combat roles in Afghanistan a year ahead of schedule. Afghanistan is poised to dominate the NATO meeting after U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta surprised reporters late Wednesday on his aircraft, saying U.S. troops will end their combat role in Afghanistan next year, rather than at the end of 2014, as had been expected. “Our goal is to complete all of that transition in 2013 and then, hopefully, by mid- to the latter part of 2013, we will be able to make - you know, to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advice and assist role,” said Panetta. NATO’s top leaders had agreed to hand-over full security control to Afghan forces in 2014. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said ending the alliance's combat role even earlier should be no surprise. “We expect the last provinces to be handed over to the Afghan security forces by mid-2013. From that time Afghan security forces are in the lead all over Afghanistan, and from that time the role of our troops will gradually change from combat to support,” he said. But he added that any moves by individual allies must be coordinated with the NATO command in Kabul. Watch NATO Secretary General Rasmussen discuss coalition's Afghanistan timeline Some analysts are concerned about advancing NATO’s already-ambitious timeframe, including Security and Defense Agenda Director Giles Merritt in Brussels. “It is a high risk strategy in the first place, and I think there is a general feeling that we keep that risk within bounds by remaining solidaire [in solidarity] with each other,” said Merritt. During the two-day meeting in Brussels, NATO defense ministers will hear a report from their commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Corps General John Allen. They will be listening particularly for indications of whether the French and American 2013 plans are practical. They will also want to know about a secret U.S. military report leaked to the British media this week that says the Taliban is stronger that Western officials have acknowledged. If true, it will present even more challenges for the Afghan security forces and their international partners in 2013 and beyond. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/nato-ministers-review-us-french-plans-to-end-afghanistan-combat-role/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Mideast Talks Hit an Impasse</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/new-mideast-talks-hit-an-impasse/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/new-mideast-talks-hit-an-impasse/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conversation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[european]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[european-union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exploratory]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[israel - palestinians]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jordan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[talks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/new-mideast-talks-hit-an-impasse/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The latest international effort to revive the Middle East peace process has run into trouble.  Israeli and Palestinian leaders are blaming each other after five rounds of exploratory talks this month in Jordan hit an impasse.  The aim of the talks is to revive direct peace negotiations that have been deadlocked for three years. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel did not offer detailed proposals on the future borders of a Palestinian state.  In remarks published by the Palestinian news agency, Abbas accused Israel of defying international guidelines for peace and foiling the talks. His comments were echoed by Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad.  “It is time to recognize the failings of this process.  It has failed and the process is in bad need of serious direction," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed a finger at the Palestinians. He told the Israeli Cabinet the Palestinians refused to even discuss Israel's security needs. Netanyahu said the signs are not very good, but he hopes that the Palestinians “will come to their senses” and return to the negotiating table. The United States and European Union have also urged the Palestinians to continue the talks, saying negotiations with Israel are the only way to achieve a two-state solution and peace. President Abbas says he will make a final decision on whether or not to continue the exploratory talks after consulting with the Arab League later this week. 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/new-mideast-talks-hit-an-impasse/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Saudi to Withdraw Observers From Arab League&#8217;s Syria Mission</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/saudi-to-withdraw-observers-from-arab-leagues-syria-mission/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/saudi-to-withdraw-observers-from-arab-leagues-syria-mission/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:38:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[china]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[damascus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[muslim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prince]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syrian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[violence]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/saudi-to-withdraw-observers-from-arab-leagues-syria-mission/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Saudi Arabia says it is withdrawing its observers from Syria in protest at what it calls the Syrian government's failure to respect an Arab League plan to end a violent crackdown on a 10-month old opposition uprising. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal announced the pullout of the Saudi observers Sunday, at a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo. The ministers were discussing whether to extend the mission of the 165 observers they sent to Syria last month to check on that nation's compliance with the peace plan. The observers' one-month mandate expired on Thursday. Earlier Sunday, a committee of Arab League ministers dealing with the Syrian crisis recommended extending the observer mission for another month and increasing the number of monitors. But, the Arab League mission has drawn heavy criticism from Syrian opposition activists who accuse Damascus of deceiving the observers and using them as a cover to intensify attacks on anti-government protesters and rebels. The Saudi foreign minister called for more international pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stop the violence. He urged other Muslim nations, as well as China, Russia, Europe and the United States to play a role that effort. Saudi Arabia has been one of the harshest Arab critics of Assad's crackdown on the rebellion against his 11-year autocratic rule. Prominent Syrian opposition group the Syrian National Council has been lobbying the Arab League to abandon the observer mission and refer the Syrian crisis to the U.N. Security Council. British-based rights activist Rami Abdul-Rahman says forces loyal to Mr. Assad fought with rebels in the Damascus suburb of Douma late Saturday. He says the fighting started when security forces fired on a funeral procession, killing four people.  Douma has been a frequent center of anti-Assad unrest. Syria's government accuses "armed terrorists" of driving the revolt. In a report Sunday, Syrian state news agency SANA says terrorists shot and killed a brigadier general and another senior officer as the two men drove to work in the Damascus countryside. It says two other security personnel were buried Sunday after being attacked in the Damascus countryside and the central region of Homs. The United Nations says violence linked to the uprising has killed more than 5,400 people. Syria says terrorists have killed about 2,000 security force members since the unrest began. 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/saudi-to-withdraw-observers-from-arab-leagues-syria-mission/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pakistani PM Appears Before Supreme Court</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistani-pm-appears-before-supreme-court/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistani-pm-appears-before-supreme-court/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:22:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[benazir-bhutto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[majesty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mohammad-zafar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pakistani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president-asif]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prime-minister]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[supreme]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[supreme-court]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/pakistani-pm-appears-before-supreme-court/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Pakistan’s beleaguered prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, has made a rare appearance before the country's supreme court, amid increased tensions between his government and the country’s fiercely independent judiciary. Gilani appeared before the supreme court in a bid to avoid being held in contempt for his failure to pursue corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Thursday's preliminary proceedings took place amid tight security in and around the court building and were mainly aimed at allowing the prime minister to explain his position. Gilani told the court his government was unable to initiate legal proceedings against the president because he has immunity while in office. Afterward, his attorney, Aitzaz Ahsan, told reporters that the prime minister’s presence demonstrates the government holds the judiciary in high honors. “He [Gilani] has accepted the majesty of the law and the majesty of the supreme court,” said Ahsan. The supreme court will reconvene early next month, but agreed that the prime minister would not have to appear again in person. Politically motivated The corruption cases against Zardari date back to the 1990s when his slain wife Benazir Bhutto was prime minister of Pakistan. Some of the cases were instituted in Switzerland. But Zardari and his wife insisted the cases were false and politically motivated. A controversial amnesty deal that protected President Zardari and thousands others from prosecution was canceled by the supreme court two years ago. The government was also ordered to revive all the cases and write a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen the legal proceedings there. Legal analysts like former Pakistani law minister Syed Mohammad Zafar believe it is for the supreme court to determine whether the prime minister’s argument claiming immunity for Zardari holds. “The supreme court will see whether the reiteration has any validity or not," said Zafar. "And, if it finds that it has no validity it may proceed to announce an order of the contempt.” Possible sentence If convicted on contempt charges, the Pakistani prime minister could face up to six months in prison and be disqualified from holding political office. That could destabilize the government and push President Zardari into deeper political trouble. The legal troubles for Pakistan’s embattled coalition government come amid growing tensions with the country’s powerful military. That conflict stems from an alleged presidential memo seeking Washington’s help in removing the current military leadership. The political