Thousands rally for democracy in Morocco (AFP)

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AFP) – Thousands of demonstrators, including Islamists, held peaceful rallies in Rabat, Casablanca and Tangiers Sunday to demand greater political reforms and social justice in Morocco.

The latest protests were organised by the youth-based February 20 Movement behind months of demonstrations calling for reforms in the Arab world's oldest reigning monarchy.

In Casablanca's Sidi Othmane suburb, several thousand protesters shouted slogans to demand "a democratic constitution" and "greater social justice", AFP reporters witnessed.

Militants of the Islamist Justice and Charity Group, banned but tolerated by the government, were among the group.

Hundreds of pro-government protesters also gathered in Sidi Othmane, waving flags and portraits of King Mohammed VI, chanting: "Long live the King" and singing the antional anthem.

The two groups were kept apart by the security forces, out in large numbers.

At the same time, more than 1,000 protesters gathered in the capital Rabat and several thousand in Tangiers.

The protests are inspired by similar movements that have toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and by popular uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world.

They continue despite a referendum in which 98 percent of voters approved reforms proposed by the king, but boycotted by the February 20 Movement, which curbs the monarch's near-absolute powers.

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Mounting river to crest as thousands of homes flooded in N. Dakota

"Water is flowing toward Minot from Canada faster than ever," a weather agency says15-20% of the North Dakota city is underwater, according to the National Weather ServiceThe Souris River is slated to crest late Saturday or early SundayThe river topped its record of 1,558 feet set in 1881

Minot, North Dakota (CNN) -- The swollen Souris River is expected to crest this weekend after already topping its record water level on Friday, giving no respite to the thousands of people in North Dakota whose homes have been inundated by floodwater.

About 15-20% of Minot, North Dakota, was underwater late Friday, and floodwaters are expected to increase in the coming days, the National Weather Service said.

The Souris River, which locals call "The Mouse" after the French translation of its name, flows through the center of city. The river looks like a "U" and swoops in and out of North Dakota from Canada.

"Water is flowing toward Minot from Canada faster than ever due to record water levels upstream," the weather agency said Friday night. "The current forecast is for the crest to reach between 1,564 and 1,565 feet above sea level sometime during the overnight hours of June 25-26, and continuing through June 30. This crest would be more than 6 feet above record flood stage, and 9 feet above major flood stage."

The previous record of 1,558 feet above sea level was set in 1881, according to the NWS. The level was 1,560.13 on Friday evening.

Floodwater gushed through Minot on Friday. Between 3,000 and 4,000 homes have been affected by the water, and in some, the water was "up to the roofs," Minot Fire Department Battalion Chief John Hocking said.

"This is by far the toughest we've seen," Hocking said.

Crews were trying to keep the vital north-south U.S. Highway 83 open as the waters stopped railroad service and sent residents and zoo animals to higher ground. Officials worried that more levees would be breached.

A special focus was the so-called Broadway Bridge on U.S. 83, which spans the river. If it closes, Minot effectively would be split, making it tougher for emergency vehicles and repair crews to move about.

"It's really important that bridge stays open," said Cecily Fong, spokeswoman for the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.

Workers reinforced levees and built huge dikes to stem the flow of the river, Hocking said Friday night. Air boats were brought in earlier.

"This has been a very trying time for our community," Mayor Curt Zimbelman said. "Emotionally draining for all of us."

The rush of water prompted the overflowing of a lake near the city, officials said, exacerbating the region's flood concerns.

About 12,000 residents have evacuated their homes, according to Minot Fire Department Capt. Dean Lenertz.

Minot, in the north-central part of the state, is the fourth-largest city in North Dakota. The evacuation order covers a third of its population, state Emergency Services spokeswoman Cecily Fong said.

Zimbelman has said that no new evacuations have been ordered, even though "the flows coming into Lake Darling are reaching the lake quicker and at a greater volume than predicted."

"Due to this, Lake Darling has increased its outflow," the mayor said -- increasing flooding in the floodplain, though not to a point that it yet changes the "inundation zone."

About 800 National Guard troops were in the city late Friday to assist, Fong said.

Hocking said he took an aerial tour of areas around Minot and said saw widespread flooding.

"All along you could see are rooftops and flooded areas," he said.

Water has topped the city's dikes since Wednesday, which are leaking in some places.

CNN's Phil Gast, Marlena Baldacci, Jim Spellman and Alta Spells contributed to this report.

CNN

Thousands rally for reform in Bahrain (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Thousands of Bahrainis shouting "we are victorious" gathered for a rally for political reform on Saturday, in the first large demonstration since the Gulf Arab state crushed a democracy protest movement in March.

Bahrain brought in troops from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates in March and introduced martial law, which ended last week, to stop the protests against the Sunni Al-Khalifa family that rules over a Shi'ite majority population.

The government said the protests had a sectarian agenda and help from Shi'ite power Iran, just across the Gulf waters. The opposition denies this.

"Some try to manipulate our demands, to make them Shi'ite demands. This is not true. We are not calling for an Iran, but to build up our political reforms together, Shi'ite and Sunni, which will benefit all Bahrainis," said Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Wefaq opposition group which organized the event.

"We will continue peacefully and we will continue our peaceful demonstrations," he said, as the crowd roared back: "Peaceful, peaceful!"

The rally will likely be seen as a show of strength by Wefaq, Bahrain's leading Shi'ite opposition group, as it heads to a national dialogue called by the king for next month.

"Wefaq wants to encourage people to get back out after months of fear. It's a good sign ," said protester Fatima.

The government said it granted permission for the rally, held in a large square in the Shi'ite district of Saar, west of the capital and away from central Pearl Roundabout, epicenter of the earlier protests inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Protesters waving Bahraini flags spilled out into the streets and dozens watched from nearby rooftops.

People drove in from around the city, causing traffic jams of more than 2 km long. State helicopters buzzed over crowds raising signs that read "The nation is for everyone."

Opposition figures more than 10,000 people attended the rally. The Interior Ministry said 4,000 people were gathered.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Barbed wire and armored vehicles guard Pearl Roundabout in Manama, where protesters camped out for about six weeks, to prevent it from becoming a focal point for protests again.

But protesters in Saar described a new sense of optimism.

"I think the crowd speaks for itself," said Fadel, carrying his small son, wrapped in a Bahraini flag. "Hopefully, this will be the next Pearl Roundabout."

King Hamad bin Isa has offered a new dialogue with opposition groups starting in July. Wefaq said it would organize more rallies until then, and may plan a march for next week.

"The dialogue should offer real political solutions, it should not be cosmetic talk. We are serious about this dialogue," Salman said in his 30-minute speech.

"They say the Shi'ites want a special government for themselves. No, we want a civilian state and an elected government for all... This is what we demanded in Pearl Roundabout and it is what we will again call for here."

Wefaq organizers quietened those in the crowd who tried to chant "Down with the government," frustrating some protesters.

"I think the people want the fall of this regime. After the repression and the killings, how can we go back?" said protester Amal, swathed in a black veil.

The government appointed its parliament speaker on Saturday to lead the national dialogue, the state news agency said, but the opposition said Crown Prince Salman -- seen as leader of a moderate wing of the ruling family -- should head the talks.

Khalifa al-Dhahrani, speaker of the Council of Representatives, said he hoped to bring "all parties concerned with matters of the state" into the dialogue.

Wefaq's Khalil al-Marzooq said Dhahrani was opposed to many of the opposition's core demands.

"He has previously objected to discussing reforms over elections, constitutional amendments and the issue of discrimination," he said. "Genuine dialogue must be with the prince or the king because we need to discuss the central issues which are between the people and the ruling family."

Bahrain's cabinet is dominated by the ruling family and the king also appoints all members of an upper assembly, minimizing the powers of the elected parliament.

