Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad has given a general amnesty for all crimes committed during the 10-month demonstrations. It would deal with all army deserters who turned themselves in before the end of January, peaceful protesters and the owners if unlicensed weapons. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Mr Assad to end the bloodshed. "Stop the violence. Stop killing your people. The path of repression is a dead end," Bbc.co.uk.quotes Mr Ban’s speech a... Read more »

At least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, 91 wounded. The blast was targeted Shia pilgrims marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of their calendar. The attack occurred in spite of s tight security amid fears of insurgent acts during the festival. Dozens of people have been killed in attacks on pilgrims in the last few weeks, Bbc.co.uk reported.

At least one man has been shot dead and three others injured in clashes between security forces and Shia protesters in eastern Saudi Arabia region of Qatif. Issam Mohammed, 22, reportedly died when troops opened gunfire after demonstrators threw stones at them in the town of al-Awamiya. The violence came amid the first official visit of UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Bbc.co.uk reported.

Number two person of the US State Department's was to meet today with leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood's party after they had crushingly won first parliamentary polls since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak. William Burns "will meet leaders of the Freedom and Justice Party at their headquarters in Cairo," Middle-east-online.com quotes FJP spokesman Ahmed Sobea as saying. "It will be the highest-level meeting with any official from the United States,"... Read more »

Bahrain’s military court has sentenced a policeman to more than 12 years in jail for joining demonstrations against the royal family last year. Ali al-Ghanami, a 25-year-old junior police officer, had left his guard post and joined peaceful protesters on 17 February 2011. On that day police action against demonstrators in Manama left two protesters dead and more than a hundred injured. "He was very emotional. He stood in front of people in his uniform and s... Read more »

Yemen's ministers have approved a draft law granting President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity from prosecution. The move is a part of a Gulf-brokered transition deal. The document would give amnesty to Mr Saleh and his aides in "all government, civil and military departments" during his 33-year presidency. The law is still to be approved by the country's parliament. Last week the UN human rights chief criticised the transition deal, which was signed in Novembe... Read more »

Sudanese rebels call on Libya’s NTC to arrest President Omar al-Bashir for war crimesl during his visit to Tripoli. In his first trip since Libya’s dictator Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown and killed last year, the Darfur rebels called for Bashir to be sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC). “We are calling for the Libyan authorities to arrest Bashir and send him to the ICC because he committed crimes against his people in Darfur,” Alarabiya.net quot... Read more »

Two Russian warships are expected to arrive in Syria today. According to Alarabiya.net , a visit that will likely be seen as a display of force and a support for President Bashar al-Assad. The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and the frigate Yaroslav Mudry are scheduled to put in at the Syrian port of Tartus , former Soviet and now Russia’s naval maintenance and supply facility. The vessels, part of a group of Russian ships currently in the Mediterranean, were ... Read more »

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Gaza's Hamas PM Ismail Haniya arrived in Tunisia yesterday. Juppe’s two-day visit’s aim is to urge the North African state's new ministers to respect the rule of law. Haniya arrived on the next leg of his six-country tour to a welcome from Tunisia's new rulers and a crowd of some 2,000 people. The Palestinian PM was greeted on arrival by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and the leader of the dominant moderate Islamist Enn... Read more »

Algeria’s opposition parties have demanded that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika dissolve the cabinet, and appoint an new prime minister and interim government of technocrats to ensure a parliamentary election later this year is held without fraud. Algeria is the only country in North Africa mainly untouched by the “Arab Spring” events, but the election, scheduled for this May, could be a catalyst for uprisings which would destabilize the oil and gas exporter... Read more »