(CNN) -- Demonstrations have spread across parts of the Middle East and North Africa. Here is the latest from each country and the roots of the unrest.
Wednesday developments:
YEMEN
Amnesty International said about 30 people have reportedly been killed in the "ongoing unrest which began early last month."
A Yemeni man injured in protests at Sanaa University died of his wounds early Wednesday morning, a medical official said.
Mohamed Ali Mutlak, 24, was among dozens of anti-government demonstrators wounded Tuesday when security forces fired into the air and shot tear gas into a crowd of tens of thousands of protesters who had massed in front of Sanaa University, witnesses said.
Eight of them were still in critical condition, said Dr. Waseem Qurashi, head of the medical department at Change Square, Sanaa University.
Protests took place across the country Wednesday. Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators were outside Sanaa University. In Taiz, tens of thousands of protesters continued their sit-in protest, calling for ouster of the country's president. Thousands were also in the streets of Ibb, Aden, Hodeidah, and Dhamar.
Roots of unrest:
Protesters have called for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled Yemen since 1978. The country has been wracked by a Shiite Muslim uprising, a U.S.-aided crackdown on al Qaeda operatives and a looming shortage of water. High unemployment fuels much of the anger among a growing young population steeped in poverty. The protesters also cite government corruption and a lack of political freedom. Saleh has promised not to run for president in the next round of elections.
LIBYA
The head of the interim government in eastern Libya pleaded Wednesday for the international community to move quickly to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, declaring that any delay would result in more casualties.
"It has to be immediate action," Mustafa Abdul-Jalil told CNN in an exclusive interview. "The longer the situation carries on, the more blood is shed. That's the message that we want to send to the international community. They have to live up to their responsibility with regards to this."
After the uprising began February 15, Abdul-Jalil was among government officials who broke with the regime. He has gone on to lead the opposition's National Transitional Council, a 31-member group representing most regions in Libya. Abdul-Jalil's remarks came shortly after Moammar Gadhafi's regime announced a reward for Abdul-Jalil's capture, branding him "an agent spy."
People in some towns in the western part of the country told CNN Wednesday their areas were under rebel control.
Three BBC journalists released from detention in Libya told Wednesday of beatings and mock executions that they and other detainees were subjected to by their captors.
The three -- Feras Killani, Goktay Koraltan and Chris Cobb-Smith -- described how Libyan authorities seized their cameras and other equipment Monday at a checkpoint six miles south of Zawiyah, a scene of heavy fighting between government and rebel forces.
Gadhafi's forces appeared to be advancing Wednesday on Ras Lanuf, using planes and heavy artillery in an effort to retake the eastern oil city.
At least one oil storage tank in the town of As-sidr, to the west, was on fire, causing a massive black plume of smoke to rise over the surrounding area, including Ras Lanuf, Wedeman reported. Libyan state television reported that "armed groups supported by al Qaeda blew up an oil tank as they withdrew from Ras Lanouf against the advancing Libyan armed forces."
Roots of unrest:
Protests in Libya started in February when demonstrators, fed up with delays, broke into a housing project the government was building and occupied it. Gadhafi's government, which has ruled since a 1969 coup, responded with a $24 billion fund for housing and development. A month later, more demonstrations were sparked when police detained relatives of those killed in an alleged 1996 massacre at the Abu Salim prison, according to Human Rights Watch. High unemployment and demands for freedom have also fueled the protests.
TUNISIA
A Tunisian court issued a ruling Wednesday dissolving the Rally for Constitutional Democracy, the party of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
This is "an accomplishment to the Tunisian revolution and to the Tunisians who had always suffered from this party," said Rabeea Ben Taareet, a Tunisian lawyer.
This comes after Tunisia's Interior Ministry announced Monday that it is dissolving its "political police" and the entire State Security Division, which was widely unpopular under the former regime, according to the country's news agency, Tunis Afrique Presse.
Roots of unrest:
The revolt was triggered when an unemployed college graduate set himself ablaze after police confiscated his fruit cart, cutting off his source of income. Protesters complained about high unemployment, corruption, rising prices and political repression.
An interim government came to power after an uprising prompted autocratic President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to leave the country on January 14. Those demonstrations helped spark protests around North Africa and the Middle East.
EGYPT
Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei announced that he will run for president in upcoming elections. The dissident reformist who served as director-general of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency from 1997 to 2009 announced his decision on ONTV, a privately owned Egyptian television channel.
Pro-democracy activists in Cairo's Tahrir Square endured waves of attacks by people armed with machetes, knives, Molotov cocktails and horsewhips, according to opposition forces and witnesses.
The assaults late Tuesday left at least 44 people injured, opposition activists said.
The violence continued into Wednesday in the square, which was the center of the Egyptian protest movement that led to the removal of President Hosni Mubarak last month.
Thirteen people were killed in clashes between Coptic Christians and Muslims in Cairo, state-run Egyptian television reported Wednesday. About 90 were wounded, according to Egypt's health minister. The clashes broke out Tuesday after Copts took to the streets to protest last week's burning of a church.
Roots of unrest:
Complaints about police corruption and abuses were among the top grievances of demonstrators who forced President Hosni Mubarak from office. Demonstrators also were angry about Mubarak's 30-year rule, a lack of free elections and economic issues, such as high food prices, low wages and high unemployment. Since Mubarak's departure, several thousand people have protested in Cairo's Tahrir Square to urge Egypt's new rulers to implement promised reforms. They pressed Egypt's Supreme Council to end an emergency law and release political prisoners, among other things. They also demanded civilian representation in government.
BAHRAIN
Three hard-line groups in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain have united and called for the ruling family to step aside, they announced.
The Haq, Wafa and Bahrain Freedom Movement parties have formed a "Coalition for a (Bahraini) Republic," they said late Tuesday.
"The people want to overthrow the regime," said Hassan Mushaimaa, secretary general of Haq movement, at a news conference. Video of the event was posted on YouTube.
He said the coalition was "motivated by the rules of our Islamic religion and international charters on human rights to freely decide their faith, and expressing our gratitude to the Bahraini community who suffered from the rule of the corrupt family of Al-Khalifah."
Anti-government protesters have been camped out in the capital's Pearl Roundabout for nearly a month.
The new coalition is calling for a democratic republic with no ruling family -- a step farther than other opposition groups, which are calling for a constitutional monarchy.
Roots of unrest:
Protesters initially took to the streets of Manama to demand reform and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy. But some are now calling for the removal of the royal family, which has led the Persian Gulf state since the 18th century. Young members of the country's Shiite Muslim majority have staged protests in recent years to complain about discrimination, unemployment and corruption, issues they say the country's Sunni rulers have done little to address. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights said authorities launched a clampdown on dissent in 2010. It accused the government of torturing some human rights activists.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
A group of 133 United Arab Emirates nationals have petitioned the president of the country for direct elections, one of the petitioners said Wednesday. The group includes academics, former government officials, journalists and activists, said Ahmed Mansoor, one of the petitioners.
Roots of unrest:
Despite widespread political unrest across the Middle East and North Africa, there have been no protests in the UAE demonstrations aren't technically illegal, but police never grant permits for them.
MAURITANIA At least 18 people were injured Tuesday during protests in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, a hospital official said Wednesday.
Riot police with tear gas and sticks cracked down on a peaceful sit-in organized by hundreds of youth in the heart of the capital. Police occupied a city square and prevented the youth from coming to it.
Rabi Ould Idoumou, one of the leaders of the opposition movement, said protests will continue as long as the people endure unemployment and poverty.
"Social, political and economic reforms must be made in Mauritania as soon as possible. Otherwise, the protests will continue," he said.
Roots of unrest:
In January, a man set himself on fire in front of Mauritania's presidential palace, according to news reports -- a self-immolation in the same spirit as others in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and elsewhere. There have been two bloodless coups since 2005 in the country, which borders Algeria and Mali, with ex-Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz serving as president since 2009.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES
IRAN
Security forces in Iran's capital used tear gas to disperse protesters near Revolution Square Tuesday, according to the website of opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi. Iran's opposition movement had called for demonstrations to mark International Women's Day, and the security presence and car honking was widespread throughout Tehran.
Thousands of Basij security forces patrolled Revolution Square and other major squares and intersections in Tehran. Security agents were seen ripping off the license plate of one car that was honking.
The driver apologized and the plate was returned. Two young women in a car said something to several members of the Basij. The agents took out cell phones and photographed their license plate before they drove off.
Some of those patrolling appeared to be teens.
Roots of unrest:
Opposition to the ruling clerics has simmered since the 2009 election, when hundreds of thousands of people filled Tehran streets to denounce President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election as fraudulent. Iranian authorities began rounding up many government opponents in February amid calls for protests like those that have swept across North Africa and the Middle East.
