Middle East Today: Libya --- Armed Groups Increase Pressure on Government

Libya:Armed Groups Form Alliance to Pressure Government

Armed groups surrounding two ministries in Tripoli have formed an alliance with a list of six demands including the resignation of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.

The groups initially demanded that Parliament pass the "political isolation law" banning from public service any senior official who held a position under the ousted Qaddafi regime.

They presented the expanded list of demands to Reuters late Wednesday. The conditions include the freezing of a recently-released state budget and the right to form a committee to take charge of the Foreign Ministry.

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1525 GMT: Morocco. Several thousand people marched through the capital Rabat on Sunday to protest against unemployment and the cost of living.

In a "national march of protest" for greater freedoms and rights, yellow-clad marchers moved through the streets of the city.

Protesters challenged government plans to reform laws dealing with labor unions, including docking the pay of strikers. Chanting "people want the fall of the government" and “Morocco is witnessing social regression", they called for the departure of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.

Other slogans denounced government policies, corruption, and the high cost of living.

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2252 GMT: Libya. A day after it was suspended because of protests (see 0500 GMT), the National Assembly approved a 30-member Cabinet presented by Prime Minister-designate Ali Zeidan.

A total of 105 members voted in favour, 18 abstainedm and nine voted against the Cabinet. Moments later, protests erupted, with security forces firing in the air.

More than a dozen security vehicles were stationed at the assembly building, as about 60 people gathered outside the tightly-shut main gate.

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