This protestor took to the streets of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, like scores of others demanding an end to 27-year rule of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The North African nation is witnessing street demonstrations from December 2010. Photo: AP
The hotspots of Middle East is highlighted in this image from Google Maps. The governments of seven countries, viz. Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Yemen, Jordan, Morocco and Syria are facing stiff opposition from a visibly unhappy public, who are unhappy with decades of authoritarian rule.
Protests about unemployment, high food prices and other problems continued at a low level for weeks in Tunis, exploding in mid-January. Few ministers quit, mounting pressure on President Ben Ali. His wife Leila Trabelsifled the country allegedly with 1.5 tons of gold from the treasury. Photo: AP
Tunisia's once-feared police who carried out the repressive policies of their President also joined hands with protesters. Photo shows a policeman holding a placard that reads " Police with the people." Photo: AP
In a matter of days, then-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled the country. Tunisia is now trying to cobble together a provisional government to lead the country until it can hold its first free election in years later this year. This graffiti on the walls of a building in Tunis reads "Free at last." Photo: AP
The Tunisian protests ignited the simmereing unrest in Cairo that exploded into mass demonstrations on January 25 against the autocratic rule of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who was catapulted to power in a dramatic manner following the assassination of then President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Photo: AP
For 18 days, protesters made Tahrir Square their make-shift home. President Hosni Mubarak was forced to yield to nationwide demands and handed over powers to his VIce-President Omar Suleiman on February 12. The Army took over and talks are on for reinstalling democracy in the nation after three decades. Photo: AP
The Egypt revolution revived the morale of Algerians, who were protesting against the rule of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, and are reportedly frustrated over poverty and a lack of basic freedoms. AP photo.
Demonstrators gathered in the capital Algiers on February 12 for a pro-democracy march, a day after protesters in Egypt forced out their longtime president. The march was organized by the Coordination for Change and Democracy, a newly formed umbrella group of trade unions, human rights groups and left-wing parties. Photo: AP
There have been periodic protests in Jordan mainly on economic issues, unemployment and rising prices. Protesters however, targetted the government, not the King. Photo: AP
Reacting to the regionwide unrest and protests in the kingdom, King Abdullah II sacked his entire cabinet on February 1 and called for the formation of a new government. He said the new government will be required to implement reforms, though many Jordanians are skeptical about meaningful change. Photo: AP
Following the Egyptian protests, a drive on social-networking site, Facebook, attempted to organize a "day of rage" in Syria on February 5. The plan however did not attract dissenters onto the streets. Photo: AP
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been in office since 2000. He became the President after the death of his father, the then President Hafez al-Assad. The country is in a state of Emergency from 1963. The murmers for a change are gradually growing louder. Photo: AP
The oil-rich Yemen is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the Arab World. Egypt-inspired protests have mushroomed across the country. The placards in this February 10 protest read "33 years of authoritarian rule," summing up the demands of the protesters. Photo: AP
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh (Centre) who is in power since 1978, announced in an emergency meeting that he would not run for re-election in the 2013 presidential elections. Photo: AP
Moroccan people gathered to show their solidarity with the Egyptian protesters. At centre women hold a banner which reads ''Knock down dictator, hurray democracy.'' Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. Cries for democracy are gaining momentum in this North African nation. Photo: AP
