The US hits Syria with new sanctions. This time they target financial resources of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Washington imposes sanctions on main commercial bank and mobile phone operator. The measures came after activists had reported Syrian forces killed 18 people in Homs. Activists said the army used not only guns, tanks but anti-aircraft weapons on residents in the restive central city. The Syrian government in its turn says that the army has le... Read more »

Libyan authorities yesterday accused NATO of a "massacre" of 85 villagers in air strikes in support of rebels. The village of Majer, 10 kilometres south of Zliten, was attacked late on Monday killing 85 including thirty-three children, 32 women and 20 men from 12 families. Libyan leader Moamer Gathafi said world powers would be held responsible for the "horifying massacre committed by NATO" on the village of Majer, Meanwhile political leadership is in crisi... Read more »

Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas ended negotiations in Egypt on Sunday aimed at implementing a reconciliation deal begun in May. Both parties agreed to release political prisoners and passports for Gaza residents by the end of Ramadan. The agreement "is important because it is a reassuring message to the Palestinian people, and it reflects the seriousness of both parties in implementing it," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri said, Middle-east-online.... Read more »

Jordanian youth movements said this week they plan their pro-reform demonstrations to be raised in Amman and other cities during the holy month of Ramadan and for the Eid al-Fitr festival. "The Youth and Popular Reform Movements have decided to raise their field action and fill Amman and other governorates with the spirit of reform and freedom," groups said on their Facebook page, Middle-east-online.com reported. "The regime only cares about stalling for ti... Read more »

The Gulf Cooperation Council which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday urged Syria to stop ‘bloodshed’ and called for major reforms. Therefore international pressure escalated on Damascus over its deadly crackdown on democracy protests. “As the council members express sorrow for the continuous bloodshed, they stress that they are keen on preserving the security, stability, and unity of Syria,” the state... Read more »

A Libyan rebel spokesman has claimed that a NATO airstrike on the city of Zlitan has killed one of the sons of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi – Khamis. "Overnight there was an aircraft attack by NATO on the Gaddafi operations room in Zlitan and there are around 32 Gaddafi troops killed. One of them is Khamis". A NATO official at operations headquarters in Naples, Italy, told the Aljazeera.net that while he was aware of the report, he could not confirm it. "... Read more »

Saudi Arabia's interior minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud has accepted undisclosed damages over an article in The Independent newspaper accusing him of ordering police to shoot unarmed protesters. The newspaper accepted the "order" it reported was in fact a fake. Its publishers , Independent Print Ltd company, also offered "sincere apologies" as well as the author of the article, the Independent's Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk. Prince Nay... Read more »

Egyptian ex-president Hosni Mubarak is to face murder charges today, shortly after he landed at Almaza military airport in Cairo, security official said, Middle-east-online.com reported. The Mubarak's car was making its way to the court through "deserted streets amid tight security." Former head of state due to appear along with his two sons, the former interior minister and six security chiefs. At the trial, Mubarak will be reunited with his sons, Alaa and... Read more »

Israeli warplanes raided the Gaza Strip early Tuesday Alarabiya.net reported. The raid targeted a tunnel dug under the border between Egypt and the south of the Strip, not far from Rafah. The Israeli army confirmed the fact of air raid saying “aircraft attacked a tunnel used by smugglers.” According to reports, there were no casualties reported in the raid. Two explosions also occurred in Gaza City. Their source was not immediately clear. A woman was slight... Read more »

The Syrian tanks have begun an assault on the northern city of Hama with residents saying that dozens of people have been killed. Hama is one of the revolt centres and virtually besieged for the past month. Local residents said more than 20 people were killed in "intense gunfire" after forces moved in. The army is signalling that it will not tolerate large-scale protests ahead of the month of Ramadan. Syria has seen more than four months of protests against... Read more »