Bahrain blocks return to Martyrs' Square on revolt anniversary [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
On the first anniversary of the eruption of protests demanding reform and change, Bahraini security forces dispersed marches in al-Manama. Meanwhile, the Bahraini king called for unity and the rejection of what could tear apart Bahraini society.

Reporter, Male #1
The Bahraini king makes a reappearance to remind the Bahraini people of a document they agreed to a decade ago and has become the equivalent of a charter between everyone. This time, it's as if he indicates that the past year should not impact Bahrain's future, even though 2011 was eventful. This was one year ago when protesters rallied in central Manama's Pearl Roundabout. Security forces demanded they leave the site, but they refused. On the other side, opponents were calling for preserving Bahrain's identity.

Guest, Male #2
We do not agree to the demand of the downfall of the current government as one of the conditions.

Reporter, Male #1
Opposition leaders and those calling for protests are accused of being affiliated with foreign powers, and this rally is a reaction to the events that took place in Pearl Roundabout. Authorities were monitoring the events, and when some areas, including some hospitals and neighborhoods, defied the authority of the security forces, everything began to change. Security forces warned protesters that if they did not leave the square, they would resort to violence. And indeed, clashes broke out. Security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets, and the opposition accused them of using live bullets. In turn, police reported injuries among its ranks, even the death of some of them, as protesters were being killed. Geopolitics are also had an impact with Saudi Arabia monitoring the situation. As for Iran and the Maliki government in Iraq, they was also observing and escalating the tone against Bahrain. The Peninsula Shield Force then entered Bahrain, generating reactions and counterreactions from regional forces. The US and European countries strongly criticized Bahrain, leading the Bahraini king to initiate an international investigation into the events.

Guest, Male #3
The security institutions of the Bahraini government resorted to the use of excessive force.

Reporter, Male #1
The committee concluded its mission with recommendations to reform, especially the security institutions and judiciary; recommendations the Bahraini authorities agreed to fulfill. It seems that everyone agrees on the necessity to reform one year since the protests erupted. However, the dispute lies with the implementation method.

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Anniversary protestors attacked by police in Bahrain [Press TV, Iran]

The Saudi-backed regime crackdown is at its peak as protestors mark the first anniversary of their revolution. Saudi-backed forces have injured at least five protestors in the capital Manama. They also fired tear gas to prevent the protestors trying to reach Manama's Pearl Square, also known as Martyrs' Square. Around 100 people, including men and women, have been arrested. Four US activists are among them. The head of Bahrain's Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, was also briefly arrested. The crackdown is going on in other parts of the kingdom. The latest violence comes as King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa claimed that Bahrain's constitution recognizes no such thing as an organized opposition.

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Gaza's sole power station closes after running out of fuel [Press TV, Iran]

The only power plant in the Gaza Strip has stopped generating electricity because of a lack of fuel. Palestinian officials blame the Israeli blockade for the crisis, and they've urged Egypt to provide the impoverished area with the fuel needed to restart the station. Electricity supplies coming directly from Israel and Egypt only cover 35 percent of the people's needs in the coastal enclave. Tel Aviv has kept Gaza under siege since 2007. The blockade has led to frequent blackouts throughout the territory, and shortages of basic supplies, such as food and medicine.

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Yemenis stage fresh anti-Saleh rallies [Press TV, Iran]

People in Yemen have once again taken to the streets to demand the trial of Ali Abdullah Saleh. Protestors have rejected any immunity for Saleh and his henchmen, accusing them of committing crimes against the people of Yemen. Saleh's currently in the United States. The protestors have frequently accused the US and its regional ally Saudi Arabia of supporting the Saleh regime. Large numbers of Yemenis have been killed by Saleh loyalists since the revolution began last year. The protestors have been demanding an end to Saleh's decades-long rule.

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Tensions high as South Sudan accuses Sudan of air attack [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Juba announced today that an airstrike was carried out on its territory two days ago. A Southern Sudanese Army spokesman said that Sudanese warplanes shelled the region of Jau on Sunday in Unity state, injuring four southern troops. Khartoum denied Juba's claim and affirmed its commitment to the comprehensive peace agreement. This news comes two days after the two sides signed a non-aggression pact in Addis Ababa, in which they agreed to respect each other's sovereignty. The deteriorating relationship between South and north Sudan has affected trips run by the Nile ships bringing southerners back to their homes. Khartoum's army decided to halt the activities of ships due to suspicion they are being used by South Sudan to reinforce its military presence along the border. The latest developments reflect the level of mistrust between the two neighbors despite statements claiming the contrary. Political circles don't rule out a military confrontation, especially in light of what observers are describing as "a lack of political and military commitment" by both sides. Sami al-Shinawi reports from Khartoum.

