Amnesty International accuses Syrian regime of using systematic torture [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 10 people were killed today in the violence across various parts of Idlib and Dara'a. The Observatory added that military and security forces carried out a campaign of raids and arrests in Dara'a, indicating that the humanitarian situation in the town is dire. The Syrian army took full control of Idlib yesterday.

Presenter, Female #1
Amnesty International released a report today asserting that the widespread practice of torture has reached an unprecedented level in Syrian detention centers since the Syrian uprising erupted last year. Amnesty believes the testimonies of torture survivors provide additional evidence that crimes against humanity are taking place in Syria. The report documents 31 methods of torture and mistreatment practiced by the security forces, the army, and pro-government armed gangs known as "shabeha", according to Amnesty International.

Reporter, Male #1
The Amnesty International report is titled, "I wanted to die," summarizing the testimonies of 25 Syrians who fled the country after they survived a detainment worse than death. The report says torture is systematic in Syria, and generally follows the same pattern.

Guest, Male #2 (Neil Sammonds, Head Compiler of AI Report)
The fact that it happened across the country and across the security agencies and the armed forces leads one to the assumption that the regime is directing and knows what's going on, and is encouraging its guards and security officers to do this.

Reporter, Male #1
The organization documented 31 methods of torture that anti-regime civilian detainees have been subjected to since protests began in the country a year ago. Severe beatings is the common denominator of the testimonies. The most commonly used tools are sticks, electric cables, whips, fists, and rifle butts.

Guest, Male #3
There was a random shooting, then they saw me and my friend and they opened fire. I was hit by 16 bullets; the young man with me was hit by seven. They were suspecting that I was still alive because they saw the light on my mobile phone. Then they opened fire on me three more times, for what?

Reporter, Male #1
Other means include stripping, hanging, and electric shocks. The report tells the story of an 18-year-old young man named Karim. He said his torturers in the Air Force intelligence branch in Dara'a used a pair of pliers to pull his flesh off his legs. Another witness named Tariq also tells his story in the report, and describes how he was coerced to watch his arrested colleague Khaled getting raped despite his injuries, which he sustained in the Air Force intelligence branch in the suburb of Kafr Sousa in Damascus. The Amnesty International report says the rate of sexual torture and sexual violence increased in the past year. In addition, the report says the worst stage of torture that detainees go through is the interrogation, during which they are subjected to a variety of the more brutal methods of torture. It also says the testimonies of the witnesses paint a catastrophic picture of the torture that seems to be systemic with the aim of humiliating and intimidating the detainees to silence them.

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Israel breaks fragile truce with renewed shelling of Gaza [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
The ousted Palestinian government in Gaza demanded that Egypt and the international community intervene to exert pressure on Israel to adhere to the truce.

Presenter, Male #1
This comes after an Israeli air strike targeted Gaza at dawn, inflicting massive damage to shops and residential buildings.

Presenter, Female #1
For its part, Israel held the Palestinian factions responsible, and said the strike was in response to rocket fire from Gaza.

Reporter, Male #2
This was the atmosphere during Gaza's first night after the truce was announced. Residents of al-Nafaq Street in northern Gaza witnessed an Israeli air strike, with burning shrapnel dropping on shops and residential buildings.

Guest, Male #3
They struck around 1:30. They said there was a truce. We woke up, and the children were terrified. We didn't know what had happened.

Reporter, Male #2
The massive fire inflicted major damage. Civil defense forces and the residents are facing great difficulty in controlling the fire in light of the shortage of supplies.

Guest, Male #4
It's now been six hours and we've been trying to extinguish the fire at this factory, because the factory is built with aluminum and wood.

Reporter, Male #2
The Israeli army said the latest shelling on Gaza targeted what it claimed to be "terror activity sites" in response to Palestinian rocket fire, for which no Palestinian faction has claimed responsibility.

Guest, Male #5
They said there were terror activities, rockets and missiles, etc. But, as you can see, there's only aluminum and wood, and other similar material.

Reporter, Male #2
The ousted government said the Israeli strike was a violation of the latest truce.

Guest, Male #6 (Mohammed Awad, Foreign Minister of Ousted Palestinian Government)
This is a clear message to the international community, and specifically to the Egyptians, that the occupation is still behaving arrogantly, and aiming to break the Palestinian people's will, and break the will of the Palestinian resistance. Our message to all of them is that the will of the Palestinians will not be broken.

