In the week leading up to the one year anniversary of Bahrain's February 14 Revolution, many journalists have been denied visas to the country. Journalists from the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, Associated Foreign Press, and Al-Jazeera English were all denied visas because of what the government is calling a "high volume of requests."

"This refusal to allow access for such prestigious media organizations is another ominous signal from the Bahrain government about what might happen this coming week,” said Brian Dooley of Human Rights First. "The days approaching the anniversary are tense and rife with rumor. Bahrain's refusal to admit human rights and media organizations only fuels suspicions that the government wants to hide the truth about its ongoing abuses."

It is unclear how many journalists are allowed to enter the country for the February 14 anniversary, but the Information Affairs Agency maintains they are allowing many foreign media outlets to cover the events.

As part of the 2011 "Arab Spring" uprising, the protests in Bahrain were initially aimed at achieving greater political reforms and equality for the predominantly Shia population. However, following a bloody night raid on February 17, 2011 against peaceful protestors staging sit-ins at Pear Roundabout in Manama, the protestors raised their demands and called for an end to the centuries-long authoritarian rule of the Khalifa dynasty. On March 14, Hundreds of Saudi troops entered Bahrain to help protect government facilities amid escalating protests against the Sunni-led government.

Mohammed al-Maskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, says his team has documented 60 deaths since February 14, 2011 and that the police's aggressive approach in countering activists has stiffened in the past two months. Meanwhile, hundreds of activists have been detained, injured, and tortured in the past year.

After almost a year, violence is still rife in Bahrain as the revolutionary youths remain resolute in their demands and Saudi-backed forces are increasingly brutal in their crackdowns. This week the February 14 Youth Coalition issued a "charter" saying the government crackdowns had gone too far. "The aim of this revolution has become to bring down the regime and decide our own fate after it became clear that trying to live with it and reform it has become impossible," it said.

As next week's anniversary approaches, many people are uncertain about how the events will unfold and worry of increased violence, chaos, and deaths. Emile Hokayen, Mideast Analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tweeted, "Here in Bahrain, lots of uncertainty abt next week. Rumors galore, concern in some quarters, fatigue in others, real frustration among opp."

Photo: A girl flashes the victory sign with her fingers amid fellow anti-government protestors waving Bahraini flags during a rally held by Al-Wefaq, Bahrain's main Shiite opposition, in Sanabis, west of Manama January 12, 2012. Thousands of anti-government protesters participated in the rally shouting anti-government slogans demanding the downfall of the ruling family. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed.

Morocco: The February 20 Movement renewed its rejection of what it describes as "sham reforms." The movement demands genuine political reforms that transform Morocco's controlled political process to one capable of producing the change demanded by the masses. The movement also renewed its demands for prosecuting corrupt officials and holding fair elections. In addition to the political demands, the movement raised slogans demanding social justice, freedom, and dignity.

Syria: The Syrian opposition is rallying its supporters to participate in a day of anger against Russia, as Moscow continues to support President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Following Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Medvedev stated that it is wrong to place additional pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and force him to end security operations. The Syrian opposition has called on supporters online to protest across Syrian cities and towns and to burn the Russian flag.

Libya: Fifteen people were killed in an attack by Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's battalions on an oil facility near Ras Lanuf. The Libyan National Transitional Council announced that its fighters fended off the battalions' attack on Bani Walid, one of the final strongholds of Colonel Gaddafi's loyalists. The NTC forces began reinforcing their siege on the city of Sirte, also under Gaddafi's control.

Libya: Opposition forces stormed Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's residence at the Bab al-Aziziya compound after hours of intense fighting. The opposition achieved additional military gains in the east and took control of the port of Ras Lanuf, pushing Gaddafi's supporters to the outskirts of Bin Jawad. However, in a surprising move, Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, who was reportedly arrested two days ago, appeared in front of the media last night affirming that his father and his family are in Tripoli. NATO is continuously bombing the Bab al-Aziziya compound in the hopes of forcing Gaddafi and his family out of hiding.

Syria: The UN Human Rights Council adopted a draft resolution calling for the formation of an independent committee to investigate human rights violations in Syria. The draft resolution was proposed by the US, the EU, and the four Arab countries at the council (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kuwait). Russia, China, and Cuba opposed the resolution. On the ground, a UN team has arrived in the city of Idlib. The visit coincided with a protest rally that was held on city streets demanding the downfall of the regime.

