Following the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, countries all across the Middle East and North Africa are seeing small but growing anti-government protests, proving that the status quo is no longer sustainable. Here's a quick look at what's happening today in the region:

  • Small protests against the Sunni Muslim monarchy in Bahrain took place in the Persian Gulf country today, with groups of majority Shia men and women clashing with riot police during today's planned "Day of Rage." [NYT]
  • Iranian opposition figures Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have been placed under house arrest in Tehran after calling for people to take to the streets in a show of support for the revolution in Egypt. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has tried to co-opt the momentum of the recent events in Egypt, but won't allow opposition groups into the streets for fear of putting his own ass on the line. [BBC; AJE]
  • The Algerian government said it will lift the country's 19-year emergency law "within days" after using that same law to violently crush protests there over the last month. [AJE]
  • Students and other activists have taken to the streets of Yemen's capital, Sana'a for the fourth straight day to demand the resignation of longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Protesters there yesterday were beaten by dagger- and club-wielding riot police. [AP]
  • Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' cabinet, which was never legitimate or fully representative of the Palestinian people in the first place, resigned today. [Ma'an]
  • A small campaign has started in Morocco to get people into the streets on February 20th to protest the rule of King Muhammad VI. [Arabist]

[A Yemeni anti-government protester wrote "leave" on his hand yesterday]