Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Re-Focusing on the Conflict

The moment that crowds charged the US Embassy in Yemen on Thursday

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MENA Video Special: The Biggest and Most Important Protests are in Syria

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2146 GMT: Syria. Earlier we reported that the Free Syrian Army conducted an offensive against Assad positions in the Saleh el Dine district of Aleppo. We also reported that there were rumors that the Assad military retreated after the battle. Now, we've found many videos showing fighters inside the district today, claiming that they have captured the entire area. But this may be the most compelling evidence.

The video below claims to show the district being shelled, an activity that would not be possible if Assad troops were still in the district. Another video shows fires burning there, reportedly the result of the shelling:

The key to winning any battle is to maintain the initiative. The Assad regime is failing to do that. The FSA is mixing up attacks in the east with assaults on the military airport, and really disrupted the pattern of battle last weekend when they briefly captured a major military base in the heart of the city. The center of the city has been shelled for four days, and now this turn of events suggests that, at least for the moment, the Assad regime is more content to sit back and shell opposition forces than fight them on the streets.

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Bahrain Live Coverage: Prominent Activist Nabeel Rajab Arrested

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Nabeel Rajab Leads Protest, 1 April1950 GMT: Finally, a press release from the regime that sets out its approach against detained human rights activist Nabeel Rajab....

Prosecutors, using the Bahrain News Agency, said:

[We] filed a case against the defendant after compiling compelling evidence of his involvement in inciting illegal rallies and marches online on social networking websites....The defendant's cyber-incitement proved detrimental as [it] fuelled rioting, road blocking, arsons, acts of sabotage targeting public and private properties, in addition to the use of Molotov cocktail incendiary bombs. The inquiry has also revealed compelling evidence on the defendant's role in instigating, online, acts targeting policemen whilst on duty, leaving some of them injured.

The statement effectively convicted, "[Rajab] admitted posting the defamatory and humiliating material on his account."

Most telling, however, might be this element of truth about this morning's court hearing, "The defendant stood the trial, in the presence of his lawyer, but he refused to answer the questions about the charges leveled against him, saying that he does not recognize the court."

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Bahrain Live Coverage: The Many 1000s on the Highway

How many thousands marching on Friday in the call for significant reforms

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Friday's Bahrain Live Coverage: King Hamad Goes Through The Motions

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2000 GMT: The official websites of the Bahraini Police and Ministry of Interior are both off-line, apparently attacked in retaliation for the arrests of human rights activists Nabeel Rajab and Zainab Alkhawaja.

1910 GMT: Maryam Alkhawaja of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports on her detained colleague Nabeel Rajab:

. @nabeelrajab just called his wife informing her he's being kept overnight, will b taken to his hearing tmrw morning #bahrain #feb14

— Maryam Alkhawaja (@MARYAMALKHAWAJA) May 5, 2012

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Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Opposition Expands

Claimed footage of Syrian troops and tanks moving into Ghouta suburb, east of Damascus

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Saturday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: More than 100 Die But Opposition Slowly Advances

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2052 GMT: Earlier today (see 1535 GMT) we posted video of a march in Kafranbel in northwest Syria, with Free Syrian Army soldiers holding their weapons high. Now we are pointed to claimed footage of the insurgents standing in a "liberated" main square:

2045 GMT: Video from Dumistan in Bahrain on Friday, as police shoot tear gas inside a car --- a woman, reported to be driving, faints after she gets out of the vehicle:

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Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: What Will This Friday Bring?

2030 GMT: The LCCS reports that 40 people have died today in Syria:

7 children 3 women, 4 defected soldiers. The deaths are distributed as follows: 18 in Homs,7 in Idlib,9 in Damascus Suburbs (3 in each of kafarbatna and Domaair 2 in Douma, , 1 in Saqba,) 4 in Hama, and 2 in Daraa (Sanamain and Inkhil

1940 GMT: According to Nick Kristof, his videographer's camera was hit by tear gas or rubber bullets, and the attack only stopped when his cameraman, Adam Ellick,started to yell that he was an American journalist.

For his part, Adam has been pretty quiet since the incident, though his last tweet is pretty telling:

"This photo of graffiti pretty much sums up my night in #Bahrain with @NickKristof"

1931 GMT: Turning back to Syria, the LCCS is now reporting that 37 people have been killed by security forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad:

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: How Far with the Opposition?

1915 GMT: An update on the violence today in Taiz, south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa (see 1350 GMT)....

Officials at a field hospital say one person died and at least 830 people were injured by security forces who charged the square where people were demonstrating. Nine people suffered gunshot wounds, including the person who died. More than 60 were injured in the beatings, and the rest were injured from tear gas inhalation.

The Governor of Taiz, Hamoud al-Soufi denied any deaths and said that clashes did not occur in the square but on the main street> He claimed "infiltrators and some young hotheads" threw stones at soldiers, wounding eight, one seriously.

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