Syria's prime minister defects

21:00 | In the world Britain basks in hottest day of year

By lunchtime on Wednesday, the temperature had reached 26C at Charwood in Surrey, making it the warmest day of 2013 so far.
Source: The Telegraph
20:45 | In the world Analysis: Putin basks in isolation over Syria as Obama's charm falls flat

At the end of a tense two-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama - slumped over and serious - tried to lighten the mood with a joke about their favorite sports.
Source: Reuters
20:33 | In the world Kim Kardashian Baby Name: Does Kimye's Baby Have One Of These 'K' Names?

Kim gave birth on June 15, but the reality star still hasn't revealed her daughter's name.
Source: The Huffington Post
20:24 | In the world Somalia UN office attack by al-Shabab 'kills 15'

The gun-battle inside the office lasted for more than an hour, witnesses said.
Source: BBC
20:17 | In the world Syria’s civil war is playing out not just on the battlefield but also online

Web watchers say the government recently cut off Internet access to apply stronger filters for future use.
Video: The Wall Street Journal
20:10 | In the world Children born to a surrogate mother have more emotional difficulties than those carried by their biological mother

But children have less problems coping with the idea that they were conceived using a donor egg and sperm and are not related to their parents.
Source: The Daily Mail
20:03 | In the world Russian prosecutors have charged opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev

He has charged with plotting mass riots during a demonstration in Moscow last May, his lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky told RAPSI on Wednesday.
Source: Ria.ru
19:55 | In the world Extreme dog grooming contests

Photos: ABC News
19:50 | In the world Duchess of Cambridge opts for natural childbirth

The future king or queen will be born in the private Lindo wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where the Duke of Cambridge, who was also born there, will be with his wife throughout the delivery.
Source: The Telegraph
19:42 | In the world Egypt top cleric: Protests against Morsi permitted

Peaceful protests against the president are permitted, dismissing declarations by Islamist hard-liners that those behind protests planned for June 30 are heretics.
Source: Associated Press
19:36 | In the world Brazil sends national force to control protest trouble

The national force will be sent to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Fortaleza and the capital, Brasilia.
Source: BBC
19:30 | In the world "I intend to seek negotiated cuts with Russia to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures"

Barack Obama said, speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Source: Reuters
19:25 | Region Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia congratulates Iran’s new President

“We pray for God to grant you more wisdom, health and vigor in the mission entrusted to you by the honest Iranian people.”
Source: IRIB
18:43 | In the world Syrian port city of Latakia hit by blast

State television said the blast was caused by a technical fault at a weapons store at a military engineering base, and said six people were hurt.
Source: Reuters
18:38 | Region NKR President visits south-east of republic

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the south-east of the republic, where he held an extended consultation attended by members of the National Assembly, Cabinet of Ministers and heads of several leading companies.
Source: presidential press service
17:28 | Armenia Levon Aronian to play in Sinquefield Cup

On September 9-15, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Aronian will be joined by Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Gata Kamsky.
Source: armchess.am
17:12 | Region Iranian-Armenian community’s demands and expectations from Iran’s new President

Robert Beglaryan, an Armenian member of the Iranian parliament, has congratulated Iran’s new President Hassan Rohani and presented a number of proposals.
Source: Alik
15:18 | Armenia Police Chief: If there is a need to use arms, let me be the first victim

“We rule out the use of arms against our people under any circumstances,” Armenian Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan told reporters in Arzni.
Source: Panorama.am
14:47 | Armenia Armenian police hold command and headquarters exercise

Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan voiced his satisfaction with the exercise.
Source: Panorama.am
13:57 | In the world Meeting of CIS Council for Cultural Cooperation to take place in Minsk, chaired by Armenian Culture Minister

The meeting will discuss cultural events that have been held and are scheduled in CIS states as well as expansion of cultural cooperation.
Source: Armenian Ministry of Culture
13:21 | Region Turkey unrest: Young protester loses eye from rubber bullet, mother wants justice

One young man, who was shot with a rubber bullet during the police intervention in the demonstrations in Taksim Gezi Park last week, lost his sight in one eye but counts himself lucky for being alive.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
13:19 | Region Key suspect of Hrant Dink murder case arrested