At the rally, Shi'ites said they broke a barrier of fear after over two months of military rule, when hundreds were detained or dismissed from their jobs and dozens were put on trial on charges from incitement to trying to overthrow the system.

"This needed to happen. The government thought they could suppress everything with the state of emergency. It seems they did not," one protester said.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon, writing by Andrew Hammond and Erika Solomon, editing by Alison Williams)

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Thousands rally for reform in Bahrain (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Thousands of Bahrainis shouting "we are victorious" gathered for a rally for political reform on Saturday, in the first large demonstration since the Gulf Arab state crushed a democracy protest movement in March.

Bahrain brought in troops from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates in March and introduced martial law, which ended last week, to stop the protests against the Sunni Al-Khalifa family that rules over a Shi'ite majority population.

The government said the protests had a sectarian agenda and help from Shi'ite power Iran, just across the Gulf waters. The opposition denies this.

"Some try to manipulate our demands, to make them Shi'ite demands. This is not true. We are not calling for an Iran, but to build up our political reforms together, Shi'ite and Sunni, which will benefit all Bahrainis," said Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Wefaq opposition group which organized the event.

"We will continue peacefully and we will continue our peaceful demonstrations," he said, as the crowd roared back: "Peaceful, peaceful!"

The rally will likely be seen as a show of strength by Wefaq, Bahrain's leading Shi'ite opposition group, as it heads to a national dialogue called by the king for next month.

"Wefaq wants to encourage people to get back out after months of fear. It's a good sign ," said protester Fatima.

The government said it granted permission for the rally, held in a large square in the Shi'ite district of Saar, west of the capital and away from central Pearl Roundabout, epicenter of the earlier protests inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Protesters waving Bahraini flags spilled out into the streets and dozens watched from nearby rooftops.

People drove in from around the city, causing traffic jams of more than 2 km long. State helicopters buzzed over crowds raising signs that read "The nation is for everyone."

Opposition figures more than 10,000 people attended the rally. The Interior Ministry said 4,000 people were gathered.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Barbed wire and armored vehicles guard Pearl Roundabout in Manama, where protesters camped out for about six weeks, to prevent it from becoming a focal point for protests again.

But protesters in Saar described a new sense of optimism.

"I think the crowd speaks for itself," said Fadel, carrying his small son, wrapped in a Bahraini flag. "Hopefully, this will be the next Pearl Roundabout."

King Hamad bin Isa has offered a new dialogue with opposition groups starting in July. Wefaq said it would organize more rallies until then, and may plan a march for next week.

"The dialogue should offer real political solutions, it should not be cosmetic talk. We are serious about this dialogue," Salman said in his 30-minute speech.

"They say the Shi'ites want a special government for themselves. No, we want a civilian state and an elected government for all... This is what we demanded in Pearl Roundabout and it is what we will again call for here."

Wefaq organizers quietened those in the crowd who tried to chant "Down with the government," frustrating some protesters.

"I think the people want the fall of this regime. After the repression and the killings, how can we go back?" said protester Amal, swathed in a black veil.

The government appointed its parliament speaker on Saturday to lead the national dialogue, the state news agency said, but the opposition said Crown Prince Salman -- seen as leader of a moderate wing of the ruling family -- should head the talks.

Khalifa al-Dhahrani, speaker of the Council of Representatives, said he hoped to bring "all parties concerned with matters of the state" into the dialogue.

Wefaq's Khalil al-Marzooq said Dhahrani was opposed to many of the opposition's core demands.

"He has previously objected to discussing reforms over elections, constitutional amendments and the issue of discrimination," he said. "Genuine dialogue must be with the prince or the king because we need to discuss the central issues which are between the people and the ruling family."

Bahrain's cabinet is dominated by the ruling family and the king also appoints all members of an upper assembly, minimizing the powers of the elected parliament.

