EA WebCast: The "Internet and Democratic Change" Conference in Sweden

The conference has now concluded. Many thanks to all who followed today --- archived videos of the sessions should be available by this weekend.

Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Where Next?

2215 GMT: A big MediaFail from The New York Times, which can only see "hundreds of people" in a demonstration in Algiers today. Somehow the newspaper misses the video showing far more than hundreds (the low estimate in other media covering events is 2000), and somehow it misses all the references to protests in other cities such as Oran and Annaba.

1830 GMT: The BBC has posted an interactive photograph of Tahrir Square in Cairo at prayer, allowing the viewer to tour everything from the Wall of Martyrs to the "KFC Clinic".

Click to read more ...

Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Debating the Future, Mourning the Past

2224 GMT: The Tunisian Prime Minister's office has regained control of its homepage, after it was taken over by the Anonymous collective earlier this evening (see 2135 GMT).

2215 GMT: Speaking on television tonight, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi says he will not be a candidate in elections, due in six months, and will retire from politics.

2135 GMT: The Anonymous collective has posted a message on the homepage of the Tunisian Prime Minister:

Click to read more ...

Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: In Control?

2105 GMT: In Egypt, Al Masry Al Youm grasps the nettle on the recent wave of self-immolations: "Desperate Egyptians setting themselves on fire like their Tunisian counterparts are unlikely to spur wide-ranging protests, but they might serve to pressure the government into providing economic concessions ahead of a pivotal presidential election in September."

And there are two more cases to consider: a pair of workers at a textile factory in Menufia set themselves on fire to protest transfers to other sections.

2045 GMT: Back from a break to find that the Tunisian Cabinet has agreed to lift the ban on all political groups as well as granting an amnesty to all political prisoners.

The parties who can now freely operate include the al-Nadha movement, usually identified as "Islamist".

In other decisions, the Cabinet withdrew university police from campuses, stripped the former ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally of all public assets, and separated senior government employees from the RCD.

Click to read more ...

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?

Click to read more ...

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.

Click to read more ...

Tunisia Audio Feature: Interview with Blogger Slim Amamou Before His Arrest

On Thursday afternoon, prominent Tunisian blogger Slim Amamou, a contributor to Global Voices Advocacy, was summoned to the Ministry of Interior and arrested.

Amamou had denounced attacks against Tunisian email accounts and organised protests against censorship. Last May, he was arrested and detained for more than 12 hours until he recorded a video calling for the cancellation of a rally.

The day before he was arrested, Amamou spoke to The World.

Listen to the audio....