Ersin Yolcu is now again being held in Trabzon's Bahçeçik prison, pending the second trial.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
13:00 | Armenia Ashot Vardevanyan: Armenia is not poor in water resources, but it spends too much water

“25 percent of Armenian territory faces the danger of desertification, while 81 percent is subject to desertification,” said the coordinator of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Source: Panorama.am
11:56 | In the world Resolution urges countries to join Convention on Cybercrime

Cyber attacks should be viewed as equal to conventional acts of aggression according to a resolution now pending at the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.
Source: OSCE PA
11:48 | Armenia Fire in Martiros Saryan House-Museum

The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations received a call at midnight that Martiros Saryan House-Museum was on fire.
Source: MES
11:21 | Armenia Heritage again considered most prospective and authoritative opposition party

The Americans have understood that they should no longer have expectations from Levon Ter-Petrosyan, and the idea of turning Prosperous Armenia into opposition is an absolute failure.
Source: Iravunk
10:48 | Armenia Lomonosov Moscow State University to open branch in Armenia

The issue was once discussed by the leaders of the two countries, and was lobbied by Armenian Education Minister Armen Ashotyan.
Source: Aravot
10:29 | In the world Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s move not yet certain

The information that Armenian international midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is moving to Liverpool is not confirmed.
Source: Haykakan Zhamanak
09:43 | In the world US, France, Russia issue statement on Karabakh

Presidents of the US, France and Russia, Barack Obama, Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin, as heads of states of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, issued a joint statement Tuesday regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process.
Source: Asbarez.com
09:16 | In the world Heavy blasts hit munitions depot in Russia’s Samara

More than 1,500 firefighters are combating the blaze, while thousands of locals have been evacuated and dozens hospitalized.
Source: RT
09:07 | In the world Pentagon unveils plans for moving women into combat roles

The plans, which call for gender-neutral job requirements like scaling walls and lifting 55-pound (25-kg) tank ammunition, will require more years of study, education and training before some services open combat jobs to women.
Source: Reuters
09:03 | In the world U.N. recommends bringing Iraq closer to ending 1990s sanctions

Iraq is still subject to a U.N. arms embargo and asset freeze on individuals and entities linked to Saddam.
Source: Reuters
08:57 | In the world Mom, child held in 'subhuman' captivity in Ohio

A mentally disabled woman and her daughter were held in an Ohio apartment crowded with people and animals for more than a year, forced to perform manual labor and threatened with dogs and snakes to keep them compliant.
Source: CNN
08:49 | In the world Obama in Berlin to give Brandenburg Gate speech

He last addressed Berliners as a presidential candidate in 2008 - drawing a crowd estimated at 200,000 in the once-divided city.
Source: BBC
08:44 | In the world Afghan attack kills US soldiers hours after news of talks

The soldiers were killed by "indirect fire" from insurgents at Bagram air base, US officials said.
Source: BBC
08:40 | Armenia Transitory rain expected in Armenia

The air temperature will not change.
Source: Meteo-TV
23:30 | In the world Angelina Jolie stunt double launches News Corp phone-hacking lawsuit

News Corporation is facing its first phone-hacking lawsuit in the US after a former stunt double for Angelina Jolie launched a lawsuit alleging her mobile phone messages were intercepted by the now defunct News of the World and the Sun.
Source: The Guardian
23:20 | In the world German 'should be a working language of EU', says Merkel's party

The inferior status of German is a long-standing grievance for Berlin, which points out that it has over 100 million speakers, including German-speaking minorities in Belgium, Denmark, Italy and Poland.
Source: The Telegraph
23:12 | Armenia Mali and Tuareg rebels sign accord

The nation of Mali signed an accord with Tuareg separatists who still control the country's northernmost province, paving the way for the Malian military to return to the areas that remain under rebel control.
Source: Associated Press
23:05 | In the world Obama opens 24-Hour trip to Germany

US President is opening a 24-hour visit to Germany, the culmination of which will be a speech Wednesday at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate.
Source: ABC News
22:58 | In the world Putin ‘not lonely’ at G8 summit

Russian President played down assertions that, regarding how to deal with the Syria conflict, he alone was opposing all other leaders of the Group of Eight powerful economies in talks this week in Northern Ireland.
Source: Ria.ru
22:50 | In the world Laurent Koscielny will snub Bayern Munich AND Barcelona to remain at Arsenal

Koscielny’s agent, Stephane Courbois, had fuelled talk of a move by confirming that the defender is a summer target for Europe’s top clubs.
Source: The Sun
22:37 | Armenia G8 leaders agree tax evasion measures

Leaders of the G8 major economies have agreed new measures to clamp down on money launderers, illegal tax evaders and corporate tax avoiders.
Source: BBC
22:30 | In the world U.S. to hold Afghan peace talks with Taliban in Doha

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that the process would likely be lengthy.
Source: Reuters
20:27 | Region Freedom House again registers democratic progress in Armenia and regression in Azerbaijan

While neighboring Azerbaijan aggressively stifled political opposition, Georgia and Armenia conducted parliamentary elections under new electoral laws that emphasized equal access to campaign resources and media coverage, the Freedom House new report on “Nations in Transit 2013” reads.
Source: Freedom House
19:01 | In the world Messi tax fraud case could be extended

The Spanish Tax Authority could expand its investigation into Leo Messi’s fiscal affairs to the years 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Source: AS
18:38 | In the world UN: Turkish government and civil society must work to defuse tensions

“The atmosphere is still clearly highly combustible,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.
Source: UN
18:06 | Armenia New stamp dedicated to Armenian brandy

A new stamp dedicated to the foundation of the brandy production in Armenia was cancelled and introduced into circulation today.
Source: Haypost
18:02 | Region ‘‘Committee to Protect Journalists,’’ condemns Azerbaijani authorities for banning journalist M. Huseynov to leave the country

Authorities in Azerbaijan should lift the travel ban imposed against journalist Mehman Huseynov and allow him to travel freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) said today.
Source: CJP
17:53 | Armenia Armenian chess players in Golden Sands

GM Tigran L. Petrosian scored 6.5 points out of 9 and took 13th place among 220 participants at the 2nd Grand Europe Open.
Source: armchess.am
17:19 | In the world Report: Henrikh Mkhitaryan flying in for Liverpool medical

Armenian international midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will undergo a medical at Liverpool in the next couple of days to complete his switch from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Source: News Liverpool FC
16:19 | Armenia Ruben Hayrapetyan to meet with representatives of blogosphere and social networks

All those football fans who express various opinions of Armenian football and challenges faced by the Armenian national team in the blogosphere, football forums and social networks are invited to a free format meeting and discussion.
Source: FFA
16:19 | Armenia Spayka company to buy apricots from villagers for AMD 500 per kg

Spayka company is willing to buy apricots from villagers for AMD 500 per kg, Armenian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Robert Makaryan told our correspondent following a visit to Ararat province.
Source: Panorama.am
15:22 | Armenia New head of Nubarashen district introduced to staff

Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan has introduced newly appointed head of Nubarashen district Arthur Kirakosyan to the staff and thanked former head of the district Mher Hovhannisyan for collaboration.
Source: Panorama.am
14:39 | Region Bulent Arinc: Army could be used against protesters

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Monday Turkey could deploy "elements of the armed forces" to help quell anti-government protests if needed.
Source: Reuters

09:21 07/08/2012 » In the world

Syria's prime minister defected Monday, becoming the latest among high-profile politicians and leaders to leave the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad, CNN reported.

"I announce today my defection from the killing and terrorist regime and I announce that I have joined the ranks of the freedom and dignity revolution. I announce that I am from today a soldier in this blessed revolution," Riyad Hijab said in a written statement read by a Syrian opposition official on Al Jazeera.

Analysts described Hijab's departure as a significant symbolic blow for al-Assad's government but noted that the former prime minister had been on the job for only a few months.

Al-Assad appointed Hijab prime minister in June, a month after parliamentary elections that were boycotted by supporters of those seeking to oust al-Assad.

Opposition leaders said Hijab had defected, while Syrian state television said al-Assad dismissed Hijab from his post Monday.

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said officials hadn't "heard anything from the former prime minister," according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.

The information minister also "said that fleeing and leaving one's post in an illegitimate manner is an evasion of responsibility and shows lack of political and national awareness," the news agency reported.

Source: Panorama.am