[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 10/12/12: World News From The Middle East [VIDEO]

Presenter, Male #1
In Egypt, an official statement issued by the Egyptian Ambulance Organization concerning this explosive situation said that more than 40 protestors were injured in the stone-throwing and clashes that erupted earlier today between Islamists and liberals, who crowded Tahrir Square after Friday prayers. The clashes resulted in the destruction of the stage of the liberal Wafd party, following chants against Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi. Tahrir Square is now witnessing a protest titled, "Accountability Friday."

Presenter, Male #1
Protestors are divided into three groups: the liberals, the Muslim Brotherhood supporters, and the April 6th movement. They are also calling for the retrial of defendants accused of killing protestors in what is known as the Battle of the Camels, which took place during the January 25th revolution.

Presenter, Male #1
Joining us from Tahrir Square is BBC correspondent Mohamed Abdel Hay. Mohamed, what is the situation now? Have the clashes calmed down, or have they escalated?

Correspondent Male #2 (Mohamed Abdel Hay)
The situation at the moment has returned to protests that are relatively more organized. However, a short while ago, there were still clashes between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal front, as well as political parties and forces that participated in this demonstration, known as "Accountability Friday" or "The Friday of the Constitution."

Correspondent Male #2
On the other hand, there are also participants in a demonstration to support President Mohamed Morsi's decisions, the latest of which was sacking the attorney general and appointing him as Egypt's ambassador to the Vatican. The clashes led the Muslim Brotherhood group and its supporters to withdraw from the Square. It seems that the square is the tension point between these two groups. Therefore, the "hit-and-runs" are centered in Tahrir Square and the streets surrounding it. Now it seems that there is clear control of the Square by a number of protestors who belong to Egyptian liberal parties, and who participated in "Accountability and Constitution Friday." There was a relative withdrawal of the Muslim Brotherhood group. However, this situation hasn't been fixed.

Presenter, Male #1
Mohamed, do you think that the withdrawal of the Brotherhood was politically motivated, or merely due to pressure from the rival demonstrators?

Correspondent Male #2
Let's focus on one specific issue, Mekki. This demonstration was not an official decision. It was an invitation. Therefore, the protest and participants in Tahrir, and the supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood, are lacking political organization or supervision. They're here based on their own personal decision. Their withdrawal may not be based on any political decision. As I said, the withdrawal was a relative one. "Hit-and-run" acts between protestors will quickly return to Tahrir Square, and the Muslim Brotherhood will return to control the Square.

Correspondent Male #2
We must also note the decreasing numbers of Muslim Brotherhood supporters, who had been present this afternoon. The numbers are now less than what they were in the morning. It's clear that the liberals' forces, and other political forces, are continuously increasing in number. It seems like they're mobilizing to show a stronger presence in Tahrir Square.

Presenter, Female #1
African forces launched large military operations along the road that connects the capital, Mogadishu, to the region of Bai, southeast of Mogadishu. It's an attempt by the forces to lessen the influence of the al-Shabab movement.

Presenter, Male #1
African forces succeeded in taking control of the city of Wanlaweyn, as well as the Beli Dogle Military Airport, which is located 100 kilometers southeast of Mogadishu.

Reporter, Male #2
While expanding their military operations outside Mogadishu, African and Somali forces took control of the Beli Dogle Military Airport, which is situated about 100 kilometers south of Mogadishu. The operation that gave them control came after African forces sent in dozens of their tanks and heavy military equipment in preparation for any surprise attack by the jihadist al-Shabab movement. But the latter withdrew quietly, which opened the field for African forces to enter the city without resistance.

Guest, Male #3 (Nauan Jaba, Leader of Regional African Forces)
This operation falls under the plan that was drawn up by the military leadership. We are now in the city of Wanlaweyn. We have taken control of the Beli Dogle Airport, and we will continue to advance until we tie these forces of ours to the rest of the African and Somali forces in the city of Beidawa. There will be no backtracking or slowing down.

Reporter, Male #2
The importance of the Beni Dogle Airport lies in it being a connecting point between three main regions, which are the Lower Shabelle, Hiran, and Bai. It will also contribute in the future to easing logistical operations by African forces, which are preparing to confront the al-Shabab movement in those areas. Despite the victory achieved by African and Somali forces here, residents appear worried about the repercussions that this development will bring.

Guest, Male #4
We are fine so far, and hope for the best. These forces reached the city and have not caused us any problems up to this point. What's important is that we're fine.

Reporter, Male #2
Amid the population's fear and apprehension, and the conflicting sides' insistence to continue fighting, this vast, beautiful area awaits a new wave of confrontations that could last a long time. As much as the African forces provide comfort, their expanding scope of control sparks fears for the government, since the al-Shabab movement still remains capable of draining these forces in a guerrilla war. This was what forced the new Somali president to ask for additional foreign troops to maintain their military gains. Jamea Nour, Al Jazeera, Mogadishu.

