Six In The Morning

Syria bloodshed is outrageous, says Obama

US president repeats call for Bashar al-Assad to step down, as government troops seal off roads to the south of Homs

Julian Borger, Mona Mahmood and Peter Walker guardian.co.uk, Friday 10 February 2012 08.18 GMT
President Obama has accused Syrian government forces of responsibility for "outrageous" bloodshed and called again for Bashar al-Assad to step down, as troops sealed off a rebel stronghold in the city of Homs and launched a bombardment using tanks, helicopters and artillery. Speaking after a White House meeting with the Italian prime minister, Mario Monti, Obama said: "We both have a great interest in ending the outrageous bloodshed that we've seen and see a transition from the current government that has been assaulting its people."

Argentina takes Falklands Islands protest to UN
Argentinian foreign minister to submit formal complaint about Britain's 'militarisation' of seas around disputed islands

Press Association guardian.co.uk, Friday 10 February 2012 07.37 GMT
Argentina's foreign minister is due to arrive at the United Nations to officially protest about Britain's "militarisation" of the seas around the disputed Falkland Islands. Hector Timerman is expected to make a formal complaint to the presidents of the security council and general assembly at the UN's headquarters in New York on Friday.

After months of talks, Greeks told their cuts still don't go far enough
Government agrees to slash budget by €3.3bn but eurozone demands more before releasing bailout

Friday 10 February 2012
Greece yesterday unveiled a political deal over budget cuts that should unlock a €130bn (£109m) aid package and enable Athens to avoid a potentially catastrophic default next month. After a week of fraught negotiations between the three parties that make up Lucas Papademos' coalition government, the Prime Minister's office yesterday confirmed that agreement on €3.3bn of new spending cuts had been secured.

Director Zhang Presents Hollywood, Made in China
Chinese director Zhang Yimou was long considered a critic of his country's regime. Lately, though, he has focused on sumptuous period pieces -- and Beijing hopes his new film, "Flowers of War," will establish the country as a cultural world power.

By Martin Wolf
Zhang Yimou has seen just one German film, viewed on a pirated DVD. "The wiretapping film," he explains, placing his hands over his ears to resemble the headphones worn by actor Ulrich Mühe in his most famous role: as an agent of the Stasi, or East German secret police, in the 2006 German feature film "The Lives of Others." "Many Chinese people like that film," Zhang says with a smile. What he leaves unsaid: "The Lives of Others" is a portrait of a dictatorship persecuting and corrupting its best artists.

Guinea minister charged over 2009 massacre


DAKAR, SENEGAL
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday that Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara had appeared in front of the investigative judges on Wednesday, a week after charges were filed. He was not taken into custody. The Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights said in a statement that the charges laid against Tiegboro Camara were "a positive signal to the victims of these crimes who are waiting for justice". Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara is the highest-level official to be charged in relation to the September 28 massacre in which 157 people were killed and scores of women raped when troops descended on an opposition protest.

Muslim Brotherhood Demands Military Cede Power in Egypt


By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
CAIRO — The Muslim Brotherhood demanded Thursday that Egypt’s military rulers cede control of the government, stepping closer to a long-anticipated confrontation between the ruling generals and the Islamist-dominated Parliament. In a statement on its Web site and a television interview with one of its senior leaders, the Brotherhood called for the military to allow the replacement of the current prime minister and cabinet with a new coalition government formed by Parliament, which would amount to an immediate handover of power.