Tunisian Revolution and the Middle East--And Now, The Withdrawal From Afghanistan (M.E.T.)

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201144134848651549.html

Assad appoints new governor for Daraa

In a bid to appease protesters, the Syrian president continues to make new government appointments.

Last Modified: 04 Apr 2011 16:47

Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, has appointed a new governor to the southern town of Daraa, the hub of a more than two-weeks-long protest movement.

Assad, who is facing unprecedented domestic pressure as protesters demand greater freedoms in a test to his family's four-decade grip on power, has made a string of gestures hinting at change.

On Monday, he appointed Mohammad Khaled al-Hannus governor of Daraa, an agricultural town near the border with Jordan, where dozens have been killed in protests.

Hannus replaces the much-reviled Faysal Kalthum, sacked on March 23 at the height of the demonstrations that left dozens dead and the governor's residence in flames.

The appointment, which was immediately dismissed as not enough by Syrian human rights activists, came one day after Assad asked Adel Safar, the former agriculture minister to form a new government.

The UN and France are running a wide range of military operations in the Ivory Coast.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/2011446577547697.html

Ouattara ally calls for 'rapid offensive'

UN helicopter fires on pro-Gbagbo camp in Cote d'Ivoire amid calls for fresh assault against incumbent's troops.

Last Modified: 04 Apr 2011 20:06

A leading ally of the internationally recognised president of Cote d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, has called for a "rapid offensive" in the commercial capital, Abidjan, where pro-Ouattara fighters are battling forces loyal to the country's incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo.

Guillaume Soro, Ouattara's prime minister, said that fighters sent into the centre of Abidjan had reported a "generalised panic" among Gbagbo's soldiers.

"The situation is now ripe for a rapid offensive... " he told the TCI television station. "The operation will be rapid because we have discovered the exact number of operational tanks on the ground. Ivorians must trust in the Republican Forces [Ouattara's army]."

Meanwhile on Monday, a United Nations helicopter fired four missiles at a pro-Gbagbo military camp in Abidjan, witnesses and the UN said.

The helicopter fired on Gbagbo's troops at about 5 pm local time (1700 GMT) to prevent them from using heavy weapons at the Akouedo camp in Abidjan, said Nick Birnback, the spokesman for the UN Department of

Peacekeeping Operations.

The camp is home to three battalions of the Ivorian army.

The spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping force, Hamadoun Touré, specified that the attack was not against rebels but against "weapons used by Gbagbo against civilians and against UNOCI".

Edited April 4, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12967610

Ivory Coast: Presidential residence 'taken' in Abidjan

Fighting in Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, has taken a new turn with reports that entrenched ruler Laurent Gbagbo's residence has been captured.

Patrick Achi, a spokesman for Mr Ouattara, said the recognised president's forces were in control of the residence and searching for Mr Gbagbo.

"The residence is on many levels," he told the BBC.

"People have seen that Gbagbo was in the residence but they are still looking for him."

Asked what would happen if Mr Gbagbo was captured, he said he would be arrested and "brought to justice".

There was no word from Mr Gbagbo's camp in Ivory Coast but one of his advisers in London, Abdon George Bayeto, expressed doubt about news the residence had fallen.

"This is all propaganda and it is all a war of psychology," he said.

Earlier, UN and French helicopters attacked Mr Gbagbo's arsenal, firing missiles at his heavy weapons and military camps.

[visionary]

The latest news from the Ivory Coast is that the presidential palace has been supposedly taken earlier and that Ghagbo is negotiating his surrender.

According to a Ouattarra aid speaking to French media.

A Gbagbo adviser from outside the country though has denied that the palace was taken at all.

Clearly there has been some heavy attacks on the palace by rebel forces and even some of the French and/or UN airforce.

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/20114513659812234.html

Ivorian leader in exit talks

Incumbent president Gbagbo is negotiating with the French the terms of his departure from power, says his spokesman.

Last Modified: 05 Apr 2011 14:03

Cote d'Ivoire's incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo is negotiating his departure from power after several days of heavy fighting in Abidjan between his forces and those loyal to rival Alassane Ouattara, according to his government spokesman.

"There are direct negotiations based on African Union recommendations which said Ouattara is president," Ahoua Don Mello said on Tuesday.

They are also negotiating judicial and security conditions for Gbagbo's camp and his relatives," he said, adding that they are talking to the French government which is relaying the talks to the Ouattara camp.

Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, confirmed that Gbagbo is indeed negotiating his departure.

"We are aware," Juppe said, asked if he was aware of Gbagbo being in negotiations to leave. "If there are possibilities to see him leave power then we are ready," he said.

According to Juppe, negotiators are close to convincing Gbagbo to leave.

