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[00:00.000 --> 00:11.000]  The Guardian has published an interesting article regarding the Malvinas question which has not gone unnoticed in Argentina.
[00:11.000 --> 00:22.000]  British writer and historian Richard Gott analyzed Mercosur state members Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay's recent decision to close their ports to all Malvinas flagships.
[00:22.000 --> 00:27.000]  The UK is asleep while South America is growing in strength and increasingly united.
[00:27.000 --> 00:31.000]  What has changed in recent years is the political climate in Latin America.
[00:31.000 --> 00:36.000]  New governments have appeared across the continent with a progressive and nationalist agenda.
[00:36.000 --> 00:38.000]  They do not always see eye to eye with each other.
[00:38.000 --> 00:49.000]  Their views on economic policy may differ, but they are united in believing their continent should organize itself for the benefit of its own peoples without outside interference.
[00:49.000 --> 00:51.000]  Mr. Gott wrote in this column.
[00:51.000 --> 01:01.000]  Former Argentine ambassador to the UN Emilio Cardenas considers Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, Mercosur's associate member, will play a strategic role in the sovereignty dispute.
[01:01.000 --> 01:06.000]  The big countries to watch are Brazil, Uruguay and Chile.
[01:06.000 --> 01:20.000]  If those three countries take a tough position and do not accept being subject to pressure by the Brits, then they will have to come to the table on bargaining in good faith.
[01:20.000 --> 01:27.000]  It is in today's world kind of unacceptable to say I have nothing to talk to you.
[01:27.000 --> 01:35.000]  First, because it isn't true. You have a lot to talk to me. I have a sovereignty claim. I was there at some point and I was evicted.
[01:35.000 --> 01:36.000]  And then you showed up.
[01:36.000 --> 01:46.000]  Within a new regional scenario, bridges, natural resources, exploitation purposes in the South Atlantic, which have refueled tensions between both countries, could also be affected.
[01:46.000 --> 01:56.000]  If oil is found in commercial quantities, Bridges Foreign Office will be obliged to awake from its long, self-imposed slumber. Richard Gott pointed out in his report.
[01:56.000 --> 02:00.000]  And one has to think about the future.
[02:00.000 --> 02:07.000]  Can you exploit those discoveries without any kind of coastal support?
[02:07.000 --> 02:19.000]  If the region tells the islanders can't do that, because basically what you're drilling for are Argentine resources, which are part of the sovereignty dispute.
[02:19.000 --> 02:28.000]  And therefore we will not deal with the vessels that you will need to go forward with the hydrocarbon exploitation.
[02:28.000 --> 02:42.000]  Common sense, according to the Guardian's article, should take Argentina and the UK to the negotiating table, as Argentine President Cristina Fernández has constantly requested following UN's resolutions over the Malvinas diplomatic row.
[02:42.000 --> 02:45.000]  Constanza Heller, Press TV. Buenos Aires.
[02:45.000 --> 02:58.000]  Three years have passed since Israel waged an all-out war against the Gaza Strip.
[02:58.000 --> 03:06.000]  Home to 1.5 million Palestinians, the tiny coastal enclave was bombarded by 100 Israeli warplanes.
[03:06.000 --> 03:12.000]  During the three-week onslaught, nearly 1,400 Gazans were killed and thousands more injured.
[03:12.000 --> 03:19.000]  Israeli forces used white phosphorus shells and other internationally banned weapons during the war.
[03:19.000 --> 03:27.000]  During a press conference, Hamas' movement accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians.
[03:27.000 --> 03:33.000]  Hamas considers Israeli war crimes in Gaza as another form of Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people.
[03:33.000 --> 03:39.000]  Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinians since the occupation of Palestine in 1948.
[03:39.000 --> 03:48.000]  Hamas calls on the international community and the free people of the world to recognize Israeli occupation as the most dangerous form of terrorism in the world.
[03:48.000 --> 03:59.000]  Paramedics and firefighters from the Gaza civil defense commemorated the third anniversary of the war by driving their vehicles down Gaza's main street at exactly 11 a.m.,
[03:59.000 --> 04:05.000]  which marked the beginning of the war which Israel called Operation Cast Lead.
[04:05.000 --> 04:12.000]  Israel claimed it launched a war to stop the rocket fire from Gaza.
[04:12.000 --> 04:16.000]  International laws and norms were violated by Israel during the war.
