Egyptian protestors return to Tahrir Square on the 'Friday of one demand' [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
A spokesman for Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf denied the reported postponement of the so-called "Silmi Document" until after elections. He added that the prime minister will hold consultation sessions with political parties opposing the document beginning tomorrow, Saturday, in order to reach a compromise formula acceptable to all parties. Thousands of protestors gathered in Tahrir Square to demand the Military Council accelerate setting a timetable to transfer power to civilians. Our correspondent Mahmoud Ihseen has the details from Cairo.

Reporter, Male #1
They came to Tahrir Square to protect their revolution from what they said to be an attempt to hijack it. They set up checkpoints to confirm the identities of those participating in the protest, which was called for by nearly 50 political parties, coalitions, and movements to demand a timetable for transferring power from the Military Council to a civil authority at a date no later than April of next year. This took place after the parties participating in the protests, including those who believe the Military Council has good intentions, opined that there is a deliberate procrastination in implementing the revolution's demands.

Guest, Male #2 (Abu al-Alamadi, Head of al-Wasat Party)
We had good opinions of the Military Council, and we defended its positions for a long time. But now, we feel there is a deliberate procrastination in the power transfer. Our position is very clear: we side with the people and their choice.

Reporter, Male #1
Life returns to Tahrir Square once again. Hundreds of thousands rallied for a specific purpose: protesting the document that outlines the constitutional principles proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ali Silmi. They affirmed their rejection to the document, which they believe is an attempt to stifle the Egyptian people once again, and they condemned a number of liberal parties for refusing to participate in the protests.

Guest, Male #3 (Abdul Rahman Yousif, Liberal Activist)
I believe what is happening with some of the liberal extremists is that they are abusing the meaning of a "liberal state," as if a liberal state should bring them to power. This extreme political polarization, I believe, is artificial and manufactured, and there are malignant intentions behind it.

Reporter, Male #1
Proponents of the protest consider it to be factional. Some even said the protest was abusing the use of the symbolic Tahrir Square.

Guest, Male #4 (Abdul Jalil Mustafa, Leader in National Association for Change)
The symbolic meaning of Tahrir Square must be preserved. It has become an icon for the people of liberty around the world. We must avoid trivializing Tahrir Square with protests without any real reason.

Reporter, Male #1
These protestors wanted to send a message to those running the country that if the revolution's demands aren't fully met, the response will come from here, Tahrir Square, and they know very well what that means. Mahmoud Ihseen, al-Jazeera, Cairo.

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Anti-regime Bahrainis assert their 'revolutionary determination' [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male # 1
Across a number of Bahraini cities, marches were held on the "Friday of the steps of revolutionary determination," which was called for by the February 14 Coalition. Yesterday, many Bahraini cities witnessed marches confirming the popular demand to change the regime.

Reporter, Male # 2
Nine months have passed since the revolution in Bahrain was ignited. And not only does the popular mobilization continue to be peaceful, its creativity and ability to send its message despite the authorities' crackdown is notable. In addition to the ongoing peaceful marches in different areas held to confirm the people's entitlement to their demands, protestors devised new means to raise the pressure on the Manama regime. The march for self-determination continued from one town to the next amid mass popular celebrations ahead of "the day of the crawl toward the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre" on Tuesday. Bahrain's protestors also resorted to shutting down main roads and streets in a number of regions to force the Khalifa regime to meet their demand to release female detainees and their remaining prisoners.

Guest, Male # 3 (Nabil Rajab, Bahrain Human Rights Center President)
We will get our rights if we continue this way, with this number of people and on a daily basis, if we continue to pressure the government to release all prisoners and political detainees. We must persevere until the release of the detainees and until the demands that made us come out on February 14 are met.

Reporter, Male # 2
For its part, the February 14 Coalition renewed its call for a mass rally in the village of al-Dee' on Friday, under the slogan: "Friday of the steps of revolutionary determination."
The coalition confirmed in a statement that the goal of this action is to send a clear message that the revolution is moving forward and that the power of the youth on the ground is now organized. The regime had its own interpretation of that message. So as customary, it responded with more repression, tyranny and the use of different types of weapons and poisonous gas, and continued the arbitrary arrests of civilians.

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Kuwait taking 'severe legal action' against media outlets [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male # 1
The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry referred a number of the protestors who stormed the National Assembly building to the military police, including an officer who works at the Ministry of Defense. For its part, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information alluded it will be taking severe legal action against local media outlets. They are accused of violating the publications and audiovisual laws and will be referred to the prosecution that will review the cases. The decision is based on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers that held an emergency meeting. In addition, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah ordered security institutions to work on maintaining the country's public order.

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Yemeni demonstrators honor their 'revolution's female martyrs' [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
The UN Security Council session on Monday will review the developments of the Yemeni crisis in light of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's refusal to step down and the ongoing violence. Meanwhile, protests against the Yemeni president continued in a number of Yemeni cities under the slogan the "Friday of loyalty to the revolution's female martyrs."

