in VOA Special English.Anti-government protestscontinued this weekin several countriesacross the Middle Eastand North Africa.In Bahrain, the crown princewent on television Fridayand appealed for calm.Thousands of mourners triedto return to Pearl Squarein Manama, the capital,after a funeral foran anti-government protester.Security forces firedon the mourners, who weredisobeying a protest ban.Local officials and witnesses saidat least twenty-three peoplewere wounded.Later, angry protestersgathered next to a hospital.Many shouted "Down with Khalifa"-- Bahrain's KingHamad bin Isa al-Khalifa.The military clearedPearl Square of protestersduring a raid on Thursday.The protests in Bahrainbegan on Monday.Seventy percent of Bahrain'spopulation is Shi'ite,but Sunni Muslimslead the government.Bahrain is also home to theUnited State Navy's Fifth Fleet.In Yemen, demonstrators have beencalling for more than a weekfor President Ali Abdullah Salehto resign.Thousands protestedacross Yemen on Friday.Protesters fought withsecurity forces in Aden.Medical officials sayfour people were shot to death.At least one person was killedin the city of Taiz.A passenger in a carthrew a grenade that explodedas a crowd demonstratedagainst the Yemeni government.In Amman, Jordan, witnesses sayat least eight people were injuredwhen government supportersused sticks to attack demonstrators.Jordan has had weeksof protests demandingconstitutional changes and limitson the power of King Abdullah.In Libya, there were "Day of Rage"demonstrations Thursdayagainst Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.Human Rights Watch saysLibyan security forces killedtwenty-four protesters.In Iran, thousands of governmentsupporters shouted "Death to Moussavi!Death to Karroubi!"after Friday prayers in Tehran.Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubiare leaders of Iran'sopposition Green Movement.But a top Iranian religious leadertold a prayer serviceat Tehran University thatexecution was needless.Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati saidthe two men were, in a sense,dead already because theyhave lost their influence.Both men have been held effectivelyunder house arrest this week.On Monday, the Green Movementheld its first public protest in a year.The movement grew out of Iran'sdisputed presidential electionin two thousand nine.Opposition websites have calledfor nationwide demonstrations on Sunday.In a separate development,Egypt approved a requestfor two Iranian navy shipsto pass through the Suez Canal.Israel's Foreign Minister saysthe ships are expectedto sail toward Syria.This is believed to be Iran'sfirst naval mission intothe Mediterranean in years.And in Cairo, thousands of Egyptianscrowded into Tahrir Squareon Friday for a day of celebration.They marked one week sincePresident Hosni Mubarak resigned.And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.