Tunisian Revolution and the Middle East

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http://english.aljazeera.net/news/af...534648404.html

Ouatarra rejects AU mediation offer
Alassane Ouattara cites AU envoy's personal relations with incumbent president Luarent Gbagbo as problematic.
Last Modified: 27 Mar 2011 00:18

Internationally recognised president of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara has rejected the African Union's choice to mediate the crisis, citing the envoy's "personal relations" with his rival Laurent Gbagbo.

The African Union (AU) on Saturday named Cape Verde's former foreign minister Jose Brito as its representative to Cote d’Ivoire to mediate an end to the crisis pushing the country towards civil war.

But in a statement Ouattara said he "deeply regrets not having been consulted, nor having been approached" about the decision.

He "expressed surprise" about the selection of Brito "given his personal relationship and his political connection, known to everyone in Cote d’Ivoire, with the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.

"Moreover, this decision does not conform to the expressed will to appoint a former head of state in this function," his statement added.

"Consequently, the Presidency of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire rejects Jose Brito as the AU high representative."

Earlier this month, the African Union endorsed the conclusions of a panel of five African heads of state.

They recognised Ouattara as the legitimate winner of November elections against his rival, but asked him to put in place an inclusive government and help find a "graceful exit" for his rival.

But the Gbagbo camp quickly rejected the AU's proposals as "unacceptable".

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1128: Some news from Syria - government officials are saying 12 people died in unrest in Latakia on Saturday. AFP quotes presidential adviser Buthaina Shaaban as saying the dead were 10 members of the security forces and two gunmen.

Righhhhht.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-27

11:40am Al Jazeera obtains exclusive footage of funerals being held for those killed in pro-reform protests in the town of Sanamin:

[YOUTUBE]r21PHDaRthQ[/YOUTUBE]

12:53pm Syrian authorities have released Diana Jawabra, a Daraa activist, whose arrest this month helped fuel mass protests in her home city of Deraa against Baath party rule.

One of Jawabra's lawyers told the Reuters news agency that Jawabra was among 16 people released on Sunday.

They took part in a silent demonstration this month demanding the release of political prisoners and of 15 children arrested in Daraa for writing freedom slogans on school walls.

1:00pm The Syrian government has confirmed to Al Jazeera that the country's emergency law is to be lifted.

---------- Post added March-27th-2011 at 08:19 AM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1211: Syrian government officials say President Bashar al-Assad will address the nation soon, AFP reports.

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JORDAN

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1522: Meanwhile in Jordan, thousands of people have attended the funeral of the man who was killed during clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces on Friday, the Ammon News website reports. Khairi Jamil Saad died after troops tried to disperse demonstrators gathered outside the interior ministry. Officials say he died as a result of a cardiac arrest. Protesters say he was badly beaten.

#1527: Mr Saad's brother, Saeed, has told the Associated Press that he was a follower of the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, and not a government supporter.

The 55-year-old was bringing food to a group of people encamped outside the interior ministry "when police beat him to death", he added. "I saw blood on his face when we took him to the morgue for an autopsy. There were clear marks of torture and beatings on his face."

#1533: At Mr Saad's funeral, many people chanted "The prime minister is the enemy of God", according to the Associated Press.

The opposition wants Maarouf al-Bakhit to resign, parliament to be dissolved and elections to be held. The new legislature would then appoint a prime minister, rather than King Abdullah II.

SYRIA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1539: Meanwhile, al-Arabiya TV is reporting that Syria's government is expected to resign on Tuesday; that the Baath Party Regional Command will abolish the emergency law after a new counter-terrorism law has been drafted; that Article 8 of the constitution, which defines the Baath Party as the "leading party in the society and the state", has been amended; and that a new media law "preventing the imperilment of reporters" has been endorsed.

Let me guess, right after the president of Yemen resigns?

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1653: Meanwhile, the central committee of Yemen's ruling General People's Congress party has recommended forming a new government "tasked with drafting a new constitution for the country on the basis of a parliamentary system", state media report.

