Presenter, Male #1
In Egypt, former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi called on the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice party to withdraw the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsy, from the runoff round. Candidate of the Freedom and Justice party, Mohamed Morsy, confirmed he will continue to participate in the runoff round that starts tomorrow. Morsy's statements came after the Supreme Constitutional Court's ruling that the laws on political rights and parliamentary elections are unconstitutional.

Reporter, Male #2
The Supreme Constitutional Court's verdict added to the complexity of the political scene in Egypt. The first verdict invalidates amendments made to the parliamentary elections law, and led to dissolving the entire People's Assembly less than five months after it was elected. Some lawyers believe the verdict will lead to the dissolution of the Constituent Committee that parliament just formed and tasked with drafting the constitution. It is expected for the ruling military council, which regained legislative powers, to issue a constitutional declaration for the formation of a committee in the coming hours. The consequences of the verdict may also extend to the Shura Council. Experts confirm the council, which was elected on the basis of the same unconstitutional law, could be dissolved in case of an appeal. As for the court's verdict that invalidated the disenfranchisement law, it provided a lifeline for presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister in the era of former President Mubarak.

Guest Male #3 (Ahmed Shafiq, Presidential Candidate)
A short while ago, the Constitutional Court issued a historical verdict, and declared the disenfranchisement law unconstitutional.

Guest, Female #1
We are very happy with this verdict because it is fair. We can't just make up laws as we please. It would have been a disgrace if the Constitutional Court had approved this law, because it could be used to disqualify any candidate.

Reporter, Male #2
The court's decision shocked the Muslim Brotherhood that had been in control of almost half of the seats in parliament. And in addition to losing this majority in parliament, it also failed to disqualify Shafiq who is competing in the runoff round against the Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsy. The brotherhood described these two verdicts, and the decision to grant the military council judicial powers, as counter-revolutionary.

Guest, Male #4 (Mohamed Morsy, Muslim Brotherhood Presidential Candidate)
If the election process is fraudulent then the results are already known. There will be a massive revolution against the criminals.

Reporter, Male #2
Several revolutionary forces viewed the court's ruling, and the military council's regained legislative powers, as a "soft counter-revolution." This led these forces to call for massive protests in the coming days.

Guest, Male #5
The verdict is invalid. Where's the justice? No reasonable person would allow the one who killed our brothers, plotted the "battle of the camel," and served Mubarak's regime, and said that Mubarak is a role model, to be in the race and then reinstall Mubarak's regime. Where's the reason, and where's the justice? We revolted, and any revolution in the world would not bring back an oppressive regime.

Reporter, Male #2
The two verdicts came less than 48 hours before the start of the presidential runoff round, which the military council confirmed will be held as scheduled, in the next two days. This means the elected president will come to power without a constitution, or a parliament to monitor them, rendering the political scene even more confusing and complicated. Mohamed el-Sayed, BBC.

Anti-government sentiment continues to run high in Jordan after recent price hikes sent protestors to the streets of Amman, Karak, and Tafeiih to demand reforms.

Bahrain is in turmoil; police are conducting a brutal crackdown on protestors after Friday prayers. Demonstrators were attacked as they neared the capital Manama. Protests continue nearby.

Thousands of Yemenis were out on the streets of Yemen again after Friday prayers. Protests occurred in cities such as Taiz and Sanaa. Demonstrators are calling on the army to protect the country and want the prosecution of Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Presenter, Female #1
Our Al Jazeera correspondent in Yemen said 20 al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar al-Sharia gunmen were killed, and the Yemeni army regained control of the southern city of Shaqra, forcing the group to withdraw.

Presenter, Male #1
The battles of the past few days have led many residents to flee, leaving behind a large number of landmines that the army is trying to clear.

Reporter, Male #2
On the road to south Yemen, where battles have been their fiercest for some time, it seems army forces and their allied popular committees are making considerable gains against al-Qaeda gunmen. This time, it is the city of Shaqra; the third city in Abyan province that the army has recaptured after having been controlled by al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar al-Sharia gunmen for nearly a year. Local officials say al-Qaeda gunmen left Shaqra the same way they left Zinjibar, and Jaar, and the southern Abyan province is now almost completely in their control. Battles end, but their traces run deep in the lives of the people. Among these traces are the landmines; they were planted after armed groups took control of the cities. These soldiers and volunteers are trying to look for what they describe as a large number of mines.

Guest, Male #3
The whole land, all of the land was planted with mines. All of it. Yesterday we had more than five explosions.

Reporter, Male #2
These are some images of a post-battle scene. Families living in these houses had to flee with a few of their belongings, and seek refuge elsewhere. They then started appealing to the government to rescue and shelter families displaced by the battles.

Guest, Male #4
They destroyed and stole our homes. We desperately need housing right now.

Guest, Female #2
Houses have been destroyed. People are scared of the mines. There is no electricity. No water. So many things in Abyan have been destroyed.

Reporter, Male #2
Yemen is witnessing a major campaign against al-Qaeda gunmen in many parts of the country. This is the main challenge for the new Yemeni leadership after the squares of the revolution calmed down.

Presenter, Female #1
Eighteen people were killed today in Daraa, amid reports of a new massacre that claimed the lives of nine farmers. Meanwhile, Russia denied holding talks on a post-Assad transition.

Reporter, Female #2
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied a statement issued by the US and echoed by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirming that talks are underway between Russia and the US on a post-Assad transition in Syria. During a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad, Lavorv said Russia didn't and will not hold these types of talks because making a decision on behalf of the Syrian people contradicts its position.

Guest, Male #1 (Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister)
This is not true, and we are not holding such talks. We don't dictate or interfere in internal Syrian affairs. We don't impose on the Syrians solutions to their internal problems.

Reporter, Female #2
For his part, Robert Mood, the head of the UN observer mission in Syria said that violence has been intensifying purposely by both parties in the past 10 days, with both sides incurring losses and posing significant risks to the UN observers.

Guest, Male #2 (Robert Mood, Head of UN Observer Mission in Syria)
The escalating violence is limiting our ability to observe, to verify, to report as well as assist in the dialogue and stability. There appears to be a push toward achieving military gains instead of seeking a peaceful transition in the country.

Reporter, Female #2
In Turkey, representatives from the various Syrian opposition groups began a two-day meeting in Istanbul, aimed at unifying their positions as confirmed by the former head of the National Council, Burhan Ghalioun. Representatives from several Arab and western countries will attend the meeting. On the ground, 18 people, including women and children, were killed in Daraa, which is witnessing fierce clashes. Opposition websites showed scenes of demonstrators being targeted by the regime during protests held under the slogan, "Collecting arms and money and getting ready for an all-out mobilization." Several Syrian cities witnessed demonstrations denouncing the Syrian president and demanding the downfall of the regime. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that fierce clashes erupted in the countrysides of Aleppo and Damascus, and Deir Az-Zour, with fierce clashes continuing in Homs. In another related development, the town of al-Hamuriyah in the countryside of Damascus witnessed a massacre, in which nine farmers were slaughtered. Similar to other massacres, the regime and the opposition exchanged the blame. Meanwhile, Syrian state TV announced the arrest of Mohammed Hossam al-Sidki, a member of al-Qaeda, who was planning to blow himself up during Friday prayers at the al-Rifai mosque. Al-Sidki confessed that there were other suicide bombers with similar missions in other mosques.

Presenter, Female #1
In Morocco, the Joint Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees organized a protest in front of the National Human Rights Council in Rabat. The committee condemned being prevented from protesting in front of Sale prison, where a number of Islamist detainees are held. It also denounced the continued harassment and torture of the prisoners.

Reporter, Male #1
A number of Islamist prisoners have been waging a hunger strike since April 9, in protest to the torture and abuse they are subjected to, and the terrible conditions they live under in the prisons. Islamist prisoners condemned the state for reneging on the March 25, 2011 agreement. According to the prisoners, the agreement included promises to release them in batches and to grant them all their legitimate rights until their release.

Guest, Male #2 (Anas Halwa, Spokesman for Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees)
They were arrested as part of a global campaign against what was called "terrorism." They were put in prison for no reason, and they have not committed any crimes. We confirm their right to freedom, and dignity since they are innocent.

Reporter, Male #1
In light of the deteriorating heath of the strikers, and what the Joint Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees called the government's policy of deaf ears, it organized a protest in front of the National Human Rights Council after being prevented from holding a similar demonstration in front of the Sale prison, where a number of Salafi detainees are held.

Guest, Female #2 (Khadija Ryadi, President of Moroccan Association for Human Rights)
We are here to raise awareness about the case of these political prisoners, and to demand their release, especially since a number of them are victims of political detention.

Reporter, Male #1
It seems the faith the prisoners and their families had in the Benkirane government to put an end to their suffering has started to dissipate. The protestors accused Benkirane of failing to meet his obligations, especially those related to making slogans he used in favor of freedom, justice, and dignity, a reality.

Guest, Male #3
What happened in Moroccan prisons during the rule of the new government is uglier and worst than what happened during the former government's rule.

Reporter, Male #1
In response to the accusations by Islamist prisoners and their family members, who demanded the sacking of the prisons' delegate general, the prison administration issued a statement saying no violations have been committed against Islamist prisoners. The statement also confirmed adequate conditions are provided to those prisoners, who are not being tortured or interrogated.

Palestinian snipers from the Gaza Strip fired at an Israel farmer in Kibbutz Oz near the Eshkol Regional Council. Several hours later, a mortar shell from Gaza landed in the same area; no injuries or damage were reported.

Shlomi Zecharia, an Israeli attorney who represents Palestinian landowners in the Ulpana dispute, came forward to complain about Israel using the case as a pretext to build new housing units in the West Bank settlements, adding that the government is taking an active part in the "Price Tag" policy.

Presenter, Male #1
As part of the Israeli occupation's political and economic war on the Palestinian people, its government continues to pressure member states of the International Council on Monuments and Sites to disregard the application to include the Church of the Nativity on the list of World Heritage sites.

Reporter, Male #2
This is the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the same church the Israeli occupation's government besieged during the al-Aqsa Intifada, or the Second Uprising. It launched rockets of hatred on the church, martyring and wounding a number of people. Today, Israel is attempting to prevent the church from being listed on the World Heritage sites.

Guest, Male #3 (Mohamed Aqanah, Photographer)
It's a substitution, because the goal is for them to replace the Palestinian people. So they cannot acknowledge any heritage, or culture, or historic landmark that connects the Palestinians to their origin. That's why they are even trying to change history and take it away from us. So this campaign works the same way they turned Palestinian folklore into Israeli folklore, and Palestinian dishes into Israeli dishes. They are trying to erase the world's memory of the Palestinian people.

Reporter, Male #2
In response to the occupation's pressure, the International Council on Monuments and Sites recommended for the application submitted by the state of Palestine to list the Church of the Nativity on the World Heritage sites, to be dismissed on technical grounds. This comes as part of the war waged by the occupation's government on the rights of the Palestinian people.

Guest, Male #4 (Hamdan Taha, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities)
To include the city of Bethlehem on the list of World Heritage sites is a natural entitlement for Palestine. This site, along with other sites that are on the preliminary list, contains the elements that qualify it to be a World Heritage site. It is a rightful claim and an acknowledgement of Palestine's role.

Reporter, Male #2
So it is another attempt to Judaize historic and religious Palestinian sites. It extends to depriving Palestine from the right to preserve its religious, historic and tourist sites from the occupation's oppression, and to develop its infrastructure. May God protect the pure site that witnessed the birth of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. It is the Church of the Nativity, the nativity of Christ, peace be upon him, and Palestine's first redeemer. Palestine does not need the recognition of the world and its organizations; rather, it needs a fair stance for this people and their rights. Alaa el-Din al-Abed, Palestine TV, Church of the Nativity.

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