Egypt's military rulers renew pledge to step down after Abbasiyah 'massacre' [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
In Egypt, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces confirmed its full commitment to the integrity of the upcoming presidential elections. General Mohammed al-Assar, member of the military council, vowed to transfer power to an elected president at the end of June, or even before.

Presenter, Male #1
In a press conference held today, al-Assar expressed sorrow at the death of individuals in al-Abbasiyah. He said the clashes were between protestors and residents angry over the disruption of their affairs. However, a state of cautious calm prevails in the Abbasiyah area following the killing of nine people there, and the injury of dozens of others.

Reporter, Male #2
Look carefully at their faces and listen carefully to their slogans. They are Egyptians; many of them have not even reached the second decade of their lives. They have taken the lead since the January 25 Revolution was ignited. Here, in Alexandria, they are protesting the bloodshed of their comrades in al-Abbasiyah, and the areas surrounding the Defense Ministry in Cairo. People like them have taken to the streets of the Egyptian capital. They are affiliated to different political forces; their common denominator is their youth, and they do not conceal their suspicion of the current measures ahead of the presidential elections. They refuse the military's hegemony over Egyptian political life.

Reporter, Male #2
A cautious calm prevailed in al-Abbasiyah Square one day after clashes between unknown groups and protestors in the surrounding areas of the Defense Ministry. The protestors are supporters of the disqualified presidential candidate, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, and members of different revolutionary forces. Many Salafi scholars have asked Abu Ismail to address his supporters, and convince them to end their sit-in. In the face of statements holding the military council responsible for the clashes, and accusations the council is mobilizing the so-called thugs to attack the protestors, the military council confirmed it rejects the use of force against civilians, and indicated the clashes occurred between protestors and al-Abbasiyah residents upset over the disruption of their lives. The military council also vowed to transfer power at the scheduled date, and possibly even before, and to guarantee the integrity of the presidential elections.

Guest, Male #3 (General Mohamed Assar, Member of the Military Council)
The armed forces and its supreme council are committed to transfer power at the scheduled date, or before June 30, 2012. This was our initial position because we do not want to go on.

Reporter, Male #2
In between the military council and the youth, different political forces boycotted a meeting with the military council, and held a meeting together calling for a million-person demonstration on Friday, titled the "Friday to Protect the Revolution," to demand an end to the bloodshed of the Egyptian people. While different positions and statements are being expressed, the Muslim Brotherhood called for the dismissal of the government. It also asked the military council not to intervene in the formation of the constitutional drafting committee, constituting additional proof for those who interpret the current scene as part of a struggle of the strongest to shape the future of Egypt.

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Syrian security forces raid Aleppo University following anti-government protests [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the operations by Syrian army and security forces in Homs, Damascus, Hama, Idlib, Daraa, and Deir az-Zour led to the killing of 19 people today. The Syrian Revolution's General Commission said at least four people were killed when security forces stormed student dormitories at Aleppo University. The university's president announced classes will be suspended until May 13th.

Reporter, Male #2
Syrian opposition activists say a number of students at Aleppo University were killed by the gunfire of Syrian security forces when they stormed the campus. Unverified videos uploaded online showed the scale of the damage at the campus of the university.

Guest, Male #3
Four students were killed, and many others were injured. The security forces and the shabeha stormed the student dorms and arrested a large number of them.

Reporter, Male #2
The Syrian opposition's National Council called on UN observers in Syria, whose number has not exceeded 30 so far, to head to Aleppo immediately. Following these incidents, demonstrations broke out in and around the faculties of Aleppo University in solidarity with the targeted students. Other demonstrations erupted in various areas as well.

Reporter, Male #2
Daily protests in Syria have become one of the two facets of the crisis. On one hand, the popular mobilization's activists insist on continuing the movement despite the pressure they face from the army and security forces. They say the forces have not withdrawn their military vehicles from the cities and villages, as indicated in these images uploaded online by activists. On the other hand, Syrian state media asserts it is confronting what it refers to as terrorist groups that are targeting both military members and civilians. The Syrian government views what it calls "the media war" as especially important, after President Bashar al-Assad announced that he had won the battle on the ground and is now anticipating to win it in the air.

Reporter, Male #2
So the presence of foreign media in Syria is limited to those who were given entry permits. They can only work with a permit that limits their movement, and if they violate any of its stipulations, their cameras will be confiscated as experienced by the crew of the British network Sky News in Damascus two days ago. As the Syrian government is preparing to organize elections that are boycotted by the Syrian National Council and the National Coordination Committee, their opponents are also active in a counter media campaign.

