Bahrain: Saudi-backed Bahraini troops attacked anti-government protestors in the island city of Sitra, killing a 14-year-old boy. Witnesses say the victim was hit in the head by a tear gas canister fired from close range. Reports say the city's hospital refused to admit the critically injured teenager and that he died shortly afterwards. It is believed that hospital authorities refused to treat the wounded teenager for fear of being arrested by security forces.

Libya: Clashes broke out between Muammar Gaddafi's battalions and Transitional National Council forces in the Um al-Qanadil region and its surrounding areas, close to Sirte. Chairman of the Council Mustafa Abdul Jalil gave Gaddafi's loyalists in Sirte until this coming Saturday to surrender before using military force. The revolutionaries are approaching Sirte from both the east and west but are refraining from launching attacks in the hopes of a negotiated surrender of the city. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Gaddafi himself still remain unknown.

Syria: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 473 people were killed in Syria during the month of Ramadan, including 360 civilians and 113 soldiers and members of the Internal Security Forces. Twenty-five minors and 14 women are among those killed, but the death toll does not include victims killed during the military operations in the city of Hama. Amnesty International confirmed that 88 Syrians, including ten children, died in detention centers and police stations between April and August.

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 revolutionaries have made tangible progress in their advance toward the city of Sirte, Muammar Gaddafi’s birthplace and final stronghold. According to a source close to the revolutionaries, their forces are approaching the city from both the east and the west. The revolutionaries expect the battle for Sirte to be a decisive one because they have acquired more advanced weaponry from Gaddafi's arsenals. While the revolutionaries are gathering additional equipment and fighters in their advance toward Sirte, they say they would prefer to enter the city peacefully to avoid additional bloodshed.

Bahrain: In a televised speech, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa attempted to pacify the Bahraini street with calls for forgiveness, dialogue, and recognition that Bahraini detainees have been mistreated. However, his speech was not viewed favorably by the opposition, who believe that the speech offered no real concessions and that Manama’s government has completely lost its legitimacy.

Syria: Opposition activists said that six people, including a child, were killed in the town of Sermin in the northern province of Idlib during the Syrian army’s security operations. This morning, military vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers, and military cars stormed the town of Hit near the Lebanese border. This news comes as the formation of a 94-member transitional council for the Syrian opposition was announced in Istanbul.

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.

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."