Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: An Aid Corridor for the Mountains

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:

1905 GMT: The European Union has formally opened an office in the Libyan opposition's base of Benghazi.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton inaugurated the office: "I am here today to explain and to be clear about not only the short-term support from the European Union, but about the breadth and the depth of our support."

The head of the opposition's National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, will hold talks on Monday and Tuesday in Turkey, meeting President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

1900 GMT: Homs in Syria tonight:

1855 GMT: Press release of the day comes from the Bahrani News Agency:

His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa hailed today the kingdom’s pioneering reform process.

"Bahrain is a model of democratic and institutional reform thanks to the national project of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa," He said as he received today senior officials.

"This requires us to stand as one rank against any attempt to undermine national achievements," he added vowing zero tolerance with those who conspired against the nation.

The Prime Minister continued, "Those who are trying to dent the reputation of their nation had better work in the interest of their homeland where they have been brought up instead of trying to promote fabricated information to portray a non-existent reality."

1925 GMT: The statement of Yemen's President Saleh tonight, as talks for a transition of power collapsed: "If [the opposition] remain stubborn, we will confront them everywhere with all possible means. If they don't bow, and want to take the country into a civil war, let them be responsible for it and for the blood that was shed and that will be shed if they insist on their stupidity."

1920 GMT: The President of Tunisia's independent election committee, Kamel Jandoubi, has proposed the postponement of July's elections to 16 October, citing operational reasons.

1830 GMT: A photograph of armed supporters of Yemen's President Saleh surrounding the Embassy of the UAE, with ambassadors inside, this afternoon --- the President pulled away from signing a deal for a transition of power (see 1630 GMT).

1800 GMT: Another video of protests in Homs in Syria today, this one of demonstrators calling for the downfall of President Assad:

1635 GMT: Thousands of mourners at a funeral in the Damascus suburb of Saqba have called for the removal of President Assad, chanting, "The people want the overthrow of the regime" and shouting the name of a protester killed on Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says it has the names of 863 civilians who had been killed in shootings by security forces since 15 March. The Observatory said scores are missing and feared dead.

1630 GMT: Reuters reports from Western diplomats that the negotiations in Yemen have broken down.

1600 GMT: Yemen specialist Gregory Johnsen updates on the curious situation....

After armed men supporting him surrounded the UAE Embassy, President Saleh has sent an "official" delegation to negotiate with the Secretary-General of the Gulf Co-operation Council and the five ambassadors of the GCC nations who are inside the building.

Qatar, the sixth member of the GCC, has withdrawn from the talks; however, the ambassadors of the US, Britain, and European countries have also been present.

1421 GMT: Bahrain's Foreign Minister Khalid al-Khalifa has just sent the message via Twitter, "Just spoke to GCC Secretary General Al Zayani. He will try to make his way to the palace in Sanaa [in Yemen]. Situation volatile."

1345 GMT: In Yemen, the deadline for signature of political deal brokered by the Gulf Co-operation Council has passed, and President Saleh has still not agreed to the transition of power (see 0937 GMT).

Al Arabiya reports that gunmen (Associated Press says "men wielding knives, daggers and swords") claiming loyalty to Saleh of Yemen have besieged the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Sana’a, trapping the ambassadors of the US, Britain and the European Union, the envoys of the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Secretary General of the GCC, Abdullatif al-Zayani.

Earlier on Sunday, pro-Saleh demonstrators blocked major roads in cities in protest against the political deal.

1200 GMT: Claimed footage of a demonstration in Homs in Syria today:

1140 GMT: Kuwait has banned nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan from entering because of "difficult security conditions in the five countries" and "the remarkable increasing tendency of nationals from the five countries to apply for visas to bring in relatives who faced or could face arrest by the local authorities to Kuwait".

The ban includes a suspension of all tourism, visit, and trade visas as well as visas sponsored by spouses.

1135 GMT: Claimed video of a protest in Homs on Friday, with a demonstrator challenging a Syrian Army tank:

1130 GMT: Back from a break to find Yemen State TV'ss vieo of a "march for unity" in the capital Sanaa today:

0937 GMT: The latest from the long-running political conflict in Yemen....

The opposition Joint Meeting Parties has agreed to the deal for a transition of power within 30 days. However, President Saleh says he will not sign unless the JMP come to the Presidential Palace and sign it again. The opposition has refused.

0935 GMT: Footage from Homs in Syria of gunfire and casualties, including a child --- the video was uploaded on Saturday but is presumably from Friday's clashes, in which at least nine people died in the city. (Warning: Graphic):

0930 GMT: Claimed video of protest in Hama in Syria last night:

0815 GMT: A Bahrain appeals court has upheld the death sentences of two defendants convicted of killing a police officer by running him over with a car. The sentences of two others have been commuted to life in prison.

0800 GMT: Human rights activist Razan Zeitouneh says Syrian security forces killed 11 mourners when they fired on funeral processions in Homs on Saturday.

0655 GMT: Video of Saturday's protest in the Midan section of Damascus, with chants against the Assad regime, “We don’t love you! Get out, you and your party!”. That is a reply to Assad's 2007 campaign for uncontested re-election with posters of himself declaring, “We Love You!”

In the second video, the men shout, "Allahu akbar (God is great).”

0550 GMT: We start this morning with a Facebook appeal by activists "on behalf of the Libyan People in Yefren and Algalaa" in the Nafusa Mountains in western Libya. They declare that an "aid corridor will ensure that [about] 7000 to 10,000 civilian women and children and men will be protected and innocent lives saved". Another 40,000 people were displaced to other towns in the Nafusa Mountains, Tripoli, and Tunisia before a complete siege by regime forces.

Because of the remote location, the conflict in the mountain region has received limited attention over the three months of the Libyan uprising. The activists highlight that there is no access to cash with banks closed, no electricity and gasoline, only contaminated water, no food supplies into the area since 1 March, and no access to medicine.