tensions also come at a time when the country’s ties with the United States are at their lowest since the November cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistani-pm-appears-before-supreme-court/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Activists: Syrian Government Agrees to Truce With Rebel-Held Town</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/activists-syrian-government-agrees-to-truce-with-rebel-held-town/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/activists-syrian-government-agrees-to-truce-with-rebel-held-town/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:17:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[china]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[defectors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[qatar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/activists-syrian-government-agrees-to-truce-with-rebel-held-town/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Syrian opposition activists say government forces have agreed to a cease-fire with rebels holding a mountainous town near Damascus and the Lebanese border. Activists in Zabadani say rebels of the Free Syrian Army and representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the truce late Tuesday after five days of fighting. The deal calls for pro-Assad forces to withdraw from the town and for rebels to leave the streets. There was no confirmation of the cease-fire from the Syrian government. Zabadani has been a frequent site of opposition protests since the start of a 10-month-old uprising against Assad's 11-year autocratic rule. Army defectors who have joined the uprising in recent months have engaged in frequent battles with pro-government troops but have not managed to hold territory for a prolonged period. Qatar's ruling emir recently became the first Arab leader to call for Arab troops to be deployed in Syria to stop Assad's deadly crackdown on the revolt. Syria has rejected the idea. In a report Wednesday, Syrian state-run newspaper Tishrin accused Qatar of providing money and weapons to armed groups in Syria and demanded a stop to such behavior. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday any plans to send foreign troops to Syria will not be approved in the U.N. Security Council, where Moscow holds a veto. Russia is a key military ally of Syria. Lavrov also said his government continues to sell products to Syria without violating any international laws. He said unilateral sanctions imposed on Syria by the United States and European Union "undermine" collective efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis. EU foreign ministers are due to meet on Monday in Brussels to discuss a new round of asset freezes and travel bans on Syrian individuals and companies. British Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday that London will lead the way in tightening EU sanctions against the Syrian president, whom he called a "wretched tyrant." Cameron also said there is "growing evidence" that Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah are providing material support to the Assad government. A ship carrying Russian-made munitions docked in Syria last week. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said Tuesday that Washington has grave concerns about the flow of weapons into Syria and believes an international arms embargo on Damascus is "overdue." Russian has submitted a revised draft resolution to the Security Council assigning equal blame for the crisis to the Syrian government and the opposition. Western powers want the Council to condemn and sanction only the Syrian government, a position Russia and China have opposed. The United Nations says violence linked to the uprising has killed more than 5,400 people. Syria says "terrorists" have killed about 2,000 members of the security forces since the unrest began. 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/activists-syrian-government-agrees-to-truce-with-rebel-held-town/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pakistan PM Looks to Bolster Democracy Amid Tensions With the Military</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistan-pm-looks-to-bolster-democracy-amid-tensions-with-the-military/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistan-pm-looks-to-bolster-democracy-amid-tensions-with-the-military/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:26:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[britain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[democratic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pakistani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parliamentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prime-minister]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[south asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/pakistan-pm-looks-to-bolster-democracy-amid-tensions-with-the-military/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Pakistan's prime minister has told lawmakers they must choose between democracy or a dictatorship, amid growing tensions between the country's civilian government and the military. Yousuf Raza Gilani addressed the National Assembly Friday, telling lawmakers democracy must survive, regardless of the outcome of an investigation concerning a controversial unsigned memo that allegedly sought U.S. help in curbing the army's power.   One of President Asif Ali Zardari's allies introduced a resolution in parliament pledging "full confidence and trust" in Pakistan's political leadership. The measure will be debated Monday. Prime Minister Gilani said the resolution is not against any institution, including the judiciary or the army. Instead, he said the measure supports the democratic process and the continuity of the parliamentary system in Pakistan.   