#1655: Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the fall of President Saleh, or his replacement by a weaker leader, would pose "problems" for the US. "The most aggressive branch of al-Qaeda... operates out of Yemen," he said. "We have had a lot of counter-terrorism co-operation from President Saleh and the Yemeni security services, so if the government collapses or is replaced by one that is dramatically more weak, then I think we'll face some additional problems out of Yemen."

#1657: Security officials in Yemen have said at least six soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen with suspected links to al-Qaeda on Sunday. The incident took place east of the capital, Sanaa, in Marib province. The area is one of Yemen's main oil producing regions and has been a militant stronghold.

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SYRIA

http://twitter.com/acarvin

Correction: AP: Anarchy on the streets of Latakia; gangs roaming city with swords; eyewitnesses reports guns and screams in the city. #syria 8 minutes ago via TweetDeck

http://twitter.com/wissamtarif

Mazah 86 area under siege by Security forces #Syria #Dara #Mach15 about 3 hours ago via web

Mazah 86 area is being attacked by security forces one resident dead so far #Syria #March15 #Daraa about 3 hours ago via web

A phone call from Mazah 86 area asking for help. Security forces beating people to death #Syria #March15 #Daraa about 3 hours ago via web

Mazeh 86 is not the diplomats and well off people. It is one of the poorest area of #Damascus #Syria #Daraa about 2 hours ago via web

The news circulated about three peaceful protesters being killed in Al Keswa is true. Two were beaten to death #Syria #March15 #Daraa 3 minutes ago via web

BAHRAIN

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...146179309.html

Bahrain's main Shia opposition group, Wefaq, has welcomed Kuwait's offer to mediate in talks with the Sunni al-Khalifa family-run government to end a political crisis gripping the Gulf Island kingdom, a Wefaq member has said.

Jasim Husain said on Sunday Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah had offered to mediate between the al-Khalifa ruling family and Shia opposition groups.

"We welcome the idea of bringing in an outside element," Husain told the Reuters news agency.

He said that Wefaq had no conditions for entering mediation talks but the presence of foreign troops in Bahrain would be a thorny matter in the discussions.

Wefaq and other six allies had said last week they would not enter talks offered by the crown prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa unless the government pulled troops off the streets and freed prisoners.

Husain said talks must be based on issues outlined by the crown prince before Saudi-led Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) troops entered Bahrain to quell weeks of unrest.

These include an elected government and reform of electoral districts that the opposition says were cut to ensure a Sunni majority in parliament.

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

EGYPT

#1135: In other developments in the region, Egypt is to hold a legislative election in September, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has said, as reported by Reuters. But a date for a presidential election has yet to be set, Mamdouh Shaheen, a member of the military council, says at a news conference.

#1154: More on those newly announced Egyptian elections (1135 entry): Egypt will lift its emergency laws before the polls in September, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces says. Egypt's emergency laws have been in place since 1981.

#1337: Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has now confirmed that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his family are under house arrest, the AFP news agency reports. The council also denied that Mr Mubarak had fled to Saudi Arabia.

SYRIA

#1239: Syrian President Bashar Assad will announce important decisions that will "please the Syrian people" in the next two days, Vice-President Farouq al-Shara has told Lebanese Hezbollah's al-Manar television, Reuters reports. The station did not give further details.

#1255: Syrian security forces have opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators chanting against emergency laws in the southern city of Deraa, a witness is quoted as saying by Reuters. The demonstrators had converged on a main square in the city, chanting: "We want dignity and freedom" and "No to emergency laws", the witness said.

YEMEN

#1342: Meanwhile in Yemen, officials say 78 people were killed by an explosion at an explosives factory in southern Abyan province after it was briefly taken over by Islamist militants and then looted by locals, according to the Associated Press. Another 27 people were critically injured.

#1425: Doctors in Yemen now say the death toll from the explosion at an ammunition factory in the southern town of Jaar, in Abyan province, has risen to at least 110, the Reuters news agency reports. More bodies are expected to be recovered, they add. The dead include women and children.

There are many reports of gunmen running around the area shooting people.
Yemen is blaming Al Queda, but reporters and residents of that area have said there is no
indication that Islamic terrorists are behind this.

#1419: Tunisia's Interim President, Fouad Mebazza, has meanwhile named a new interior minister, according to the official TAP news agency. It said Habib Sid would replace Farhat Rajhi.

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...747469782.html

Bahrain's Foreign Minister has denied reports that Kuwait would mediate to resolve Bahrain's political crisis.

Wefaq, the island's leading Shia opposition group, said on Sunday it would accept an offer by Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Kuwait's Emir, to mediate between Bahrain's ruling Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family and the Shia opposition groups.

The Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional political and economic bloc made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, had welcomed the mediation move on Sunday.

The oppositon party is hoping to re-open a dialogue with the government in an effort to end the political crisis in Bahrain.

A British newspaper report says the opposition is no longer insisting on certain conditions for talks, including the sacking of the cabinet, or a new assembly to rewrite the constitution.

Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Khalifa, Bahrain minister of foreign affairs said on his Twitter page there were no plans for a Kuwaiti-led dialogue.

"Any talk about Kuwaiti mediation in Bahrain is completely untrue, there were previous efforts that were not answered, but these were ended by the act of National Safety (martial law)."

[visionary]

I'm seeing some reports that Syrian troops are keeping people from protesting in Daraa and Latakia. They have the city square in Daraa blocked off and are discouraging people from gathering.


http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-28

2:55pm Syrian forces have reportedly opened fire to disperse hundreds of protesters in Daraa calling for an end to emergency laws, but demonstrators regrouped despite a heavy troop deployment, a witness said.

The demonstrators had converged on a main square chanting: "We want dignity and freedom" and "No to emergency laws", the witness said.

He also said security forces fired in the air for several minutes, but protesters returned when they stopped.

Security forces had in recent days reduced their presence in the city, but residents said on Monday they had returned in strength.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-28

10:35am Turkey's prime minister says Syria is working on reforms, including lifting emergency rule and restrictions on political parties.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had spoken to President Bashar Assad twice in the past three days and advised the Syrian leader to "answer the people's calls with a reformist, positive approach.''

I did not get a 'no' answer.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#2024: Reports from Syria say security forces in the southern city of Deraa have fired tear gas at hundreds of anti-government protesters. Witnesses said the protesters were calling for more political freedom. President Bashar al-Assad is expected to announce changes in the next few days after more than a week of unrest across Syria, including the lifting of the country's decades-old emergency law.

Ghayth Armanazi, a Syrian and former Arab League representative in the UK, tells the BBC: "I think change is inevitable. Syria is now at a crossroads and the focus of attention is on the announcement expected in the next few days about the reforms that have been solemnly promised by the government."

#2031: Mr Armanazi says President Assad is a reformer. "When he took over the presidency, he was faced with a political machine and a bureaucracy rooted in a mindset that existed in the 1970s. He had to struggle hard to push through his reforms.

He is a reformist, he is a modernist. He is now taking over the reins of power much more firmly than ever before. I believe the events of the last few days will strengthen his hand against those who do not want to see political and economic reform. I think the announcements will represent a momentous achievement, and that Syria will be on the road to a much better future."

#2035: However, a former member of the Syrian parliament who was jailed for five years for demanding political freedoms has said the president will simply replace the emergency law with equally repressive anti-terrorism legislation. "Assad is being subjected to internal and external pressures.

He has prepared a plan to give the impression to public opinion that he has begun reforms," Maamoun al-Homsi told the Reuters news agency. "With regards to lifting emergency law, this is misleading and a trick. Lifting it will not prevent raiding homes in Syria." The new legislation "could include a clause against any group or person carrying out actions that would affect national security", he warned. "And it would be under the guise of terrorism."

#2038: A senior diplomat in Damascus also told Reuters that he doubted President Assad, who authorised a brutal crackdown on a Kurdish uprising in 2004, would scrap the emergency law without replacing it with "something just as bad".