[04:16.000 --> 04:21.000]  Israeli forces targeted ambulances and fire trucks and killed doctors and paramedics.
[04:21.000 --> 04:27.000]  They also targeted hospitals and clinics everywhere in Gaza during the course of war.
[04:27.000 --> 04:31.000]  Israel was able to get away with its crimes because of the international silence,
[04:31.000 --> 04:35.000]  but we will continue to demand justice for our victims.
[04:35.000 --> 04:46.000]  The offensive destroyed thousands of houses and devastated a large part of infrastructures in the blockaded strip, including U.N.-run schools and centers.
[04:46.000 --> 04:53.000]  Civil society organizations have called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Gazans.
[04:53.000 --> 05:03.000]  On the third anniversary, we are calling on the international community in order to continue efforts to get Israel, war criminals,
[05:03.000 --> 05:12.000]  accountable on their crimes towards the Palestinian civilians, on the same time to pressure Israel to end the illegal siege,
[05:12.000 --> 05:15.000]  to stop all kinds of aggressions on the Palestinian people.
[05:15.000 --> 05:23.000]  In recent weeks, Israel has been making threats against the Gaza Strip, while Gazans haven't fully recovered from the last war.
[05:23.000 --> 05:28.000]  On the third anniversary of Israel's war on Gaza, Palestinians in the tiny coastal enclaves say
[05:28.000 --> 05:33.000]  Israeli leaders must be held accountable for what they did to innocent civilians.
[05:33.000 --> 05:49.000]  Ashraf Shannon, Press TV Gaza.
[05:49.000 --> 05:53.000]  The chilly wind of recession has already started to blow on Italy.
[05:53.000 --> 06:01.000]  This Christmas was the worst of the last 10 years in terms of revenue, the Consumer Association codicons has warned.
[06:01.000 --> 06:03.000]  Consumption is heavily dropping.
[06:03.000 --> 06:10.000]  Italians spent 400 million euros less than expected on the days leading to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,
[06:10.000 --> 06:16.000]  meaning that each citizen spent about 50 euros less compared to the same period last year.
[06:16.000 --> 06:23.000]  Unfortunately, as predicted by all major consumer associations,
[06:23.000 --> 06:27.000]  two Italians out of three are spending much less compared to last year,
[06:27.000 --> 06:33.000]  and all sectors, wholesalers and retailers, have been heavily affected.
[06:33.000 --> 06:40.000]  Things will seemingly not improve in the coming days as winter sale expenditure are expected to drop by 30-40 percent
[06:40.000 --> 06:44.000]  compared to December 2010, according to codicons.
[06:44.000 --> 06:49.000]  The Italian Bureau of Statistics has announced that the Consumer Confidence Index
[06:49.000 --> 06:58.000]  failed significantly in November, while the country's economy has shrunk by 0.2 percent in the three months prior to October,
[06:58.000 --> 07:01.000]  the first contraction since 2009.
[07:01.000 --> 07:05.000]  According to most shopkeepers, pressure on Italians is really high.
[07:05.000 --> 07:10.000]  Taxes are heavy and wages too low compared to the cost of living.
[07:10.000 --> 07:19.000]  It goes without saying that the economic crisis and the recent emergency measures passed by the parliament
[07:19.000 --> 07:23.000]  have made people decide to spend much less, to be more cautious.
[07:23.000 --> 07:32.000]  I think most Italians fear hard times ahead, fear the challenges introduced by the government, the new taxes.
[07:32.000 --> 07:35.000]  People have not adjusted to the new fiscal regime yet.
[07:35.000 --> 07:40.000]  Italians seem to be very worried about having to deal with the new tax hikes
[07:40.000 --> 07:45.000]  contained in the anti-crisis package recently passed by the parliament.
[07:45.000 --> 07:50.000]  The announced increases in new taxes on petrol, the higher value added tax,
[07:50.000 --> 07:57.000]  as well as the reintroduction of the real estate tax on the first house, will likely have a huge impact on their lives.
[07:57.000 --> 08:07.000]  Unfortunately, the three austerity plans that have been implemented since August this year have made things really confused.
[08:07.000 --> 08:10.000]  Italians are extremely disoriented and disappointed.
[08:10.000 --> 08:15.000]  We need the government to seriously start focusing on the country's economic growth.
[08:15.000 --> 08:23.000]  Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has announced that phase two of his emergency government's action would be all about growth.
[08:23.000 --> 08:30.000]  Monti is determined to take on vested interests and lobbies by opening up the Italian economy to more competition.
