Syrian activists report new massacre in Hama Province [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said 34 civilians were killed in Syria today. This comes after a horrific massacre took place in the countryside of Hama that left 140 people dead, most of them women and children.

Guest, Male #2
An entire family was killed; this is a child, Murhaf, and his sister Shaima, and this is their brother Mohamed.

Reporter, Male #3
Syrian dissidents are asking: What kind of beast is capable of slaughtering children and women in cold blood? Seventy-eight people, including around 20 children and 25 women, were killed by Assad's brigades and shabeha. They were either slaughtered, or burned, or shot in the village of al-Qubair in the countryside of Hama. It is said the population of this village does not exceed 100.

Reporter, Male #3
The opposition Syrian National Council called for two days of public mourning. Syrian cities and towns responded to the call. The Council requested the Free Syrian Army to launch military attacks against regime forces, in order to break the siege on the encircled regions and protect Syrian civilians, as a response to the new massacre in al-Qubair in the countryside of Hama.

Reporter, Male #3
Meanwhile, to cover up the massacre, Syrian security forces barred the UN observers from entering the village of al-Qubair. The head of the observers' delegation, Robert Mood, said he received information indicating the observers' safety would be at risk if they enter the village. Missiles and rockets fell on the city of al-Haffa in the countryside of Hama, coinciding with the arrival of military reinforcements.

Reporter, Male #3
In Homs, Assad's brigades continued their indiscriminate and heavy shelling on the neighborhoods of the city, leading to casualties. These images are from Talbisa.

Reporter, Male #3
In Idlib, helicopters partook in the shelling of Jisr Shughur, and heavy machine guns were indiscriminately used on the residents' houses. In Daraa, fierce clashes erupted between Assad's brigades and army defectors, killing a number of soldiers from both sides.

Reporter, Male #3
In addition, more deaths were reported in Aleppo, which was heavily shelled this morning by regime forces; a number of people were killed and wounded. Meanwhile, young people in Damascus shut down some roads with burning tires and other material, especially near the building of the state-run news agency SANA. This comes within the framework of a campaign called "Boiling Damascus". In condemnation of the regime's massacres against civilians, Syria's cities and towns rose up, and residents took to the streets in massive demonstrations demanding that Assad step down.

--

Israel violates hunger strike agreement with continued punitive measures against Palestinian prisoners [Palestine TV, Ramallah]

Presenter, Female #1
A number of prisoners were injured when the so-called Nachshon forces stormed a section of Ramon Prison. Occupation soldiers abruptly stormed section 4 of the prison and conducted a search operation and provoked the prisoners. They assaulted and beat the prisoners, and fired tear gas that ignited a fire in the prison cells. Many prisoners asphyxiated and were burned.

Reporter, Male #1
Inside the prisons, 4,600 prisoners are engaged in a war with wardens who realized the prisoners will no longer tolerate the prison's humiliating measures. A special force called Nachshon stormed Ramon Prison. During the confrontations, dozens of prisoners were beaten with batons and asphyxiated due to tear gas after they refused to be strip-searched late at night.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdul Al al-Anani, General Manager of Palestinian Prisoners' Society)
The prisoners entered the battle of the hunger strike and then achieved a victory over the so-called Israeli Prison Administration. Yesterday, they stormed Ofer Prison, and today, they stormed Ramon Prison. This is snowballing. Their one and only purpose is to retaliate against the prisoners' national movement.

Guest, Male #4 (Qays Abu Laila, Deputy Secretary-General of the Palestinian Democratic Front)
There is a tendency and policy supervised by the Israeli government to overturn the achievements of the daring hunger strike staged by these heroic prisoners during the last two months.

Reporter, Male #2
In its report, Amnesty International called on Israel to release all administrative detainees and adhere to ending administrative detention. The report indicated that prisoners are subjected to torture and the most extreme repressive measures.

Guest, Male #5 (Wasel Abu Yousef, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front)
Amnesty International issued a statement urging an end to the extension of administrative detention, and to stop arresting the heroes confined in the occupation's prison cells. This is an important step in the right direction in terms of the prisoners' affairs. But this matter requires more international organizations, legal organizations, humanitarian groups, and a number of countries to play their roles in order to pressure the occupation's government to end all collective punishment and the policy of terror practiced against the detainees.

