Introduction to the evening news 18-11-2011

The Syrian issue is still at the forefront, raising the following questions: what is the next step to be taken, given that the 3-day grace period granted by the Arab League to Syria to sign the protocol ends tomorrow?           

The Arab League Secretary General said that the amendments to the protocol, required by Syria before signing it, are under study. What are these amendments? Will the 3-day grace period be counted starting yesterday or as of the date of the amendment’s acceptance, if accepted?            

In parallel, France called for more sanctions against Syria, as French foreign minister Alain Juppe announced from Turkey, during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart, that “it is too late for Syria to implement a reform program”.          

This tough French stance came at a time when the Syrian scene witnessed further unrest, taking the lives of at least 12 people today.            

This evening, the Iranian nuclear program made its way to the frontline as the governors of the U.N. nuclear watchdog approved a resolution condemning Iran for seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran did not waste a second to respond, saying that this resolution will only strengthen Tehran's determination to press on with its disputed activities.