[08:30.000 --> 08:36.000]  Whether he manages to do so while retaining the political party's support remains to be seen.
[08:36.000 --> 08:40.000]  Max Civilli, Press TV, Rome.
[08:48.000 --> 08:52.000]  The youth revolution of Yemen held a press conference in Sana'a's Liberation Square
[08:52.000 --> 08:59.000]  about the events which took place in the March of Life demonstration and resulted in the death of 13 protesters.
[08:59.000 --> 09:03.000]  The conference also called for the arrest of the U.S. Ambassador Gerald Verstein,
[09:03.000 --> 09:09.000]  who is said to play a key role in the killing of the March of Life protesters.
[09:09.000 --> 09:13.000]  Speakers during the press conference called for the U.S. Ambassador to be held accountable
[09:13.000 --> 09:18.000]  for being behind the killing of peaceful protesters.
[09:18.000 --> 09:24.000]  We call on the so-called Prime Minister to arrest the Ambassador because he is one of the first people
[09:24.000 --> 09:28.000]  to give the green light for the killing of innocent protesters.
[09:28.000 --> 09:33.000]  The press conference in Sana'a came after Gerald Verstein said that the March of Life demonstration
[09:33.000 --> 09:37.000]  started from the city of Taiz with the intention to cause further chaos
[09:37.000 --> 09:43.000]  and to trigger a violent reaction from regime forces.
[09:43.000 --> 09:48.000]  His remarks sparked nationwide outrage as youth protesters have taken to the streets
[09:48.000 --> 09:54.000]  calling on the Ambassador to immediately leave the country or to face prosecution.
[09:54.000 --> 10:02.000]  We are very surprised at the U.S. Ambassador's latest remarks because he represents a country
[10:02.000 --> 10:08.000]  which is supposedly the world leader of democracy, free speech and equality.
[10:08.000 --> 10:13.000]  So how can he accuse this peaceful demonstration of having bad intention
[10:13.000 --> 10:16.000]  and being equipped with armed weapons?
[10:16.000 --> 10:22.000]  I was part of the demonstration and it was not equipped with weapons.
[10:22.000 --> 10:26.000]  U.S. intervention has been strongly condemned throughout the Yemeni uprising
[10:26.000 --> 10:32.000]  as many Yemenis accuse Washington of having its own agenda aimed at crushing the Islamic awakening,
[10:32.000 --> 10:39.000]  which they say will one day rid Yemen and the rest of the Muslim world from foreign intervention.
[10:39.000 --> 10:43.000]  The youth revolution concludes today's conference by reassuring that their peaceful demonstrations
[10:43.000 --> 10:49.000]  will continue despite the government's continuous attacks and despite the U.S. Ambassador's latest remarks.
[10:49.000 --> 10:54.000]  They also say their revolution started off peacefully and will remain peacefully.
[10:54.000 --> 11:22.000]  Yousef Mawdi, Press TV, Sanaa.
[11:54.000 --> 12:12.000]  Press TV headlines. Iran's Navy commander tells Press TV about shutting the key oil transit straits of Hormuz.
[12:12.000 --> 12:37.000]  The leader of Iran's Islamic revolution says the popular movements and revolutions in the world are anti-U.S.
[12:37.000 --> 13:04.000]  And a senior Israeli military official says Tel Aviv must start another war against the Gaza Strip.
[13:04.000 --> 13:07.000]  Hello and welcome. It's good to have you company at 7.30 p.m. in Iran's capital, Tehran.
[13:07.000 --> 13:10.000]  This is Press TV International News.
[13:10.000 --> 13:21.000]  Ali Story, the commander of Iran's Navy, has said the country can easily close the strategic strait of Hormuz if necessary.
[13:21.000 --> 13:32.000]  Closing the strait of Hormuz for the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very easy.
[13:32.000 --> 13:40.000]  It's a capability that has been built initially into our naval forces' abilities.
[13:40.000 --> 13:47.000]  But today we're not in the Hormuz strait. We are in the Sea of Oman.
[13:47.000 --> 13:56.000]  And we don't need to close the Hormuz strait. We can just deal with the Sea of Oman today.
[13:56.000 --> 14:01.000]  Therefore, we can control it from right here.
[14:01.000 --> 14:09.000]  Earlier, Iran's Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi warned that not a drop of oil would be allowed to pass through the strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on Iran's oil.
