Top news: The mandate of the one-month Arab League observer mission in Syria expired yesterday with members of the team largely confined to their hotels. Critics have charged that the mission has been ineffective in stopping violence and has even provided cover from Assad regime's crackdowns.
Arab foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on Sunday to decide whether to continue the mission. It can be extended for another month with the agreement of the Syrian government. The head of the mission, Sudan's Mohammed Ahmed Dabi, is expected to ask for an extension of the mission, along with greater power for the team to intervene to prevent human rights abuses.
Syria's most prominent opposition group says the mission has already proven a failure and want Syria referred to the U.N. Security Council. Russia has vowed to use its veto power to prevent any Security Council measure that could lead to military intervention in Syria, and has accused western countries of turning a blind eye to violence perpetrated by the opposition.
Scattered violence broke out on Friday when security forces prevented Friday prayers in the southern town of Deraa. Gunfire was also reported in several other towns.
Opposition activists have called for nationwide protests this weekend calling for the release of the thousands of protesters arrested since the beginning of the 10-month uprising.
Technology: In one of the largest copyright cases ever, the Justice Department have shut down the global filesharing site MegaUpload. In retaliation, the hacker collective Anonymous attacked the websites of the Justice Department, FBI, and Motion Picture Association of America.
Asia
- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani appeared before this country's Supreme Court to defend himself from contempt charges.
- Reuters reports that a senior al Qaeda organizer was killed inside Pakistan.
- The Beijing government has agreed to use a more stringent measure for air quality.
Middle East
- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's chief political rival accused him of detaining hundreds of political opponents.
- Iran's foreign minister warned neighboring states not to ally themselves too closely with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program.
- An international monitoring group says Muammar al-Qaddafi had an undeclared cache of chemical weapons.
Americas
- Eight Haitian police officers were convicted for their role in a 2010 prison massacre.
- British Foreign Minister William Hague is touring Latin America as part of a major diplomatic offensive in the region.
- Cuban hunger striker Wilmar Villar died in prison.
Europe
- A senior British official admitted that the British spy service was caught trying to hide surveillance equipment in a fake rock in Moscow several years ago.
- France has suspended training operations in Afghanistan after four soldiers were killed by a renegade Afghan recruit.
- The daughter of jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko says her mother's life is at risk.
Africa
- Somali government forces launched a major offensive from Mogadishu to recapture territory from Al Shabab.
- Around 45 Touareg rebels have been killed in two days of fighting with the Malian military.
- Madagascar's military has threatened to arrest ousted President Marc Ravalomanana if he attempts to return to the country this weekend as planned.
JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images
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