Hundreds of Syrians flee as army sweeps through border towns [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
Reuters news agency quoted eyewitnesses saying that hundreds of residents of the Syrian village of Khirbet al-Joz, near the Turkish border, fled to the Turkish territory to escape the Syrian army's operations.

Presenter, Male #1
Reuters also reported that Syrian forces stormed the village of Mangesh, north of Aleppo, near the Turkish border amid indiscriminate gunfire which prompted a number of villagers to flee.

Presenter, Female #1
Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition has called for a nationwide general strike to be held today. A number of Syrian cities witnessed nightly protests demanding the downfall of the regime. Demonstrations are also expected to be organized tomorrow on what was named the "Friday of The Fall of Legitimacy."

Reporter, Female #1
Hundreds of Syrians are fleeing this site to Turkey. This is taking place on the first day following the 100-day-old rise of the Syrian street against a rule that has lasted over four decades. The days and Fridays of protests have led to the death of over 1,000 people and over 10,000 refugees in the neighboring country Turkey, in addition to thousands of refugees in Lebanon and the thousands of political prisoners. The Syrian army is said to be deployed on the road connecting Aleppo and Turkey. Those who fled to Turkey, escaping the hell created by the Shabeha and other Syrian security forces, as they say, uncovered the hidden facts and pushed Ankara to finally change its tone towards Damascus. The regime change proponents are now using the language of strikes and civil disobedience. The opposition said the call was sent to display loyalty to the martyrs' bloodshed. Before the general strike, demonstrations and rallies were held in a number of Syrian cities. In al-Assi Square, in front of Hama's government building, echoing was the slogan that transcends continental borders and crosses the military barriers that protect regimes. These days, any time of the day or night is suitable to protest and express solidarity with every village and town that wants change within the Spring of Change. And before slow-moving reforms even started to be implemented, since Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem stated that it's not a question of implementation, there has been no change in the security attitude adopted by the regime in its confrontation with demonstrators. As protestors wait to see reform theories tangibly implemented on the ground, the only observable reality is represented by online images of an army cracking down on its people. It is not difficult to find additional leaked recordings. These images were captured in Homs on June 21. So, is there anyone who doesn't doubt the reform promises?

Guest, Male # 4 (Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General)
I do not see much credibility in what Assad has been saying because the situation has been ongoing this way. How long should the situation continue?

Reporter, Female # 2
This statement comes on the eve of what has been called the "Friday of The Fall of Legitimacy." Angry demonstrations are to be held on a Friday that concludes a week during which President al-Assad talked without saying anything new, for the third time since the start of the crisis, and two days after the Syrian foreign minister's news conference. In it, he announced his decision to forget the presence of Europe on the map. Tomorrow, it is expected for the demonstrators to remind Walid Mouallem and the regime's figureheads that they will not forget Hamza al-Khatib and every Syrian whose blood was shed when they demanded to change Syria's political roadmap.

--

Humanitarian situation for Syrian refugees deteriorates [Nile TV, Egypt]

Presenter, Male #1
The Syrian crisis has not only had an impact on the political scene. Its negative effects on society are reflected in the crisis of displaced refugees at the border with Turkey.

Presenter, Female #1
According to a UN report, nearly 11,000 Syrian refugees, mostly women and children, have crossed the Turkish border and are facing a severe shortage of water and food.

Reporter, Male #1
The acts of violence, killing, and destruction have displaced these people. The desire for freedom brought them together. The Syrian refugees on the Turkish border found none other than their Turkish neighbor to shelter them from what they have witnessed in their country. Here, among nearly 11,000 Syrian refugees, stories vary about what is happening on the Syrian side of the border. In the end, their stories are nothing more than hearsay in light of the Syrian regime's ban on the media from entering the cities enflamed with protests. A Turkish truck driver returning from Syria described what he saw during his trip to the country.

Guest, Male #1 (Mustafa Our, Turkish truck driver)
We saw their military officers opening fire on people. They opened fire on them from artilleries and tanks. We also saw civilians responding by opening fire at the soldiers. We drove with our headlights off for about 15 kilometers, and only turned the headlights on for a very brief moment, during which we saw many corpses of soldiers and civilians tossed by the roadside.

Reporter, Male #1
These stories are almost like war films. There are also other stories saying that Syrian cities have become military bases.

Guest, Male #2 (Turkish truck driver)
They were setting fire to the cars and shut down roads. We couldn't tell whether they were soldiers or civilians.

Reporter, Male #1
Everyone at the Syrian-Turkish border is living in a difficult situation, regardless of which side of the border they are on. However, every experience of pain and hardship brings the same amount of renewed hope in the hearts of these people. They hope to return to a new and free Syria.

--

Yemeni protests insist Saleh can return for his prosecution only [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male # 1
US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman called on Sanaa to immediately and peacefully transfer power in Yemen. Feltman's call came as conflicting reports emerged about Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's fate. Saleh is being treated in Saudi Arabia for injuries sustained in an explosion on June 3, of which he was the target. A Western diplomat said Saleh would not return to Yemen soon, clarifying that a TNT explosive device was planted near Saleh. Its explosion led to Saleh's injuries, which he described as serious. Meanwhile Saleh's vice president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, held talks on the transfer of power with General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar and the heads of the Hashid tribe, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar and Hamid al-Ahmar.

Reporter, Male # 2
Worrisome ambiguity prevails in Yemen. Information on the medical and political status of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh not only remains conflicting but uncertainty is growing as Saleh has not made any appearances in three weeks, either in photos or on television. Those close to the president say he is in good health, adding that the presidential plane has landed in Riyadh's airport to return him to Yemen. The question of whether or not Saleh will return is echoing here in central Sanaa's Taghyeer or Change Square. Demonstrators, who have been camped out for nearly five months, still heartedly insist on toppling and prosecuting Saleh.

Guest, Male # 3
This is the Saudi and American policy. They want the situation in Yemen to explode because they know that Saleh's return to Yemen will erupt in a crisis.

Guest, Female #1
Our first demand is a transitional council. When Ali Abdullah Saleh says he is returning, we say he will only return so we can prosecute him; he will not rule us.

Reporter, Male # 2
In a new initiative that could bring some hope of ending the suffocating crisis in Yemen, Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi met with the secretary general of the national dialogue committee, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar and defected General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar. In an interview with the Financial Times newspaper following the talks, al-Ahmar said he expects Yemenis to find a solution to the crisis and that a political solution will end the months of protests and crises. In addition, Hadi held talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, who arrived in Yemen on a private visit to hold discussions with Yemeni officials, including the son of the Yemeni president, Ahmad Ali. Coinciding with Feltman's visit to Sanaa, dozens of prisoners associated with what is said to be the al-Qaeda organization, have escaped from the Mukalla prison in the Hadramout province. The organization's gunmen attacked the city's main prison with machine guns, killing one security member and injuring two others. This, as sources indicate that over 100 al-Qaeda elements are in that jail, including many who have been handed down sentences. The al-Qaeda prisoners' jailbreak in Mukalla coincides with Feltman's arrival and heightens doubts about the years-long Yemeni government's role in using the case of terrorist groups for political reasons.

--

Bahrain opposition slams life sentences [Press TV, Iran]

The largest party and opposition bloc in Bahrain has condemned Manama's heavy-handed issuance of life sentences to eight opposition leaders in the Persian Gulf sheikdom. The Islamic National Accord Association (Al-Wefaq) said that the sentences handed down on Wednesday contradict the regime's call for dialogue. On Wednesday, a special court in Bahrain sentenced eight people to life imprisonment. They were among 21 activists tried in absentia in a special court. Others received sentences of up to 15 years behind bars. Authorities accuse the defendants of trying to overthrow the Saudi-backed regime. Meanwhile, new pictures have emerged showing the Saudi-backed regime's continued crackdown on the Sheikhdom's opposition protestors. The pictures posted on YouTube show regime forces firing at a group of Bahraini youths and arresting a young boy.

--

Libyan war will cost UK taxpayers $415 million [Press TV, Iran]

Britain says the war in Libya will cost taxpayers at least 415 million dollars. This, after the British government announced in March that the cost would only run into the tens of millions. Britain's Royal Air Force Typhoon and Tornado aircraft have conducted hundreds of bombing missions over Libya since March. Some predict that the war in Libya could rise to one and a half billion dollars if military operations drag out throughout the year. Britain's treasury says it will meet the cost from its reserves rather than normal budgets.

--

Karzai welcomes US withdrawal plans from Afghanistan [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
Afghan President Hamid Karzai welcomed the US's decision to withdraw over 30,000 troops from his country within a year. Karzai considered this announcement a positive step for the interest of both the US and the Afghan people.

Guest, Male #1 (Hamid Karzai, Afghan President)
I welcome the US president's announcement to withdraw 10,000 soldiers this year and withdraw 33,000 by the middle of next year. This is a good step for the interest of the US and the Afghan people. We support this decision and we congratulate them. I hope that the Afghan people will live in their country with security created by their own abilities and capabilities.

Presenter, Male #1
US President Barack Obama announced a plan to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan by 10,000 soldiers by the end of the year. The total number of US troops planned to be removed is 33,000 soldiers by September 2012.

Reporter, Male #1
President Barack Obama believes that the US military reinforcement that his administration began in Afghanistan eight months ago has successfully achieved its goals and the time has come to begin reducing the US military's presence in Afghanistan.

Guest, Male #2 (Barack Obama, US President)
In Afghanistan, we've inflicted serious losses on the Taliban and taken a number of its strongholds. Along with our surge, our allies also increased their commitments, which helped stabilize more of the country. Afghan security forces have grown by over 100,000 troops, and in some provinces and municipalities we have already begun to transition responsibility for security to the Afghan people.

Reporter, Male #1
On the other hand, the plan comes within the framework of President Obama delivering on his electoral promises to Americans, which included eliminating al-Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden, and decreasing the danger that al-Qaeda creates for US homeland security.

Guest, Male #2 (Barack Obama, US President)
Al-Qaeda is under more pressure than at any time since 9/11. Together with the Pakistanis, we have taken out more than half of al-Qaeda's leadership. And thanks to our intelligence professionals and Special Forces, we killed Osama bin Laden, the only leader that al-Qaeda had ever known. This was a victory for all who have served since 9/11.

Reporter, Male #1
The withdrawal announcement comes at a time when several US lawmakers see numerous missions that the US troops should accomplish in Afghanistan and believe that President Obama is being too hasty in reducing the number of troops there.

Guest, Male #1 (John McCain, US senator)
This date never should have been set to start with. It was done for political reasons, with no recommendation from any of our military leaders, but I hope that it's modest. And I believe that one more fighting season, and we can get this thing pretty well wrapped up.

Reporter, Male #1
The soldiers say that the US forces in Afghanistan are fighting in an environment where it is difficult to learn the rugged terrain and their enemy's combat methods.

Guest, Male #3
We are driving along the road and they hit us and we try to resist it. We suffered a big loss. We are attacked by an enemy who we can't see but who can see us. They inflict large losses on us. This is a difficult war to be engaged in.

Reporter, Male #1
On this memorial is a list of names of American soldiers killed in Vietnam. There will be memorials for those killed in the Afghan war, which some soldiers say is a difficult war. About 68,000 American soldiers will remain there fighting the war until the beginning of 2014, the scheduled date for NATO forces to end their mission. The US is hoping that by that date, it will have achieved its strategic goals in Afghanistan and its troops will start withdrawing, so that it won't be forced to maintain any major US military presence in the country. Luqman Ahmed, BBC, Washington.

--

Campaigners mark fifth year of IDF soldier Shalit's captivity [IBA, Israel]

The International Red Cross today issued a demand that Hamas provide proof that IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is alive. It was an unusual appeal by the independent aid agency, which says that the soldier's family has a right under international humanitarian law to be in contact with their 24-year-old son, who has been held incommunicado since June 2006. There has been no sign of life since a videotape of Shalit was released by the terrorists almost two years ago. Meanwhile a unique project is being prepared to raise awareness and promote the campaign for Shalit's release. Beginning on Saturday night, the fifth anniversary of his captivity, for an entire day 24 well known Israeli personalities will take turns stepping into a dungeon-like cell for a period of one hour. The event will be videotaped and placed on social networking websites.

--

Former Shas leader announces return to politics [IBA, Israel]

Aryeh Deri, the former Shas party leader who was convicted of bribery in 2000 while serving in the Interior Ministry and spent three years in prison, announced last night that he intends to return to politics in the next Knesset election.

--

Iran shows its military might [IBA, Israel]

Iran displayed some of its homegrown military hardware in an exhibition that included fighter jets, helicopters, and other military vehicles. Guest of honor was Ayatollah Khamenei, supreme leader of the hard-line Islamic country. Iran's latest technological developments also include the manufacture of drones, submarines, ships, radar installations, and cyber and electronic warfare equipment.

--

Eighteen Egyptian parties form an unprecedented electoral alliance [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
Egypt's Supreme State Security Court has sentenced Egyptian businessman Tarek Abdel Rezek Hussein and two Israelis to life in prison for spying for Israel. According to court documents, Israel established a fictitious business name for the Egyptian spy in China as a cover-up. The two Israeli agents, who were sentenced in absentia, were identified by the court as Adi Moshe and Joseph Dimor. The defendants are intelligent officers working for the Israeli Mossad. In Cairo, an unprecedented development has emerged that has caught Egyptians by surprise ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Eighteen Egyptian blocs have joined force under a unified political coalition, dubbed "the Democratic Alliance of Egypt." The coalition includes political, liberal, national, and Islamic parties that have adopted different political positions on controversial issues in Egypt, most notably the issue of priority with regards to the constitution and elections. Ahmad al-Kilani reports from Cairo.

Reporter, Male #2
In a notable development, 18 political parties have agreed to form a unified coalition, named "the Democratic Alliance of Egypt." The alliance introduced a draft bill to the People's Assembly, calling for a wider representation of political parties as well as banning the use of money and favoritism in the election process. The proposal will be submitted to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The new alliance has brought together many different political parties, including liberal, national, and Islamic; a move that did not seem possible given their political polarization.

Guest, Male #3 (Dr. Imad Jad, Expert at Ahram Institute for Political Studies)
They are merely dialogues between the Muslim Brotherhood, Wafad, the Unionists, the Ghad, the Naseri, the Wasat, and the Justice parties. It's not an alliance yet. What's bringing them together is a special interest, nothing more. Once a conflict of interest arises, this coalition will collapse.

Reporter, Male #2
During a meeting hosted by the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, the blocs vowed to continue political consultation and coordination. The blocs agreed to submit joint electoral lists with representatives from all parties. However, the parties seem to disagree in principles over the coalition's priorities. Some parties, especially the ones that seem to be ready for elections, are calling for holding elections before drafting the constitution, while the majority is demanding the other way around in order to prevent the winning parties from dominating the constitutional process.

Guest, Male #4 (Dr. Mohammad al-Baltaji, a leader with the Freedom and Justice Party)
They are trying to delay the elections, citing the constitution first. I don't understand it. This will put everything in this country on hold. There will be no constitution, no parliament, and no elected government. We will continue to live in this dark cycle without proper monitoring. There's no one monitoring our affairs. What is the government, both its interior and foreign branches, doing about that?

Reporter, Male #2
The new alliance proves once again that the political parties' differing positions don't prevent them from coming together, provided that each bloc has something to gain. This will definitely help reduce the intensity of political polarization plaguing the country after the revolution. Ahmad al-Kilani, Dubai TV, Cairo.