The BBC reports from Libya tonight, where a NATO official said that Gaddafi's loyalist forces planted landmines in Misurata’s port to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the city. Medical sources reported that 12 people were killed in Misurata in a shelling by Gaddafi forces. Confrontations between the rivaling forces also took place near the Libya-Tunisian border. After Gaddafi forces shelled the Tunisian border town of Dhiba, Tunisian authorities expressed concern over what was considered a “violation of the sanctity of Tunisian soil.”

Al-Alam reports that thousands of Yemenis demonstrated in the capital Sana'a on the “Day of Loyalty to Martyrs” to announce their rejection of the Gulf Cooperation Council's initiative and demand the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. As the clampdown on these protests continues in Yemen, the Joint Meeting Parties warned they would not sign the Gulf agreement in Riyadh if the regime did not protect the peaceful protestors. Meanwhile, thousands of Saleh supporters held separate marches in Sana’a, as part of the “Friday of Constitutional Legitimacy.”

To mark the “Friday of Rage,” protestors throughout Syria took to the streets in solidarity with the city of Daraa, which is still under siege by the Syrian Republican Guard. After weeks of protests in Syria, al-Jazeera reports that today’s are particularly significant because the Muslim Brotherhood has openly joined the protest movement and over 200 members of the Ba’ath Party have submitted their resignations.

Tonight Syria TV relases the Paltalk Leakes, exposing exposing conspirators behind the Syrian revolution. The state run station reports that satellite phones, computers, and cameras were smuggled into Syria with the intention of fabricating news and spreading lies to the media about protests in Syria.

At least 16 people were killed in Morocco yesterday after a café was bombed in the city of Marrakech. The café is located in Djemma el-Fna Square, one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world. Moroccan authorities have launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators. Dubai TV reports that while the government’s spokesman said the authorities will pursue all leads, he hinted that al-Qaeda might be responsible for the bombing.

The Syrian Sawasya Organization for Human Rights said today that there have now been upwards of 500 fatalities since anti-regime demonstrations began six weeks ago. They added that Syrian authorities have arrested thousands of people, while hundreds of others are reported missing. Al-Jazeera reports that the Syrian youth opposition group has sent out a call on Facebook for new demonstrations to take place tomorrow on the “Friday of Rage” against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Al-Alam reports that the Yemeni opposition has said they would not sign the GCC’s power-transfer deal if the regime continues to use violence against demonstrators. Twelve people were reportedly killed and over 130 injured when protestors in Sana'a were shot at while marching to the Saudi embassy to protest Riyadh’s interference in the Yemeni revolution.

Gaddafi forces continue to surround and shell the coastal city of Misurata, considered to be the most important opposition-controlled city in western Libya. Medical sources in the city said at least seven rebel fighters were killed at a checkpoint shelled by Gaddafi forces on the border with Tunisia. However, the BBC reports that opposition fighters in Ajdabiya say the city is now safe enough for residents to return.

Dubai TV reports from Jordan, where King Abdullah II has asked a committee to prepare a series of constitutional amendments in an attempt to placate the opposition with reforms. Observers believe that the formation of the committee proves that the Kingdom is serious about making real political reforms. The opposition blocs have welcomed the formation of the panel and described it as “a step in the right direction that will help move the wheel of political reforms forward.”

Tonight, New TV profiles Syrian writer and opposition figure Michel Kilo. Kilo joined the Communist Party as a youth, studied journalism in Cairo, sociology in Paris, and worked as a translator at the Ministry of Culture in Damascus. Today, he is the head of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression and is considered one of Syria’s leading opposition thinkers.

Tonight, al-Alam reports on the ongoing violence in Bahrain. Saudi-backed Bahraini forces continue to destroy mosques and religious sites while carrying out a large-scale campaign to arrest protest leaders. Marches are expected to be held across Bahraini cities under the banner "Sunni and Shiite brothers," in order to affirm the protestors’ national unity. It has been reported that over 1,000 people have been arrested so far, 25 percent of whom are under 18. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, students, journalists, and human rights activists are all being targeted.

The BBC reports that a UN delegation arrived in Tripoli to investigate human rights violations committed during military operations in Libya. The team is expected to investigate violations on both sides of the fighting, including the ones that the Libyan government has accused NATO and the opposition of committing. Meanwhile, the fight between Gaddafi troops and the opposition in Misurata continues, with hundreds of civilians caught in the middle.