Reporter, Male #2
Despite this violation, the factions in Gaza renewed their commitment to the truce.

Guest, Male #7 (Mohammed al-Hindi, Islamic Jihad Leader)
The Palestinians agreed to the truce, both the Palestinian factions and the Palestinian authorities. So we are committed to this truce and its conditions, which we consider to be beneficial to the Palestinian people.

Reporter, Male #2
In the opinion of many people here, the most recent strike on Gaza will not be the only test of the truce. Palestinians are most experienced with Israel and its breaches of contracts and agreements, which raises many questions around whether there are sufficient guarantees that Israel will adhere to the truce as long as possible. Tamir Mis'hal, al-Jazeera, Gaza, Palestine.

Presenter, Female #1
In this context, Israeli sources said Israel suffered an estimated five million dollar loss by operating and activating the Iron Dome medium-range missile defense system.

Presenter, Male #1
The Israeli army announced the system succeeded in intercepting 56 Grad missiles launched from the Gaza Strip in the past four days. Israeli journalists expressed doubt over the financial agenda of this system.

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Israel-Gaza truce tested as tension looms in southern Israel [IBA, Israel]

A fragile truce between Israel and Gaza terrorist organizations remains in effect today, but tension still looms in the south. While it appeared that both Israel and the terrorist groups in Gaza were respecting an informal Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, the effects of the weekend's violence could be felt in towns like Netivot, where a rocket exploded in a parking lot last night, injuring one person, while eleven other residents suffered from shock.

Schools across the south were reopened today. Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar told Army Radio he was pleased that students were going back to school, but he acknowledged that rockets were still being fired, and that the government could not promise that the cross-border hostility was over, saying that "We live in a situation where we can't guarantee a zero chance of being hit by rockets." Residents of the south who missed work this week because their children were home from school due to rocket attacks will be compensated. The government decided to reimburse parents following a meeting with the Histadrut national labor union.

In response to the rocket fire from the previous night, Israeli Air Force planes struck two sites of terror activity in northern Gaza in the morning, recording direct hits at both. At least eight rockets have struck Israel since the ceasefire went into effect; 304 rockets have been fired from Gaza since Friday. The IAF has completed 19 air strikes against terrorist rocket launching cells, with 14 of the hits coming before the terrorists could fire their rockets. The Iron Dome system has shut down 56 rockets in 71 attempts a 79 percent success rate.

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Azerbaijan arrests 22 suspected of plots against Israeli and US embassies [IBA, Israel]

Authorities in Azerbaijan have arrested 22 people on suspicion of plotting attacks against the Israeli and US embassies in the capital Baku. The suspects are all citizens of Azerbaijan, but are thought to be acting on behalf of Iran. This is the second time in the past year that authorities in Baku have made arrests over foiled terror plots. The defense minister of Azerbaijan just returned from a visit to Tehran aimed at shoring up ties after Iran condemned a USD 1.6 million arms deal signed by Baku and Jerusalem.

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Israel cites terror plots in Turkey travel advisory [IBA, Israel]

Israel's counterterrorism bureau has issued a travel advisory, urging Israelis to avoid visiting Turkey. The bureau warns that terrorists are planning to carry out attacks against Israelis and Jews in Turkey in the coming days. According to Turkish media reports, Jerusalem informed Ankara that Iran had dispatched terrorists in order to target Israeli and other Jewish visitors. Turkey responded by warning Iran's al-Quds force not to attack Israelis on Turkish soil.

The rift between Israel and Turkey seems to be growing deeper. This, after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his parliament that Israel has conducted an "inhumane and systematic massacre" of the Palestinians in Gaza. Erdogan expressed concern over what he called "Israeli aggression" and referred to the Hamas-run enclave as "the world's largest prison."

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Obama takes British PM to college basketball game [IBA, Israel]

US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron had an unusual meeting at a basketball game during Cameron's ongoing trip to the US. Obama invited Cameron to Dayton, Ohio for the season-ending NCAA college basketball tournament. Cameron is in the US to discuss Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and the upcoming G8 and NATO summits.

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Saudi student dissent in Abha spreads around the Kingdom [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said the wave of indignation voiced by female student protestors at the King Khalid University has spread to six Saudi cities. Meanwhile, Saudi National Guard Chief Prince Mitaeb bin Abdullah bin Abed al-Aziz said that what happened in Abha is a "foreign phenomenon," instigated by certain foreign groups.

Reporter, Male #1
Here, at Abha University in the Saudi region of al-Qasim, a female student rally was held last Wednesday. The female students called for better educational and hygienic conditions at their university. However, security forces violently responded to their demands, killing one protestor and injuring dozens. This sparked a wave of indignation among university students. To the surprise of the Saudi regime, the student protests quickly spread from Abha to other regions across the Kingdom.

Reporter, Male #1
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said that student protests at King Khalid University have spread to the cities of Riyadh, al-Namas, Arar, Qatif, al-Rabi'yah, and Medina, in an unprecedented mobilization. The organization said that a student was expelled from Tiba University in the city of Medina after publicly criticizing the deteriorating conditions at the university, in what appeared to be a systematic treatment of students in most Saudi universities. The organization added that the Saudi authority's crackdown on its citizens will not lead to positive results. It further said that dialogue, and not violence and a crackdown, is the answer to this social mobilization. The organization also demanded that Saudi authorities learn the lesson of the popular Arab uprisings in the region. It added that demands for justice and honor in Saudi Arabia must be met with a change of policies based on the principles of freedom and human rights.

Guest, Male #2 (Adel al-Jujari, Saudi Affairs Expert)
A political mobilization is sweeping Qatif in the east, Abha in the west, and passing through the center of the capital. Many Saudi cultural and social classes are calling on citizens to break the cycle of silence and fear in the kingdom, which still adopts an old system of rule. This is the beginning of a new phase. Many citizens started to come out in full force in a bid to promote political awareness and reject this type of ruling system.

Reporter, Male #1
However, Saudi National Guard Chief Prince Mitaeb bin Abdullah bin Abed al-Aziz described demands for human rights in the kingdom as "illegitimate." Mitaeb said that what happened at Abha University is "a foreign phenomenon," and accused certain unnamed foreign groups of seeking to shake security and stability in the kingdom. He added that protests in certain countries of the region require authorities in the kingdom to exercise caution and fight what he described as "malicious actions" aimed at destabilizing the country.

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WFP: Quarter of Yemenis urgently need food aid [Press TV, Iran]

Anti-regime rallies have been held across Yemen, including the capital Sana'a and the southern city of Taiz. Demonstrators want the restructuring of the army, demanding the dismissal of relatives of deposed ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh. They also want him and his aides to be prosecuted for the killing of nearly 2,000 protestors since the revolution began last year.

A new survey has found that a quarter of the Yemeni people are in urgent need of food aid. The joint survey by the World Food Program and the UN Children's Fund shows that five million Yemenis are in need of food assistance. Some five million others are at risk of becoming food-insecure due to conflict and rising food prices. Acute malnutrition rates in some parts of the country are reported to be far higher than the WHO's threshold of 15 percent. Yemen is the poorest country in the Arab world, in part due to the former regime's widespread corruption.

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Panetta visits Afghanistan to ease tensions [Press TV, Iran]

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has acknowledged that the war effort in Afghanistan has been challenged by a series of "deeply troubling incidents." He is in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit just days after the massacre in Kandahar. Panetta has said that the massacre would not derail America's mission or alter withdrawal plans and strategy.

US Marines meeting with Panetta in Helmand have been ordered to disarm and leave their rifles outside. This is noteworthy because it is customary for American troops to have rifles in hand when the US Defense Secretary addresses them. Officials say that the change in policy was to be "consistent with the Afghan guards and foreign troops." This may display a lack of trust of senior US officials on American soldiers.

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Up to 20 US soldiers involved in massacre, says Afghan fact-finding mission [Press TV, Iran]

An Afghan fact-finding mission says that up to 20 US soldiers may have been involved in the massacre in Panjwaii district of Kandahar province. Most of the investigators are Afghan MPs who traveled from Kabul. They talked to local people, tribal elders, and families of the victims. Prime Minister Gilani also said that US troops burned Afghan corpses. President Hamid Karzai and his brothers were attacked by armed men in Panjwaii district while gathering facts on the incident.