---------- Post added March-28th-2011 at 04:07 PM ----------

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/af...647412221.html

Pro-Ouattara forces claim Cote d'Ivoire town

Fierce fighting has broken out in Cote d'Ivoire's western town of Duekoue between forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the incumbent president, and his internationally recognised rival, Alassane Ouattara, residents and combatants say.

Rebels who took control of the north of the country during the 2002-3 civil war and are now backing Ouattara said on Monday they had taken Duekoue, which has been under Gbagbo's control for nearly a decade.

Duekoue lies in a region that produces around 250,000 tonnes of cocoa a year in the west African nation, which is the world's top grower.

"The town of Duekoue has been under our control since 7am (0700 GMT). We are conducting search operations throughout," said Lacine Mara, a spokesman for pro-Ouattara forces in the west.

Gbagbo's forces confirmed the fighting, but said they remained in control of at least part of the town.

"Our men have been in combat since about 2am (0200 GMT) this morning with the rebels, who tried to take the town. We control one part and they control the other," said Yao Yao, operations chief of Gbagbo's Front for the Liberation of the Great West (FLGO) militia.

A Reuters reporter in the main city of Abidjan also reported shooting and heavy arms fire on Monday, from areas where pro-Ouattara fighters seeking to oust Gbagbo are pushing towards the city centre.

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SYRIA

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/...ex.html?hpt=T2

In Daraa on Monday, forces filed into the city's main square before dawn, tearing down the tents and anti-government signs of about 100 protesters who were staying there overnight, according to one eyewitness.

The forces fired shots into the air and turned water cannons on the protesters, the witness said, leading to a clash with hundreds of nearby residents who rushed to the square to defend the demonstrators.

The resulting confrontation lasted about 30 minutes, reportedly without injuries or arrests, according to the witness.

Another witness said the army was blocking the city on three sides and that security forces, surrounding government buildings and the Al-Omari mosque where some protesters remained, had opened fire. The witness was not aware of any injuries.

Syria's state-run news agency said the government denied firing on protesters, calling the allegations "completely false."

Political dissident Aman Aswad, who is in Daraa, said the city is extremely tense. "People are sitting at home scared, watching the updates on TV," he said.

In Latakia, another eyewitness said mysterious men in black shirts carrying sophisticated weapons terrorized residents overnight, firing into the air and banging on the doors of homes.

"We do not understand who these men are but government officials say they are members of a 'foreign group,'" the witness said. "We all think they are lying about this because every time one of them is captured and handed over to the police he is released."

Hundreds of government troops have also filtered into the Latakia and are guarding public buildings and other important sites, the witness said.

CNN could not independently confirm the accounts because the Syrian government has yet to grant access to the network.

[visionary]

Today in Syria there is a massive pro-Assad crowd in Damascus and it seems people have come from everywhere in Syria and even Lebanon to support him.

Also the Syrian government has told Al Jazeera that the government will resign on Tuesday and a new cabinet will be announced. (isn't that what Mubarak did at one point?)

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...114399138.html

Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, has accepted the resignation of the country's government, following two weeks of anti-government protests that have gripped Syria.

"President Assad accepts the government's resignation," an announcement on state television said on Tuesday.

Naji al-Otari, the resigning premier, has been chosen by Assad as caretaker prime minister.

The government has little power in Syria, where power is concentrated in the hand of Assad, his family and the security apparatus. Otari has been prime minister since 2003.

The 32-member cabinet will continue running the country's affairs until the formation of a new government.

A new cabinet is to be formed in 24 hours, sources have told Al Jazeera.

Assad is to address the nation on Wednesday, according to a senior official, in his first speech in two weeks of unprecedented dissent.

He is expected to elaborate on a string of reforms announced last week, amid a wave of dissent and protests demanding reform and more freedoms in the country, which has been ruled by the Baath party since 1963.

More than 60 people have died since March 18 as security forces cracked down on protesters, Human Rights Watch has said.

---------- Post added March-29th-2011 at 01:30 PM ----------




http://english.aljazeera.net/news/af...436206976.html

UN: Gbagbo forces behind Abidjan 'atrocity'
World body says forces loyal to incumbent Ivorian president opened fire on civilians, killing about a dozen.
Last Modified: 29 Mar 2011 16:18

The UN peacekeeping mission in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) has released a statement saying forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the country's incumbent leader, opened fire on civilians in Abidjan on Monday, killing about a dozen people.

