Thousand flee northern Syrian town as Damascus stages pro-Assad rally
Al Jazeera, Qatar

Presenter, Male #1
Reuters news agency quoted eyewitnesses saying that thousands of residents of the northern In addition, tanks were positioned in the city of Deir al-Zour and Abu Kamal, near the border with Iraq. On the other hand, Syrian Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud called on the residents who fled to Turkey to return home. Mahmoud's statement comes as thousands of people continue to flee Jisr Shughour to the Turkish territory. This, as Syrian authorities partially reopened the border crossing with Jordan after a two month-long closure.

Reporter, Male #2
Eleven years after the departure of what the Syrian regime describes as its eternal leader, his statue was removed from the heart of Hama. The fall of Assad the father's statue was not caused by the hammers of the protestors this time. Instead, authorities were in charge of transporting it to an unknown site. Some say the statue found its place in a warehouse that will protect it from the anger of those demonstrating for their freedom. The symbolism of removing the statue from a corner it sat on for a long time reveals the depth of the crisis experienced by the successor of Assad the father and the regime's heir. Dissenters says the testate bestowed by the father to the son is the heavy testate of the Baath party. They believe it is based on security and only security and protected by the eight article of the constitution, which grants the party the sole agency over ruling the country. In order to overcome this inheritance and its tyrannical effects and suppression of freedoms, the Syrians continue to take to the street across the country on a daily basis. This is the cry that confronts the barrels of cannons since peaceful protests are frequently met with deadly gunfire. Only the regime and its media continue to repeat the story of infiltrators and conspirators allied with colonial and imperial states, descriptors borrowed from the Cold War's dictionary.

Guest, Male # 3 (Adnan Mahmoud, Syrian Information Minister)
The parliament salutes the efforts of our armed forces and the members of the internal security forces for executing their national duty of reestablishing security and stability in this area.

Reporter, Male #2
In order to confront the conspiracy the regime talks about, its tanks are getting ready today to enter Maarat al-Numan. And the regime that announced that its deployment to the town comes in response to a request by its residents, faces a clear paradox since 70 percent of those who supposedly called for the entry of the army have fled the town, in fear of that same army's violence. This, according to Othman el-Badawe, a university professor and resident of the town that fears a fate similar to that of Talkalakh, Jisr Shughour, Talbisa and Daraa. The Daraa that witnessed unprecedented violence at the hands of security forces continues to endure the crackdown of security men who have arrested hundreds of the province's residents. The latest is doctor Faisar el-Zoghbi and his colleague from the Abu Nabut family. In addition to the head of the morgue at Daraa's main hospital, who is accused of writing a false report on the boy Hamza al-Khatib, who was subjected to the ugliest forms of torture before getting killed. This is, then, how the arrest campaign continues and is kept in pace with the advance of the Syrian army's tanks to towns and villages. And with the two, thousands flee to nearby towns or cross the border into refugee camps in Turkey in search of calm that is only interrupted by the chirping of birds, which revives the memory of their own towns. In Damascus, the scene was different as thousands gathered to hold the longest Syrian flag in solidarity with the regime. There are no shabeha here, or any infiltrators targeting the masses with gunfire. This is another paradox the opposition discusses. And in order for Syria not to become a camp for the displaced inside their nation and refugees in the nations of others, activists are calling for a protest on Friday named after Sheikh Saleh al-Ali, a historic hero of the Syrian revolution. He rebelled against French colonialism and rejected an offer to create an Alawite state separate from Syria. By choosing Saleh al-Ali as the name for Friday's protest and before him "The Great Friday" for its symbolism, activists seek to confirm that their mobilization for freedom is a national one that crosses narrow ethnic and sectarian lines and aims to build a free Syria. A Syria where fear has no place.

