Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Into the Abyss?

2255 GMT: We are going to take an overnight break and resume early Thursday morning. Coverage continues on the Live Feed from Al Jazeera English.

2210 GMT: Barack Obama has just made his statement on Libya, "We strongly condemn violence in Libya...express our condolences...bloodshed outrageous...violence must stop." He continued, "These are human rights. They are not negotiable. It's important for the international community to speak with one voice."

Obama did make an advance beyond Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's silence (see 2023 GMT) on action: he said he had asked his administration for a full range of options to respond to this crisis --- with allies or other institutions.

Those last words are importantly, as they indicate that the US President is wary of moving unilaterally.

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An EA Caption Competition: 4 Regime Leaders in Happier Times

Four gentlemen in happier times: deposed Tunisian President Zine Abedine Ben Ali, current Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, still-current Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, and ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Over to you, dear readers, for the appropriate inscription/epitaph: 

Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Qaddafi Hangs On With Fighter Jets and Bluster

2055 GMT: Al Jazeera is reporting two killed and 10 injured in an attempt on protesters at Sanaa University in Yemen.

2050 GMT: Another quote from former Minister of Interior (and former close Qaddafi friend) Abdul Fattah Younis, "(The bombing of civilians) pained me deeply, it is the main reason I decided to join this revolution."

2035 GMT: Here's a twist on this afternoon's Qaddafi speech....

The Libyan leader said, in his 90-minute ramble, that Minister of Interior Abdul Fattah Younis had survived an assassination attempt but was missing.

Well, tonight Younis has said, "Qaddafi's men came to shoot me but the bullets missed me."

2030 GMT: The office of Algerian President Addelaziz Bouteflika said he approved a Government decision to lift the 1992 State of Emergency.

The brief statement said the change was "imminent" but gave no date.

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Egypt Feature: Protesting Like An Egyptian

Another Friday...another protest. However on this occasion, it is a day of celebration. It’s a rare occurrence to find Egyptians gat,ering in mass numbers, waving their flags, for causes besides football, but this was a day of prayer, thanksgiving, requests, singing...and, yesm even remembering and forgiving Mubarak.

Tahrir Square in Cairo has established itself as a place people can chant, speak, ‘shout’ out their opinions. It reminds me of London Hyde Park’s Speakers’ corner, but only on a larger scale. A much larger scale, and louder, and...Egyptian!

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Iran Special: Protest --- From Tunisia to Egypt to the Green Movement (The Newest Deal)

As a special for today, amidst the possibility of opposition marches we post The Newest Deal's analysis of protest in North Africa, the Middle East, and Iran:

Despite what the movement's leaders, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, are forced to say publicly, this is no longer a struggle merely aimed at "reforming" the existing system. Those days are over, and both Mousavi and Karoubi likely recognize this in private.

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Libya, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Contrasts Heightened

2340 GMT: That, quite frankly, was a bizarre experience. No word on what has happened to Muammar Qaddafi, but Saif al Islam Qaddafi did appear to concede that some of the country is in the hands of the opposition. At the same time, there was the combination of the surreal threat --- drug dealers, foreign media, outside powers, Arabs and Africans --- and defiance.

More tomorrow. Meanwhile, coverage continues on our Live Feed from Al Jazeera English.

2338 GMT: Qaddafi's son concludes, "Our morale is high. May God make Libya a safe country. May God be with you."

2337 GMT: "We will fight to the last," he continues "We will not leave Libya." The Qaddafis will not allow Al Jazeera or Al Arabiya or the BBC to triumph.

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Libya, Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Contrasts

2205 GMT: In Libya, Professor Ali Tarhouni has said tonight that protesters in Nalut, 300 km (185 miles) northeast of Tripoli, burnt down the headquarters of the Revolutionary Committee. Tarhouni also said there have been small skirmishes in Tripoli.

2200 GMT: A photograph of this afternoon's protest in Taiz in Yemen:

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From Tunisia to Egypt to ???: The Demise of the Dictators

The revolts in the Middle East remind me of a beautiful Pashto poem from the lands that are now plagued by the Taliban: "Zay zay, abazo la ba ra-zay" --- "No matter where you go or are, you’ll show your true nature eventually.

Such is the case of the dictators of the Middle East. No matter what they call themselves ---, President, king, sheikh, emir, sultan or even the preposterous Guide of the Revolution --- at heart, they’re just cowardly, greedy, heartless tyrants. They are dictators who try to hide behind different guises, but in the end, they all show their true coloirs no matter how much they try to glorify their actions on their way to their demise.

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Egypt in Pictures: Today's Ceremony at Tahrir Square in Cairo

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Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Protest Here, Protest There

2100 GMT: The Lede at The New York Times has further information on the occupation of Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain, including a picture of the popcorn machine brought in amongst the tents.

Video earlier today from the Roundabout:

2055 GMT: Al Masry Al Youm summarises the continuing protests across Egypt over working conditions, including university workers, police, sugar cane workers, and fishermen.

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