Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Has the Assad Regime "Lost" Hama?

Security forces use tear gas against protesters trying to march from Sanabis to Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain

1950 GMT: Developments in Jordan, as King Abdullah II approved a Cabinet shuffle after thousands of protesters rallied in Irbid, Maan, Karak, Tafileh, and the capital Amman, demanding transparency and an end to corruption.

The Minister of Interior, Saad Hayel Srour, was the biggest casualty of the shuffle. He is blamed for the use of excessive force by police against demonstrators and for allowing a wealthy businessman, serving a prison term for corruption, to leave the country for supposed medical treatment.

The Ministers of Health, Justice, and Information were also replaced.

1915 GMT: Four regime Republican Guards were killed in clashes with gunmen in Taiz Saturday.

Meanwhile, 79 people were referred to court over the slaying of 52 protesters in attacks in the capital Sana'a on a single day in March.

1855 GMT: Sheikh Tareq al-Fadli, a powerful tribal leader in southern Yemen has called for talks between the military and insurgents who have occupied the provincial capital of Zinjibar.

Daily clashes continue, and residents say the province is suffering severe food, water and power shortages.

Al-Fadli, a prominent leader of Yemen's southern separatist movement, called for a meeting on Monday between residents, army leaders, and members of the insurgent group.

Fifty Yemeni soldiers were reported missing today around Zinjibar. A commander accused superiors abandoning them to insurgents.

1655 GMT: Riot police have skirmished with marchers who, following a funeral procession, tried to move to Pearl Roundabout, the centre of the uprising against the regime.

Majid Ahmed Mohammed died on Thursday from injuries sustained in March. He was the 32nd person to die in the violence since the protests began on 14 February.

1530 GMT: Back from a break to find claimed footage of a march in Bahrain today:

And a photo of a protester with a modified Bahrain flag --- note Pearl Roundabout, the symbolic location of the uprising in February, in the centre:

Protesters, following a funeral procession, head to the Roundabout, whose monument was destroyed by the regime this spring:

1310 GMT: Another sign of the size of Friday's marches in Syria --- claimed footage of the mass rally in Harasta (population 40,000):

1240 GMT: Libya's opposition National Transitional Council has hired Washington's leading lobbying firm, Patton Boggs, to pursue its campaign for recognition as the “legitimate government of the sovereign nation of Libya.”

The Council is also seeking access to the frozen funds of the Libyan regime.

1235 GMT: An activist reports from the Yemeni capital Sana'a, "Mass women's march in Change Square today condemning the situation in Yemen & the lack of gas, oil, diesel, electricity & water."

1225 GMT: A demonstration last night in the Syrian coastal city of Lattakia:

1150 GMT: As the "national dialogue" is launched in Bahrain, authorities have released more than 100 detainees.

No details such as names have been given.

1145 GMT: For the first time since the start of the uprising on 15 March, Syrian authorities allowed foreign journalists, under escort, to go to an anti-regime demonstration. The scene was one of the smaller protests, a gathering in Barzeh in northern Damascus. Rula Amin reports for AL Jazeera English:

1025 GMT: Claimed footage of a protest in Aleppo, Syria's second city, on Friday night:

1020 GMT: Syrian State TV is reporting that President Assad has sacked the governor of the Hama, Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz, after hundreds of thousands protested in the city against the regime on Friday.

0945 GMT: Claimed video of Syrian security forces moving to suppress a protest in Darraya near Damascus on Friday:

0940 GMT: Officials in Morocco have updated their figures to claim a 98.9% Yes vote in the Friday referendum on proposed constitutional changes (see 0555 GMT), with 72.6% of voters participating.

0645 GM: Video from the mass rally in Taiz in Yemen on Friday:

0640 GMT: In Yemen, three people have been killed and eight injured in Hodeida Province when arguments among people queuing at gasoline stations escalated into violence. Several others have been wounded in San'a.

Yemen has been beset by fuel and power crises amidst political conflict and attacks by tribesmen on the main oil pipeline and power towers in Marib Province. Thousands of cars have been parked, some for almost two weeks, waiting for petrol or diesel.

0555 GMT: Officials in Morocco have claimed a 98% Yes vote in Friday's referendum on the constitutional changes proposed by King Mohammed VI, adding that more than 60% of eligible voters participated.

The regime says the amendments will give more powers to the legislature, greater independence to the judiciary, and an extension of rights, but opponents --- who called for a boycott of the referendum --- argue that authority remains in the hands of the King.

0545 GMT: Notable developments in Bahrain as well on Friday....

The largest opposition party Bahrain's largest Shiite opposition group, al Wefaq, said --- after initial hesitancy --- that it will participate in the regime's "national dialogue", after King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said he would set up an enquiry into the events at the start of the uprising in February and March.

The discussions start today and are scheduled for a month.

Al Wefaq warned at the same time that it will withdraw from the talks if its core demands, including a fully-elected Parliament with complete legislative powers, are not met. "This is not credible dialogue, but we will strive to get our demands," said Khalil Almarzooq, a senior member of the party. He said the decision to accept the dialogue was partly motivated by fear of international criticism if the King's offer was rejected.

Jane Kinninmont, a leading analyst of Bahrain, added, "They will be concerned that not participating would only lead the government to punish them more."

Meanwhile, claimed video on Friday points to a large rally for al Wefaq in Duraz on Friday --- note the miniature of Pearl Roundabout, the monumental centre of the February uprising which was later destroyed by the regime:

0430 GMT: Videos don't necessarily tell the truth, but they don't necessarily lie, either. On Friday, when the images came in from Hama's, Syria's fourth-largest city, I was brought to a stop at the keyboard. Days after the Syrian military had pulled back from the area, hundreds of thousands had turned out to protest and celebrate.

My colleague James Miller, who covered yesterday's events, now writes that the Assad regime has "lost" Hama, the city where tens of thousands died in 1982 in an uprising against President Assad's father.

I would not go that far. Unless Benghazi in Libya, the centre of the challenge to Muammar Qaddafi, the opposition is far from establishing a government. It has no armed forces. We could see a regime return to the city with its troops (although, given the apparent overstretch on the military as it moves around the country trying to put down resistance, I'm not sure how easily this might be achieved).

But, still, the videos don't necessarily lie. On Friday, Hama was not Bashar al-Assad's city. It may not be so for some time to come.

Another clip from Hama yesterday --- "We Have a Dream":