At the rally, Shi'ites said they broke a barrier of fear after over two months of military rule, when hundreds were detained or dismissed from their jobs and dozens were put on trial on charges from incitement to trying to overthrow the system.

"This needed to happen. The government thought they could suppress everything with the state of emergency. It seems they did not," one protester said.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon, writing by Andrew Hammond and Erika Solomon, editing by Alison Williams)

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Thousands turn out for Bahrain reform

Thousands of opposition supporters rally in the Bahraini capital of Manama on Saturday.The government lifted emergency laws last weekThe ruling Sunni royal family accuses Iran of backing the protestsShiites are a majority in the Persian Gulf state

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- Thousands of Bahrainis protested their government Saturday in a rally organized by the main opposition party.

Unafraid, pro-reform demonstrators hit the streets with their faces uncovered, said a journalist at the scene who was not identified for security reasons.

It was the second such protest since the government last week lifted emergency laws that were imposed in mid-March, allowing a crackdown on political leaders and journalists.

Sunday, attention will focus on the case of a 20-year-old poet who was arrested for writing and then reading her anti-government work at earlier demonstrations. She is expected to appear in military court Sunday.

Bahrain's ruling royal family -- Sunnis in a majority-Shiite nation -- accuses protesters of being motivated by sectarian differences and supported by Iran.

Ali Salman, the secretary general of al Wefaq, Bahrain's principal opposition party, dismissed those claims Saturday.

He told the large crowds that he supports the government's offer of dialogue but said he could not endorse it fully until the conditions for such talks were clear.

Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa pledged cooperation from the government "to reach national consensus so as to ensure a better future for the kingdom," the state-run Bahrain News Agency said.

Crown Prince Salman, who met with U.S. officials in Washington Wednesday, thanked President Barack Obama for his backing of a national dialogue in Bahrain.

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, and the United States has been concerned about the instabilityin the Persian Gulf island state.

CNN's Nic Robertson contributed to this report.

CNN

Refugee Resort: As Civil War Rages in Libya, Thousands Flock to Tunisia's Djerba Island (Time.com)

By DOMENICO QUIRICO / LA STAMPA / WORLDCRUNCH Domenico Quirico / La Stampa / Worldcrunch – 1 hr 37 mins ago

This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in La Stampa.

The Tunisian island of Djerba has for all intents and purposes become a Libyan colony. Since the beginning of the civil war, almost 50,000 Libyans have escaped to Tunisia, and 5,000 of them have flocked to Djerba, a popular tourist destination before the wave of revolts began sweeping through North Africa.

There, the rifts of the civil war are evident. On the island, Muammar Gaddafi's supporters and rebels live dangerously side by side. Spies of the regime pretend to be refugees, while revolutionaries dress up as businessmen. It is a melting pot of rumors, provocations, deep misery and outrageous luxury. The enemies have something in common, though. They are all stuck, waiting to know what will happen to Gaddafi. They all watch al-Jazeera, looking for clues about when and if he will fall. (What happens if Gaddafi goes?)

The "five-star refugees" rule Djerba's cafEs and nightclubs, which they treat as their own. Djerba is a sort of Florida for rich Libyans. Until three months ago, they used to go there every weekend. Many Libyan men used to find their dolce vita in Djerba's luxury hotels, restaurants, casinos and nightclubs. The hypocritical Gaddafi regime frowned upon overtly public nightlife.

Now the rich Libyans are back on Djerba. They sit lazily at the bars. They block the streets with their white luxury cars. Even the airport's parking lot is full of the cars of businessmen who are away in the Middle East and Europe. "Top oil men and traffickers who were close to the regime have fled Libya with their money. They have found a safe place for their families, and now they are regaining control of their businesses," says Farhat Tanfous, the mayor of Midoun, a town on the island.

It is both a blessing and a curse for Djerba. Due to the war, bookings by Europeans have dropped by half. The millionaire refugees have picked up the slack, occupying the island's luxury hotels and villas. The beautiful houses hidden between the olive trees are sold out.

