Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Quiet? Not Really....

A march of young people in Taiz in Yemen today challenges the Saleh regime

See also Bahrain Video Feature: The Detention of the Athletes
Syria Video Special: Undercover With Those Challenging the Regime
Syria Audio Special: How Does This End?
Tuesday's Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Noticing Homs

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2120 GMT: The presence of security forces in the Khalidiya section of Homs today:

Tadmur in Homs Province tonight:

Anadan in Aleppo Province:

2100 GMT: The family of blogger Ahmed Mansoor on trial in the United Arab Emirates for "insulting the rulers", has condemned a smear campaign against him and urged the government to restrain people calling for his death.

Mansoor, one of five defendants, is accused of running a website where others could express anti-regime views.

1734 GMT: Al Jazeera interviews men from a battalion that defected near Homs, Syria. At least one of the men in the video has already been arrested:

1728 GMT: According to Avaaz human rights campaigner Wissam Tarif, the Arab League is planning on expelling Syria on Saturday. These rumors have been circulating for the last day or so, as consensus is growing that Syria has not honored last week's agreement and as the crisis continues to escalate.

1719 GMT: The Bahraini blogger who was detained yesterday, Jaafar Alalawy, has been released, according to activists.

1627 GMT: The Guardian adds details to a video we posted earlier, showing destruction of a home in the Baba Amr district of Homs:

"This is the result of the Arab League's pact with Assad," a narrator says to a video showing the destruction of the Bab Amro district of Homs.

The clip shows what are claimed to be Iranian-made shells that were used to bombard the neighbourhood, according to a translation by our colleague Mona Mahmood. It said ten houses were destroyed by the security forces.

"Even the birds didn't escape death," the commentary says as the camera shows the bodies of birds. It takes issues with a pro-government satellite channel which claimed the security services had not targeted the area. The narrator asks:

"How did the house get a hole in roof? Where did these bullet holes come from? Did this rocket fall from out of space?"

1609 GMT: A large protest in Al Harak, in solidarity with those killed in Inkhel today (MAP):

1559 GMT: 25 people have been killed today in Syria, according to the LCCS:

‎25 martyrs including two children fell today, so far, from being shot by security, 8 martyrs in Barzeh neighborhood in Damascus, 7 martyrs in Homs, 4 martyrs in Hama Suburbs, 3 martyrs in Inkhel, two martyrs in Bokamal, and a martyr in Maaret Al-Nouman.

1550 GMT: Video from the protest in Barzeh, Damascus (MAP), where activists are reporting that 7 people have been killed. The first 6 and a half minutes give the viewer an idea of the size and enthusiasm of the marches. Then gunfire breaks out.

A protest of this size, so close to the capital city, poses a clear threat to the Syrian regime, perhaps explaining why the body count is so high:

1545 GMT: The LCCS adds details on the death of a political prisoner in Homs (see update 1528):

Homs: The corpse of martyr Haitham Al-Bawab was found with obvious torture marks, it is should be noted that he was kidnapped yesterday from his work place

1537 GMT: Multiple sources are now reporting that 7 people have been killed in Barzeh, Damascus, when security forces opened fire on a single protest. This is one of the largest incidents this close to the capital in recent memory.

1535 GMT: A large protest in Al Bukamal, on Syria's border with Iraq (MAP) for a killed protester, Yaqoub Kassar.

1528 GMT: Activist Edward Dark posts a disturbingly graphic video with this description:

"activist Haytham Albawab was returned dead by security forces, tortured and dumped in a street in Homs"

1525 GMT: This video reportedly shows a protest in the important and central Midan district of Damascus:

1522 GMT: Activist Alexander Page has this report from the Damascus suburb of Barzeh:

"5 killed in #Barzeh in a funeral procession which was faced with heave gunfire from security forces just now"

1519 GMT: More evidence of widespread damage in Homs. According to the description of the video, an entire family was injured in their home in the Bayada district of Homs:

According to the cameraman, this video shows damage to a home in Baba Amr, the western district of Homs:

This video has moved to the entry at 1627.

1515 GMT: According to activists, this ambulance in Inkhel, Daraa, was stopped by security forces and was not allowed to transport injured protesters to the hospital. However, we never see what is preventing the ambulance from moving. The footage is graphic.

1508 GMT: An activist describes this video:

"Tanks enter Maliha, Daraa today and residents attack them with bare fists after they fire on a protest."

