Syria Audio: Scott Lucas on the BBC "The State of the Regime"

Former diplomat Andrew Green and I appeared on BBC Radio's flagship radio program Today this morning to discuss the current situation in Syria, assessing in particular the importance of the Assad regime in the region and whether it is in danger of collapsing.

My take-away line, which I have used about the challenge to the regime in another country: "This is a marathon, not a sprint."

The discussion begins at the 2:53.55 mark.

Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Army Moves In

For technical reasons, the LiveBlog has been moved to entry above....

Syria Video Special: Military Seizes Southern Town of Daraa

Claimed footage of the Syrian military, with tanks and thousands of troops, taking over Daraa this morning --- the southern town has been a centre of protests and clashes since the uprising began on 15 March:

Night: Mosques Call for Peace Amidst Gunfire and Flames

The Military Operations

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Syria Video Feature: Death All Around to the Cry of "Peaceful, Peaceful"

First, a note about the video that is not here. Last night, I saw a 7 1/2-minute clip, purportedly from Daraa in Syria on Friday. It begins with the sound of gunfire as a cameraman goes to the ground. When he gets up, he is surrounded by the dead and wounded.

The next few minutes are so graphic, even as they are moving, that I could not bring myself to post the clip.

This footage is from an unnamed location over the weekend. A bloodied protesters cries, "Peaceful, peaceful". A moment later, gunshots ring out.

Syria 1st-Hand: "There is No Humanity Here Anymore" (Perry)

Checkpoint in Damascus, 24 April 2011I've been playing it through over and over again in my head for the past 16 hours and I still do not know where the gunfire was coming from. It seemed to be coming from a field that lay off to my right --- on the Izraa side of the bridge. I could see some mussel flashes, but I've never in my life seen people walking, and just shot at indiscriminately.

I could not take my eyes off what was quickly becoming carnage. One of the last things I remember seeing clearly were people lying flat on the road, taking cover behind those who had already been wounded or shot dead ... lying in what must have been pools of blood to avoid a hail of flying hot hell.

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Syria, Yemen, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Waiting for Confirmation

2300 GMT: Apologies for the suspension in service --- EA staff have been on a holiday break this evening with family and friends. We will be back from 0530 GMT with all the latest news.

1700 GMT: AFP summarises today's protests for reform in Morocco....

Nearly 10,000 people, according to an an AFP correspondent, massed in the city centre and marched to Mohammed VI Square. Organisers put the turnout at nearly 20,000. More than 500 people took to the streets in Marrakesh, while more than 2,000 marched in Tangiers to demand the resignation of the mayor, Fouad El Omary.

Key demands of the marchers included curbs on the powers of the king, an independent judiciary, and steps against corruption.

A video of the rally in Casablanca:

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Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: An Escalation

1910 GMT: A doctor and residents have confirmed that four people died in Barzeh, a neighbourhood of Damascus, today.

That raises the overall death toll of protesters in Syria today to 14.

1900 GMT: A spokesman for the Yemeni regime says it has informed the Gulf Cooperation Council that it accepts a proposal for transition in power: "The ruling party informed the foreign ministers of the GCC of their acceptance of the Gulf initiative in full."

Under the plan, President Ali Abdullah Saleh will hand over power to his Vice President one month after an agreement is signed with opposition forces and will be granted immunity from prosecution.

1729 GMT: This video, reportedly filmed today, depicts civilians pinned down by gunfire in the streets of Syria. None of these men appear armed.

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Syria, Yemen, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Just Another Friday?

1838 GMT: Activists have compiled a list of 68 people killed in Syria protests today, including casualties in Moadamia (8), Homs (15), Douma (8), Izraa (15), Zamalka (5), Harasta (3), and Barzeh (2).

1835 GMT: Thanks to James Miller for taking the LiveBlog through the afternoon.

A doctor from Madamia, a Damascus suburb, has said:

There are four people killed and about 50 wounded and we cannot take them to the public or private hospitals. At Daraya hospital security were shooting and arresting people. So I have been treating people inside homes. It is very hard to treat the wounds because many have been shot in the head.

I can tell you now, the situation in Madamia will never be calm. Today is an historical day for the country. There is now a new strategy to kill all the protesters, not even arrest them.

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Syria Video: This Weekend's Protests

Tearing Down Bashar al-Assad in Damascus --- "We're All One Hand"

A Child Speaks to the Crowd (Homs?)

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Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Watching for Reactions

Prayer at Protest in Homs, Syria (Photo: Reuters)2110 GMT: The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Yemeni authorities to explain why they have held journalist Ali Salah Ahmed since Tuesday without revealing his location or charging him with a crime.

Ahmed, an anchor for the privately-owned news channel Suhail, with ties to the opposition party Al-Islah, was seized upon his arrival from Germany.

Ahmed worked for several years as the program director of the official state-run television station Yamania but resigned in 2009 denouncing government attempts to manipulate news coverage of civil unrest in southern Yemen.

Ahmad al-Mohamadi, a reporter for Suhail, is also missing after he was called in for questioning Saturday by the Republican Guards.

The CPJ also highlighted the testimony of several journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan, who said anti-riot police attacked them on Monday as they were covering protests in Erbil.

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