visionary
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1653: Meanwhile, the central committee of Yemen's ruling General People's Congress party has recommended forming a new government "tasked with drafting a new constitution for the country on the basis of a parliamentary system", state media report.#1655: Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the fall of President Saleh, or his replacement by a weaker leader, would pose "problems" for the US. "The most aggressive branch of al-Qaeda... operates out of Yemen," he said. "We have had a lot of counter-terrorism co-operation from President Saleh and the Yemeni security services, so if the government collapses or is replaced by one that is dramatically more weak, then I think we'll face some additional problems out of Yemen."#1657: Security officials in Yemen have said at least six soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen with suspected links to al-Qaeda on Sunday. The incident took place east of the capital, Sanaa, in Marib province. The area is one of Yemen's main oil producing regions and has been a militant stronghold. -
JORDAN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1522: Meanwhile in Jordan, thousands of people have attended the funeral of the man who was killed during clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces on Friday, the Ammon News website reports. Khairi Jamil Saad died after troops tried to disperse demonstrators gathered outside the interior ministry. Officials say he died as a result of a cardiac arrest. Protesters say he was badly beaten.#1527: Mr Saad's brother, Saeed, has told the Associated Press that he was a follower of the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, and not a government supporter.The 55-year-old was bringing food to a group of people encamped outside the interior ministry "when police beat him to death", he added. "I saw blood on his face when we took him to the morgue for an autopsy. There were clear marks of torture and beatings on his face."
#1533: At Mr Saad's funeral, many people chanted "The prime minister is the enemy of God", according to the Associated Press.The opposition wants Maarouf al-Bakhit to resign, parliament to be dissolved and elections to be held. The new legislature would then appoint a prime minister, rather than King Abdullah II.
SYRIA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1539: Meanwhile, al-Arabiya TV is reporting that Syria's government is expected to resign on Tuesday; that the Baath Party Regional Command will abolish the emergency law after a new counter-terrorism law has been drafted; that Article 8 of the constitution, which defines the Baath Party as the "leading party in the society and the state", has been amended; and that a new media law "preventing the imperilment of reporters" has been endorsed.Let me guess, right after the president of Yemen resigns?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
Righhhhht.#1128: Some news from Syria - government officials are saying 12 people died in unrest in Latakia on Saturday. AFP quotes presidential adviser Buthaina Shaaban as saying the dead were 10 members of the security forces and two gunmen.http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/middle-east/syria-live-blog-march-27
11:40am Al Jazeera obtains exclusive footage of funerals being held for those killed in pro-reform protests in the town of Sanamin:r21PHDaRthQ
12:53pm Syrian authorities have released Diana Jawabra, a Daraa activist, whose arrest this month helped fuel mass protests in her home city of Deraa against Baath party rule.One of Jawabra's lawyers told the Reuters news agency that Jawabra was among 16 people released on Sunday.
They took part in a silent demonstration this month demanding the release of political prisoners and of 15 children arrested in Daraa for writing freedom slogans on school walls.
1:00pm The Syrian government has confirmed to Al Jazeera that the country's emergency law is to be lifted.---------- Post added March-27th-2011 at 08:19 AM ----------
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1211: Syrian government officials say President Bashar al-Assad will address the nation soon, AFP reports. -
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201132623534648404.html
Ouatarra rejects AU mediation offerAlassane Ouattara cites AU envoy's personal relations with incumbent president Luarent Gbagbo as problematic.
Last Modified: 27 Mar 2011 00:18
Internationally recognised president of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara has rejected the African Union's choice to mediate the crisis, citing the envoy's "personal relations" with his rival Laurent Gbagbo.
The African Union (AU) on Saturday named Cape Verde's former foreign minister Jose Brito as its representative to Cote d’Ivoire to mediate an end to the crisis pushing the country towards civil war.
But in a statement Ouattara said he "deeply regrets not having been consulted, nor having been approached" about the decision.
He "expressed surprise" about the selection of Brito "given his personal relationship and his political connection, known to everyone in Cote d’Ivoire, with the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.
"Moreover, this decision does not conform to the expressed will to appoint a former head of state in this function," his statement added.
"Consequently, the Presidency of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire rejects Jose Brito as the AU high representative."
Earlier this month, the African Union endorsed the conclusions of a panel of five African heads of state.They recognised Ouattara as the legitimate winner of November elections against his rival, but asked him to put in place an inclusive government and help find a "graceful exit" for his rival.
