Bahrain (and Beyond) Live: Stepping Up the Formula 1 Protests

Protest in Bahrain's capital Manama on Wednesday night with the chant and horn blast, "Down, Down [King] Hamad"

---

1345 GMT: Egypt

The retrial of former President Hosni Mubarak, on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that toppled him, will be held on 11 May.

The retrial was postponed last Saturday when the presiding judge suddenly stepped down.

Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison last June, but the verdict was suspended on appeal because of procedural irregularities.

Former Minister of Interior Habib El-Adly and six of his aides will also be tried again.

On the same day, the court will also hear a case against Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal, and business tycoon Hussein Salem on corruption charges.

Click to read more ...

Bahrain Special: How Regime Supporters Became The "Silent Majority" for 3 Foreign Journalists

A PR Mission: The Starbucks in Juffair where 3 Bahrainis --- "the silent majority" --- converted three foreign journalists

---

THE FOREIGN JOURNALISTS: David Tremayne, Formula 1 correspondent for The Belfast Telegraph and The Independent of London; Brad Spurgeon of The New York Times; and Joe Saward, who has a leading blog on Formula 1

THE BAHRAINIS: real estate businessman Hasan Emad; university lecturer Yaqoob Salman Mohamed Al-Slaise; and banker Ahmed Al Mahri

THE MISSION: Persuade the three journalists that reports of discontent are exaggerated; that protesters are a troublesome, very small minority; and that the regime will ensure stability and order if media bias can be countered and exposed.

Click to read more ...

Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Protest Here, Protest There, Protest Everywhere?

1954 GMT: Breaking news from Bahrain - activist Zainab AlKhawaja has been arrested, apparently while trying to visit her father in the hospital:

It's been confirmed, Zainab Alkhawaja @angryarabiya arrested, lawyer will attempt to go see her now #bahrain #f1 #fia #feb14

— Maryam Alkhawaja (@MARYAMALKHAWAJA) April 20, 2012

1908 GMT: This video is destined to be iconic. The UN monitors are set to visit the Idlib town of Kafer Takharim, and the the Syrian military pulled out today so as not to be seen by the observers. As the soldiers evacuate, this young man waves a pre-Baath party flag, the flag of the Syrian opposition, right in the face of Assad's tanks and soldiers.

Click to read more ...

Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Will the Regime Challenge the Protests?

Mass demonstration last night in Freedom Square in Deir Ez Zor, Syria

---

1919 GMT: According to the Local Coordinating Committees of Syria, they have been able to confirm the deaths of 13 so far today:

3 martyrs were documented in Hama as a result of sporadic gunfire at the protesters, 2 martyrs in each of Daraa and Aleppo as a result of sporadic gunfire at protesters. Also, 2 martyrs were documented in Idlib and one of corpses was un-identified. 2 martyrs in Homs in a random shelling at some neighborhoods. 1 martyr in Daraya, Damascus suburbs, in a sporadic gunfire by security forces at the protesters and 1 martyr in Hasaka, a defected recruit who was executed.

Homs, and several surrounding towns, were heavily shelled once again today. In this video, a building burns as heavy gunfire fills the background in Qosour:

Ahmed Al Omran provides this video, a wider view of the Khalidiya district of Homs:

Video reportedly shows shelling on Homs today, sounds of intense gunfire youtube.com/watch?v=bo6qOx… #SYRIA

— Ahmed Al Omran (@ahmed) April 13, 2012

Click to read more ...

Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Assad "We Will Crush Foreign-Backed Terrorism"

2156 GMT: A contact in Bahrain forwards us this poster, a planned opposition strike on March 15 to commemorate the anniversary of one of the bloodiest days of the revolution last year in Sitra village:

2145 GMT: We've been hearing rumors of clashes, possibly between the Free Syrian Army and Assad military, in and around Saqba. Earlier this hour (update 2100 GMT), the LCCS posted video which they said showed the gunfire. Now, the activist network ANA reports a large explosion and heavy gunfire in the Hamoraya district, north of Saqba (map).

Click to read more ...