Syria: On the first day of the Eid ul-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, seven people have been killed in the security forces' relentless crackdown on protestors. Six were reportedly killed in Daraa during a massive demonstration at al-Omari Mosque, and one was killed in Homs. Protests also broke out in a number of provinces after Eid prayers, including Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Idlib, and Aleppo.

Yemen: According to the official Yemeni news agency, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has vowed to honor the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, and says he is ready to hold immediate elections for a new president. A source close to Saleh said that the president has reached a deal with the opposition which stipulates that elections will be held within three months, as Saleh transfers power to his deputy, Abed-Rabbu Mansur Hadi. This political breakthrough, however, has failed to bring joy to Yemenis on the first day of Eid ul-Fitr. Many Yemenis are concerned with the deteriorating security situation in the country and are living amid harsh conditions.

Libya: Head of Libya's Transitional National Council Mustafa Abdel Jalil has set Saturday as the final deadline for forces loyal to fugitive Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi to lay down arms. Jalil said that negotiations were underway to arrange the peaceful surrender of the areas still held by pro-Gaddafi forces. Such areas include Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, the district of Bani Walid southeast of Tripoli, and the southern areas of Libya.

Bahrain: A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that the situation in Bahrain remains "tense and unpredictable" as the Manama regime continues its brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrations. About 124 cases in Bahrain have so far received verdicts, including two death sentences; sixteen of the cases were acquitted completely, while seven others were partially acquitted, according to the UN rights official.

Libya: The Libyan opposition has offered amnesty as well as a reward of $1.7 million for anyone in Muammar Gaddafi’s close circle who captures the elusive Libyan leader, alive of dead. In an audio message broadcast on local radio stations, Gaddafi vowed to fight NATO until victory or martyrdom. In his speech, he also described his exit from his fortified residence in Bab al-Aziziya as a "tactical move." NATO said that it will continue its operations in Libya until its mission is fulfilled.

Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the recruitment of 50,000 troops to eliminate all supporters of the Yemeni revolution. Saleh called on his son and the rest of his family to accelerate the mobilization of armed and air forces as well as the deployment of tanks and missiles to launch what he referred to as "the final battle" against anti-regime activists. Meanwhile, popular anti-regime protests continued across Yemeni cities and provinces demanding the downfall of the regime.

Syria: Syrian forces stormed the city of Mayadin in Deir az-Zour, killing seven civilians. Additional reports also confirm raids in the neighborhoods of al-Bayada in Homs. Meanwhile, supporters of the opposition organized massive demonstrations during which protestors chanted slogans calling for freedom, the downfall of the regime, and the formation of a transitional national council to run the country in the phase post-Bashar al-Assad.

Bahrain: Bahrain's main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, says it will not participate in the parliamentary elections to replace the lawmakers who resigned in protest of Manama's crackdown on anti-government protestors. Eighteen Bahraini lawmakers from the main Shia opposition party, al-Wefaq, walked out of the parliament in February after security forces opened fire on anti-government protestors, killing and wounding many.

Yemen: The recently-formed National Council for the Revolutionary Forces in Yemen will convene its first meeting in the capital Sanaa tomorrow at noon to discuss the council's next steps to mobilize the revolutionary process. On the ground, rival protest rallies were held throughout Yemen. Hundreds of thousands of anti-regime protestors gathered in Sanaa and other Yemeni provinces to express their support for the national council formed by the opposition parties. Meanwhile, supporters of the ruling party gathered at Saleh Mosque in Sanaa to affirm their support for President Saleh and what they referred to as his "constitutional legitimacy."   

Libya: Libyan revolutionaries say they have driven forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi out of the strategic western town of Zlitan. They said in a statement today that Zlitan is now under the control of the opposition, but that the fighting is not finished. The town, which is located 150 kilometers from the capital Tripoli, has recently been the scene of fierce fighting between opposition fighters and government troops. According to the opposition, between 40 and 50 regime troops were killed in the ongoing fighting.

Syria: Protests were held today in several cities under the slogan "promise of victory." Meanwhile, EU governments have agreed to impose additional sanctions on Syria. Moscow has opposed the measure and called for granting Assad an opportunity to implement reforms. Turkey has said that it will not demand Assad's resignation at this time, but it has called for the immediate cessation of the crackdown on protestors.

Libya: At the request of the international community, the Libyan National Transitional Council has developed a political roadmap for the post-Muammar Gaddafi era. The roadmap outlines how the Council will transfer power to an elected parliament within eight months and adopt a new constitution. This news comes after the revolutionaries announced their complete control over az-Zawiyah and Jabal al-Nafusa and their readiness to advance towards the capital Tripoli. The revolutionaries said they expect to topple Gaddafi's 42-year-long regime by the end of August.

Yemen: The opposition announced the formation of the National Council for Revolutionary Forces in the capital Sanaa today. The council includes more than 140 members from the country's various political blocs. Member of the Supreme Council of the Joint Meeting Parties Mohammad Yahya al-Sabri says the council is “an important step for the Yemeni revolution," and that now, "there will be a unified path, a unified direction, and a unified voice [in Yemen]."

Syria: Opposition websites reported that the Rukn al-Din neighborhood of Damascus is witnessing a wide-scale security crackdown similar that of Homs province. Over 50 tanks have reportedly shelled the city of Hula in Homs and the army is surrounding the neighborhood of al-Nazheen. However, the opposition has continued its efforts to rally supporters to participate in massive demonstrations under the slogan, "The Day of Badr: The Day of Victory and Steadfastness."

Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh delivered a speech today from the Saudi capital Riyadh, aired on Yemen's state television, in which he told his supporters that he will "soon" return to Yemen from Saudi Arabia. He said he would see his supporters "soon in the capital Sanaa," despite growing protests by the Yemeni people demanding he step down.  Saleh described the Yemeni opposition as "figures of narrow interests and thinking," and accused them of "stealing" the slogans of young anti-government protestors who have been calling for his ouster since January.

Bahrain: The royal fact-finding committee closed its offices in Manama after being widely criticized by the Bahraini people and following an attack by protestors on its headquarters. Protestors believe the committee did not make an accurate decision regarding the extent of the human rights violations in Bahrain and that it sympathizes with the Bahraini authorities. Opposition group al-Wefaq National Islamic Society confirmed the popular mobilization in the country will continue until all demands are met.

Syria: The army has withdrawn from Deir az-Zour, as confirmed by a military official to journalists who entered the city as part of a media tour organized by the Ministry of Information. The official added that the army entered Deir az-Zour in response to a call by the residents, adding that the military carried out an exceptional and swift operation to restore security and stability to the city. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that several Latakia neighborhoods witnessed heavy gunfire early this morning. The organization said that the last four days of military operations in Latakia have killed 34 people, including a two-year-old girl.

Libya: Libyan opposition forces threatened to cut off supplies from the capital Tripoli after they achieved military gains in cities near the capital, such as az-Zawiyah and Gharyan. In light of these gains, the United States said that Gaddafi's days in power are numbered. According to a US military source, Gaddafi began using Scud missiles to shell Brega.