Reporter, Male #2
The prison administration is not only reneging on the agreement that it signed with the prisoners' movement, which stipulates improving the living conditions of the prisoners and ending administrative detention, but it has also barred every prisoner who took part in the battle of empty stomachs from the cafeteria, and even from medical treatment. It also added new prisoners into administrative detention.

Reporter, Male #2
This may push the prisoners to engage again in the battle of depriving their stomachs of food until they retrieve their rights, or die. On the first day the dark prisons open their gates to the prisoners, Israelis have been purposely mistreating them and torturing them, putting the prisoners' bodies and spirits at risk. The prisoners can only use their stomachs as a means and weapon for freedom. Ajwa Jarazat, Palestine TV.

--

Jerusalem court rejects petition by human rights groups to bar migrant expulsion [IBA, Israel]

The Jerusalem District Court today rejected a petition filed by human rights groups to bar the expulsion of migrants from South Sudan. Court documents stated that the NGOs failed to provide evidence that the migrants would be in grave danger if they were forcibly returned to their native countries.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai expressed satisfaction at the ruling, saying that he hopes that the legislation will serve as the first step toward the complete expulsion of the entire migrant population in Israel.

--

New Israeli settlement construction 'not constructive' to peace talks, says US [IBA, Israel]

Shortly after using threats to block the settlement regulation bill, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to deflect his right-wing critics by giving the green light to the construction of 851 new housing units in the territories, expanding the West Bank settlement of Beit El and causing anger in Washington. US State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said the move was "not constructive" to efforts to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.

--

Benghazi residents protest unequal distribution of Libya's national council seats [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
Hundreds of people demonstrated in the Libyan city of Benghazi yesterday, demanding a fair redistribution of the Public National Conference's seats among all Libyan regions.

Presenter, Male #1
The protestors believe the current distribution of seats is prejudiced, as it is based on the population density, and may lead to the monopoly of political decisions.

Presenter, Female #1
In addition, the protestors expressed their intention to boycott the anticipated parliamentary elections if their demands are not met.

Reporter, Male #2
Masses demonstrated in Benghazi, demanding an equal redistribution of the Libyan Public National Conference's seats. They announced their rejection of the National Transitional Council's distribution of seats in the Public National Conference, with differing percentages for the west, east, and south of Libya.

Guest, Male #3
The seats of the Public National Conference should be distributed equally among the regions.

Guest, Female #2
The Transitional Council should understand that this is a conference of the constituents, not parliament. Its seats should be distributed according to numbers or geographic factors.

Guest, Male #4
We are not separatists. We are for justice and equality.

Reporter, Male #2
One region's hegemony of the majority of the seats over others is being viewed by critics as a monopoly of the political making process by the conference, which is considered to be the equivalent of the legislative body responsible for drafting the constitution and legislation for Libya after the revolution.

Reporter, Male #2
This monopoly prompted Jabir Almghebre to continue his hunger strike for 20 days, demanding an equal participation of all Libyan regions in the Public National Conference.

Guest, Male #5
My message to the people is this: we must restore the spirit of love and tolerance shown in the beginning of the February 17 Revolution. In addition, I demand a fair distribution of the National Conference's seats. During an interview with the press, a senior official admitted the current distribution is unfair, adding that a good citizen must not accept the injustice of the state.

Reporter, Male #2
A number of judicial institutions believe the demand to fairly distribute the seats of the Public National Conference is legitimate, in order to guarantee building a new Libya with the consent of everyone, without any tribal or regional disputes.

Guest, Male #6 (Suleiman Zubi, Head of the High Election Committee)
The people of Libya want to establish their state, therefore all parties of the Libyan people must be equally represented. We are not part of a government that is ruled by a majority. We are all partners in a joint government, and we should be sitting on equal footing at the table, on the same level.

Reporter, Male #2
In just a few days, the Public National Conference's elections will begin, and will shape Libya's fate after the revolution. Naeem al-Ashibi, Al Jazeera, Benghazi.

--

Eight killed by motorcycle bomb blast in Pakistan's Quetta [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Eight people were killed, including three children, and more than 20 others were injured when an explosive device was detonated in front of a school teaching the Holy Quran in southwestern Pakistan. The police said the device, which was planted on a motorcycle, was set off from a distance in front of the school gate, in the area of Quetta in Balochistan Province. This happened as students were receiving their certificates.

