See also Bahrain Special: How British Government Helped Regime Denounce Press Freedom...on World Press Freedom Day
Syria Today: Israel Airstrikes "Hit Military Research Centre"
Saturday's Middle East Today: Libya --- Tensions Continue Over Post-Qaddafi Laws
Bahrain: Protestors Sentenced
A court has sentenced 31 protesters to 15 years in prison each for alleged roles in firebomb attacks against security forces during a demonstration last year, according to defence layer Mohamed al-Tajir.
The defendants, aged 16 to 34, all come from Sitra Island, a centre of protests since the rising began in February 2011.
Iraq: Ruling Government Leads in Local Elections, But No Decisive Outcome
Candiates of the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have won the most votes in provincial elections held two weeks ago, but failed to win a majority in any of the 12 provinces.
Maliki's State of Law won the most seats in seven provinces, but face the prospect of forming coalitions to establish leadership.
Iraqiya, the mainly-Sunni bloc that posed a serious challenge to Government in 2010 Parliamentary elections, won no more than three seats in any province
Maliki's State of Law received the most votes in the capital Baghdad, where it took 20 of the 58 available seats.
Voting in two Sunni-majority provinces was put off until July due to concerns about security. The Kurdistan region has its own timetable for provincial elections in its three governorates.