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:

2130 GMT: Differing stories still racing around about the situation in Benghazi, Libya's 2nd-largest city.

A resident told Reuters, "Right now, the only military presence in Benghazi is confined to the Command Centre Complex in the city. The rest of the city is liberated. Thousands and thousands of people have gathered in front of Benghazi's court house. There are now makeshift clinics, ambulances, speakers, electricity. It's fully-equipped."

He added, "There is no shortage of food although not all stores are open. Banks are shut. All of the revolutionary committee (local government) offices and police stations in the city have been burnt."

However, a security source insisted during the day that the Benghazi region was "80 percent under control".

2115 GMT: An EA correspondent updates us that the Egyptian demonstrations in Tahrir Square in Cairo had some success in their call yesterday for tourists to return. On Saturday, 19 flights arrived at Hurghada airport from UK and Germany. More arrivals from the Czech Republic tomorrow, and Russia is laying on cheap flights to sharm to boost the tourist industry.

1915 GMT: Twelve people were reportedly wounded, two of them seriously, in today's protests in Algiers.

1810 GMT: A doctor in Benghazi says there have been 44 bodies at Al Jala Hospital. All are between 13 and 35 years. Most died from head, chest and/or abdomen wounds from high-velocity rounds.

The doctor adds that protesters are in control of the building where the snipers are located and will track them down. Asked if the demonstrators will kill captured security forces, he replies, "Of course."

1735 GMT: Al Jazeera is reporting, from a witness, that more than 200 people have been killed in Benghazi in Libya today. Another witness has said 120 were slain in the Birka district of the city, pleading, "Battles are raging now. People are dying now."

Associated Press, quoting a hospital official, says at least 15 died --- one from an anti-aircraft missile --- and "scores" were injured.

Thousands of people had gathered to mourn 35 protesters who were killed on Friday.

1650 GMT: Witnesses have told CNN that the Libyan military has deserted the streets of Ajdabiya in the northeast of the country.

Another witness, Abdel Bari Zouay, told Euronews:

On Thursday...there was a demonstration in Ajdabiya. The protesters burned the local headquarters of the revolutionary committee. The Revolutionary Guard have fired upon us killing four demonstrators. Since Friday the city has been completely controlled by the protesters, who have burned 14 buildings belonging to the government. They have also burned portraits of Gaddafi and have formed groups who are now running the city.

Zouay said the residents were preparing to fight against "African mercenaries" and asked for international support.

1645 GMT: Pictures from the opposition gathering at Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain tonight:

1640 GMT: In Algeria, leading opposition politician Tahar Besbas, beaten by police during today's demonstration in Algiers (see 1205 GMT), has recovered consciousness in hospital.

1630 GMT: Back from a break to find heated chatter, but little verified, on the situation in Libya....

Al Arabiya reports that a "passive protest" is underway in Misurata, 210 km (130 miles) east of Tripoli (see related video).

Graphic video has been posted which claims to be of a slain African mercenary, fighting for the Libyan regime, in Zentan in the south of the country.

1510 GMT: A witness says security forces in Libya's second city, Benghazi, fired in the air to disperse a crowd mourning protesters killed in recent days.

Many of the estimated 84 deaths in Libyan violence since Tuesday have been in Benghazi.

1500 GMT: Recent image of protesters celebrating at Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain:

1445 GMT: Summaries of today's protest in Algiers are being posted. El Watan, sympathetic to the demonstrators, says 2000 made their voices heard despite being dispersed and harassed by security forces. Reuters writes of 500 protesters, surrounded riot police in the courtyard of a residential complex, chanting, "Algeria, free and democratic!".

1440 GMT: A Libyan officials has told AFP that Attorney General Abdelrahman al-Abbar will order an inquiry into the violence in the east of the country.

1340 GMT: Thirty people were wounded, including seven members of the security forces, in Friday's clashes in Hahra in Kuwait between security forces and stateless Arabs demanding citizenship, security sources said. Fifty people were arrested.

There was also a small protest in the village of Salibiya.

Human Rights Watch have called on Saudi authorities to release five men who sought official recognition of the country’s first political party (see Friday's updates).

The men --- Dr. Ahmad bin Sa’d al-Ghamidi, Professor Sa’ud al-Dughaithir, Shaikh Abd al-‘Aziz al-Wuhaibi, Shaikh Muhammad bin Husain al-Qahtani, Professor Muhammad bin Nasir al-Ghamidi, Walid al-Majid, and Professor Abd al-Karim al-Khadhar --- were arrested on Wednesday night, one week after they submitted their request for recognition of the Islamic Nation Party.

1330 GMT: Shi'ites have held a small protest in Saudi Arabia's oil-producing eastern province in the town of Awwamiya, near the Saudi Shi'ite centre of Qatif on the Gulf coast.

The demonstrators demanded the release of fellow Shi'ites held in prison without trial.

1310 GMT: Martin Chulov of The Guardian sees the fountain turned back on in Pearl Roundabout. "People now doing victory laps," he adds.

1245 GMT: The crowd appearing at Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain:

1237 GMT: Different reports now, from Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times and American ABC News's Miguel Marquez, that protesters have made it to Pearl Roundabout and police have pulled back.

1225 GMT: Renewed reports on clashes near Pearl Roundabout, with police firing tear gas and ambulances en route to Suleimaniya Hostpital.

There are other reports, however, that police have pulled back from the other protest route on Dana Mall.