Presenter, Male #1
An opinion poll carried out by the Thomson-Reuters Foundation showed that Saudi Arabia is the world's second-worst country, after India, with regard to violence that targets women. The poll included several factors such as education, healthcare, and work opportunities.

Reporter, Female #1
There's another negative testimony against Saudi Arabia's ruling al-Saud family, and this time it's Western. It is the second-worst country in the world for the treatment of women, after India. Women in this kingdom suffer from constraints that are not even condoned by God.

Reporter, Female #1
An opinion poll was carried out by the Thomson-Reuters Foundation in 19 developing and developed countries. It was about violence against women in these countries, which include Mexico, Brazil, and India. Though the poll's results may have surprised many, it was expected by the majority, which is aware of the rights situation that is exhausting for women in the kingdom.

Reporter, Female #1
What's exciting is the silence from official international organizations on the report, since they speak loudly in defense of women and rights. The poll took several factors into consideration, such as education, healthcare, work opportunities, and violence that targets women.

Reporter, Female #1
According to human rights organizations, women in Saudi Arabia suffer from heavy constraints, even in the simplest civil and human rights situations. They are second or perhaps third-class citizens, tied by constraints imposed by the al-Saud regime's mandates and the politics of apartheid. Saudi Arabia is regarded as the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving cars. Not only that, there is a broader system of discrimination against women.

Reporter, Female #1
The Saudi woman is not allowed to make any decisions in her daily life except with the approval of male members of her family, usually her husband, father, brother, or even her son. This means that females cannot work, study, or travel without pre-approval from a guardian. They are unable to access some types of medical care, complete administrative tasks, or go shopping. They are not even able to present a domestic violence complaint without the presence of a guardian, who may be the perpetrator himself. And they are denied not only the ability to be a candidate in elections, but also the ability to vote.

Reporter, Female #1
The facts remain this way, despite promises from King Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz to grant women the right to participate in municipal elections. These promises remain ink on paper.

In eastern Afghanistan, at least four civilians have died in the latest US-led air strike. Local officials say the strike hit residential areas in the town of Andar in Ghazni Province, adding that the victims are two women and two children, while the Taliban put the death toll at seven. The US-led military mission has not yet commented on the incidents.

Afghan officials say that at least ten missiles have been fired at Jalalabad Airport in eastern Afghanistan, with no reports of casualties. Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar Province. The second-biggest US air base in Afghanistan is located in the city's airport. The biggest, Bagram, north of Kabul, has recently been attacked by Taliban militants.

Bahraini regime forces have once again fired tear gas and stun grenades at people protesting in the old market area of central Manama. Activists say at least ten protestors, including several women, were arrested during the demonstration. Another large protest was held along the capital's main highway earlier on Friday, organized by Bahrain's main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq.

The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at a time when it has been battling problems from within. The Nobel committee said that the Union has contributed to the advancement of peace, reconciliation, democracy, and human rights in Europe for over six decades, while acknowledging the EU's current financial problems and social unrest.

Presenter, Male #1
Tensions are escalating between Ankara and Damascus. This news comes after Turkish fighter jets confronted a Syrian military helicopter that shelled the border town of Azmarin. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed reports that a Syrian plane grounded by Turkey was carrying weapons.

Reporter, Female #1
The tense Turkish-Syrian relationship has escalated to a new level. Relations between Ankara and Damascus took a turn for the worst after Turkish authorities intercepted and seized weapons aboard a Syrian passenger plane from Moscow that was en route to Damascus.

Reporter, Female #1
Two Turkish fighter jets that had taken off from Diyarbakir fended off a Syrian helicopter approaching the Syrian-Turkish border. A Turkish official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Turkey immediately sent two fighter jets to its border with Syria after a Syrian military helicopter bombed the border town of Azmarin. The town and adjacent cities have been witnessing fierce battles between fighters of the Free Syrian Army and regime forces.

Reporter, Female #1
In the latest news on the Syrian plane grounded by Turkish authorities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that the plane was not carrying any weapons on board. This news comes amid an exchange of blame, after Damascus accused Ankara of lying. In what was attributed to a Russian arms exporting source, the Russian Kommersant newspaper reported that the plane was not carrying weapons. The source added that the plane was carrying 12 boxes of Russian radar parts for Syria's anti-missile defense system.

Reporter, Female #1
Politically, the Syrian crisis was the focus of discussion between the Saudi King, Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz, and the international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi. The talks, which were held in the city of Jeddah, centered on ways to stop all acts of violence and bloodshed, terrorization of civilians, and violations of human rights.

Reporter, Female #1
On a Friday dubbed, "The Free People of the Coast Making Victory," Syrian opposition forces intensified their attacks on regime forces' strategic hubs in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo in the north. Nearly 14 Syrian soldiers and six opposition fighters were killed in an attack on an army checkpoint in the village of Khirba near Ma'araba in the southern province of Daraa, as confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Reporter, Female #1
Meanwhile, fierce battles are raging around the city of Maarat al-Numaan in Idlib, which fell under the control of opposition fighters a few days ago. Opposition fighters are seeking to expand their control over the entire area, and over supply routes to the city of Aleppo.

