CIA reportedly regulating flow of Saudi and Qatari weapons to Syrian rebels [Press TV, Iran]

The Syrian government says that thousands of young men from Tunisia leave their families to join militant groups in Syria, such as al-Qaeda. Syria has given the UN a list of names of foreign militants arrested in Syria; reports have it that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have been the main financiers of the "armed gangs" in Syria. The CIA has also reportedly been working in southern Turkey and involved in the supply of weapons and possibly satellite images to the armed groups.

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Syrian pilot defects after landing in Jordan [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
We start with today's most notable development on the Syrian scene, as Jordan granted political asylum to the defected Syrian pilot Hassan Mari, after his MiG-21 fighter jet landed in Mafraq Airport this morning. Syrian TV had announced contact was lost with the warplane during a training mission in Daraa. Activists said this is the first defection of an air force pilot with his plane since the uprising started. For its part, Syrian state news agency SANA said the pilot landed in Jordan by mistake.

Presenter, Female #1
On the ground in Syria, the opposition Syrian Revolution's General Commission said 80 civilians were killed today as a result of the continuous shelling of a number of Syrian cities and towns; most of them died in Daraa and Homs. This comes as the spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross said the committee is cooperating with the Syrian Red Crescent in an attempt to evacuate and help people trapped in a number of neighborhoods in Homs due to the ongoing battles. However, human rights activists expressed fear that the injured could be mistreated if they were to be transferred to areas under the control of the Syrian government.

Reporter, Male #1
The shelling of the city of Homs continues, hindering the evacuation of residents and the injured stranded in the city's neighborhoods. The International Committee of Red Cross announced it has received the approval of the government and the armed opposition to facilitate its mission of evacuating residents and delivering medical supplies.

Reporter, Male #1
However, some information points to the difficulties that may delay the evacuation, such as the number of vehicles that will be allowed to enter, and the sites to which the injured will be transferred. Human rights activists are concerned that the injured could be mistreated if they are transferred to Syrian hospitals.

Guest, Female #2 (Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International Adviser in London)
People who were injured by the security forces, or people injured by firearms of the regime army, either during protests or clashes, when they are transferred to hospitals, they may face the risk of being arrested, and tortured if they are arrested. This happens routinely. I was in Aleppo recently. There were peaceful demonstrations, and the security forces and shabeha opened fire at these protests every day. The injured could not be transferred to hospitals because it would be dangerous for them. So they were treated in field hospitals.

Reporter, Male #1
The situation in Syria is seeing a dangerous escalation. The cities and towns of Homs Province are enduring artillery shelling and ongoing fierce clashes between the opposition and government forces. The opposition said the countryside around Damascus, especially the city of Duma, was subjected to attacks and artillery shelling from government forces.

Reporter, Male #1
In Daraa, opposition activists warned that what they referred to as "massacres" are being committed by the army and security forces in the city of Inkhil, and they also spoke of arrests and executions. Clashes and shelling were also reported in the regions of Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib. The Syrian government did not comment on these reports; however, its media outlets said two people they described as terrorists and four civilians were killed in a bombing carried out with a booby-trapped motorcycle in Aleppo. It also said gunmen targeted a cotton yarn factory in Hama. Wael Hajjar, BBC.

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The two Sudans resume vital negotiations in Addis Ababa [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male #1
A new round of talks between Sudan and South Sudan started today in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, with the aim of solving their ongoing dispute, which pushed the two countries to the brink of war in April.

Presenter, Female #1
All negotiators from both sides have arrived, as specialized committees are scheduling the meeting's agenda under the auspices of the African Union's mediation team, headed by the former South African president, Thabo Mbeki.

Presenter, Male #1
This round of talks will tackle border demarcation, security, oil, and the Abyei region, as well as other economic and social issues.

Reporter, Male #2
Once again, teams representing Sudan and South Sudan are returning to the negotiation table in Addis Ababa. The last round of talks held on June 4th failed in every aspect due to the many disputes over the proposed issues.

Reporter, Male #2
The most severe dispute that dominates the talks' atmosphere, and many believe can sabotage this entire round, is the proposition to establish what is known as a "demilitarized buffer zone" between the two countries. South Sudan's proposal suggests that each country withdraws its forces ten kilometers away from the border of the disputed regions. This means Khartoum would withdraw from the red line, which is Heglig.

Reporter, Male #2
The talks may begin with the security issue, especially since the negotiations of the Joint Political and Security Committee were scheduled to be at the forefront of the talks. In parallel are the discussions of the controversial Joint Border Commission. Khartoum holds Juba responsible for the failure of the previous round, as the latter proposed through the commission maps that contain six regions that have never been disputed over.