[14:09.000 --> 14:18.000]  The comments by the Navy commander and Vice President come as Iranian naval forces are midway through their 10 days of exercises in the strait of Hormuz and beyond.
[14:18.000 --> 14:32.000]  Among the objectives of the Valayat 90 drills is to expand the presence of Iranian armed forces in international waters and to prepare against piracy, terrorism, or induced disruption to regional trade.
[14:32.000 --> 14:39.000]  The leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution says the uprisings and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa are anti-American.
[14:39.000 --> 14:48.000]  Ayatollah Saleh Ali Khamenei argues current Arab revolutions differ from those in the past in that they have been opposed by the U.S. and that people maintain an active presence.
[14:48.000 --> 14:53.000]  The leader also criticized the U.S. for adopting contradictory stances towards regional countries.
[14:53.000 --> 15:00.000]  Ayatollah Khamenei said any democratic and patriotic leader to be elected in these countries will oppose the U.S. and Zionists.
[15:00.000 --> 15:07.000]  Iran's leader also said the victory of Islamic parties and elections in these countries proves that the Islamic nature of these revolutions,
[15:07.000 --> 15:15.000]  however, that does not mean they all demand an Islamic government like that in Iran.
[15:15.000 --> 15:24.000]  On to Yemen, where a civilian has been shot dead in clashes between forces loyal to outgoing ruler Ayatollah Saleh and opposition fighters in the capital, Sanab.
[15:24.000 --> 15:33.000]  What is to say the clash broke out after Republican Guard troops tried to remove barriers near the interior ministry to try to bring normalcy to the capital following the unrest?
[15:33.000 --> 15:36.000]  Three have been injured in the gun battle.
[15:36.000 --> 15:39.000]  In the meantime, hundreds of government employees have rallied in Sana'a.
[15:39.000 --> 15:41.000]  They are demanding reforms.
[15:41.000 --> 15:44.000]  They also want what they call corrupt managers to be expelled.
[15:44.000 --> 15:48.000]  Rallies also continued, demanding Saleh to stand trial.
[15:48.000 --> 15:52.000]  People hold him responsible for the death of many innocent people in recent months.
[15:52.000 --> 16:00.000]  Yemen has been the scene of demonstrations since February, demanding regime change.
[16:00.000 --> 16:07.000]  Meanwhile, supporters of the power transfer deal in Yemen have attacked anti-regime protesters in Change Square in the capital, Sana'a.
[16:07.000 --> 16:10.000]  As a result, 35 people have been injured.
[16:10.000 --> 16:20.000]  Sources close to Houthi movement say about 2,000 members of the al-Islam party attacked their camps where sit-in continues, demanding outgoing ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh to be brought to justice.
[16:20.000 --> 16:26.000]  The stone and stick-wielding attackers also dismantled tents, one of which served as a field hospital.
[16:26.000 --> 16:31.000]  Al-Islam party supports the power transfer deal brokered by Saudi Arabia last month.
[16:31.000 --> 16:39.000]  Under the deal, Saleh will quit power in February 2012 without being prosecuted.
[16:39.000 --> 17:07.000]  Bahraini regime forces have attacked anti-government protesters in several villages across the country.
[17:07.000 --> 17:13.000]  Anti-government rallies were held in Sitra, Dar, and Mahmir.
[17:13.000 --> 17:17.000]  Several protesters were arrested after they were attacked by the Saudi-backed police.
[17:17.000 --> 17:22.000]  Protesters were chanting slogans against the ruling al-Khalifa regime, calling for its downfall.
[17:22.000 --> 17:29.000]  On Tuesday, workers who had been sacked for taking part in anti-regime protests marched outside the interior ministry in the capital, Manama.
[17:29.000 --> 17:31.000]  They urged the regime to immediately reinstate them.
[17:31.000 --> 17:41.000]  Many more people, including teachers and doctors, have lost their jobs as part of the crackdown on pro-democracy protests.
[17:41.000 --> 17:45.000]  The crackdown on anti-regime protests continues in Saudi Arabia.
[17:45.000 --> 17:49.000]  Saudi security forces shot and wounded four protesters in the eastern province.
[17:49.000 --> 17:53.000]  One of the wounded, a young boy, is in critical condition.
[17:53.000 --> 17:58.000]  The protesters took to the streets after the Saudi security forces raided homes in Awamiya district.
[17:58.000 --> 18:03.000]  The eastern province is a focal point for anti-regime protests in Saudi Arabia.
