BREAKING NEWS

UN: Assad isn't taking Ban Ki-moon's phone calls

UNITED NATIONS - Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is facing international pressure to end a bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters, is not taking the UN chief's phone calls, the United Nations said on Friday.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed a report by Kuwait news agency KUNA that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been trying to call Assad on Thursday but was told that the president was "not available."
He added that Ban had been trying to speak with Assad all week but was unable to get through to him.