Many of them are open supporters of Gaddafi. Two large men sitting at the restaurant El Maluf and staring at the girls on the street are among them. "Why are we here? Because NATO is killing people in Tripoli. That's why! Libya was a paradise before the arrival of these murderers from Cyrenaica who dope themselves before the fight. Watch Libyan television to see the truth! Even in Benghazi the majority of people support Gaddafi, but they cannot protest," they say. The men refuse to identify themselves other than to say they are oil engineers. (See pictures of the perilous voyage of Libyan refugees.)

Among Djerba's Libyans, there are many agents of the political police, Kataeb al Amn. They disguise themselves as refugees in order to monitor the rebels on the island. They spread rumors that Libyan women are forced to prostitute themselves to feed their children. They try to split Libyans and Tunisians. They swear that Gaddafi will forgive everyone. They smile and they threaten. Fear is spreading among the poor refugees who are afraid to be captured by Gaddafi and his police.

Some of Djerba's refugees just sit in the middle. They wait in front of the television to see who will win. They're eager to know when they will be able to get back to business and take advantage of their tribal relations, which will be even more useful in the future than under Gaddafi's regime.

Finally, there are the other refugees, the poor ones, still bewildered and shocked by the bombings. Many of them haven't made it to Djerba. Instead they are stuck in Tunisian villages close to the border with Libya. Only Tunisian generosity is saving them. Tunisians have opened their houses and stadiums to the Libyan refugees. They are even organizing classes for the children. (See "Death, Prison or Exile: Gaddafi Is Out of Options.")

In the end, that is what's keeping these refugees going: Tunisian solidarity and compassion. "With all our oil, we would have never been able to do all this," said Ala, a Libyan refugee. These words express the final damnation of a 40-year regime.

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See a video of Somali refugees from Libya putting on a show in Tunisia.

Read about Gaddafi's nepotism in the "Top 10 Abuses of Power."

View this article on Time.com

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Thousands in Bahrain mourn protesters

NEW: Bahrain's prime minister meets with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-MoonHundreds had marched in Sanabis to mourn the woman, an opposition source saysAbout 1,000 also gathered in Manama to mourn the death of a 63-year-old manBahrain lifted its emergency laws Wednesday, but continues to target opposition

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- Thousands of Bahrainis hit the streets again to vent their anger at the Arab nation's government on Friday, an opposition source said, days after the justice ministry warned against "any type of activities that could affect the security or harm the national peace and safety."

Sanabis, just west of the capital, Manama, was the hub of the day's biggest demonstrations. Thousands marched late Friday in the suburb, an opposition source said.

Earlier, about 1,000 people had gathered to mourn Zainab Ali Altajir, a 69-year-old woman who died Thursday after allegedly inhaling tear gas fired by authorities as they clashed with protesters, an opposition figure said.

In a statement on Bahrain's interior ministry website, the government denied that the woman died from tear gas inhalation, saying she had chronic heart disease and died of natural causes.

Later Friday, the opposition source said, about 1,000 demonstrators congregated in Manama to remember Salman Abu Idrees, a 63-year-old who had been missing since mid-March. Images of Idrees' body showed his injuries -- including one that the source said was a rubber bullet in the stomach.

There was no indication whether government forces, including police, confronted or obstructed those demonstrating Friday. Bahraini government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The protests came the same day that Bahrain celebrated the World Motor Sport Council's decision to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix into the Formula One racing season.

Bahraini and racing officials lauded the return of the race as a sign of reconciliation, though signs that the turmoil is not over remained.

Wednesday's lifting of emergency laws, imposed in mid-March and allowing a crackdown on political leaders and journalists, is thought to be an effort to signal an end to months of unrest stemming from the Arab Spring, a wave of anti-government protests that started in Tunisia and have since roiled several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

Since the beginning of the turmoil in Bahrain, about 30 people have been killed, according to figures from the government, opposition figures and human rights groups. Opposition and human rights groups say more than 1,000 have been detained.