[18:03.000 --> 18:09.000]  The demonstrations come as Riyadh has harshly enforced a ban on all anti-government gatherings across the kingdom.
[18:09.000 --> 18:15.000]  International rights groups have frequently condemned the Saudi regime for what they call gross violations of human rights.
[18:15.000 --> 18:23.000]  Syrian authorities have released 755 prisoners who were involved in unrest in the country.
[18:23.000 --> 18:27.000]  The state media says the freed inmates were not involved in bloody incidents.
[18:27.000 --> 18:32.000]  Last month, Damascus released over 1,000 prisoners, citing similar conditions.
[18:32.000 --> 18:40.000]  The latest release comes as Arab League observers are planning to visit Daraa, Hama, and Idlib as part of their mission to investigate months of deadly violence.
[18:40.000 --> 18:45.000]  Releasing prisoners was one of the key conditions of the league's roadmap approved by Syria.
[18:45.000 --> 18:49.000]  The observers have confirmed Damascus' cooperation with the team.
[18:49.000 --> 18:55.000]  In the meantime, armed gangs have killed four more Syrian troops and wounded at least a dozen in an ambush in Daraa.
[18:55.000 --> 19:05.000]  Earlier in the day, troops also clashed with armed groups and suspected arms smugglers along the northern border with Turkey.
[19:05.000 --> 19:13.000]  President Correspondent in Damascus, Mohamed Ali, tells us more about the Arab League's mission to assess violence hit areas in the country.
[19:13.000 --> 19:22.000]  We have seen in the images that the satellite TV channels are showing us that the Arab observers were freely moving in the streets.
[19:22.000 --> 19:30.000]  They were freely moving and talking to the people there, asking them about the situation, how it was for the last several months in the city.
[19:30.000 --> 19:42.000]  We also saw that the residents of Homs were talking to them and telling them that in some cases, if it wasn't for the Syrian Arab Army, the situation might have been even worse.
[19:42.000 --> 19:59.000]  They have seen the destruction of some shops, the destruction of cars. They were burned. Also in the buildings, the result of armed terrorist gangs, gunshots, and also some results of heavy weapons such as RPG missiles.
[19:59.000 --> 20:06.000]  We know that the observers are still in Homs today. They also visited a number of other areas and neighborhoods in Homs.
[20:06.000 --> 20:18.000]  We know that also they will be visiting other cities, Daraa, Al-Suweida, Idlib, and even Damascus countryside in the coming two or three days also.
[20:18.000 --> 20:32.000]  Another headline, Israel is threatening to attack Gaza once again. Israeli General Benny Gantz says attacking the coastal strip is not a matter of choice, but a war of necessity for Tel Aviv.
[20:32.000 --> 20:43.000]  The General says the war must be initiated by Israel and has to be, quote, swift and painful. Gantz added that Tel Aviv is looking for the right time to launch a military offensive against the Gaza Strip.
[20:43.000 --> 20:49.000]  The General views the upcoming war as a way to deter Hamas, noting that Tel Aviv is losing its grip on the coastal strip.
[20:49.000 --> 21:01.000]  Israeli forces have launched several air and ground attacks on Gazans in recent years, killing many civilians and injuring scores more.
[21:01.000 --> 21:06.000]  Earlier, we were joined by Haydar Aid, an associate professor in Gaza's Al-Aqsa University.
[21:06.000 --> 21:14.000]  Well, he believes revolutions in Arab countries will force Israel to think twice about launching a new war on the Gaza Strip.
[21:14.000 --> 21:29.000]  What is happening right now is that Israel wants to exercise a kind of psychological warfare against the Palestinians of Gaza, in particular against the Palestinians in general, because the context within which these statements are taking place is very important.
[21:29.000 --> 21:39.000]  We need to remember that, you know, one year ago, the regime of Hosni Mubarak, which was considered a strategic asset for Israel, actually was toppled.
[21:39.000 --> 21:54.000]  And Israel needs to test the water of the new Egyptian regime, but it also needs to test the water of the other Arab regimes, including, you know, the new Libyan regime, the Yemenis and the Tunisians.
[21:54.000 --> 22:00.000]  We need to remember that the Arab people have actually been fighting for human rights and democracy.
[22:00.000 --> 22:04.000]  Human rights and democracy are the essence of the Palestinian cause.