Presenter, Female #1
The police began the investigation process; however, no group has yet claimed responsibly for the attack. Balochistan Province, located at the border with Afghanistan and Iran, is considered a haven for the Taliban.

--

Afghan President Karzai condemns NATO air strike as Panetta arrives in Kabul [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the NATO air strike conducted in the southern province of Logar that resulted in the death of 18 people, emphasizing that targeting civilians cannot be justified. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta arrived to Afghanistan in a surprise visit.

Reporter, Male #1
The NATO air strike on Logar Province in Afghanistan, which resulted in the death of 18 civilians, including children and women, prompted Afghan President Hamid Karzai to cut short his visit to China, where he was attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Reporter, Male #1
Karzai condemned the air strike, emphasizing that there is no justification for NATO's attack, or for killing civilians and causing property damage. And every time NATO conducts an attack targeting civilians in Afghanistan, Washington sends a senior official to Kabul to consult with Afghan officials and apologize for the attack.

Reporter, Male #1
US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta arrived in Afghanistan in a surprise visit to hold talks with military leaders regarding the Logar air strike. Amid the escalating violence in Afghanistan and the attacks by the Taliban, Panetta said the purpose of his visit is to get an assessment from American General John Allen, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, of the ability to cope with the Taliban's threats and Haqqani fighters, referring to another network tied to al-Qaeda.

Guest, Male #2 (Leon Panetta, US Secretary of Defense)
It is hard to achieve peace in Afghanistan as long as there is a safe haven for terrorists in Pakistan. We made this clear before and we will make this clear again. Washington's patience is starting to run out.

Reporter, Male #1
NATO forces have killed a large number of Afghan civilians, including children and women, in air raids that NATO claims are targeting Taliban gunmen. And every time, the Afghan government demands, in vain, the launch of an independent investigation into the massacres committed against civilians.

--

Two Sudans disagree over border of demilitarized zone [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
The current African-mediated talks between Sudan and South Sudan have stalled once again since they started four days ago in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Both sides have failed to establish a demilitarized area on their shared borders.

Presenter, Male #1
Khartoum blamed its neighbor, Juba, for the failure. Meanwhile, observers believe that both sides do not wish to continue fighting in light of their current crises, and the fear of UN sanctions if they fail to resolve their problems. Samy al-Shinawy reports from Khartoum.

Reporter, Male #2
The Addis Ababa negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan are at a standstill. Failure accompanied the process since the beginning, especially regarding the security issue. This comes after Juba drafted a map that placed the region of Heglig within its territory. In turn, Khartoum reminded Juba that intransigence over the security issue will likely bring negotiations back to square one. At the same time, Khartoum is reiterating that it is committed to peace, not war.

Guest Male #3
We will not allow for one inch of our land to be taken by force. Because if this happens, we will have no reason to negotiate. This shows they are not serious about peace. They are coming to the negotiation table with a hidden agenda.

Reporter, Male #2
It is true that the two sides entered the Addis Ababa negotiations under pressure from the African Union and the UN Security Council. However, the challenges facing the negotiations will likely hamper the efforts of the African mediator. But according to observers, the threat of implementing UN Security Council resolutions will force both sides to resume talks and tackle the current obstacles.

Guest, Male #4
The overall negotiations will not likely collapse, because the two governments are committed to reaching an agreement within a specific time frame. If they fail to reach such an agreement, a solution will be imposed on them.

Reporter, Male #2
The political crisis sparked an economic crisis which is posing a real threat to leaders of both governments. And this requires an immediate solution to the stalled issues between the two states attempting to end hostilities. Adopting a firm position is a characteristic that describes both parties' negotiating styles. Meanwhile, the street is impatiently waiting for a breakthrough over the issues that caused the deadlock. This puts the ball in the African mediator's court, as it is expected to do everything in its power to prevent both sides from resorting to war.

--

Supreme Leader's adviser: P5+1 must accept Iran's nuclear energy rights [Press TV, Iran]

A top Iranian official calls on the P5+1 countries to recognize Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology. The adviser to Iran's leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, says Iran has always lived up to its nuclear commitments. He says the talks will lead nowhere if the West fails to recognize Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy, insisting that Iran will remain committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but will never abandon its rights.