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Entries in Ahmed Ibrahim (6)

Tuesday
Mar012011

Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Holding the Lines

2115 GMT: Brigadier General Mansour Mohammed Abu Hajar, head of the Libyan Army's armoured vehicles and infantry division in Benghazi, said this afternoon that he and the division's personnel had joined the opposition: "[We] announce our joining of this blessed revolution, which we hope God Almighty will grant success and victory. We denounce the killing and the extermination of defenceless youths by the security brigades and hired mercenaries. I and all the division's personnel put ourselves at the disposal of this glorious revolution."

2110 GMT: In Yemen, tens of thousands of people have marched on the streets of the capital Sanaa, demanding the fall of the President Ali Abullah Saleh.

Saleh had asked on Monday for discussions for a new unity government, but he later turned from conciliation to allegation, warning that Yemen could be split into four parts and accusing the US and Israel of being behind the protests.

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Wednesday
Jan192011

Tunisia Analysis: Will the New Government Survive?

Perhaps the most striking political development, given the symbolism of resistance and Government, was was the Minister who did not resign. Blogger Slim Amamou, an iconic figure inside and outside Tunisia because of his challenge to Ben Ali through social media, the man who had been arrested a week before Ben Ali fell and whose release symbolised the "new" Tunisia, refused to step down as Minister of Youth and Sport. 

Amamou said he would resign when he decided, not when others did. But that only brought further - questions.

What should he decide? And what will others, in the meeting rooms and on the streets, now decide?

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Tuesday
Jan182011

Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Watching the Regimes

2135 GMT: One of a number of photos from a rally in Bizerte, on the northern coast of Tunisia:

2125 GMT: In Algeria, a woman "about 40 years old" tried to set herself on fire on Tuesday in the resort of Sidi Ali Benyoub, 600 kilometres (370 miles) west of Algiers.

It is the 7th case of self-immolation in the last week in Algeria.

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Tuesday
Jan182011

Tunisia Analysis: Converting the Opposition into Government Supporters?

Prime Minister Mohamed GhannouchiSo Tunisia is now in a 60-day phase between the announcement of the Government, replacing the deposed regime of President Ben Ali, and elections. While the contest on the streets against Ben Ali's former security men seems to have been won, we wait to see if the second challenge in our analysis yesterday will be met: will this Government be seen as legitimate?

A symbolic answer was attempted by about 1000 protesters on Monday in Tunis. A demonstration that started peacefully was dispersed by water cannon and tear gas when demonstrators tried to approach Government buildings, but the political demands remain.

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Monday
Jan172011

Tunisia LiveBlog: A New Government?

1940 GMT: Tunisian Minister of Interior Ahmed Friaa says 78 people died and 94 were injured in the violence surrounding the downfall of President Ben Ali.

At the time of the clashes, the Government would only admit to between 20 and 30 dead.

1850 GMT: This captioned photograph is making the rounds by e-mail. Former President Ben Ali of Tunisia on left: "Don't be late, it gets lonely." President Hosni Mubarak on right: "You're first, we're next." (h/t Sultan Al Qassemi)

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Saturday
Jan152011

Tunisia LiveBlog: What Emerges Today?

2045 GMT: Speaking on the BBC World Service, a young Tunisian said men between the ages of 18 and 40, armed with baseball bats, are gathering in neighbourhoods to protect their homes.

1830 GMT: Privately-owned Nesma TV is reporting that Imad Trabelsi --- the nephew of Leila Trabelsi, the wife of deposed President Ben Ali --- is dead.

There are no details, but earlier in the day rumours had circulated on Twitter that Trabelsi had died as the family's homes in the Tunis suburbs were being ransacked yesterday.

Trabelsi, the nephew was named in a 2008 US diplomatic cable as a "particularly important economic actor" in the corruption of the Trabelsi family. In 2006, he had caused a scandal by reportedly stealing the yacht of a well-connected French businessman, Bruno Roger, Chairman of Lazard Paris.

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