Meanwhile, YJ Choi, the special representative of the United Nations secretary-general for Cote d'Ivoire told Al Jazeera "the war is over".

"All the generals who are fighting for Gbagbo have deserted him, it is over. There is no army, there is no flighting," he said.Soldiers loyal to Gbagbo have asked for a ceasefire, in the face of an offensive to unseat him by internationally recognised president Ouattara.

---------- Post added April-5th-2011 at 12:17 PM ----------

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114593648199344.html

Fresh clashes in restive Yemeni city

A day after at least 15 people were killed, security forces have again fired on anti-government protesters in Taiz.

Last Modified: 05 Apr 2011 11:03

Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes have opened fire during protests in the city of Taiz in southern Yemen, a day after clashes there killed 15 people, witnesses said.

Hundreds of security troops attacked tens of thousands of protesters, witnesses told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday adding, plain-clothed policemen were wielding bats and daggers.

They said several people had been hurt, but there was no word yet from medical sources on casualties.

Protesters responded to the attack by hurling rocks at the security forces.

Our special correspondent, reporting from Yemen, quoted the opposition that the ruling party called on their supporters to rally in Taiz today. The supporters marched towards 'Liberty Square'.

"They tried to enter the square but anti-government protesters stopped them after which clashes ensued. The police then opened fire and lobbed tear gas shells towards the protesters inside the square.

"As events are unfolding, it is strengthening their (the protesters) resolve."

In Sanaa, pro-regime supporters marched from the presidential area towards Change Square and the headquarters of General Ali Mohsen, a key military leader who recently threw his weight behind the tens of thousands of protesters calling for Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's president, to quit.

"They were on foot and in cars. As they approached the gate of the (Mohsen) HQ, people in one of the cars opened fire on the soldiers as well as the pro- and anti-government supporters who were gathered there," added our correspondent.

"Ali Mohsen's soldiers, loyal to the pro-democracy protesters, responded with fire. We are hearing that one person got killed, 26 others injured of which four are in a critical condition.

"It is a clear indication of escalation; the president is not backing down and the situation remains very volatile - he seems to be increasing the security presence, not decreasing it."

Edited April 5, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

Breaking News: Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo is reported to have surrendered and asked for UN protection.

From Al Jazeera English's website

http://english.aljazeera.net/

Gbagbo has been reportedly hiding in the basement of his residence with his family, according to AJE tv.

I also saw some reports on twitter earlier that there was more snipering of protesters in Yemen today AFTER the clashes that I posted an article about earlier.

http://twitter.com/acarvin

General Ali Mohsen's office says today's clashes were an attempt to assassinate him, intermediaries and some tribal sheikhs. -Reuters about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck

Reuters: eyewitnesses say that snipers have fired on protesters in Taiz, hours after a protest march was also assaulted. #yemen about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck

Edited April 5, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

Apparently Gbagbo has not surrendered yet, or at least they are still working out the terms for what happens afterward.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12932427

#1906: The situation has been moving fast during the last few hours, with reports that Laurent Gbagbo had accepted a French-mediated surrender swiftly being retracted. The BBC's John James in Abidjan says negotiations are still ongoing, amid suggestions Mr Gbagbo is trying to secure safe passage out of the country. The latest wire reports from AFP suggest he is refusing to recognise his rival Alassane Ouattara as president.

#1916: If Mr Gbagbo is seeking sanctuary in another country, the list of nations that would be willing to take him is short. Reports suggest options on the table include Angola and South Africa.

#1939: As Mr Gbagbo's options dwindle, the endgame in Ivory Coast seems in little doubt. But whatever the political outcome, the UN is warning that the humanitarian situation in Ivory Coast has already deteriorated dramatically, with hundreds of civilians killed in recent months and a million people now homeless. As the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Robbins points out, even if the violence ends and a transition of power sees Alessane Outtara assume the presidency, he will face a huge challenge supplying the necessary aid to those that need it and establishing authority over a country divided for decades.

#1943: That's a view shared by Hannah Koep, Ivory Coast analyst for consultancy Control Risks, who says that, in the short term, the situation in Ivory Coast will be "very messy". "Even if Gbagbo goes, his supporters are still very heavily armed and they will be very frustrated," she says. "The security situation in Abidjan is likely to be very unpredictable for some time to come. Beyond that, the challenges are monumental."

#2004: Worrying new, this: Although a ceasefire is largely being observed in Abidjan between pro-Gbagbo and pro-Ouattara forces, the UN reports that "sporadic fighting by groups of youths" continues in the city. A UN spokesman says there are "attacks on housing, thefts of cars or attacks on people. Very soon we shall be faced with a problem of keeping the peace".

#2022: As a humanitarian crisis mounts, the UN reports that most of the hospitals in Abidjan are not functioning and ambulances have been fired on when they tried to enter the city. Here's the latest bulletin from the UN.

