Mali (and Beyond) Live: At Least 7 Killed in Timbuktu Fighting

See also Syria Live: The Deaths on Easter Sunday
Sunday's Mali (and Beyond) Live Coverage: A Suicide Bombing in Timbuktu

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1525 GMT: Morocco. Several thousand people marched through the capital Rabat on Sunday to protest against unemployment and the cost of living.

In a "national march of protest" for greater freedoms and rights, yellow-clad marchers moved through the streets of the city.

Protesters challenged government plans to reform laws dealing with labor unions, including docking the pay of strikers. Chanting "people want the fall of the government" and “Morocco is witnessing social regression", they called for the departure of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.

Other slogans denounced government policies, corruption, and the high cost of living.

1338 GMT: Egypt. In another sign of economic pressure, the Government has cut energy subsidies, raising the price of cooking gas by 60% for Presidential use and 100% for businesses.

1335 GMT: Bahrain. An unidentified Bahraini, accused of spying for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, has had his 10-year sentence confirmed by an appeals court.

The sentence, passed in July 2011, was imposed for passing "military information and identifying sensitive sites in Bahrain" to two Iranian diplomats posted to Kuwait.

1325 GMT: Iraq. A suicide bomber has driven a fuel-laden truck into a police station in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, killing seven policemen and wounding more than 30 people.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

1235 GMT: Libya. A senior advisor to Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was grabbed from his car by unknown assailants on the outskirts of Tripoli on Sunday evening, a government source said.

Mohamed Ali Ghatous was seized after passing a checkpoint into the eastern Tripoli suburb of Tajoura.

1150 GMT: Sudan. President Omar al-Bashir has said that he will release all political detainees.

"Today we announce a decision to free all the political prisoners and renew our commitment to all political powers about dialogue," Bashir said in a speech opening a new session of Parliament.

0946 GMT: Mali. The death toll in the northern city of Timbuktu over the weekend is at least seven --- five insurgents, a Malian soldier, and a Nigerian civilian --- after insurgents attacked with a suicide bomb and gunfire.

The city, held by the insurgents until they were pushed out by French and Malian forces last month, was reportedly quiet last night, although a Malian officer said the insurgents were still active outside Timbuktu.

The fighting started on Saturday night with a suicide bomb, which injured a Malian soldier, and an attack by gunmen which killed another. The Malian source said the battle was on two fronts in the city centre: one near a hotel serving as the temporary residence of the regional Governor and the other near a military base.

The governor, "notables" in Timbuktu, and foreign journalists were evacuated by French forces.