Reporter, Male #2
The unclear political scene between South and north Sudan and the military reinforcements on both fronts are putting the country on a state of alert. The heated statements and counterstatements are turning the Sudanese territory into fertile ground for a new international intervention, especially after the recent rapprochement efforts between Juba and Tel Aviv, a situation that could lead to a possible war between the two sides.

Guest, Male #3 (Hasan Maki, Strategic Expert on Horn of Africa)
The military institution must remain out of this conflict and allow the political body to work towards bridging the gap between the two regions.

Reporter, Male #2
However, the near-economic collapse that started to loom in north Sudan suggests that the north will not be able to manage a possible war. In addition, the governments of Khartoum and Juba are expected to lose popular momentum, especially since both peoples seem to reject the war option. However, both sides doubt the security agreement will continue to hold in light of outstanding issues.

Guest, Male #4 (Hasan Bayoumi, Military Expert)
The atmosphere is obviously tense. This didn't happen overnight but a while back. There's no peace between the two sides. It's true that the situation is tense on the ground, but they must use reason, as it's their national obligation. Otherwise, either one or both countries will be headed towards a disaster.

Reporter, Male #2
Linking the issue of Abyei to oil contracts, following the resumption of the Addis Abba negotiations, may impede efforts by both sides aimed at reaching a final agreement, which may place them back at the brink of war. The resumption of talks, which was initiated this time by north and South Sudan, does not imply that either side has changed its position, leaving the door open to a new escalation, where the sound of bullets could echo louder than dialogue. Sami al-Shinawi, Dubai TV, Khartoum.

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Bombardment of Syrian city continues for 10th day [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
The Syrian Revolution's General Commission said security forces killed 35 civilians today across different cities. In Dara'a province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that joint military and security forces stormed the town of al-Tayab amid heavy gunfire as an explosion echoed in the northern neighborhood. At the same time, a campaign of raids and arrests was launched in the southern neighborhood. Damascus expressed its firm rejection to what it referred to as allegations by the UN Human Rights Commission that it committed crimes against humanity.

Reporter, Male #1
The neighborhoods of Homs, the stronghold of the protest movement where defectors are seeking refuge, are being shelled for the tenth consecutive day. According to activists, the Baba Amr neighborhood in particular has been enduring the most violent shelling by the Syrian forces for five days. They say the shelling is carried out at a pace of two rockets per minute on average. Dozens were killed and injured on the streets. It is difficult to rescue the wounded or evacuate the bodies due to the snipers' gunfire and the continuous shelling. Activists said the regime's new military reinforcements arrived to the city, causing fear among residents of a more violent shelling campaign.

Guest, Male #2 (Hadi Abdullah, Syrian Revolution General Commission Spokesman in Homs)
Unfortunately, with the use of snipers and the shelling, the Syrian regime is preventing any rescue efforts by civilians who try to move the injured from the streets to other places. Indeed, the situation of the injured is a humanitarian disaster, and it is the worst in the neighborhood of Baba Amr, which has over 1,100 injured individuals. What's happening in Homs is a brutal act of revenge. Otherwise, the regime would've allowed the elders, children, and women to exit the city. Why doesn't it allow them to leave? Because it is retaliating against all Homs residents.

Reporter, Male #1
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights uploaded a video online; its authenticity has not been verified. The video shows an officer in the Free Syrian Army questioning two people said to be an officer and a soldier in the regime's army captured in the Lujah region, south of Damascus. In the video, they say they received orders to open fire on protesters.

Guest, Male #3
We came to disperse the demonstrations and open fire. They shouldn't be protesting. There were armed groups that we were pursuing.