Edited April 5, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/2011466238287412.html

Ouattara forces storm Gbagbo residence

Pro-Ouattara forces ordered not to kill Laurent Gbagbo, still in bunker after fierce assault on his presidential palace.

Last Modified: 06 Apr 2011 08:14

Forces loyal to Cote d'Ivoire's internationally recognised leader Alassane Ouattara have stormed the residence where his rival and incumbent president is holed up, a spokesman has said.

"Yes they [Ouattara forces] are in the process of entering the residence to seize [Laurent] Gbagbo, they have not taken him yet, but they are in the process; they are in the building," Affousy Bamba told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

Earlier, Gbagbo said it was not his "aim to die" fighting Ouattara forces and called for direct talks with his rival.

"I'm not a kamikaze. I love life. My voice is not the voice of a martyr, no, no, no, I'm not looking for death. It's not my aim to die," Gbagbo, speaking from his residence on Tuesday, told the French TV channel LCI.

"For peace to return to Ivory Coast, I and Ouattara, the two of us, have to talk," he added.

Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa, reporting from Bassam near Abidjan , said Wednesday's attack followed Gbagbo's refusal to "sign a document" in which he had to say he was ready to step down.

"Gbagbo refused. That infuriated the Ouattara camp and then, it seems, they tried to go forward and try to capture him," she said.

The UN and France, the former colonial master with more than 1,000 troops in Cote d'Ivoire, had said Gbagbo departure was being negotiated following a fierce assault by Ouattara's forces.

Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, said the "only thing left to negotiate" were the conditions of Gbagbo's departure.

"We have asked the United Nations to guarantee his physical security and that of his family ... " Alain Juppe told France Info radio on Wednesday.

"This stubbornness is absurd. Gbagbo has no other solution anymore. Everybody has dropped him."

After the evening newscast on Tuesday, Ouattara's private TV station showed the movie "Downfall", which traces the last days of Nazi Germany from inside Adolf Hitler's bunker.

"He is holed up in the bunker in his residence so we will continue with the United Nations, which is handling that, to put pressure on him so he accepts to acknowledge the reality: There is only one legal and legitimate president today, it is Alassane Ouattara and I hope that persuasion will win and that we will avoid having to resume the military operations," said Juppe.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12932427

1517: The ways in which the Libya and Ivory Coast conflicts are resolved could shape geopolitical norms for a generation or more, argues Max Fisher in The Atlantic. Regimes of brutal and autocratic leaders have been reinforced by 20 years of international norms telling them that they can get away with bloody, lifelong rule, he writes. "With swift, decisive international action in Libya and in Ivory Coast, we may be entering a new era where such leaders understand that they are not all-powerful within their own borders."

1528: As the humanitarian crisis deepens, a vital lifeline to help Abidjan residents is being provided from neighbouring Ghana using mobile phones, reports my colleague Jamillah Knowles. With many banks closed, people can't get hold of cash to buy credit for urgent calls on mobiles. A volunteer-run scheme called CivSocial allows residents to "flash" CivSocial's number in Accra by making a very brief call or text, so that volunteers can call them back and assess their needs.

1536: Channel 4 News is reporting that UN investigators have identified a third possible massacre site in the Ivory Coast. UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic, who is overseeing the UN team investigating mass killings, told the channel that in addition to two mass graves which were found in Duekoue last month, reports based on "reliable information" have led them to a third site in Bloleuquin.

1551: The International Committee of the Red Cross, meanwhile, says the humanitarian situation is worsening as fighting and looting continue. It has started delivering nearly 12 tonnes of supplies that were flown in today to meet the most urgent needs of people affected by the conflict. Also on board the ICRC aircraft were more than a tonne of pipes, pumps and other items needed to upgrade water supply systems for those suffering water shortages across the country.

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12932427

1640: The pro-Ouattara forces are treading a difficult line, analysts say. While Mr Gbagbo remains holed up in Abidjan, it would be very difficult for Mr Ouattara to take control of the country, not least because he would be seen in some parts of Ivory Coast as a puppet of the French government. If Mr Gbagbo dies, however, it would be a set-back for the pro-Ouattara forces as the incumbent would be seen as a martyr.

1651: A resident in the central Deux Plateau district of Abidjan said pro-Ouattara forces were patrolling today when he went outside looking for food. "There were 25 four-by-fours with about seven men per car," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "Some of us tried to run away and they said: 'No, no, no, listen don't run, we're your friends, there's no problem. Buy what you want to buy because it's curfew soon… Do everything you have to do and go home.' And they drove off."

