阿萨德 (Bashar al-Assad)总统面临自2000年继承他父亲的职位以来最大的国内挑战。已有至少60人在过去两周左右的抗议中遇难。抗议者对他向叙利亚议会的讲话感到非常失望。他的职员表示,总统宣布进行重大的改革,尤其是取消自1963年开始严厉地控制着这个警察国家的紧急法律。他讲述了改革的重要性,但是没有宣布关于变革的任何具体计划或日期。阿萨德总统讲话后不久,反政府抗议者再次走向港口城市拉塔基亚的街头。
World News from the BBC
There have been more large anti-government demonstrations in several major cities in Yemen. Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis turned out to demand the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Many hold his government responsible for an explosion at an ammunitions factory that left 150 people dead.
也门几个主要城市爆发了更多大规模的反政府示威活动。几十万名也门人要求总统萨利赫(Ali Abdullah Saleh)辞职。许多人指责萨利赫政府应该为造成150人死亡的军火工厂爆炸负责。
The commander of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan has said he is worried about the increased militarisation of the disputed border region of Abyei. The commander General Moses Obi said patrols from the north and south of the country were more heavily armed than necessary. He said there were also many other armed groups in the region who were not supposed to be there.