Thousands of protesters converged on cities and towns across Iraq March 4, streaming in on foot in defiance of vehicle bans for rallies over corruption, unemployment and poor public services. Some 2,000 gathered in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, while large protests were also reported in Mosul, Basra and Nasiriyah and Basra. The Baghdad rally eventually ended when security forces overran the square, forcing the remaining 200-odd protesters to leave. In Basra, security forces used water cannons to disperse demonstrators. The wave of protests has prompted Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to give his cabinet 100 days to instate reforms or face the sack—but he remains the target of popular ire. The Baghdad protesters chanted "Liar, Liar, Nuri al-Maliki" as well as "Oil for the people, not for the thieves" and "Yes for democracy and the protection of freedom." (Middle East Online, March 4)

Thousands of protesters gathered March 6 at Manama's al-Qudaibiya Palace, where Bahrain's cabinet meets, chanting slogans against the small but strategic Persian Gulf state's monarchy. Helmeted police with riot shields stood behind the gate, as demonstrators chanted "Down Hamad! Down Hamad!"—a reference to Bahrain's King Hamad. Another chant was "Hey Khalifa, get out! Get out!"—referring to the prime minister of four decades, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa. Protesters also chanted against the 2002 constitution, which established an appointed upper house that has veto powers over the decisions of the elected chamber. "The 2002 constitution falls for the sake of Bahrain," demonstrators chorused in a refrain that rhymes in Arabic. Bahrain is ruled by the Sunni al-Khalifa family but has a Shi'ite majority, which has been at the forefront of the protests. (Middle East Online, March 6)

Heavy gunfire broke out in Tripoli March 6, as rebels dismissed claims on Libyan state TV that forces loyal to Moammar Qaddafi have recaptured a string of key towns, including Misrata, Tobruk and oil hub Ras Lanuf. It is clearer that Sirte—Qaddafi's hometown on the central coast—and Sebha in the south remain in government hands. A militia led by the dictator's son Khamis Qaddafi is said to have shelled the rebel-held city of Zawiyah, 30 miles west of Tripoli, before moving in with more than 20 tanks. Witnesses in Zawiyah said at least 30 people, ­including women and children, were killed as tanks blasted houses, cars and ­ambulances trying to reach the wounded, and troops dragged people from their homes.

From the New York Post, March 4:

Woman knocked into coma in parking fight
She was only trying to save a parking spot—and now doctors are trying to save her life.

Oil prices rose past $104 a barrel on March 4, marking a two-and-a-half-year high and sending stocks sharply lower on Wall Street, as fighting in Libya and unrest in the Arab world intensified. As a result of the unrest, Libya's production halved, forcing Saudi Arabia to hike output to make up for the resulting shortfall. Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves and contributed about 2% of global production before the crisis broke out. The spread of unrest to Saudi Arabia, the world's number one exporter, helped further drive up prices. (AP, Proactive Investors, The Street, March 5)

The president's Oil Spill Commission—officially the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling—has presented its report to the White House and will officially disband on March 11. The report concludes that BP was long aware of problems with cementing work performed by Halliburton, which was among the contractors on BP’s Macondo well. The report finds that the "root technical cause" of last April's blowout was inadequate cementing. "BP's failures are especially troubling because it had previously identified several relevant areas for concern during a 2007 audit of Halliburton's capabilities," the report states.

The indigenous Evenk people in north Siberia have launched a campaign against Russian energy giant Gazprom's plans for a pipeline through their territory, which they say threatens their traditional hunting and fishing grounds. The planned pipeline, which will link the Yakutia Republic's Chayandinskoye oil and gas field with the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk, is to be developed near an Evenk settlement.

Several hundred protested on March 4 in the Shi'ite-majority east of Saudi Arabia, calling for the release of an arrested cleric and other detainees—a first in the authoritarian kingdom. An appeal was made on Facebook for a "Day of Rage" on Friday to demand release of Sheikh Tawfiq al-Aamer, a Shi'ite cleric arrested on Feb. 27. Protests were reported in the towns of al-Houfouf and al-Qatif, both in al-Ihsaa governorate of Eastern Province. The march in al-Qatif was dispersed by security forces. Amer was arrested after calling for a "constitutional monarchy" in the Sunni-dominated kingdom. Some 10,000 security personnel are being mobilized to the northeastern provinces, clogging the highways with busloads of troops to put down what is being called the "Hunayn Revolution"—after a 630 CE battle in which the Prophet Mohammed defeated a Bedouin army. (The Independent, March 5; AFP, March 4; Middle East Online, March 3)