Yemen: As Sanaa anxiously awaits his media appearance, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called for opening talks with the opposition to implement the Gulf initiative for transferring power in Yemen. Reports from Riyadh confirm that Saleh's health condition is preventing him from appearing before the media. Meanwhile, over 300 members of the Central Security Agency, the police force, and the Republican Guard have defected from Saleh's regime and joined the youth revolution.

Bahrain: In a statement, the Bahraini February 14th Coalition described King Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa's initiative for dialogue as "an attempt to escape responsibility for the campaigns of killing, torture, and crackdowns practiced in the country." The statement added that the dialogue initiative was "born dead" and is an attempt by the authorities to corner the opposition. Many believe the call for dialogue is merely an attempt to relieve international pressure on Manama.

Syria: Anti-government demonstrations continue to be staged throughout Syria in Idlib, Homs, Deir el-Zour, and Hama. Protestors are rejecting calls to hold a dialogue with the regime. In Aleppo, activists have called for a demonstration called the "Aleppo Volcano" before tomorrow's protests on the "Friday of Departure." As Syria's economic capital, Aleppo was strategically chosen by the opposition for today’s demonstration in an attempt to sever the city's ties with the Syrian government.
 
Libya: France has defended its decision to send weapons to the Libyan opposition, saying it did not break the UN arms embargo because the weapons were needed to defend civilians under threat. AU Commission chief Jean Ping said France's decision puts the region at risk. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed that NATO will not arm the Libyan opposition. 

Bahrain: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ordered the formation of an independent fact-finding commission to investigate the events that occurred in Bahrain in February and March. He also confirmed his invitation to to start a national dialogue. One political activist said that a dialogue was destined to fail and said that all opposition parties have rejected it. They view the dialogue as an attempt to thwart the revolution and reduce international pressure on Manama.

Yemen: Fresh protests have broken out in the capital Sanaa and 11 other cities. Protestors reaffirmed their demand for the formation of a transitional council and condemned the human rights violations committed by security forces against peaceful protestors. Dozens of soldiers from President Ali Abdullah Saleh's army have defected from the regime and announced that they will join the peaceful revolution. As the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate, Saleh is soon expected to return from Saudi Arabia after receiving medical treatment. 

Syria: Syrians continue to stage protests throughout the country demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and rejecting all calls for dialogue. In the past 24 hours, massive protests have been held in Hama, Homs, Latakia, Der al-Zor, and other cities in Rif Dimashq. While Assad has proposed a number of constitutional amendments, they don’t meet the minimum requirements of the people who insist on comprehensive reforms, a new constitution, and a democratic state.

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.

Libya: The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and his intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi. ICC Attourney General Luis Moreno Ocampo requested the arrest warrants in May after obtaining evidence of their crimes against humanity. It has been estimated that 3,000 people have been killed since the Libyan revolution began. Gaddafi has been in hiding since NATO escalated its bombing of Tripoli and his whereabouts still remain unknown.

Syria: Opposition leaders are meeting in Damascus today to discuss the future of Syria. This is the opposition’s first gathering sanctioned by the government since protests began three months ago. Many anti-government activists see the meeting as an attempt to bargain with protestors and divide the opposition. Syrian authorities announced that July 10 will be the date of the first session of meetings called for by the National Dialogue Body, headed by Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa. 

Yemen: A UN team is due to arrive in Yemen today to asses the country’s humanitarian situation. The team will investigate the opposition’s claims against the Yemeni government about the crackdown on the popular protest movement. The UN team will meet with Yemeni authorities, members of the opposition, human rights activists, and victims of violence. The spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that it will take the team ten days to complete the investigation.

Bahrain: Several protests were held today throughout the country to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Victims of Torture. Demonstrators called for an end to the regime's crackdowns on civilians and for the release of all political prisoners. Al-Wefaq Society released a statement reporting that over 1,000 Bahraini citizens have been arrested and tortured. It said that male as well as female medics, scholars, and students, and others were targeted in the regime’s campaign of torture and harassment.

Libya: The International Criminal Court announced it will issue a final decision on an arrest warrant for Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi on Monday. In an attempt to display unity between NATO members, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen played down Italy's call to end military operations and attempted to reassure NATO's hesitant members of Gaddafi's imminent defeat. The spokesman for the Libyan National Transitional Council, Mahmoud Shamam, said the council is trying to make political gains without waging more risky battles and is discussing the possibility of allowing Gaddafi to stay in Libya if he relinquishes power

Saudi Arabia: More women have challenged the law banning them from driving in Saudi Arabia. Social networking websites reported that more than 40 women drove their cars. Sara al-Khadi said that she now drives her car on a daily basis and was only stopped by traffic police after a group of teenagers harassed her and reported her to the police. Many now wonder if more Saudis will follow in these defiant women's footsteps and wage a more comprehensive uprising to change the country's leadership. 

Yemen: In the third week since President Ali Abdullah Saleh's departure, Yemeni protestors have staged massive rallies, called "The Will of the Revolution," to reiterate their demands, most notably Saleh's ouster and the formation of a transitional council. At the same time, the ruling regime called on its supporters to hold prayers in mosques for Saleh's speedy recovery on a day they are referring to as the "Friday of the Guardians of the Homeland."  US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman has called for an immediate and peaceful transfer of authority to Yemen's vice-president, as mandated by the Gulf initiative. 

Syria: The Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union said at least 12 people were killed today by security forces’ gunfire in various parts of Syria. Syrian state run media reported a number of the regime’s security forces were shot at by gunmen. Eyewitnesses and opposition activists said tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets throughout the country on the "Friday of the Fall of Legitimacy," demanding the downfall of the regime. Protests erupted in the cities of Homs, Aleppo, Hama, Rif Dimashiq, al-Bukamal, and Damascus’ suburb Arbeen.