Syria, Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Trapped in Homs...and Hama...and Douma...and...

Shelling of Hama in Syria, amid calls to prayer, on Wednesday

See also Sudan Feature: The Protests Revive
Syria Revealed: CIA Helping with Arms Shipments to Insurgents
Turkey Live Coverage (21 June): A Questionable Military Declaration
Wednesday's Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Mubarak Not Quite "Clinically Dead"; 50+ Very Dead in Syria

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2042 GMT: Sudan. To comply with austerity measures ordered by the national government, Khartoum State Governor Abdel Rahman Khedr has dissolved his Cabinet.

On Monday, President Umar al-Bashir ordered cuts to cope with the loss of about 75% of the country’s oil output when South Sudan seceded last year.

The measures have sparked student protests (see separate feature). About 200 gathered at the University of Khartoum early today to prepare for another anti-government rally, defying police who fired tear gas and warnings shots on Wednesday to disperse protesters.

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Sudan Feature: The Protests Revive (Mubarak/Elhassan)

Protests in Khartoum on Wednesday

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This latest wave of protests, however, feels different. Motivated by economic shocks, protestors, mostly youth and students, are vowing to continue until the regime is toppled, even in the face of brutal resistance by security forces. A mass protest to do just this has been planned for June 30, 2012, the 23^rd anniversary of the National Congress Party’s (NCP) rise to power in the country. Grappling with an annual inflation rate that reached 30.4% in May 2012, the Sudanese can wait no longer for change.

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Turkey Live Coverage (21 June): A Questionable Military Declaration

See also Syria, Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Trapped in Homs...and Hama...and Douma...and...

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1700 GMT: Following EU members' authorization of the European Commission to launch talks about an action plan and Turkey's acceptance of an initial readmission agreement that is considered critical for the union in combating irregular migration, Turkish citizens can travel across EU countries without visa requirements. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said:

The first synchronized move will be made and the process will start. I believe this is a very historic step.

We will sign the readmission agreement when the EU presents the action plan. And we will ratify the readmission agreement when the EU starts implementing the action plan. We will begin implementing the readmission agreement when the action plan finally produces visa exemption.

Meanwhile, Cyprus (southern administration) managed to convince all member countries to include the statement of "cooperation with all EU countries" in the readmission agreement.

1545 GMT: Pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahatin Demirtas responded to PKK leader Murat Karayilan's "there were 11 people including people from BDP in the Oslo meetings" statement:

To be honest, we, as BDP co-chairs, have never been involved in any of those Oslo meetings. We had information regarding neither the content of meetings in Imrali [where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is kept in prison] nor that in Oslo. However, we were receiving signals that these meetings were held indirectly. We did not know who was meeting with whom, where and where there were meeting. 

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Syria Revealed: CIA Helping with Arms Shipments to Insurgents (Schmitt)

A small number of C.I.A. officers are operating secretly in southern Turkey, helping allies decide which Syrian opposition fighters across the border will receive arms to fight the Syrian government, according to American officials and Arab intelligence officers.

The weapons, including automatic rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition and some antitank weapons, are being funneled mostly across the Turkish border by way of a shadowy network of intermediaries including Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood and paid for by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the officials said.

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US Politics Analysis: A Progressive Problem for Obama; A "Downgrade" Problem for America

The problem for Obama, however, is that to enact his economic plan he needs a landslide victory for both him and his party. The same can be said for Mitt Romney and Republicans. Neither of those outcomes are likely, nor is a return to bipartisan compromise.

Quite what that means for the elections of 2012 is unknown. What it means for the aftermath is clearer, if ominous: if there is no reconciliation of political divisions at the start of the new Administration and new Congress, another American "downgrade" becomes likely rather than possible.

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The Latest from Iran (21 June): A Silence in Tehran

1355 GMT: Justice Watch. Minister of Intelligence Heydar Moslehi, speaking to the “Human Rights and National Security” summit, has claimed that the "architect" of the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists has been identified and arrested.

