Yemen, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: And the Downbeat Goes On

View LCCSyria Protest Map June 10, 2011 in a larger map

Activists have created this map of protests today during "Syria's Day of Clans"

2055 GMT: A doctor has told Reuters that the death toll from the regime bombardment of opposition-held Misurata, Libya's third-largest city, has risen to 31. More than 110 people are wounded.

1739 GMT: Earlier, we reported that helicopters were being used to shoot civilians in the streets of Ma'ara Al Nu'man. Another source now says that security forces are going door to door, searching for defected sodliers. 

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Bahrain Snapshot: Obama Administration's Ineffectual Plea to Crown Prince "Please Change"

The significance of this article by Mark Landler of The New York Times is not in the immediate story of Obama Administration officials meeting the Crown Prince of Bahrain in Washington this week but in the political reality beyond the encounter.

The Administration's strategy of persuasion, alongside some mildly critical rhetoric, is unlikely to achieve much, if anything, in Bahrain. Indeed, as Landler indicates below, the Crown Prince's visit may be a political sideshow --- in mid-March, his approach of engagement of some elements of the opposition to discuss reform was quashed by other members of the ruling family, and he has struggled to regain influence since then.

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Bahrain Propaganda Special: Busted ---- UN Calls Out Regime for "Blatant Distortion"

Navi Pillay (2nd from left) with Bahrain officialsThe UN High Commissioner would like to stress that she made no such statement, and is disturbed by this blatant distortion of her words. She will formally request the Government officials who attended the meeting to issue a correction.

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Yemen, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Celebration Amidst Uncertainty

Sunday protest in Safi in Morocco --- the crowd mourned Kamal Amari, allegedly beaten to death by police on Thursday

2047 GMT: We're wrapping up for the day. Tomorrow we'll try to untangle the story, from Syria, that 120 policemen have been killed. We'll follow up on the air campaign against Tripoli and the rebel advances near Zintan. We'll figure out if Saleh is going to return to Yemen, and we'll see if there is more fallout in Bahrain.

Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow morning. 

2030 GMT: A Damascus lesbian-blogger, Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari, has been kidnapped, potentially be security forces, according to her cousin who has updated her blog. Her father cannot find her, and her family is attempting to contact police stations in Damascus to discover her location. 

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Latest Bahrain Video: Scattering Sunday's Protests

On Sunday, Bahraini security forces tried to disperse a series of protests and Shia religious ceremonies in towns across the country. The incidents come four days after the regime formally lifted the state of emergency that had been in place since mid-March.

A group of women cautiously challenge, then run away from, security forces in Sanabis:

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Yemen, Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: While We Waited for the President...

2120 GMT: Videos of a pro-reform demonstration today in Casablanca in Morocco --- estimates are circulating of 20,000 to 30,000 in the crowd:

And an image of thousands more in Tangier:

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Yemen, Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A President Is Wounded

Video of the destroyed Presidential Mosque in the Yemeni capital Sana'a

2130 GMT: Media are reporting tonight that the Vice President, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, is now acting President and Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

Meanwhile, Abdel Rahman Ba Fadel, an opposition member of the Yemeni parliament, has told Al Jazeera, "A medical team arrived from Saudi Arabia but there is a plane ready to take him [President Saleh] there if they fail to treat him in Yemen."

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Cheerleading for the Bahrain Regime: "When I Met His Majesty" (al-Khalifa)

The King of BahrainYou may have seen lately a number of Websites siting my invitation to give my regards to His Majesty the King of Bahrain as a gesture for my support to the government. Let me be clear, neither me, nor anyone in Bahrain is pro-government. What we are instead are pro-fairness, pro-equality, pro-justice, pro-truth, and pro-enforcement....

My dear King is pro-fairness, pro-equality, pro-civil rights, pro-justice, and pro-rule of law, and this is why I love him and I support him and I love whoever loves and supports him. Long live King Hamad, supporter of universal rights!

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Bahrain, Yemen (and Beyond) LiveBlog: States of Denial

The Yemenia Airways building burns to the ground amidst clashes in Yemen's capital Sana'a:

2216 GMT: We have conflicting reports from Yemen, but Abe Alansy, who has been the fastest source to update information, is Tweeting that the situation is now calm in Sana'a, Yemen, though it is entirely possible that this is subject to change. There are reports of casualties, but any numbers are likely to be unreliable until daybreak.  

In Libya, an opposition website is claiming multiple victories today near the city of Yefren (updated since our post at 1446 GMT). 

We're taking a break here and preparing for a very busy day tomorrow morning. In Syria, we'll be watching "Children's Friday," in Yemen the growing violence around the capital, in Bahrain the funeral of the most recent martyr, and in Libya the advance of rebel forces. It's going to be another busy Arab Spring Friday.

We'll pick up our coverage at 0530 GMT tomorrow.

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Bahrain Snapshot: The Police Abuse of a Female Journalist (Reporters Without Borders)

Nazeeha SaeedA woman police officer mocked and insulted her. When Nazeeha ignored her, the policewoman grabbed her by the chin, held it hard, and slapped her with the other hand. “You must tell me the truth,” she screamed, continuing to slap her and then seizing her by the hair and throwing her to the ground. Four policewomen proceeded to slap, punch and kick her repeatedly. One of the women took her shoe and forced it into her mouth. “You are worth less than this shoe," she said.

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