1503 GMT: James Miller takes the blog.

This video was reportedly taken today in Inkhel, Daraa, showing Syrian forces opening fire on demonstrators:

1455 GMT: An opposition protest in Aldair yesterday:

1450 GMT: The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has expressed "deep concern" over the arrest and detention of poet, media professional, and blogger Jaafar Alalawy on Tuesday.

Security forces raided Alalawy's house before detaining him without stating the charges. Alalawy was dismissed from the Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation amidst the political conflict.

A photograph of police outside Alalaway's house, posted yesterday before we knew the reason for the raid:

1320 GMT: The Wall Street Journal profiles a protest by families of detainees outside a makeshift Tripoli prison, accusing security forces of Libya's National Transitional Council of abuses similar to those suffered by prisoners under the Qaddafi regime.

1310 GMT: Lebanese President Michel Suleiman confirmed that the Syrian army has planted mines along its border with Lebanon.

Suleiman said, “High level talks took place [between the two countries] and Syria expressed regret for the unintended violations....noting that Syrians fulfilled their promises to respect Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty and planted mines along the border to prevent infiltration and smuggling.”

Activists claim the mines are to deter Syrian people from leaving the country in the current political crisis.

1305 GMT: Actress Fadwa Suleiman addresses protesters in the Biyada section of the Syrian city Homs on Tuesday:

1125 GMT: Our favourite public relations consultant for the Bahraini regime, Tom Squietieri, is trying to earn his pay again. Writing for The Hill as a " journalist...working with the Bahrain government on media awareness and access, he tried to deflect the attempt to postpone US military aid to the kingdom: "Congress has a chance to give lessons in democracy building, as opposed to just stopping an arms sale....In many places of the world a little U.S. tough love and good advice is deeply appreciated."

0935 GMT: The Chief Executive Officer of Area SpA, the Italian company building a Syrian surveillance system, is considering its options, including an end to the deal.

Andrea Formenti said, “Before making a definitive decision, we need to, based on all the contractual obligations we have, evaluate what impact there will be for us."

The surveillance system developed by Area SpA would give the Assad regime the power to intercept, scan, and catalog virtually every e-mail in the country.

Groups such as Human Rights Watch have called for an end to the project, and protesters from Italy’s Pirate Party and the National Coalition to Support the Syrian Revolution demonstrated n Tuesday outside Area’s headquarters next to Milan’s Malpensa Airport.

Formenti claimed all work on the system had been suspended for more than two months, but did not explain other than saying that technical problems “could be one of the reasons".

0925 GMT: A Tunisian appeals court has approved the extradition of Libya’s former Prime Minister, Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi.

Al-Mahmoudi was arrested by Tunisian border police on 22 September and sentenced to six months in a Tunisian prison for entering the country illegally. The sentence was overturned, pending the outcome of the extradition request by Libya’s National Transitional Council.

0730 GMT: The sports channel ESPN has posted its documentary of athletes in Bahrain who have detained and allegedly abused during the political crisis (now moved to separate feature).

0704 GMT: The Financial Times reports, "Money has been streaming out of Syria as fears for the unstable economy lead Syrians to seek a safer place for their assets."

Citing sources in business, including one who says that cash is being smuggled over the border to Lebanon “every day, every hour", the newspaper gives the example of a report from Syrian State media of $100,000 worth of Syrian pounds intercepted by officials as it was being smuggled across the Lebanese border under the seat of a car.

0700 GMT: A small march in Nabeeh Saleh in Bahrain last night, with protesters chanting, "We demand the release of the prisoners" and "Down down [King] Hamad" --- the demonstration was soon dispersed by police:

0615 GMT: Tuesday was a relatively slow day for rolling news from Syria. After the rush of video over the weekend of protests and of the military assault, especially the shelling of Homs, there was little new footage.

But that did not mean a halt to the conflict. Far from it. Activists reported that six people were killed in Homs, including a child.  Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights --- who told reporters that the UN conservatively estimates the death toll since 15 March is more than 3500 --- said the situation in the Bab Amro neighbourhood is "appalling", with residents deprived of food, water and medical supplies for a week. 

Five people were reportedly slain in Hama, as tanks and armoured vehicles moved towards the city centre. Snipers and regime militia allegedly surrounded a medical complex and the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party --- whether to protect regime officials or to suppress those who have broken away was unclear. Explosions and heavy gunfire could be heard in the city, and electricity and internet services were disabled, according to activists.

In Idlib in the northwest, where clashes between troops and defectors were claimed, the opposition Local Coordination Committees said seven people were killed

A large rally in Deir Ez Zor last night, calling for international protection and asking, "Where are the Arabs?":

Dael in the south, "Death rather than humiliation":

Palmyra in the centre: