Jordan Feature: Troubled "Reform" as Prime Minister Resigns (Murphy)

Former Prime Minister Khasawneh, a long time adviser to Jordan's royal family, who helped negotiate the country's peace deal with Israel in 1994, was appointed to his post last October in an attempt to mollify growing street protests demanding an opening of the political system.

The election law he's been working on was intended to deliver that opening. But he's been hemmed in on two sides: one, by tribal leaders close to the court and the security services worried that it would end up delivering power into the hands of Jordan's opposition. And two, by the opposition, which has complained loudly that the new law doesn't go far enough.

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Saturday Fun: Worst Australian Political Interview Ever?

We have long been fans of Britain's The Day Today for its exposure of the shallow and duplicitious in politics but this is a case where reality overtakes satire --- over to Bill Shorten, Australia's Minister for Workplace Employment:

And a reminder of The Day Today:

Iran Snap Analysis: A Nuclear Breakthrough? "US Could Allow Limited Enrichment"

If this leak is supported by senior figures in Washington, this is a significant move from the US Government in the nuclear negotiations:

In a major concession, Obama administration officials say they could support allowing Iran to continue a crucial element of its disputed nuclear program if the government in Tehran took other major steps to curb its ability to develop a nuclear bomb.

The officials told the Los Angeles Times they might agree to let Tehran continue enriching uranium up to concentrations of 5% if the Iranian government agreed to unrestricted inspections, and strict oversight and safeguards that the United Nations long has demanded.

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The Latest from Iran (27 April): Remembering the Imprisoned Students

1320 GMT: Your Tehran Friday Prayer Update. Hojatoleslam Kazem Siddiqi is at the pulpit today, putting out the rhetoric on the Islamic Republic's nuclear talks with the US, European powers, China, and Russia.

Nothing much of significance, although rose-coloured glasses --- as with the international media's reading of Ayatollah Jannnati's sermon last week --- could see this as Iran's warming welcome to the discussions. Siddiqi said it would be in everyone's interest for all powers to "act rationally" in negotiations with Iran.

Siddiqi continued that Tehran is a rational actor, welcomes dialogue, and has repeatedly shown its goodwill, but now it is time for world powers to show their good intentions.

There was this important if general caveat, though, for anyone who might see this as concessions by the Islamic Republic ahead of the next meeting on 23 May in Baghdad: “The Istanbul meeting proved that the Iranian nation is powerful and will not retreat an iota from its rights.” And Siddiqi also put out the general denunciation of "global arrogance" seeking to create discord in the region while assuring that "vigilant nations" and Iran will not allow this.

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Just Another Protest Friday?

Opening of "A Taste of Freedom" ice cream shop in Binnish in Syria

See also Syria Snap Analysis: Is the US Preparing for Intervention?
Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers
Thursday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Is Hunger Striker Alkhawaja Still Alive?
Turkey Live Coverage (26 April): From the Kurdish Language to Iranian Banks

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1631 GMT: This morning, we noted an apparent slip by the regime-linked Gulf Daily News about Day 79 of the hunger strike of detained activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja --- in its haste to establish that he was well and "in high spirits", it tipped off that the authorities might now be force-feeding Alkhawaja.

Mike Diboll, a blogger who worked at the University of Bahrain, takes up the story:

[Alicia de Haldevang of the Gulf Daily News] takes a strong interest in his nutrition, mentioning by name “Ensure”, the nutritional drink that Abdulhadi is supposed to be “taking”:

At the beginning of her piece, she says that he is “drinking” the supplement, but in paragraph five he is “taking” it. “Taking” it in what sense? Perhaps this image of the force feeding kit used against Guantanamo Bay hunger strikers can help answer the question of exactly how Abdulhadi is “taking” Ensure. Below is a photograph of a force feeding kit used at Guantanamo Bay:

And another twist --- Alicia de Haldevang, the Gulf Daily News reporter, was taken to task by Alkhawaja's wife over the story until she said, "I believe you should have access to your husband+he shld be released. Pls don't think that I follow GDN policy in my personal beliefs." Now she appears to be none too happy with the regime for putting her in this position:

Until this govt actually responds properly to questions+provides officials to answer them, we have to use reliable "unnamed sources".

— Alicia de Haldevang (@aliciadehal) April 27, 2012

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Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers

See also Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers (26 April)

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Our regular feature in which EA readers bring in the latest news and stories from the Syrian crisis....

Syria Snap Analysis: Is the US Preparing for Intervention?

James Miller in EA's Live Coverage, 19 April:

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to the House Armed Services Committee today, which is where Dempsey said that the US was militarily capable of intervening in Syria (see last update). Panetta also said that "the situation is of grave consequence to the Syrian people."

Josh Rogin, "The Cable", Foreign Policy, 26 April:

Two top Obama administration officials said today that the diplomatic initiative to end the violence in Syria, led by U.N. Special Envoy Kofi Annan "is failing."

Under intense questioning during Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, both Kathleen Hicks, the current deputy under secretary of defense for policy, and Derek Chollet, National Security Council senior director for strategy, said that the Annan plan was headed toward collapse and that new options for confronting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were being prepared.

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Iran Photo Feature: Is Supreme Leader Crying for These Women as Well? (Peyke Iran)

This week the Islamic Republic has been holding ceremonies for Fatemeh Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad. Peyke Iran notes the mourning of the Supreme Leader and his colleagues and wonders if they are thinking of other women in Iran:

Iran's Women Political Prisoners

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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Is Hunger Striker Alkhawaja Still Alive?

See also Bahrain Follow-Up: The Regime's PR Mission and Formula 1 Journalist Joe Saward
Turkey Live Coverage (26 April): From the Kurdish Language to Iranian Banks
Syria Wired: The Latest from Social Media and EA's Readers
Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Shelling of a Damascus Suburb

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2028 GMT: The Local Coordination Committees in Syria claims 33 people have died across the country today, including 13 martyrs in Deir Ez Zor, 7in Aleppo Province, and 7 in Homs Province.

In addition, two bodies of people slain on Wednesday were reportedly thrown on a public road in Aleppo Province.

Protesters in Inshaat in Homs Province chant to Syria's President Assad: "Get lost!"

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The Latest from Iran (26 April): A Nuclear Opening from Tehran?

See also The Latest from Iran (25 April): The Economic Challenge Returns

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1951 GMT: Criticising the Diplomats. What do the "hard-line" Mashregh News and Baztab have against the Foreign Ministry's spokesman Rahim Mehmanparast? Both chide, "Why does he have British nationality and an expensive house there? Where do his kids live?"

1944 GMT: Foreign Affairs (Syrian Front). Al Arabiya claims that Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, Tehran Friday Prayer leader and member of the Assembly of Experts, has declared in a speech in Kermanshah that the Islamic Republic "will not allow [Syrian President Bashar] Assad to be toppled".

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