Yemen's military committee sets demilitarization deadline [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
UN special envoy Jamal Benomar has returned to Sanaa in an attempt to break the deadlock of the Yemeni crisis. Abed Rahman al-Shimiri reports from Sanaa.

Reporter, Male #2
Many obstacles are hampering the efforts aimed at demilitarizing and ending armed presence in Sanaa. Three weeks have passed since its formation, and the military committee is still trying to restore security to the capital. This prompted the committee to give rival forces two days to demilitarize Sanaa.

Guest, Male #3 (Abed Baset al-Shimiri, Editor-in-Chief of Shimou Newspaper)
The military committee will eventually prevail despite the many obstacles facing it. There are certain groups that are trying to set the country on fire and that will not withdraw completely. However, the committee is capable of restraining elements attempting to stir strife or war.

Reporter, Male #2
Over the past period, the military committee was able to expel some armed elements as well as remove some barriers and checkpoints from capital's streets. The committee has once again called for the removal of all sources of chaos and instibility, an indication of the difficulty of the committee's task. Meanwhile, some expressed doubt about the committee's ability of completing its mission and brokering a truce.

Guest, Male #4 (Bssem al-HAkimi, Political Activist)
It's somehow considered to be success. The committee was able to remove some military presence. However, this has not ended the military showdowns between the disputing armed groups in Sanaa. The conflict will not end until all forms of military presence are removed from Sanaa and until life returns to normal. Today, life is paralyzed in the capital Sanaa.

Reporter, Male #2
The security situation is not the only issue witnessing deterioration in Yemen. The political situation is very volatile as well. The disagreement over the immunity law for Saleh and his aides at the council of ministers has prompted UN envoy Jamal Benomar to return to Sanaa, where he will meet with political rivals in order to move beyond this critical stage. Despite the complexities surrounding the security and political situations in Yemen, the Yemeni public is still hopeful for a new era filled with security and stability dominating the entire country. Abed Rahman al-Shimiri, Dubai TV, Sanaa.

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Tunisia marks anniversary of first revolt [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male #1
On this day exactly a year ago, deposed Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali gave his infamous third and last speech. Less than 24 hours after that, he was forced to resign under the pressure of an unprecedented revolution that toppled his regime and outstandingly began a new Arab era. Ben Ali gave three speeches in 17 days in a futile attempt to contain the situation. It was remarkable that as the protests escalated, Ben Ali's tone progressively evolved from threatening and menacing in the first speech, to placating and appeasing in the second, to imploring and pleading in third and final speech.

Reporter, Male #2
When Ben Ali addressed the Tunisians for the first time, the protests had entered their twelfth consecutive day and had extended to a number of areas in the city of Sidi Bouzid, causing deaths, injuries and arrests. On this day, he seemed to be downplaying the events after returning from a vacation in Dubai.

Guest, Male #3 (Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Deposed Tunisian President)
A minority of culprits, perpetrators, and vandals, who are against the nation's interests, resort to violence and rioting in the streets as their way of expression. This is rejected by the state of law.

Reporter, Male #2
But his threats led to a reaction opposite from what he expected. The protests spread to new regions and attracted more Tunisians from all social groups. The death toll from the security's gunfire rose, especially in Tala and al-Qasrayn. As the regime realized that the situation was further deteriorating, Ben Ali addressed the Tunisians a second time on January 10. This time he appeared to be more aware of the situation, but did not retract his initial categorization of the protests.

Guest, Male #3
Masked gangs initiated night attacks on public facilities and even on citizens in their houses. This is no doubt a terrorist act.

Reporter, Male #2
As soon as Ben Ali finished his second speech, the capital Tunis and its residential neighborhoods flared with intensified protests. It became obvious that the street's mobilization had transcended their economic demands and moved towards the political arena. On January 13, Ben Ali appeared anxious and unusually weak, imploring the public in the Tunisian dialect, hoping to gain back the minds and hearts of his people.

Guest, Male #3
I understand you, oh yes, I tell you, I understand you, and I decided to grant full freedom.

Reporter, Male #2
This speech confused some Tunisian elites, however, the time had passed for reconciliation and the street continued its protest. Immediately, world media networks rushed to Tunisia to capture a clearer picture the following day. And it indeed became clear that the Tunisian people resolved the matter and finally succeeded in expelling their dictator.

