Egypt: Massive demonstrations are being held throughout Egypt today, on what is being called the "Friday of Unity and the People's Will." Most political parties and movements planned to participate in the demonstrations after agreeing to put aside individual demands and agendas in order to focus on the revolution's goals. However, many parties decided not to continue taking part in today's events after several Islamic parties began chanting Islamic slogans.

Libya: The mysterious assassination of opposition leader Abdel Fattah Younis has created divisions among rebel forces. While most are blaming his death on Muammar Gaddafi loyalists, others aren't ruling out the possibility of internal disputes in the opposition as the cause for his untimely assassination. Younis, one of Gaddafi's former right-hand men, defected from the Libyan regime in late February to join the revolutionaries and help form the Transitional National Council.

Bahrain: Several demonstrations were held throughout the country in response to calls by al-Wefaq National Islamic Society and the February 14 Coalition. Fierce confrontations erupted between young protestors and Bahraini security forces in the towns of Zanj and al-Bilad Qadeem. The opposition has rejected the outcome of the country's national dialogue and al-Wefaq Society is warning the regime not to use the modest reform proposals from the dialogue as a solution to the country's political crisis.

Syria: Anti-regime mobilizations have been linked to many Syrian mosques, which have become destinations for protestors to gather and starting points for their demonstrations. Historically, the mosque's role has not been limited to religious services but also includes an important social aspect, especially during the tumultuous Arab Spring.

Syria: Over 4,000 gathered in front of the US and French embassies in Damascus to condemn both countries' interference in Syrian affairs. The protestors threw tomatoes and eggs at the buildings, broke windows, wrote angry messages on the walls of both embassies, and held banners condemning the French and Americans ambassadors' violation of diplomatic norms. Security at the French embassy fired at the demonstrators, leading to the injury of two people. 

Libya: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that while efforts to reach a political solution are being exerted, it is necessary to maintain military pressure on the Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi. Juppe proposed a solution involving four phases: immediate ceasefire by Gaddafi's forces, Gaddafi relinquishing power, beginning a dialogue hosted by the Transitional National Council, and drawing a roadmap for establishing a democratic system with free elections.

Bahrain: The February 14 Youth Coalition has called for demonstrations on Sitra Island this Friday, named "Self Determination III." The coalition considered the dialogue called for by the king a failure, describing it as a "farce" because it was conducted amid the continuous crackdown on protests by Saudi-backed Bahraini forces. The people saw the dialogue as a maneuver to buy time as the authorities continue to arrest opposition figures and take arbitrary measures against peaceful protestors.

Tunisia: Six months after the Tunisian revolution toppled President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, the country is witnessing a new wave of angry demonstrations. In January, the Tunisian revolution inspired other Arab countries to rise up against their corrupt dictators, but today, Tunisia remains unstable and is demonstrating that removing a corrupt leader won’t solve all the country’s problems. Elections have been postponed to October and the country faces severe unemployment.  

(Euronews: 0538 PST, March 25, 2011) The city of Ajdabiya is a major crossroads in eastern Libya and controls the approach to Benghazi, the rebels' stronghold. It is being pounded by Gaddafi loyalists, and the rebels are determined it shall not fall. Their cause depends on it.

(Russia Today: 0753 PST, March 23, 2011) Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi vowed to fight until the end as he made his first public appearance since the international allied operation began on Saturday. Gaddafi said his troops will be victorious in what he called a "crusader battle." His address preceded a fourth night of air strikes. RT's Paula Slier is following developments in the capital Tripoli.

NATO Involement in Libya Is Agreed but Questions Remain

(Euronews: 2328 PST, March 22, 2011) Western nations backing the UN no-fly zone over Libya have agreed a role for NATO in the campaign but they will have to clarify the mission's aims before winning wider support. President Obama who wants the US to take a back seat has persuaded a reluctant France to accept the involvement of the alliance.

Libyan Newsreader Brandishes Gun on TV Show

(ITN News: 0709 PST, March 23, 2011) A Libyan TV host has pulled a gun out from under his desk while presenting a program.

(Euronews: 0814 PST, February 28, 2011) Yemen's opposition parties have said they will reject any offer from President Ali Abdullah Saleh to form a unity government. The offer is expected to be made within the next 24 hours but Yemen's opposition coalition insisted they would not compromise over their key demand that Saleh must resign.

Mass rallies against the president's 32-year rule began over a month ago. Saleh has already said he will not seek re-election at the end of his current seven-year term in 2013 but that promise has failed to quell the unrest.

The industrialization of the U.S. food system is multiplying rates of obesity and preventable illness. Our planet is suffering as well: the massive amounts of oil, coal and natural gas needed to produce, distribute and refrigerate our food is putting further strain on the planet's limited resources. I recently heard that a grocery chain that touts themselves as "green" flies their salmon to Japan to be filleted, then flies it back to the U.S. for sale in their stores! Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, says: "When we eat from the modern industrial food system," Pollan says, "we are eating fossil fuel and spewing greenhouse gas."

Though this situation seems abysmal, Pollan offers real alternatives to our current system; alternatives and solutions for a healthier, safer and more environmentally-friendly food supply. Watch the premiere of Michael Pollan: Deep Agriculture tonight at 9PM Eastern/6PM Pacific: click here for more information.

In a season of a high-profile Supreme Court nomination, economic stimulus, and early health care negotiations, why are we hearing so little about the Obama administration's environmental and energy policy?

The answer may lie in Obama's use of terms like "clean coal," "carbon capture and storage," and "cap and trade" that imply more a gesture of environmentalism rather than a full-scale energy revolution. In recent weeks, Obama has deferred to House Democrats to craft a climate change bill that creates the first carbon emissions trading system loosely modeled on EU energy policy. The plan though, in giving away 85% of carbon trade permits to industry for free, sets far more modest goals than the EU system for reducing carbon emissions.

Obama has been even more quiet about a $2.4 billion rollout this month of "clean coal" investments designed to reduce the environmental impact of coal-powered energy. Environmentalists like Al Gore mock the very idea of clean coal power, but similar programs are being implemented in the EU and China as economic stimulus measures.

Even as energy policy takes a back-seat to other administration priorities, there is still pressure to move quickly on new programs. Obama has promised to raise substantial revenue from carbon emissions trading to help pay for expenses like universal health care. Also, there is hope that Obama will sign on to global energy standards this December in Copenhagen to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which previous U.S. administrations never implemented.

Watch the Global Pulse episode on "clean coal" policy here.

The Chicago Tribune reports today that Illinois will move ahead with construction of a new power plant that aims to implement Obama-approved "clean coal" technology. But is there anything even remotely "green" about this plan to expand coal power production? The American Coalition for Clean Coal Technology, a coal power lobby organization, thinks so and uses an Obama campaign speech to prove their point in a recent ad below. For a more sobering take, check out views expressed here and here.