But the Gbagbo camp quickly rejected the AU's proposals as "unacceptable".
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http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/middle-east/syria-live-blog-march-26
9:45pm More amateur video of today's protests. This one is from demonstrations after Asr prayer in Banyas, a city 55km south of Latakia:NJajnvPkdRI
10:10pm A small group of Syrian pro-reform protesters has gathered in front of the White House in Washington D.C.: Protest in USA for Syriahttp://bambuser.com/channel/Mohammad_Syria/broadcast/1532232
10:26pm A witness of the shooting in Latakia told Al Jazeera that his brother, Wael, a 26-year-old shop owner from Latakia (the man in this video), was shot in the head and was taken to the hospital. The family of the victim was told that he had died and the body has not yet been released. The witness said police fired at people indiscriminately and "snipers shot at specific people". He said 20 were killed in the shooting in Latakia.a3RiFkdSZ5A
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http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201132616546326475.html
Two people are reported dead in clashes between Syrian anti-government protesters and security forces in the coastal city of Latakia, where mourners attending a funeral set fire to the local Baath Party building and a police station.There were witness reports of Syrian security forces firing tear gas on several hundred protesters who staged a silent sit-in near a mosque in the southern city of Daraa.
The clashes came as anti-government protests continued despite a government crackdown, with authorities freeing about 260 political prisoners in an attempt to appease demonstrators.
In Tafas, south of the capital Damascus, angry residents set ablaze a police station and the local headquarters of the Baath party, which has ruled Syria single-handedly for close to half a century.The residents had gathered for the burial of three demonstrators who had been shot dead by security forces in rallies on Friday.
In Daraa, a tribal town that has emerged as the symbol of the Syrian protests, some 300 shirtless young men climbed on the rubble of a statue of Hafez al-Assad, the late Syrian president, shouting anti-regime slogans, witnesses said.
Protesters had pulled down the statue on Friday in a scene that recalled the toppling of Saddam Hussein''s statue in Iraq in 2003 by US troops. They had also burned the home of the governor.
In the northern city of Latakia, "armed men" on rooftops fired at passers-by, a Syrian official said, without disclosing whether there had been any casualties.Bouthaina Shaaban, a Syrian presidential advisor, said an "armed group" had occupied the roofs of some buildings and was allegedly shooting randomly at citizens.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1619: Syrian security forces fire tear gas at protesters staging a sit-in at the main square in Deraa, Reuters reports.#1637: Syria: Two people have been killed and two wounded by unidentified snipers in the coastal town of Latakia, an official tells AFP. No details on who the victims might be.http://twitter.com/The_Opposition
15 killed by Syrian forces in since morning until n0w Latakia city. 23 minutes ago via Mobile Web -
SYRIA
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/20113268047311197.html
There is anger in Syria a day after a deadly security crackdown against anti-government protesters in the town of Daraa.Protesters vowed to hit the streets on Saturday, despite a rising death toll in demonstrations that have put President Bashar al-Assad under unprecedented domestic pressure.
A Facebook group behind a string of demonstrations that have surfaced in Syria this month drummed up support for more rallies on Saturday.
"Today, Saturday... popular uprisings in all Syrian governorates," read a posting on The Syria Revolution 2011, which has garnered the support of over 86,000 fans.
People are set to gather today for funerals of those killed.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Damascus, said people in Daraa are angry at the government for the violence and government will have to work hard to reconcile with the people of the area.
The crackdown has attracted the attention of the United Nations with Navi Pillay, the human rights commissioner, calling for an investigation and an immediate halt to violence, a message echoed by Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General.Human rights group Amnesty International said on Friday that at least 55 people had been killed since protests erupted. However, government figure stands at 37.
Meanwhile, Syrian authorities have released 260 prisoners, mostly Islamists, from Saydnaya jail on Friday, a human rights lawyer said.
