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| Syria, Egypt and Algeria - live updates | Syria, Egypt and Algeria - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.55am: Syria: Russia's foreign ministry is also still backing Kofi Annan's battered peace initiative. | |
| The #UN observer mission in #Syria must continue performing its tasks in spite of the terrorist acts | |
| — MFA Russia (@MFA_Russia) May 11, 2012 | |
| The terrorist acts in #Syria are aimed at wrecking the Kofi Annan plan and are pushing the country into a dangerous bloody cycle of violence | |
| — MFA Russia (@MFA_Russia) May 11, 2012 | |
| 9.38am: Syria: It is too early to write off Kofi Annan's peace plan as a failure, according to Susan Rice the US ambassador to the UN. | |
| Speaking to Reuters she said: "I don't think it's time yet to say that the mission and the Annan initiative has failed. Although we've been sceptical of the Syrian government's readiness and willingness to implement its commitments, what Annan is trying to do makes eminent sense and we support it." | |
| She also repeated US reluctance to arm the Syrian opposition. She said yesterday's bomb attacks were "a great example that this situation is already militarised and violent enough and we don't think it's wise to contribute to that by pouring more weapons or armaments into it." | |
| 9.09am: Egypt: Here's Juan Cole's summary and commentary on last night's debate between Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh and Amr Moussa. | |
| Cole said: | |
| Abul Fotouh knows that the New Left youth do not forgive Moussa for having served under Mubarak and at one point, and he stressed Moussa's background in this regard. He also promised to appoint very large numbers of young people to high positions, noting that in 2008 the US got a young president but that Egypt is ruled by the geriatric set. Abul Fotouh tried to reassure the secular middle classes and the Copts, both of which probably favour Moussa, that he wouldn't turn Egypt into a religious state like Saudi Arabia. He knows that the Salafi leaders have already endorsed him. But the Muslim Brotherhood has its own candidate, Muhammad al-Mursi, who will likely draw votes away from Abul Fotouh. | |
| Moussa stressed both respect for Islam and the important role Islamic law plays in underpinning most Egyptian laws. This was his attempt to steal some votes of the committed Muslims from Abul Fotouh. But he also stressed that these Islamic laws could not be applied to Coptic Christians, who have their own personal status laws. | |
| Moftasa has a full English transcript of the debate in two sections: part one and part two. | |
| Al-Jazeera has edited highlights in this report on the debate. | |
| 8.28am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. At this stage today looks set to be dominated by reaction to both yesterday's bombings in Damascus and Egypt's first presidential debate. Parliamentary election results are also due in Algeria. | 8.28am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. At this stage today looks set to be dominated by reaction to both yesterday's bombings in Damascus and Egypt's first presidential debate. Parliamentary election results are also due in Algeria. |
| Here's a round up of the latest developments: | Here's a round up of the latest developments: |
| Syria | Syria |
| • Syria suffered its worst terrorist attack since the start of the uprising when at least 55 people were reported killed and nearly 400 injured in twin car bomb blasts near a government intelligence building in Damascus. Syrian officials and media blamed foreign-backed terrorist groups for the attack. The opposition accused the regime of President Bashar al-Assad of carrying out the bombings to smear them. The blasts were condemned internationally. Kofi Annan, the special envoy for the UN and Arab League, said it was vital to implement his six-point plan for peace in Syria. Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, said the bombings "remind us of the urgent need for a political solution in Syria before it is too late". The UN security council condemned the attacks. | • Syria suffered its worst terrorist attack since the start of the uprising when at least 55 people were reported killed and nearly 400 injured in twin car bomb blasts near a government intelligence building in Damascus. Syrian officials and media blamed foreign-backed terrorist groups for the attack. The opposition accused the regime of President Bashar al-Assad of carrying out the bombings to smear them. The blasts were condemned internationally. Kofi Annan, the special envoy for the UN and Arab League, said it was vital to implement his six-point plan for peace in Syria. Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, said the bombings "remind us of the urgent need for a political solution in Syria before it is too late". The UN security council condemned the attacks. |
| • Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, suggested al-Qaida was behind the bombings. He also claimed 12 "foreign terrorists" including individuals from Britain and France, have been killed in Syria. | • Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, suggested al-Qaida was behind the bombings. He also claimed 12 "foreign terrorists" including individuals from Britain and France, have been killed in Syria. |
| • The rebel Free Syrian Army has condemned the bombing and urged the UN monitors to investigate its claim that the regime was responsible. In a statement, translated by the opposition site Ayyam, it said: | • The rebel Free Syrian Army has condemned the bombing and urged the UN monitors to investigate its claim that the regime was responsible. In a statement, translated by the opposition site Ayyam, it said: |