Reporter, Male #1
The city of Hama, as well as other regions, is also being shelled and besieged. Demonstrations in solidarity with the besieged regions and the demand for the downfall of the regime continue in various parts of Syria. According to activists in Dara'a province, the cradle of the protest movement, the regime's joint military and security forces stormed some areas amid heavy gunfire and conducted an arrest campaign. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay confirmed that over 300 people were killed in Homs in what she referred to as the Syrian forces' arbitrary shelling of the past ten days. Damascus says it is only shelling armed Takfiri terrorist groups backed by foreign powers. Hayyan Aqoub, BBC.

Presenter, Female #1
For his part, British Foreign Minister William Hague said he is determined to use any diplomatic and economic method to exert pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Guest, Male #4 (William Hague, British Foreign Minister)
Britain and South Africa agree about the outcome that we want to see, and that is for Syrians to be allowed to resolve their differences peacefully. What currently stands between them and this legitimate aspiration is the Assad regime?s naked determination to cling to power at any cost. That is why we are determined to use every peaceful means to intensify the diplomatic and economic stranglehold on the regime.

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Saudi forces attack mourners in Qatif and Awamiyah [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male # 1
Large Saudi crowds held a funeral for martyrs Munir al-Medani and Zubair Abdullah al-Said in al-Awamiyah. They were both killed by the gunfire of the Saudi regime's forces. The regime intensified its security and military deployment near the funeral site amid a tense atmosphere, the result of the regime's repressive and discriminatory practices.

Reporter, Male # 2
With these chants calling for justice and rejecting oppression and killings, large crowds gathered in al-Awamiyah and al-Qatif to hold a funeral for martyrs Munir al-Medani and Zubair Abdullah al-Said. Both were killed by the gunfire of the Saudi regime's forces during peaceful marches demanding constitutional reforms and condemning the state's violence, and the discrimination it practices against many segments of the population.

Reporter, Male # 2
The authority that kills peaceful protesters confiscated the bodies of the martyrs, and refused to release them to their families without any justification. This led to a rise in the tension and protests. A large march was launched from al-Awamiyah for martyr Munir al-Medani. Mourners repeated chants confirming they will continue the martyrs' approach until attaining their legitimate demands for which these protesters died. The participants condemned the killings and discrimination carried out by the regime.

Reporter, Male # 2
In martyr Zubair Abdullah al-Said's funeral, large crowds from al-Awamiyah took to the street. They chanted slogans confirming their quest for their legitimate demands. Mourners stressed that killings will not prevent them from continuing the journey despite the sacrifices. They criticized the silence of the international community and the organizations that pretend to protect human rights since they face blatant violation of human rights in Saudi Arabia. In neighboring al-Qatif, another large march was held to honor the souls of the martyrs, who perished on the road to freedom and reforms. Protesters stressed on the need to hold the killers and the regime accountable.

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Hundreds of Palestinians join Khader Adnan's hunger strike [Palestine TV, Ramallah]

Presenter, Male #1
The occupation's court decided to extend the detention of prisoner Khader Adnan for another four months. Adnan has been on a hunger strike for 58 days. The court denied the appeal submitted by the Palestinian Prisoners' Society. The Palestinian national police considered the ruling to be the equivalent of a death sentence against Adnan. The occupation's prison administration has begun to take punitive measures against the prisoners striking in solidarity with Khader Adnan.

Reporter, Male #2
After prisoners announced their solidarity with Khader Adnan, who entered the 58th day of his hunger strike, the occupation authorities, or the so-called "prison administration," imposed new punishment such as conducting nightly raids and denying the prisoners' family visits, as well as beating and harassing them.

Guest, Male #3 (Helmi al-Araj, General Director of the Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights)
We demand the international community, international human rights organizations, and the UN Human Rights Council to form a fact-finding committee to visit and inspect the prisons, and see the reality of the prisoners' conditions. They will find that these prisons are not suitable for human beings.

Reporter, Male #2
The arbitrary measures against those behind bars did not intimidate these prisoners, who affirmed they will continue their strike until Adnan's release. Adnan is suffering from the two harshest conditions due to solitary confinement and the arbitrary administrative verdict without any actual charges.

Guest, Male #4 (Qadura Fares, Palestinian Prisoners' Society President)
We are committed to expressing solidarity, and helping the prisoners' movement and supporting our brother Khader Adnan's struggle. We also call on all Palestinians and Arabs across the world to stand up and support him with real action. Brother Khader Adnan is struggling for two major issues: against torture, humiliation, abuse, the destruction of human dignity, and against administrative detention.

