Israel moves Palestinian hunger striker from detention to large open air prison [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
With her 43-day hunger strike, Palestinian prisoner Hana al-Shalabi arrived to Gaza after her long battle against the administrative detention policy adopted in the Israeli occupation's prison. Al-Shalabi suspended her hunger strike after the Palestinian and Israeli sides agreed to exile her. And inside her homeland, she begins a new journey of suffering that many Palestinian prisoners have endured before her. Our correspondent Bassam al-Madhoun reports from Gaza.

Reporter, Male #2
She entered Gaza with a body withered by a 43-day hunger strike that ended in exchange for exiling her to the Gaza Strip. She is Hana al-Shalabi, who was forced to choose between starving to death inside Israeli prisons, and getting exiled from her hometown of Jenin. Exile was the lesser of two evils.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdul Nasser Farwanah, Prisoners' Affairs Researcher)
It is the pressure and the blackmailing of prisoner Hana al-Shalabi that forced her to sign the exile deal to the Gaza Strip. And we in the Gaza Strip confirm that we will receive her with a welcoming she is worthy of, and worthy of her sacrifices and her 43-day hunger strike.

Reporter, Male #2
Following the footsteps of prisoner Khader Adnan in his battle of empty stomachs, Hana and others marched along in an attempt to pressure Israeli authorities to end administrative detention, a policy with which Israel violates international law.

Guest, Male #3
Prisoner Khader Adnan's hunger strike has certainly brought to light the issue of administrative detention and its impact on all levels. And with prisoner Hana al-Shalabi's open-ended hunger strike, she kept the issue alive, highlighting it to international and human rights organizations. And the solidarity hunger strikes of prisoners inside the occupation's jails are also pushing the issue forward.

Reporter, Male #2
As Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons are continuing their hunger strikes, the suffering also continues for those whose lives were destroyed by exile.

Guest, Male #4 (Fahmi Kan'an, Church of the Nativity Deportee)
We hold the Israeli government responsible for this exile. Hana al-Shalabi must return to her family in Bethlehem. We have been living in exile in the Gaza Strip for ten years now, and we're still suffering.

Guest, Male #5 (Khalid Salah, Church of the Nativity Deportee)
The Israeli occupation even forbids our families from visiting us in the Gaza Strip.

Reporter, Male #2
By pushing them into exile, the occupation punishes the prisoners multiple times, while it seems no one is paying any attention to their suffering. The Palestinian prisoners in the occupation's prisons have two bitter choices: either stay behind bars with freedom limited to a tiny space, or replace their prison cell with a large jail called Gaza. Bassam al-Madhoun, Dubai TV, the Gaza Strip.

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Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti placed in solitary confinement [IBA, Israel]

Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti has been placed in solitary confinement in Khadarim prison for endorsing large-scale popular resistance against Israel ahead of Land Day last week. The jailed Fatah terrorist leader will remain isolated for a week. He is also denied visiting rights for a month, and will be barred from the prison canteen. Barghouti is serving five life sentences for murder. His message was smuggled out of the prison; it expressed support for combining a popular uprising with diplomatic efforts.

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Protestors demand release of Indian journalist linked to Israeli car bombing [IBA, Israel]

A small but rowdy protest was staged in India to demand the release of Mohammad Kazmi, who works for an Iranian news agency and was arrested last month in connection with the car bombing of an Israeli official in New Delhi. Authorities have confirmed that the main suspect is an Iranian, but claim there is evidence linking Kazmi to the suspect.

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Netanyahu calls for ministerial meeting to discuss Migron settlement evacuation [IBA, Israel]

At the request of Likud ministers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a ministerial meeting to deal with the issue of Jewish homes in the West Bank that are slated for evacuation. The area to be discussed includes a site housing 15 Jewish families in Hebron and the unauthorized outpost in Migron.

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Ultra-orthodox man attacked by ax-wielding Arab in Jerusalem [IBA, Israel]

A 55-year-old ultra-orthodox man was lightly wounded this morning by an ax-wielding Arab in Jerusalem. According to eyewitnesses, the victim was returning from morning prayers at the Western Wall when he was struck on the head, hands, and waist near the city's Damascus gate. He managed to fight with his assailant, who then fled the scene on foot.

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Shin Bet arrests Palestinian Red Cross workers linked to IDF attacks [IBA, Israel]

The Shin Bet security agency announced the arrest of 13 members of a terror cell in the Ramallah area. The detainees are suspected of carrying out shooting attacks against IDF soldiers operating in the West Bank. Among the suspects are several Palestinian Red Cross workers and a senior officer in the Palestinian Authority police force, who is charged with supplying the weapons used in the attacks.

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Syria agrees to April 10 peace deadline as protests continue [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 40 people were killed today across different Syrian cities. Most died in Homs and Idlib. Meanwhile, Joint UN-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan told the Security Council no tangible progress has been achieved in regards to the implementation of the ceasefire. Annan has given the Syrian government a deadline of April 10 to implement his plan; diplomatic sources at the United Nations say Damascus agreed to the deadline.