1658: The latest reports suggest today's assault by pro-Ouattara forces on the Gbagbo residence was repelled, citing Western military sources. "They could not break through the resistance from all the heavy weapons still hidden around Gbagbo's residence," a source told Reuters. "They pulled back to rethink and replan." A spokeswoman for Mr Ouattara denied his forces had retreated but would not provide any details on the fighting.

Edited April 6, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12997461

Besieged Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo has fewer than 1,000 troops left in the main city of Abidjan, French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet says.

He estimates 200 of these fighters are at the presidential residence, where the strongman refuses to stand down.

Mr Gbagbo is encircled by forces loyal to rival Alassane Ouattara, who is thought to have several thousand men.

A BBC correspondent in Abidjan says a fresh attack is expected at any moment on the presidential compound.

Reuters news agency reports that Mr Longuet also told the Senate in Paris on Thursday that French helicopters had destroyed two pick-up trucks of gunmen trying to break into the French ambassador's residence.

Meanwhile, Israel has now asked Paris to extract Israeli diplomats from Abidjan, according to French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.

On Wednesday evening, French helicopters rescued the Japanese ambassador from the city's diplomatic quarter.

Soldiers exchanged fire with Gbagbo fighters as they whisked Okamura Yoshifumi and his aides to a French military camp south of Abidjan.

Mr Okamura said unidentified gunmen had occupied his home near the presidential residence, firing heavy weapons from the building.

http://twitter.com/acarvin

French defense min: UN troops have surrounded in a limited area the last defenders of the previous president Gbagbo. -Reuters #cotedivoire 10 minutes ago via TweetDeck

[NavyDave]

I'm more concerned with the photos of the now not so secret Nuclear Site 6 miles outside of Tehran. :doh:

Iran more than likely is looking at how Gaddafi was attacked after giving up his nukes and most of his WMDs and are going to go at break neck pace to have multiple weapons to make the West think twice of going in for "humanitarian purposes."

---------- Post added April-7th-2011 at 10:56 AM ----------

Israel just had the chance to use their version of our Patriot Missile system on a rocket fired from Gaza and successfully sot it down. Iron Dome missile shield may become a catchy and frequently used phrase with all of the democracy launching all around them.

---------- Post added April-7th-2011 at 11:02 AM ----------

I think Soccer sucks too but this is going overboard in expressing how much you don't like it. Besides you are increasing the Carbon Footprint when using fossil fuels that way

Edited April 7, 2011 by NavyDave

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YEMEN

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/07/us-yemen-idUSTRE7310ON20110407

(Reuters) - A Gulf Arab plan for Yemen's president to step down would guarantee the veteran leader and his family immunity from prosecution, an opposition source said on Thursday, but youth activists said that should be rejected.

The United States and Gulf Arab countries including Yemen's key financial backer, Saudi Arabia, appear ready to push aside a long-time ally against al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing to avoid a chaotic collapse of the poorest Arab state.

Saleh's sometimes violent response to two months of protests against his 32-year rule has tried the patience of Washington and Riyadh, both of which have been the target of attempted attacks by al Qaeda's Yemen-based branch.

The Gulf proposal for talks in Riyadh was presented to Saleh and a coalition of opposition parties this week. Saleh welcomed it, while the opposition has withheld its response, but set conditions that may derail any talks, according to a source.

Gulf sources said the plan envisaged handing power to an interim council of tribal and political leaders who would help appoint a national unity government ahead of elections.

An opposition source said the proposal would give Saleh and his family, whose control over key posts has long angered many Yemenis, immunity from prosecution. Youth activists said in a statement that was unacceptable.

"We affirm that this is a people's revolution demanding the fall and the trial of a regime ... to build a new civilian state according to the will of the people, not international parties or political parties that do not represent us," said a statement in the name of protest groups in Sanaa.

[visionary]

Nothing too new in Ivory Coast, check the Syrian news though.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/2011471422594168.html

UN forces 'corral Ivorian leader's defenders'

Peacekeepers have surrounded Laurent Gbagbo forces in a "limited area", says French defence minister.

Last Modified: 07 Apr 2011 15:16

UN peacekeepers have surrounded the last defenders of Laurent Gbagbo, Cote d'Ivoire's incumbent president, in a "limited area", the French defence minister has said.

At this moment the military situation is as follows; the UNOCI (United Nations mission in Ivory Coast) troops have surrounded in a limited area the last defenders of the previous president Gbagbo," Gerard Longuet told the French senate on Thursday

The French went in after Gbagbo soldiers broke into the residence, where ambassador Yoshifumi Okamura and seven of his staff had taken shelter inside a safe room, Thierry Burkhard, a French armed forces spokesman said.

The French action came as forces loyal to president-elect Alassane Ouattara laid siege to Gbagbo's own residence after an attempt to extract him from his bunker on Wednesday met with fierce resistance.