Presenter, Male #1
Yesterday in Jordan, Abdullah Ensour's government took oath before the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II, who tasked it with preparing for the parliamentary elections at the beginning of next year. Ensour asserted that restoring public confidence is one of the primary tasks of his government. He acknowledged that the challenge remains of conducting free and fair elections. Salwa al-Sawalka reports from Amman.

Reporter, Female #1
Abdallah Ensour's government consists of 20 ministers who took an oath before the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II. The government doesn't include women or new faces, except for the Minister of Labor, Nidal Qatamin, and the Minister of Political Development, Bassam Haddadin.

Guest, Male #2 (Abdullah Ensour, Jordanian Prime Minister)
We are committed, as a government and as a state, to having free and fair elections.

Reporter, Female #1
Before announcing the cabinet, the prime minister engaged in dialogue with Islamists and unions. The dialogue was not necessarily aiming to integrate them into the government, as much as it was to assure to them that the elections are going be conducted with fairness and transparency.

Guest, Male #2
The Islamist movement is a leading movement. As a government, we extend our hand to it, and we extend our hand to all national parties, and to the leftists as well, to contribute in building the future.

Reporter, Female #1
However, those who are boycotting the elections have reservations not against the people, but against the legislature and its policies, according to them.

Guest, Male #3 (Hamza Mansour, Secretary-General, Jordanian Islamic Action Front)
If the government broadly represents and respects the citizens, and if it understands the harsh economic conditions that the citizens are experiencing, I think that the relationship with them will be smoother.

Reporter, Female #1
The government reduced the number of ministers by designating more than one ministerial portfolio for each minister. The prime minister says that this merge is necessary in order to eliminate bureaucracy.

Reporter, Female #1
Abdullah Ensour's government is beginning to implement its strategy of action. This strategy's success is tied to the government's ability to manage elections that will receive the greatest possible participation on both the political and popular levels. Salwa al-Sawalka, Dubai TV, Amman.

The spy drone that penetrated deep into Israel last weekend was deployed by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah organization. In a televised address to his followers, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah confirmed Israeli suspicions, while boasting that the unmanned aerial vehicle succeeded in flying over several military bases before it was shot down by the Israeli Air Forces' F-16 fighter jets near the Dimona nuclear facility.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah station Al Manar has released a simulation of the drone's run, saying that the UAV passed over Israeli naval ships and Israel's gas rigs in the Mediterranean, and were able to avoid detection by Israel's Iron Dome radar.

The Palestinian Authority is facing an impending financial crisis that could lead to its collapse. US State Department Spokesman Victoria Nuland addressed that concern, as well as some USD 200 million in aid that is being held up by the US Congress.

Presenter, Male #1
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad denounced the settler aggression that has targeted olive trees in several provinces in the nation. During his participation in the start of the olive season with residents of the town of Jayyous in Qalqilya Province, Fayyad stated that settlers and the occupation are targeting this blessed tree due to its symbolism for our people.

Reporter, Male #2
Salam Fayyad asserted that the olive tree embodies a close link between man and earth, and is a main source of income for citizens. It's being attacked by the occupation and settlers due to its importance and symbolism for our Palestinian people.

Reporter, Male #2
Fayyad spoke during his participation in the olive season with the residents of the town of Jayyous, in Qalqilya Province, along with the participation of the Ministers of Agriculture and Communications, and a large number of representatives of agencies, organizations, and events.

Guest, Male #3 (Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister)
In addition to being a source of income, the olive tree is a symbol. It signifies the spirit of persistence, of clinging to rights, and of steadfastness, as well as the struggle to exist. For these exact reasons, it appears that the olive tree has become a hostile target, in addition to the targeting of Palestinian existence through their land.

Reporter, Male #2
The Ministry of Agriculture assured that they would continue supporting farmers with all means available, and confront the practices of the occupation-- settlers' violations in general, and rights violations concerning olive trees in particular.

Reporter, Male #2
The province of Qalqilya, like other Palestinian provinces, is suffering around the clock from activities by the occupation and settlers. Over ten thousand farmers from the province were harmed by the erection of the separation barrier, which was at the expense of their land, in addition to the confiscation of vast parts of their land in the province of Qalqilya to erect settlements.

Reporter, Male #2
The town of Jayyous lost most of its land as a result of the apartheid barrier's construction. Residents are unable to reach their land with freedom or ease, in light of the occupation forces' control over movement through the metal gates installed along the separation barrier.

Reporter, Male #2
Several calls were made from several directions to stand by the farmers in the face of settler attacks. During the past days, several towns and villages have suffered night attacks from settlers. They targeted hundreds of olive trees by cutting and burning them, and stealing their crop, in the face of an official Israeli silence. At the start of the olive season every year, occupation authorities and herds of settlers begin practices that target this tree. But Palestinians insist on holding on to this tree, and how could they not? It's the secret of Palestinian existence and resistance. Moeen Shadeed, Palestine TV, from the town of Jayyous, east of Qalqilya.

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