Moslehi said earlier this week that 20 people were arrested in connection with the cases, and the Ministry had claimed that “the key perpetrators" of the assassinations of Majid Shahriari and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan had been detained.

Moslehi also claimed that Iran had blocked the US, Israel, and the British intelligence service MI6 from carrying out a "massive cyber attack against Iran's facilities" after the Moscow nuclear talks. He added, "They still seek to carry out the plan, but we have taken necessary measures."

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Turkey Live Coverage (20 June): 26 Die in Military Clashes with PKK

1700 GMT: During a recent speech at the Washington Institute, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Israel needs to come to terms with Turkey's superpower status in the Middle East.

1615 GMT: BDP's deputy Altan Tan underlined the equally important matter of halting military operations and responded to calls for PKK to lay down its arms. Altan said:

Every time, they ar calling on PKK lay down its arms. OK, let it do so but how, to whom and where shall it leave its arms? 

1520 GMT: Barzani spoke to Turkey's TRT: 

The period of armed struggle is over now. This gives harm to Kurdish people. Our position is clear and obvious. We are asking our brothers in Turkey to continue their activities in the Parliament. The recent steps taken are very important ones for Turkey. I am condemning this incident. 

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The Latest from Iran (20 June): Nuclear Talks Over, Sanctions on the Way

Claimed photograph of a memorial on Tuesday at the grave of Neda Agha Soltan, killed by a gunshot during the protests of 20 June 2009

See also Iran Analysis: The Nuclear Talks --- The West Looks for an Iranian Crash
Remember Iran Flashback: 20 June 2009 --- The Death of Neda...And Many Others
Middle East and Iran Audio Feature: "Oil and Politics" --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24
Latest from #Iran (19 June): An Opening at Nuclear Talks? (No.)

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1141 GMT: Tough Talk of the Day. Rear Admiral Abbas Zamini has declared that Iran will soon unveil 10 new domestically-built frigates and destroyers.

The Islamic Republic's first home-constructed destroyer was launched in 2010. Another destroyer will supposedly by completed by March 2013.

0926 GMT: Oil Watch. The Japanese Parliament has approved Government guarantees on insurance for crude oil cargoes from Iran, responding to imminent European Union sanctions.

The law will take effect on June 27. It allows the Japanese government, which has succeeded in getting a waiver from U.S. financial sanctions, to provide cover of up to $7.6 billion for each tanker.

The EU sanctions, starting on 1 July, prohibit European insurance firms from covering Iran's exports.

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Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Mubarak Not Quite "Clinically Dead"; 50+ Very Dead in Syria

1610 GMT: Syria. There are a series of reports of heavy shelling, air strikes, and gunfire in a series of towns in Daraa province, including: Daael, Nawa, Tel Shehab, and Mezayrib. Putting them all our map of the day's events, and a clear pattern is formed, that the cluster of towns just north of Daraa city are seeing a large-scale military campaign today. In Daael alone more than 50 injuries, and at least 3 deaths, are reported. This video reportedly shows an assault helicopter attacking ground targets in the city:

The LCCS provides a possible clue - there is a report of heavy fighting between the Free Syrian Army and regime forces in Nawa. The question is - did the FSA attack the regime, sparking the military campaign, or are they simply responding to an Assad attack?

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Remember Iran Flashback: 20 June 2009 --- The Death of Neda...And Many Others

Protest and a gunshot victim in Tehran, 20 June 2009

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1915 GMT: A few hours ago, we posted a video of a woman "badly injured" by a gunshot in today's demonstrations. The footage is so graphic that we have moved to the "jump page" after the More... tag.

I have just read more information on The New York Times blog about the incident. The woman was a bystander watching events; according to a doctor who witnessed the event, a paramilitary Basiji deliberately fired at her chest. She died within moments of the shooting.

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