Reporter, Male #2
The prisoners' battle of empty stomachs is the only weapon they possess to defend their dignity and express their rejection of the prison administration's policy of humiliation.

Presenter, Male #1
Students at Birzeit University in the provinces of Ramallah and al-Birah organized a sit-in in solidarity with prisoner Adnan in front of the Ofer prison with the cooperation of the popular resistance committees. Occupation forces targeted them with sound grenades and teargas, leading to a number of injuries.

Reporter, Female #1
As part of the daily scene of solidarity with prisoner Khader Adnan, who has been on a hunger strike for 58 days, students at Birzeit University organized a sit-in called for by the popular resistance. It was held in front of the Ofer prison, west of Ramallah. Their voices were unified against the policy of administrative detention and the occupation.

Guest, Male #5 (Abdullah Abu Rahmah, Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlement)
We are in solidarity with the hero Khader Adnan, and we support his legendary resistance. We also support the prisoners in a number of prisons who have also begun their hunger strike against the occupation's policy and the prison administration. Many students at Birzeit University are also joining the strike.

Reporter, Female #1
This scene did not please the occupation forces, who responded with sound grenades, teargas and rubber bullets, wounding dozens of protesters. Fifty-eight days and Khader Adnan is still fighting the battle of the empty stomach, challenging his executioners in hopes of eliminating the injustice and oppression of the occupation. Life with dignity or martyrdom, Khader Adnan is fighting the occupiers with this slogan from inside their prison cells. And outside those cells, a circle of solidarity is expanding daily and taking action to appeal to the international community. Sara al-Adhra, Palestine TV, Ramallah.

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India caught between Israel and Iran as embassy attack probe continues [IBA, Israel]

Presenter, Male #1
The alert level in Israel was raised in response to the attacks on Israeli missions in India and Georgia. Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich took the step despite having no concrete reports of the planned attacks on targets inside Israel. The Israeli victim of the bombing attack in New Delhi remains hospitalized. We get more now from IBA's Dennis Zinn.

Reporter, Male #2 (Dennis Zinn, IBA Reporter)
The site of yesterday's terror attack on the Israeli embassy vehicle in New Delhi remained cordoned off as the investigation continues. The incident dominated the headlines in all the local newspapers and TV news reports.

Guest, Male #3 (BK Gupta, Delhi Police Commissioner)
According to one eyewitness account, he saw a motorcyclist just passing by this car, and he saw one magnetic kind of device. He doesn't remember what kind of device, whether it was magnetic or some other device. It was stuck to the rear side of the vehicle.

Reporter, Male #2
This morning, members of the Israeli police criminal investigation department landed in the Indian capital on their way to help with the probe. Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna today said that the two countries are working closely to try and find out who ordered the attack. According to Indian television, Israeli intelligence officers informed their Indian counterparts of the names of two people who are believed to have been involved in the bombing. Both individuals have ties with Iran. Later, the station announced that the Indian investigation is now centered on members of the Iranian expatriate community living in Delhi.

Reporter, Male #2
The government in Delhi has a delicate balancing act to perform and has not yet made a statement concerning an Iranian connection to the blast. Tehran supplies Delhi with a major part of its fuel requirements, and at the same time Iran in their major customer for Indian rice. A diplomatic fallout between the two countries would severely harm India's economy. On the other hand, India has very close military and economic ties with Israel. The Delhi press, nevertheless, was much less careful and diplomatic. One headline read, "Israel-Iran Battle Spills into the Heart of the Capital." Meanwhile, the condition of wounded Israeli embassy official Tali Yehoshua remains serious but stable. Indian doctors said there's a chance that one of her legs will remain permanently paralyzed.

Guest, Male #4 (Dr. ND Khurana, Primus Super Specialty Hospital)
She is critical but stable at the moment, and she has been undertaken by a team of consultants, including spine surgeons, general surgeons, intensivists, anesthetists. And she is mainly hurt because of her spine, and having injured her spinal nodes, which are affecting one of the legs. As well she's got small injuries in the liver, which are stable at the moment.

Reporter, Male #2
The Indian government today announced that security has been beefed up in the suburbs of Delhi, which houses members of foreign diplomatic missions and embassies. Dennis Zinn, IBA News.