Somali famine outpacing the delivery of humanitarian aid [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
The Somali capital Mogadishu is seeing an incessant arrival of refugees escaping from drought and famine-stricken regions.

Presenter, Male #1
Despite the humanitarian aid continuously delivered to Mogadishu, a number of refugees are complaining of a lack of aid.

Presenter, Female #1
Our correspondent Ahmed Jarar has the details.

Reporter, Male #2
Ali walked on foot for over 400 kilometers from southern the Somali city of Jilib to the capital of Mogadishu to escape the famine and drought that killed all his cattle, his only source of livelihood. But since his arrival at this refugee camp with his family, he has not yet received the aid he has been waiting for. Therefore, his wife is forced to work for households in Mogadishu to support the family.

Guest, Male #3
After we arrived at the refugee camp, we were given this hut, but we didn't find any other help. My wife washes clothes and cleans houses; in the evening she comes back with the rest of her food to feed our children.

Reporter, Male #2
Less than two weeks ago, this place was empty. Now it is filled with new disaster-stricken arrivals with similar complaints to Ali's. It seems as though the size of refugee camps to contain displaced Somalis escaping from the worst famine in five decades is growing faster than the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Guest, Male #4
No bathrooms, no food, no medicine... there is nothing, not even a shelter for us. Why?

Reporter, Male #2
Here is another kind of tragedy. These Somalis are suffering from hunger in addition to disabilities caused by long years of civil war in Somalia. They are gathering here to receive food supplies provided by charity organizations. Perhaps as shipments of aid, including food and medicine, continue to arrive, these people's suffering will ease. This shipment of aid has to wait offshore because the Mogadishu port is crowded with aid ships. All this aid is expected to help hundreds of thousands of disaster-stricken Somalis stay alive. Every hour, a camp like this receives new refugees whose stories are no less tragic than those who came earlier. Everyone hopes that the relief efforts will be able to keep up with the speed with which their sufferings increase. Ahmed Jara, al-Jazeera, Mogadishu.

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Morocco's February 20 Movement reiterates its rejection of cosmetic reforms [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female # 1
The February 20 Movement that organized marches and protests in a number of Moroccan cities renewed its rejection of what it describes as sham reforms. It considered the upcoming elections as unable to usher in democracy in Morocco. The movement demanded real political reforms that move Morocco from a controlled political process to a representative one capable of producing the change demanded by the masses. In addition, the movement renewed its demand for prosecuting corruption and the corrupt.

Reporter, Male # 2
It seems the February 20 Movement was not convinced by all the efforts exerted by the Moroccan authorities in preparation for elections. During the marches and protest action organized in a number of cities, the movement confirmed that upcoming elections will not differ from preceding elections and do not constitute the reform for which masses took to the street. The movement demanded genuine political reforms that transition Morocco from a controlled political process to a real political process. Activists say it should start by removing the corrupt elite from the political arena and lifting the state's tutelage of political parties. They added the process should conclude by holding fair elections.

Guest, Male # 2 (Ameen Balala, February 20 Movement member)
These elections will not be better than the preceding ones because the governing elite in this country does not want, nor does it have a real will, to change.

Reporter, Male # 2
The movement said the slogans raised by the state are not being implemented on the ground since neither justice was realized nor corruption dealt with. This led the movement to confirm that it will continue its protests until the downfall of corruption and the corrupt.

Guest, Male # 3 (Nawfal Abed Mouamani, February 20 Movement member)
The officials responsible for torture and stealing the public's money are still in their posts and for this reason we say that the state is not intent on ending the series of corruption and despotism. And this is why we are once again on the Moroccan streets.

Reporter, Male # 2
The new constitution has taken into effect but, according to the movement, it does not include a separation of powers, nor does it tackle accountability. In addition, it does not change the human rights situation, nor does it alter the status of freedom of speech. The constitution is rejected by the movement seeing that it will not usher in democracy in Morocco. As for the change demanded by the movement, activists say it requires a democratic constitution and demands political will.

Guest, Male # 4 (Naseem Bazaz, February 20 Movement member)
We need a parliamentary regime with the king reigning but not ruling, with executive power derived from popular will, with a link between responsibilities and accountability, with a separation of wealth and politics.

Reporter, Male # 2
In addition to the political demands, the movement raised slogans demanding social justice, freedom, dignity and an end to the high cost of living affecting basic goods.

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Syrian activists planning 'day of anger' against Russia [Future TV, Lebanon]

Reporter, Male # 1
To express its rejection of the Russian position supporting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian opposition is rallying its supporters to participate in a day of anger against Russia on Tuesday. On social networking sites, the opposition called on its supporters to protest across Syrian cities and towns and to burn the Russian flag. On the ground, the situation remains unchanged. According to the Syrian Revolution General Commission, a number of towns in al-Ghab Plain in Hama's countryside were the target of the Syrian army's gunfire. Gunfire was also heard in many towns in the coastal city of Latakia as a convoy of tanks reportedly surrounded Homs' al-Rastan area amid heavy gunfire. One demonstrator died from his injuries in the city of Homs in the center of the country. In addition, all communication was cut off from the countryside of Maarrat al-Numan and Jabal a-Zawiyah in the province of Idlib. In line with the crackdown on protests, activists said Syrian security forces launched a house-to-house raid campaign in the eastern province of Deir az-Zour, Daraa's Hauran plains in the south, and villages surrounding the city of Hama, in search of activists demanding democracy, and arrested dozens. Massive night demonstrations continued across Syrian cities and towns with the participation of thousands of people. Protestors celebrated Bashar al-Assad's birthday in their own way, setting up replicas of the president, holding his photo and chanting for his downfall and execution. They also demanded international protection for civilians.

Presenter, Female # 1
This comes as Arab and international reactions continue to be generated on the events in Syria. Most notable was that of the Gulf Cooperation Council's foreign ministers, who called for "an immediate end to the killing machine" in Syria. Meanwhile, Russia maintains its support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Reporter, Male # 2
Despite the fact that over 2,600 people have died in the protests in Syria, according to the UN Office for Human Rights, the stubborn Russian stance in support of the Assad regime remains unchanged. Following Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, he stated that it is wrong to place additional pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to force him to stop the security operations. As for Cameron, he admitted it is not possible to bridge the gap in Russia and London's positions on the Syrian crisis. He added that he does not see a future with Assad. In Moscow, Syrian presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban met Russian officials and praised the Russian leadership's dealing with the events witnessed in Syria for the last six months. She confirmed that the Libyan scenario will not repeated in Syria.

Guest, Female # 2 (Bouthaina Shaaban, Syrian Presidential Adviser)
We agreed that political reforms must be carried out in a stable and safe atmosphere, removed from bloodshed. We hope the West adopts a stance that encourages peaceful change instead of encouraging carrying weapons and killings.

Reporter, Male # 2
Shaaban, who denied the opposition's reports on the killing of thousands of people during the Syrian revolution, admitted 1,400 people died. She said half of those killed are from the security, police, and army institutions, while the other half consists of civilians. On the Arab front, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council sent a stern message to the Syrian regime, demanding it immediately stop the killing machine, remove armed forces, and put an end to the bloodshed.

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Syria offers nuclear cooperation [Oman TV, Oman]

Syria has offered to cooperate with a UN nuclear agency probe into a suspected reactor site and a meeting may take place in October. Addressing the board today, the UN International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Director-General Yukiya Amano said Syria in a letter last month had stated its readiness to have a meeting with agency safeguard staff in Damascus in October. He said the IAEA had proposed a meeting to take place on October 10 and 11 with the aim of advancing the agency's verification mission in Syria.

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Yemen's Saleh authorizes power-transfer talks [Oman TV, Oman]

Yemeni ruling party officials said President Ali Abdullah Saleh was expected to empower his deputy to negotiate over a Gulf-sponsored plan for the transfer of power but that he would not give up his state powers immediately. Separately, a military spokesman said troops killed four militants yesterday as the army consolidated its grip on Zinjibar, a day after recapturing the southern city from a group calling itself Ansar al-Sharia. Residents say a Yemeni airstrike killed at least three fighters near the militant-held town of Jaar, apparently as they were fleeing toward it toward Zinjibar.

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Iran inaugurates first nuclear power plant [Press TV, Iran]

Iran has officially inaugurated its first nuclear power plant in the south of the country. Finally up and running, Iran first nuclear power plant has been officially launched. The inauguration ceremony of Bushehr nuclear power plant was attended by officials from Iran and Russia, the other partner in the project. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told reporters after the inauguration ceremony that Moscow is ready to cooperate with Iran in building more nuclear power stations. Shmatko, along with the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, reassured the international community and regional nations about the safety of the plant.

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The effect of 9/11 on Pakistan [Press TV, Iran]

The 10th anniversary of 9/11 has coincided with yet another US drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas. People in Pakistan strongly feel that virtually everyday is their 9/11. Until mid-2001, Pakistan's tribal region was considered to be the most peaceful in the entire country, with the lowest crime rate. The shock waves of 9/11 and the subsequent US invasion of Afghanistan, however, changed the entire cultural, political and administrative landscape of the tribal region. Now, the region has turned into the most violent area in the world with militants controlling parts of the tribal areas.

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Gaddafi forces attack Libyan oil facility, kill 15 [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
Reuters reported that 15 people were killed in an attack by Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's battalions on an oil facility near Ras Lanuf. The Libyan National Transitional Council announced that its fighters fended off the battalions' attack on Bani Walid, one of the final strongholds of Colonel Gaddafi's loyalists. The NTC forces began reinforcing their siege on the city of Sirte, still under Gaddafi's control.

Reporter, Male #1
The Libyan National Transitional Council's forces are massing at the entrances of Sirte in order to resolve the situation once and for all against Muammar al-Gaddafi's remaining strongholds. The most important of these strongholds is Sirte, according to a field commander.

Guest, Male #2
The distance from here to the Harawa region is 17 kilometers, and the distance from Harawa to Sirte is 65 or 70 kilometers. This will be the center of clashes, God willing.

Reporter, Male #1
This comes as sporadic battles between the two sides have killed more than ten people southwest of Tripoli. For their part, the NTC fighters confirmed they are carrying out a number of recon missions, even in central Bani Walid, without encountering any resistance from Gaddafi's fighters, except for some snipers stationed on the rooftops of tall buildings. In this context, the NTC announced the arrest of Abuzed Dorda, the chief of Mummar al-Gaddafi's foreign intelligence. Dorda appeared in video clips defending his position in a conversation with several fighters.

Guest, Male #3
Mahmoud, people are dying on both sides, and this regime is intact. People are fighting on both sides, is that correct or not?

Reporter, Male #1
Dorda was captured by a group of fighters who call themselves the "Battalions of Martyr Abdel Atti Gaddour" in Znata neighborhood of the capital Tripoli, while more than 20 fighters with automatic weapons guarded him.

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Israeli Labor Party members choose new leader [IBA, Israel]

In our top story, the race for the Labor Party leadership: will there be a chairman, or perhaps a chairwoman? Four candidates faced off in primary elections today. Some 66,000 Labor Party members are eligible to cast their ballots in today's primaries for one of the four contenders. That's Shelly Yehimovich, Amir Peretz, Amram Mitzna, or Yitzhak Herzog. At 10am this morning, 171 polling stations opened across the country and they are expected to close at 10pm tonight. Final results are expected to be announced after midnight at the Party's headquarters in Beit Berl. If no candidate succeeds in garnering at least 40 percent of the vote, then the top two vote-getters will face off against each other at a second round of voting next Wednesday, the 21 of September.

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Police will 'show restraint' in demonstrations ahead of UN vote [IBA, Israel]

The police will allow lawful demonstrations in Israel and the Palestinian Authority ahead of a UN vote on Palestinian statehood. That word from Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino, who proclaimed that his forces will ensure the well-being of the protestors. Speaking at the IDC in Herzliya, Danino announced that as long as the law is upheld, the police will conduct themselves in the same restrained manner as they did in recent social protests. On the other hand, Israel's top cop warned that if the law is broken, officers will use firm measures to prevent other citizens' rights from being trampled upon.

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Public opinion polls show EU in favor of UN recognition of Palestine [IBA, Israel]

The majority of Europeans in the UK, France, and Germany believe that their governments should vote in favor of recognizing the Palestinian state at the UN. This, according to an opinion poll appearing in today's Guardian newspaper. The poll's finding show that the support for Palestinian statehood is 59 percent in the UK, 69 percent in France, 71 percent in Germany. Meanwhile a Palestinian delegation arrived in the European Council building in Brussels as part of a global campaign for recognition of a Palestinian state. They presented a petition, which they said was signed by more than 900,000 Europeans demanding that the EU recognize Palestine.