Reporter, Male #2
As for the killing and violence, they continue with each side holding the other responsible. The Syrian opposition responds to the government with the support of reports by international human rights organizations. They say the army and security forces are continuing their operations in many areas, including Daraa, Idlib, Deir az-Zour, Hama, and Homs. Images from the neighborhood of al-Bayada showed the impact of the shelling dissidents say the Syrian government is responsible for. Wael Hajjar, BBC.

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Bahrainis protest near al-Manama [Press TV, Iran]

In Bahrain, anti-regime protestors have taken to the streets around the capital Manama. The demonstrators also called for the thousands of prisoners arrested since last year to be released. Many of those detained are in jail without trial.

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Trial of fugitive Tariq al-Hashemi adjourned in Iraq [Press TV, Iran]

The trial of Iraq's fugitive vice president, Tariq al-Hashemi, has been adjourned until May 10. The first session of the trial was held in absentia on Thursday. Al-Hashemi is accused of running death squads against political and security officials across Iraq. He is now in Turkey after touring Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

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Iranian VP: Syrian crisis must be resolved through talks, not foreign intervention [Press TV, Iran]

Iran's vice president, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, says Tehran supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reform plan to restore security and peace to the country, and said that the problems in Syria must be resolved through talks, adding that any foreign intervention will aggravate the situation in the country. He made the remarks at a joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut.

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Iran parliamentary runoff elections slated for Friday [Press TV, Iran]

Iran's second round of parliamentary elections is slated for Friday. The runoff vote will be held in 33 constituencies in Iran's 18 provinces. Voters will choose from among 130 candidates. Candidates from different political factions are continuing to campaign for the remaining 65 parliamentary seats.

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Former Libyan PM confirms Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's 2007 campaign [Press TV, Iran]

Fresh evidence has emerged over the lush ties between Libya's former ruler Muammar Gaddafi and incumbent French President Nicolas Sarkozy. A lawyer for Libya's former Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi said that Gaddafi contributed over 50 million euros to financing Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign. Al-Mahmudi is now reportedly in detention in Tunisia.

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Mauritanians protest against president, burning of Maliki Islamic books [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Our Al-Alam correspondent in Nouakchott reported that security forces violently dispersed an opposition sit-in, and pushed the protestors to evacuate the square that witnessed a massive demonstration yesterday demanding the ouster of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. On the other hand, the secretary-general of the ruling Union for the Republic party, Omar Ould Maatallah, described the opposition's discourse as a call for chaos and security instability.

Reporter, Male #1
Once again, political polarization and debates are raging in Mauritania. On the ground, the opposition is calling for an open-ended sit-in until the downfall of the regime. The leaders of Mauritania's Coordination of Democratic Opposition, who are on the front line of the protests, described the ruling regime as corrupt and the result of a rebellion against legitimacy, a reference to the military coup against civilian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallah five years ago.

Guest, Male #2 (Ali Mohamed Fal, Former Mauritanian President)
Our message is clear: end the ongoing insurgency today in our country, and God willing, it will be granted a political solution with which we can leap towards democracy.

Reporter, Male #1
The recent burning of holy books by an anti-slavery movement, which is banned and considered to be part of the opposition, was condemned and denounced by the leaders of the Coordination of Democratic Opposition. And while this is their first mobilization, some are saying the event aimed to create distraction to hinder the sought-after political change.

Guest, Male #3 (Mohamed Jamil Mansour, Islamist Tawassoul Party)
With this march, we condemn the despicable incident that took place last Friday, during which the mother of the Maliki ideology was burned. The basic message of this march is to affirm our demand for the ouster of the regime and Abdel Aziz.

Reporter, Male #1
The beginning of the opposition's new mobilization is titled "the condemnation of burning the Maliki holy books," and comes with a strong demand for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's resignation. The call is causing additional debate between the majority and the opposition. On the other side of the capital Nouakchott, major political parties gathered to reaffirm their commitment to President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's rule.

Guest, Male #4 (Omar Ould Maatallah, Union for the Republic Secretary-General)
The Mauritanian people stand behind those who protect Islam, and those who protect Muslims. They have not delegated any other party to speak for them. They see that the party speaking in the name of the Mauritanian people from the Islamic angle is responsible for burning these holy books in the service of their political agenda.

Reporter, Male #1
Supporters of the ruling party say the regime will remain the country's ruler and decision-maker, in spite of what they described as its opponents' fabrications and exaggerations. Mohamed Abdullah Mamim, Al-Alam, Nouakchott.