The resistance raised doubts on whether Gbagbo, who lost the presidential election and has scoffed at calls to quit, will leave power soon after France said on Wednesday that he had only hours to go.

A spokesman for Ouattara's forces, Yves Doumbia, said they had breached the gates of the president's compound when they were repelled by heavy arms fire.

"We retreated but we are preparing for a second assault," Doumbia said.

Issiaka Konate, Ouattara's spokesman in London, told Al Jazeera that the troops had been called back and were being reorganised.

"There were a lot of fighters within the compound [of Gbagbo] ... and a lot of heavy weapons ... This is not going to be an easy job," he said.

SYRIA

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114711251531744.html

Assad attempts to appease minority Kurds

Syrian president issues decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds in eastern al-Hasaka.

Last Modified: 07 Apr 2011 13:01

Bashar al Assad, the Syrian president, has issued a decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds living in the eastern al-Hasaka region as part of efforts to ease resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule.

It was not immediately clear how many would get nationality, but the announcment on Thursday is due to affect around 150,000 Kurds currently registered as foreigners as a result of a 1962 census in the region.

But Kurdish leader Habib Ibrahim said that Kurds would press their non-violent struggle for civil rights and democracy to replace autocratic rule despite Assad's decision.

"Our cause is democracy for the whole of Syria. Citizenship is the right of every Syrian. It is not a favour. It is not the right of anyone to grant," Ibrahim, who heads the Democratic Unity Kurdish Party, told the Reuters news agency.

State television also said that Assad had fired the governor of Homs province, one of the areas affected by recent protests calling for greater freedoms. Replacing the governor was one of the main demands of protesters last week.

In another move to appease the ethnic Kurds, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 48 Kurds were released on Tuesday, more than a year after they were arrested in the eastern city of Raqqa.

The Syrian leader also met provincial leaders from the Kurdish east of the country earlier in the week to listen to their demands, the official news agency reported.

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/201147203148789269.html

Cote d’Ivoire’s internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara has ordered a blockade around his rival Laurent Gbagbo's residence where he remains holed up.

Ouattara went on television on Thursday night announcing the blockade and calling on his troops to restore order in Abidjan, where roaming militia have been engaged in looting and random attacks in recent days.

"A blockade has been set up around (the) perimeter" of Gbagbo's residence to make the district safe for local residents, said Ouattara, claiming Gbagbo had "heavy weapons and mercenaries" at hand.

Ouattara also promised that "light will be shed on all the massacres and the crimes," which might have been committed.

"The authors of the crimes will be punished," he said, calling on his troops "to be exemplary in their behaviour and to abstain from any crime, any violence against the population or any act of pillage."

Ouattara also said he had asked for EU sanctions on the main ports and other businesses to be lifted as a first step to bring the country back to normal.

"I have asked that European Union sanctions on the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro and certain public entities, be lifted," Ouattara said.

"I have also asked the central bank BCEAO to reopen its branches in Ivory Coast, to ensure a resumption of operations in all banks so as to enable the payment of salaries and arrears in the shortest possible time," Ouattara said.

Ouattara said these immediate priority decisions were taken to provide security to the population and ensure the gradual recovery of economic activities and a return to normal.

"I have instructed the minister of mines and energy to make arrangements to restart the refinery, and in the meantime to ensure a steady supply of butane gas and fuel," Ouattara said.

Ouattara said he had asked generals responsible for security, to take all necessary steps to maintain order and security of goods, people and their movements and also secure the delivery of food to markets and medicines in hospitals and health centres.

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/08/egypt.protests/index.html?hpt=T2

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt's ruling military council is threatening immediate prosecution before a military tribunal for any troops seen participating in a planned protest in Cairo on Friday.

The stern warning, which came Thursday, appeared to be a response to a campaign of public challenges to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, issued by several men who describe themselves as former military officers.

In an 11-minute long video posted on YouTube, a man who introduces himself as former air force Maj. Hatem Abadi called on fellow soldiers and officers to join a demonstration expected to be held in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.

"The Supreme Council is leading a counter-revolution," Abadi said. "We demand to be there, protesting peacefully in Tahrir wearing the military uniform."

In a separate video on YouTube, another plain-clothed man introducing himself as former army Capt. Sharif Osman rails against the military council, accusing it of "protecting a dictator."

On Thursday, military spokesman Maj. Mohamed Askar told CNN "any civilian or military personnel seen wearing army or military uniforms [at protests] will face immediate military tribunal."

In his defiant 10-minute tirade, former captain Osman mocks Tantawi, calling him "grandpa." Meanwhile, the former air force officer Abadi accuses Tantawi of "destroying the armed forces."

