Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A Double Bombing in Aleppo "Kills Dozens"

2048 GMT: Turkey/Syria. The entire statement from NATO:

As stated on 26 June 20l2, the Alliance continues to closely follow the situation in Syria. In view of the Syrian regime’s recent aggressive acts at NATO’s southeastern border, which are a flagrant breach of international law and a clear and present danger to the security of one of its Allies, the North Atlantic Council met today, within the framework of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, and discussed the continuous shelling of locations in Turkey adjacent to the Turkish-Syrian border by the Syrian regime forces.

The most recent shelling on 3 October 20l2, which caused the death of five Turkish citizens and injured many, constitutes a cause of greatest concern for, and is strongly condemned by, all Allies.

In the spirit of indivisibility of security and solidarity deriving from the Washington Treaty, the Alliance continues to stand by Turkey and demands the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an Ally, and urges the Syrian regime to put an end to flagrant violations of international law.

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Iran Feature: A Beginner's Guide to the Currency Crisis (Paivar)

Currency trade in Tehran on Tuesday

See also Iran Snap Analysis: Ahmadinejad and The Economy's "Worthless Pieces of Paper"

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The kingmakers, though, are the big traders of the back alleys, "the invisible mafia" as the government prefers to brand them, those who are blamed for everything that goes wrong with Iran's currency market.

In the recent crisis this so-called mafia is accused of scooping dollars out of the market in a move challenging government measures to contain the crisis.

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Iran Snap Analysis: Ahmadinejad and The Economy's "Worthless Pieces of Paper"

Five years ago, as he called on OPEC members to convert their cash reserves into a currency other than the US dollar, President Ahmadinejad said of Americans, "They get our oil and give us a worthless piece of paper."

Today, Ahmadinejad awakes to an Iranian Rial which has lost almost half its value in the last nine days despite --- or possibly because of --- a Central Bank intervention which was meant to prop it up. Having traded at just over 10000:1 vs. the "worthless" US dollar a year ago, the Rial is posted on currency websites at 35500:1 to 35800:1. At one point on Tuesday, it reportedly touched 40000:1 in some exchanges before settling --- according to some accounts, assisted by arrests of currency traders.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Shelling Escalates Around Damascus

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0845 GMT: Live Coverage has been re-titled, "Double Car Bomb in Aleppo 'Kills Dozens'", and moved to the top of the homepage.

US Politics Analysis: Romney's Big Opportunity in the 1st Debate with Obama

Polls indicate more voters are "disappointed" with Obama's record in office than "happy", and Americans often pay respect to the rhetoric of a limited government that fosters individual responsibility. If Romney can successfully present his vision on those two issues, without fumbling over his dismissal of 47% of Americans as moochers, he may buttress his claim to be the better choice as the next President of the United States among the undecided.

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Iran Audio Feature: Can Iraq Stop Tehran Flying Weapons to Syria? --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24

I spoke this morning with Monocle 24's The Globalist this morning about Iraq, Iran, and the Syrian conflict.

The discussion first considered Baghdad's declaration this weekend that it will command Syrian-bound Iranian planes overflying Iraq to land for inspection, following American claims that Tehran has been using the route to move military equipment and personnel to Damascus.

[Editor's Note: Iraqi officials have said today that they stopped and searched a Syrian-bound Iranian cargo plane for weapons, but allowed it to continue as no prohibited items were found.]       

The conversation then opened up to Iran's role in the Syrian conflict to discussion of the state of the Syrian insurgency and whether any political resolution is possible.

To listen, go to The Globalist homepage, click on the programme for 2/10, and go to the 10-minute mark.

Bahrain Opinion: "This Campaign of Oppression is Not Going to Stop on Its Own"

Doctors Nader Diwani, Ali Alekri, and Mahmoud Asghar receive the verdict of an appeals court, 14 June 2012

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The time for the West to exert pressure on Bahrain is now. Not tomorrow. Not in a week. Not in a month and certainly not in a year. King Hamad's regime has consistently failed to uphold its lawful duties towards its citizens, trampling upon their rights repeatedly and without shame. It has promised reform only to quash those calling for reform. It has filled prisons with human rights activists whom it claims are agents of Iran, without presenting a shred of evidence that they are responsible for anything but the defense of people's internationally-recognised human rights.

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The Latest from Iran (2 October): A Currency in Free Fall?

The scene in the Tehran currency market today

See also Iran Audio Feature: Can Iraq Stop Tehran Flying Weapons to Syria? --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24
Monday's The Latest from Iran (1 October): Can the "Resistance Economy" Continue to Resist?

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1929 GMT: Ahmadinejad Statement of the Day. An EA correspondent draws up an important segment from the President's press conference, in which Ahmadinejad effectively said "Back Me or Sack Me": "I was somewhere and said, 'If you want me to, I'm ready to write a sentence, and we go away.'"

Our correspondent explains, "'Somewhere' is the Supreme Leader's house or office." amd looks at the 2:24 mark in this video to assess, "Ahmadinejad has definitely threatened to step back if necessary."

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Syria 1st-Hand: The Factions Within the Insurgency (Abdulhamid)

Fighters of the Martyrs Brigades in Idlib Province

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Pragmatists like Abu Khalid used to rely on their own resources and support from local communities, but are now receiving some funding from Saudi sources as well. Saudi authorities have historically had deep differences with the Muslim Brotherhood --- they look with gloom and dismay on its rise to power in Tunisia and Egypt --- and are uncomfortable with the group's attempt to control the Syrian rebellion as well as its cozy relations with their rivals in Qatar.

The result is a deepening divide between Islamists and pragmatists. And there are even splits within the Islamist camp: The Salafists are far more traditional and populist than members of the Brotherhood, who often come across to ordinary Syrians as too Westernized and elitist.

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Propaganda and an American Journalist Held Hostage

2038 GMT: Syria. At the end of the day (it's nearly midnight in Syria) at least 150 people have been killed by Assad forces, according to the Local Coordination Committees:

50 martyrs were reported in Damascus and its Suburbs (most of them in Eastern Ghota and 17 in the shelling of Harasta); 30 in Aleppo (most were field-executed in Jami'yat Al-Zahra neighborhood); 29 in Daraa; 21 in Deir Ezzor; 12 in Homs; 5 in Idlib; and 3 in Hama (one of them was martyred in Aleppo).

See our note on the casualty figures put forth by the LCC.

The LCC's death toll often rises overnight as they confirm more deaths.

The number is shockingly high to many, but sadly it is about average now. However, the intensity of the violence in and around Damascus was nothing like average. While violence sometimes spikes for a day, or maybe a few days, it also may be a sign that the battle for the eastern suburbs is intensifying.

There is another story to carefully watch over the next few days...

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