Egyptians rally in Tahrir Square to demand revolutionary justice [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is holding a meeting today with party leaders and political forces to discuss the developments of the political arena in Egypt, and the recommendations submitted by the advisory council yesterday. Meanwhile, the Freedom and Justice Party announced it will boycott the meeting.

Presenter, Male #1
This comes amid preparations for another million-man rally in Tahrir Square, titled "Justice," to demand the retrial of the former Egyptian president and a number of high-ranking security officials. The protestors are also demanding for the runoff round of the presidential elections to be halted until the disenfranchisement law is implemented. This is an attempt to disqualify presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, whose opponents have intensified efforts to prevent him from participating in the runoff round. Most political forces and figures announced their intention to participate in this million-man rally.

Presenter, Male #1
Joining us from Cairo is our correspondent Tawfiq Ahmed. Tawfiq, how large was the response to today's million man rally? And what are the protestors' most essential demands?

Reporter, Male #2
So far, there are only a few hundred people in Tahrir Square. But the attributes of the revolution have returned once again to the square; many tents have been set up, and the popular committees are securing Tahrir Square's entrances and exits.

Reporter, Male #2
We are witnessing a very nationalistic atmosphere, and hearing slogans that call for enforcing the disenfranchisement law. This number will probably increase in the afternoon, at four or five pm Cairo time, considering that Hamdeen Sabahy and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, the two candidates who lost the presidential elections, and respectively ranked third and fourth, will lead two marches to Tahrir Square, and we may witness great momentum.

Reporter, Male #2
The Muslim Brotherhood and many other forces and revolutionary movements announced they will participate in this demonstration. But it seems the heat and working hours have prevented the presence of large numbers until now. As for the demands, we surveyed the protestors in Tahrir Square and asked them, "What are your demands?" Their answers varied, but there was consensus on some of the demands, and differences over others. Let's listen to what they had to say.

Guest, Male #3
I am here today for the martyrs' blood that was wasted. The court that ruled let us down.

Guest Male #4
Hosni Mubarak and Habib al-Adly must be put on trial again. This is my first demand. Then, the disenfranchisement law must be enforced because Ahmed Shafiq is not fit for the presidency. The presidential race was rigged, and that's how Ahmed Shafiq was allowed to run. My third demand is retribution for the martyrs.

Guest, Male #5
I am here to confirm I am against electing the remnants of the old regime, or any candidate that does not belong to this revolution.

Guest, Male #6
The martyrs' blood comes first! This is the first demand. Second, we don't want this presidential council; this is how they're trying to create problems among the people and divide us.

Guest Male #7
We want bread, freedom, and social justice.

Guest Male #8
To raise wages so people can live at ease. We also want an honorable president; it's not important if its Ahmed, Mohamed or Adel, the most important thing is that he is decent and loves this country!

Presenter, Male #1
All of these demands will be discussed at the military council's meeting.

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Erdogan asserts Turkey's regional role as Istanbul hosts the World Economic Forum [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
The World Economic Forum on the Middle East, North Africa, and Eurasia opened in Istanbul, with the participation of nearly one thousand political and economic figures from over 70 countries. The forum will look into many economic and political issues, the impact of the Arab revolutions, and most notably the situation in Syria. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and presidents and prime ministers of many countries, including Tunisia and Jordan, are participating in the forum.

Reporter, Male #1
Three years after boycotting the World Economic Forum after his famous argument over Gaza with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Davos, here is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan achieving what he aspired to at the time. He is hosting the Economic Forum in his economic capital, Istanbul. In attendance are nearly one thousand prominent economic and political figures from over 70 countries.

Guest, Male #2 (Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Prime Minister)
There is no doubt that conflict, war, displacement, and terrorism in any country directly impacts neighboring countries. Turkey's initiatives on some regional issues, and speaking out about some other issues, never imply we wish to interfere in the affairs of others. Rather, it expresses our concerns over our neighbors' problems, and our desire to contribute in solving them.

Reporter, Male #1
Over the course of two days, the forum is expected to look into many global economic and political issues, most notably energy and the world crisis that is still casting its shadow on many countries in Europe and the world. It will also look into the Arab Spring, and its economic impact on the countries of the region and the world, and discuss concerns over the regional and global implications of the political crisis and turmoil in the Middle East.

Guest, Male #3 (Hamadi Jebali, Tunisian Prime Minister)
It has had a great positive impact. Tourists visit countries that are democratic, more than they visit dictatorships. Maybe during the first phase some believe there is turmoil, but at the end of the day they encourage democracy, and I am certain of it. So its impact is positive on the economy, on investment and on tourism as well.

Reporter, Male #1
The World Economic Forum, renowned for its annual summits convened in the mountain resort town of Davos in Switzerland, is convening in Istanbul to discuss the affairs of the Middle East, North Africa, and Eurasia. This comes as Turkey has positioned itself as an important location on the world's economic map.

