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Countries in the Middle East where the 'winds of change' are blowing

Those who said that "winds of change" were blowing through the Middle East were right. The past two months have seen a series of stunning political shifts that began with Tunisians' ousting of their former president in mid-January. Tunis and Cairo's cries, first of first anger and then of jubilation, have been beamed into living rooms across the region and are now reverberating along the North African coast, through the Gulf, and up into the Levant. Here is a look at where those "winds of change" are taking us. (Editor's note: This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on Feb. 2 and will be continually updated.)

Libya

Ismail Zitouny/Reuters
Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi attends a ceremony in Tripoli marking the birth of Islam's Prophet Mohammed on Feb. 13.

  • By Ariel Zirulnick Correspondent

Libya, next door to the catalyzing Tunisia, is the most recent country to be swept up in the regional upheaval. Tuesday night, hundreds of protesters turned out in the streets to demand the release of a human rights activist and, according to some reports, the resignation of Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi and his prime minister. Mr. Qaddafi is the region's longest-serving leader – he came into power in a bloodless coup in 1969 – and such demonstrations are uncommon in his country, where the strict security apparatus typically keeps dissent in check.

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