"These are prisoners who have completed at least three-quarters of their sentences and are entitled to be freed but the authorities rarely granted them that right before," the rights lawyer, who declined to be named, told Reuters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1304: According to Reuters, hundreds of protesters are chanting for freedom in the main square of the southern Syrian town of Deraa, which has been convulsed by demonstrations over the past week.#1307: Reuters also reports that thousands of Syrians mourning a slain protester in the village of Tafas, near Deraa, have burned the local Baath Party headquarters and a police station. -
SYRIA
Video reportedly of Syrian protesters marching in Latakia today: http://on.fb.me/fRxzDe #syria 18 minutes ago via TweetDeckAnother Syria protest video, reportedly from Damascus: http://youtu.be/ucJL_V4DM6s 16 minutes ago via TweetDeckAnother protest video from the same series. Anyone know what they're chanting? http://youtu.be/GY7oESpiTic #syria 15 minutes ago via TweetDeckhttp://www.tweetdeck.com/twitter/noornet/~MSuMU
@acarvin Andy ..they are chanting.. "We swear in the name of God the Great.. And by the blood of the Free Martyrs..that we'll stay standing until reforms occur & God is the best of witnesses"JORDAN
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201132517059876641.html
Two person have been killed after being beaten to death by riot police and pro-government loyalists in the Jordanian capital of Amman, Al Jazeera has learned.More than 100 people, including policemen, were injured in the clashes. "Two of the injured are in critical condition," a medical source at the scene said.
Anti-riot police also broke up a protest camp for students and arrested several of them, a security official told AFP news agency.
The clashes erupted after around 200 government supporters hurled large stones at more than 2,000 young demonstrators from different movements calling for reforms to the current leadership and more efforts to fight corruption, an AFP journalist reported.
"Our gathering is peaceful, but this did not prevent the attacks," demonstrators said.
"Does the king agree with such actions? We are Jordanians and we have the right to express ourselves," said Reda Darwish, aged 20.
"We as young Jordanians, and as a whole nation, are fed up to see our demands ignored by the government and official institutions of this country," youth activist Moadh Khawaldeh told Al Jazeera.
UPDATE
videos from today's protests in Jordan:
WATCH: New #Jordan video: police attack protesters with sticks, yell "Good, hit them... Go to hell, you son of a *****." http://t.co/WOR8o9l 38 minutes ago via TweetDeckieGqRd8pbOQ
More video of beatings in Jordan: "Look how scared they are; hit them. Break their heads, the traitors." http://t.co/7MwdYln 34 minutes ago via TweetDeck -
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE72O0QZ20110325
Chad opposition quits election body, vote in doubtN'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chad's opposition parties withdrew from the electoral commission on Friday, putting at risk a delayed presidential election scheduled for next month.
Three major opposition candidates in the oil-producing Central African country already said this week they would boycott the vote on concerns it would not be credible.
Chad's electoral code requires the commission to have at least two-thirds of its 31 members present to constitute a working quorum. Fifteen are from the opposition.
"The coalition of political parties have decided to suspend their participation in the electoral commission," said a letter by the deputy spokesman of the coalition, Saleh Kebzabo, who is a presidential candidate.
President Idriss Deby had been set to face five opponents in the election on April 24. His ruling party and its allies won a parliamentary election on February 13.
There has been a lull in rebel attacks recently after years of unrest which have frustrated previous attempts to hold elections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad
Some Chadian history:
France conquered the territory by 1920 and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa.In 1960 Chad obtained independence under the leadership of François Tombalbaye. Resentment towards his policies in the Muslim north culminated in the eruption of a long-lasting civil war in 1965. In 1979 the rebels conquered the capital and put an end to the south's hegemony.
However, the rebel commanders fought amongst themselves until Hissène Habré defeated his rivals. He was overthrown in 1990 by his general Idriss Déby. Recently, the Darfur crisis in Sudan has spilt over the border and destabilised the nation, with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees living in and around camps in eastern Chad.
While many political parties are active, power lies firmly in the hands of President Déby and his political party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Chad remains plagued by political violence and recurrent attempted coups d'état (see Battle of N'Djamena (2006) and Battle of N'Djamena (2008)).
The country is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world; most Chadians live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers. Since 2003 crude oil has become the country's primary source of export earnings, superseding the traditional cotton industry.
In 1979 the rebel factions conquered the capital, and all central authority in the country collapsed. Armed factions, many from the north's rebellion, contended for power.[14][15]The disintegration of Chad caused the collapse of France's position in the country. Libya moved to fill the power vacuum and became involved in Chad's civil war.[16] Libya's adventure ended in disaster in 1987; the French-supported president, Hissène Habré, evoked a united response from Chadians of a kind never seen before[17] and forced the Libyan army off Chadian soil.[18]
Habré consolidated his dictatorship through a power system that relied on corruption and violence; an estimated 40,000 people were killed under his rule.[19][20] The president favoured his own Daza ethnic group and discriminated against his former allies, the Zaghawa. His general, Idriss Déby, overthrew him in 1990.[21]
Déby attempted to reconcile the rebel groups and reintroduced multiparty politics. Chadians approved a new constitution by referendum, and in 1996, Déby easily won a competitive presidential election. He won a second term five years later.[22] Oil exploitation began in Chad in 2003, bringing with it hopes that Chad would at last have some chances of peace and prosperity. Instead, internal dissent worsened, and a new civil war broke out.