Last week, more than 10,000 demonstrators peacefully protested in Tahrir Square, many of them heaping criticism on the ruling military council. But this week the numbers may swell considerably, since Egypt's long-banned Muslim Brotherhood movement has announced it intends to join the demonstration.

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

YEMEN

I thought he asked for it in the first place.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114811731250712.html

Defiant Saleh rejects Gulf mediation offer

Embattled president denounces "blatant interference" in Yemeni affairs in speech to supporters amid protests in Sanaa.

Last Modified: 08 Apr 2011 11:47

Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's embattled president, has rejected a plan for his exit offered by Gulf states trying to broker an end to bloody protests, in a speech broadcast on state television.

"We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom," he told supporters on Friday.

Saleh said: "Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs."

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, Qatar's prime minister, said on Thursday that members of the Gulf Cooperation Council "hope to reach a deal with the Yemeni president to step down."

However, Abu Bakr al-Kurbi, Yemen's foreign minister, said Yemen's government is studying an initiative by Gulf Arab states to end a months-long confrontation with anti-regime protesters, in a statement published on Friday.

Opposition groups had welcomed the Gulf countries' mediation offer.

SYRIA

I'm seeing reports of protests all over Syria and calls for anti-government unity from Allawites and Sunnis rallying together.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201148104927711611.html

Protests have erupted in cities across Syria, despite a series of concessions by President Bashar al-Assad, including sacking his Cabinet and firing two governors.

Witnesses said security forces were using live ammunition against protesters in this southern city of Daraa but this report could not be immediately verified. However, an activist told Al Jazeera that tear gas had been used to disperse demonstrators.

Demonstrations were reported in cities including Qamishli, Deir e-Zor in the east, the coastal city of Banias, and in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Douma, said there were no security forces visible in the area where eight people were killed in protests one week ago.

"It's a new situation in Syria," she said. "We saw thousands of people taking to the streets after Friday prayers, from all walks of life. Young and old, professionals and not professionals, educated, not educated, there were some Islamists, some nationalists.

"The chanting that was unifying them was a chant for freedom and dignity."

Eyewitnesses says that at least 7 are dead in Daraa today.

EGYPT

Massive crowd in Tahrir Square. Many are saying that even those who never protested before are out to support the protesters today. Just saw a picture on CNN TV.

Some info from earlier when the crowd was still small:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114875513229751.html

About 3,000 Egyptians have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, demanding prosecution of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and his regime.

The crowd chanted "The people want to try the deposed president" and more protesters were expected to arrive in the square after Friday prayers.

Activists have dubbed the rally "Day of Trial and Cleansing" to pressure the ruling military council to deliver on promised reforms and bring to justice former regime members.

Protests have been held regularly since Mubarak was toppled on February 11 but the numbers are expected to swell this week after the Muslim Brotherhood - the largest and most organised opposition movement - said it would join Friday's rally.

"Unlike on previous occasions recently, this is a fully representative gathering of Egypt's political movements, including the very powerful Muslim Brotherhood which had stayed away from recent gathering saying they would give the military council more time to meet the people's demands," Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the square, said.

"The demands are being made here very clearly, that action needs to be taken against Mubarak and those close to him, that there must be a presidential council established so that the people can express what they want to see as Egypt's future."

Some military officers and other soldiers have joined the crowd to cheers.

They may pay for it later from the leadership though.

There were also protests in Iraq today against occupying forces, meaning the US.

And yep, they were burning our flags.

(I'm not really sure why we're still there though actually.)

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[Redskins28339]

Are American forces still in Iraq because our military can act as a strong buffer against Iran should they wish to invade Saudi Arabia?

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Are American forces still in Iraq because our military can act as a strong buffer against Iran should they wish to invade Saudi Arabia?

That would be nice...a battle between the Saudis and Iran without US interference.

Edited April 8, 2011 by The Brave Little Toaster Oven

[visionary]

More killing by security forces in Yemen and Syria.

YEMEN

Security forces fire on Yemen protesters

One killed and many injured in shooting during protests against Saleh's rule in southern city of Taiz.

Last Modified: 08 Apr 2011 15:18

One person has been confirmed dead and hundreds more injured after Yemeni security forces fired at protesters in the southern flash-point city of Taiz.

Hospital sources said about 200 people were hurt after inhaling tear gas during Friday's protests.

Witnesses reported gunshots near the site of an anti-government sit-in in Taiz, while dozens of others suffered from bullet wounds or tear gas inhalation.

The protesters had been carrying the bodies of five people killed earlier in the week to their gravesites when they ran into security forces.

In the port city of Aden, once the capital of an independent south, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered peacefully and in Hudaida, some 15,000 gathered to mourn protester deaths and demand Saleh step down.

And in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, tens of thousands of people assembled for rival demonstrations - with some demanding Saleh's dismissal and others showing their support.

Police and army units were deployed to prevent any friction between the two sides.

Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Sanaa, who is not being named for security reasons, said the pro-Saleh demonstrations in front of the presidential palace on Friday were very similar to those seen in recent weeks.

"It is very difficult for Al Jazeera to go anywhere near those protests. We have to rely on what we are seeing on Yemen state television ... we can see the mass crowds turning out week after week," the correspondent said.

"But according to some people in Change Square, where the rival protests are, those people are not there because they genuinely support Saleh but because they are either government forces dressed in civilian clothes or are being paid by the ruling party."

I heard reports on Al Jazeera earlier of people saying they and their families had been paid protest for the president. Remember by the way that Yemen is an extremely poor country. Saleh however has much personal power and wealth and his relatives are all in key political and security positions

SYRIA

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201148131548860250.html

Protesters killed in Syrian town

At least 17 deaths reported in Daraa as fresh demonstrations against Bashar al-Assad's rule rocks the country.

Syrian security forces have killed at least 17 demonstrators in the southern city of Daraa, amid fresh protests against the rule of Bashar al-Assad, hospital sources and witnesses told the Reuters news agency.

The deaths occurred after Friday prayers when security forces opened fire with rubber-coated bullets and live rounds to disperse stone-throwing protesters, a witness told Al Jazeera.

In the east, thousands of ethnic Kurds also demonstrated for reform despite the Syrian president's offer this week to ease rules which bar many Kurds from citizenship.

Separate protests erupted in the western port city of Latakia, Tartus, Baniyas, Homs - near the Lebanese border - and in Edlib, in the northwest of the country. Gunfire was also heard in Harasta, a suburb of the capital, Damascus.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting on Friday from Douma, another Damascus suburb, said there were no security forces visible in the area.

But "it's a new situation in Syria", she said. "We saw thousands of people taking to the streets after Friday prayers, from all walks of life: young and old, professionals and not professionals, educated, not educated, there were some Islamists, some nationalists.

At least 10 people were killed last Friday in Douma, seen as another focal point of protests where demonstrators have set up a vigil outside the mosque.

http://twitter.com/#!/calperryAJ

@LilyMazahery 27 are dead in #Deraa, at least 4 are still unaccounted for with many others afraid to go to hospital. #Syria

7 minutes ago

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[jpyaks3]

Protests in Tahrir moved to the Israeli embassy, apparently the scene is pretty tense with the Army barricading the embassy and talking to the people. A ton of people still there, could be an interesting night. Still a lot of people in Tahrir too.

Edited April 8, 2011 by jpyaks3

[visionary]

Protests in Tahrir moved to the Israeli embassy, apparently the scene is pretty tense with the Army barricading the embassy and talking to the people. A ton of people still there, could be an interesting night. Still a lot of people in Tahrir too.

http://twitter.com/#!/lilianwagdy

@ the israeli embassy arrived to find youth burning an israeli flag but protest is peacful 9 minutes ago

it's funny how i don't see any security @ the israeli embassy

40 seconds ago

http://twitter.com/#!/sarrahsworld

Women living in the israeli embassy building are coming out of their balconies with palestinian flags waving it! #gaza #egypt 46 minutes ago

Army official came out talking to protesters- ppl responding very honestly to each statement 31 minutes ago

Office opposite to embassy. Looks like meetings happening- army officials, police. Suspense! http://yfrog.com/h2f0xdvj 17 minutes ago

More people joining! Seems whoever is hearing about this is joining! 14 minutes ago

It would be nice if some of the protesters would lend vocal support to helping people in Libya too...lol

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[jpyaks3]

http://twitter.com/#!/lilianwagdy

http://twitter.com/#!/sarrahsworld

It would be nice if some of the protesters would lend vocal support to helping people in Libya too...lol

There was a lot of pro Syria sentiment in the crowd today, definitely some support for the other revolutions. Libya is kind of a unique situation though,

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/asia/2011/04/08/will-indian-protests-end-corruption

Will Indian protests end corruption?

By Prerna Suri in Asia on April 8th, 2011

It is being called India's version of Tahrir Square after Egypt's protests that toppled the president. Jantar mantar, the country's historic stretch, is flooded with thousands of Indians. They're singing, chanting, dancing, painting, holding up placards in 45 degrees heat - all for one cause: corruption.

"Politicians are getting richer and we're paying the price for it. We don't have jobs and while we're suffering they're living it up," says 22-year-old Swati, a university graduate. She's supposed to be the face of 'shining India', where opportunities are available in plenty, but her presence in these protests is defying that image.

In the last few months, ordinary Indians have had enough. A barrage of corruption scandals revealed how billions, not millions, of dollars were pocketed by politicians in collusion with businessmen and beauracrats. From favouring contractors in the Commonwealth games to selling under-priced telecommunication licences to favoured companies - Indians have seen it all. Until now, people had no outlet to vent their anger or frustration.

Then came Anna Hazare, a 72-year-old former army soldier. He turned to social activism after seeing firsthand how corrupt officials exploited people in his village in the 1960s. Since then he's been seen as one of those activists who actually walk the talk. Now he's become the face of this rising anger.

He's pledged to 'fast until death' (this is the land of Gandhi, after all) until the government accepts a new anti-graft piece of legislation. And his resolve seems to be working. An entire nation's collective conscience seems to have been pricked with this man's actions.

"Anna is an inspiration for all of us. We need less talk and more action before our country is completely ruined. This is not the freedom we fought for," 52-year-old Raj Shekhar tells me.

[visionary]

Some more news from Egypt. From watching CNN a little while ago.

The crowd in Tahrir Square is still very large and they seem to have blocked off some streets leading to it and plan to sit-in overnight at least. Part of this may be to protect the soldiers who have supported them from being arrested.

Earlier today 15 uniformed soldiers/officers were in the crowd rallying people against the military leadership and calling for it to give way to civilians and stop harassment tactics on the people and protecting Mubarak and his close allies. They asked those in the crowd from the military to raise there hands and dozens did so. They then said that if the military council wants to court-martial them and execute them they can do so in the square in front of the people and the world.

Some pictures from Tahrir Sqaure:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosaaberising/sets/72157626331427249/

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 06:30 PM ----------

This is getting beyond ridiculous.

Someone just needs to arrest him or take him out.

I thought the UN said he had almost no forces left?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/08/us-ivorycoast-idUSTRE73014Z20110408

U.N. says Gbagbo striking back in Abidjan

(Reuters) - Forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, besieged in his Abidjan residence, have retaken ground from rival presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara, the United Nations said on Friday.

France said Gbagbo's forces had fired at the residence of the French ambassador in Abidjan, prompting counter-strikes by French helicopters.

In another sign Gbagbo has not yet been defeated, his RTI television, silent since fierce fighting broke out in Abidjan this week, came back on air broadcasting an appeal for support.

"The regime of Gbagbo is still in place, a strong mobilization is required by the population," it said.

Gbagbo, who has refused to cede power to Ouattara despite U.N. certified results showing he lost a November election, remains isolated in the bunker where he has sought refuge from a concerted assault by Ouattara's troops.

Only three days ago, his defeat had appeared imminent and talks took place between the two sides.

"They clearly used the lull of Tuesday as a trick to reinforce their position," U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council. "There is still fighting going on but there is a stalemate."

He said they now fully controlled the upscale Plateau and Cocody districts and were edging closer to the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara has been holed up since the November 28, 2010 election.

"While we speak they may be very close to the Golf Hotel."

French helicopters struck Gbagbo's compound in the early evening, hours after an attack by Gbagbo's forces on the nearby residence of the French envoy, witnesses said.

Edited April 8, 2011 by visionary

[visionary]

BREAKING NEWS!

I am seeing all kinds of reports right now on twitter of soldiers and riot police breaking into Tahrir Square, arresting protesting soldiers, and possibly firing on the crowd. People in nearby hotels are cowering in fear and talking about massive amounts of gunfire going on outside. From all reports it sounds as if some sort of massacre is going on in Tahrir Square right now. It seems that the Egyptian army has declared war on the people of Egypt.

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 10:12 PM ----------

Too many rumors and hearsay going on right now.

I'll leave most of it until more concrete reports come out.

Here's some apparent videos from the scene though.

http://twitter.com/#!/acarvin

One of the first videos to come out of #Tahrir tonight. Very tense, lots of chanting. Don't hear shooting tho.

16 minutes ago

E5pVU2HvgVs

Sounds of gunfire in #Tahrir captured in the latest video to be posted.

#egypt 17 minutes ago

G793yhiMA5k

#Tahrir video # 3: Crowd yelling, making lots of noise. Riot police approach. Hell starts to break loose. http://bit.ly/fvYjqh 13 minutes ago

1b7JfE7ia9o

Disturbing as hell.

http://twitter.com/#!/TeaEveryPlaceIB

People are pushing back towards #tahrir, army/police opening gun fire again. Protesters are organizing. #jan25 45 seconds ago

http://twitpic.com/4iiv5k

Army ****ers who attacked #Tahrir

http://twitpic.com/4iitzo

Pic of #Tahrir now. Almost empty

http://twitter.com/#!/degner

New photos from the last stand of protesters on Talat Harb Street. #Egypt #Tahrir http://bit.ly/hwjWYe

http://www.incendiaryimage.com/sketchbook/tahrir-cleared-by-army-police-with-violence

Edited April 9, 2011 by visionary