Bahrain: Rights groups have condemned the Bahraini regime and state-linked firms for unlawfully terminating 2,500 Bahraini employees for participating in nation-wide protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty. The state employees were dismissed from their jobs on Tuesday. Meanwhile, 40 people detained in connection with anti-regime protests have been formally charged after spending several months in custody. The charges include "illegal assembly" and "trying to distort Bahrain's image."

Bahrain: Supporters of Bahrain's February 14 Revolution called for a mass demonstration in the village of Krana to demand that the regime meet the people's demands. The Bahraini government has become even more isolated as more political groups are boycotting the upcoming parliamentary elections. Al-Wefaq Islamic Society, the National Democratic Action, al-Menbar, and the Democratic National Rally are among the political group who have announced their boycott of the elections. 

Syria: For the first time, US President Barack Obama has called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, condemning the violent acts against citizens by the Syrian forces. Britain, France, and Germany have also called on Assad to step down. The international community believes that Assad has lost all legitimacy and can no longer rule the country. The Obama administration also imposed fresh sanctions on Syria's government, including freezing Syrian assets in the US and banning all Syrian fuel products.

Libya: Sources close to the Libyan revolutionaries have said they are advancing from Misurata toward the eastern city of Sirte, the birthplace of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. The revolutionaries are continuing their advance toward Tripoli, where they hope to soon put an end to Gaddafi's regime after six months of intense fighting. The city of Brega is still witnessing seesaw battles between Gaddafi forces and the revolutionaries, who have achieved gains in parts of the city, especially the area of al-Arqub.

Bahrain: The Youth of the February 14 Revolution Coalition called for a massive demonstration under the slogan "Right of Return to Martyrs' Square" in the Sanabis region on Thursday. The head of the Shura Council of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Jamil al-Kazem, demanded the regime respond to the people's political and social demands and said that the protestors will not back down until their demands are met.

Libya: Reports from the Libyan town of Bi'r al-Ghanam, about 80 kilometers south of the capital Tripoli, indicate that armed opposition fighters have taken control of the area. Eyewitnesses in the area say there is no sign of government forces other than burned tanks and artillery wreckage. On the other hand, Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi responded to the reports by saying that the government forces retook control of the town and that life there has returned to normal.

Syria: Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia have decided to recall their ambassadors from Damascus for consultations. On the ground, reports from Syria indicate that the Syrian army opened fire on a number of areas of Deir az-Zour this morning. Yesterday, the city witnessed similar attacks in which over 50 people were killed and dozens more injured, according to opposition activists. These reports were denied by a Syrian military spokesman.

Egypt: Massive demonstrations are being held throughout Egypt today, on what is being called the "Friday of Unity and the People's Will." Most political parties and movements planned to participate in the demonstrations after agreeing to put aside individual demands and agendas in order to focus on the revolution's goals. However, many parties decided not to continue taking part in today's events after several Islamic parties began chanting Islamic slogans.

Libya: The mysterious assassination of opposition leader Abdel Fattah Younis has created divisions among rebel forces. While most are blaming his death on Muammar Gaddafi loyalists, others aren't ruling out the possibility of internal disputes in the opposition as the cause for his untimely assassination. Younis, one of Gaddafi's former right-hand men, defected from the Libyan regime in late February to join the revolutionaries and help form the Transitional National Council.

Bahrain: Several demonstrations were held throughout the country in response to calls by al-Wefaq National Islamic Society and the February 14 Coalition. Fierce confrontations erupted between young protestors and Bahraini security forces in the towns of Zanj and al-Bilad Qadeem. The opposition has rejected the outcome of the country's national dialogue and al-Wefaq Society is warning the regime not to use the modest reform proposals from the dialogue as a solution to the country's political crisis.

Syria: Anti-regime mobilizations have been linked to many Syrian mosques, which have become destinations for protestors to gather and starting points for their demonstrations. Historically, the mosque's role has not been limited to religious services but also includes an important social aspect, especially during the tumultuous Arab Spring.

Morocco: The February 20 Movement condemned what it described as the policy of "deaf ears" adopted by the authorities in relation to the movement's demands. The movement organized the largest protests yet in the cities of Tangier and Casablanca to reiterate its rejection of the new constitution and demand a "democratic constitution devoted to the sovereignty of the people."

Syria: Protests continue throughout the country despite the Syrian cabinet's approval of a draft law that allows for the formation of political parties. The authorities described the draft law as "activating the multi-party political system." However, the opposition says that the law is a "sham solution" because Article 8 of the constitution stipulates that the Ba'ath Party is the country's ruling party.