The crisis between the government and military stems from an unsigned memo that allegedly sought U.S. help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan. A Supreme Court-appointed panel is investigating the origins of the unsigned memo, in which Pakistan's civilian government asked for U.S. help in reining in the Pakistani military, following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May. Prime Minister Gilani's office on Friday denied a report that he telephoned the Britain's high commissioner to Islamabad, Adam Thompson, seeking British help to preempt a military coup in Pakistan. The British government also denied the report. On Friday, President Zardari returned to Islamabad after a one-day trip to Dubai.   The president's trip came as army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met with top commanders on Thursday.  Officials said the senior military officers discussed the "prevailing situation," referring to the memo scandal. Authorities said Mr. Zardari's trip to the United Arab Emirates was not linked to the current crisis in Pakistan. They said he attended a wedding in Dubai. Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz last October accused the then-Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, of writing the memo outlining fears of a military takeover.  Haqqani denies he wrote the document and has since resigned. The army has ruled Pakistan for most of its existence since independence from Britain in 1947. There have been three military coups in Pakistan, and no civilian government has ever completed its term in office. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.j-hady.com/pakistan-pm-looks-to-bolster-democracy-amid-tensions-with-the-military/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Thousands Rally in Syria as Arab League Chief Warns of Civil War</title>
		<link>http://www.j-hady.com/thousands-rally-in-syria-as-arab-league-chief-warns-of-civil-war/</link>
		<comments>http://www.j-hady.com/thousands-rally-in-syria-as-arab-league-chief-warns-of-civil-war/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:55:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>NN</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Top News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cyprus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Egyptian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[france]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[middle east]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monitoring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-nations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united-states]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.j-hady.com/thousands-rally-in-syria-as-arab-league-chief-warns-of-civil-war/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The chief of the Arab League warned Friday that Syria may be heading towards a civil war as thousands of Syrians took to the streets in support of an armed rebel group. Arab League head Nabil Elaraby commented in interviews with The Associated Press and an Egyptian TV station while anti-government protesters voiced support for the Free Syrian Army, composed mainly of former soldiers. Activists say 20,000 gathered in the town of Ariha in the northwest Idlib province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says soldiers opened fire on protesters in the region, killing at least one person. The 10-month crackdown on anti-government protests has turned more violent in recent months as defecting soldiers have taken up arms against the government. Amateur video from Syria Amateur video released Friday shows an armored personnel carrier in flames after it reportedly was attacked by members of the Free Syrian Army. The content of the video posted on YouTube can not be independently verified. Elaraby spoke after at least 11 members of the Arab League observer mission were injured by pro-Assad supporters earlier this week. Meanwhile, one observer quit the monitoring team, calling it a "farce," and activists told VOA that 11 members are expected to quit the mission soon. Foreign observers have been operating in Syria since December 26 to check President Bashar al-Assad's compliance with an Arab League plan to end his violent suppression of the uprising that began last year. The United Nations and the United States say killings of protesters by Syrian security forces have intensified since the monitoring mission began. But Elaraby denied the charge Friday in an interview with the Egyptian Al-Hayat television channel. Meanwhile, Turkey's foreign minister said a Russian ship carrying "dangerous cargo" has arrived in Syria, after being temporarily held in Cyprus. Cypriot media reported on Wednesday that authorities had intercepted a vessel carrying ammunition from St. Petersburg in Russia to Syria during a fuel stop. Media reports said the ship was carrying up to 60 tons of ammunition and explosives. The United States said on Friday that is had raised concerns with Russia and Cyprus about the issue. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland repeated U.S. calls for all countries who continue to trade and supply weapons with Syria to stop. The United Nations estimates at least 5,000 people have been killed in the uprising, many of them peaceful protesters attacked by Syrian security forces. Others have been killed in fighting between the Syrian military and the army defectors who have joined the rebellion in recent months. Earlier this week, the first Western journalist was killed in Syria during a government-organized trip to Homs. Paris prosecutors said Friday that a preliminary investigation has been launched into the death of the France-2 Television reporter. Damascus also has said it will investigate the death. 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/thousands-rally-in-syria-as-arab-league-chief-warns-of-civil-war/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