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Yemenis push for transitional council as 24-hour ultimatum expires
Dubai TV, UAE

Presenter, Male #1
The Gulf Cooperation Council, the GCC, has decided to throw the ball back into the Yemeni rivals' court, offering to resume its mediation efforts if requested. Meanwhile, a disagreement over the formation of the transitional council is continuing to grow, which may reflect negatively on the Saudi-sponsored truce being observed in the country. The revolution youths are mobilizing to form a transitional council, as the ultimatum given to the acting Yemeni president has expired. Abdul Rahman al-Shumari reports from Sana'a.

Reporter, Male #2
The international efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis have not paid off. Despite brokering a truce sponsored by mediators inside and outside Yemen, the two Yemeni rivals have failed to agree on a tentative mechanism for a peaceful transfer of authority in the country, amid Saleh's absence. The two sides also failed to agree on the formation of a transitional council, as demanded by the revolution youths. The 24-hour ultimatum to form a transitional council expired yesterday.

Guest, Male #3 (Ahmad al-Zarqa, Yemeni journalist and writer)
The Gulf initiative no longer represents all sides. A new effort is being launched by the Saudi, German, and Emirates' ambassadors. Their vision is somewhat different than that the one outlined in the Gulf initiative. They want to include all sides in negotiations, under the auspices of the European Union and the US ambassadors to Sana'a.

Reporter, Male #2
While some outside Yemen are betting on the political future of the acting Yemeni president, the opposition blocs expressed doubt over the ability of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to continue to run the country's affairs, especially considering his limited authority.

Guest, Male #4 (Khalil al-Umari, Yemeni journalist and writer)
The opposition wants to encourage the acting president to function as if the president had signed the Gulf initiative, telling him that he now has the authority and he can't be stripped of it. However, the acting president can't function this way, especially as many members of their regime are still in power.

Reporter, Male #2
The sit-in groups in Change Square have called on the GCC to support the will of the people and to help form and recognize a transitional council. The sit-in youths also called for the toppling what they referred to as "the remnants of the regime." It seems that the process of political transformation in Yemen following Saleh's ouster is very complicated, perhaps due to the presence of special interests in the region. Especially with certain foreign groups who continue to reach out to the political blocs on one hand and support the aspirations of the youths of change on the other. Abdul Rahman al-Shumari, Dubai TV, Sana'a

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Bahrainis march in support of political prisoners
Al-Alam, Iran

Presenter, Female #1
Organizations leading the protests in Bahrain called for marches and rallies paving the way for the return to Martyrs Square, formerly known as Pearl Roundabout. A number of regions in Bahrain witnessed fresh protests. The regime's security forces confronted the protestors using live bullets and tear-gas.

Reporter, Male #1
Protests in Bahrain continue despite the crackdown on the civilians by the authorities' forces, backed by Saudi occupation forces. Residents of the Sitra region organized a march in solidarity with the detainees in Bahraini prisons. For their part, residents of Sanabis also descended on the streets to voice their support of the nation's symbols and protest the violence in Bahrain that does not spare children, women, medical personnel, or even officials, all in the pretext of participating in the popular protests. Protestors marched in the town's streets chanting slogans to topple the government as the first conditional step before beginning any dialogue with the Bahraini government. Protests extended in a number of regions in Bahrain. Various villages and towns in the country witnessed nightly protests condemning the international silence surrounding what is happening in Bahrain. Bahraini security forces confronted the protests with live bullets, tear-gas, and smoke, and hunted down protestors on the streets and in alleys. Meanwhile, Bahraini youth organizations called for descending on Pearl Roundabout, also known as Martyrs Square, to continue demanding fundamental reforms in the country. As part of a campaign to confront the media, the Bahraini authorities decided to sue the British newspaper, the Independent, and its renowned writer Robert Fisk for his coverage of the bloody repression practiced by the Bahraini authorities against peaceful protestors. Legally, the president of the Coalition for the International Campaign against Impunity, May al Khansa is to submit a new complaint this Friday to the International Criminal Court in Hague of the Netherlands against the Bahraini regime for committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. Al Khansa explained that she will discuss the final edition of the complaint with 15 European lawyers, which will be backed with irrefutable evidence and documents that confirm the truth of what is happening in Bahrain against unarmed civilians.

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Revolutionaries seize new Libyan town
Press TV, Iran

Libyan revolutionaries have reportedly made fresh gains against regime forces in the east and west of the country. Reports say revolutionary fighters have forces regime troops into retreat from the western town of Kikla, which is about 150 km southwest of the capital. Revolutionary fighters have set up defensive positions in Kikla in case of a counter-attack. In the east, anti-regime fighters have launched more attacks against forces loyal to Libya ruler Muammar Gaddafi near the oil town of Brega. Meanwhile, NATO has resumed bombing of the Libyan capital with strikes in the east of the city. Libyan state TV says the bombing struck military and civilian targets in one of the biggest neighborhoods in the city.

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10 killed in US attack on Pakistan
Press TV, Iran

In Pakistan, at least ten people have been killed in an unauthorized US drone attack on the country's northwestern tribal region. Pakistan security officials say missiles fired by a drone hit a compound on a car near Wana. Witnesses say the vehicle was destroyed completely, leaving all four occupants dead. Hundreds of people have been killed in US attacks in Pakistan. Washington claims that its air raids target militants, but civilians have been the main victims. Islamabad has repeatedly condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

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Fighting rages across Sudan's Southern Kordofan state
BBC Arabic, UK

Presenter, Female #1
Violence escalated in Sudan's South Kordofan province. A moment ago we saw acts of violence in the Abyei region as well. US President Barack Obama warned that the United States will suspend its normalization with Sudan if violence escalates. The following report takes a look at the subject from a political standpoint.

Reporter, Male #1
As soon as the African Union announced its tentative agreement to transform Abyei into a demilitarized zone, the South Kordofan province turned into another center of tension amongst many centers of endless tension between the north and south of Sudan. The Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa hosted closed-door negotiations between Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the president of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir. The negotiations resulted in a peace agreement and discussed the proposal to send Ethiopian peacekeeping forces to Abyei. In addition to African mediation efforts, this achievement of understanding was also attributed to the pressure exerted by the US administration.

Guest, Female #1 (Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State)
Recent developments along the border, particularly in the Abyei region, are deeply troubling. The two sides should find a peaceful solution to the lingering issues in the peace agreement and not resort to violence. Once again, the African Union played a decisive role in facilitating the negotiations in Sudan.

Reporter, Male #1
Less than a day after this development, reports informed that Sudanese forces launched heavy raids on the South Kordofan province located near the border between the north and the south. The United Nations warned of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region and held Khartoum responsible for hindering relief efforts. UN sources spoke of heavy shelling targeting an airstrip that almost hit the UN building. Khartoum completely denied the allegation. A spokesman for the Sudanese army responded by saying that the operations exclusively targeted the rebels and did not harm any civilians. The reports say that the shelling expanded to include areas that are home to members of several popular movements. Most of the residents of these areas are from Nubian communities that helped southern Sudan during the civil war between the north and the south. They accuse the authorities in Khartoum of adopting an ethnic cleansing policy in South Kordofan against the Nubian ethnic group with help from militias loyal to the regime. Sadiq Abu Hassan, BBC.

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Turkish reports say Gaza aid flotilla may be cancelled
IBA, Israel

Organizers of this months planned aid flotilla to Gaza are now considering postponing the mission due to increasing tensions along the Syrian-Turkish border. A spokesman for the ship told a Turkish newspaper today that the flotilla organizers from the IHH say it cannot close its eyes to the developments on Turkey's doorstep. Ahead of today's announcement, those planning the flotilla insisted they are not seeking a confrontation with Israel and have asked Turkish Jews to relay that message to the Jewish state. Nine Turkish extremists were killed last year when they attacked a boarding party of Israeli commandos as the Turkish ship, Mamara, tried to run the Gaza blockade.