Libya: Only 100 kilometers south of the capital Tripoli, Muammar Gaddafi's forces launched an attack on Gualish in an attempt to regain control of the town. The revolutionaries said they managed to repel Gaddafi's forces two kilometers from Gualish after dozens of fellow fighters arrived to support them from the city of Zintan, the revolutionaries' largest base in western Libya. Meanwhile, NATO continues to launch nightly raids on central Tripoli, which the government says is causing a heavy civilian death toll.

Egypt: In the midst of their current revolution, Egypt celebrated the anniversary of the July 23 Revolution, also known as the Revolution of the Free Officers, which abolished Egypt's constitutional monarchy and established a republic. More than 60 years later, the Egyptian people are once again challenging their government and demanding it be replaced with a civilian government free of corruption and oppression.

Syria: Over 4,000 gathered in front of the US and French embassies in Damascus to condemn both countries' interference in Syrian affairs. The protestors threw tomatoes and eggs at the buildings, broke windows, wrote angry messages on the walls of both embassies, and held banners condemning the French and Americans ambassadors' violation of diplomatic norms. Security at the French embassy fired at the demonstrators, leading to the injury of two people. 

Libya: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that while efforts to reach a political solution are being exerted, it is necessary to maintain military pressure on the Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi. Juppe proposed a solution involving four phases: immediate ceasefire by Gaddafi's forces, Gaddafi relinquishing power, beginning a dialogue hosted by the Transitional National Council, and drawing a roadmap for establishing a democratic system with free elections.

Bahrain: The February 14 Youth Coalition has called for demonstrations on Sitra Island this Friday, named "Self Determination III." The coalition considered the dialogue called for by the king a failure, describing it as a "farce" because it was conducted amid the continuous crackdown on protests by Saudi-backed Bahraini forces. The people saw the dialogue as a maneuver to buy time as the authorities continue to arrest opposition figures and take arbitrary measures against peaceful protestors.

Tunisia: Six months after the Tunisian revolution toppled President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, the country is witnessing a new wave of angry demonstrations. In January, the Tunisian revolution inspired other Arab countries to rise up against their corrupt dictators, but today, Tunisia remains unstable and is demonstrating that removing a corrupt leader won’t solve all the country’s problems. Elections have been postponed to October and the country faces severe unemployment.  

Yemen: Deputy Minister of Information Abdu al-Janadi says President Ali Abdullah Saleh will soon address the nation. Saleh will be interviewed by Saudi state television in Riyadh, where he has been staying for the past three weeks for medical treatment. The ruling Congress Party announced that Saleh will soon return to the country and that he plans to transfer his authorities to parliament and to form a coalition government to prepare for early elections. The opposition described the announcements as "a coup against the Gulf Initiative."

Libya: Libyan Justice Minister Mohamed al-Gamudi said that the International Criminal Court's decision to issue arrest warrants for Muammar Gaddafi, his son, and his intelligence chief is politically motivated and is being used as a cover-up for NATO's crimes. He vowed to prosecute members of NATO. The decision has prompted the opposition to reject any dialogue with the regime.

Syria: Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of Russia, Mikhail Margelov, met with the Syrian opposition's delegation in Moscow today. The delegation called on Russia to use its influence to push the Syrian regime to end the violence against peaceful protestors. Margelov urged Syria to implement real reforms and stated that Russia will do everything possible to prevent the Syrian crisis from descending into a Libya-style war.

Morocco: The February 20 Movement has once again taken to the streets, this time in protest of the constitutional amendments proposed by King Mohamed VI. They assert that the amendments do not sufficiently reduce the king's authority. While the amendments give the government executive authority, the king remains the head of the army and retains religious and judicial authority. The new constitution also maintains the king's right to appoint the prime minister.

During this month, where women are often celebrated in the U.S., we are talking about violence against women, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Recently, we were inspired by a heart-wrenchingly honest opinion piece written by Nick Kristof in the New York Times that shed some much-needed light on the vicious injustices taking place against the women of the Congo, which Kristof says is on par with (or even exceeds) the devastation that hit Haiti last month --only not as sudden.  5.4 million people, mainly women and children, have been tortured, raped, and killed as a result of the conflict that began in the DRC over a decade ago.

Join us in spreading the word about this important and under-reported issue in the Congo – where violence against women has become an act of war.  Please visit our page linktv.org/womenincongo to learn more, and then tell your friends about it.  Through the rest of February, for every 10 new Facebook fans Link TV will donate $5 (up to $500) to Women for Women International's Run for Congo Women campaign. With your help, Link TV continues to disseminate the untold stories of the world.