Déby unilaterally modified the constitution to remove the two-term limit on the presidency; this caused an uproar among the civil society and opposition parties.[23] In 2006 Déby won a third mandate in elections that the opposition boycotted. Ethnic violence in eastern Chad has increased; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that a genocide like that in Darfur may yet occur in Chad.[24]
Chad's greatest foreign influence is France, which maintains 1,000 troops in the country. Déby relies on the French to help repel the rebels, and France gives the Chadian army logistical and intelligence support for fear of a complete collapse of regional stability.[38] Nevertheless, Franco-Chadian relations were soured by the granting of oil drilling rights to the American Exxon company in 1999.[39] -
More news about France and the Ivory Coast.
Apparently France believes that the UN Peacekeepers there should be allowed to use force to protect the civilians. I'm a bit confused as to if there's already a resolution in place or if he's calling for a new upgraded one or not. There was a resolution mentioned though, and according to the Al Jazeera reporter in New York, the resolution calls for all means necessary to protect civilians.
(which seems to be even more broad then it is for Libya perhaps. I don't think the US has much involvement in this though. Could be wrong of course.)
---------- Post added March-25th-2011 at 04:42 PM ----------
Ok, here's an article I found:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20110325/tpl-un-under-pressure-as-ivory-coast-on-383fe17.html
UN under pressure as Ivory Coast on edge of civil war"Law and order is collapsing, humanitarian access is more and more difficult, hospitals are closing -- we are very, very close to a civil war in Abidjan," France's ambassador to the United Nations, Gerard Araud, said in New York Friday.
The draft resolution demands an end to attacks against the UN mission and civilian populations by the Gbagbo camp and calls for UNOCI to protect civilians, according to one diplomat.
"It's saying first, 'Gbagbo has to leave.' The second point is to stop the violence against the civilians," Araud said.
The International Crisis Group, in an open letter to the Security Council, warned of ethnic cleansing and mass atrocities if the UN peacekeeping mission UNOCI was not strengthened, saying "civil war in the country has been reignited".
As many as one million people have fled their homes as civilian areas are bombarded daily with rockets, mortars and shells and bloody clashes between forces backing the two rival presidents saw 52 killed in the past week, the UN estimates, with the total death toll reaching at least 462.
An attack by Gbagbo troops on a market which killed up to 30 civilians last week in the Ouattara stronghold of Abobo has led to widespread condemnation of possible crimes against humanity.
West African leaders on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to reinforce the mandate of the 10,000-strong UNOCI force.
The ICG think-tank warned the UN's reputation was at stake.
"The UN's posture in the country must change, and UNOCI must be required to use force when necessary to carry out its mandate effectively," it said.
It appears France has been trying of late to force the UN to actually do it's job.
---------- Post added March-25th-2011 at 05:02 PM ----------
In Syria Protesters throw shoes at and tear down poster of Assad the father and the son
Wow. RT @Mohammad_Syria: OMG, it's happening: Tearing Assad's picture in #Daraa today http://bit.ly/i4m7DH #Syria #mar15 #Freedom 18 minutes ago via TweetDeckH9_BOjkD2wY
RT @jan15egy: That was Assad the Son. This is Assad the father in Homs http://goo.gl/ac637 14 minutes ago via TweetDeckdz56DBwjLdQ
---------- Post added March-25th-2011 at 05:24 PM ----------
JORDAN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1912: Reaction from Jordan where protests broke out earlier (see 1729, 1557): prime minister says clash was beginning of chaos, and is unacceptable, says Reuters quoting Jordan TV.#1923: More from the Jordanian PM: he blames Islamists for the protests, and warns of consequences if there are any more clashes.#2022: Jordan's PM, who we heard from earlier, goes on TV to accuse "brother Muslims" of "receiving instructions from Egypt and Syria to execute plans against Jordan", following clashes in Amman between pro-monarchy and pro-reform protesters. -
SYRIA
Nine people in the Syrian city of Daraa were killed on Friday when security forces opened fire on demonstrators in the city's main square, 23 minutes ago via yoonohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1717: Reuters are quoting residents as saying that security forces have killed three people in a suburb of Damascus, Mouadamieh. No independent confirmation of this.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1737: Syria's information says that the situation is calm all over the country, Al-Arabiya TV reports. Not quite what we've been hearing.JORDAN
Several demonstrators calling for reform in Jordan were injured in Amman Friday when government supporters hit them with rocks and sticks about 3 hours ago via yoonothe protest in #Amman turned very violent very quickly- the most serious situation since the start of demos here #JO #reformjo about 1 hour ago via webI had to run out of the protest in #Amman when violence broke out as gov "loyalists" attacked journalists #reformjo #jo #mar24 28 minutes ago via web@NasserJudeh we are chasing reports of a protester killed by police & pro-demonstrators. #reformjo 18 minutes ago via web in reply to NasserJudehhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1726: AFP reporting that one protester has died in Amman, Jordan.#1729: Reuters also says one person has died in Jordan. It cites Amer Khairy Saad as saying that his 57-year-old father Khairy died in hospital after police beat him as they were trying to disperse crowds near the interior ministry.Jordanian men walking up the to livestream cameras, faces/heads covered in blood. Hit by the rocks we heard about? #jordan 2 minutes ago via TweetDeck -
Isn't Jordan's government considered to be relatively liberal?
For a dictatorship, I guess.
I think they're somewhat less violent on their own people than other Middle East governments have been.
But it's been pretty much the same people in power for decades (not to mention the monarchy).
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Turkey's Foreign Ministry said today Syria must apply political reforms "without losing time." -AP about 1 hour ago via TweetDeckAP: witnesses say protesters injured in Daraa, Latakia, Damascus & other Syrian cities. 44 minutes ago via TweetDeckDisturbing, graphic video of dead Syrian protesters, others wailing in grief:Says Al Sanmeen: where is that? 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1604: What should the rest of the world do about the unrest in Yemen and Syria? On BBC World Have Your Say former Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says: "It would be wrong for the international community to start intervening all over the place in the Arab world. That would be a disaster."#1606: French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin says: "We should send a very strong message to all of the leaders in these countries. Sanctions should be imposed." -
#Breaking - #France's UN envoy says he's asked UN Security council to impose sanctions on Cote D'Ivoire's Pres. Gbagbo & his inner circle. 7 minutes ago via web
The UN Refugee Agency spokesman on Al Jazeera seemed happy with the move.
---------- Post added March-25th-2011 at 12:00 PM ----------
http://twitter.com/tweetminster
AFP reporting that more than 60 people have been injured during clashes in #Jordan. 7 minutes ago via TweetDeckhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1557: Reports of unrest in Jordan as well now, with pro- and anti-government groups pelting each other with stones in Amman and police dispersing them with water cannon. AP and AFP both reporting dozens of injuries.Jordan should be smart and head these protests off with immediate reforms.
(And I don't mean immediate long term promises)
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More dead in Syria today after security forces fired on protesters in Daraa again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#1343: Reuters are reporting that protests have erupted in the Syrian city of Hama - the scene of an infamous crackdown by the security forces in 1982, under the rule of current President Bashar al-Assad's father.I think around 10,000 were reportedly killed by the Syrian government back then in Hama.
#1425: Back to Syria. Reuters is reporting heavy gunfire in the square in the southern town of Deraa where thousands of people had gathered. The report says people are fleeing and a statue of former President Hafez al-Assad has been burned.#1429: AFP are quoting a human rights activist as saying that several people have been killed after a demonstration heading to Deraa was raked by gunfire. No independent confirmation of this report.#1507: Al-Jazeera quotes a witness in Sanamein, near the Syrian town of Deraa, as saying that more than 20 people have been killed after the security forces opened fire there. AP also has reports of police opening fire there. It says people were preparing to march to Deraa, so seems this may be the same entry as mentioned at 1429. -
YEMEN
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/03/201132513041139452.html
Yemen leader 'willing to step down'Saleh says he will hand over power only "to capable hands" ahead of "day of departure" protests planned nationwide.
Last Modified: 25 Mar 2011 05:47
Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, has offered to stand down - but only to hand over power "to capable, responsible hands," he says.
The longtime leader addressed crowds shown on state TV and said he was ready to meet with protesters, as tens of thousands gathered in a "day of departure" rally.
But he also said those demanding his resignation had been influenced by the Houthis - a powerful armed clan demanding greater autonomy in their region of the country - and drug dealers.