Reporter, Male #1
Turkey has managed to isolate itself from the political and economic malaise reverberating across its borders, as its economy grew by 8.5 percent, posting the second fastest growth of a world economy after China.

Reporter, Male #1
While the head of the World Economic Forum is offering Tayyip Erdogan to return to Davos and forget about the past, leaders of the Turkish government believe the time has come for Turkey to leave its political and economic mark, not only in the region, but the world. From Istanbul, Abdul Nasser Singhi, BBC.

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The forced displacement of Palestinians continues on the 45th anniversary of the Naksa [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
Today marks the 45th anniversary of what is known as the Naksa, or the day of the setback, when Israel managed to occupy the Sinai, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, through the 1967 war.

Presenter, Male #1
Since then, Israel has been imposing its rule on the occupied territories through its Judaization and settlement project, and tightening the noose on Palestinian citizens to prevent them from establishing a Palestinian state.

Reporter, Female #2
Since the Nakba, or catastrophe, of 1948, through the war of 1967, and until today, this family embodies the story of displacement that thousands of Palestinians have experienced. This is all that remains for the Khaled al-Natsheh family: some furniture outside, but no house to shelter him, his wife and their nine children, so he sought refuge at a relative's house.

Guest, Male #2
This is my home; this is my bedroom, and this is the kitchen.

Reporter, Female #2
Two months ago, Khaled was forced to evacuate the house he built in Jerusalem, after settlers seized it.

Guest, Male #3 (Khaled al-Natshah, Palestinian, House Seized by the Occupation)
We were displaced in 1948 because of the 1948 war; we went to my grandfather's house in Hosh esh-Shay in al-Balda el-Qadeema. And after the 1967 war, we, and other residents were again displaced. We came here to Beit Hanina, and in 2012, we were displaced again.

Reporter, Female #2
As soon as Israel occupied the West Bank, including the city of East Jerusalem, it began to annex parts of the city and control others. In a move that is not recognized internationally, it annexed East Jerusalem, and began settlement construction and continued to displace the Palestinians.

Reporter, Female #2
Israel has built over 170 settlements. And even though Israel only occupies less than two percent of the West Bank, over 40 percent of the territories are under its control, and Palestinians are banned from using it. Meanwhile, it refuses to withdraw from the al-Aghwar region, which accounts for 27 percent of the West Bank.

Guest, Male #3 (Hana Omairah, Member of Executive Committee of PLO)
Israel is attempting to impose an autonomous region in the name of a state, but not a state in the true sense of the word. The Israeli conditions are very clear: they do not want the refugees to return; they do not want to give up Jerusalem.

Reporter, Female #2
This reality does not enable the Palestinians to establish their state in more than 42 percent of the West Bank, in addition to the Gaza Strip. We are standing here at the separation line. This is West Jerusalem that was occupied in 1948, and Israel was guaranteed to keep it as part of its territory. On the other side lies East Jerusalem that was occupied in 1967, and the Palestinians agreed to have the city as their capital. Regardless, day after day, Israel continues to extend its control over the Palestinian part. In short, this is the story of the occupation.

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Syria ousts Western diplomats, but confirms commitment to Annan's plan [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
Russia stressed that keeping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power is not a precondition. The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the violence against civilians. And the Syrian Foreign Ministry confirmed the ambassadors of Western countries are no longer welcome in Damascus.

Reporter, Female #2
The Syrian crisis was present in Russian President Vladimir Putin's discussions in Beijing. Putin is there to attend a security summit. Chinese TV confirmed the Russian president and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao urged the international community to support the plan of the UN envoy Kofi Annan.

Reporter, Female #2
Meanwhile, Russia confirmed that maintaining the Syrian president in power is not a precondition to reaching a solution in Syria. On the sidelines of the meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group in Jeddah, the UN secretary-general urged President Bashar al-Assad's government to immediately end the violence.

Guest, Male #1 (Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General)
We are deeply troubled by what has been going on. President Bashar al-Assad's government must stop the violence immediately in the name of humanity, and start a political dialogue with its foes. Annan's plan remains central to the resolution of the Syrian crisis.

Reporter, Female #2
In another development, the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the ongoing violence against civilians in Syria.

Guest, Male #2 (Saud al-Faisal, Saudi Foreign Minister)
We hold the UN Security Council responsible for fulfilling its duties as stipulated by the UN Charter, and take the necessary measures to guarantee the immediate implementation of the joint envoy's plan, in accordance with Chapter 7 of the Charter.

Reporter, Female #2
Meanwhile, after meeting with the head of the observers' delegation Robert Mood, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad confirmed that Syria is keen to successfully implement the Annan plan.

Guest, Male #3 (Faisal al-Miqdad, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister)
The impasse was not caused by the Syrian side, but by the other side. We have long waited for the other side to correct its policies and positions, so that it will provide the necessary support to Annan's mission and the observers' mission. But unfortunately, we were forced to take these measures because the others do not want this delegation to succeed in its mission, nor do they want Syria to restore stability and security.

