Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Spread of the Conflict

2202 GMT: Syria. There are widespread reports of violence tonight, in nearly every region of Syria. Despite the fact that the number may rise, the Local Coordinating Committees, a network of activists, report that at least 140 people have been killed, including them ore than 70 reportedly killed in a single village in Hama province:

92 in Hama (35 martyrs from one family, the youngest victim was a 3 month old baby), 15 in Latakia, 11 in Idlib, 12 in Homs, 5 in Deir Ezzor, 2 martyrs in Damascus Suburbs,and 1 in Daraa.

2152 GMT: Syria. The blogger Brown Moses offers a good translation of an opposition Facebook page we cited earlier. This is the most complete detail of the attack on Qubair village that we have seen yet:

Hama Countryside | al-Qubair Farm near Ma'arzaf Village | Details of the Massacre Ma'arzaf village lies about 20 km west of Hama city and 2 km south of the city of Mharde. al-Qubair is considered to be a residential area south of Ma'arzaf with about 25 houses where members of the al-Yateem, al-Farees and 'Alwan families live.

At around 2 p.m., 3 T-72 tanks moved from the direction of al-Majdal village and Aseela village towards Ma'arzaf and began shelling Ma'arzaf and al-Qubair, another small village whose residents are mostly from the al-Yateem family.

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Afghanistan: Has NATO Airstrike Killed 17 Civilians? (Al Jazeera English)

UPDATE 0815 GMT: Two suicide bombers have killed at least 22 people and wounded about 50 civilians at a bazaar near Kandahar, according to local police.

The explosion occurred near the city's airport, which houses a large NATO airbase, in an area used by vehicles carrying supplies for the international force. The police said an attacker drove a motorcycle packed with explosives into the area, while another attacker detonated bombs after approaching on foot.

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Al Jazeera English reports:

A local Afghan official has said that 17 civilians have been killed in a NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan.

In a statement, NATO said it knew of only two light injuries to civilians during the pre-dawn incident on Wednesday.

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Syria Feature: Snapshots from Aleppo (Rovera and Hanano)

Protest at a funeral in Aleppo on Monday

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Of all Syria's cities, Aleppo has the most complex and changing relationship with the revolution.

Lawlessness envelops the city. Kidnappings are common. Car bombs and explosions are everyday occurrences. Refugees crowd its streets, while the local economy creaks towards a standstill. Businesses and factories dependent on easy access routes to Turkey face closed roads, dangerous checkpoints and highway robberies. The business elite, religious leaders and tribes who gambled on the side of loyalty to the regime have come to realise they are neither immune to Assad's brutality nor the opposition's wrath.

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Russia Audio Feature: Moscow's Manoeuvres Around the World --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24

Vladimir Putin & China's Hu JintaoAs Vladimir Putin joins other leaders in Beijing for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organzation, I joined Monocle 24's Midori House last night to discuss Russia's current approach to the world --- including the Syrian crisis. the Iranian nuclear issue, the changing situation in Afghanistan, and relations with China and the US.

The 10-minute chat begins at the 5:36 mark.

Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- From #SaveMaleki to the "Shoot the Apostate" Video Games (Arseh Sevom)

Hossein Ronaghi MalekiArseh Sevom, the NGO promoting civil society in Iran, posts its latest review of events inside the country:

In a week dominated by reports of cyber-warfare waged against Iran, families of prisoners of conscience managed to celebrate the birthdays of loved ones stuck behind bars. Rapper Shahin Najafi remains in the spotlight, as he becomes the target of virtual assassination in on-line games. A Twitter campaign highlights the plight of detained blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki. Seventeen NGOs call on the Islamic Republic to recognise and uphold academic freedom, and the sisters Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat provide a twinkling of hope.

#SaveMaleki

Concerns over the health of Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, a blogger and human rights activist imprisoned in Tehran, were expressed in a Tweet storm, as #SaveMaleki became a trending topic on Twitter.

Maleki suffers from kidney failure and has been denied proper care in prison. Amnesty International has asking people to write to Iranian officials to call for his release:

His father, Ahmad Ronaghi Maleki, has said that the government Medical Examiner and the physicians have ordered special post-operation medical care for Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, including medical leave – provided for under the Prison Regulations – though the prison authorities have not approved this request. His parents have told journalists that their son has told them he is under pressure to "confess” in order for his request for medical leave to be approved.

