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| Syrian president endorses new media law |
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 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has endorsed a media law that puts an end to the government's control over media, newspapers and local and foreign publications. The new law, which was discussed by the cabinet earlier this month, cancels penalties against journalists and ensures their freedom, Xinhua reported on Sunday. It also facilitates the journalists' access to information and securing their right of protecting their information sources. The media law is part of Assad's initiative to implement sweeping reforms in the Middle Eastern country. Meanwhile, Syrian Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud said recently that the law aims at regulating and developing media performance in accordance with the comprehensive reform process in Syria. According to the new law, an independent council will be in charge of monitoring the state's media. Earlier in May, the Syrian cabinet approved formation of a committee tasked with reforming the administration to restore peace in the country. Syria has witnessed violent protests since mid-March. While the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the violence, Syrian authorities blame armed groups and foreign elements for the aggressive actions, saying security forces have been given clear instructions not to hurt civilians. Experts believe Assad's reforms are a positive development in the Arab country. The Syrian president says the US and its allies have been hindering political reforms in the country. He joined bin Laden in Afghanistan as a teenager in the 1980s to fight the Soviet Union. Washington has called Pakistan's semi-autonomous northwest tribal region the global headquarters of Al-Qaeda, where Taliban and other Al-Qaeda-linked networks have rear bases from which they launch attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan. Although the United States does not publicly confirm drone attacks, its military and the CIA in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy the unmanned Predator aircraft in the region. (Source: Press TV)
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