SYRIA
A prominent Syrian human rights lawyer has been released from prison.
Attorney Haitham Maleh -- arrested in October 2009 during a government crackdown on lawyers and activists -- has been freed, his son told CNN Tuesday.
"I just talked to him on (the) phone and he was on his way home," Iyas Maleh said, confirming the release.
The release came as Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Monday issued pardons for prisoners, including some who are elderly and ill. Such pardons are made annually during this time of year, the anniversary of the Baathist party seizure of power in Syria.
The 80-year-old Maleh and other prisoners were not identified in the Syrian News Agency report announcing the pardons. The move comes amid demands by many restive citizens for more economic prosperity, political freedom and civil liberty.
Roots of unrest:
Opponents of the al-Assad government allege massive human rights abuses, and an emergency law has been in effect since 1963.
SAUDI ARABIA
Amnesty International on Monday urged Saudi Arabia to stop the "outrageous restriction" of peaceful protests.
Coming off two days of demonstrations, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warned Saturday that it would crack down on protesters who continue to take their grievances to the streets.
Saudi security forces will be "authorized to take all measures against anyone who tries to break the law and cause disorder," the ministry said, according to state-run news agency. An Interior Ministry spokesman said that kingdom law prevents all kinds of demonstrations, protests, strikes and even a call for them because they're against Sharia law and Saudi values and traditions.
"The Saudi Arabian authorities have a duty to ensure freedom of assembly and are obliged under international law to allow peaceful protests to take place," said Philip Luther, deputy director of the human rights group's Middle East and North Africa program.''
"They must act immediately to end this outrageous restriction on the right to legitimate protest."
Roots of unrest:
Demonstrators have demanded the release of Shiite prisoners they feel are being held without cause. Others have taken to the streets over the creation of a constitutional monarchy, more rights and other reforms.
Late last month, King Abdullah announced a series of sweeping measures aimed at relieving economic hardship and meeting with Bahrain's beleaguered monarch.
IRAQ
Masked attackers burned tents of protesters overnight in the main city of Iraq's Kurdistan region, police said Sunday.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered later in the day in Sulaimaniya for another protest against Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan regional government, witnesses told CNN.
The unrest in northern Iraq that erupted three weeks ago has killed five people and injured 158 so far, the head of the emergency health department, Dr. Nozad Ahmed, said.
Separately, the head of an independent Kurdish radio station in Kalar, 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Sulaimaniya, said Sunday that gunmen attacked the broadcast facility and destroyed or stole equipment overnight.
Protesters in the Kurdish region, mostly in Sulaimaniya, are demanding political reforms from Barzani's regional government and the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party. Like protests in other areas of Iraq, the demonstrators also complain of corruption, unemployment and poor public services.
Roots of unrest:
Demonstrations in Iraq have usually not targeted the national government. Instead, the protesters are angry over corruption, the quality of basic services, a crumbling infrastructure and high unemployment, particularly on a local level. They want an end to frequent power outages and food shortages.
ELSEWHERE
Sporadic demonstrations have erupted in recent weeks in other Middle Eastern and northern African nations, such as Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Kuwait and Sudan, and in the Palestinian territories.
KUWAIT
Protesters in Kuwait have clashed with authorities on at least two occasions. Hundreds of protesters are demanding greater rights for longtime residents who are not citizens of the country. They also demanded the release of people arrested in demonstrations. On February 19, protesters attacked the security forces, who used tear gas on the demonstration involving between 200 and 400 protesters.
Roots of unrest:
Protesters are seeking greater rights for longtime residents who are not Kuwaiti citizens, an issue the country has been grappling with for decades. According to the CIA World Factbook, Kuwait has 2.7 million people, with 1.3 million registered as "non-nationals."
SUDAN
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has decided not to run for another term in 2015, a senior member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party said. Al-Bashir has ruled since a military coup in 1989. He won another five-year term in a 2010 vote that opposition parties boycotted over complaints of fraud. He also faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region of Darfur.
Demonstrators have clashed with authorities on recent occasions in Sudan. Human Rights Watch has said that "authorities used excessive force during largely peaceful protests on January 30 and 31 in Khartoum and other northern cities." Witnesses said several people were arrested, including 20 who remain missing.