Dubai TV reports that Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the opposition expect to sign a power-transfer deal in Riyadh, as protestors continue to stage sit-ins in Sana'a and other cities. Under the terms of the agreement, a national unity government will formed following Saleh's resignation. Saleh is to reassign power to his vice president in exchange for his immunity, and official elections will held within two months. Yemeni protestors continue to reject the deal. 

The Syrian Human Rights Observatory said that the number of fatalities has risen to 453 and that Syrian authorities have arrested about 1,700 people since protests began in Syria last month. European Union ambassadors are scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on Damascus. Throughout the upheaval, Syria’s state run television channel has failed mentioned the ongoing events in the country.  

New TV has a special report from Libya, where rap music has become the soundtrack of the revolution. Harkening back to the days of Public Enemy and KRS-One, youth have been using rap to inspire the opposition. In the report, rap is described as the youth’s “new weapon” in the fight against Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Al-Jazeera reports that two people were killed and over 20 injured when security forces opened fire on protestors in Mosul’s Ahrar Square in Iraq. Protestors have rejected the concessions made by the government so far, including the nomination of a new police commander, and have also rejected Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's invitation to meet with a delegation of Mosul residents.

Al-Alam brings us the latest developments from Libya, where Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have shelled Misurata's port, injuring several African refugees. The attack also forced a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Misurata to turn back. NATO attacks targeted Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah compound, but Gaddafi himself was not harmed. While some sources have indicated that Gaddafi forces have retreated from Misurata, residents say that the city is still under siege.  

The BBC reports that Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal are circulating a draft statement within the Security Council condemning the violent crackdown on Syrian protestors. The White House announced yesterday that it is considering imposing sanctions on the Syrian government in response to what it described as brutal violence against Syrian civilians.

The Yemeni opposition has fully approved the Gulf transition plan after receiving clarifications on several of the initiative’s clauses. Dubai TV reports that while the Yemeni president's position on the initiative remains vague, the ruling party has announced that Saleh will agree to step down from power in exchange for immunity. The revolution's youth groups have rejected the initiative and say they will continue to protest until their demands are met.

Cairo Criminal Court has delayed the trial of former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, six of his senior assistants, and Interior Ministry security leaders, until May 21st. The case relates to their involvement in the attacks and killings of protestors during the January 25 Revolution. Nile TV reports that Egypt's Attorney General Abdul Majid Mahmoud has decided to extend the detention of Alaa and Gamal Mubarak for another 15 days as a precaution while the allegations against them are investigated.

Thousands of people demonstrated in Rabat today to demand the release of political detainees and the prosecution of corrupt officials in response to a call by Morocco’s February 20 Movement, Al-Alam reports that number of other Moroccan cities witnessed similar protests, as demonstrators demanded political reform and a new constitution that would reduce the king's power. Protestors are also demanding that the government and parliament be dissolved.

Al-Jazeera reports that a number of people were reportedly killed and several others injured when Syrian security forces, backed by armored trucks and tanks, entered the southern city of Daraa at dawn this morning. Human rights organizations believe that over 300 people have been killed since protests began last month. Activists are referring to the Syrian government’s crackdown on protestors as “a brutal war to eradicate all those demanding freedom and democracy.”

Dubai TV reports from the southern Yemeni city of Taiz, where ten people were injured when security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas on a group of people demanding the immediate ouster and trial of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The protestors renewed their rejection of the Gulf-brokered initiative, which the opposition had accepted “with reservations.” According to the initiative, Saleh would step down within one month in exchange for immunity from legal prosecution.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a “dangerous atmosphere dominates the Middle East,” as a result of the precedent set by Libyan fighters' dependence on Western support. Lavrov said these armed fighters are convinced they are capable of toppling Muammar al-Gaddafi’s regime because NATO is on their side. He added that protestors in other countries are now hoping to receive help from the international community to overthrow their rulers. According to the BBC, US Senator John McCain stated the US should increase its participation in the attacks against the Libyan regime to avoid a stalemate that might lead to an intervention by al-Qaeda.

In art exhibit entitled, "History in the Making: the Egyptian Revolution," 350 images were showcased to commemorate Egypt’s peaceful January 25 Revolution. Nile TV reports that the exhibit “aims to keep the spirit of the revolution alive in the hearts of citizens, and to expose the former regime’s corruption.” The Egyptian Women’s Movement for Change was created to honor the essential role of women in society. The movement seeks to raise women’s public awareness in Egypt and ensure their participation in the new political scene.