The organisation said that in another incident, a group of pro-Gbagbo youths put a tyre around a young man and burnt him alive in the Riviera area of the city, and that another group "savagely attacked" two UN staff.

"With the increase in human rights violations and barbaric practices, there are grounds for wondering whether President Gbagbo is still in charge of his forces and supporters," Tuesday's statement said.

"UNOCI believes it is imperative to end this spiral of violence by finding a definitive solution to the political impasse which stemmed from the post-electoral crisis."

Gbagbo's camp was not immediately available to comment on the UN statement.

The UN statement came as forces loyal to Ouattara, the internationally-recognised winner of the country's presidential elections in November, seized the towns of Daloa, Bondoukou and Belleville.

On Monday, pro-Outtara forces took control of the town of Duekoue.

A source in the pro-Gbagbo military said Daloa and Duekoue had fallen, but fighting continued in parts of Duekoue.

"The combat was very violent in Daloa the whole night, but we couldn't keep our positions ... It has fallen into rebel hands," the source said.

The capture of Daloa and Duekoue, potentially open up a route to the major exporting port of San Pedro and the area the supporters of Outaeea now control produces about 600,000 tonnes of cocoa a year, half of Cote d'Ivoire's output.

San Pedro ships out about that amount each year.

[visionary]

Bashar Assad is giving his speech to the parliament in Syria, and is getting quite an exuberant reception from them.

People keep standing up and making small speeches, apparently supporting him and the government.

This seems like some sort of political theater.

I'm not sure people in Daraa and Latakia or even Damascu will be too happy about this speech today.


People on twitter are making fun of his lack of mustache and calling that "real change and reform".


This sounds more like a defiance speech so far than a conciliatory one.
We've seen this before too much lately.
He keeps claiming that he speaks for all Arabs and not just Syria.
Seems every dictator in the Middle East seems to think so.
And yet they have no problem blaming other nearby countries sometimes all of them of causing the chaos in their country.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 07:51 AM ----------

http://twitter.com/jonathanshainin

That's serious reform! RT @AliaMalek #Syria hey, Bashar shaved his mustache

Wise move by Bashar -- everyone knows that if Saddam had shaved his mustache, he'd still be in power today. 1 minute ago via web

http://twitter.com/HalaGorani

If every sycophant in the room gets up to compliment the president, this might take a while. #Syria 6 minutes ago via web

He's now talking about revolutions in other countries and saying it is all linked to Syria.
He says there may be some actually calling for reform in this country.
But that other elements are taking cover from them and are using it for evil purposes.
He gets another round of applause from his lackeys and scum in the parliament.


http://twitter.com/KMFlower

Assad: not all events a conspiracy from abroad (but just most of them)...

Now he's saying the reason for a lot of these attempts and actions in Syria is to destabilize the country, split the country and aid Israel.

Oh, boy...

They are using tweets to different sects to incite each other to violence and coordinating with others. There are groups that work to falsify stories and push this.

Wow...he just got applause for saying that Daraa was a border area.

This is getting ****ing ridiculous.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 07:53 AM ----------


I have a feeling that unless there's some obvious and real reforms stuffed amidst this political fear mongering bull **** there's going to be some major riots today.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 08:05 AM ----------


http://twitter.com/blakehounshell

This time the camera panned to the MP before she started speaking... 4 minutes ago via Twitter for Mac

http://twitter.com/glcarlstrom

Assad argues that these "reforms" would have been implemented anyway, without protests; otherwise the government "would be yielding." 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck

He says that the emergency law reform bill has been in the process for a long time now.
In the year 2011 everything will be new.

These reforms are in place and have been for a long time now, and there are no real hurdles.
We have to avoid making these reforms a reaction to the current crisis.
They have to be from ten years in the past and ten years in the future.

