This summer, I was able to completely shed previous beliefs that had been slowly unraveling for years. Growing up in Syria, you learn to keep your eyes down when you walk in the street to avoid the catcalls, lewd remarks, and hissing that every girl is subjected to by men and boys. Keep your eyes down, your ears shut, and ignore. But after becoming old enough that I could care less (or perhaps should care more) about these harmless yet annoying practices, I began not only looking up but straight into the eyes of these men on the street. I saw them for the first time, there was pure pain in their idle desperation; they were doomed in the graveyard of dreams. Now, I watched them everyday on my laptop screen. Their painful beauty is unparalleled; they are driven by their conscience, driven by their belief in death before humiliation.
2017 GMT: This video, allegedly taken in Hama, shows men in a tank firing into the city. Though we never see the targets they shoot at, the note on the video is that none of the soldiers appear to be taking cover, and the soldiers outside the tank appear to be relaxed, suggesting that their target was unarmed.
Heavy gunfire in an attempt to disperse a massive demonstration that set off a short time ago from the Sa'ad Mosque
Foru people have also reportedly been injured when security opened fire on protesters in the Damascus suburb of Madaya, as a march was leaving the Shamali Mosque.
1954 GMT: Protests are also reported in the Douma District of Damascus. This video shows the scene after Taraweeh prayers:
"Six soldiers and an officer were killed and 30 others wounded when Al-Qaeda militants attacked the camp of the 201 Brigade in Dofes," south of Abyan, capital of Zinjibar, the officer said.
The attackers had used the cover of a wooded area around the base to approach a unit of the brigade and opened fire with rocket-launchers and automatic weapons.
An official from a military hospital that took in the casualties confirmed the toll.
On Monday, government warplanes killed six presumed al-Qaeda fighters in Arkub, another village in Abyan province, that they had seized a day earlier.
1439 GMT: Al Jazeera is reporting that 18 people were killed across Syria yesterday, mostly in Homs. They are also reporting that 55 tanks are deployed in Deir Ez Zor (matches our reports), and Syrian security forces are dropping troops, via helicopter, in al-Khowria.
"We have given martyrs and some of us are injured... With all these efforts and sacrifices, as a result of this responsibility, a sense of unity has been formed," activist Ahmad Ramadan said.
"The council will convene in about two weeks to elect the chair and secretary... When it convenes it will adopt its bylaws," added Louay Safi, a US-based political scientist.
The dissidents declined to give out the names of council members and said the body, which brings together all opposition groups both from inside and outside Syria, will elect them after its first meeting.
"Coming together of all groups is a must despite all dangers. This delegation will bring different groups together," said Halis Halihi.
It is unclear, at this moment, whether the group actually represents the protesters in the streets of Syria.
We've already received dozens of new videos, night protests in defiance of the massacres. How many people will Assad have to kill before he realizes that killing his own people is only swelling the ranks of the protesters? As the night wears on, we will add more videos to this list
2127 GMT: A massive demonstration in Taiz, Yemen's second largest city, celebrating the fall of Qaddafi in Libya while protesting against the rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh:
2116 GMT: With today's violence in Homs, Assad's security forces were hoping to stop the protests.
They failed. This video, taken tonight, shows post-Taraweeh prayer protests in Homs:
We've already received dozens of new videos, night protests in defiance of the massacres. How many people will Assad have to kill before he realizes that killing his own people is only swelling the ranks of the protesters?
0451 GMT: James Miller is going to bed. Scott Lucas will be picking things up, with a brand new Live blog and a brand new URL. Check back between 0530 and 0600 GMT.
Senior Libyan rebel figure Mahmoud Jibril said early Monday there are still pockets of resistance in Tripoli from forces loyal to strongman Muammer Gaddafi, after rebels surged into the capital.
"I warn you, there are still pockets of resistance in and around Tripoli," Jibril said in a speech on the opposition television station al-Ahrar.
"You have to be aware that some pockets are coming from the east and you have to be cautious. The fight is not over yet. God willing, in a few hours our victory will be complete."
01:48 GMT: We're closing the live blog for a bit, but will be up and running in (gulp) a few short hours.
James was about to sign off with a report that it is quiet in Tripoli now. However, Matthew Price, a correspondent in Tripoli, sent this tweet about 10 minutes ago:
It did go quiet for a bit but appears it was a lull. Sounds of heavy fire now and explosions
It's going to be a long night in Tripoli, and a long couple of days for the EA crew. But it's going to be a much longer few days for the Gaddafi regime, so stay tuned...
01:03 GMT: The Head of Political affairs for the National Transitional Council, Fathi Baja, gave a statement to Reuters:
"There is certain information tells that forces loyal to Gaddafi withdrew and left their weapons behind in areas outside Tripoli. And I think everything is in order in Tripoli, rebels are approaching al-Sareem Street nearby Babal-Azizia complex. Gaddafi may be coerced to flee if he managed to co-ordinate it with some countries, but I hopeto arrest him to be tried with his sons and his assistants in Libya"
00:56 GMT: This video, shared by Human Rights Watch's Nabeel Rajab, shows Bahraini soldiers firing tear gas, and possible rubber or live bullets, at protesters. We are unsure when this was taken, but it was posted to Youtube tonight. Also shared by Rajab, and posted by the same youtube account as the first, is a video that shows Bahraini security forces breaking into cars.
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 9:45
This summer, I was able to completely shed previous beliefs that had been slowly unraveling for years. Growing up in Syria, you learn to keep your eyes down when you walk in the street to avoid the catcalls, lewd remarks, and hissing that every girl is subjected to by men and boys. Keep your eyes down, your ears shut, and ignore. But after becoming old enough that I could care less (or perhaps should care more) about these harmless yet annoying practices, I began not only looking up but straight into the eyes of these men on the street. I saw them for the first time, there was pure pain in their idle desperation; they were doomed in the graveyard of dreams. Now, I watched them everyday on my laptop screen. Their painful beauty is unparalleled; they are driven by their conscience, driven by their belief in death before humiliation.