In his first public speech since June, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged to enact more reforms but rejected the full-scale changes demanded by the protests, which he blamed on a foreign conspiracy. Meanwhile, at the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said killings have accelerated since the arrival of the Arab League observers.

Susan Rice: “The Under-Secretary-General noted that in the days since the Arab League monitoring mission has been on the ground, in fact some—an estimated 400 additional people have been killed, an average of 40 a day, a rate much higher than was the case even before their deployment. That is a clear indication that the government of Syria, rather than using the opportunity of its commitment to the Arab League to end the violence and fulfill all of its commitments under the protocol, is instead stepping up the violence.”