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Kerry condemns 'awful' Turkey bombings near Syria

Agence France-PresseMay 11, 2013 15:31

US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the "awful" car bombings blamed on pro-Damascus groups that killed at least 43 people in a Turkish town near the Syrian border on Saturday. "The United States condemns today's car bombings and we stand with our ally, Turkey," Kerry said in a statement. "This awful news strikes an especially personal note for all of us given how closely we work in partnership with Turkey, and how many times Turkey's been a vital interlocutor at the center of my work as secretary of state these last three months."

Syrian rebels unite to retake strategic town near Damascus

Thomson ReutersMay 11, 2013 14:45

By Mariam Karouny BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front have counter-attacked east of Damascus to retake a town that served as a conduit for arms from Jordan into the capital before it was seized by government forces last month, rebel sources said. The rebels' struggle to end four decades of Assad family rule has been complicated in part by internal divisions along ideological and political lines, as well as a shortage of heavy weaponry that could decisively turn the tide of conflict.

AFP 1900 GMT news advisory

Agence France-PresseMay 11, 2013 08:46

Duty editor: Susan Stumme Tel: +1 202 414 0541 -- TOP STORIES -- + US kidnap suspect jailed on $8 million bond + Syria threatens quick response to Israeli strike + Eight dead in new Bangladesh factory disaster + Moyes succeeds Ferguson as Man Utd manager US-crime-kidnap,WRAP CLEVELAND, Ohio Unemployed US bus driver Ariel Castro is ordered held on an $8 million bond on charges he kidnapped and raped three women and held them in his home for a decade.

Lebanese director says Arab League trying to ban his film

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 15:09

Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri whose award-winning film "The Attack" has been banned in his home country said on Friday that the Arab League has asked its 22 member governments to take steps to prevent the film being shown. "The Arab League has asked Arab governments, Lebanon included, to withdraw the permit to distribute the film," he told AFP in Paris. "The reason they gave was very simple: they don't want the film to come out, quite simply because Doueiri, Lebanese citizen, has set foot in Israel."

Syria to 'respond immediately' to any new Israeli strike

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 12:18

Syria will "respond immediately" to any new Israeli attack against its territory, its deputy foreign minister told AFP on Thursday, after two reported Israeli strikes last week. "The instruction has been made to respond immediately to any new Israeli attack without (additional) instruction from any higher leadership, and our retaliation will be strong and will be painful," Faisal Muqdad said. sk/sah-ser/

Ankara confirms testing for chemical weapon use in Syria

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 12:17

Turkey's foreign minister said on Thursday that Turkish authorities were conducting blood tests on wounded Syrian refugees to assess whether their injuries had been caused by chemical weapons. "We will keep on carrying out tests on each and every injured Syrian," who has fled to Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Ankara. The minister said more than a dozen test results "required further study and should be taken seriously" but did not elaborate further. "The studies continue. We will publish the results once they are concluded," he said.

Belgian Islamic groups seek to stop Syria volunteers

Agence France-PresseMay 8, 2013 14:18

Islamic authorities in Belgium tried Wednesday to deter young men from going to Syria to fight, saying the Koran provided no justification and that they risked being dangerously radicalised by extremist groups there. "Their return from the conflict is to be much more feared than their departure," Belgium's leading Islamic groups said in a statement. "It is to be feared that these young men take on the agendas of the extremist groups they will fight with, which will complicate their relations with fellow European citizens" when they return home, it said.

Syria Internet 'restored' after blackout

Agence France-PresseMay 8, 2013 14:18

Syria's Internet appeared to have been restored on Wednesday afternoon after a two-day blackout, residents and state media said. The blackout was blamed by state media on a technical fault, but activists and a watchdog accused the regime of deliberating cutting the connection to shield military operations. In a breaking news alert, Syrian state television announced internet and communications were back up and running. Landline phone services between Syrian provinces had also been down since Tuesday, state news agency SANA said.

US unveiling extra $100 mn for Syrian refugees

Agence France-PresseMay 8, 2013 13:55

The United States is to donate another $100 million (76 million euros) in humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees boosting its total to $510 million, the State Department said Wednesday. The additional funds, to be officially announced Thursday by Secretary of State John Kerry, will fund UN programmes for shelter, food and help to refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey as well as inside Syria, it said in a statement.

Taking sides in Syria is hard choice for Israel

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 11:40

By Dan Williams LOD, Israel (Reuters) - The dilemma Israel faces in trying to formulate a strategy on Syria two years into its civil war is symbolized by a case being heard in a small courtroom near Tel Aviv. The state is prosecuting an Arab Israeli who briefly joined the rebel forces fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.