Friday, March 25, 2011 at 17:12 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2015 GMT: Graffiti in Syria, "Your turn has come, doctor", referring to President (and ophthalmologist) Bashar Al-Assad:
2005 GMT: Video of the protest by about 2000 people in front of State TV in Cairo today (see 1615 GMT):
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 8:22 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
Daraa, Syria2105 GMT: Libyan State TV is reporting airstrikes target residential and military areas in Tripoli and firing from anti-aircraft positions.
2100 GMT: About 500 Jordanians have set up a protest camp in a main square in the capital Amman to press their demands for the removal of the Prime Minister (see 0805 GMT), wider public freedoms, reforms over the selection of the Parliament, and dissolution of the security services.
The group is calling itself "Youth of March 24".
1700 GMT: Rafsanjani Watch. Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani has thrown another jab at the Government in his website message for the New Year: "We unfortunately witness the pursuing of indecent methods by those in charge, such as making lies and giving empty slogans to the people....The Iranian people are educated and well-informed and neither deserve lies nor promises which are impossible to be implemented....Those in charge should listen to criticism, and either convince the critics through logic or correct their policies.
Rafsanjani, who lost his post as head of the Assembly of Experts this month, even had a poke at the post-election repression: "What we should, however, definitely not do as Muslims is acting beyond ethics and eventually expose an Islamic society as disgrace."
1640 GMT: The Battle Within. Promient MP Hojatoleslam Hossein Sobhani-Nia has declared that the further the Government goes, the more dissent there is within the camp of the hardliners.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:55 | Scott Lucas in EA Iran, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
Feb 2009: Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa and Manouchehr Mottaki In the context of the Bahraini regime's claims that Tehran is behind the wave of protests that started 14 February, Western media's depictions of a US concern with Iranian intervention, and Tehran's propaganda campaign highlighting Bahrain, this August 2008 cable for the US Embassy in Manama takes on significance.
Those who have noted the WikiLeaks document, from WikiLeaks, have seized on the Embassy's observation: "Bahraini government officials sometimes privately tell U.S. official visitors that some Shi'a oppositionists are backed by Iran. Each time this claim is raised, we ask the GOB to share its evidence. To date, we have seen no convincing evidence of Iranian weapons or government money here since at least the mid-1990s."
Yet the wider setting for Bahraini-Iranian relations deserves at least as much recognition: here are two regimes that are not necessarily enemies, but are willing to use each other as the "threat" for domestic consumption: "Bahrain's Sunni rulers view Iran with deep suspicion, and support USG efforts to pressure Iran to change its behavior. But the Al-Khalifas also seek to keep channels open, and make occasional gestures to placate their large, touchy neighbor."
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 11:10 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 1957 GMT: Protesters gathered for a fifth day in Deraa, Syria, where authorities have arrested a leading opposition figure, Louai Hussein. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that, "his house was broken into. The door was smashed. His fate is unknown."
Hundreds gathered under very tight security, and the AFP is reporting that their photographer and videographer were attacked by security forces.
Perhaps the most important news, however, is the rumor that the region's governor, Faisal Kalthoum, has been fired, which was one of the demands of the protesters. This has not been confirmed.
1930 GMT: Al Jazeera English's James Bays filed this report earlier today from the front line outside Ajdabiya in eastern Libya. He reports an attack near his position and says, "No one really is making any progress. The opposition are where they were 24 hours ago....They are lightly armed volunteers....A professional officer on the rebel side told me they're very brave but to the point of being suicidal. Gaddafi forces are much more heavily armed. The opposition have the numbers and they seem to have the momentum but on the other side the Gaddafi forces have the power."
1915 GMT: Thanks to James Miller for taking the LiveBlog through the afternoon.
Libyan State TV is claiming live coverage of the capital under fire, with the presenter saying, "Tripoli is being bombarded now." The sky was lit with fire and the sound of anti-aircraft weaponry could be heard.
