Libyan revolutionaries amass for assault on Sirte [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
Sources for revolutionaries in Libya said violent clashes broke out with the remaining Gaddafi battalions in the city of Sabha, which is mostly under the control of the revolutionaries. The sources added the battalions used rocket launchers to shell the neighborhood of al- Qarda, leading to the killing of three revolutionaries and the injury of ten.

Presenter, Male #1
On the other hand, the revolutionaries announced to have made tangible progress in a number of battlefronts in their advance toward the city of Sirte, al-Gaddafi's final stronghold. According to the same sources, the revolutionaries are 30 kilometers closer to Sirte in the west and about 100 kilometers in the east.

Reporter, Male #2
The advance towards Sirte, Gaddafi's final stronghold in northern Libya, will likely be decisive this time. Seesaw battles are no longer dominant after the achievements on the ground and the acquisition of additional heavy weaponry stored in Gaddafi's arsenals. Some of these weapons made a difference in the battle as artillery shells were replaced with anti-aircraft weaponry and medium rocket launchers. The Libyan revolutionaries are gathering additional equipment and fighters to advance towards Sirte. However, they say they would prefer to peacefully enter the city without additional bloodshed.

Guest, Male #3
It's our family, they are Libyan, so we don't waste more blood. It's enough.

Reporter, Male #2
The advance to Sirte and the attempt to encircle the city from the east and the west, while slow, coincided with NATO's shelling of additional targets there. The National Transitional Council issued a statement urging NATO to continue its operations, considering that Gaddafi is not finished yet and still poses a threat. Meanwhile, reports indicate that NATO is using extremely advanced US technology to determine the precise location of Gaddafi's hideout. As of right now, those taken prisoner by revolutionaries on the ground are referred to as the remnants of the regime, such as this man captured outside the conflict zone. People coming out of Sirte and its neighboring areas talk about the people's fear of a confrontation if efforts to peacefully take over the city fail.

Presenter, Female #1
Human Rights Watch said there is evidence indicating a battalion led by Khamis, the son of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, is responsible for executing dozens of detainees in a warehouse south of the Libyan capital Tripoli on August 23. The rights organization indicated that the warehouse was set on fire three days after the executions. The cause of the fire remains unknown. The organization further explained that it inspected about 45 burned bodies in the warehouse on Saturday and found two more unburned bodies.

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Killings and defections continue in Syria as a fragmented Transitional Council is formed in Turkey [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
Syrian opposition activists said that six people, including a child, were killed in the town of Sermin in the northern province of Idlib during security operations carried out by the Syrian army. This morning, military vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers, and military cars stormed the town of Hit near the Lebanese border. This comes as the announcement in Istanbul of the formation of a transitional council for the opposition created resentment among the major groups in the political opposition.

Reporter, Male #2
The Syrian army is executing a military campaign. These images were taken in the Rastan region, north of Homs city. Residents and activists asserted that an armored force surrounded the town of Rastan after dozens of military members defected. These video clips, the authenticity of which was unable to be verified by the BBC, show what the activists say to be rebellion's movements that the Syrian army is witnessing.

Guest, Male #2
Joining us is a team of heroes who responded to our call and joined our ranks to protect the Syrian people.

Reporter, Male #3
Gunfire was still heard on Monday in a number of regions. In Sermin, in the northern Idlib province, dozens of military and security vehicles reportedly stormed the city and began a raid campaign on houses, which caused casualties. Casualties also occurred in the town of Sheikh Sheikhoon in Idlib. The Syrian security reinforced its deployment in the capital Damascus and set up checkpoints in neighborhoods such as al-Kaswa. Reports on Monday indicated that casualties were caused by the security's gunfire. Hundreds of thousands participated in protests on Sunday night and Monday morning across the country. People who uploaded these images said they were taken Sunday night in al-Maydan neighborhood in central Damascus. This is al-Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood, also in the capital. This is in the city of Dael in Horan. In Homs, hundreds gathered chanting for the Syrian revolution. While the protests continue in Syria, Monday witnessed an important event. The formation of a Syrian national transitional council comprised of 94 members was announced in Istanbul, Turkey. Syrian scholar Burhan Ghalioun was announced as head of the council. The declaration statement said that the main goal of the opposition will to overthrow the Syrian regime. It also said the Syrian revolution's principles will be based on democracy and respect for human rights.

Guest, Male #4 (Zahir Salim, Spokesman for Muslim Brotherhood in London)
The Muslim Brotherhood was surprised by the announcement of the formation of this council, so were many people. We were not consulted about it; we heard of it through the announcement. We believe that every positive step that could serve the national cause will be a good step. We believe that the Syrian opposition needs such a council, but the formation of it in this way, without consulting the stakeholders, is it a way that benefits political cooperation? That's a different matter.

Reporter, Male #2
Syrian dissidents affirmed that the Syrian uprising is in the hands of the street and its ultimate goal is the freedom of the Syrian people. They say that the course of events will determine the framework of the leadership. Wael al-Hajar, BBC.

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Bahraini opposition rejects the king's speech [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female # 1
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's speech was viewed by the Bahraini opposition as an attempt to countermand popular demands. The opposition believes the king's maneuver is being carried out by repeatedly talking about a dialogue. This comes as the Bahraini king acknowledged that detainees in his regime's prisons are subjected to ill-treatment.

Guest, Male # 1 (Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain)
There are those who got arrested and investigations proved that they were the victims of individual behavior and were ill-treated in custody.

Reporter, Male # 2
In his speech, the Bahraini king attempted to pacify the popular mobilization and reduce the street's anger but it seems the attempt was unsuccessful. Bahrainis say the speech ignored popular demands for justice and citizens' rights. Despite the king's call for forgiveness, building bridges of brotherhood, and his recognition that detainees in his regime's prisons were subjected to ill-treatment, he disregarded the dozens of martyrs who have fallen in the last few months. They died in the crackdown, the result of tyranny carried out by the king's security forces with the backing of Saudi occupation forces.

Guest, Male # 3 (Qassem al-Hashimi, Member of Society for Supporting Bahraini People)
The authorities are responsible for this escalation, the killings, and the targeting. Brother, the king didn't mention the martyrs. He talked about some cases because these cases are impossible to hide.

Reporter, Male # 2
Despite the Manama government's admission of its mistakes, there is no indication that it regrets its actions or that it will take action to regain the trust of the Bahraini street. The authorities' crackdown on peaceful protests continues and demonstrators are dispersed across the country with the use of a wide variety of weapons and tear gas. Bahrainis say the authorities have adopted methods and techniques meant to trick and deceive the people. The first were the crackdowns, oppressive methods, and dismissal of employees. The latest and probably not the last is the so-called dialogue initiative, which marginalized an entire sect. And with that, the government lost its legitimacy, according to the protestors.

Guest, Male # 4 (Abbas Omran, Bahrain Center for Human Rights)
The government has completely lost its legitimacy. It has no popular support. It gave its forces orders to commit crimes against humanity. It brought in Saudi forces, killed civilians and demolished mosques. It also committed many other crimes.

Reporter, Male # 2
The authorities adopted different means to end the popular protests. At times, they used harsh methods and violence, and at other times they made speeches and vibrant promises. However, Bahrainis have decided their fate and spoken their mind. They confirm they will not abandon the street and the peaceful protests until all their demands are met.

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Dozens killed in Baghdad mosque blast, Sunni Endowment blames al-Qaeda [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
This morning, residents of the Iraqi capital woke up to a scene of clean-up operations, following yesterday's bloody attack on a local mosque in the Ghazaliyah neighborhood. More than 30 people, including an Iraqi member of parliament, were killed and nearly 30 others were wounded in a suicide bomb attack. Al-Qaeda is being blamed for the attack. Our correspondent, Shafiq Abed-Jabar reports from Baghdad.

Reporter, Male #1
The Umm al-Qura mosque was turned into a bloodbath, following an attack on worshippers performing Taraweeh prayers. A suicide bomber, claiming to be injured, was able to cross security checkpoints and strike a Baghdad mosque, targeting everything in sight, including these burned copies of the Quran.

Guest, Male #2 (Ahmed Abdulghafur al-Samarrai, Head of the Sunni Endowment)
This criminal act made us stronger, more determined, more united, and more caring. The Iraqi people are a unified nation, and they are indivisible. We will not pay attention to these murderers. They will not be able to stop our mission.

Reporter, Male #1
Despite the fact that no groups have claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, the Sunni Endowment's leadership has accused al-Qaeda of targeting its decision-making center in charge of issuing "Fatwas," or religious decrees, to Iraq's Sunni population.

Guest, Male #2 (Ahmed Abdulghafur al-Samarrai, Head of the Sunni Endowment, back on screen)
I point the finger at al-Qaeda, which continues to issue threats everyday, whether in the newspaper, online, or through other media outlets. We were subject to more than 36 failed attempts.

Reporter, Male #1
Inside this heavily guarded mosque, a suicide bomber blew himself up, leaving behind many unanswered questions. Among them is how the bomber was able to pass security checkpoints and the motive behind his bloody attack. From the Umm al-Qura mosque in Baghdad, Shafiq Abed-Jabar, Dubai TV.

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Palestinian attacker at Tel Aviv nightclub injures Israeli police [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
Meanwhile, seven Israeli border patrol officers were wounded in an attack launched by a Palestinian youth. The Israeli police said that the Palestinian man, who is from the city of Nablus, seized a taxicab in Tel Aviv after injuring the driver. He drove the cab to a Tel Aviv nightclub, where he attacked a group of border patrol officers standing in front. The police added they were able to subdue the attacker, who sustained minor injuries. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton has arrived in Jordan, as part of her visit to the region. She is expected to hold talks with the Jordanian Monarch, King Abdullah II. Ashton started her Mideast tour by visiting the occupied Palestinian territories, where she met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and his Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank. She also held talks with Israeli officials, and stressed the importance of returning to the bargaining table.

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EU foreign policy chief concludes visit to Middle East ahead of UN vote [IBA, Israel]

Staying with the diplomatic scene, we are joined by former Israeli ambassador to France and Italy, Avi Pazner. The foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, is visiting the region. Reportedly, she's doing it in an effort to convince the Palestinians to back away from their request for unilateral recognition in the UN next month. Is she clutching at straws, too little too late? Pazner: I mean, she's right to try. I don't know how much success she can have at this stage, at this point in the game. But it means that Europe, not only Europe but many countries, are extremely worried by this move, by this Palestinian move, and are trying, even at the last minute, because we are at the last minute now. We don't know whether it will be on September 20 or October 1, this is the last minute and they are trying to thwart this move by the Palestinians. I have my doubts. I think that this train has left the station. The Palestinians are going to go for it and they are going to get it because obviously they have the vote.

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US warns PA of aid cut for statehood bid [Press TV, Iran]

The United States has warned the PA against going to the UN. It has even suggested that the PA may lose financial aid as a result. But the PA appears determined, at the moment at least, to go ahead with its plan. September: no doubt a much anticipated month. For Palestinians, each day brings closer the fulfillment of an independent Palestinian state. But to Israel's willing coalition, September is a dreaded time. The Palestinian endeavor at the UN is thought to be a beginning for the end of the current state of affairs and warned that the move may lead to violence between the two sides.

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History of international Jerusalem Day [Al Furat TV, Iraq]

Presenter, Male #1
Jerusalem is important to Muslims and Christians around the world. The following report explores the time from the beginning of the Iranian revolution to the founding of international Jerusalem or al-Quds Day until today.

Reporter, Female #1
These sad minarets and domes will never erase the day of August 7th, 1979 from its long memory. On that day, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, stood up and said:

Guest, Male #2
I call on all Muslims around the world to dedicate the last Friday of the blessed month of Ramadan a day for Jerusalem.

Reporter, Female #1
Since this call was issued, Jerusalem has had an annual date with its lovers and supporters across the entire Islamic world. They take to the street chanting its name and they pray for its salvation. They affirm that the Islamic nation may become ill, but it will never die. This year saw the beginning of a recovery from the disease of humiliation and delusion that has plagued the nation for decades. The first and most important manifestations of this recovery are the Arab people's revolutions against their tyrannical regimes loyal to the US and the Zionist occupation state. The strike against these regimes was a blow to the balance of power advocating global tyranny. Times have changed; after 2011, there will be no place in the world for those who established relationships with those who robbed Jerusalem's national identity, history, and sanctity; giving them legitimacy to Judaize the city by demolishing the homes of its residents and by building occupation settlements in an attempt to remove Jerusalem from the center and heart of the Islamic world. Jerusalem is the rightful center for Muslim causes. How can it not be when it was the first Qibla for Muslims; the third Mosque that they travel to; it is also Misra, the site where the Prophet, peace be upon him, ascended to the heavens; and the place where people gather on judgment day. In addition, one prayer in Jerusalem equals 500 prayers elsewhere. All these virtues prompt thousands of people every year to take to the streets in support of Jerusalem. Every one of them carries in their heart a dear hope: that God sends them al-Buraq, just like the one sent to the Prophet, so that it will carry them in one glance into Jerusalem. Not only because al-Buraq will shorten the distance to Jerusalem, but also because it will help them overcome police checkpoints in occupied Jerusalem. The checkpoints bar Muslim residents of the city from praying in their mosque without stringent conditions regarding their age and type of ID. On many occasions, no one under the age of 50 or carrying Palestinian IDs are allowed to pass under the pretext of security precautions. Today, Jerusalem is not witnessing anything new. It has tirelessly managed to defeat its enemies throughout history. Al-Buraq Revolution in 1929 was the best witness for that. Not too long ago, the 2000 Intifada was sparked from al-Aqsa Square, which was turned into a hell for the occupation. Therefore, Muslims on the last Friday of Ramadan are expected to perform their true duty for Jerusalem, by supporting and praying in the city, according to the Prophet's instruction, may peace and prayers be upon him. If they cannot reach the city, they at least send oil to its lamps.