Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 14:24 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran See also Saturday's Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Referendum on the Constitution Begins
2210 GMT: Bahrain. Claimed footage from Sanabis today of shooting at protesters from civilian cars:
Friday, November 23, 2012 at 13:21 | James Miller in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2109 GMT: Israel-Palestine. This may be the strangest thing we've seen all week (and that is saying something). This video, entitled "Holidays 2012: A Dinner for Peace," was released by the Israeli embassy in Washington DC. Cartoons with cut-out heads (a la South Park's Saddam Hussein) representing many prominent world leaders are gathered around a table, apparently for some sort of holiday feast. They all look bored as they wait for President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. suddenly, the phone rings and Abbas says, "I am on my way to the UN. I am not coming to the table," in a creepy voice, while he drives a bus full of civilians, including children. This is an apparent reference to Abbas's pursuit of UN recognition for Palestine at the United Nations.
What does the bus represent? Why the weird voice over? Is this really the best way to represent this argument? Does this conveniently dismiss inaction by most of the other parties that are pictured sitting at "the table"? We'll just let the viewers decide the answers to these questions themselves.
2100 GMT: Syria. According to the LCC, the death toll has grown to 70:
26 in Damascus and suburbs including 7 were field executed in Qadam, 17 in Aleppo, 6 in Daraa, 4 in each Deir Ezzor, Latakia and Hama, 3 in Idlib, 2 in Homs and a martyr in each Banyas and Qunaitra...
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 7:22 | James Miller in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2114 GMT: Syria. Markito0171 posts an interesting video, reportedly taken yesterday, showing an FSA rocket attack on an airforce intelligence building in Aleppo (map):
#Syria #Aleppo Video of the Air Force Intelligence building- besieged from rebelsyoutube.com/watch?v=O51xBi… wikimapia.org/#lat=36.229081…
— Mark (@markito0171) November 21, 2012
As you can see from the screenshot of Google maps, the video matches the satellite images:
Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 6:42 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran Claimed footage of insurgents using a T-55 tank to attack regime forces near Taftanaz in northwest Syria
See also Kuwait Feature: A Moment of Truth for the Country?
Saturday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Deaths from the Air
2035 GMT: Kuwait. An indication of the size of the demonstration tonight:
Emerging pictures from Kuwait protests. Attendance estimates up to 200,000. Cannot confirm yet. twitter.com/MoAlsuwaidan/s…
— Mohammad Alsuwaidan (@MoAlsuwaidan) November 4, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 22:32 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Global, Middle East and Iran See also Syria Feature: Obama Administration Seeks a New Opposition Council
Tuesday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: "All Rallies and Gatherings Are Illegal"
2252 GMT: Libya. A day after it was suspended because of protests (see 0500 GMT), the National Assembly approved a 30-member Cabinet presented by Prime Minister-designate Ali Zeidan.
A total of 105 members voted in favour, 18 abstainedm and nine voted against the Cabinet. Moments later, protests erupted, with security forces firing in the air.
More than a dozen security vehicles were stationed at the assembly building, as about 60 people gathered outside the tightly-shut main gate.
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 23:43 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
Homs, Syria at daybreak this morning
See also Syria Audio Feature: Why Insurgent Advance Is More Important Than The Ceasefire --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24
Friday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Insurgent Advance in Aleppo Overtakes "Ceasefire"
2253 GMT: Syria. Claimed footage of the Free Syrian Army firing on a Kurdish demonstration in Aleppo today:
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 8:26 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran The aftermath of Tuesday's shelling of a bakery in Aleppo
See also Syria Feature: Activists in New Roles as Relief Volunteers
Tuesday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The UN Talks Cease-Fire --- Is Anyone Listening?
2015 GMT: Egypt. Ten liberal and leftist political forces boycotted a meeting with President Mohamed Morsi today, objecting to the proposed Constitution and the Constituent Assembly that drafted it.
The boycotting factions included the Constitution Party, the Popular Current, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Nasserist Party, the Karama Party, the Free Egyptians, the Socialist Popular Alliance, Free Egypt, and the Adl Party.
The meeting was attended by Ayman Nour, spokesman for the Conference Party and member of the Constituent Assembly; Mohamed El-Beltagi, prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party; and Essam Sultan, deputy head of the Wasat Party and Constituent Assembly member. Presidential advisors Emad Abdel-Ghafour --- who is also head of the Salafist Nour Party --- Ayman El-Sayad, Omaima Kamel, Pakinam El-Sharqawi, and Farouk Gowida.
Some of those who attended expressed concern about the Constituent Assembly. Nour told Morsi, "The threat of dissolving the assembly has vanished. We're now left with the possibility that one wing will control the assembly, and therefore we need your intervention."
Nasserist Sameh Ashour said that finalising the constitution before the High Constitutional Court (HCC) rules on the Constituent Assembly was "wrong", insisting that the assembly should freeze its work until the HCC issues its verdict.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11:30 | James Miller in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran The devastastion in the Khalidiya section of Homs
1709 GMT: Kuwait. Last Thursday, former MPs Bader Al-Dahoum, Falah Al-Sawwagh, and Khaled Al-Tahous were arrested and charged of criticising the Emir at an opposition gathering on 10 October. The following picture was taken shortly after their arrest:
Today, they appeared in court with shaved heads, wearing prison uniforms:
Former MPs: Altahous, Alsawaq, &Aldahoum appear in court with shaved heads wearing prison uniforms. Source: Alrai..twitter.com/AlraiMediaGrou…
— mohammad Almutawa (@m_watan) October 23, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012 at 17:47 | James Miller in EA Middle East and Turkey, US Foreign Policy, US Politics ;)
Many things will likely be talked about at today's debate. While there will be plenty of fact-checking and analysis in the coming days, there will be a few misconceptions spread, awkward truths ignored, and key concepts that one or both candidates are going to get wrong tonight.
Below is a real brief list:
Monday, October 22, 2012 at 12:18 | James Miller in Africa, EA Global, EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2046 GMT: Syria. Another massacre reported in Syria. The LCC publishes this claim:
New massacre by the regime forces, the number of martyrs range between 60-70 martyrs, they were found in the city with sings on torture, most of these martyrs were detained in Sejn Mukhabarat Jaweye, ages of martyrs range between 18-40 years old.
Earlier the town, the site of several such massacres in the past, was reportedly shelled by regime forces.
We've yet to see any videos or photos of the bodies - treat this as unconfirmed, despite the LCC's reliable track record.
1922 GMT: Bahrain. EA's John Horne reports:
King Hamad today "affirmed his keenness on the independence of the judicial authority" as he received newly appointed High Court of Appeal Judges, according to Bahrain state media.
His comments come as NGO Reporters Without Borders said they were "outraged" by the acquittal of a policewoman for torturing France 24 journalist Naziha Saeed, which they called "a verdict that illustrates the Bahrain’s judicial system’s lack of independence".