Reporter, Male #2
Clashes continue in the besieged cities, with Idlib receiving the largest share. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, residents of the city's neighborhoods woke up to artillery fire that killed and injured many civilians and army defectors. According to the same source, regime forces burned homes and arrested dozens of people in the village of Hass, which witnessed a widescale military operation. Syrian forces also shelled the villages of Deir Sonbul and Frekya. Regime forces received their share of the losses in clashes in the town of Kherbet al-Joz in Jisr al-Shughur on the Turkish border.

Reporter, Male #2
As for the official Syrian media, they showed images attributed to Idlib, where life looks normal. They also showed videos of weapons, saying they were confiscated from groups described as "terrorist." As for Homs, the shelling was renewed for the 22nd consecutive day amid ongoing violent clashes between regime forces and armed defectors. The shelling led to the killing and injury of a number of civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In Dara'a province, the scene was similar. Protests continue as different parts of the province are witnessing raids and arrest campaigns, which were carried out with the support of the army's armored vehicles, and led to burning and destroying some homes, mostly in the areas of Dael and Jassem, according to eyewitnesses. And while military operations continue in Dara'a, cries for help are growing louder as many are warning of a deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Guest, Male #3
Yes, right now, the regime is adopting a scorched earth policy. Today, in the city of Ankhel, after the Free Syrian Army attacked two checkpoints, security forces and the shabeha stormed some neighborhoods in Ankhel, and even stormed bakeries. They also threw the dough to deprive the residents from having bread. So there is a systematic policy adopted by the regime, and it aims to starve the Syrian people.

Reporter, Male #2
According to estimates by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the year-long violence in Syria has led to the death of over 10,000 people.

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Iraq asks Qatar to hand over fugitive vice president [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, who is visiting Doha, asked Qatar to hand over Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is wanted by the judiciary. Sources in the Iraqi Interior Ministry said the country will send an official request to the International Criminal Police Organization, the Interpol, to put al-Hashimi on its wanted list. Al-Hashimi is charged with supporting terrorist operations carried out by his bodyguards. For his part, al-Hashimi said Baghdad's request that Qatar hand him over to the Iraqi judiciary is unconstitutional since no judicial decision was issued against him.

Reporter, Male #1
Several months after the growing political controversy in Iraq over the escape of Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi to the Kurdistan region following accusations of his involvement in terrorist acts, al-Hashimi fled to Qatar. This has once again brought the case back into the spotlight, while certain internal and foreign parties are playing a role.

Guest, Male #2 (Hazim al-Shamari, Writer and Political Analyst)
Qatar plays a negative role in the Iraqi-Gulf relationship, and even in Iraqi-Arab relationships. This move aims to deepen the crisis, not resolve the crisis. In any case, this violates all laws. Iraq can submit a request to the International Police so he can be arrested anywhere in the world.

Reporter, Male #1
The State of Law Coalition, led by the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, believes that al-Hashimi's departure is a violation of the law. The coalition held President of the Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani responsible, and demanded that he be questioned. Al-Maliki asked Arab countries not to receive al-Hashimi as the vice president of Iraq, threatening that his government has the right to demand his handover through the Interpol if he leaves the country. Al-Maliki directed comments to countries that could receive him by saying the accused is wanted by an Arab League member state, and should not be received since it would be a violation of international relations.

Reporter, Male #1
These developments come after the Iraqi government, through its spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh, criticized Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim's statements. Al-Dabbagh asserted that certain Gulf countries' interference in Iraqi affairs will harm Iraq's sectarian components. Al-Hashimi's departure comes a few days after Jassim's statements that Qatar did not boycott the Arab summit in Baghdad. However, it disapproves of the Iraqi government's neglect of some social groups. Political observers believe this move can be translated into reality by Qatari politicians' positions against Iraq. Iraq's parliamentary legal committee confirmed that al-Hashimi is wanted by the judiciary, and should be presented to the court to disclose the case to the public, after extremists in al-Hamishi's bodyguard team confessed, and the Supreme Judicial Council unveiled his involvement in 150 armed operations. These operations included car bombings, explosive devices, targeting judges, doctors, and senior officers in the ministries of defense and interior.

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Libyan PM visits tribally divided Sabha to oversee ceasefire [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male #1
During a visit to the southern city of Sabha, Libyan Interim Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib said his government has formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the tribal and ethnically-charged fighting that erupted in the city.

Reporter, Male #2
The Libyan government is seeking to restore calm to the city of Sabha in the middle of the Libyan desert. The city witnessed bloody confrontations a few days ago over tribal issues of special interest to the region. The Libyan prime minister arrived to Sabha to help put an end to the ethnic conflict raging among the desert tribes. The recent political and tribal solutions, as well as the deployment of the Libyan army, have helped dee-scalate the conflict in the city. A spokesman for the Tabu tribe said that nearly 70 of the tribe's homes had been torched and dozens of families were forced to flee. The government held a conference for the local leaders in a bid to reunite the residents and erase the effects of a war that left behind hundreds of dead and injured.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdurrahim el-Keib, Libyan Interim Prime Minister)
The assault on the lives and properties of citizens, regardless of their tribal and ethnic origin, is a violation of the law and the government will not tolerate such acts.

Reporter, Male #2
As the Sabha crisis nears its end, the security situation remains fragile across various Libyan regions, especially amid the incomplete efforts to restructure the new Libyan state. In addition, more talks are still underway to help bring additional revolutionary leaders on board.

Guest, Male #4 (Fawzi Abdelaal, Libyan Interior Minister)
Nearly 50,000 revolutionaries have been integrated into the Ministry of Interior. Future sessions will focus on various issues related to security and anti-rioting support, and counterterrorism.

Reporter, Male #2
The Libyan Ministry of Interior is seeking to integrate more members of the revolution in its various security agencies. While keeping them outside the governing body poses concerns, integrating them gives the government's efforts an additional boost.

Presenter, Female #1
Joining us from Sabha is Sheikh Sha'aban al-Imyani, a member of the Libyan Council of Elders. Sheikh Sha'aban, a state of calm is dominating the scene in Sabha. So how can we guarantee that it will continue to hold, especially considering that tribal tension is still there?

Guest, Male #5 (Sheikh Sha'aban al-Imyani, Libyan Council of Elders Member)
In the name of God. May peace, God's mercy, and blessings be upon you! Thank God, we have arrived safely to shore. I would like to thank our brothers in Sabha, including the elders, wise men, and the military leaders and revolutionaries. We were able to broker a reconciliation deal among them, and God willing, this will end the hostilities. We are in the process of implementing this deal, which calls for a ceasefire. A ceasefire is in effect, thank God, and life has returned to normal. We are now working with both sides to free the detainees. We divided ourselves into two groups. One group stayed in Sabha, and the other one headed to Mirzaq, led by brother Salah and Mohamed Mubasher. Other brothers from the reconciliation committee, led by a team of elders and wise men, are also on board. The situation is going well, God willing.

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Somalia grappling with highest infant mortality rate [Press TV, Iran]

Years of war and violence have paralyzed most of Somalia's key institutions, such as schools and health care centers. This was exacerbated by a severe drought in the past year. However, health officials argued that illiteracy and insecurity are among the major factors that have contributed to the collapse of the healthcare system, leading to a lack of basic preventive care such as immunizations.

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Yemeni protestors hold nationwide rallies [Press TV, Iran]

In Yemen, protestors have taken to the streets holding anti-regime rallies across the country. They called for the restructuring of the army and the sacking of relatives of deposed ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh. They also want Saleh and his aides to be prosecuted.

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Saudi women continue struggle for equal rights [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
Amid the Arab Spring, Saudi women are also experiencing their own spring.

Reporter, Female #1
Saudi women's participation in social and political life remains controversial among the kingdom's hardliners. And every time a sign of hope appears for women, its opponents kill it with Islamic jurisprudence debates and doubts. But more recently, a multi-layered mobilization around women's issues started.

Guest, Female #2
Today is June 17 in Janna. I'm going to the grocery store. In the name of God.

Reporter, Female #1
A number of Saudi women, headed by Manal al-Sharif, violated the driving ban and organized campaigns with the aim of defying that ban, the most prominent of which was called "Women 2 Drive". Saudi women are also moving towards taking part in the Olympic Games for the first time in their history, rendering the London 2012 Olympic Games a witness to female participation from all countries. Additionally, a Saudi woman is getting ready to place her name in the Guinness World Records book. Reema Abdullah, founder of the first women football team in Saudi Arabia, became the first Saudi Arabian female athlete to carry the Olympic torch on its way to London. Meanwhile, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd wondered on his personal Twitter account about the benefit of a Saudi woman carrying the Olympic torch: Is either to provoke monotheists, or is indicative of Western hypocrisy? He called on scholars to condemn the action, saying he would exert efforts to stop it. Media reports mentioned that Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz approved of the participation of Saudi female athletes in the Olympics, as long as the sport is appropriate for women's nature and decency, and does not contradict Sharia teachings.

Reporter, Female #1
It is worth mentioning that physical education in Saudi Arabia is limited to state-run all-boy schools, and women are forbidden to participate in any sport inside the kingdom. Just as sports, women are barred from working in the judiciary. So while Saudi women were unable to study law due to a lack of women's law schools, today, women are graduating from faculties of human rights and political science. However, they can only work as legal consultants. But the ambitions of Saudi women do not stop, so they demanded their right to practice law. And after many rounds of appeals and trips to the ministries to ask that women lawyers be granted licenses to defend women in specific personal cases, the Saudi justice minister stated there is no Islamic law or state law that forbids Saudi women from being lawyers. Perhaps the most prominent movement was witnessed in the universities of Riyadh, when Saudi female students helped organize the "Awakening of the Universities" campaign to support Saudi female prisoners in the kingdom's jails. So to summarize, this is only the tip of the iceberg the women's movement is witnessing in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps this is the women's chapter of the Arab Spring. And Saudi women imposed themselves, and are still attempting to do so despite male dominance.