From what I'm hearing on Al Jazeera and seeing on Twitter it seems that discussions for him to step down between himself and the military haven fallen through for the time being.
He came out defiantly this morning and made it seem as if he has no intention of going anytime soon. There is much tension in Yemen this morning, especially in the capital of Sanaa, where many fear a serious battle could break out at any time.
#Saleh doesnt seem ready to leave and warns protesters, meeting with #Mohsen failed, army shooting into air... so then what ? #Yemen #yf 27 minutes ago via webAFP President AliSaleh & top dissident General #AliMohsen failed 2 strike a deal in talks on #Yemen's political crisis said sources today 14 minutes ago via webSYRIA
Protests being held across SyriaProtesters calling for freedom gathered in Damascus and other cities for "day of dignity".
Last Modified: 25 Mar 2011 12:14
Protesters calling for freedom gathered in Damascus and other areas around Syria as security forces ordered journalists to leave a southern city where a brutal weeklong siege on demonstrations killed dozens of people.
At least 200 people marched in the centre of Damascus after Friday prayers in support of the people of Daraa, scene of protests against Baath Party rule, a Reuters news agency witness said.
"We sacrifice our blood, our soul, for you Daraa," they chanted as they were met by President Bashar al-Assad loyalists chanting in support of the Syrian leader.
Secret police broke the Damascus protest and arrested dozens, Reuters said.
A human rights activists, quoting witnesses, said thousands of people were gathering in the town of Douma outside the capital, pledging support for the people of Daraa. The activists asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution.
In the capital itself, outside the famous Ummayad Mosque, scores of people were gathering.
Hundreds of villagers also marched to Daraa in support of the people there, chanting "Freedom is ringing", a witness said.
They set off from the village of Dael near Daraa.
After the Friday prayers in the village, men on motorcycles and cars honked their horns while a few hundred men marched, some of them carrying Syrian flags and chanting: "Dael and Daraa will not be humilitated!". Plainclothes security agents watched without interfering.
Daraa, the main city of southern Syria, has become a flashpoint for protests.
Officials have been on the defensive after protesters in the southern city were shot dead by police.
Security forces appeared to be trying to reduce tension in Daraa by dismantling checkpoints and ensuring there was no visible army presence on the streets for the first time since last Friday, when the protests began.
But journalists who tried to enter Daraa's old city -- where most of the violence took place -- were escorted out of town by two security vehicles.
"As you can see, everything is back to normal and it is over," an army major, standing in front of the ruling Baath party head office told journalists before they were escorted out of the city.
Activists had called for "Day of Dignity" rallies at mosques across Syria despite a reform pledge by the government.
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/middle-east/syria-live-blog-march-25
- At least 44 people are believed to have been shot and killed in Daraa by security forces backed by the military since last Friday, with scores more wounded, according to human rights activists and a city hospital official.1:38pm There were other, smaller-scale protests held for the first time in Homs, Banias and Deir Ezzor, but they were not dealt with so violently, with demonstrators arrested rather than shot.Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from the capital Damascus, said "it is a new Syria"
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703784004576220712562139244.html?mod=wsj_share_twitter
Yemeni President Nears Deal to ResignAgreement Being Forged With Opposing General Would Have Both Yield Power to Transition Council Within Days
Yemen's president and the country's top general are hashing out a settlement in which both men would resign within days, people familiar with the situation said, raising crucial questions of who will end up leading a key, though embattled, U.S. counterterrorism ally.
The outlines of a peaceful transition, to a civilian-led transitional government, emerged amid rising tension over the standoff between Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and pro-democracy protesters backed by Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar. The general this week broke ranks and declared his support for protesters demanding that the president resign immediately.
Opposing tanks from units loyal to Mr. Saleh and to Gen. Ahmar have faced off in the streets of San'a all week and tens of thousands of antigovernment demonstrators vowed to continue their protest Friday in the capital's Change Square.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/24/us-yemen-saleh-idUSTRE72N4RL20110324
Yemen's president says to transfer power peacefully(Reuters) - Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh promised Thursday to transfer power peacefully, but gave no indication of the timing or conditions, according to a statement by him aired on the Al Jazeera news channel.
Facing mounting protests over his three decades in power and his top general siding with protesters demanding democracy, Saleh had offered a new presidential election by January 2012 instead of September 2013, when his term ends.