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Saudi security forces kill one protestor in Qatif Province [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
The popular mobilization persists in al-Qatif Province of Saudi Arabia as the repression with live ammunition continues. People were martyred and wounded and dozens were arrested. The Saudi media describes the internal movement as terrorism while praising the mobilizations abroad as freedom movements. Saudi laws ban peaceful protests and free speech, as stringent security measures are taken to prevent the tide of change from spreading. Meanwhile, both neighboring countries and foreign powers afar remain suspiciously silent, but for how long? Freedom remains forbidden in Saudi Arabia. Can the kingdom block the winds of reform and change for long? And when will the deafening calls by advocates of freedom and human rights in multiple areas be heard? So in Saudi Arabia, protests persist and repression continues.

Reporter, Female #2
A news observer website quoted government sources confirming a youth was martyred and three were wounded by the Saudi security forces' gunfire on Thursday evening in the town of Awamia in al-Qatif Province of Saudi Arabia. This raised the death toll by the security forces' gunfire to five martyrs in the past few weeks. The website quoted eyewitnesses saying members of security forces opened heavy fire after stones were thrown at a security vehicle in one of the town's backstreets. Following the incident, security members shut down all entrances to the town, barring anyone from entering or exiting. It is worth mentioning that al-Qatif Province has witnessed sporadic protest marches throughout the past several months demanding the release of political prisoners and the implementation of political reforms in the kingdom. The protestors endured shooting with live ammunition by security forces, leading to a number of martyrdoms and injuries. In addition, the authorities detained around 400 young people for various lengths of time, but have released most of them. Meanwhile, nearly 70 of them are still behind bars. The most prominent detainees include two writers, Nadhir al-Majid and Ali al-Dubaisi, and human rights activist Fadil al-Munasif. Since February, the Saudi authorities have been imposing a collective punishment on all al-Qatif residents and reinforcing its control of the region. They have set up more than 15 military checkpoints equipped with heavy weaponry and armored vehicles at the region's entrances, exits, and central areas. Police officers deliberately impose the collective punishment and have resorted to provoking the citizens by preventing them from going to work on a daily basis in order to instigate strife between the residents and the youth movement.

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Syria protestors rally in support of army defectors [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male # 1
The Syrian Revolution's General Commission reported the killing of 14 people today by the gunfire of army and security forces in Idlib, Homs, Deir az-Zour, Aleppo, and the countryside of Damascus. Local Coordination Committees said a number of people were injured when army forces shelled the Zabadani region with tanks and heavy weaponry. In addition, a number of areas in Homs witnessed heavy gunfire as clashes erupted between the army and defected soldiers in the area of Laja, near Daraa. Many Syrian areas witnessed protests in support of soldiers who defected from the regime's army.

Reporter, Male # 2
"The Friday to support the Free Army"; there is no clearer slogan to send the message of protestors who filled the streets of many areas. This Friday concludes the tenth month of the Syrian revolution. And with it, the options for protestors attempting to topple the Assad regime are made clear. They view the soldiers who defected from the regime as models for all Syrian soldiers, believing they should protect the people from the regime's military machine. And after over 5,000 people were killed and thousands more injured, imprisoned, and made refugees, a large number of the uprising's participants and supporters believe the Free Army could play a crucial and perhaps decisive role in the path of the crisis. Right now, it seems the two sides on equal playing fields.

Guest, Male #3
We announce our defection from the army of gangs. We are joining the Free Syrian Army.

Reporter, Male # 2
Those overseeing the Free Syrian Army say over 20,000 soldiers have joined but admit they are not well armed and cannot face the regime's army. For this reason, they are asking for political and military support. This is perhaps the purpose of a meeting held in Turkey between a delegation from the Syrian National Council and the leadership of the Free Army. They agreed on a mechanism to coordinate between the two sides and on the formation of a liaison office. This political step means the Syrian National Council has completely adopted the Free Army, and describes it as part of the uprising. However, others believe such a step probably implies the militarization of the uprising, which could perhaps give the Syrian regime a pretext for using additional forces to suppress the demonstrations. This debate is ongoing between the uprising participants and the opposition, who express fears, especially since the international community has no intention of interfering due to the complex equation of the Syrian situation. What is also certain is that the continued killing and the non-interference of the international community so far could strengthen the protestors' reliance on themselves and on the Free Army, while they say it is their natural right to defend themselves. Wael Tamimi, BBC.

