Bahrain King Open to Talks

As clashes erupt across the Middle East—from Jordan to Djibouti—the king of Bahrain, where some of the most brutal crackdown tactics were seen on Friday—has indicated he is open to discussions with protesters. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa tried to restore order by appointing his son, a crown prince, to lead a dialogue with the anti-government protesters—although the appointment of the Sunni king’s son to deal with the Shiite minority could leave some cold. Back in the U.S., President Obama urged the governments of Bahrain, as well as those in Libya and Yemen, to refrain from violence. In Yemen, violence in the eighth straight day of protests left one dead.