Japan Video: Today's Earthquake

Neighbourhood swept away in Miyako in Iwate Prefecture, north-east Japan:

The swaying towers in Tokyo:

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The Latest from Iran (11 March): In the Balance

2118 GMT: Rafsanjani Watch. Hashemi Rafsanjani may have lost the contest to retain his leadership of the Assembly of Experts, but he has triumphed elsewhere: in a poll of Khabar Online readers on the political figure of the last year, Rafsanjani gets 59% of the vote vs. 17% for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Conservative MP and Government critic Ali Motahari is third with 9.2%.

2115 GMT: The New Leader. Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani has issued his first statement after the Assembly of Experts election, declaring, "We must preserve unity."

2100 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Political activists Mohammad Reza Malekian and Iman Sedighi have been freed on bail.

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Iran Analysis: Why This is the Political Demise of Hashemi Rafsanjani (Tehrani)

Rafsanjani and Mahdavi-KaniAfter 30 years of patient mediation as the Islamic Republic’s quintessential “crisis man”, Rafsanjani has been shunted aside because, in the words of his brother, “no one listens to him anymore”. Despite paying lip service to the Leader, maintaining control over the largely spent Expediency Council and calling for internal unity, Rafsanjani is moving closer and closer to becoming a ceremonial figure, one whose capacity for scheming and plotting is diminishing by the day.

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Regime Advances

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2050 GMT: Video of security forces firing tear gas at Bahrain pro-democracy protesters:

1920 GMT: A BBC reporter describes the heavy security presence in Saudi Arabia today, deterring protesters:

I took a taxi from our hotel at midnight on Thursday to find police cars with their lights flashing parked at five-metre intervals along all the main streets in Riyadh.

I was pulled over by the police for merely filming on my mobile phone.

On Friday, the city woke up to the sight of more police on the streets than people, and the atmosphere was tense.

The only notable demonstrations today were in Eastern Province, where the Shi'a minority have been protesting discrimination and detentions.

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Libya (and Beyond) Feature: Should the US Intervene? (Gary Sick)

Libyan forces have said they want to do it themselves. They have also said they could use some targeted assistance. Clearly, in this case, most of the world wants to see the insurgents win, but if others come in and fight their battles for them, what does that do to their cause?

It seems to me that this is an instance where pragmatism and caution should prevail.

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Middle East Snapshot: Will the Gulf's Monarchs Keep Their Thrones? (Foley)

By 2011, the six monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council states, central to the international economy with massive oil and gas deposits and lucrative consumer markets, had rebounded from the global financial crisis, thanks in part to strong oil prices. The threat from extremist Islamic and terrorist organizations had largely ebbed while longstanding security ties with Washington appeared to shield the states against Iran and other external threats.  Many Gulf governments had adopted a strong presence online, and both Dubai and Qatar were global leaders in delivering e-government to their citizens. 

However, only weeks after the start of Tunisia’s revolution, monarchs from Kuwait to Oman face the most serious challenge to their authority in half a century.

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US Politics Video: Rep. Keith Ellison on "Radicalisation of American Muslims"

Today the House of Representatives' Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Peter King (R - New York), opened hearings on "radicalisation of American Muslims". 

This is the testimony of Representative Keith Ellison (D - Minn.), the first Muslim elected to the US Congress. Trying to keep his composure, he concluded: 

Let me close with a story, but remember that it's only one of many American stories that could be told. Mohammed Salman Hamdani was a 23-year-old paramedic, a New York City police cadet and a Muslim American. He was one of those brave first responders who tragically lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks almost a decade ago.... 

After the tragedy, some people tried to smear his character solely because of his Islamic faith. Some people spread false rumors and speculated that he was in league with the attackers only because he was Muslim. It was only when his remains were identified that these lies were fully exposed. Mohammed Salman Hamdani was a fellow American who gave his life for other Americans. His life should not be defined as a member of an ethnic group or a member of a religion, but as an American who gave everything for his fellow citizens.

That passage will rightly get attention, but along the way Ellison also made telling points: "Ascribing the evil acts of a few individuals to an entire community is wrong; it is ineffective; and it risks making our country less secure", and "The best defense against extremist ideologies is social inclusion and civic engagement."

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF TESTIMONY

Thank you Chairman King for allowing me to testify today. Though the Chairman and I sometimes disagree, including on the premise of this hearing, I appreciate his willingness to engage in this dialogue. I also thank Ranking Member Bennie Thompson for his commitment to homeland security and civil rights for all. It’s a challenge to protect both security and liberty, but Congressman Thompson strikes the right balance.

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Iraq Feature: The Protests in Kurdistan (Salih)

The winds of change sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa have now reached an otherwise peaceful corner of northern Iraq. Nowhere is their arrival more visible than in Bardarki Sara, the central square of Sulaimaniya, which has turned into a venue for mass protests against the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Inspired by the protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the protesters have renamed their square "Maydani Azadi", the Kurdish equivalent of Tahrir or Liberation Square.

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The Latest from Iran (10 March): President Rahim-Mashai?

1650 GMT: "Proper" Studies. Iran's Ministry of Sciences and Higher Education has banned Iranian graduate students from pursuing a dissertation on any subject related to Iran while studying abroad.

The ban covers all Iranian students, whether they are financially supported by the Government or paying for their education. Students who violate the directive will face problems with confirmation of their degrees by the Iranian authorities and with applications for jobs.

1615 GMT: Labour Front. Workers at Tabriz Petrochemical Plant have ended an 11-day strike after their demands were met.

1610 GMT: Smoothing the Waters. More on the Supreme Leader's appearance at the Assembly of Experts....

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Covering Uncertainty

2155 GMT: Claimed footage of a demonstration today in opposition-held Misurata, 210 km (130 miles) east of Tripoli. The second clip is of a sit-in in the city's Tahrir Square in support of the citizens of Zawiyah, who had been holding out (ultimately unsuccessfully) against regime attacks:

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