Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Meaningless Amnesty, Cosmetic Speech?

Demonstration after evening prayers in the Khalidiya district of Homs

See also A Song of Global Hope: We Shall Overcome أغنية سوف ننتصر
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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The King's Speech

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2155 GMT: At this moment, several EA source are reporting that the Syrian army is still besieging the city of Zabadani. The LCCS is also posting these reports:

Zabadani has been under shelling since 6 AM this morning by all kinds of light and heavy weaponry, which caused 5 houses to be totally destroyed and more than 13 injuries. There are areas which were shelled and are inaccessible due to heavy shooting, today Jisr cafe, houses in the western ally and some main streets were targeted.

The city is witnessing a strong movement of displaced people to the nearby areas and the number of displaced families reached about 250 family.

Also, state security forces liquidated 15 soldiers today for refusing to shoot at civilians. Military reinforcements arrived to the city: about 25 tanks and large number of troops carriers (of Zil brand), 20 tanks from brigade 62 in Jdaidet Yaboos have moved towards the city. Regime’s military forces shelled the town of Madaya using the armored vehicles positioned in Francis area in Zabadany landscape.

According to sources, electricity is cut, and food and medical supplies are thin.

LCCS also reports defections in the area, including a whole unit, about 25 soldiers, that defected all at once.

EA sources have been able to confirm the presence of Free Syrian Army soldiers in the area, though it is unclear whether the siege started before they arrived, or whether they traveled to the area in order to defend the city.

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Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The King's Speech

Footage from today's funeral in Bahrain of 57-year-old Salma Abdul Muhsen of Barbar --- activists claim she died from tear gas inhalation last night

See also Syria 1st-Hand: With the Monitors in Zabadani "A City Under Siege"
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Saturday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A University Under Curfew

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2045 GMT: Claimed footage of Bahraini police vehicles charging female protesters in Barbar, after today's funeral of Salma Abdul Muhsen:

2005 GMT: Claimed footage of a massive explosion in Insha'at in Homs Province today:

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Syria Interview: Activist "LeShaque" on Social Media and the Syrian Revolution

LeShaque's Avatar on TwitterIn Syria, we are unbelievably dependent on social media. For organizing, you create a Facebook group. For calling a protest, you create a Facebook page. For reporting news, you create a Twitter account. For communicating with other activists, you use Skype. For showing the protest to the world, you use YouTube. There are signs in Syria that say, “Thank you, YouTube.”

If this didn’t exist, the revolution would’ve been crushed immediately. There would’ve been another Hama massacre [the killing of tens of thousands in a rising in 1982] and the regime would have gotten away with it. Look at their behavior. Listen to the regime’s spokespersons. Listen to how much they complain about the media. They don’t complain about the protests as much as they complain about media.

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A University Under Curfew

A crowd in Tunisia marks the first anniversary of the downfall of the President "Ben Ali, assassin!"

See also Friday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: How Long Can This Go On?

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1550 GMT: A Friday night protest in Imbaba against Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces:

1540 GMT: Footage of arrival of Syrian military in Kafrsita in Hama Province today:

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: How Long Can This Go On?

A rally in Bahrain calls for the hanging of detainees who allegedly killed policemen in March 2011 (see 1039 GMT)

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Syria Opinion: The Assad Regime Cannot End this Crisis
Friday's Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: An Attack in Homs

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2127 GMT: Reuters has more on the attack by Syrian troops, backed by tanks, on Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon.

"Communications have been cut but we managed to get through to several people. Tanks are bombarding the town and have entered the outskirts, but they are being met with resistance. The Free Syrian Army (army defectors) has strong presence in the area," Kamal al-Labwani, a senior opposition figure from Zabadani who fled to Jordan two weeks ago, said.

Al-Labwani continued, "The people of Zabadani have taken up arms to protect themselves and I am afraid we could see lots of casualties. At least 50 tanks are involved in the attack and explosions are already being heard in residential areas."

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Syria Opinion: The Assad Regime Cannot End this Crisis

CNN's Nic Robertson reports from Homs, where French journalist Gilles Jacquier was killed on Wednesday.

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What is beyond dispute is that the Assad regime has lost control of the country. At best, it is no longer capable of defending its citizens, and even its state-sponsored tours by foreign journalists, from attack. At worst, the regime is responsible for planting one of several bombs in the capital, is guilty of killing Gilles Jacquier to frame "terrorists", and is carrying out killings, widespread arrests, torture, and kidnapping campaigns to beat the opposition into submission.

Either way, the government of Syria has failed its people, proving incapable of restoring order. And so far, evidence points to the worst-case scenario more often than it points to the best.

If the Syrian government is incapable of ending this crisis, who is capable, and are they willing to take that responsibility?

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: An Attack in Homs

Gunfire and explosions in Homs as defectors defend the city against the army

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EA Video Feature: A Tribute to Journalist Gilles Jacquier, Killed Today in Syria

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2103 GMT: A large protest in Idlib in Syria tonight:

And a mass rally in Khalidiya in Homs chants to the Arab League Secretary General "Nabil El Araby is a traitor":

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EA Video Feature: A Tribute to Journalist Gilles Jacquier, Killed Today in Syria

See also: Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: After the Speech, the Battle

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Gilles Jacquier, a French journalist, was killed in Syria today, apparently when his vehicle was hit by an RPG. He was part of an official delegation of Western journalists, escorted by the Syrian Information Ministry, on a highly-controlled tour of the embattled city of Homs.

Jacquier leaves behind work, which reveals his bravery and dedication, in conflict areas such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Kosovo, Haiti, Zaire, Israel, Algeria, and Syria.

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: After the Speech, the Battle

2130 GMT: According to the voice on the video, this was taken in Baba Amr, Homs. It was uploaded today, and claims to show fighters for the Free Syrian Army's Farouq Batallion replacing a regime flag with their own, during what sounds like an intense gunfight:

We are unable to confirm any of these claims at the current time.

2114 GMT: Fuel isn't the only thing that is in short supply in Syria. Due to recent environmental issues, the wheat harvest is down, but the Syrian government appears that it may not be able to import the grain that it plans on using to supplement the shortfall:

Syria's state grains agency, which traditionally purchases soft milling wheat via international tenders, is finding it difficult to secure food at competitive prices, European traders say.

The agency Tuesday said it had rejected all tender offers and made no purchase in an international auction to buy 100,000 metric tons of wheat, citing expensive market prices.

According to the Wall Street Journal, European traders are unwilling to sell grain without adding a risk premium, adding to Syria's inability to secure good pricing.

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Syria Special: To Lighten the Day --- Jokes, Breakdancing, and Assad on Freedom of the Press

It's been a long 10 months for those of us following the crisis in Syria and a far longer 10 months for those going through it. One need go no further than Tuesday's (or any day's) live coverage for the latest reports on dead civilians and on battles between defectors and the regime.

If laughter is the best medicine for this, and EA has three jokes and totally bloodless videos to lift the day.

SIRI AND SYRIA

Fit this under the funny-because-it's-almost true category. As journalists are imprisoned, cartoonists are beaten, and protesters are shot, Samir tries to find out the truth in Syria. As he finds out, there's an app for that...sort of:

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