Even after the lifting of emergency laws, the government has continued its crackdown on the country's major Shiite political opposition movement.

The kingdom also filed charges against four top opposition leaders in a move that could weaken the country's Wefaq party, according to two opposition sources. This came as King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appealed for dialogue, saying that talks with opposition groups are scheduled to begin in July.

On Friday, Bahrain's longtime prime minister -- Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa -- and Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa met with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, according to a statement from the United Nations. The world body's leader called on Bahrain's government "to uphold international human rights norms ... and welcomed the commitment and assurances made by the Crown Prince in this regard."

Ban "welcomed the lifting of emergency laws and the decision ... to call for a national dialogue," the U.N. statement said. "He expressed hope that such a dialogue would be genuine, meaningful and inclusive and respond to the legitimate political, economic and social aspirations of all Bahraini people."

CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report.

CNN

Thousands flee Sudan's Abyei as militias move south (Reuters)

KHARTOUM/JUBA (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people fled Sudan's contested Abyei region as northern militias accused of helping seize the area over the weekend moved further south, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Armed groups, thought to be northern militias, also opened fire on four U.N. helicopters in Abyei on Tuesday, a U.N. spokeswoman said.

North Sudan sent tanks into Abyei, a central, oil-producing region claimed by both north and south Sudan, on Saturday, sparking an international outcry.

The move came at a highly sensitive time for Sudan, less than seven weeks before the country's south is expected to declare independence from the north, as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war.

Abyei was a key battleground in Sudan's last civil war and a symbolic emblem for both sides. The region is used all year round by the south-linked Dinka Ngok people and for part of the year by northern Arab Misseriya nomads.

Analysts fear further north-south fighting over the region could spark a return to full-blown conflict, a development that could have a devastating impact on the surrounding region.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged north and south to return to the negotiating table and resist "further acts of aggression."

"We must all impress on the parties that military confrontation in Abyei is not an option," he told heads of state at an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa.

Thousands of Abyei residents initially fled to the town of Agok, just over the border into south Sudan, said aid groups.

U.N. and aid agencies said up to 40,000 had now been forced to leave their homes and were moving deeper into south Sudan.

"There are enormous numbers of people now on the road from Agok to Turalei, on muddy roads. Many kids need to be treated for dehydration," said Gustavo Fernandez, program manager with aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Most refugees in Agok were living under trees, while 2,800 had found shelter in a local school, said the Anglican Alliance aid group.

"Civilians are down on streets and in bushes, no food, no shelter, no water and no medical assistance," the Anglican church umbrella group said in a report.

Misseriya militias started pushing further south after people left the region's main settlement Abyei town, said U.N. spokeswoman Hua Jiang.

"There are reports that they are moving south," she said.

Southern army spokesman Philip Aguer accused the north of using the Misseriya to carry out a land-grab ahead of the separation of the south.

"Misseriya are being transported by SAF (the northern army) to Abyei. They want to claim the land," he told Reuters.

NORTH DEFIANT

U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki-moon urged north and south to return to the negotiating table and resists "further acts of aggression."

"We must all impress on the parties that military confrontation in Abyei is not an option," he told heads of state's at an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa.

Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir defied U.S., U.N. and other calls to pull back, saying Abyei belonged to the north. "We will not withdraw from it," he said in Khartoum on Tuesday.

The north's show of force could shake a fragile political balance that has held in Africa's largest country since the 2005 deal ended the civil war that left millions dead.

It could also delay the restoration of normal diplomatic relations between north Sudan and the outside world.

The United States on Monday ruled out dropping it from a terrorism list and restoring Washington's ambassador to Khartoum if it continues to occupy Abyei.

A total of 14 rounds were fired when the United Nations helicopters took off from a U.N. compound in Abyei town on Tuesday but they landed safely, U.N. spokeswoman Jiang said.