"There is no way by any means or circumstance for the political system to offer itself to the gallows," Saleh said. "By all means come for political dialogue and power can be transferred peacefully through constitutional institutions."
Protesters plan a rally dubbed "Friday of Departure." Presidential guards loyal to Saleh clashed Thursday with army units backing opposition groups demanding his ouster.
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Syrian Security Forces have withdrawn from the mosque in Daraa that they had surrounded and blocked off.
The protesters are now inside again cheering and celebrating.
State TV reports that the celebrations are in response to the newly promised reforms.
All people detained during recent events in #Syria have been released on orders of President Assad, according to #Syrian state television about 2 hours ago via TweetDeck.FLASH: Thousands at Syria's main Deraa mosque chant "revolution" despite president's pledge to look at granting more freedoms about 1 hour ago via Seesmic twhirlFrom Al-Omari Mosque:State TV says we're celebrating after President's grants for freedoms. #Deraa #Syria [1/2] 10 minutes ago via TweetDeckFrom Al-Omar Mosque in #Deraa: State TV is lying, we're celebrating the liberation of the mosque. Via @ZainSyr [2/2] 6 minutes ago via TweetDeckhttp://twitter.com/SyrianWoman
#BBC Arabic confirms now that security forces withdrew completely from #Omari mosque and people are celebrating that #Daraa #Syria about 1 hour ago via web -
BAHRAIN
Crowds gathering in Manama now.. #bahrain 17 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Friends taking part in rally in Manama say the rally was attacked by riot police.. Can't get more details.. #bahrain 10 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Large presence of riot police in Manama now, rumors spreading of a possible siege ahead of protest tomorrow.. #bahrain #lulu 8 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®SYRIA
Spokesperson of #Syria President is pathetic. Can't u come up with unique BS? We've heard same msg > 5 times already from other dictators. 21 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Syria official: gov will draft law to legalize political parties; explore how to end emergency rule; reduce corruption; raise salaries. AP 25 minutes ago via TweetDeckhttp://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011324164740741279.html
Syria pledges reforms after protestsGovernment to consider ending emergency rule and licensing political parties in wake of deadly protests.
Last Modified: 24 Mar 2011 17:10
Syria will "study" ending an emergency rule in place since 1963 and look into licensing political parties, a presidential adviser has said, after a week of deadly protests in the country's south.
"I am happy to announce to you the decisions made today by the Arab Baath party under the auspices of President Bashar al-Assad ... which include ... studying the possibility of lifting the emergency law and licensing political parties," the president's media adviser Buthaina Shaaban said at a news conference on Thursday.
Syrian opposition leaders reject govt's offer for reforms and committee as not meeting the aspirations of the Syrian people. -Reuters 2 minutes ago via TweetDeckWas wondering the same. Flash mob? Hashtag? FB admins? RT @blakehounshell: What Syrian opposition leaders, I wonder? There are none. less than a minute ago via TweetDeck -
Saleh is done, has been for a while. Should be an interesting transition with all the secession rumblings and the north/south history.
Are you saying his presidency is in a vegetative state?
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http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/23/yemen.protests/index.html?hpt=T2
(CNN) -- Yemen's embattled president has accepted opposition demands for constitutional reforms and holding parliamentary elections by the end of the year, according to a statement issued by his office.The statement said President Ali Abdullah Saleh was "committed to undertaking all possible initiatives to reach a settlement" with the opposition JMP bloc and "prevent any future bloodshed of the Yemeni people."
According to the statement, Saleh "has accepted the five points submitted by the JMP, including formation of a government of national unity and a national committee to draft a new constitution, drafting a new electoral law, and holding a constitutional referendum, parliamentary elections and a presidential vote by the end of the year.
"These accepted proposals have been submitted to the mediating party on the basis that this would end the current state of political turmoil facing the nation and paving the way for a smooth, peaceful and democratic transition," the statement from Saleh's office said.
There was no immediate reaction from the opposition, which previously has demanded Saleh's immediate resignation.
On Tuesday, a JMP spokesman rejected a report that Saleh was offering to step down by early 2012.
"Any offer that does not include the president's immediate resignation is rejected," JMP spokesman Mohammed Qahtan said.
Saleh's statement came on the same day that Yemen's parliament approved a 30-day extension of emergency powers he declared last week in response to the protests. The emergency law expands the government's powers of arrest, detention, and censorship.
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Lots of people dead in Daraa Syria after protests yesterday
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011323153056287399.html
'Many dead' in Syrian crackdownAt least 15 dead, human rights activists say, after security forces open fire on protesters in southern town of Daraa.
