Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Report of the Commission of Inquiry

Security forces use tear gas in Bahrain on protesters and residents after a man died in his car, allegedly following an incident with a police jeep

See also Bahrain Special: The Commission of Inquiry's Report...& 14 Key Points About It
Egypt Analysis: So What Happens Now?
Egypt LiveBlog: Déjà Vu All Over Again
Tuesday's Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Turmoil and Confusion

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2150 GMT: The week of Thanksgiving 2011 will be remembered for what happened in the Middle East. Once again, Egypt was so eventful that it merited its own liveblog. Two other major developments will make the history books. In Yemen, President Saleh signed the Gulf Cooperation Council deal, effectively agreeing to trade his rule for immunity. In Bahrain, the independent report on human rights, and the regime's reaction to it, will likely set the stage for the next phase of unrest there.

With these two stories, and Egypt's news, Syria was doomed to the bottom of the priority list today. And yet, we saw some massively important developments, an unseen amount of protest in Damascus and Aleppo, and signs that Europe may be contemplating an intervention in the crisis.

There are many parallels between Yemen and Egypt, as both may have removed a dictator but neither has seen lasting change. In Bahrain, the opposition continues to struggle to be heard. But the developments in Syria may be the most important in the long run. With the news of protests reaching the reaching the two largest cities, the opposition appears stronger than it has ever been, and the Assad regime appears weaker. As Yemen and Egypt struggle to chart their next chapter, and the Bahraini opposition struggles to establish itself against a powerful regime, it appears that Syria could be the next domino to fall, perhaps the largest and most important domino yet.

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Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Turmoil and Confusion

Activist montage of the march today in Sitra in Bahrain for 16-year-old Ali Alsatrawi, killed last week by a police jeep, and the attack on it by security forces

See also Bahrain Video Diary, Part 3: The Freedom Torch Marches To Its Final Destination"
Monday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: "The Government Wants the People To Become More Violent"
Monday's Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Newest Battle of Tahrir Square

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2145 GMT: Numerous reports from Tahrir Square in Cairo are indicating "the most potent tear gas yet".

Discussion is pointing to the use by Egyptian security forces of CR gas, whose "effects are approximately 6 to 10 times more powerful than those of CS gas".

The gathering in Alexandria tonight:

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Bahrain Video Diary, Part 3: The Freedom Torch Marches To Its Final Destination

Announcing the final destination of the Freedom Torch, Sanabis, 22 November

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For the last month, EA's correspondent Mr Ahmed has been keeping a video diary of the progress of the Freedom Torch through Bahrain. He follows the first and second parts with this account of the Torch and the opposition's challenge, as they moves toward a final ceremony in Sanabis, near Pearl Roundabout/Martyrs Square:

9 November: Karanah

The "Freedom Torch" reached Karanah, known for its protesting spirit --- demonstrations take place every day in this small, poor village surrounded by farms. The narrow roads make it hard for police to attack, but they are stationed at the village entrances 24/7 to prevent any marches reaching the main roads.

The festival was at night, with a revolutionary running into the village and handing the Torch to Karanah's revolutionaries. A speech and revolutionary songs and anthems followed.

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Bahrain Video Diary, Part 2: The Freedom Torch Marches Across the Country

The Freedom Torch ceremony in Shahrakan, 3 November

See also Bahrain Video Diary, Part 1: The Freedom Torch Marches Across the Country

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The Freedom Torch continues to make its way across Bahrain, with a climactic rally on Tuesday in Sanabis, near the site of Pearl Roundabout/Martyrs Square, the symbolic centre of protests since 14 February. An EA correspondent, "Mr Ahmed", tracked the start of the month-long procession in an initial post last week. Now he presents Part 2 of his video diary, tracking the march of the flame at the start of November. Part 3, taking the Torch to Sanabis, follows tomorrow:

3 November: Shahrakan

The success of the Freedom Torch, with the daily videos, of its progress has made more villages keen to host it --- some have even started preparing to welcome it without actually knowing if it will visit.

This has added the new challenge to the 14 February Coalition of how to pass the flame to all the villages before its last destination on 22 November. With time was running short, some villages are sharing the Freedom Torch with nearby ones, and more than one festival may be organised on the same day.

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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: "The Government Wants the People To Become More Violent"

2127 GMT: Though our sources suggest that the protesters are still in the streets, and the gunfire is still being reported in many places across Syria, and the total may rise, the LCCS reports that 20 more civilians have been killed today in Syria:

Syria: The number of martyrs today, thus far, is 20. Among them were two women and a child. 15 of the martyrs were in Homs, 3 in the Hama suburbs, and 1 martyr each from both Deir Ezzor and Raqqa

2124 GMT: A loud, enthusiastic, and defiant crowd protests tonight in Qalamoun, Damascus:

2112 GMT: Yemen's President may sign a Gulf-State plan to transfer power to his deputy tomorrow, according to the opposition:

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Egypt, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Democracy's Discontents

Egyptian police beat protesters --- note the man knocked unconscious by a baton --- and drag them away, including one by the hair, just off Tahrir Square

See also Syria Feature: The Spectre of Civil War in Homs
Bahrain 1st-Hand Special: Security Forces Break Up a Teenager's Funeral
Saturday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The "Forgotten" Protests That Never Went Away

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2125 GMT: A mass rally in Hama in Syria tonight:

2045 GMT: A protester throws back a tear gas canister in Tahrir Square in Cairo this afternoon:

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Bahrain 1st-Hand Special: Security Forces Break Up a Teenager's Funeral

See also Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The "Forgotten" Protests That Never Went Away

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EA correspondents in Bahrain have been closely following the case of 16-year-old Ali Alsatrawi, killed by a police jeep on Friday night in Juffair. They have tried to put together the story of his death and have attended his funeral today.

Just after midnight local time, one of the correspondents sent in this vivid report, moving from the funeral to a tale of cat-and-mouse with security forces who broke up a protest after the burial and pursued mourners with tear gas and rubber bullets:

I just got back home in Sitra. The police are still tear-gassing the villages roads. I had to sneak in --- thank God I almost know all the back entrances.

I have seen burning tyres on some of the roads, I think protesters burned them after the massive attack by the police on the funeral. The size of the force was huge --- I don't remember seeing this many mercenaries since the last attack on Martyrs Square in March!! I almost got captured by them twice today! This was a very long and stressful day....

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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The "Forgotten" Protests That Never Went Away

Body of a 16-year-old, Ali Alsatrawi, lies next to the police jeep that hit him last night in Bahrain

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2205 GMT: Egyptian State media are reporting that one person was killed and 676 injured in today's clashes in Cairo.

2105 GMT: Video of Said Qaddafi, captured today, on the plane to Zintan:

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Bahrain 1st-Hand: Friday's "For Democracy" Opposition Rally

The opposition's montage of the Friday rally "For Democracy"

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An EA correspondent reports from Bahrain on Friday's "For Democracy" rally organised by five opposition groups:

Tens of thousands of people participated in the rally organised yesterday by the opposition societies, demanding transformation to a democratic system in which the people are the source of authority.

Bahraini flags, along with flags from the "Arab Spring" countries were waving high during the march that began at A'ali roundabout and reaching Salmabad roundabout before returning to its starting point.

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Bahrain Interview: Former MP Matar Ibrahim Matar on His Detention and The Country's Future

If we show tangible results through reform, then the youth will move towards reform rather than revolution. But without progression and with the government’s denial of the existence of a political problem, the people will go for a violent revolution.

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