Jiang said Misseriya militias supported by Khartoum were probably responsible for the attack.

Fighting and looting -- some of which targeted supply bases of U.N. agencies -- had died down, she added.

Northern forces had deployed military aircraft at a northern airbase in El Obeid within striking distance to Abyei, said the Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP), a monitoring group.

"The presence of these attack-capable planes in close proximity to Abyei is consistent with reports of SAF (northern) bombing attacks in Abyei within the past five days," said SSP.

No reliable casualty figure have emerged yet as aid agencies struggle to reach Abyei. Britain's ambassador in Khartoum, Nicholas Kay, wrote on his blog that two embassy staff had lost relatives in the disputed region.

(Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa; Writing by Tom Pfeiffer in Cairo; Editing by Matthew Jones)

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Thousands of students demonstrate in Burkina Faso (AP)

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Thousands of students took to the streets of Burkina Faso's capital burning tires and chanting in support of teachers who are demanding better conditions.

Ministry spokesman Boubacar Sy said Monday that angry students also entered the education ministry and turned everything "upside down." Firefighters rushed to the building after smoke was seen rising from it.

Some demonstrators seized buses and forced drivers to drive around gathering more students. Students had demonstrated in the capital and across the country last week for the same cause.

These protests come more than a month after a mutiny had threatened President Blaise Compaore's 24-year rule. The president dissolved the government and removed the country's security chiefs but kept himself in power.

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Thousands protest in Syria, defying crackdown (Reuters)

AMMAN (Reuters) – Thousands of people demonstrated across Syria on Friday calling for freedom in defiance of a military crackdown that has killed hundreds, witnesses and activists said.

A rights group said at least one person was killed when security forces opened fire at a demonstration in the town of Sanamin, south of Damascus. Activists in the central city of Homs said security forces fired on at least two protests there.

Syria has barred most international media since the protests broke out two months ago, making it impossible to verify independently accounts from activists and officials.

Reports from rights campaigners said there were protests in several cities, from Banias on the Mediterranean coast -- where the army had deployed this month to crush demonstrations -- to Qamishli in the Kurdish east of the country.

"The sound of gunfire is being heard now in Banias. The demonstration erupted although around 1,000 people from the city and around it have been detained in the last few weeks," said a spokesman for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A witness said security forces fired teargas on protesters in the city of Hama, where around 20,000 people had gathered in two separate areas, a witness said. Security forces also used teargas to disperse around 1,000 protesters in the town of Tel just north of Damascus, another witness said.

The main weekly Muslim prayers on Fridays are a rallying point for protesters because they offer the only opportunity for large gatherings, and have seen the worst death tolls in unrest which rights groups say has killed at least 800 civilians.

The United States, which has condemned the crackdown as barbaric, imposed targeted sanctions against Assad this week and President Barack Obama warned Syria must move away from "the path of murder and mass arrest."

"The Syrian people have shown their courage in demanding a transition to democracy," Obama said in a speech on U.S. policy in the Middle East and North Africa. "President Assad now has a choice: He can lead that transition or get out of the way."

Despite strong words from the White House, the West has so far taken only small steps to isolate Assad when compared to its bombing campaign against Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi, also accused of killing protesters.

Before the prayers, a witness told Reuters by telephone he saw security forces and checkpoints between many Damascus suburbs, apparently aimed at preventing protesters from marching into the capital.

A resident in the suburb of Hajar al-Aswad reported people demonstrating there and calling for "the overthrow of the regime," the slogan of Arab uprisings which have toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.

ASSAD'S CHALLENGE

The two-month uprising has posed the gravest challenge to Assad's rule. In response, he has lifted a 48-year state of emergency and granted citizenship to stateless Kurds, but also sent tanks to several cities to suppress the protests.

Since the protests first broke out in March, they have spread across southern towns, coastal cities, Damascus suburbs and the central city of Homs. The two main cities of Damascus and Aleppo have remained relatively quiet.