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Dennis Ross says Israel and PA must accept two states for two people formula
IBA, Israel

Israel's diplomatic offensive continued today as the nations leaders tried to persuade European diplomats that a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood must not be recognized by the United Nations in September. It is a diplomatic frenzy this week as a number of foreign statesmen are here to meet with Palestinian and Israeli officials on two main tracks. One is the question of the recognition of Palestinian statehood at the UN in September, and on a parallel track is a renewed effort by the United States to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the table for talks and in that way head off the UN vote. Top US Middle East Advisor Dennis Ross met this morning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and declared outright that Israel and the PA must accept two states for two people in the land of Israel.

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Gazans endure deteriorating humanitarian conditions as siege enters fifth year
Nile TV, Egypt

Presenter, Female #1
The Palestinians, and especially the residents of the Gaza Strip, hoped that national reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas would lead to an improvement in their conditions and situation. However, Israel has placed an obstacle in front of the realization of the Palestinians' hopes. Indeed, the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip today is comprehensive as it enters its fifth year with the closure of most of the Strip's crossings with Israel. In addition, the sea and air sieges continue to suffocate the residents of Gaza.

Reporter, Male #1
In between these narrow alleys, a mixture of bitterness and pain presents itself.
Severe poverty is mixed with the harshness of life, and dreams collide with the lack of possibilities. Bloody images come together to embody a painful humanitarian tragedy whose features were completed in the besieged Gaza Strip: small in size but great in significance. Only those whose fate led them to walk the streets of Gaza can feel the immense suffering. The occupation ogre has been mercilessly controlling the Strip for five consecutive years, completely ignoring international regulations.

Guest, Male #2
The siege is suffocating us. We're dying because of the siege. By God, we used to drink, come and go, visit each other and go places, but now there's nothing, nothing at all. There isn't any possibility to do anything.

Reporter, Male #1
Since the purpose of the siege is to kill all of life's opportunities in the Strip, the occupation retains a policy that deliberately impoverishes the 1.5 million human beings who reside in this narrow coastal Strip and forces hundreds of thousands of people capable of working to live in poverty.

Guest, Male #3
Today, five years after the siege began, the situation is escalating. There's a sea, air, and land siege on the entire Strip. Israel especially targets fishermen. They are enduring horrible treatment at the hand of the Jews and fishing conditions are worsening. There is no work; no one has a job.

Reporter, Male #1
As this fisherman sadly recounts his tragic story after the occupation's siege negatively impacted him, this university student's ambition to complete his education also lies in doubt after the job market shrank and job opportunities dissipated in the light of a collapsing economy.

Guest, Male #4
Every year there are about 40,000 people who graduate and just sit at home.

Reporter, Male #1
Why do they stay at home?

Guest, Male #4
Because there is no work and you need to have connections even for unemployment.

Reporter, Male #1
Despite the numerous pleas and appeals the Palestinians have cried out to the world in order to lift this oppression that affects all aspects of life, the tragic reality becomes increasingly severe. And while the darkness of the crisis deepens, the Palestinians' will strengthens. They have decided that those living under siege with dignity are more proficient in the language of resistance than the enemy's language of siege and aggression.

Presenter, Female #1
Joining us over the phone from Gaza is Dr. Sameer Abu Mdallaleh, the head of the Economic Department at al-Azhar University. Dr. Sameer, the siege on Gaza is entering its fifth year. In your opinion, what are the economic and social repercussions of this siege?

Guest, Male #5 (Dr. Sameer Abu Mdallaleh, Head of Azhar University's Economic Department)
Certainly, since June 2006 when Israel imposed its land, sea, and air siege on the Gaza Strip, and took control of the crossings, this led to the deterioration of the economic situation and increased the suffering of the residents of Gaza. This led the unemployment and poverty rates to triple. As we are aware, the unemployment rate in Gaza has reached about 40 to 45 percent and the poverty and extreme poverty levels combined have reached nearly 70 percent. The comprehensive siege has also inflicted damage on all of the economic sectors of the Strip, some of which have collapsed, such as the manufacturing and agriculture sectors.