In Aleppo, the Free Syrian Army made a "tactical withdrawal" from the strategic neighborhood of Salaheddine last week, citing a shortage of ammunition. According to BBC Arabic, they have returned and opened new fronts in the city, including a push to control Aleppo International Airport, as well as the military airfield adjacent to it.

However, Aleppo City and some of the governorate proper is coming under heavy fire from the Syrian Army. On Thursday, Dubai TV reported that at least 80 were killed in an air strike on the town of Azaz, which is about 50 kilometers from Aleppo. There were also air raids on several Aleppo neighborhoods on Friday.

The Free Syrian Army, known in Arabic as al-Jaish al-Suri al-Hurr, also came under scrutiny this week after videos surfaced showing alleged FSA members participating in a morally questionable execution in Aleppo and kidnapping a Lebanese national, the latter of which the FSA denied. New TV showed the footage of a what appears to be a "shabeha" getting his throat slit by an FSA member, alongside footage of the FSA with a captured Syrian Army pilot. According to Dubai TV, however, the FSA claimed that both the kidnapping of Hassan al-Miqdad of the powerful al-Miqdad family, as well as the group involved in the abduction, were fabricated by the Syrian regime in an attempt to fuel strife between Syrians and Lebanese.

In the south of the country, Damascus also experienced heavy fighting this week. Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday that the Free Syrian Army detonated a bomb under a fuel truck near Umayyad Square. The FSA said that the bomb had targeted a meeting of the Syrian Air Force, but the explosion was also very close to the UN observers' hotel. The bombing was followed by clashes in the neighborhood of Kafr Susa, which is near the prime minister's office.

Meanwhile, at the Organization for Islamic Cooperation's latest summit in Mecca, Algerie TV reported that Syria was suspended from the OIC, and the leaders agreed to continue pursuing the political solution and a peaceful solution to the crisis that would guarantee the country's unity and sovereignty during the violence. The meeting ended by confirming support for oppressed Muslim people, and with calls to combat strife between Islamic teachings, as well as countering terrorism and extremism.

Image: A man cries in front of houses destroyed during a recent Syrian Air Force air strike in Azaz, some 47 km (29 miles) north of Aleppo, August 15, 2012. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

(Channel 4 News: 1400 PST, March 22, 2011) Channel 4's Alex Thompson reports on the effort to reopen the Sendai airport, just a week after the devastating tsunami.

(Euronews: 1300 PST, March 22, 2011) The Japanese economy has been negatively affected by the earthquake and tsunami, and though uncertainty remains, many remain hopeful about Japanese economic stability and long-term growth.

(Euronews: 0710 PST, March 18, 2011) Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi shelled the rebel-held town of Misurata on Friday morning, according to opposition troops holed up in the coastal city.

It came after last night's resolution authorising military action against Libyan forces but before Libya's foreign minister declared that Libya would respect the resolution and had declared a ceasefire.

The attack is believed to have started at around 7am CET and involved tanks and heavy artillery. Amateur video showed buildings in the city going up in smoke.

(Associated Press: 0912 PST, February 24, 2011) Forces supporting the regime of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya were striking back at protesters in towns near the capital Thursday. At least a dozen people were reported killed.