Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: In Control?

2105 GMT: In Egypt, Al Masry Al Youm grasps the nettle on the recent wave of self-immolations: "Desperate Egyptians setting themselves on fire like their Tunisian counterparts are unlikely to spur wide-ranging protests, but they might serve to pressure the government into providing economic concessions ahead of a pivotal presidential election in September."

And there are two more cases to consider: a pair of workers at a textile factory in Menufia set themselves on fire to protest transfers to other sections.

2045 GMT: Back from a break to find that the Tunisian Cabinet has agreed to lift the ban on all political groups as well as granting an amnesty to all political prisoners.

The parties who can now freely operate include the al-Nadha movement, usually identified as "Islamist".

In other decisions, the Cabinet withdrew university police from campuses, stripped the former ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally of all public assets, and separated senior government employees from the RCD.

1625 GMT: A second attempt at self-immolation in front of the Parliament Building in Cairo today, as a 60 year-old taxi driver tried to set fire to his clothes.

Security services halted the attempt of Ahmed Reda Abdel-Fattah, who had been unable to cover the insurance and payments on his taxi and thus support his family.

Earlier today (see 1325 GMT) a man named Saeed Abu Amany was prevented from lighting himself on fire.

1520 GMT: CNN's Ben Wedeman reports, "As if by clockwork at 4 p.m. (1500 GMT), crowd leaves street in front of RCD headquarters. Demo over."

1515 GMT: Zouheir M'Dhaffar, a junior minister in the Prime Minister's office, has resigned: "I am stepping down for the higher interests of the country in this delicate situation to try to bring the country out of crisis and ensure a democratic transition."

1455 GMT: Meanwhile, as the crowd advance on RCD headquarters, the Cabinet is meeting. Minister of Youth and Sport Slim Amamou messages via Twitter, "Discussion between Ministers on the possibility of the return of students [to schools and universities] before the end of the State of Emergency".

1450 GMT: The crowd continues to advance in Tunis: "Soldiers have retreated inside gate of RCD [Party] headquarters. The people are at the gates. Crowd chanting, "(Prime Minister) Ghannouchi, you liar. This is the youth revolution."

1435 GMT: More from Wedeman, "Soldiers firing in air. Crowd not dispersing but singing Tunisia national anthem."

1420 GMT: CNN's Ben Wedeman from Tunis: "Man lowering wire from window above RCD headquarters sign over entrance...hoping to somehow bring it down. Crowd singing Tunisia national anthem."

Then: "Now men lowering wire to bring down 'dastouri' (constitutional) in RCD sign...crowd ecstatic."

1345 GMT: The processing of charges against regime members around former President Ben Ali --- with reports indicating that the arrest of 33 members of Ben Ali's family will be sought --- has begun.

Minister of Youth and Sport Slim Amamou reacts on Twitter, "It is joyous to listen to the Minister of Justice read the arrest warrants, starting with the name of Ben Ali."

1330 GMT: Ben Wedeman of CNN reports from Tunis, "Crowd getting very close to gate....Cheers as letters from sign on RCD [Party] headquarters thrown from roof."

And then: "Men on roof of RCD HQ removing more of party sign name...'tajama3' coming down."

1325 GMT: A man named as Saeed Abu Amany has been arrested as he tried to set himself on fire in front of the Parliament building this morning.

Nine attempts at self-immolation have been made in Egypt recently. Five of them, four in front of the Parliament, have occurred in the last four days.

1320 GMT: Associated Press follows up on this morning's demonstration in Tunis but adds little to the report of warning shots from the army as demonstrators marched toward the headquarters of the Constitutional Democratic Rally party.

Outside the gates of the party headquarters, the army fired about 10 rounds into the air, scattering some protesters. Others remained, chanting, "Down with the RCD".

1050 GMT: CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from Tunis, "Shooiting in air [by] soldiers blocking entrance to RCD [Party] headquarters."

1045 GMT: The first video game featuring former President Ben Ali as the target, "Mon Sniper", is now on the Internet.

1030 GMT: Hundreds of students from the University of Boukhalfa, near Tizi Ouzou in northern Algeria, marched on Thursday morning to police headquarters. They protested living conditions and chanted slogans against the Government.

The protesters, who came by bus, were blocked by a cordon of police. The demonstrators refused to divert the march as they chanted, "Stop Corruption" and "Terrorist Government", displaying a banner, "Only the struggle pays!"

0845 GMT: News is breaking that all members of the Tunisian Cabinet who were in the Constitutional Democratic Rally, which had held power since 1956, have left the party.

Al Arabiya reports that Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi has turned down the request of deposed President Ben Ali to return to Tunisia, saying it is "impossible".

0825 GMT: Al Jazeera clarifies that the release of all political prisoners in Tunisia is expected today.

0750 GMT: The Tunisian Central Bank has taken control of the Zaytuna Islamic Bank, which had been owned by Sakher El Materi, the son-in-law of ousted President Ben Ali.

Materi founded the bank in 2009 and it began activities last year.

0745 GMT: The social media network of the US State Department is pushing this line via Twitter: "The people of Tunisia have spoken. The interim government must create a genuine transition to democracy. The United States will help."

0735 GMT: All appears to have been quiet overnight in Tunisia. Indeed, there was a reduction in tension throughout Wednesday, with a protest in Tunis proceeding without confrontation and with the curfew eased to 8 p.m. 

It is still unclear if the Government is on a firm footing after the resignation of four Ministers over the demands for no ties to the RCD Party of former President Ben Ali. Last night, President Fuad Mbazaa gave a televised speech in which he recognised the revolution of the people and promised a "clean break" with the past, but political reactions are still awaited.

The biggest development --- and perhaps the sign of the "clean break" that Mbazaa was presenting --- was the Government's declaration that all political prisoners had been freed. Throughout the day, there was news releases such as that of journalist Fahem Boukadous, but Al Arabiya gave the grand picture with the claim that 1800 people had been let out of prisons.

For those looking for a beginners' scorecard to the network of former President Ben Ali and its firm grip on financial and business interests, Le Monde publishes a wallchart "The Ben Ali Clan: A Mafia at the Head of the State". This covers not only Ben Ali's family but that of his second wife, Leila Trabelsi.

CNN, meanwhile, is looking beyond Tunis, "Jordan Protesters Inspired by Tunisian Ripple":

Long before Tunisians took to the streets, Jordan was already mired in a deep economic downturn that prompted a series of protests.

But when several hundred demonstrators peacefully gathered outside the parliament in Amman last Sunday, they added a new slogan to their often-repeated complaints about government corruption and the soaring cost of living. "A salute," they shouted, "from Amman to proud Tunis."