Presenter, Male #1
The Arabiya TV Channel’s bureau in Baghdad continues to report the news despite the massive damage that was caused to the building by a booby-trapped vehicle, which led to the death of 4 employees.

Presenter, Female #1
May they rest in peace, and we hope that the wounded will soon recuperate. Iraqi police forces are conducting an investigation into the identities of the people who carried out the attack, as well as investigating 7 people suspected of having links to the bombing. Police said that the booby-trapped vehicle was prepared in a house located near al-Arabiya’s building.

Presenter, Male #1
Moderate people always pay for the price of moderation, and in this case, it’s al-Arabiya. Our colleague Muntadar al-Rashid survived the bombing, along with our colleague Tariq. They were outside the producer’s room when the explosion took place.

Reporter, Male #1
At 9:30am sharp, al-Arabiya TV Channel’s bureau in Baghdad was shaken by a suicide attack with a booby-trapped vehicle. The roar of the explosion echoed in the air, and the building was covered in smoke. Glass from the windows and doors shattered to pieces. The first voices that we heard were the screams of our colleagues: photographers and technicians. Everyone was looking for one other, but we were shocked to find Um Haitham, the office assistant, immediately dead, along with 3 people from the special security police that was responsible for protecting the office, since they were the closest to the site of the explosion. Diesel generators caught on fire, preventing us from exiting the building. Several minutes later, firemen, medical crew and forces from the ministries of defense and interior arrived at the site, and got us out. We were transferred to a safe place, expecting another suicide attack. Security forces said that the booby-trapped vehicle was equipped in a house close to the office in al-Harithiya neighborhood. This is not the first time that al-Arabiya is targeted in Iraq, and perhaps, it will not be the last. No one knows when this series of attacks will end. Perhaps it will end if al-Arabiya stops providing its moderate opinion, which is out of the question. The idea will remain as long as the human race will last. From Baghdad, Muntadar al-Rashid, al-Arabiya.

Reporter, Male #2
The suicide attack that targeted al-Arabiya’s bureau and its employees in the Iraqi capital was not the first of its kind. The office is located in al-Harithiya neighborhood in western Baghdad, close to the Public Intelligence’s security building, which is located across the street. The road that leads to it is cordoned off by concrete barriers and barbed wire. Nearby is the home of Salam al-Zubaie, deputy prime minister and leader in al-Iraqiya party, and also the home of Usamanu Jaifi, another leader in al-Iraqiya. Opposite the bureau are residential buildings, behind which is the headquarters of Iyad Allawi, former prime minister and chairman of the Iraqi National Alliance, who won in the latest elections. There are 3 checkpoints around the bureau: the first is a joint checkpoint run by the Iraqi police and army; the second is run by the police and al-Zubaie’s bodyguards, a leader in al-Iraqiya party, and the third one is located close to the external gate of al-Arabiya’s bureau. A small KIA van, which is called by Iraqis “the 9 passenger car”, drove through the first two checkpoints carrying 120 kilograms of explosives. The driver of that car, who was identified by the police afterward, carried the logo of Korec, a transportation company that owns a tower near al-Arabiya’s bureau. The booby-trapped vehicle was zigzagging through this path at a low speed. When it got close to the gate of the bureau, the suicide attackers detonated the explosives. Iraqi security authorities said a little while ago that they found documents from al-Qaeda, indicating the intention of the organization to attack a number of media networks in Baghdad. Salim Abu Asla, al-Arabiya.

Another blow to the US military over its war strategy, a huge cache of reports was leaked to the media about the untold killing of Afghan civilians by US-led forces. The founder of whistle-blower website WikiLeaks accuses the US army of massively covering up the toll of civilian casualty in Afghanistan. WikiLeaks has released over 90 thousand classified papers, including untold details of the war through the Pentagon Files and field reports. The new revelation is seen as one of the biggest leaks in the US military history.

