Violence rages across Syria as battered Aleppo loses 115 lives [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
Today was a black day for Aleppo that was stained with the blood of more than 115 people killed in the shelling of the province.

Presenter, Male #1
These victims are added to the nearly 70 others who were killed in the countryside of Damascus, Deir az-Zour, and other Syrian cities. These figures were reported by activists today. As for Homs, the pace of the violence is not subsiding, as a number of deaths were reported in the clashes between the Free Army and the regime's forces. More details in this report by Zuhair Saqallah.

Reporter, Male #2
As of today, these children will no longer have any recollection of their childhood's features or its stages. They will only remember scenes of blood, destruction, and the repercussions of the actions taken by the regime forces. Their innocent childhood was stained with blood, causing them pain at a young age. They are children from Aleppo. They are among dozens of victims whose houses were subjected to tank shells and warplane gunfire.

Reporter, Male #2
Today, Aleppo was stained with the blood of many of its children, especially here in the city of Atarib and the neighborhoods of Hanano, where homes and everything that moved were shelled with warplanes. The circle of violence was maintained inside Homs, as the province witnessed the deaths of nearly 45 people after violent clashes erupted between the Free Army and the regime's army, which used all the ammunition and bombs it possesses.

Reporter, Male #2
Violence in the countryside of Damascus was just as severe. Tank and air shelling was amplified, forcing residents to flee after smoke columns rose and power and water were cut off. Not far away from here, regime forces were committing a massacre after arresting then killing nearly 20 people in Douma. As for those who were not subjected to the shelling, they were executed with gunfire.

Reporter, Male #2
Rights organization reported that regime forces executed four people in the neighborhood of al-Qusur in Deir az-Zour, after the Free Army announced its control over the Hamdan military airport in the city of al-Bukamal.

Reporter, Male #2
As for Hama, it witnessed arrests and indiscriminate gunfire on civilian homes, leading to the deaths of 11 people in the neighborhood of al-Faraya. In exchange, the Free Syrian Army mobilized to attack the regime forces, besieging the training colleges in Deir az-Zour, then destroying a number of the army's armored vehicles, and capturing some regime soldiers from inside the building after clashes erupted and led to the deaths of individuals from both parties.

--

Mass anger erupts on Bahrain's streets after uprising leaders lose appeal [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male #1
Different parts of Bahrain witnessed angry demonstrations in condemnation of the verdicts issued against 13 detained opposition figures. Dozens were injured with shotgun pellets used by the regime's forces during their crackdown on the marches. For its part, the opposition in Bahrain condemned the verdicts and considered them illegal. Britain, Denmark, and international rights organizations also condemned the verdicts and called for the release of the prisoners.

Presenter, Male #2
Popular anger was expressed in different parts of the country in condemnation of the sentences handed down to 13 opposition figures held in the Bahraini regime's prisons. Slogans denouncing the unjust verdicts were chanted by the participants of a demonstration called for by opposition forces in the area of Barbar. It was held under the banner, "We all sacrifice ourselves for our symbols."

Presenter, Male #2
The chants heard in Sitra, al-Sanabis, and other areas demanded the annulment of these verdicts, and the immediate release of the detainees without any restrictions or preconditions. The protestors confirmed that the popular mobilization will continue until their demands are met. These marches were attacked by regime forces as soon as they were launched with shotgun pellet and poisonous gas grenades. The result was several injuries and cases of suffocation.

Presenter, Male #2
Opposition forces condemned the verdicts and considered them invalid, saying they were based on systematic retaliation. They held the international community accountable for favoring al-Manama's regime, and for failing to take measures to push the regime to respect the law and international human rights charters.

Guest, Male #3 (Yousuf Rabei, President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights)
The Bahrainis confirmed that they will not return to their homes, and that they are committed to the reasons they took to the street on February 14th 2011, despite the major sacrifices and a continued presence in the squares.

Reporter, Male #2
Internationally, Amnesty International condemned the verdicts and described them as shameful, calling on al-Manama to annul them. As for Denmark, it objected to the decision to uphold the life sentence against rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, and called on the international community to deal firmly with the al-Manama regime over its failure to respect human rights.

Reporter, Male #2
With that, the British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, expressed disappointment over the verdicts issued by the Bahraini regime. The Arab Network for Human Rights considered the verdicts a continuation of the arbitrary measures taken against the activists and regime opponents who took part in the Bahraini uprising and called for reforms.

--

Two US-led soldiers killed in helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan [Press TV, Iran]

A US-led force helicopter crashed in Afghanistan's Logar Province, killing two soldiers and badly injuring four. NATO confirmed the casualties, and says the cause of the crash is under investigation, but Taliban militants made a statement saying that their fighters brought down two US helicopters in the province and killed ten American soldiers.

--

Israeli FM threatens to cut electricity to West Bank after PA's UN bid [Press TV, Iran]

Following the UN bid for statehood by the Palestinian Authority, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has threatened to cut electricity to the West Bank due to an unpaid bill of USD 125 million. Acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas has called a private meeting to discuss the recent Israeli threats, and is also working on ways to strengthen his ties with the Non-Aligned Movement following the Tehran summit.

--

Israeli separation wall cuts off Palestinian children from school [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
With the start of the new school year, Palestinian students across the West Bank are facing difficulties caused by their schools' location near Israeli settlements, or the separation wall. Al-Tira Baitaur al-Fuka is one of the schools students now have to take long and rough roads to reach after it got surrounded by the wall and the settlements.

Reporter, Female #2
Students in the town of al-Tira, west of Ramallah, wake up early since the road some of them take to school is four kilometers long, or nearly 2.5 miles. Most of the road is rough and mountainous, but it was imposed by a political reality that came about decades after this school was built in the 1950s.

Reporter, Female #2
Nearby, settlements and a main road were constructed to serve the Israelis, leaving the Palestinians with the shoulder of the road, through which students reach a tunnel that is flooded with rainwater during the winter.

Guest, Male #1 (Mohammad al-Khatib, Student)
The Jews have surrounded us, and there is no other road to take. In the winter, this tunnel is full of water.

Reporter, Female #2
Some of the school's students come from the town of Baitaur al-Fuka that the wall separated from the school. Around 200 students attend the school, and for years, the school's administration has been prohibited from adding any classrooms to its old buildings.

Guest, Male #2 (Samer Beder, Al-Tira Baitaur al-Fuka School Principal)
This main gate was closed because of this wall. We had no choice but to install an alternative gate, and it was also closed. So now we have only one entrance, the southern gate, which is a small gate that only students can pass through. We can't bring anything else through it; it is only for the students.

Reporter, Female #2
The problem facing Palestinian students using this road and thousand of others is that their education is insignificant for Israel, since its only concern in the West Bank is the security of its army and settlers. Three settlements surround the town of al-Yanour, east of Nablus, where only a few dozens of its residents remain. Most left because of the harassment of the settlers, which also almost caused the school to shut down.

Guest, Male #3 (Fauzi Sbeih, Yanoun Primary School Principal)
It gets worse every year. We have less and less students every year because the town's residents are fleeing the harassment of the settlers and their attacks on the town. So there are less students.

Reporter, Female #2
Most residents moved to a nearby town, but eight students stayed in this school that is deprived by the occupation from any structural development, or renovations to its crumbling rooms. Shirin Abu Aqla, Al Jazeera, west Ramallah.

--

Israeli security cabinet meeting canceled after leak; Netanyahu considers polygraph tests [IBA, Israel]

The Israeli security cabinet meeting on the Iranian issue was abruptly ended when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said someone in the group betrayed the national trust by leaking details of its top secret discussions from yesterday's session. Citing an unnamed source who had taken part in yesterday's meeting, Yedioth Aharonoth reported that Israel's intelligence agencies gave the security cabinet, which is the only body authorized to approve military attacks, conflicting views on Iran's nuclear program. Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau recommended that all participants take polygraph tests to discover who leaked the information.

--

US Democratic Party platform drops language declaring Jerusalem as Israeli capital [IBA, Israel]

Israel was one of the hot topics at the US Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina last night. A change in the Democratic Party platform dropping language declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was slammed by Republicans, and former US representative Robert Wexler answered with a primetime speech defending Obama's record on Israel, saying that Obama has increased assistance to Israel's security to record levels, more than any other US president.

--

Mauritania extradites Gaddafi's spy chief to Libya [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
Mauritanian television announced that Nouakchott has handed over Abdullah al-Senussi, the former head of Muammar al-Qaddafi's secret services, to the Libyan authorities, without providing additional details. Al-Senussi was arrested six months ago in Mauritania, which led the authorities to repeatedly ask for his extradition so he can be prosecuted. Al-Senussi is also wanted by the International Criminal Court and France over suspicions of having committing crimes during the late Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi's rule.

Reporter, Female #1
He was considered the late Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi's right hand and the keeper of his secrets. Abdullah al-Senussi, the director of the Libyan intelligence services, was captured in Mauritania for entering the country with a fake passport after leaving Libya following the downfall of the Gaddafi regime in March. Ever since, Tripoli has been requesting his extradition so he can face charges for crimes committed during the reign of the late colonel.

Reporter, Female #1
Mauritanian state television announced the surprising move that Nouakchott handed Senussi over to Tripoli, without providing additional details. However, other news outlets clarified that a Libyan delegation, headed by the ministers of justice and finance, accompanied al-Senussi aboard a flight to Tripoli. In Libya, dozens of charges await al-Senoussi. The most important is the allegation that hundreds of political prisoners were executed in the Abu Salim prison in 1996; they were showered with bullets for three hours. Al-Senussi is also wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity committed during the Libyan revolution against Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi.

Reporter, Female #1
In France, al-Senussi was tried in absentia for his role in the bombing of UTA flight 772 above the western desert that led to the killing of dozens of people. Al-Senussi is also believed to have knowledge or secrets about the bombing of the American Pan Am flight over Scotland in 1988, in what is known as the Lockerbie case.

Reporter, Female #1
Mauritania is requesting assurances that al-Senussi will receive a fair trial, and won't be subjected to torture or abuse in accordance with international law. Wafaa Zaiyan, BBC.

--

Egypt accuses Britain of 'blocking efforts' to freeze Mubarak assets [Nile TV, Egypt]

Presenter, Female #1
Egyptian public investigator Mohamed Mahsoob accused Britain of being one of the worst countries housing smuggled Egyptian assets. Mahsoob's accusation came as part of an investigative documentary by the British channel, the BBC, about stolen Egyptian money.

Presenter, Female #1
The BBC revealed in its investigation that British authorities stalled the process of freezing Egyptian deposits and assets belonging to figures of the former regime, waiting 37 days after Mubarak's toppling to take this measure. The authorities have also not frozen the properties and companies of Mubarak's associates, including his son Gamal's 80 million pound house in London.

Presenter, Female #1
For more details about the case of Egyptian money in Britain, Dr. Ayman Salama, professor of international law, joins us over the phone. Welcome, doctor.

Presenter, Female #1
The British Foreign Ministry said that it is impossible to freeze assets based on suspicions. How do you respond to this claim from a legal perspective? And, does international law allow for preemptive measures?

Guest, Male #1
No; actually, it is just as you stated. The British Foreign Ministry confirmed over and over, and in officials statements that it asked the Egyptian government to present documents and conclusive evidence proving that the looted assets in Britain belong to Mubarak and 19 figures of the former regime. But the Egyptian government has not provided the British Foreign Ministry with these documents and conclusive evidence.

Guest, Male #1
The United Nations charter to combat corruption requires that Britain, and all other countries that signed the charter, to initiate positive and effective cooperation with countries facing a situation similar to Egypt, Libya or Tunisia, which had corrupt regimes. These corrupt regimes transferred the stolen assets to countries abroad.

Guest, Male #1
However, this same charter stipulates that countries cannot just freeze such assets. This is the preliminary phase, and comes before recovering the assets. Britain cannot freeze the assets unless provided with documents and proof. Then, a court ruling has to be issued in Egypt after all appeal procedures have been used, affirming that these stolen assets were traced back to Egypt and were acquired in an illegal manner.

--

SI reaffirms support to Sahrawi people's right to self-determination [Algerie TV, Algeria]

Presenter, Male #1
Addressing the Sahrawi issue, the Robert Kennedy Foundation announced in an initial report published at the end of its visit to the occupied Sahrawi territories that Morocco has failed to respect human rights in that region, calling for the establishment of a permanent international mechanism to protect the Sahrawi people.

Presenter, Male #1
For its part, the Socialist International confirmed its support of the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination through a resolution on Western Sahara approved during the 24th Congress of Socialist International in Cape Town, South Africa.

--

UN urges donor support to step up food relief efforts in Mali as food crisis looms [Algerie TV, Algeria]

Presenter, Male #1
In addition to the security and political crisis in Mali, the food shortage is threatening millions of Malians. The situation there is increasingly looking like a humanitarian crisis.

Reporter, Male #2
Lax security brought about a dire humanitarian situation: this is what is happening in Mali, where the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that the nation is facing a severe food crisis as some five million people are suffering from food shortages. Among them are nearly 270 thousand refugees, and over 170 thousand displaced individuals.

Reporter, Male #2
The deteriorating security situation forced them to abandon their lands, and that has had negative repercussions on the agricultural sector. The outbreak of cholera that caused the death of 12 people is an additional problem they are facing.

Reporter, Male #2
Humanitarian agencies are working to extend a helping hand. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, is participating in planting rice seedlings north of Mali. UNICEF and its World Food Programme are working to protect children and assist those suffering from severe malnourishment. These programs help alleviate the food crisis; however, the ongoing deteriorating security situation may hinder that progress, and even its efficiency, leaving the Malian citizen in a spiral of security and food crises.