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Rival protestors clash in Jordan [Press TV, Iran]

Moving on to Jordan, where protestors there have been attacked by supporters of the government. This happened in the capital Amman while pro-reform demonstrations are continuing to rock the country. Clashes broke out after the attack. Several casualties have been reported. The incident began after protestors began their weekly anti-government rally. Protests were also witnessed in several cities in the south including Tefila. Demonstrators throughout the country have called for more reform and jobs. Tensions are high in Jordan after two people set themselves on fire earlier this week over economic hardship.

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Kuwaiti security forces attack stateless protestors [Press TV, Iran]

In Kuwait, government forces have attacked stateless protesters demanding citizenship in the city of Jahra, northwest of the capital. Several people were injured after hundreds of riot police attacked demonstrators. Many others, including a 13-year-old boy, have been arrested. Rights groups have slammed the government for clamping down on demonstrators since they began taking to the streets early last year. More than 105,000 stateless people in Kuwait known as bidoon have been denied citizenship for decades. The central government has refused to give them essential documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates. It says that only 34,000 of them qualify for citizenship.

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Iran nuclear scientist buried as Russia warns of sanctions [Press TV, Iran]

Continuing with the news, Russia has once again warned against more unilateral sanctions on Iran over its nuclear energy program. The Russian Foreign Ministry says any UN action against Tehran would be received by the world community as an attempt to overthrow the Islamic Republic. It would also undermine international efforts to peacefully resolve the issue with Iran. Moscow has also warned against a potential military airstrike against Iran. European governments say they are moving closer to an agreement on imposing an embargo on Iranian oil exports.

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Israeli Supreme Court denies Palestinians citizenship by marriage [Palestine TV, Ramallah]

Presenter, Male #1
Israel's Supreme Court rejected a petition submitted by Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, against the racist citizenship law. The law bans Palestinians inside the Green Line from marrying citizens from the West Bank, and Gaza and living in Israel.

Reporter, Male #2
The so-called Israeli Supreme Court approved the racist citizenship law proposed by the Israeli Knesset. The law bans 1948 Palestinians from enjoying their family life in Israel if they were to marry Palestinians residing in the occupied territories and citizens of countries considered by Israeli law as enemy countries, namely Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. The Israeli Supreme Court's majority opinion of six justices countered the five who supported the abolishment of the law. International legal experts confirm the aforementioned law does not have a counterpart in any democratic country in the world. This law denies Palestinians inside the Green Line the right to live with their families in Israel merely because of the ethnicity of their spouses.

Presenter, Male #1
A report by al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said the occupation and settlers recently carried out over 70 attacks in Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories. Houses of worship and graveyards were not even spared.

Reporter, Male #3
2011 was a terrible year for the Palestinian people, as the number of settler attacks reached a record high. The frequency of attacks on holy sites rose as well last year. Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage recorded 70 attacks across the country, including the burning of eight mosques, the demolition of three others, the desecration of 13 more mosques, and three attacks on Christian holy sites. Over 120 tombs were dug up in Ma'man Allah cemetery in occupied Jerusalem.

Guest, Male #4 (Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, Mufti of Jerusalem)
This comes within the framework of the Judaization campaign of Palestinian land, specifically of the holy city of Jerusalem. Therefore, we're seriously monitoring these attacks and our Palestinian people should unite their ranks to confront these attacks on holy sites in the Palestinian territory.

Reporter, Male #3
Netanyahu's government acted as the genuine umbrella for these attacks in its announcement of a number of decisions to demolish or shut down mosques. It also sponsored exhumation operations. All Israeli institutions are involved in these crimes, including executive government offices, the judiciary, occupation forces, settlers, and others.

Guest, Male #5 (Dimtari Dalyani, Member of the Revolutionary Council in Fatah)
This is a direct reflection of the policy of the occupation government that is controlled by a group of extremists and racists who do not see anyone other than the ultra-orthodox Jews on this Palestinian land. In turn, this racism is passed on to groups of settlers, either monetarily or by morally patronizing the settlers by defending those who commit such crimes.

Reporter, Male #3
In today's Israel, the last word is entirely that of the extremists who find, under the auspices of Netanyahu's government, a historic opportunity to distort Palestine's Arab and Muslim features.

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Obama and Netanyahu discuss Mideast peace talks and Iran [IBA, Israel]

Against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a lengthy telephone conversation with US President Barack Obama last night. According to a White House press statement, the two leaders discussed recent developments related to Tehran as well as ongoing efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Netanyahu and Obama reviewed both recent meetings between Palestinian negotiators in Amman ahead of s scheduled visit to Washington by Jordan's King Abdullah.