Reporter, Male #2
Juba rejects Khartoum's accusations, saying the maps proposed at the negotiation table were initially drawn in the interest of Sudan's territories, and have been accredited since 1955. Juba calls for resorting to international arbitration in regard to the Heglig region. Khartoum does not oppose the proposal; however, it considers it a mere political maneuver. South Sudan is seeking an urgent agreement on the issues of oil, and its revenues and transit fees through the Sudanese territory, in light of the brutal conditions the country has been enduring since the closedown of its oil pipelines in February.

Reporter, Male #2
The issue echoed with Khartoum's situation, which is also suffering from suffocating economic hardship. However, Khartoum does not prioritize oil over the border and security disputes. The disputes over the Abyei region are ongoing, and while Khartoum insists on forming all the civil institutions at once, Juba insists on establishing the administrative region first, then forming the legislative council. In either case, no methodology has been proposed yet to determine whether Abyei belongs to the north or the south.

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Delayed poll results keep Egyptians on edge and on the streets [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
In Egypt, Secretary-General of the Supreme Presidential Elections Commission, Hatem Bagato, said the presidential election results will be announced on Saturday or Sunday. Bagato said that looking into the appeals presented by both candidates, Mohamed Morsy and Ahmed Shafiq, requires some time.

Presenter, Female #1
The Supreme Presidential Elections Commission in Egypt announced that the release of the election results had been postponed without specifying the new deadline; the results were supposed to be announced today. It confirmed that it is still looking into the appeals.

Presenter, Female #1
Protests and sit-ins are continuing in Cairo and other Egyptian cities over the military council's decisions, and especially the constitutional declaration that limits the powers of the next president. Protestors expressed fear of fraud in the presidential election results after the Supreme Elections Commission decided to postpone announcing those results.

Reporter, Male #1
The Egyptian election commission's decision to postpone the announcement of the final results of the presidential runoff has sparked popular anger, and concerns over the fate of the entire electoral process. As soon as the decision was announced, millions of Egyptians headed to Tahrir Square, to Cairo's streets, and other cities, to protest the ruling military council's decisions, especially since the election commission's announcement came after a series of decisions, most notably dissolving parliament and the constitutional declaration that was absolutely rejected. The people consider the election results as complete, and presidential candidate Mohamed Morsy's victory as indisputable.

Reporter, Male #1
The people were not the only ones who opposed the decision to postpone announcing the election results. Members of parliament from different political forces also clearly expressed their objection.

Guest Male #2
The presidential election law set a schedule of the dates, including one for announcing the results. According to this schedule, the commission must abide by these dates.

Reporter, Male #1
In this context, legal experts expressed concern over the wide-ranging fraud in the electoral process, and said the military council may be attempting to escalate the situation with the Muslim Brotherhood. The near future will reveal these predictions.

Guest, Male #3
Everyone connected to the general situation in Egypt were involved in fraud in the past. All of this indicates that something is being plotted. The question is, did the military council decide to clash with the Muslim Brotherhood? This will be made clear in the next few hours, because it is very clear that Dr. Mohamed Morsy is the legitimate president.

Reporter, Male #1
The Egyptian people only found one way to defend their revolution's gains, achieved through publicizing their views on the streets, and by refusing the military council's decisions and adhering to Mohamed Morsy's victory in the elections.

Reporter, Male #1
The military council's counter-revolutionary decisions and attempts to reverse the revolution's gains, most notable of which was the toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak, are not longer secret to anyone. Observers view the military council's recent decisions as subordinate to foreign agendas aimed at toppling the revolution and turning back time. This means it is a step toward confronting and clashing with the people, who succeeded to demolish the pillars of the strongest dictatorship in the region and end a rule that suffocated the people's voices for over three decades.

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Yemen foils plot against foreign embassies in Sanaa [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
The Yemeni authorities have foiled a plot to target foreign embassies and military leaders in the capital Sanaa. This comes as Yemenis continue to wait for the results of the military operation in the south. With this new development, security agencies are facing a new set of challenges, notably the return of armed groups launching retaliatory attacks in the heart of the Yemeni capital, following their latest defeat in the south. Our correspondent, Abed al-Rahman al-Shimiri, reports from Sanaa.

Reporter, Male #2
Despite the Yemeni army's successful recapturing of territories seized nearly a year ago by the armed Ansar al-Sharia group in the southern Yemeni province of Abyan, the group's entrenchment across neighboring and remote mountainous regions is causing concern for the Yemeni authorities. This comes after the Interior Ministry foiled a plot to carry out attacks on foreign embassies, as well as military and government figures in Sanaa.

Guest, Male #3 (Nabil Shirjebi, Professor of Political Crisis Administration at Hadida University)
The group suffered a painful blow after losing many of its active leaders. Their mobilization has recently become easier to trace. This is evident from the successes achieved by the Interior Ministry. Some of the air strikes are becoming more effective than before. This shows that the group's activities are being monitored by the security agencies.

Reporter, Male #2
While the army is preparing to storm the last stronghold of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Sharia group in the city of Azzam in the eastern province of Shabwa, the group's fighters are trying to withdraw to safer areas, where they could launch suicide operations and wage a war of attrition.

Guest, Male #4 (Mohamed Saif Haydar, Researcher of Militant Groups)
There are geographic and tribal factors involved, which may either shorten or prolong this battle. The more responsive the local community is to the government and the army's efforts, the quicker the capturing of Azzam will be with a minimum number of casualties. However, al-Qaeda's elements might withdraw rapidly from Azzam to the neighboring mountains that surround the region.

Reporter, Male #2
The recent suicide bombing that targeted the head of the southern region, who led the military operation in Abyan, shows that al-Qaeda is still capable of striking anywhere in the country. This is causing a heavy burden to members of the security agencies and armed forces.

Reporter, Male #2
Despite the fact that Ansar al-Sharia has lost control of a wide-range of the southern territory, the nightmare of having them reach the heart of the Yemeni capital is looming, and that is causing fear for the Yemenis. Abed al-Rahman al-Shimiri, Dubai TV, Sanaa.

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Rocket fire from Gaza continues in southern Israel; classes in Ashkelon canceled [IBA, Israel]

Tensions remain high in southern Israel after Palestinians fired a mortar at the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council; no injuries or damage were reported. Earlier today, five rockets slammed into the Eshkol region, also causing no injuries or damage. Classes in the city of Ashkelon were canceled after two rockets were fired at the seaside city last night; one was shot down by the Iron Dome missile defense system, and the second landed in an open area.

Also last night, Israeli air force jets struck several targets inside the Gaza Strip, following a barrage of mortars fired from Gaza that slammed into southern towns throughout the day. Hamas announced that it is willing to restore a truce with Israel under Egyptian mediation, provided that Israel reciprocates.

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Ulpana settlers pack their bags, pledge to leave peacefully after Netanyahu deal [IBA, Israel]

Residents of the Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El who are slated for eviction on July 1 began to pack their belongings in preparation for their move next week. They promised to leave their homes peacefully and temporarily reside in mobile homes after reaching an agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which the five disputed buildings will be relocated to the center of Beit El, and 50 of the 300 housing units that Netanyahu pledged to build will be located on the western side, and the remainder will be constructed in a nearby border police base.

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Protestors in Tripoli press for release of Islamist detainees [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
In the capital of Lebanon's North Governorate, the popular mobilization was renewed in protest at the detention of Islamists.

Reporter, Male #2
The General Security released Islamist detainees Jihad al-Qadi and Mohammad Wehbi after transferring them from Roumieh Prison, where they were interrogated.

Guest, Male #3
This is a positive step, but it is not complete until all of our wronged brothers are released from Roumieh Prison.

Guest, Male #4
God willing, we hope this case will have many releases very soon, and that many of the groups of the wronged young men still in Roumieh Prison will be released.

Reporter, Male #2
Meanwhile, relatives of Sheikh Taref Mar'ei, who is detained in Roumieh Prison, cut off roads leading to al-Nour Square in Tripoli from all directions to protest the continued detention of Sheikh Mar'ei despite the government's promises to resolve the cases of most Islamist detainees. The committee monitoring the issue of Islamist detainees asked for the relatives not to block the roads in Tripoli, because the case is in the process of being solved.

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Sister of late Lebanon PM condemns violence between Palestinians, Lebanese army [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
Representative Bahia al-Hariri expressed confidence in the Palestinian people's awareness, stating that their leadership fully understands the intentions behind the strife between them and the Lebanese army.

Reporter, Female #2
Life in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp is back to normal after the incidents of the past two days. Traffic was reportedly normal on the streets of the camp and its main entrances. As the Palestinian National Security forces conducted foot patrols, the Lebanese army continued its usual security measures at the main entrances.

Reporter, Female #2
What happened in the last several days in the Palestinian refugee camps was discussed during the luncheon hosted by Representative Bahia al-Hariri in Majdalyoun, in honor of the popular and foreign delegations participating in the "Church and Palestinian Reality" conference, in light of God's order of justice and mercy. Representative al-Hariri condemned all attempts to incite strife between the Palestinians and the Lebanese state and its military institutions, especially the Lebanese army.

Guest, Female #3 (Representative Bahia Hariri, Head of the Education Committee)
I condemn all attempts to sow strife between our Palestinian brothers and the Lebanese state and its military institutions, most notably the Lebanese national army. We are confident of the awareness of the Palestinian people, and that their leadership understands well the intentions behind this strife.

Reporter, Female #2
Representative Hariri also expressed her confidence that the Lebanese people are able to overcome this phase and protect their united and capable country, as well as its military, security, judiciary, legislative, and executive institutions.