Some protests — in Yemen and Bahrain — stepped up pressure on leaders who have appeared increasingly vulnerable in the weeks since demonstrators toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt.

Others, in Iraq, Jordan and Egypt, were pushing their governments for change, rather than an overhaul of their leadership. In Iraq, demonstrators are demanding better government services; in Egypt — where there is a new military government — and Jordan, protesters were pressuring their leaders to speed up democratic changes.