Sunday
May222011
Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: An Aid Corridor for the Mountains
Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 10:47 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran
2130 GMT: After his refusal to sign a deal for transition of power, Yemen's President Saleh has telephoned Gulf leaders, including the heads of the Saudi, Bahraini, Kuwaiti, and Omani regimes.
Saleh blamed the opposition Joint Meeting Parties for the stalemate, saying they refused to sign the Gulf-brokered initiative "within the framework of transparency and openness".
The JMP had signed the agreement on Saturday night but balked at Saleh's insistence that they come to the Presidential Palace and sign again.
Saleh told the Gulf leaders that he was still ready to accept the initiative.
1955 GMT: Security forces charge a pro-reform demonstration in Tangier in Morocco today: