Egypt rises against military rule on the 'Friday for self-determination' [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
Today, central Cairo's Tahrir Square was the stage for another million-person march. It was called for by many political leaders under the banner "the Friday for self-determination" to demand the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces hand over power at the scheduled date in late June.

Reporter, Female #2
Under the banner of self-determination, tens of thousands of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square in the center of Cairo to demand the protection of the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak over a year ago. This Friday's protest also demanded the transfer of power and the unification of all political and revolutionary factions. Activists called for the protest today to demand that those who worked with the former president be prevented from running in the presidential elections, the first round of which will be held next month. However, the Islamists joined the demonstration under the banner "protecting the revolution." And as an indication that protestors are intent on pushing the ruling military council to fulfill the promise of transferring power to an elected president, the stage set up by the Muslim Brotherhood in the square included a banner that read, "power transfer on June 30th." In addition, the Brotherhood-dominated parliament issued a legal amendment, known as the political isolation law, that prevents senior-level Mubarak officials from running in the presidential elections. The law applies to Mubarak's last Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who is one of the 13 presidential candidates.

Reporter, Female #2
The military council referred the amendment to the Supreme Constitutional Court. If the court decides the amendment is constitutional, elections could be held on May 23. As for the stages set up in Tahrir Square, they represented different political affiliations, and, for this reason, conflicting messages were seen in the square. But, they were unified in the need to get rid of the former era. Before this million-person protest, presidential candidates barred from running strongly criticized the military council and the electoral committee. Al-Shater considered the decision to disqualify him an indication that remnants of the former regime are still in power and are attempting to reproduce the regime of deposed President Hosni Mubarak, even if it's an improved version of that regime.

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Iraq PM says Turkey is becoming 'a hostile state' [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
The head of the Iraqi government, Nouri al-Maliki, said Turkey is becoming a hostile state in the region. His statement came in response to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan's accusation that al-Maliki is stirring sectarian tension between the Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds in Iraq through his behavior towards his coalition partners.

Presenter, Female #1
Iraq's al-Qaeda branch, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, claimed responsibility for the bloody attacks that rocked seven Iraqi provinces yesterday, killing at least 38 people. The organization's statement was titled "Thursday's resolve," saying the attacks are a response to the crimes of the Iraqi government. It was signed by what was called the Islamic State of Iraq's information ministry.

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Sudan declares 'liberation' of Heglig as Juba pulls out [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
The Sudanese defense minister has announced that Heglig was "liberated" from the grips of Juba's army, confirming the region was recaptured by force ten days after South Sudan seized control of the area.

Presenter, Male #1
This announcement was intended to refute a South Sudanese army statement claiming that its forces voluntarily withdrew from Heglig. Meanwhile, demonstrations broke out in a number of northern cities to celebrate the north's victory in the battle. President Omar al-Bashir stressed the victory marks the beginning of a war to liberate the South from the rule of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. Sami al-Shinawi reports from Khartoum.

Reporter, Male #2
Heglig has returned to the arms of Sudan once again.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdul Rahman Mohamed Hussein, Sudanese Defense Minister)
The first battles took place at 2:30 in the morning. Special forces infiltrated the enemy's locations, then besieged and completely crushed it.

Reporter, Male #2
Khartoum said the plan to "liberate" the South begins in Heglig, and denied Juba's claim that it withdrew from the region. Khartoum's statement declared that it taught South Sudan a brutal war lesson. For the north, the objective of this war is not limited to liberating Heglig, especially after breaking talks with its old enemy, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. In the north, spontaneous demonstrations broke out in Khartoum and other northern cities, praising the army's victory and the recapture of Heglig. This scene restored the ruling party's self-confidence.

Guest, Female #2
I salute all Sudanese people for their victory and for recapturing Heglig, which is part of our territory. They wanted to seize control of the oil, but I tell them no way, no way.

Guest, Male #4
We will continue our march to Juba. Yes to Juba. We support you Mr. President, we're behind you.

Reporter, Male #2
So Juba did something good for Khartoum by restoring its unity, said Sudan's ruling party, that has searched for means to unify its ranks for a long time. But victory doesn't always lead to success, especially when an entire nation is at stake. In the recovered land of Heglig, sources say the final battle killed thousands of southerners, many of them in an ambush set up by Khartoum's army, days after cutting supplies to Juba's army. The Sudanese army stresses the end of the Heglig battle does not mean the end of the war. Khartoum said the objective of the war is to remove the Sudan People's Liberation Movement from South Sudan's government. Sami al-Shinawi, Dubai TV, al-Khartoum.

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Bahraini activists demand a 'stop to bloody Formula One' [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Bahrain's February 14th coalition called for holding demonstrations on the streets that lead to the racing circuit, under the banner of "the people's days of rage" in rejection to the "blood races." Bahraini opposition societies also called for massive demonstrations titled "resistance and confrontation," west of the capital al-Manama. Revolutionaries set off pillars of black smoke around the Bahrain International Airport on the island of al-Muharraq, and the smoke could be seen covering the airport's runway. Meanwhile, separate demonstrations were held in different parts of Bahrain in protest of holding the Formula One race. The regime insists on holding the race to give the impression that it is stable. This comes as the Bahraini opposition called for organizing massive marches on the Friday of "the people's days of rage" in the center of al-Manama, under the banner of "No to Bloody Formula". On the other hand, the Bahraini regime escalated its crackdown, using bullets on unarmed civilians, and kidnapping tens of citizens.

Reporter, Male #1
With these slogans, Bahraini residents took to the streets to express their rejection to holding the Formula One race and demand freedom for the prisoners, especially Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on a hunger strike for over two months.

Guest, Male #2 (Sheikh Isa Qassim, Bahraini Religious Scholar)
It is absolutely impossible for the people to relinquish their fight for ending their imprisonment and slavery, with the goal of attaining their rights, pride, freedom, and respect for their will. No one, no circumstances, no object, no terror can force the people to retreat from fulfilling their objective. Not today, not tomorrow.

Reporter, Male #1
The chants here in al-Manama call for toppling the regime and holding the officials, most notably King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, accountable for killing protestors. The residents of Barbar called for the release of prisoner Hassan Mushaima, who is being tortured by regime forces despite being sick. Protestors in Sitra Island cried out for stopping the Formula One race. This chant sums up what residents in Karzakan called for in the demonstration that roamed the streets of the city. They raised Bahraini flags and denounced the Saudi occupation of their country. With bullets and fire, regime forces stormed the demonstrations and attacked unarmed protestors, which led to the injury of tens of protestors who were hit with live bullets, according to these images that show several people severely wounded. Here, US-produced poisonous tear gas and other forms of suppression were used to crack down on the protestors. Over there, these forces are chasing protestors and arresting dozens of them. But here is another scene, in a dark closed room, where regime forces are seen severely torturing and beating protestors, according to videos posted online.

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Israel brought to standstill for Holocaust Remembrance Day [IBA, Israel]

Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah. The national memorial day commemorates the six million Jews who perished during the Nazi genocide of World War II and honors resistance efforts against the Third Reich. The national came to a standstill at 10 AM as sirens sounded throughout the country for two minutes. Cars stopped as drivers exited their vehicles and pedestrians stopped in their tracks to stand in silent tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a memorial service that "Now, as then, there are those who want to exterminate millions of Jews, and that anyone who dismisses the threat from Iran has learned nothing from the Holocaust."

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Forty civilians killed as Syrians mark Friday of 'We will triumph, and Assad will be defeated' [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
Syria's Local Coordination Committees said 40 civilians were killed today in many Syrian cities. Meanwhile, Syrian state media SANA said 10 regime soldiers were killed in a bomb explosion in al-Qunaytirah. Local Coordination Committees said a child was killed in Aleppo by the gunfire of security forces. This Friday witnessed demonstrations in a number of Syrian regions as shelling continued to target the neighborhoods of Homs and the city of al-Qasir.

Reporter, Male #2
Yet another Friday in Syria. This time it was titled, "We will triumph and Assad will be defeated." Here, in the town of Hass in Idlib province, protestors chanted slogans and raised banners after the observers began touring the areas and documenting the facts. Most notable was a banner written in English. The village of Binnish also took part in the demonstrations. Protests were held in Aleppo, al-Hasakah, al-Bukamal, and the countryside of Damascus. Meanwhile, security deployment prevented demonstrations in the cities of Daraa and Deir az-Zour, as well as the areas of al-Kiswah, al-Qadam, and ad-Darzi in the countryside of Damascus. In the village of Zaboor in Jabal al-Zawiya, residents held massive demonstrations at the same time as Friday prayers. In Duma, in the countryside of Damascus, night protests erupted to condemn the ongoing military operations and demand freedom and change. A massive protest also took place in al-Qamishli, where residents are mostly Kurdish.