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Ahmadinejad defiant in Iran parliament grilling [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared in front of the Iranian parliament as the first president in the country's history to be questioned. The Iranian president answered questions by lawmakers, who accused the president of mismanaging the country's economy and violating its laws and principles, both at the internal and external fronts. His answers were unsatisfying and insulting to parliament and its lawmakers. Our correspondent Reda al-Basha reports from Tehran.

Reporter, Male #2
Iranian President Ahmadinejad was asked ten questions, in a session described as "unprecedented" in the history of the Islamic Republic. The fingers of 74 members of parliament were pointed at the president, accusing him of running a weak economic administration, and breaching diplomatic norms, internally and externally.

Guest, Male #3 (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President)
Let's joke a little. It was not a very difficult quiz. Those who wrote the questions earned a university diploma just for pressing a button. If you had consulted me, better questions could have been asked. Enough jokes. Let me answer your questions. Be fair and deal with me in a manly manner. I expect you to give me a top score.

Reporter, Male #2
His answers were described as unsatisfying by the questioners, and provoked the wrath of the chamber. Some described his answers as an insult to the integrity of the parliament and its members.

Guest, Male #4 (Reda Husseini, Inquiry Committee Spokesman)
The president deals with all issues in a sarcastic manner. This is what happened when the supreme leader dismissed the intelligence minister nearly a year ago. Also, the way he dealt with the supreme leader was insulting. We regret to see this type of behavior coming from a person considered to be the country's second-in-command.

Reporter, Male #2
Between the rage of parliament and the president's action, observers predict a dim future for the government unless Ahmadinejad reconsiders his action.

Guest, Male #5 (Hasan Royran, Writer and Political Analyst)
The new parliament is expected to be more rigid in dealing with the Ahmadinejad-led government in the remaining year and a half of its reign. I believe the way Ahmadinejad dealt with parliament during the questioning will add insult to injury.

Reporter, Male #2
Difficult days are awaiting the president, who vowed to reach out to the upcoming parliament, in which more than 60 percent of its legislators are new. Taking advantage of the weak judiciary and the lapse of the current parliament, which is approaching the end of its reign, Ahmadinejad's answers to the legislators' questions show that the grilling session was futile, unless a no-confidence vote is issued against the president. Reda al-Basha, Dubai TV, Tehran.

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Symbol of Palestinian displacement exhibited in Berlin [Palestine TV, Ramallah]

Presenter, Male #1
In a crowded and official public festival held in Bethlehem, the key of return, affixed at the entrance of the Aida refugee camp, was transported to the Biennale art exhibit in Berlin.

Reporter, Male #2
Despite mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, a festive atmosphere dominated the official celebration at the Aida refugee camp. Hundreds of residents attended the celebration that saw a temporary transfer of the key of return from Bethlehem to the German capital, Berlin. This is the first international display of the embodiment of the issue of the Palestinian refugees.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdel Fahah Hamail, Governor of Bethlehem)
The key is a symbol of persistence. The truth is firm, and the return is a must.

Guest, Female #1 (Tulin Tuq, Key of Return Project Organizer)
This project will show the symbolism of the key, and will explain the right of return and the situation of the Palestinian refugees to the residents of Berlin, and many visitors from Europe.

Reporter, Male #2
The key, which is about 10 meters long and weighs two tons, is the biggest in the world. Not only does it symbolize the Palestinians, but it has also entered the Guinness Book of World Records.

Guest, Male #4 (Monther Abira, Aida Youth Center President)
This key will be an ambassador and a prophet of the Palestinian cause in Biennale, in Berlin, to show the Western world, and the Arab and Palestinian communities in the diaspora, the symbol of the right of return.

Guest, Male #5 (Sohaib al-Aza, Festival Participant)
The story started when we placed the biggest key in the world at the entrance of this refugee camp on the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, and now it is going to the biggest exhibit in Berlin. God willing, it will get there safely, and shed light on our cause to the world and to everyone listening to us.

Reporter, Male #2
The youth, the elderly, the women and even the children wrote their names, the names of their villages, and slogans that assure they insist on attaining the right of return. They are all full of hope that the key and the tour to Germany will send a message to the whole world, urging them to help them attain justice and return to their homes. This is how Palestinians celebrated the participation of the key of return in an exhibit in Berlin, but they also felt sadness over being separated from the key for months. Alaeddin el-Abd, Palestine TV, Bethlehem.