Last Modified: 23 Mar 2011 23:39
Human rights activists say at least 15 people have been killed in the Syrian town of Daraa, the focal
point of almost a week of anti-government protests.
Activists and residents said security forces opened fire on protesters outside the Omari mosque early on Wednesday, after hundreds of people had gathered overnight to prevent police from storming it, and that shooting had continued sporadically over the course of the day.
A rights activist also told AFP news agency that security forces had opened fire on mourners attending the funeral of those killed in Daraa.
Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Damascus, said that fighting broke out when residents from other towns clashed with security forces as they tried to enter Daraa to help residents there.
A youth activist in the Syrian capital, who remains anonymous, told Al Jazeera that his contacts in Daraa said that "dozens of people" had died in clashes.
"Many there want to take down the government, and want more freedoms." he said.
Our correspondent said there was a heavy security presence in Daraa, with the army, anti-terror police and riot police all deployed in the city. Journalists are not being allowed to visit the city, and several of those who attempted to do so last night had their equipment confiscated by authorities.
Checkpoints have been set up by security forces at all entries to the city.
Syria's state-run television station reported that an "armed gang" attacked an ambulance at the Omari mosque, killing four people.
The victims were a doctor, a paramedic, a policeman and the ambulance driver, according to SANA
Some of these are gruesome videos, folks.
So watch at your own risk.
Graphic video, reportedly from #daraa, of the largest hole I've ever seen in an arm. Amazing he's not screaming.32 minutes ago via TweetDeckChaotic video reportedly of Syran protesters confronted by police with a hail of bullets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJp7lKt1I3I 29 minutes ago via TweetDeckVery graphic video of at least half a dozen protesters, dead or dying, mostly shot in the head. http://youtu.be/MXRBxtZHBtk #syria 26 minutes ago via TweetDeckIs this protest at a mosque in Deraa, Damascus or elsewhere? What are they chanting?26 minutes ago via TweetDeckSame protest, probably a few mins before:#syria 26 minutes ago via TweetDeckHuge protest march in #daraa, appears to be a funeral for those killed earlier.#syria 19 minutes ago via TweetDeckApparently the earlier mosque protest in a couple of those videos seems to have been from Damascus Syria, but a few days back on the 18th. Still...a sight to see.
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http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011323125747532175.html#
Yemen protests planned for FridayOpposition groups to march to president's palace in a bid to force him out.Last Modified: 23 Mar 2011 15:18
Opposition groups in Yemen have called on protesters to march on president Ali Abdullah Saleh's palace in the capital Sanaa on Friday as th country's parliament approved emergency powers which have been used by security forces to crack down on dissent.
"Friday will be the 'Friday of the March Forward', with hundreds of thousands of people... We will arrive where you are and we will remove you," opposition spokesman Mohamed Qahtan told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
The announcement also comes after thousands of protesters gathered in front of Sanaa University, as parliament approved a request by Saleh to impose emergency law for 30 days.
Nearly 3,000 demonstrators chanted outside the university, and some painted their body in the red, white and black colours of the national flag, as they voiced their opposition to the law.
The adoption of the emergency request was a virtual certainty because Saleh's ruling party dominates the 301-seat legislature. It also follows a violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrators, with security forces killing more than 40 protesters on Friday in Sanaa.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011323101416723875.html#
Saudi Arabia to hold municipal pollsLocal bodies elections could be concession extended to protesters seeking political change in kingdom.
Saudi Arabia will hold municipal elections this month in a move seen to be a political concession to protesters who have called for major political changes in the kingdom.
"The first phase of the elections will start on Saturday, 19/5/1432 [a date in the Islamic calendar that is likely to fall on April 23]," the ministry of municipal and rural affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.
It did not, however, provide any more details on the elections, including if women would be able to take part.
Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, held elections to half of the seats on municipal councils in 2005, the first such polls in 40 years.
Those elections were held in several stages, and excluded women from both voting or running as candidates.
A second round of polls was due in 2009, but the government announced a delay of two years at the time.
The ministry's statement said that it had begun preparations for the polls several months ago, in order to hold them before a final deadline in October.
Tunisian Revolution and the Middle East--And Now, The Withdrawal From Afghanistan (M.E.T.)
in The Tailgate
Posted · Edited by visionary
SYRIA
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BAHRAIN
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201132711146179309.html