He's talking about Tunisia and Egypt. Not saying anything about freedom, just economic stuff.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 08:24 AM ----------

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-30

1:55pm President Assad:"Some people on some satellite channels will come and say these reforms are not enough, don't get upset with these satellite channels, they fall into the same traps all the time, they lie and they start to believe their own lies.

And Bastard just finished his speech.

Ooops, I mean "Bashar"...silly me.


Someone let me know if they can figure out what reforms he announced.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 08:25 AM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1323: As President Assad finished his speech, lawmakers started chanting: "God, Syria and Bashar!" The president responded to this by saying: "God, Syria and Its People!"

[visionary]

Daraa is surrounded by military and Al Jazeera reporters tried to get in with acredited ids and are told by military not to come in and that all journalists are not allowed in Daraa today. He said even Syria state television is being disallowed from entering the city.

The reporter says he has never seen this heavily reinforced a checkpoint in Syria before.

[visionary]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/af...62614616.html#

Ouattara forces seize Cote d'Ivoire towns
Forces loyal to internationally recognised winner of presidential election continue their advance towards capital.
Last Modified: 30 Mar 2011 11:55

Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner of Cote d'Ivoire's presidential election, say they have seized control of another two central towns in their advance toward the country's capital.

Captain Leon Alla, a defence spokesman for Ouattara, said pro-Ouattara forces took control of Bouafle early on Wednesday and Sinfra on Tuesday.

Heavy gunfire was heard early on Wednesday in Bouafle, which is midway between the cocoa producing hub of Daloa and the country's capital Yamoussoukro.

Residents of Tiebisso, 40km north of the capital, also reported fighting.

"Since about 6 o'clock this morning, we are hearing gunfire in Bouafle," Alain Zagole, a resident of the town, told the Reuters news agency by phone.

"Machine gun fire and often heavy detonations. It is as if there are clashes," he said.

In the past few days, forces loyal to Ouattara have stepped up their military campaign - moving from their strongholds in the north into the government-controlled south.

Earlier this week, they reportedly seized the towns of Daloa, Bondoukou and Belleville and were fighting for the town of Duekoue.

Marco Oved, a freelance journalist in Abijdan, said the seizures represent rapid victories for pro-Ouattara forces against fighters loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the country's incumbent leader who has refused to step down.

"They've moved hundreds of kilometres often from the west into the centre of the country, and the east into the centre," he told Al Jazeera.

---------- Post added March-30th-2011 at 12:18 PM ----------




http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...394489875.html

Bahrain's Shia opposition leader has demanded that the Saudi-led force that was invited into the country to help quell anti-government protests should leave the country.

Ali Salman said on Wednesday that foreign troops must leave because the opposition rejects "any military intervening for any party" in Bahrain.

About 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states entered Bahrain two weeks ago on the Sunni monarch's invitation.

Bahrain's king also declared emergency rule and cracked down heavily on protesters who have challenged the royal family's monopoly on power.

Iran, the main Shia power in the region, strongly condemned the deployment. But Salman on Wednesday also said Iran should not interfere.

He told reporters that "we don't want Bahrain to turn into a conflict zone" between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Meanwhile, Bahrain is expanding the crackdown on the opposition, detaining a prominent blogger, his family and a social media editor said.

Amira al-Hussaini, a Middle East and North Africa editor at Global Voices Online said police took Mahmoud al-Youssef, the "godfather of the Bahraini blogging community," into custody early on Wednesday. Two other internet activists were also said to be arrested.

Al-Youssef has for years criticised the Bahraini government for curbing freedom of expression, al-Hussaini said.

He has supported the Shia-led protests and advocated political reform through dialogue between the government and the opposition.

Al-Youssef's brother, Jamal, confirmed the arrest. He said his brother was taken into custody from his home in Duraz, an opposition stronghold northwest of the capital Manama.

http://twitter.com/acarvin

Egypt's military rulers say presidential election will happen by November at the latest. - AP 15 minutes ago via TweetDeck

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

1705: Some news now from Kuwait: Parliamentary sources say the cabinet is expected to resign on Thursday, Reuters reports. We'll bring you more details as we get them.