Presenter, Female # 1
During a meeting held in Brussels, Canadian and EU foreign ministers adopted a new package of sanctions on Iran. They target the energy sector and include a ban on the sale of equipment and technology. Today, Tehran responded to questions by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA. According to Mahmoud Ahmadi, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security Commission, the agency has taken into account Iranian interests and the perspective of the Vienna Group. The reaction from Tehran with al-Jazeera’s bureau chief, Mohamed Hasan al-Bahrani; Mohamed.

Reporter, Male # 1
In reality, the first official response coming out of Tehran came from Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, who confirmed that the new package of Europeans sanctions on his country will not have an important effect on his country’s convictions and position in relation to Iran’s nuclear program. Mehmanparast indicated that if these sanctions have any repercussions, that they will be on the efforts aimed at resolving Iran’s nuclear file. The second official response came from Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mir-Kazemi. He confirmed that the new European sanctions will not lead his country to reduce its production of oil and gas. In addition, it will not lead to a decrease in his country’s oil and gas exports. According to Mir-Kazemi, they will not have a major impact on the production of Iranian oil, considering that its current production is managed and run by Iranian oil experts. It is worth mentioning that the new Europeans sanctions came at the same time as the Iranian response, which was delivered today by Iran's representative to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh. In any case, the details of that response were not disclosed. However, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Mahmoud Ahmadi, gave some indications as to what that response entailed. First, let’s listen to Mahmoud Ahmadi.

Guest, Male # 2 (Mahmoud Ahmadi, Member, Iranian parliament's National Security Commission)
Our response to the Vienna Group questions was delivered while taking into consideration our national interests first. However, we understood the point of view of the other sides, and this is where we differ. They want to impose only what suits them, whereas we are saying that we are willing to exchange uranium, and we are ready for talks. But, what can talks accomplish in light of the continued sanctions? What do the negotiations mean as long as it does not stop the policy of threats and pressure? And we based our response on this view.

Reporter, Male # 1
Two essential matters can be understood from the statement by the Iranian official. The first one is that Iran is not ready to resume the talks or dialogue over the talks, which some are expecting to take place next fall. Iran is not ready to resume these talks in light of the threats and the sanctions. For this reason, there are some who believe that these new sanctions will have an effect on the Iranian decision to renew these talks. The second issue is Iranian national interests. Mahmoud Ahmadi indicated that these interests are the top priority for the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in any future negotiation. In turn, Iranians confirm that talks will be held according to, what is known here, as the tripartite Tehran Declaration.

Presenter, Female # 1
Thank you very much Mohamed Hasan al-Bahrani from Tehran.

At least 45 civilians, many of them women and children, were killed in a rocket attack by the NATO-led force in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province last week. An afghan government spokesman said the incident happened in Helmand Province on Friday when civilians crammed into a mud-built house to flee fighting between foreign forces and Taliban fighters. A spokesman for the international stabilization force said the incident was under investigation, it came as a top US military officer said more NATO troops will die fighting in Afghanistan this summer.

Presenter, Male # 1
Why are the Iraqi refugees, who fled their country in fear of the killing and abuse that came after the American occupation in 2003, still, for the fourth consecutive year, the largest group of asylum seekers across the world? If their country is indeed stable, and life is promising, secure and normal as some current officials claim. These questions, and more, that examine the case of Iraq’s refugees and displaced, who are one of the many faces of the Iraqi ordeal in light of the occupation, will be discussed with our guest, in this episode of “Political Dialogue”, entitled “Iraq’s refugees and displaced: The enduring ordeal”. Mr. Mohammad al-Dayri, human rights expert and regional representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugee Affairs, welcome to this week’s episode of “Political Dialogue” and to Rafadain Satellite Channel. Let us watch the report first.

Reporter, Male # 3
Until today, Iraqis are still sharing the deprivation, misery, displacement and hardship of their country.There is little comfort and reassurance under US occupation and its current political strategy that started in 2003. This is one of the many Baghdadi families that had to leave its neighborhood, jobs and houses due to sectarian threats. They have since resettled in the province of al-Anbar.

Guest, Female # 1
We were displaced in 2006. Our displacement was caused by the Americans, who break into houses and attack them on a daily basis.You know, we are women so we worry about our children and ourselves. That was the reason for our displacement. They threatened my brother; they left him a letter telling him that if he doesn’t move, they would kill him. I used to have four brothers and I only have one left, the last hope. So we worry about him, and we came to the Anbar region.

Reporter, Male # 3
Even though the province welcomed these families and provided them with some financial assistance and security, it was still not enough to meet the necessities of life.

Guest, Male # 4
The reason for our displacement was sectarianism, so I came to al-Anbar Province. I was received by the Department of Immigration and Refugees. Right now, I am renting a house for 700,000, in addition to paying for a generator. I mean, I don’t have any money, my situation is not good.

Reporter, Male # 3
The regression of the security situation in Iraq, the increasing unemployment rate and the government and its institutions’ disregard for the ongoing suffering has accounted for another, yet darker, image of the Iraqi reality, which is under US occupation and enduring its harsh political and security policies.

Presenter, Male # 1
Mr. Dayri, as a regional representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugee Affairs, what are the goals of the commission and how is it trying to accomplish them?

Guest, Male # 2 (Mr. Mohammad al-Dayri, Representative, U.N. High Commission for Refugee Affairs)
Apart from for the case you just showed, which is an important one, the case of Iraqi refugees today. For the most part, the commission tries to help the host nations who accommodate the refugees by welcoming them into the country and aiding them. According to the numbers we released two weeks ago from the headquarters in Geneva, the commission helps 10 million refugees and most of them live in developing countries. These countries don’t have the financial and other needs required to aid the refugees, so we are present in these countries in order to help them carry the burden. We contribute in aiding and ensuring the safety of the refugees.

Presenter, Female #1
A French entrepreneur is opposed to fining women for wearing the niqab in public places. He showed us his house, which is up for sale because he wants to establish a special fund to pay the fines of the women who insist on wearing the niqab in public. More details in the following report.

Reporter, Male #1
Rachid Nekkaz seems to be angry in front of cameras and police at the entrance of the French parliament, where he is protesting the law to ban the niqab. He considers the law to be unconstitutional. Nekkaz is not a Muslim; he supports the ban on the niqab on the condition that it be confined to government offices, but opposes the extension of the law to limit the freedom to wear it in public. He is selling his house to pay the 150 euro fine of any woman who wears the niqab.

Guest, Male #1 (Rachid Nekkaz, Chairman of Defense for Niqab Association in France)
I decided to establish a solidarity fund to pay all the fines. I’m going to sell a house that I co-own with my wife to sponsor a one million euro fund. There are 500 women who wear the niqab, so to pay all their fines we need one million euros every year.

Reporter, Male #1
Many candidates are available to send their fines for Rachid Nekkaz to pay, and they won’t easily retreat from wearing the niqab.

Guest, Female #1
Since voting on the law, I have been having nightmares every night. I see myself naked on the street and thinking that they will force me to take off my clothes. I will not take off my niqab, and I will resist with all the legal methods that I have access to.

Reporter, Male #1
The entrepreneur promoted his project by distributing fliers among the people wearing the niqab in the suburbs of Paris, urging them to support the civil project in favor of the niqab. It was warmly welcomed by women who may get fined in the future.

Guest, Female #2
This provides a lot of help and encouragement for us to wear it more often in public.

Reporter, Male #1
The one million euros will allow women to wear the niqab on the French street for another whole year; paying the fines is a form of resistance against the ban.

Guest, Male #1 ((Rachid Nekkaz, Chairman of Defense for Niqab Association in France)
The law will become unfeasible and ineffective. Why? Because with the help of the solidarity fund, women will continue to wear the niqab.

Reporter, Male #1
In addition to selling his house, Nekkaz said that he received 37,000 euros one day after he started the fund. However, he won’t start paying the fines of women wearing the niqab until next spring, when the law comes into full effect and the niqab begins to be driven out of the street. Mohammed Alut, BBC, Paris.


** Mosaic News is produced by Jamal Dajani. Contact: mosaicnews{at}linktv{dot}org