Syrian authorities blame most of the violence on armed groups, backed by Islamists and outside powers, who they say have killed more than 120 soldiers and police. They have recently suggested they believe the protests have peaked.

Western powers, fearing instability across the Middle East if Syria undergoes a dramatic upheaval, at first made only muted criticisms of Assad's actions, but then stepped up their condemnation and imposed sanctions on leading Syrian figures.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it would freeze any assets owned by Syrian officials that fell within U.S. jurisdiction, and bar U.S. individuals and companies from dealing with them.

The sanctions also applied to Syria's vice president, prime minister, interior and defense ministers, the head of military intelligence and director of the political security branch, but it was unclear which assets, if any, would be blocked.

An EU diplomat said the European Union was also likely to extend its sanctions on Syria next week to include Assad.

Damascus condemned the sanctions, saying they targeted the Syrian people and served Israel's interests.

"The sanctions have not and will not affect Syria's independent will," an official source was quoted as saying on state television on Thursday.

(Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Peter Graff)

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Thousands protest Spain austerity cuts

Protesters set up a camp for the night at a demonstration in Madrid's Puerta del Sol plaza on Tuesday, May 17.Thousands return late Tuesday to Madrid's central Puerta del Sol plazaA few hundred demonstrators camp out overnightDemonstrators are protesting Spain's 21 % unemployment rate

Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- Protests against Spain's economic crisis took a new turn Wednesday as social media networks fueled calls for demonstrators to take to the streets before local elections a few days away.

Thousands returned late Tuesday to Madrid's central Puerta del Sol plaza -- where the main protests began Sunday.

A few hundred demonstrators camped out there overnight, while similar but smaller protests were held in Barcelona and other Spanish cities, a protest organizer said.

"The economy and unemployment are key to the protest because that binds all of us together," said Jon Aguirre Such, a spokesman for the Real Democracy Now, one of many groups convening the demonstrations.

"In this crisis, while some have gotten rich, most people have less income," Aguirre said.

Demostrators are protesting Spain's 21 % unemployment rate and a record 4.9 million jobless.

Protesters say a plethora of temporary labor contracts offer few or no job benefits. In addition, some are protesting against the political and financial establishment that they say is to blame.

The protests come in the closing days of the campaign for local elections set for Sunday. Spain's 8,000 cities and towns will elect mayors, along with 13 (out of 17) regional presidents and parliaments.

Opinion polls in Spanish media predict major gains for the opposition conservatives over Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's ruling Socialist party.

Zapatero, squeezed by the nation's prolonged economic crisis, announced last month he won't seek a third term in national elections due by March 2012.

For the past few years, as Spain's rate of unemployment remained tenaciously high, most of the protests were organized by major trade unions.

But the latest protests appear to be grass-roots movements fueled by social networks, sparking more attention.

Elena Ortega, who says she's managed to find only a part-time secretarial job, helped spread the word on Facebook about the protests on Wednesday.

"If this is happening, it's because the unions weren't doing what was needed, when it was needed. They haven't delivered," she said.

She said she's worried about her 20-year-old son, who has only found temporary jobs in the past four years.

"Forty percent of our young people are unemployed and don't have a chance," Ortega said.

The movement does not appear to be linked to the unions or political parties, the traditional protest heavyweights in Spain, said Economist Fernando Fernandez of the IE Business School in Madrid.

"I think we really don't know what we're seeing," Fernandez said.

"This is the very beginning of a new movement. I don't expect it to become a very large social response or protest against the unemployment perspective in Spain."

But hours later, on Tuesday night, several thousand protesters returned to Madrid's central plaza. By Wednesday morning, dozens remained in their overnight encampment.

The social media networks call for renewed protests on Wednesday evening in Madrid and three dozen other Spanish cities. The aim is to continue the protests at least through the elections on Sunday, Aguirre said.

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