On the basis of the evidence available to Amnesty International, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki appears to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of his peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and the organization is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

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Expanding EA's Worldview --- How You Can Help

Only three years ago, EA WorldView was a blog called “Enduring America”, dedicated to providing thoughtful posts on US foreign policy and what "America" means in the world of the 21st century.

Now, after the experience of covering the Gaza War of 2008/9, the post-election protests in Iran, and the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, we think EA Worldview has grown up to become far more.

We are now dedicated to providing fast-paced, incisive updates on developing events with analysis on what they mean --- in Iran, across the Middle East and North Africa, and in other areas of global concern. Our live reporting typically runs for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, and during major events the team strives for 24-hour coverage.

EA WorldView's commentary and analysis still considers America, but it does so alongside Iran, Syria, Bahrain, Turkey, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, with the hope of more to come.

EA WorldView is still run by a very small team on a voluntary basis, with some staff working full-time.

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The Latest from Iran (5 June): The House Arrests

See also Iran Music Feature: Rapper Shahin Najafi Responds to Death Threats...With a New Song
The Latest from Iran (4 June): The Supreme Leader's "Slap in the Face" for His Officials

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Mehdi Karroubi with family on Monday1425 GMT: Nuclear Watch. Ali Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader's advisor on foreign affairs, has reiterated Tehran's general line two weeks before discussions in Moscow with the 5+1 Powers (US, UK, France, Germany, China, Russia): "I hope the P5+1 group recognizes Iran's inalienable nuclear right within the framework of the NPT and refrains from sitting on the sidelines. By accepting Iran's right to use peaceful nuclear energy, the forthcoming talks in Moscow should reach a favorable result."

What is not established, beyond this declaration, is whether Iran is ready to give up enrichment of uranium of 20% on its soil and, if so, in return for which concessions by the "West".

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Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: From Houla to Douma

2039 GMT: Syria. In Damascus, there are protests reported in multiple areas, but heavy gunfire reported in far more areas. The reports, from so many sources, are pouring in at this late hour - it will be a long night for Syria's capital.

2032 GMT: Syria. Meanwhile, protests continue, in the heart of Aleppo, and the heart of Damascus:

#Aleppo: protesters in #Khaldiyeh district chanting in solidarity with the suburbs of Aleppo tonight 5-6-2012youtube.com/watch?v=RHTDS8…#Syria

— Zilal (@zilal1) June 5, 2012

Protest in Kafarsouseh neighborhood of #Damascus tonight. Vid: youtube.com/watch?v=sQA8-o… #Syria twitpic.com/9t6acn

— Free Syrian (Sami) (@HamaEcho) June 5, 2012

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Syria 1st-Hand: 4 Days in Idlib Province with the Insurgents (Hall)

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There are large parts of Syria's northern region that are under tentative rebel control. The army does not patrol these areas very often, as Assad's men dislike leaving the safety of their armored vehicles. This means that the rebels have been able to set up checkpoints, which allow them to monitor the movement of people in the region and, more importantly, to travel with a vague degree of freedom. But this goes wrong constantly, and on many days cars leave without ever coming back, having been shot up at random. The great fear, however, remain the Shabiha; gangs of pro-Assad thugs who can appear at any time looking to cave your skull in.

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Iran Music Feature: Rapper Shahin Najafi Responds to Death Threats...With a New Song

Last month Iranian clerics and politicians called for the execution of rapper Shahin Najafi after he released the song "Naqi", invoking Shi'a's 10th Imam to criticise Iranian politics and society. A pro-regime website offered a large bounty for Najafi's death, and 40 authors have promised royalties from their books to his killer.

Najafi, who lives in Germany, has responded to the threats with a new song, "Istadeh Mordan (Our Codewords Are 'Dying Upright')". Translation by EA's Ms Zahra follows the music video:

A cut off head in your hands,
My look at a rotten clock.
With sad, rebellious poems,
And a tired wolf that fears no gun.
With me doubting the essence of being,
With your lonely sorrow when you’re drunk.

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