Aftermath of today's suicide bombing outside the US Embassy in Ankara in Turkey
See also Syria Live Coverage: Fighting in and Near Damascus
Thursday's Egypt (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Will There Be a "National Dialogue"?
2220 GMT: Egypt. The protesters in front of the Presidential Palace appear to be settling in for a long and drawn out battle:
Protesters moving back towards prez palace,dragging sheets of metal,cylindrical police pods anything they can get their hands on #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
#csf appeared to have withdrawn back towards gates of prez palace. Protesters building barricade. Extraordinary #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
2150 GMT: Egypt. According to Bel Trew, the army is finally stepping in, at least to bring order to Port Said. Still, it's remarkable that there is no sign of the Republican Guard or any military presence of significance in Cairo, especially as these clashes are occuring right outside the palace.
Clashes in #PortSaid &Kafr ElSheikh too.2nd army stepping in at Port Said.Bloody street battles continue here near prez palace #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
2138 GMT: Egypt. A video of the chaos in Cairo - complete with sirens, teargas, gunfire, flash grenades, and fireworks:
VIDEO CS arriving while throwing tear gas and shooting rubber bullets & drum of war heard in the background #Egypt youtube.com/watch?v=PKYwJH…
— WustelBalad (@Egypture_) February 1, 2013
2124 GMT: Egypt. The video of the man being stripped naked and beaten, posted in a Youtube video and witnessed by many in Cairo, has already gotten an official reaction from the government:
Int min orders investigation into dragging and beating naked man
— Samer Al-Atrush(@SameralAtrush) February 1, 2013
Int Min says scene of man being dragged, beaten was "regretful," and "absolutely rejected", wants those who did it held accountable
— Samer Al-Atrush(@SameralAtrush) February 1, 2013
2115 GMT: Egypt. The reports suggest that the police are behaving like a mob, as some activists are even suggesting that officers who refuse to fight protesters have themselves been attacked:
RT @adamtawny: Some CSF refused to hit the protesters and were hit by their officers. The protesters went to protect them.#Egypt #Morsi
— Egyptocracy (@Egyptocracy) February 1, 2013
شاب فى مواجهة مدرعةprotester stands alone facing CSF armored vehicle #Egypt twitpic.com/c03y1w
— ☭ Moud B. El-sayed (@MoudBarthez) February 1, 2013
2112 GMT: Egypt. More Tweets from Cairo:
Gunfire continuous. Mixture of sound, birdshot and tear gas. Battle by and in school opposite costa no longer near prez palace #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Battle continues around and in the school. Gunfire continuous. At no point at the police trying to stop this,It looks like a war zone #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Watching police picking up rocks as they run. Protesters on roof of school throw down molotov. Police shoot gas over wall of school #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Big push from #csf - ambulances make a swift exit as tear gas engulfs Khalifa Mamoon street. Protesters flee #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
2052 GMT: Egypt. The first fatality of the night outside the Presidential Palace --- 23-year-old protester Mohamed Hussein Korani was killed by gunshots to the neck and chest.
2050 GMT: Egypt. Police stripping and beating a man tonight:
2040 GMT: Egypt. Journalist Bel Trew's Twitter messages over the last 90 minutes are a disturbing narration of violence between security forces and protesters:
Man #CSF just fired birdshot at in front of Costa was an EMPLOYEE trying to leave:he said2police, we're going home.Then they shot him #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
4 protesters advance behind metal sheet. One has molotov. Then #csf shoot birdshot straight at them-several rounds. They're running. #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Watching protesters make molotovs behind rugs so #csf can't see-when they throw them,it's not going very far.CSF fire birdshot straight back
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Fucking hell. The police shot at, beat and stripped a man, dragged him across concrete. Dragged him naked, his face scrapping the ground.
