Erstellt am: 20. 2. 2013 - 15:19 Uhr

Another first for Tunisia

Reality Check: Tunisia PM resigns, Bulgaria government resigns, China accused of hacking, Saudi women on Shura Council, Ireland apologises over Magdalene laundries

When the first leader fell in the Arab Spring, and it looked as though a wave of relatively peaceful revolutions would follow across North Africa and the Middle East - Tunisia was at the forefront. The first country to kick out its dictatorial president, the first country to form it's own democratically elected government, and the first country to get back to some sense of normality.

EPA

Hamadi Jebali has resigned after losing the support of his own Enahda Party

Now, Tunisia is first again. Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has become the first post Arab Spring leader to resign, after losing the support of his own party.

It must be said, that Mohammed Morsi in Egypt is also coming under pressure, with opposition parties calling for him to stand down. But so far, he has hung on.

Libya is still trying to establish some sort of government, and so it not yet in a position to get rid of it again.

So why has the enthusiasm and fervour of the Arab Spring turned so sour? Cengis Gunay says the reason is simple. People expected far too much, far too soon.

Bulgaria's governement resigns

APA

Prime Minister, Boiko Borisov, said "I will not participate in a government under which police are beating people"

Bulgaria's government says it is resigning amid violent protests against austerity measures and electricity prices. Prime Minister, Boiko Borisov, countered the scenes of riots in the capital, Sophia with populist a populist statement that may help ensure he is not out of office for long. In fact, it is still unclear whether even the parliament will accept his resignation.

Nick Thorpe reports on the latest developments and their implications.

Read more on this story here.

China denies hacking accusations

China says reports linking it to the hacking of targets in the US is flawed. Internet security expert, Graham Cluley gives his reaction to the claims and counter claims.

Saudi Arabia's first women on the Shura Council

The King of Saudi Arabia has sworn in the first women ever to sit on the advisory Shura Council. Riem Higazi looks at the slow progress towards women's rights in one of the world's most conservative Islamic states.

Ireland apologieses to laundry women

The Irish government officially apologies to the women who suffered abuses in the so called Magdalene Laundries. Fran McNaulty explains the social background to the laundries and reports on how the victims are reacting to the apology,

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