EGYPT
An ailing, 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak, lying ashen-faced on a hospital bed inside a metal defendants cage with his two sons standing protectively beside him in white prison uniforms, denies charges of corruption and complicity in the killing of protesters at the start of his historic trial. Many Egyptians savor the humiliation of the man who ruled with unquestionable power for 29 years, during which opponents were tortured, corruption was rife, poverty spread and political life was stifled.
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SYRIA
Syrian tanks storm Hama under heavy shelling, taking over a main square at the heart of the rebellious city and cutting off electricity, water and phone lines on the fourth day of an offensive. At least three tanks take up positions in Hama's central Assi square, which in recent weeks was the site of carnival-like demonstrations by hundreds of thousands of protesters calling for the downfall of President Bashar Assad's regime.
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LIBYA
An international journalists' group sharply criticizes NATO air strikes against Libyan television, which killed three people and injured 15, saying they violated international law and U.N. resolutions. NATO says the bombing of the Libyan TV's satellite dishes was in compliance with the U.N. mandate authorizing the strikes to protect the civilian population.
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LEBANON
The prosecutor investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri says he has received new material from Hezbollah, the Shiite militia whose members are under indictment. The prosecutor's office says the file was offered by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a televised speech earlier last month, but it did not disclose the nature of the material.
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IRAN
Iran's parliament approves a senior Revolutionary Guard commander as the country's new oil minister, further expanding the enormous influence that the country's top military branch wields in politics, business and other areas of civilian life. The new minister, Gen. Rostam Qasemi, is on a list of U.S. and European sanctions for his alleged links to the country's disputed nuclear program.