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
Praying for this man who is probably being sodomised in the police truck right now. He was naked they dragged him like a piece of meat
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
It's brutal brutal here. Police have control of streets firing a lot of shot guns. Beating people they catch viciously. #Egypt
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) February 1, 2013
1935 GMT: Bahrain. Al Wefaq, the primary opposition party in Bahrain, hosted a rally earlier today. They have just released this video, described below:
The opposition blocs organized a mass rally today 1st of February 2013 with a very large participation of the Bahraini protesters, titled "The base is the Will of the people".
The protesters condemned the human rights violations of the Bahraini regime that provide a live evidence for the need to change this bloody regime. Despite the international recommendations, the Bahraini government still violating the loyal rights of the Bahraini people by banning several peaceful protests and suppressing others every day and night.
Speakers:
Mr. Sayed Jameel Kadhim - A leader at Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society -.
Dr. Taha Al-Durazi - A physician-.
1640 GMT: Egypt. Reports are coming in of clashes at the Presidential Palace:
Security at pres palace use water cannon, fire in the air as protesters throw molotovs, stones and aim fireworks at palace walls
— Samer Al-Atrush(@SameralAtrush) February 1, 2013
There is a proper fireworks display above presidential palace in Cairo
— Samer Al-Atrush(@SameralAtrush) February 1, 2013
1459 GMT:Turkey. Minister of Interior Muammer Guler said a security guard and the suicide bomber died in today's explosion outside the US Embassy in Ankara. A woman was badly wounded.
Guler said the bomber was Turkish. Other officials have told media that he was a member of a leftist political party.
1353 GMT:Bahrain. The opposition is holding "I Love Bahrain/I Love Democracy" marches today:
1345 GMT:Iraq. Tens of thousands of mainly-Sunni demonstrators have maintained protests against Prime Minister al-Maliki and his Government, rallying after Friday prayers.
A protest in Ramadi (Photo: Ali al-Mashhadani/Reuters):
1233 GMT:Egypt. In Port Said, several hundred protesters have broken off from the main march to gather outside the security directorate.
In Cairo, several marches to Tahrir Square have begun. Hundreds of protesters are moving to the Presidential Palace, chanting “Down with the Brotherhood”, “End your rule [President] Morsi, you Pharaoh", and “No to Religious Rule”.
In Alexandria, thousands of protesters are marching from Qaed Ibrahim Mosque to Suez Canal Square.
Protesters in Port Said:
1208 GMT:Turkey. Turkish news outlets Today’s Zaman and Hurriyet Daily News report that the explosion at the US Embassy in Ankara occurred at a "secondary entrance" near the guard room.
The reports confirm our information of the deaths of two security guards, with witnesses saying several bystanders were injured.
US officials are believed to have been taken to safe rooms within the Embassy.
1155 GMT:Turkey. A suicide bomber has attacked the US Embassy in Ankara, destroying the guard room and killing two security personnel.
1135 GMT:Egypt. On a declared "Friday of Defiance", Ahram Online’s Adam Makary reports, that despite the pouring rain in Port Said, thousands of demonstrators have started marching from Mariam Mosque chanting: With our soul and blood, we will defend you, Port Said.”
1130 GMT:Israel and Palestine. The head of the Israel Defense Force's Central Command, Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, has instructed commanders of units stationed in the West Bank to act with restraint and moderation when dealing with the civilian population.
The pronouncement comes after four separate incidents in the last two weeks in which Israeli soldiers fired upon and killed unarmed Palestinian civilians.
1115 GMT:Israel and Palestine. A United Nations investigation has determined that Israel has violated international law by establishing settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying they may contravene the 1949 Geneva Convention and could be considered war crimes.
Israel does not cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council, which it has criticised for being biased against West Jerusalem. This week Israel became the first state ever to boycott its Periodic Review by the body
The report, which will be presented to the 47-member Council on March 18, stated that "Israel must...cease all settlement activities without preconditions [and] must immediately initiate a process of withdrawal of all settlers.”
It also called on West Jerusalem to "ensure adequate, effective and prompt remedy to all Palestinian victims... of human rights violations that are a result of the settlements".
According to the investigation, the settlements were "leading to a creeping annexation that prevents the establishment of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state and undermines the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination".