US ambassador to Libya killed in consulate attack [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male #1
The attack that targeted the American consulate in Benghazi resulted in the death of American ambassador Chris Stevens, who was visiting the consulate at the time.

Presenter, Female #1
Two Marines, who tried to intervene to protect the American diplomats, were also killed in the attack.

Presenter, Male #1
A Libyan Interior Ministry official pointed out that protesting crowds were heading toward the location of the consulate. However, when the American consulate's security opened fire, it resulted in exacerbating the situation, and the consulate was stormed.

Reporter, Male #2
The moment of overwhelming anger that occurred in Benghazi was unexpected. Crowds protesting an American film that offends the holy prophet, erupted in anger in front of the American consulate, on a night when American ambassador Chris Stevens was there. According to Libyan authorities, which remain weak, the situation quickly got out of control. With the presence of a large number of armed individuals among the ranks of the protestors, and the opening of fire by those protecting the consulate, the protest transformed into a clash. This was followed by a storming of the consulate, which was set on fire, and almost entirely burned down.

Guest, Male #3 (Wanis al-Sharef, Libyan Deputy Interior Minister)
Two people were killed as a result of these events, and the consul, who was rushed to Alf al-Mitein Hospital, later died of suffocation. Another sustained injuries, and another passed away in the first incident. Under these circumstances, it was no longer possible to control the embassy, especially after being torched, and after a large number of Benghazi's thugs, infiltrators, thieves, and criminals amassed in the area.

Reporter, Male #2
With the increasing number of human losses in the events in Benghazi, several accounts have been given about those responsible. The most prominent is one reported by a Libyan ministry official on the role of Gaddafi loyalists in response to the arrest of al-Senussi, knowing that the blame had been put on Ansar al-Sharia.

Guest, Male #4 (Hani Mansouri, Spokesperson for Ansar al-Sharia)
The brigade, which is independent and does not take orders, did not participate. This was a spontaneous popular outburst, in response to the problem caused by the West.

Reporter, Male #2
By the time an investigation shows the whole picture of what happened in Benghazi, Libya will have entered a tense security situation. This is attributed to what can be described as the shock at the killing of the American ambassador to Libya, whose country was at the forefront in assisting Libyans with bringing down the Gaddafi regime. It was also the first country that rushed to establish diplomatic representation in Libyan cities, prior to the return of a central security system able to take control of the situation.

Presenter, Female #1
The president of the Libyan Assembly, Mohammad Magarief, condemned the assembly and the government for the attack on the American consulate yesterday. Strict procedures were adopted to arrest those involved in the incident.

Presenter, Male #1
He also announced the formation of a common staff between the assembly and the government, and said it would be in a state of permanent assembly to follow the security situation.

Guest, Male #5 (Mohammad Magarief, President of Libyan National Assembly)
We, in all terms of condemnation, in all the languages of the world, deplore and condemn what occurred yesterday in Benghazi, and what the American consulate, the American ambassador, and his staff had to endure.

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Libyan protestors kill US ambassador during Benghazi riots [IBA, Israel]

The American ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three members of the United States consular staff were killed last night during riots in Benghazi sparked by "Innocence of a Muslim," a film produced by a California-based Jewish writer and producer, which was released on the Internet that depicts the prophet Muhammad and Islam in a negative light. The ambassador and his staff members were killed by a rocket while trying to flee the area in a car. In Cairo, protestors managed to scale the US embassy walls and replace the US flag with a Muslim banner. Egypt has asked the US for a formal apology.

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Anger sweeps Muslim world over American film insulting Islam [Press TV, Iran]

The US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other American diplomats have been killed in an attack on the US consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Stevens was based in the Libyan capital Tripoli, but was visiting Benghazi at the time of the attack, and was killed when an RGB hit their car. The protests in Benghazi were triggered by a film made by an Israeli-American that insults Islam's prophet, Muhammad. People in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Sudan have protested outside their US embassies, and Gaza City demonstrators burned US flags and voiced anger at the film. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Rahmin Mehmanparast, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the Egyptian government, and the Vatican have all condemned the provocative film.

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Obama condemns attack on US consulate in Libya [Press TV, Iran]

Following furious reactions across the Muslim world over the anti-Islam film made by an Israeli-American man, US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have condemned the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi "in the strongest terms," but stopped short of denouncing the film. US Ambassador the Libya Chris Stevens and Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith were killed in the attack.

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Israel condemns anti-Islam film made by Israeli-American as 'unbearable extremism' [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
And regarding the reactions towards the film that insults the Prophet Muhammad, Tunisian police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Salafi protestors who were protesting in front of the American embassy's headquarters in Tunisia. And in Morocco as well, hundreds protested against the film in the evening, in front of the American consulate's headquarters in the city of al-Dar al-Baida. Tel Aviv condemned the film, assuring that it had no relation to it or its director, who is said to be an American Israeli. The spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that it "has nothing to do whatsoever with Israel," describing the film as unbearable extremism. Also, Egyptian Coptic activists called for gathering in Cairo, as security measures were intensified in front of the American embassy, following the reaction it witnessed yesterday.

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Syrian army pounds Aleppo as Jordanian king warns of turmoil spilling over [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Male #1
A three-way meeting was held at the Arab League headquarters to look into the Syrian crisis. Jordanian King Abdullah II views the increasing pace of the sectarian conflict in Syria as a threat to its unity, as battles continue in Aleppo and some parts of the countryside of Damascus.

Reporter, Male #2
Before heading to Damascus, UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi met with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, and Qatari Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim II, at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo. Information indicates that Brahimi will head to Damascus on Thursday, in his first visit since he assumed this mission, and will meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday.

Reporter, Male #2
On the other hand, Jordanian King Abdullah II warned of the possibility of Syria's secession as sectarian violence increases, which could cause the conflict to spill over into neighboring countries. For his part, Member of Parliament Saad al-Hariri accused Hezbollah of sending fighters to Syria to participate in suppressing the protest movement. And in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, al-Hariri called on the international community to supply the Syrian opposition with arms.

Reporter, Male #2
On the ground, clashes and shelling continued in Aleppo, following night clashes on the road to Aleppo International Airport. And according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, acts of violence in different parts of the country claimed the lives of more than 40 people. Syrian television noted that the regime's army tracked down gunmen in a number of areas in the city, killed a number of them, and destroyed some military vehicles. The clashes were renewed in some neighborhoods in Damascus, and some villages in its countryside.

Reporter, Male #2
The Syrian Observatory reported on behalf of the opposition that 18 regime soldiers were killed and dozens were injured in an operation conducted by opposition fighters through a booby-trapped car, which targeted a military post in the city of Saraqib in Idlib Province. The attack was accompanied by violent clashes in the area.

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UNHCR: Over a quarter million Syrian refugees in five countries [Algerie TV, Algeria]

Presenter, Male #1
The exacerbation of the security situation in Syria is still casting its shadow on the humanitarian front. The most recent statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicates that the number of Syrian refugees, especially those who are located in Jordan, has surpassed 250,000. This occurs days before Brahimi takes up his mission on the ground in Syria. Walid Qadry reports.

Reporter, Male #2
Lakhdar Brahimi is preoccupied with preparing a suitable environment and receiving more international endorsement to succeed at the mission he was assigned with, and ending the 17-month-old Syrian crisis.

Reporter, Male #2
During his current tour in Egypt, Brahimi will meet tomorrow with the Arab League Secretary-General and the Qatari prime minister to implement the decisions of the Arab ministerial council concerning the Syrian crisis, which aims to examine how Brahimi can assume his work on the ground in Syria, and create a new vision for the mission.

Reporter, Male #2
And according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 20 constituents of the regime's forces were executed by forces of the armed opposition, after they were kidnapped from army barracks in Aleppo. This is in addition to other consequences of the ongoing violence in Syria, which is worsening.

Reporter, Male #2
According to statistics conducted yesterday by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the number of Syrian refugees, over 250,000 refugees are spread over five countries. Among them, 85,000 are in Jordan. What is worse is that statistics on the number of deaths, regardless of who announces them and how much they differ, continue to be staggering numbers, which indicates a profound humanitarian crisis.

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Newly-elected Somali president escapes assassination attempt [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
The new Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mahmud, survived two bombings that targeted the Mogadishu hotel in which he was residing. A source in the Kenyan Foreign Ministry said that the Kenyan foreign minister and a number of Kenyan delegates were in a meeting with the new president when the blast occurred. He assured that they had all been evacuated, and that the al-Shabaab Movement took responsibility for the attack.

Presenter, Male #1
For more, here with me is BBC correspondent Ali Halane. Ali, where is the president at this moment? How is the situation on the ground in the hotel's surroundings, and the measures to secure it?

Reporter, Male #1
In fact, Somali government forces and African Union forces closed down the area surrounding the hotel. There are reports of organizing his transfer to the presidential palace. It was expected that he would be transferred to the presidential palace today or tomorrow, after former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed vacates it. But we remain unsure, at this point, about whether he has been transferred to the presidential palace.

Reporter, Male #1
The process to transfer him to the presidential palace is still ongoing, and he remains in the hotel that was targeted by the bombings carried out by three suicide bombers from the al-Shabaab Movement.

Presenter, Male #1
With regard to the African Union forces, there was talk about injuries amongst their ranks. How accurate is this, and what role is being played by these forces in securing the president right now?

Reporter, Male #1
African Union forces actually have full responsibility for protecting the president and high-level authorities in the Somali government, including the speaker of parliament and the prime minister. They were also the ones protecting the presidential palace and the airport, in addition to vital structures throughout the capital, Mogadishu. For that reason, African Union forces were given the task of protecting the Somali president since his election two days ago, and up until now. He usually travels in convoys under the protection of African Union forces, from the presidential palace to any place he goes to.

Reporter, Male #1
Again, African Union forces are responsible for his protection, and are also assisted by Somali government forces. Yet this suicide bombing incident occurred at a time when the Somali president was meeting with Kenyan Foreign Minister Samson Ongeri. He carried a message from Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, whose country contributes to the African Union forces. They are the first delegation to be received by the Somali president. Regional and international envoys are expected to arrive, according to Mogadishu, to congratulate the Somali president, and set plans for a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.

Reporter, Male #1
Therefore, the event was very surprising, since the hotel enjoyed great protection. The first person who attempted to enter the hotel's first gate was an ordinary person, as in he was carrying explosives and a detonating belt on his waist. He blew himself up after being searched to pave the way for the other suicide bomber, who was able to blow himself up inside the security point outside the hotel. The third suicide bomber, according to Somali security sources, was killed prior to reaching the hotel.

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Turkey refuses to hand over fugitive Iraqi VP al-Hashemi [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
The UN Security Council condemned the terrorist attacks that resulted in the death and injury of hundreds in Iraq last Saturday and Sunday. In a statement, the 15 members expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, and to the Iraqi government and its people. They assured that terrorism represents one of the most dangerous threats to peace and national security, and renewed their will to combat it.

Presenter, Female #1
Political groups in Iraq condemned the Turkish side's refusal to hand over former vice president Tariq al-Hashemi, who was sentenced to death after he was convicted in cases pertaining to terrorism. These groups called for reconsidering the trade agreements signed between Baghdad and Ankara.

Reporter, Male #1
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to hand over Tariq al-Hashemi, who was convicted of terrorism, to Iraq, despite the death sentence verdict issued against him. The Turkish stance hasn't changed towards the escalating conflict with Baghdad for several reasons, according to Iraqi politicians.

Guest, Male #2 (Jamaa al-Atwani, Iraqi National Coalition Member)
Tariq al-Hashemi is Turkey's man of privilege, whether it is by affiliating with, belonging to, or even promoting this project. And when he is handed over to the Iraqi judiciary, his confessions will certainly expose many of the hidden projects in which the convict, Tariq al-Hashemi, serves in its committee. Turkey is involved in the killing of Iraqi people, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Reporter, Male #1
Al-Hashemi has resided in Turkey since a warrant for his arrest was issued earlier this year. Observers see him as a Turkish card that Ankara is using to pressure Iraq in its domestic and foreign policies.

Guest, Male #4 (Hadi Jalu, JFO President)
Turkey is building regional alliances in the area. And it seems that it is insisting for al-Hashemi to remain part of the political game, and part of the pressure cards that it could use in the framework of the ongoing conflict in the regional focus, such as the Iran-Iraq focus, or the Lebanese-Syrian, and the Turkish-Saudi-Qatari. As such, Turkey insists on not letting go of this card.

Reporter, Male #1
Observers consider that Iraq's initial response to Erdogan's statement will be to reconsider the trading process between Baghdad and Ankara, which reaches nearly USD 10 million annually. This will come in if Turkey keeps a wanted convict on its land.

Reporter, Male #1
As Ankara refuses to hand over al-Hashemi, a new page will be turned in Iraq's affairs with their northern neighbor Turkey. It will be inscribed with negative political, economic, and trade relations. Haidar Qassem, Al-Alam, Baghdad.

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US President Obama calls Israeli PM Netanyahu to talk about Iran [IBA, Israel]

Hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leveled harsh criticism at the White House regarding US policy on the Iranian nuclear threat, he received a phone call from US President Barack Obama. Netanyahu declared that "those who don't place red lines on Iran have no right to place red lights in front of Israel." The White House said that the two leaders reaffirmed that they are united in their determination to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and agreed to continue close consultations.

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Armed groups take control in rapidly destabilizing Mali [Algerie TV, Algeria]

Presenter, Male #1
Destabilization still remains the dominant situation in Mali, a country that has become an epicenter for tension and the spread of arms, as well as a safe haven for armed terrorist groups. More on the Malian scene in this report by Soheila Harairiyah.

Reporter, Female #1
Until the beginning of this year, or not too long ago, Mali was one of the most stable countries in Africa. But now, it has become one of the most dangerous centers of the continent, and perhaps in the world. It became a safe haven for armed groups and extremists, and a fertile land for organized crime. Today, the dangers are not confined to Mali, whose political stability and unity remain threatened after the northern part of the country fell into the hands of armed groups.

Reporter, Female #1
The Sahel region, North Africa, and the entire continent are under threat because of the unprecedented spread of arms in the area. The situation in Mali may require a direct military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), but this important step still has unguaranteed results and repercussions, despite the West's promises to logistically support it.

Reporter, Female #1
But observers say that a step such as this one may result in further deterioration of the situation, and may prolong it, citing previous examples such as Somalia and Afghanistan. Also, analysts see that the deteriorating humanitarian and social situation in this country may result in armed groups taking advantage of residents by incorporating them into their ranks, or having them lend support. Therefore, they are stressing the importance of focusing on developing and advancing the economic situation of these areas in order to fill these gaps.