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Britain Says U.N. Syria Mission 'in Serious Question'

Britain said the suspension Saturday of the United Nations monitoring mission in Syria "calls into serious question" the viability of the entire operation.

"I regret that it has been necessary for the U.N. mission to decide to suspend patrols and to restrict staff movements due to escalating violence in Syria," Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement.

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British PM, King of Jordan Hold Syria Talks

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and King Abdullah II of Jordan held talks Saturday on ending the "appalling daily slaughter" in Syria, Cameron's Downing Street office said.

They also discussed the Middle East peace process and Britain's marathon efforts to deport radical cleric Abu Qatada back to Jordan.

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Egypt Islamists Reject Parliament Disbanding, Call for Vote

The Muslim Brotherhood on Saturday accused Egypt's military of seeking to monopolize power by disbanding the Islamist-dominated parliament and demanded a referendum on the decision.

"Constant threats to dissolve parliament, elected with the will of 30 million Egyptians, confirm the military council's desire to monopolize power," the Brotherhood's political arm said in a statement.

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Turkey Says Security Council Needs 'New Measure' in Syria

Turkey's foreign minister called Saturday on the U.N. Security Council to take "a new measure" in Syria to stop the crisis there from getting worse after U.N. observers suspended their mission.

"In the event that this observer mission pulls back, there is need for the U.N. Security Council to immediately do a situation assessment and take a new measure to ensure the humanitarian tragedy does not move onto a next level," Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters.

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Palestinians Seek Full Representation at Rio+20

Palestinians are pushing for full representation as a state at the U.N. Rio+20 summit on sustainable development, but the issue will have to be decided by world leaders next week, according to officials.

"We expect full-status participation because we already have it in UNESCO and we have ties with Brazil (the host country which recognizes the Palestinian state) and with more than 130 countries," Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Alzeben told Agence France Presse.

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Egypt Military Says Parliament Dissolved

Egypt's military told parliament on Saturday it has been dissolved and banned its members from entering the house after a court annulled the last legislative poll, official media and a senior MP said.

The Islamist-led parliament received a notice saying that Egypt's ruling generals had decided "to consider parliament dissolved," the official MENA news agency reported.

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'Critical Juncture' in Syria as U.S. Seeks Next Steps

The White House renewed calls Saturday for Bashar Assad to step down at a "critical juncture" in Syria after U.N. observers suspended their mission, saying it was discussing the way ahead with allies.

The unarmed observers have been targeted almost daily since deploying in mid-April to monitor a U.N.-backed but widely flouted ceasefire brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan, and they were likened to "sitting ducks in a shooting gallery" by Susan Rice, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations.

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Ahmadinejad Says Ready for 'Positive Step' at Nuclear Talks

Iran is ready to make a "positive step" at talks in Moscow on Tehran's disputed nuclear program, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, adding that he hoped for progress at next week's crucial meeting.

Two days of talks between Iran and the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany begin Monday under the watchful eye of President Vladimir Putin -- a strongman who expects results.

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Naharnet Exclusive: Prince Salman Strongest Candidate to Succeed Prince Nayef

Information obtained by Naharnet said that King Abdullah will chair the Allegiance Council in the upcoming two days to choose the new crown prince after the death of Nayef bin Abdulaziz on Saturday in Geneva.

Reports said that prince Salman, the half-brother of the prince Nayef and who is the current defense minister, appears to be a strong candidate.

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Ghalioun Calls for U.N. Peacekeepers as Opposition Warns of Looming Homs Massacre

The former chief of the main opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) on Saturday urged the United Nations to deploy peacekeepers after U.N. observers suspended their mission in the country.

"We have to send U.N. peacekeepers to Syria on a mission with more people who would be able to protect themselves from the violence of the regime," said Burhan Ghalioun, ex-leader and current political bureau chief of the SNC.

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