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• Upcoming parliamentary elections, the centerpiece of the king's reforms, will be a crucial test of his policy in the face of powerful Islamists' demands for more public say in politics.
• The Muslim Brotherhood has announced it will boycott the election, saying reforms enacted by the king that could loosen his loyalists' domination of the parliament and give the body somewhat greater authority do not go far enough. The palace says it won't go any further and insists the vote will go ahead even without the country's largest opposition group participating.
• The Brotherhood is threatening more protests demanding greater changes that would open the door for it to reach a long-held ambition of forming a government in this close U.S. ally, one of only two Arab nations that have a peace treaty with Israel. The test for it will be whether it can step up a protest movement that has been low-scale and mild in a country where the king has deep-rooted support among powerful Bedouin tribes.
• Earlier this month, hundreds of young, bearded Brotherhood activists marched through downtown Amman demanding the election law be changed. "Revolution is headed to Amman," they shouted, gesturing with their fists and choking traffic while walking in the bustling streets under a simmering sun. Passers-by stopped to watch.
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to honor Chuck Berry as subject of American Music Masters this fall
• NEW YORK (AP) -- One of rock's pioneers will be celebrated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this fall.
• Chuck Berry will be honored by the hall as part of its American Music Masters series.
• Berry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In October, the icon will be the subject of a week-long celebration by the hall and Case Western Reserve University. It kicks off Oct. 22 and ends with an all-star tribute concert on Oct 27. Performers have yet to be announced, though Berry is set to take the stage.
• In a statement released Tuesday, 82-year-old Berry said he is "looking forward to reelin' and rockin' in Cleveland."
• Past honorees include Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Woody Guthrie.
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