Presenter, Female #1
“No one is above the law.” In these words, the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled against an amnesty law that had protected President Asif Ali Zardari, along with thousands of politicians and officials, from corruption, embezzlement, and other criminal charges. Zardari is in the midst of a political crisis, as he has to deal with a government that is plagued with financial corruption on one side, and a fragile security situation on the other. Mahyub Khuder reports from Islamabad.

Reporter, Male #1
It’s a day worth waiting for. Today, the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled against the constitutionality of a national reconciliation amnesty law. Today’s ruling may reopen the files of financial and political corruption in the country. These files include the names of thousands of top Pakistani officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari. Zardari seems to be clinging on to his position.

Guest, Male #2
The Pakistani People’s Party respects the court’s decision. We believe that the Pakistani President enjoys a constitutional immunity, which may protect him from impeachment as long as he is in office. President Zardari will not resign.

Reporter, Male #1
Zardari, who is facing a moral setback in Pakistan, may be pursued legally over the corruption charges. The court’s decision overturns the 2007 amnesty law signed by the former Pakistani President, Pervez Mushraf, shielding Zardari from corruption. The 2007 law was challenged in court by the Pakistani opposition.

Guest, Male #3
This is a historic decision, and it restores confidence in the integrity of our judiciary system. This will help in returning the stolen money back to the state treasury.

Reporter, Male #1
The court’s decision puts the government of Yusif Reza Gilani up to the test. Members of Gilani’s cabinet, including Interior Minister Rahman Malak, are accused of corruption. The political shakedown may cast a shadow on the already deteriorating security situation in the country.

Guest, Male #4
The deteriorating security situation will weaken the government that is trying to counter the rebels. This ruling serves the interest of the rebels, as many officials will be busy fighting to hold on to their positions, as opposed to serving the nation. The decision of the Supreme Court was described as “a legal shakedown necessary to correct some historical mistakes.” A decision that has put the political future of President Zardari at stake. However, it remains to be seen whether the parliament will pass a vote of no-confidence against the president. Mahyub Khuder, Dubai TV, Islamabad.

Presenter, Woman # 1
The Kuwaiti parliament rejected a second no-confidence motion against Interior minister Shiekh Jaber Al Sabah, after opposition parliament members accused him of misleading the parliament and providing wrong information. This is the second time that the interior minister, and a member of the royal family, survives a no-confidence vote in less than 6 months.

Reporter, Woman # 2
For the second time in less than six months, the minister of the interior survives a no-confidence vote in the Kuwaiti parliament. 25 parliament members voted for him, 18 against him, and 5 abstained from voting.

Guest, Man # 1
Today, the truth prevailed for the second time. I have gained a vote of confidence by the Parliament. I thank everyone, those who voted for me and those who voted against me. They voted based on their convictions and that is the basis of democracy.

Reporter, Woman # 2
Supporters of the interior minister believe that surviving a second vote of no-confidence shows that the people believe in him. They accused some members of the parliament of asking the interior minister personal questions, and violating the constitution.They asked opposition members to put this controversial issue behind them.

Guest, Man # 2
We hope that they stop causing problems so we can open a new chapter, for the sake of the country.

Reporter, Woman # 2
Although the interior minister won a second vote of no-confidence, the opposition still expressed reservations about having him stay in office. They demanded that the government reevaluate the situation especially considering that the number of times the interior minister was called in for questioning, and the number of times a no-confidence bid was filed against him in a short period of time.

Guest, Man # 3
These are public funds, and we will not stop raising questions. We will not look the other way and we will not take things lightly despite the fact that some Parliament members accused us of asking personal questions and misleading them, among other things.

Reporter, Woman # 2
Kuwaiti political observers hope that ending the questioning of the interior minister will mark a new page in the relationship between the government and the parliament. They hope for fewer crisis, more freedom and accomplishments. In addition, the parliamentary session that ended by giving the Interior minister a second vote of no-confidence, has established a new political precedent in Kuwait. Female parliament member, Dr Asela Al Awad, was the first woman to vote against a minister in the government. Isra Johar, Al Arabiya, Kuwait.

Presenter, Male #1
The spokesman for the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the official from the Political Office for National Security reiterated during a meeting yesterday that security is a national obligation, and that everyone must unite to achieve it.

Presenter, Female #1
In another development, Baghdad has witnessed a heated debate between the government and its critics over the security file and over the way it should be handled.

Reporter, Male #2
The bombing campaign that targeted the Iraqi capital has cast a shadow over the meeting of the Political Council for National Security. The leaders have come together in solidarity. Meanwhile, a debate has ensued between the government on one side and the opposing political blocs on the other. Political analysts are expecting the exchange of accusations to intensify in the days leading to the parliamentary elections. An indication that the division between the two sides is deepening. During a previous meeting for the Political Council, the Iraqi Prime Minister described the bombings as “an attempt to thwart the political process and highlight the government’s vulnerability.” The Iraqi Prime Minister has put the blame on what he referred to as “The alliance between the Ba’thists, Al Qaeda and certain foreign groups such as Syria, citing strong evidence in the case.

Guest, Male #3
They want to disrupt the elections and undermine the political and democratic process. They also want to show the Iraqi people that our mission has failed so they look for an alternative, which is either the Ba’thists or Al Qaeda’s sectarian extremists.

Reporter, Male #2
However, several political blocs and Iraqi officials, including the Iraqi Vice President Tarek al-Hashemi, said that the reason for the security deterioration is the manipulation of the security file and the infiltration of the security forces by the militias.

Guest, Male #4
We can’t afford to wait any longer. What are we waiting for? For all the Iraqis to be slaughtered? There are security breaches and violations. You have brought militias and incorporated them into the security institutions. These militia members are easily bribed with a 100 or 200 Iraqi Dinars so they allow entry of booby trapped cars across security checkpoints. People are being slaughtered.

Reporter, Male #2
The showdown between Iraqi political leaders is casting a shadow inside the Iraqi parliament. The fluctuation in the opinion of legislators was highly evident during the meeting of the ministers and security chiefs. Several pro-government legislators defended the government’s accomplishments, and described the bombings as “a security breach bound to end after the elections.” However, others believe that the security institutions are lacking professional guidelines, due to the policy of vengeance practiced against former military personnel. Analysts believe that the bombing campaign is likely to escalate, especially in the absence of a military ideology for the security institutions and the lack of confidence among leaders in the political process.

Presenter, Man # 1
Israeli police clashed with dozens of Palestinians and surrounded the French Cultural Center in East Jerusalem. Twenty people including West Bank officials gathered in different areas of the city to celebrate Jerusalem's selection as the capital of Arab culture for 2009.

Reporter, Woman # 1
Celebrations in honor of Jerusalem's selection as the 2009 capital of Arab culture ended with clashes, arrests and verbal confrontations. The Israeli police prevented a number of Palestinians including officials who came from the West Bank based Palestinian Authority and foreign activists from celebrating outside the French Cultural Center and the British Educational Council. The police surrounded the participants and presented them with a statement signed by the Israeli security minister, banning their activities. The police also tried to prevent Palestinians from marching, and clashed with young men near the Damascus Gate area, injuring a number of them.

Guest, Man # 1
“We are under occupation, we are Palestinians. We are Arabs”. We have a long history here, but Israel refuses to let us celebrate our culture in Jerusalem so we decided to stop here in the street and tell the world that Jerusalem is occupied.

Reporter, Woman # 1
The French General Consul Frédéric Desagneaux intervened in an attempt to mediate between the two sides and got into a verbal altercation with the Israeli police. Israeli authorities accuse the West Bank based Palestinian Authority of financing these activities that it considers illegal. Arab ministers of culture selected Jerusalem as capital of Arab culture for 2009. Damascus was selected for 2008. Yolla Zaher Al dean, BBC.

Host, Man # 1
Dr Zahar, the peace process has failed. The Palestinian Authority, Fatah, President Mahmud Abbas, Saed Erakat and all the Palestinians officials that have been conducting the negotiations have acknowledged that they have failed. But I’m also not sure about of armed resistance. I don’t know how to describe what is happening to it now. Has it stopped? Are the fighters taking a break? Is the movement regrouping? What are the Palestinian options to counter Israeli stubbornness? Israel has refused to respond even to the minimum Palestinians demands.

Guest, Man # 2
There are two issues pertaining to this matter. First, Palestinian leaders think that they should resolve the Palestinian problem during their lifetime. They are willing to compromise just to achieve a historic peace deal, just like what happened at the Madrid peace conference and in Oslo and so on. Second, they have not read the history of other nations. Algeria was occupied for 132 years? When was it liberated? It took 132 years to liberate Algeria. Also Egypt was occupied for 82 years. It was also subjected to many wars, including the 1656 war. Only two years after the British army left, they came back. They left in 1954 only to come back in 1956. During the 82 years of occupation, many leaders rose such as Ahmad Orabi, Mustafa Kamal, and Saa’d el-Zaghlol. We also heard about the Egyptian resistance in defending the Suez Canal. Egypt was librated when the time was right. Similarly, Algeria fought for 132 years. When the world around it realized what was going on and the Algerian resistance advanced and the aid stated coming from abroad, Algeria was liberated. Palestine is not an exception. Palestine is part of history and what has happened in other countries in the world will also happen here. Do the present conditions in the region allow for the liberation of Palestine? And is Hamas responsible for what is going on? Also, do the international conditions allow for the liberation of Palestine? Also, does the situation inside Palestine allow for its liberation? What is happing in the West Bank is against the resistance movement. Today, when Palestinians wanted to celebrate the anniversary of Hamas, more than 250 of them were arrested to prevent the celebrations. Can you imagine what would happen to them if they were to carry arms and fight the enemy?

Host, Man # 1
Not to mention that the liberation of Palestine is not only the duty of Fatah or even the Palestinian nation. Liberating Palestine is a religious, historical, national and moral responsibility for every Arab and Muslim in the world. Isn’t this true?

Guest, Man # 2
Of course, but you can’t do nothing and expect Morocco for example to liberate Palestine.

Host, Man # 1
Then the Palestinians are on the front line?

Guest, Man # 2
Of course, and therefore we must hold the torch and the people will follow. But the Palestinians are the ones who should carry the torch because they know their country better than anyone.

Guest, Man # 2
Dr Zahar, do you have any last words for the Palestinian people?

Host, Man # 1
First of all, I will tell myself and my sons that we did not expect to achieve all of our achievements when we first started. Therefore, our belief in the resistance has increased. Also, the ideology of resistance is now entrenched in us. When a drop of blood is shed from me or from my sons or others people sons. I refer to the sons of Palestinians in the movement as my own.

Host, Man # 1
Dr Zahar, two of your sons were martyred. May God have mercy on their soul.

Host, Man # 1
May God have mercy on the soul of all martyrs. Every day I have spent in exile, in the prisons of the enemies, or the prison of the former Palestinian Authority, I know that we, God willing, will enter the gates of Jerusalem. Today, I believe that we are closer to Jerusalem than many people think.

President Hamid Karzai has postponed the announcement of his new cabinet lineup and is allegedly under pressure from the West to keep their favorites in important positions. Kabul says that the new cabinet lineup will be announced on Saturday. Washington's ambassador to Kabul says that no deadline exists for withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan and indicated that US forces will begin a gradual transition in July 2011.

Presenter, Male #1
The featured person in today’s episode is the late Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.

Reporter, Male #2
Saddam Hussein is a name of a president, not easily forgotten by Arabs. It’s the name of an exceptional leader, who helped transform modern Arab history. Saddam Hussein was born an orphan on April 28, 1937 to an impoverished farm family in the village of Auja near the city of Tikrit. Saddam’s father, Hussein al-Majid, died a few months before Saddam was born. Since 1980 and until the day he was toppled, Saddam led a military life despite the fact that Saddam was rejected by the Baghdad Military Academy because of his low grades. He got married twice: he married his cousin, Sajeda, in 1962, and had two sons with her, Udai and Qusai, and three daughters. In his second marriage, Saddam married Samira Shahbandar Safi, who came from one of Baghdad’s prominent families. Samira and Saddam had a daughter named Alia. In addition, Saddam had a number of mistresses, whom he kept secret. He was influenced by the ideologies of Pan-Arab nationalism, especially those advocated by the Ba’th party and its founder Michel Aflaq. In 1956, Saddam joined the Arab Socialist Ba’th Party. Soon after, he was arrested on charges stemming from his role in the killing of Haj Sa’dun, an Iraqi security official in Tikrit. In the aftermath of the 1958 toppling of King Fisal by Abdel Karim Qassim, Iraq witnessed a wave of violence and coup d'états. In 1979, Saddam ascended to power as President of Iraq, succeeding Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr. At 32, Saddam served as Deputy Chairman of the Revolution Command Council. In a foiled assassination attempt against Abdel Karim Qassim, Saddam was shot in the leg and escaped to Tikrit. During his escape, it was reported that Saddam crossed the Euphrates River by swimming, which is his favorite hobby. He was arrested following an unsuccessful coup d'état against Abdel Salam Aref. In 1966, he was elected Deputy Secretary General of Ba'th Party Leadership in Iraq. A year after ascending to power, the Iraq-Iran war started and lasted 8 years. After the Iraq-Iran war ended, Saddam invaded Kuwait but he was ousted by US-led coalition forces in Operation Desert Storm. The invasion of Kuwait was followed by U.N. sanctions, which lasted nearly 13 years, and crippled Iraq’s economy. Saddam was influenced by Joseph Stalin, as both were often described as ruthless and powerful. He admired Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdel Naser, and said that he has an advantage over Naser due to Iraq being oil-rich. Saddam was a smooth talker, social, and has a good sense of humor. He also enjoyed a good joke. Despite the fame he achieved, Saddam’s dream was to be a writer. He also loved to read novels and Arab poems. Saddam, who depicted himself as the historical leader of Iraq, was able to read through peoples’ eyes, and took preemptive measures accordingly. The end of Saddam’s legacy started at the fall of Baghdad at the hands of US led forces in March 2003. After the arrival of US forces in Iraq, Saddam went into hiding for nearly 8 months. In December 13, 2003, Saddam was captured in a hole near Tikrit, his birthplace. After his arrest, Saddam was found guilty after a series of trials, and was sentenced to death. On December 30, 2006, Saddam was hung in the morning of the Eid al-Adha holiday, in an inappropriate act for a brave man.

Archeologists in Egypt pulled a section of an ancient Egyptian pylon from the bay of Alexandria, calling the move an important step towards understanding the history of the ancient port city. The ruin discovered 11 years ago by a Greek archeological team is thought to date to around 30 BC and formed part of the late Ptolemaic era temple.