Monday, March 21, 2011 at 8:56 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
1930 GMT: Libyan State TV is reporting coalition airstrikes on Tripoli.
1920 GMT: Army Officers: Al Jazeera English offers a list of recent resignations and defections by Yemeni officials to the opposition, including six military commanders, dozens of officers, 17 Ambassadors, the entire staff of the Yemeni Embassy in the US except the Ambassador, three MPs, and the leader of Yemen's most powerful tribe.
1910 GMT: President Obama, on a visit to Chile, has spoken to reporters about Chile. He reiterated that "it is U.S. policy" that Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi "has to go" and the international community "can't stand by with empty words" in the face of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.
At the same time, Obama anticipated that the US would step back from leading the Libyan military mission when Libya's air defences were disabled: "We anticipate this transition to take place in a matter of days, not weeks."
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 17:22 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran Footage from Britain's Channel 4 of the aftermath of coalition airstrikes on Libya
2210 GMT: We're going on an overnight break. Coverage continues via the Live Feed from Al Jazeera English.
2145 GMT: Little confirmed information tonight, but several blasts have rocked the Libyan capital Tripoli, with a plume of smoke seen from the direction of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's home in the Bab el-Aziziya compound in a south Tripoli suburb.
1920 GMT: Latest from Libya....
There was a spate of fire from anti-aircraft guns, apparently from nervous troops expecting airstrikes, in Tripoli. The capital is now quiet.
The Libyan military spokesman announced a new ceasefire for 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).
An Italian tugboat has been escorted out of port by officials of the Libyan port authority and military. The 11-member crew had been detained this weekend.
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 14:01 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
2200 GMT: We're going to take an overnight break. Coverage switches to our Live Feed from Al Jazeera English.
2145 GMT: Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi is now speaking by phone. He says that the coalition attack will launch a second Crusade, which will be countered by the Libyan people. He then asks Africans and South Americans to stand by the regime.
Gaddafi declares that the regime must now open the weapons depots and arm all Libyans. He then ends --- a very un-Qaddafi speech of less than three minutes.
2115 GMT: Activists claim that lawyer Ragia Omran was kidnapped today from a polling station in Egypt during the referendum on the Constiutional amendments.
2110 GMT: French broadcasters, refuting the claims of Libyan State TV (see 2050 GMT), reports that all French aircraft have returned safely from missions over Libya.
2105 GMT: Four Al Jazeera journalists have been detained in western Libya.
Friday, March 18, 2011 at 9:51 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
2055 GMT: Libya's Deputy Foreign Minister has said that the regime has asked Turkey, Malta, and China to send observers to monitor a cease-fire, denying reports that attacks on the opposition were continuing: "The armed forces are respecting [the cease-fire] and will protect civilians."
2010 GMT: Al Jazeera English summarises King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia's carrot-and-stick in his televised speech.
The King decreed that media must not criticise clerics and praised security forces for blocking protests, "You are the hitting hand against whoever considers undermining the nation's security and stability." He also thanked Saudis for not taking to the streets: "I am so proud of you. Words are not enough to describe you. You are the safety valve of this nation and you struck at that which is wrong with the truth and at treachery with loyalty."
Sweeteners in the King's speech included $66.7bn would be spent on 500,000 housing units, $4.3bn on more medical facilities, an extra $40m for private hospitals, an additional two months' wages for all government workers, and two extra payments for university students worth around $500.
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 17:01 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2200 GMT: We will be back in the morning with analysis of developments, including the United Nations Security Council's vote on Libya. Overnight coverage continues on our Live Feed of Al Jazeera English.
2125 GMT: More than 10,000 protesters have rallied in Armenia's capital Yereva. The demonstrators demanded that President Serzh Sargsyan implement reforms, carry out elections, and release detainees.
2120 GMT: Claimed footage of a regime jet shot down by the opposition in Bohadi in east Libya:
