Presenter, Male #1
Fifteen people were killed in another day of ongoing violence in Syria. More people view the situation as civil war as regime forces escalate their shelling of the armed opposition's strongholds in multiple provinces with the use of warplanes and mortar shells.The besieged town of al-Haffa may be witnessing a massacre, committed daily in the country, as the United Nations and Washington warn of the possibility of a horrific massacre happening in the city. Hani Nasser has the details.

Reporter, Male #2
Shelling, destruction and bloodshed. These few words summarize another bloody day of the Syrian crisis. The Syrians are paying a higher price for the crisis every day. The smell of death has become part of their daily lives. In Rastan and Talbisa of Homs, the continuous shelling left dozens killed and injured. Meanwhile, the neighborhoods of Deir az-Zour endured mortar shelling by regime forces. The town of Hiritan in Aleppo province was not spared from similar shelling, after the town witnessed clashes between the regime's army and opposition gunmen in the past several days.

Guest, Female #1
Why did they destroy our houses? Aren't we people? Aren't we humans?

Reporter, Male #2
Seven days of shelling has turned the city of al-Haffa in Latakia into an area isolated from the outside world. There is no medicine or food in the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. This prompted UN envoy Kofi Annan to demand the Syrian government, which has been put on the blacklist by the international organization, to allow international observers into the city. The demand was echoed with an appeal from the office of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to end the bloodshed. Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the dangerous escalation of armed violence and the severe danger that civilians are exposed to. He pointed to the increasing intensity of battles between the regime's forces and opposition gunmen, and spoke for the first time of the regime's use of warplanes to shell the opposition's strongholds. Demands, appeals and statements continue to be made while the scene on the ground remains the same: the death toll is on the rise, and the Syrians' blood continues to be shed. So how will all these statements and appeals help with what is happening on the ground?

Presenter, Male #1
In this context, Ahmed Fauzi, spokesman for Kofi Annan, the UN-Arab League mediator on Syria, said Annan is hoping to convene a meeting for the International Contact Group on Syria. He said the meeting aims to reinforce the implementation of Annan's six-point peace plan, instead of drawing a new plan. In addition, the United Nations pointed in its latest report to another aspect of the Syrian crisis. The UN report, titled "Children in Armed Conflicts", indicated that Syrian forces tortured and executed children as young as eight years old, and used them as human shields during their military operations against dissidents. The report added that government forces gathered dozens of children between the ages of eight and 13, before they launched an attack on the town of Ein Larose in Idlib on March 9. For his part, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the report revealed one of the many and dangerous violations against children. The United States expressed the same concerns. The spokesperson for the US State Department, Victoria Nuland, warned Syrian commanders of committing additional crimes against civilians, reminding them that the international community will hold accountable everyone involved in the massacres committed in Syria.

Guest, Female #2 (Victoria Nuland, Spokesperson for the US State Department)
The United States joins joint special envoy Kofi Annan in expressing deep alarm at reports from inside Syria that the regime may be organizing another massacre. And we remind Syrian commanders of one of the lessons from Bosnia: The international community can and does learn what units were responsible for crimes against humanity and you will be held responsible for your actions.

The drumbeats of a war on Syria are growing louder, Israel now appears to be laying the ground work of a possible military attack. An Israeli deputy minister says he is concerned about the chemical stockpiles in Syria. Ayoob Kara says these chemicals could fall into the wrong hands or even be used by Damascus to launch against Israeli forces, and that argument is being used to justify a preemptive strike on Syria.

The Afghan president says foreign troops must stop bombing homes and killing civilians. The repeated call by the president comes in response to the recent US-led air raid on Logar Province. The attack left 18 civilians dead including women and children.

Presenter, Male #1
Tunisian Interior Minister Ali al-Areed said he expects acts of violence by groups affiliated with Salafi force and others to continue over the next few days, indicating that these acts were inspired by al-Qaeda. Protests and violence erupted in the capital Tunis after an art exhibit displaying portraits was considered offensive to Islam by Salafis. The Interior Ministry announced the arrests of dozens of people.

Reporter, Female #1
Clashes in some areas of the densely populated capital continued until the early morning hours. According to the Interior Ministry, the clashes erupted overnight between security forces and groups affiliated with Salafi forces, and vandals in several neighborhoods of the capital Tunis. Vandalism, burning and looting affected security and judicial institutions, and syndicates. Protesters say the reason is the display of portraits they considered offensive to Islam.

Guest, Male #2
This is a Muslim country; we believe that there no there is god but God, and Mohammed is his messenger.

Guest, Male #3
They insulted the prophet, peace be upon him, and they insulted God.
We came here to defend the messenger of God and to defend God.

Guest, Male #4
They ridiculed our religion, God and our messenger, peace be upon him.

Reporter, Female #1
This is the headquarters of the lower court, in the area of Sijumi. It was subject to burning and looting, resulting in the destruction of some of its content, and a debate hall was also burned.

Reporter, Female #1
As for the deputy chair of the constituent assembly, who was present there, she said part of the responsibility lies with the parents of the vandals.

Guest, Female #2
Parents should know where their children are. Who are using these children, who come here to burn and loot? Don't tell me they are learning this in the mosque. They are staying out until 9 or 10 at night; they don't go home, and you don't even bother to ask about them? This is a criminal act, and these are criminals, regardless of the way they dress or look. These are criminals against their country.

Reporter, Female #1
In response, the Interior Ministry said it, quote, "conducted an arrest campaign of Salafis and other vandals." The Salafis or the ones affiliated with that force participated in the recent acts of violence, which resulted in the burning of security headquarters and stores selling alcoholic beverages. This comes as many express fear of the spread of religious extremism under the elected government that is dominated by Islamists. Many hold this government accountable for not taking strict measure against acts of violence. Wafa Zayan, BBC.

Presenter, Male #1
Military sources said the Yemeni army has driven al-Qaeda from Zinjibar and taken full control of the region.

Presenter, Female #1
The Yemeni Defense Ministry confirmed the army managed to enter Jaar today and seized control of the city. The city of Jaar is the main headquarters of the al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar al-Sharia group.

Reporter, Male #2
The Yemeni Defense Ministry announced that the Yemeni army launched an offensive on Jaar from several directions; the city is the main headquarters of the al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar al-Sharia group. The ministry confirmed that its forces have taken full control of the city. The attack killed dozens of the group's armed fighters and a number of soldiers, while local sources said residents fled to neighboring areas to escape the battles. Fighters from popular committees participated in the "Golden Swords" operation, as the army called the offensive that was considered the largest operation carried out by the army against groups linked to al-Qaeda. These groups have imposed their control over areas of Abyan province for over a year. The army also expanded the range of its operation to reach the coastal regions located by the shipping routes, in anticipation of entering the coastal region of Shaqra, which the authorities describe as the armed groups' gateway to Yemen from Somalia.

The offensive comes within the framework of a military campaign that the army launched in May, with a 25,000-strong force, aimed at recovering the regions in Abyan that al-Qaeda controlled. According to international sources, the United States is supporting the Yemeni army in launching air strikes on the sites of armed groups, in addition to providing military consultation that helped the army achieve progress after repelling al-Qaeda fighters from the city of Lawdar. However, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the army's attacks cut off food and medical supplies, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. In addition, thousands of others are trapped in the towns where battles are ongoing.

Presenter, Female #1
Our Al-Alam correspondent in Cairo confirmed the election process is ongoing for the members of the Constituent Committee that will be tasked with drafting the constitution. Our correspondent reported Counselor Hossam al-Ghariani- affiliated sources indicated that he may be appointed as president of the Constituent Committee. Members of the Egyptian parliament will elect 100 individuals, among 1,300 candidates, to represent the country's different social, religious, and political components. Parliamentary speaker, Saad el-Katatny, announced the voting turn-out was 67 percent, after 57 members withdrew. The April 6th movement announced its endorsement of presidential candidate Mohamed Morsy. Meanwhile, demonstrations endorsing and supporting Morsy are continuing to take place in different governorates including Giza, Aswan, Suez and Sharqiya where Salafis scholars and the religious assembly called on people to vote for the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsy.

Reporter, Male #1
These large masses are continuing to participate in demonstrations in different Egyptian governorates and cities to endorse and support the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsy, in the run-off presidential elections. The demonstrations, which took off from Giza, were headed by parties, and political and nationalist forces, most notably, the campaigns of Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, and Hamdeen Sabahy. They repeated chants in support of Morsy, assuring their unity against Ahmed Shafiq, the candidate representing the remnants of the deposed regime, and the last prime minister during Hosni Mubarak's era. In Aswan, demonstrations were also held to endorse Morsy. Participants confirmed their rejection of a counter-boycott of the remnants of the defunct regime. The 6th of October City witnessed protests, solidarity campaigns and a large conference organized by the Freedom and Justice party, during which the audience assured their position against the deposed party and their rejection to allowing it to return to power once again. They called on Egyptians to remember the past and learn it.

And from the 6th of October City to Suez, Salah Abu Ismail's campaign confirmed its support of the Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsy, its united stand against the remnants of the regime, and expressed support for exposing all the corruption of the past years. The endorsement of Morsy was confirmed by Salafi scholars and the religious assembly in al-Sharqiya governorate, where the Salafi group organized a large conference to support Morsy. The conference condemned the media's role in distorting the facts. The secretary general of the Sharia Committee for Rights and Reform, Mohamed Yousry, called on everyone to save the revolution, assuring that Islamic parties and religious assemblies endorse Morsy, considering that he represents the revolution, and Islamic ideology.

The nationwide sweep for illegal immigrants continued today. The immigration authority ordered all undocumented people in the country to contact their offices to coordinate voluntary departure from Israel or risk detention and expulsion.

Presenter, Male #1
The al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage revealed that the occupation authorities are carrying out by the largest excavation project yet under the holy al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Reporter, Male #2
These images were recently taken of what was described as the largest excavation campaign underneath and in the immediate surroundings of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque. The al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage, which reported the news, confirmed that the digging coincided with an unprecedented campaign of counterfeiting archaeological assets, which aims at creating an artificial Jewish city beneath and above the ground in the surroundings of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.

Guest, Male #3 (Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestinian Monasteries)
This digging, ongoing in our modern times, attempts to create the illusion that there is a Jewish city underground, in this area, in the western wall and the southwestern wall of al-Aqsa Mosque, and that this area is connected to tunnels that perhaps are underneath al-Aqsa Mosque. There are tunnels leading to Silwan and tunnels leading to the Old City. In fact, there is an "octopus tunneling" across the holy city of Jerusalem.

Reporter, Male #2
The al-Aqsa Foundation quoted certain occupation bodies and their media mouthpieces saying the occupation authorities are implementing the largest excavation project near al-Aqsa Mosque in 150 years. They added that the past decade has witnessed an unprecedented increase of digging at al-Aqsa Mosque. The digging reached its peak as tunnels were dug underneath the far southwestern corner of the mosque, more precisely beneath the prayers' hall of the Islamic Museum. In addition, there are connected tunnels along the western wall, which have become known as the "western wall tunnels", as well as in al-Buraq Square.

Guest, Male #3
The tunnels reveal Islamic relics, and some Byzantine and Roman relics. All of this has been unveiled. But what concerns us about these tunnels is the great damage they inflict on the Islamic facilities and the holy sites of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.

Reporter, Male #2
These actions, carried out by the occupation state deep inside the holy city, come in the framework of the ongoing operations to judaize the city and falsify history. This state has excelled in such actions during its occupation of Palestinian land.

** Contact Mosaic News: mosaicnews{at}linktv{dot}org