Reporter, Male #2
The military operations continued despite the presence of UN observers, international pressure, and a rising death toll. Syrian regime forces continued to bombard areas in the city of Homs and its countryside, according to activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. This morning, Syrian forces renewed the shelling of the neighborhoods of al-Khalidiya and Jurat al-Shayah before expanding the shelling to the neighborhoods of the Old City of Homs. According to the Syrian Revolution's General Commission, the city of al-Qasir near the eastern border with Lebanon was also shelled. As for defectors, Colonel Arkaan Abdul Aziz Kana'an announced in al-Hola town of Homs the formation of a military council for the coastal areas in Latakia and Tartus under the command of the Free Syrian Army.

Guest, Male #3
I declare the formation of the military council for the coastal area that includes the provinces of Latakia and Tartus.

Reporter, Male #2
Essam Abdullah, BBC.

Presenter, Male #1
On the political front, Russia called on the UN Security Council to quickly issue another resolution on the mission of the international observers in Syria. During a press conference held on Friday in Moscow following a meeting between Russian and Italian foreign and defense ministers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that everyone should focus on the Annan plan and the UN Security Council's resolution that approved the plan. He added all efforts must be exerted to adopt another resolution to approve sending a full observers' mission to Syria. The minister confirmed his country believes it is necessary to pressure all those who carry arms in Syria.

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Jordanians hold pro-reform protest rallies [Press TV, Iran]

Fresh rallies have been held in several cities in Jordan, including Amman, to demand reforms, freedom, and justice in the country, and condemning corruption, which they say is hindering political and economic change. The also rejected the recent amendments to the electoral law.

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Yemeni protestors demand Saleh loyalists' removal [Press TV, Iran]

People in Yemen have taken to the streets across the country demanding the removal of the former regime's remnants. The protestors demanded the trial of ex-ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh and his inner circle. They rallied in the capital Sanaa, as well as in Taiz, al-Dalia, Radaa, and Ibb.

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Nessma TV 'Persepolis' trial begins in Tunis [Press TV, Iran]

In Tunisia, the owner of television channel Nessma TV has gone to court for the third time in six months for airing the controversial cartoon 'Persepolis.' The channel has been accused of encouraging a wave of attacks on Islam in the country.

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Lebanese hackers vent anger at 'corrupt' government and financial elite [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
Who are the hackers that attacked Lebanon's government websites? And why were they able to hack them? The answer in the following report by my colleague Rami al-Amine.

Guest, Male #2
But the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country. We are angry, the attitude of the Lebanese government and the financial elite strictly opposes to values and rituals we uphold. The government must exist to serve the will of the people.

Reporter, Male #3
In clear emulation of the character "V" from the movie "V for Vendetta", a group of hackers addresses the Lebanese state, sending it a severe message.

Guest, Male #2
I have been watching recent events with great agony and rage as they surpass our patience levels.

Reporter, Male #3
We stumbled onto the video that was uploaded on YouTube on March 3rd while looking for clues that would lead us to a group of hackers that attacked Lebanese government websites. The group goes by "Raise Your Voice." We sent the group a message through Facebook. They responded by asking us to send our questions to this email address, which we did, but we did not receive satisfying answers. So we inquired again. The group responded that it will issue a statement soon disclosing its goals and beliefs. But who is a hacker usually?

Guest, Male #4 (Hussein Qashmir, Information Technology Expert)
Those people are usually good technicians; their background is in programming, and they're very familiar with how websites work, so they know their points of vulnerability. And this is what happened here. They didn't try to attack one site, but went after several sites to detect the issues they have. So they knew the vulnerability of all these websites.

Reporter, Male #4
Not all these sites have been fully restored. Most removed the message the hackers left on their main page, but they are still in tatters. Even the homepage of the president of the republic still has some problems.

Reporter, Male #3
Most government websites lack required protection and technical maintenance. The reason is a lack of experience.

Guest, Male #2
Join us as we combat corrupt governmental institutions, and its military industrial complex. Lebanon, engage.

Reporter, Male #3
It is worth mentioning that a majority of this group of Lebanese hackers is affiliated with the international group "Anonymous," whose members are unidentified. However, Lebanese security institutions, specifically the branch that fights online crimes, are looking for these hackers to hold them accountable. Many Lebanese are hoping the state won't succeed. A pirate evokes this picture in the minds of some. But the faces of the pirates we are discussing resemble ours. They are intelligent people who sit behind their computer screens. For the state and law, they are criminals. But for most Lebanese, they are heroes. Rami al-Amine, New TV.