The scene a few minutes before these reports came in:

1215 GMT: Bahrain's Crown Prince is now on national television, declaring, "We are on the cusp of a period of hope. I thank all those who responded favourably to my call to dialogue. Today things have been going back to normal. The more we can approach each other, the faster things will improve. The points from all sides must be made clearly and in a productive manner. I stress on the need to maintain security and stability."

He concludes, "Help us calm the situation so we can declare a day of mourning for the sons that we have lost. Thank you citizens."

1205 GMT: In Algeria, a leading member of the opposition Rally for Constitutional Democracy, Tahar Besbas, is still unconscious in hospital after he was beaten by police during today's rally.

1155 GMT: The main trade union in Bahrain, the General Union of Bahraini Workers, has called for a strike from Monday.

1150 GMT: Photograph of protesters offering flowers to riot police near Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain:

1110 GMT: The official statement from the Bahrain monarchy on the Army withdrawal from Pearl Roundabout (see 1017 GMT):

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has ordered the withdrawal of all military from the streets of Bahrain with immediate effect.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has ordered the withdrawal of all military from the streets of Bahrain with immediate effect. The Bahrain police force will continue to oversee law and order.

1104 GMT: CNN reports one person was killed and five were injured in clashes today in Yemen between pro-regime and anti-regime protesters.

1100 GMT: Police in Algeria continue to prevent the congregation of a mass protest in Algiers.

1035 GMT: Police have used tear gas to prevent a small group of protesters trying to return to the Pearl Roundabout in Manama in Bahrain.

1025 GMT: The Associated Press reports that Libyan special forces attacked hundreds of protesters, including lawyers and judges, early this morning.

The demonstrators were camped in front of the courthouse in the eastern city of Benghazi, the focus of the anti-regime protests.

1017 GMT: The Bahraini Army is withdrawing its force from Pearl Roundabout in the capital of Manama, after occupying it since Thursday's police assault on the opposition's camp.

The Roundabout, ringed with barbed wire, is now guarded by police units.

1015 GMT: Renesys reports the Internet has been partially restored in Libya after a six-hour total cut-off.

1004 GMT: Latest from Algeria....

Several hundred people gathered around the Place of May 1, the focus of the protests in Algiers, brandishing red cards to dismiss the regime, but were dispersed by police. Among the protesters were the 82-year-old Ali Yahia Abdenour, honorary president of the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (NCCD), who was reportedly manhandled by police.

1000 GMT: Photos of the member of Bahrain's security forces who joined the protesters on Friday:

0945 GMT: In Algiers, a witness writes, "Incredible tension on the streets. people standing around, police everywhere helicopters above. feels like it'll break any minute."

And in Yemen, Michelle Shephard of The Toronto Star reports via social media, "[Activist] Tawakul [Karman] just called and she is ok. We got separated. She says five people were shot, one seriously (unconfirmed). Can hear ambulances. Very indebted to this restaurant owner who has put himself at risk. Shootings sure to inflame things here."

0810 GMT: Authorities in Algeria have reproduced their tactics from last Saturday to blunt protests, putting out a massive security presence, setting up roadblocks, and suspending trains from the cities of Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou to Algiers.

0750 GMT: The White House is putting out the message that President Obama spoke with Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa on Friday night, urging restraint after security forces again opened fire on protesters.

0655 GMT: Human Rights Watch estimates 84 people have been killed in Libya since Tuesday.

0650 GMT: In Bahrain, the main opposition bloc, Wafaq, has rejected King Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa's call for dialogue, saying that the government must quit before any talks take place.

Abdul Jalil Khalil Ibrahim, the head of the  bloc, said, "To consider dialogue, the government must resign and the army should withdraw from the streets" of the capital Manama.

Ibrahim said 95 people were wounded in Friday's crackdown at 95, with three of them "clinically dead". There have already been three deaths from the gunfire of the security forces.

Wafaq quit Parliament on Thursday after security forces overran the protest camp at Pearl Roundabout, killing several people and wounding dozens.

0615 GMT: We are also watching Algeria, where opposition groups have called for a mass protest today.

An opposition coalition was able to bring out thousands of people last Saturday in Algiers, but so far it has not been able to shake the regime beyond a promise by President Abdelazid Bouteflika to end the 1992 State of Emergency.

Activists claim that the authorities have released hundreds of prisoners to confront the marchers. On the "positive" side, regime sources are saying that Bouteflika will formally announce the end of the State of Emergency on Thursday.

0610 GMT: Renesys, which monitors Web provision around the world, reports that Libyan authorities --- repeated the failed strategy used by the Egyptian regime three weeks ago --- has cut off the Internet by withdrawing 13 network prefixes.

0600 GMT: Yesterday at noon (1000 GMT), hundreds of thousands gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square both to celebrate their uprising and to insist that its demands be met. It was a joyous, wondrous, moving occasion in which unity and non-violence was not only declared but demonstrated.

A few hours later, Bahrain's security forces cut down protesters as they moved towards Pearl Roundabout, site of the opposition camp that had been overrun by a surprise police attack on Thursday morning. At least three more people died and an estimated 66 were wounded.

At the same time, the conflict in Libya was escalating. Thursday's Day of Rage had now become a rebellion. How big and how serious is still unknown: with hard news impossible because of the clamp-down on journalists and communications, the Internet was awash with rumours. It is conservative to suggest, however, that dozens died, especially in the heart of the conflict in Benghazi, the country's second city.

And in Yemen, the now-daily clashes between pro-regime and anti-regime campaigns, and sometimes with police, killed at least three more people and injured about 75.