| We condemn this cowardly terrorist act and hold the regime fully responsible for it. We request that the UN form a team of international experts to investigate these bombings, and ask Kofi Annan to declare the failure of his peace plan, and to hold the regime accountable for its failure. We also request the arming of the Free Syrian Army and request an emergency UN meeting, so a chapter 7 resolution facilitating the protection of Syrian civilians can be passed. | We condemn this cowardly terrorist act and hold the regime fully responsible for it. We request that the UN form a team of international experts to investigate these bombings, and ask Kofi Annan to declare the failure of his peace plan, and to hold the regime accountable for its failure. We also request the arming of the Free Syrian Army and request an emergency UN meeting, so a chapter 7 resolution facilitating the protection of Syrian civilians can be passed. |
| • Opposition claims that the regime was behind the bombings are not plausible, according to Middle East analyst Juan Cole. | • Opposition claims that the regime was behind the bombings are not plausible, according to Middle East analyst Juan Cole. |
| The perpetrators were almost certainly regime opponents. The similarities between this bombing and the ones we see in Baghdad raises the question of whether these guerrillas are linked or even the same. It has been reported that fighters once based in Iraq have flocked to Syria. It is possible that a forensics team could get at this issue more precisely. | The perpetrators were almost certainly regime opponents. The similarities between this bombing and the ones we see in Baghdad raises the question of whether these guerrillas are linked or even the same. It has been reported that fighters once based in Iraq have flocked to Syria. It is possible that a forensics team could get at this issue more precisely. |
| If the bombing issues from some such quarter, is is politically stupid. Some 70 UN inspectors are in Syria trying to get a sense of where they country is going amid all this turbulence, and they flocked to the bomb site. | If the bombing issues from some such quarter, is is politically stupid. Some 70 UN inspectors are in Syria trying to get a sense of where they country is going amid all this turbulence, and they flocked to the bomb site. |
| But it would be wrong to tar the Syrian National Council with this horrible act. Their strategy has mainly been peaceful demonstrations. The SNC is saying absurd things such as that the regime bombed itself in order to avoid having the world community swing around and come to view it as a terrorist organisation. | But it would be wrong to tar the Syrian National Council with this horrible act. Their strategy has mainly been peaceful demonstrations. The SNC is saying absurd things such as that the regime bombed itself in order to avoid having the world community swing around and come to view it as a terrorist organisation. |
| • The Damascus bombings add to the sense of despair and make the likelihood of international action even more remote, according to Richard Spencer in the Telegraph. | • The Damascus bombings add to the sense of despair and make the likelihood of international action even more remote, according to Richard Spencer in the Telegraph. |
| It does not really matter who is responsible; the image conjured up is of the Lebanon 30 years ago, an unwished-for but uncontrollable rush to ungovernable chaos, some of it sectarian, much of it indiscriminate ... this crisis will linger on, perhaps indefinitely, ever more painfully, now seems sure. Only decisiveness would change the trajectory of events, and if politicians around the world can agree on anything, it is that now is not a time for decisiveness. | It does not really matter who is responsible; the image conjured up is of the Lebanon 30 years ago, an unwished-for but uncontrollable rush to ungovernable chaos, some of it sectarian, much of it indiscriminate ... this crisis will linger on, perhaps indefinitely, ever more painfully, now seems sure. Only decisiveness would change the trajectory of events, and if politicians around the world can agree on anything, it is that now is not a time for decisiveness. |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| • Egypt has hosted its first televised presidential debate between front runners Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh - who exemplify the fault-lines of the upcoming election. In a four and a half hour debate Abul-Futoh alluded to Moussa's ties to the Mubarak regime many times, while Moussa reciprocated by attacking Abul Fotouh's affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood. Follow how the debate unfolded in our minute-by-minute coverage. | |
| Yemen | Yemen |
| • Conflicts between the Gulf states and Iran and the US and al-Qaida have reduced parts of Yemen to rubble and are pushing Yeminis into the arms of the jihadis, writes Ghaith Abdul-Ahad in Aden. | • Conflicts between the Gulf states and Iran and the US and al-Qaida have reduced parts of Yemen to rubble and are pushing Yeminis into the arms of the jihadis, writes Ghaith Abdul-Ahad in Aden. |
| When the Iranians approached him, Jemajem was asked to gather a group of Hirak activists and a week later they were flown to Damascus, where they met two officials from the Iranian embassy. According to Jemajem and other activists who travelled with him, the officials told the Yemeni delegation that they would support demands for federalism within Yemen, but not the separate state that Hirak was calling for. | When the Iranians approached him, Jemajem was asked to gather a group of Hirak activists and a week later they were flown to Damascus, where they met two officials from the Iranian embassy. According to Jemajem and other activists who travelled with him, the officials told the Yemeni delegation that they would support demands for federalism within Yemen, but not the separate state that Hirak was calling for. |
| Iran | Iran |
| • Cartoonists have condemned the conviction of an Iranian colleague Mahmoud Shokraye who was sentenced to 25 lashes for drawing a caricature of an MP that was deemed insulting. His sentence has sparked an outcry among cartoonists, including the Guardian's Martin Rowson, who have responded with cartoons in support of Shokraye. | • Cartoonists have condemned the conviction of an Iranian colleague Mahmoud Shokraye who was sentenced to 25 lashes for drawing a caricature of an MP that was deemed insulting. His sentence has sparked an outcry among cartoonists, including the Guardian's Martin Rowson, who have responded with cartoons in support of Shokraye. |