Reporter, Male #1
It is the 40th Friday protest in Yemen. Its organizers, who are demanding the downfall of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime, named it the "Friday of the peaceful revolution's female martyrs"

Guest, Female #2
We live for peace and we die for freedom.

Reporter, Male #1
Here in Taiz, where a number of women died, protestors held funerals for several victims and demanded to bring the president and his aides to justice. In the remote southern city Aden, men and women protestors took to the street to condemn the deaths of those who perished during the uprising.

Guest, Female #3
We demand the Arab League take a serious stance in support of the Yemeni people and to stop the bloodshed of Yemeni women and men.

Reporter, Male #1
Protestors in the city of al-Bayda denounced what they referred to as the killing and targeting of women protestors. Demonstrators in the nearby city of Rada' also demanded to rush the elimination of Saleh's regime. In the city of Damt in al-Dalea Province, protestors saluted what they called the sacrifices of the women of the revolution. Also in al-Dalea, protestors in Juban demanded the prosecution of those they said gave orders to open fire on women protestors. Damar, south of Sanaa, also witnessed demonstrations honoring women's sacrifices. In Hajjah, in northwestern Yemen, protestors affirmed their solidarity with the families of the uprising's female victims. In addition, protestors in Sa'ada condemned what they referred to as the regime's massacres against peaceful protestors. The capital Sanaa witnessed a massive demonstration demanding the prosecution of what protestors called killers of women and children.

Guest, Female #4
Ali Saleh is killing the women of Yemen; this did not happen in the age of ignorance.
Women were honored and respected by everyone. But you, you humiliated us, insulted us!

Reporter, Male #1
On the other hand, tens of thousands of President Saleh's supporters gathered in Sanaa's Sabeen Square in what they described as the "Friday of National Accord."

Guest, Male #2 (Sultan al-Burkani, Assistant Secretary-General of the Ruling Party)
We hope to overcome the crisis or reach an agreement in the coming hours, or in two or three days at the latest if our brothers are on board.

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Eighteen Syrians killed on 'Expel Ambassadors Day' [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
Turkey and France have stressed the importance of mounting additional pressure on Assad's regime to end the killing. However, Iran said the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria's membership is a historic mistake that could lead to a civil war, adding that the League's path aims to defeat Syria from the inside and trigger a civil war.

Presenter, Male #1
It's the Friday of "the expulsion of ambassadors."

Reporter, Male #2
On the second day of the Syrian regime's three-day deadline to stop the crackdown on the protests granted by the Arab League, which has vowed to impose economic sanctions on Damascus and further isolate it, massive demonstrations were staged across various Syrian cities and towns on a Friday dubbed "the expulsion of Syrian ambassadors" in a bid to topple the regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Assad's brigades fired live ammunition to disperse protests in Deir az-Zour, its countryside, and Idlib, killing and injuring several people. However, the terror campaign waged by Assad's brigades failed to prevent the heavy turnout of residents demanding the expulsion of Syrian ambassadors abroad. The Local Coordination Committees said the army, security gangs, and shabeha besieged the city of Kifar Nubel and surrounded its local mosques, entrances, and exits in a bid to prevent worshippers from staging protests. Massive protests were also staged in the city of al-Bukamal and Damascus' al-Maydan and Qabun neighborhoods despite the heavy security presence there. In addition, massive demonstrations demanding the downfall of the regime and the execution of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were staged in the city of Aleppo. The Local coordination Committees said on its social media website that a demonstration was staged in Damascus after the Friday prayer in al-Maydan neighborhood. The website added that the free residents of the Qabun neighborhood took to the streets despite the siege, threats, and heavy presence of Assad's brigades. Opposition websites released video clips showing demonstrators taking to the streets in Damascus' Asali neighborhood, chanting for the downfall of the regime. In Damascus' countryside village of Ardin, activists posted a video of Assad's brigades firing directly at demonstrators. The local committees reported that security forces are being heavily deployed on the streets of Harasta in the countryside of Damascus, notably around mosques, in an attempt to prevent anti-regime protests. The committees added that a curfew was imposed on the town of al-Rastan in Homs to prevent worshippers from attending the Friday prayer. In Homs, thousands of residents took to the streets in massive protests described by observers as the largest since the launch of the Syrian revolution, chanting slogans demanding the downfall of the regime and the execution of President Assad. In the countryside of Daraa, the opposition said the cities of Jassem, Ankhel, Nawa, and Hara, witnessed a heavy security and military deployment and a siege of the local mosques in a bid to prevent protests. The opposition added that security forces carried out preemptive sweeps and arrests in the town of Hasm al-Golan, targeting several residents. It added that Assad's brigades opened fire at a demonstration in Daraa. In Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that snipers are being deployed on buildings overlooking the city's mosque. Activists posted images online showing Assad's brigades firing live ammunition at a protest launched from a mosque in Hama's Sabouniyah neighborhood. The observatory said a child was injured by gunfire from the Biyada security post, as officers fired at anyone approaching the area. Meanwhile, Assad's brigades shelled several towns in the country's northern region following an attack by army defectors on forces loyal to Assad's regime, as confirmed by Syrian activists. Dozens of people were injured during the three-hour shelling that targeted the villages of Tal al-Naij and Araj Hamsha. Hundreds of families fled their homes due to the shelling, power outage, and internet interruption. The Local Coordination Committee said in a statement that the Syrian authorities have arrested Alaa al-Khudr, the director the Syrian News Agency, SANA, in Deir az-Zour following his resignation over the regime's practices against civilians.

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Thousands of Jordanians demand political reform [Press TV, Iran]

Moving on to Jordan, protestors there have taken to the streets once again calling for political reforms. The protestors were out on the street after Friday prayers in the capital Amman and several other cities. The protestors called on the monarchy to crack down on corruption by senior members of the government. Last month, senior members of the government forced the prime minister to resign. Now they are calling for the monarchy to change its constitution.

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Iraqi protestors demand the expulsion of anti-Iran Mujahideen Khalq group [Press TV, Iran]

Iraqi people from all over the country have gathered in camp Ashraf to voice opposition towards the presence of MKO members in that country. Hundreds of Iraqis from different parts of the country held a protest to show their support for the Iranian families who have been waiting for more than six months to see their family members and relatives who reside in Camp Ashraf. Camp Ashraf has been the principle home of the anti-Iranian group known as Mujahideen Khalk Organization, or MKO, since the group allied itself with Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, receiving weapons and training from his regime.

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Israel seizes 375 acres of Palestinian land [Press TV, Iran]

In other news, Israel has annexed Palestinian land northeast of the Jordan Valley. The size of the land is 375 acres and sits on the Palestinian side of the UN Green Line which was set up back in 1949. Tel Aviv has confirmed the seizure of the plot of land. This is not the first time that Israel has annexed Palestinian land. Tel Aviv has been building thousands of settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in the past several

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IAEA divided on Iranian nuclear issue [IBA, Israel]

In our top story, the International Atomic Energy Agency is meeting for a second straight day to discuss the issue of Iranian nuclear defiance. The UN body is likely to censure Iran but is not expected to set a deadline for Iran to respond to the IAEA report on its nuclear weapons program. Members of the nuclear watchdog have not been able to reach a consensus on whether to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for yet another round of sanctions.

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Israeli troops mass along Syrian border [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
The Israeli occupation is reinforcing its presence and intensifying its patrols on the border with the occupied Golan Heights. Observers view it as military preparedness for a new round of violence. Our correspondent Salam Mesherki reports from the Golan.

Reporter, Female #1
The Syrian border is considered to have the highest likelihood for a military escalation in the wake of the Arab League's decision and the events in Syria. The occupation's army announced it has reinforced its troops along the border and increased its patrols during the day, including in border regions that are not considered at risk.

Guest, Male #1 (Tisir Mar'e, Head of Golan for Development)
My guess is that Israel is preparing for a new round of violence. It believes the conditions are favorable for achieving some of its goals in the Middle East. The internal conflict in Syria, as well as in the Arab world, may be an incentive for Israel to wage an attack on neighboring countries, either Arab countries or Iran.

Reporter, Female #2
Given that Israel is betting on the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and possibly opening a front in the region under the pretext of what it referred to as "diverting attention from the events in Syria," the army decided to extend its security wall along the entire border. The army also set up an electric fence to prevent infiltration in the region.

Guest, Male #4 (Suleiman Fakhr ad-Din, Syrian Affairs Expert)
There is something in politics called "creating a crisis" or the "atmosphere of a crisis."
Israel lost its ability to occupy and control the territories and it has a bitter experience with Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza. So it will not try to repeat this experience. The other issue is that it will focus all its efforts on Iran.

Reporter, Female #2
Israeli patrols and the danger of a possible security tension in this border area is causing concern among the residents of the occupied Majdal al-Shams, whose homes are located near the border. This residential area's experience during the last nakba, or catastrophe, rendered its residents' safety dependent on the recent developments.

Guest, Male #5 (Kamil Khatir, Former Prisoner and Resident of Border Region)
Since we're at the border, we're obviously scared of wars. I think Israel could exploit the internal conditions in Syria and the Syrian crisis to launch a war that aims to weaken the Syrian military force.

Reporter, Female #2
Only a few meters from the villages of the occupied Golan, and removed from military reports and the propagation of the so-called looming dangers in the Hebrew state, settlement projects continue. They have reached their peak with the announcement of granting hundreds of dunams to dozens of Jewish settler families for free to encourage them to come to the Golan to keep it as one of the region's most strategic areas. So the question today is, will the stories recounted by Israel, alongside its continuous military threats, end the calm that has prevailed in this border area and turn into a serious military escalation? Or will they remain mere threats? From the border area in the Syrian occupied Golan Heights, Salam Mesherki.