Roots of unrest:
Demonstrators seek an end to National Congress Party rule and government-imposed price increases, according to Human Rights Watch. It accuses the government of being heavy-handed in its response to demonstrations, and using pipes, sticks and tear gas to disperse protesters.
SYRIA
A prominent Syrian human rights lawyer has been released from prison.
Attorney Haitham Maleh -- arrested in October 2009 during a government crackdown on lawyers and activists -- has been freed, his son told CNN on Tuesday.
"I just talked to him on (the) phone and he was on his way home," Iyas Maleh said, confirming the release.
The release came as Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Monday issued pardons for prisoners, including some who are elderly and ill. Such pardons are made annually during this time of year, the anniversary of the Baathist party seizure of power in Syria.
The 80-year-old Maleh and other prisoners were not identified in the Syrian News Agency report announcing the pardons. The move comes amid demands by many restive citizens for more economic prosperity, political freedom and civil liberty.
Roots of unrest:
Opponents of the al-Assad government allege massive human rights abuses, and an emergency law has been in effect since 1963.
MOROCCO
Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Morocco to call for political reform. Labor unions, youth organizations and human rights groups demonstrated in at least six cities on February 27. Police stayed away from the demonstrations, most of which were peaceful, Human Rights Watch reported.
Roots of unrest:
Protesters in Morocco are calling for political reform. Government officials say such protests are not unusual and that the protesters' demands are on the agenda of most political parties.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Hundreds of Palestinians rallied for unity in February in Ramallah, West Bank, calling on Hamas, Fatah and other Palestinian political factions to heal their rifts amid arguments over elections scheduled for September in the Palestinian territories. "Division generates corruption" was one of the banner slogans from demonstrators, who flooded the streets after calls went out on social-networking sites as well as at schools and university campuses.
Roots of unrest:
The Palestinian territories have not seen the same kind of demonstrations as in many Arab countries, but the Fatah leaders of the Palestinian Authority have been under criticism since Al-Jazeera published secret papers claiming to reveal that Palestinian officials were prepared to make wide-ranging concessions in negotiations with Israel. Negotiations toward a resolution of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict have since collapsed. Palestinian protests, largely in support of Egypt and Tunisia, were generally small and poorly attended. In some cases, the Hamas rulers of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority rulers of the West Bank actively tried to stifle protests. The split between Hamas and Fatah hampers internal change in the territories, although calls for political change are growing louder. Large-scale protests have failed to materialize as many Palestinians believe Israel remains their biggest problem.
SAUDI ARABIA
Coming off two days of demonstrations, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warned Saturday, March 5, that it would crack down on protesters who continue to take their grievances to the streets.
But Amnesty International on Monday Saudi Arabia to stop the "outrageous restriction" of peaceful protests
Saudi security forces will be "authorized to take all measures against anyone who tries to break the law and cause disorder," the ministry said, according to state-run news agency. An Interior Ministry spokesman said that kingdom law prevents all kinds of demonstrations, protests, strikes and even a call for them because they're against Sharia law and Saudi values and traditions.
"The Saudi Arabian authorities have a duty to ensure freedom of assembly and are obliged under international law to allow peaceful protests to take place," said Philip Luther, deputy director of the human rights group's Middle East and North Africa program.''
"They must act immediately to end this outrageous restriction on the right to legitimate protest."
Roots of unrest:
Demonstrators have demanded the release of Shiite prisoners they feel are being held without cause. Others have taken to the streets over the creation of a constitutional monarchy, more rights and other reforms.
Late last month, King Abdullah announced a series of sweeping measures aimed at relieving economic hardship and meeting with Bahrain's beleaguered monarch.
SAUDI ARABIA
Coming off two days of demonstrations, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warned Saturday, March 5, that it would crack down on protesters who continue to take their grievances to the streets.
Saudi security forces will be "authorized to take all measures against anyone who tries to break the law and cause disorder," the ministry said, according to state-run news agency. An Interior Ministry spokesman said that kingdom law prevents all kinds of demonstrations, protests, strikes and even a call for them because they're against Sharia law and Saudi values and traditions.
Roots of unrest:
Demonstrators have demanded the release of Shiite prisoners they feel are being held without cause. Others have taken to the streets over the creation of a constitutional monarchy, more rights and other reforms.
Late last month, King Abdullah announced a series of sweeping measures aimed at relieving economic hardship and meeting with Bahrain's beleaguered monarch.