Reporter, Female #2
The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement announcing that ambassadors of Western countries are no longer welcome in the country. On the ground, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that regime forces stormed the town of al-Hafa in the countryside of Latakia amid fierce clashes with some fighters.

Reporter, Female #2
The Observatory said earlier that regime forces, reinforced with tanks and personnel carriers, also stormed the town of Kfar Zita in the countryside of Hama. Meanwhile, artillery shelling continues on neighborhoods in Homs. On the other hand, the Observatory said five security members were injured when an explosive device was detonated in the city of Idlib.

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Non-Aligned Movement supports Iran at IAEA Board of Governors meeting [Press TV, Iran]

Words of support for Iran's development of nuclear technology came in a statement by the NAM representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors. They say they are concerned that IAEA has failed to provide Iran with documents regarding their alleged studies, which the West says support its claims that Iran has conducted studies on developing nuclear weapons. Iran has questioned the authenticity of the documents, insisting its program is purely civilian.

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Jailed Bahraini activists tell court of 'torture' in detention [Press TV, Iran]

Three leading Bahraini opposition activists, who face up to life in prison on charges of plotting to overthrow the al-Khalifa regime, complained of being tortured in detention during their trial session, telling the court that they had been beaten, insulted, and humiliated in custody. Meanwhile, protests continue across the kingdom, with a fresh rally in Sitra.

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Four Eritreans injured in Jerusalem arson attack on apartment complex [IBA, Israel]

More violence against illegal migrants in Jerusalem: unknown arsonists set fire to an apartment housing some 40 Eritreans in Jaffa Street, injuring four people. The words "Get out of our neighborhood" were spray-painted on the door of the apartment. Police are investigating the incident.

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New, harsher Prevention of Infiltration Law goes into effect in Israel [IBA, Israel]

The new infiltrators' law has gone into effect, with illegal migrants facing up to three years of detention without trial. Previously, illegal migrants could only be detained for up to ten days, and were released if not found to be a security threat. The law also includes up to 15 years of imprisonment for an Israeli who assists an infiltrator.

Demographic changes in south Tel Aviv, where most of the 60,000 African migrants live and where most migrants released from detention settle, have led to clashes between the would-be immigrants and the Israeli community, which accuse the newcomers for rising property-related crimes and assault and rape cases in the area.

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Humanitarian situation deteriorates as Yemen renews confrontation against al-Qaeda [Al-Forat TV, Iraq]

Presenter, Male #1
In Yemen, battles between government forces and al-Qaeda's terrorist groups were renewed in the province of Abyan, as security forces requested a security cordon around the capital Sanaa in anticipation of possible terrorist operations in the capital.

Presenter, Female #1
For his part, the UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Amr warned in a report to the Security Council of the escalating violence and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country. He requested urgent aid for Yemen. Ibrahim al-Mutaab has the details.

Reporter, Male #2
This is a recurrent scene as the confrontations are renewed between the Yemeni army, whose military missions are still supported by organized popular committees, and armed members of al-Qaeda in Yemen's southern provinces. Military sources said a suicide attack targeted a military reconnaissance force in the Lawdar district of Abyan Province, killing four fighters from the popular committees supporting the Yemeni army, and injuring others. Meanwhile, the Yemeni army is expanding its military strikes against al-Qaeda members through ongoing battles in the cities of Zinjibar and al-Kawd in Abyan Province, which have caused many casualties in the ranks of the group.

Guest, Male #3 (Ahmed Saif Hashid, Yemeni Parliamentarian)
The security card was played by those calling for reform and by the authorities. Both sides are playing the security card and the al-Qaeda card. And this led al-Qaeda to carry out this attack.

Reporter, Male #2
As fighting continues in the major cities of the southern province, knowledgeable sources said Yemen's naval forces are still incapable of preventing the infiltration of al-Qaeda fighters and the flow of weapons through the sea. This comes as the army, as well as a large number of fighters from the popular committees, started moving towards Shakra, an important stronghold for the terrorist group's members. This confirms that Yemen's naval ports are still facing many issues that are helping al-Qaeda members.

Guest, Male #4 (Mohamed Shamsan, Researcher)
I believe that naval forces, especially on this front, are weak; they have not received the proper training to confront a threat like al-Qaeda. The Yemeni military forces in general, and the naval forces in particular, are not even trained to confront pirates who are very active in Yemen's regional waters.

Reporter, Male #2
As the confrontation continues with al-Qaeda, which is attempting to move its battle with the army into major cities in the southern provinces, the Yemeni Interior Ministry ordered heightened security measures in the security zone surrounding the capital Sanaa, in anticipation of security breaches in the capital.

Reporter, Male #2
As the fighting continues in the southern provinces, citizens are not ruling out the possibility of having the capital turn into a new platform for the combat with al-Qaeda, which has vowed to carry out surprise operations. Ibrahim al-Mutaa, Al-Forat, in front of the Defense Complex, Sanaa.