Tunisia: Ben Ali Addresses Protests

Amidst ongoing protests, Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali spoke to the country on Tuesday. In his speech, Ben Ali blamed foreign television channels for exaggerating the severity of the riots and explained what the government plans to do to help the unemployed. Tunisian authorities have also tried to quell the violence by suspending the police officers who confronted Mohammad Bouazizi, the 26-year-old who set himself on fire after police took away the produce he was selling December 17.  Al Jazeera reports that unions and groups of lawyer continue to organize protests across the country.