Tunisia's protests spark suicide in Algeria and fears through Arab world

[Joanne98]

Tunisia's "jasmine revolution" sent new shockwaves across north Africa today, with a copycat suicide protest reported in Algeria and official dismay in Libya.

Politicians met amid sporadic violence in Tunis to agree the formation of a new government. Maya Jribi, secretary-general of the opposition Progressive Democratic party, told the AFP news agency that an interim government, to be announced tomorrow, would include her party, Ettajdid (Renaissance), and the Democratic Front for Labour and Freedoms, as well as independent figures. Agreement was reportedly reached after talks between the parties and Mohamed Ghannouchi, prime minister under the deposed dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The European Pressphoto Agency announced the death of French photographer Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, 32, who was hit in the head by a police teargas canister on Friday. Up to 200 people are estimated to have been killed since the unrest began last month, including 42 prisoners who died in a fire on Saturday.

Earlier, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi expressed his "pain" that Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday, had not been allowed to step down in his own time, as he had belatedly offered – reflecting nervousness among other autocratic Arab leaders of a ripple effect that could embolden opposition forces across the region.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/16/tunisia-protests-suicide-algeria-arab