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Knesset slated for dissolution next week [IBA, Israel]

The move toward early elections took a step forward today, as parties in both the opposition and the coalition agreed that a bill to dissolve the Knesset will be brought to a vote this Monday. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin estimated that the bill's first, second, and third readings will take place on Tuesday. The last day of the 18th Knesset will be next Wednesday, during which final legislation will be passed, but the date of the early elections has yet to be decided.

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Ehud Barak's fledgling Independence Party will run in elections [IBA, Israel]

Amid the flurry over the speculation over early elections, members of the Haaztmaut, or the Independence Party, led by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, held a press conference in Tel Aviv. Barak declared that his faction will not be joining any other parties and will indeed run, despite dismal predictions over its ability to garner sufficient mandates to pass the election's threshold.

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Sudan says it wants peace with South Sudan [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Khartoum took two controversial steps yesterday. The parliament unanimously approved the state of emergency declared by President Omar al-Bashir in the territories along the border with the south. Additionally, the government agreed to allow 12,000 South Sudanese citizens stranded in the White Nile state's port of Kostly to stay until May 20 instead of May 5.

Presenter, Male #1
Commenting on the UN Security Council resolution, Khartoum said it wants peace with the south, and hopes that Juba will respond positively to the UN and African resolutions aimed at resolving the conflict. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution, threatening Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions if they fail to stop fighting and resume talks within two weeks and resolve their differences. Russia and China voted in favor of the resolution, following days of talks with Security Council members in a bid to sway Western nations from issuing a resolution to impose sanctions on the Sudanese rivals.

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UNICEF renews call to help save one million children at risk of starving to death [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Meanwhile, one million children are at risk of dying of malnutrition because of the looming drought crisis in the countries of the African Sahel region. The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, renewed its call on the international community to act quickly and provide the urgently-needed aid before it's too late. Hani Nasr has the details.

Reporter, Male #2
These shocking and heartbreaking pictures tell the story of the harsh living conditions endured by many residents of the African Sahel region. The residents are not only facing political and security challenges, but natural disasters as well. UNICEF issued an appeal urging the international community to help save the more than one million children at risk of dying of malnutrition due to the drought crisis that has been looming for months in the region. The agency said that more resources are urgently needed before it's too late and many lives are lost.

Reporter, Male #2
Fifteen million people in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal, were victims of a harsh drought. Many of them sold their livestock, took their children out of school, and reduced their nutritional intake. The agency has appealed for USD 120 million to provide food, water, health care, and education to children in the affected regions. However, only 32 percent of the needed funding has been collected. The amount, which may be too small for the governments of rich countries, is large enough to help save many lives. Will anyone respond?

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Report finds some US funds going to Iraqi insurgents [Al-Forat TV, Iraq]

Presenter, Male #1
A report by a US watchdog revealed that large amounts of funds allocated by Congress for Iraq's construction went into the accounts of terrorist groups, most notably al-Qaeda.

Presenter, Female #1
According to the report published by Agence France-Presse, American military commanders confirmed that some terrorist groups have received over four million dollars from financial transactions allocated to public projects. The report indicated some of the money was found after raiding terrorist cells, adding that some contractors confessed they paid fees to be protected by these groups. Other American commanders confirmed there is compelling evidence that local authorities, especially the governors, have been stealing funds allocated to public projects, and offering them to insurgents in exchange for a promise they would not attack projects they are sponsoring.

Reporter, Male #2
It seems the evil of armed groups and Takfiri gangs have not been limited to security and the theft of the citizens' lives since the downfall of the former regime. They have also been stealing Iraq's money, directly or indirectly, by imposing fees on companies and contractors in exchange for not attacking any of their projects, sometimes demanding almost 50 percent of the project's funding. This was indicated in an American report, and Congress has questioned the allocation of these funds, and the parties responsible for wasting them.

Guest, Male #3
We don't know where these funds went. Were they spent on the infrastructure, or did they go to some other people? Who was in charge of these funds? Are those responsible for these funds still in office? Or are other parties in charge of this money? And what is the purpose of spending these huge sums of money at this time?

Reporter, Male #2
It is clear to the public that the security vacuum and lack of effective oversight are some of the causes behind the loss of control of the continuous crises since the downfall of the tyrant. However, these reports indicated that nearly 76 percent of the people who were surveyed confirmed that funds allocated to construction projects were wasted by corruption and fraud, with some officials and contractors splitting these funds. This is the stumbling block hindering Iraq's economic progress. Experts say this is also a legal case, and the government must impose regulations and prosecute those responsible.

Reporter, Male #2
According to political observers, the amount of funds wasted due to the fear of armed groups and the officials' embezzlement would suffice to build projects and make investments that would raise the citizens' living standards. From Baghdad, Ahmed Taghi, Al-Forat.