[22:04.000 --> 22:12.000]  Democracy is also the antithesis of Zionism, judging by what happened to the apartheid system in 1994,
[22:12.000 --> 22:24.000]  when most South Africans went to the polling stations and exercised their democratic right and voted for Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South Africa.
[22:24.000 --> 22:29.000]  That ultimately meant the end of the apartheid system in South Africa.
[22:29.000 --> 22:38.000]  The same thing might happen here in the Arab world, where democracy will ultimately lead to the end of the Zionist enterprise in Palestine.
[22:38.000 --> 22:48.000]  And that is why Israel feels very, very serious about, you know, the loss of the strategic asset in Egypt, that is to say, the Mubarak regime.
[22:48.000 --> 22:50.000]  Statements by Hadar Adair.
[22:50.000 --> 22:52.000]  Well, another news related to Israel.
[22:52.000 --> 22:58.000]  Israel has approved the construction of 130 new settlement units in East Jerusalem, Al Quds.
[22:58.000 --> 23:03.000]  The new units are scheduled to be built in Gila Settlements, just a few kilometers north of Bethlehem.
[23:03.000 --> 23:09.000]  Israel has been expanding settlement activities over the past months, despite international criticism.
[23:09.000 --> 23:14.000]  The move has been a major stumbling block to direct negotiations between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian Authority.
[23:14.000 --> 23:28.000]  The United Nations views the settlement construction in occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
[23:28.000 --> 23:36.000]  Egyptian opposition leader Mohammed al-Baladi says the U.S. is in talks with Egypt's military council to try and preserve the Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
[23:36.000 --> 23:45.000]  Al-Baladi says secret negotiations between U.S. representatives and the ruling military council are aimed at ensuring the new government will maintain the 1979 peace treaty.
[23:45.000 --> 23:52.000]  This is while some political parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, have questioned the fate of the peace treaty.
[23:52.000 --> 23:58.000]  Calls for an end to the Cairo-Tel Aviv treaty have grown since the fall of Egypt's former president, Hosni Mubarak, earlier this year.
[23:58.000 --> 24:08.000]  Most Egyptians have demanded an end to all ties with Tel Aviv and want an end to the treaty.
[24:08.000 --> 24:15.000]  And in other headlines, Egypt's Al-Salido Hosni Mubarak has returned to court for the resumption of his trial after a three-month break.
[24:15.000 --> 24:22.000]  Mubarak, his two sons, former Interior Minister Hadi Baladli and six of his aides took the stand again at the police academy.
[24:22.000 --> 24:35.000]  Mubarak is charged with corruption, killing hundreds of protesters in the crackdown against the massive uprising which ended with his rule on February 11.
[24:35.000 --> 24:39.000]  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he is ready for dialogue with the opposition.
[24:39.000 --> 24:43.000]  Putin says the opposition has failed to reach a common set of demands.
[24:43.000 --> 24:54.000]  This comes after tens of thousands rallied in Moscow and St. Petersburg to protest against parliamentary election results on Saturday.
[24:54.000 --> 25:03.000]  Anti-corporate protesters in the United States say they will expand the rallies as Republican presidential hopefuls step up their election campaigns.
[25:03.000 --> 25:14.000]  Protesters have pledged to interrupt candidates at events and camp out at their Iowa campaign offices.
[25:14.000 --> 25:20.000]  Thousands of Israelis have demonstrated against ultra-Orthodox violence and gender segregation.
[25:20.000 --> 25:27.000]  Demonstrators protest exclusion of women as well as violence against girls and women by Haredi extremists in the town of Beit Shemesh.
[25:27.000 --> 25:34.000]  This comes one day after several Orthodox Jews were detained during clashes with police.
[25:34.000 --> 25:41.000]  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo an operation in January.
[25:41.000 --> 25:48.000]  Her government says the cancer is in her thyroid gland and has not spread to other parts of her body.
[25:48.000 --> 25:56.000]  Fernandez recently began her second term as president after a landslide election victory.
[25:56.000 --> 26:05.000]  Coming up later in the Spillerton funeral ceremonies for North Korea's late leader Kim Jong-il.
[26:05.000 --> 26:28.000]  You stay with us.
[26:35.000 --> 26:50.000]  How to shelter in place.
[26:50.000 --> 27:02.000]  Sometimes they have like a big old torch out there that goes, you know, it just blows like that.
[27:02.000 --> 27:12.000]  Shelter in place is where we ask the public to remain indoors, close all doors, close all windows.
[27:12.000 --> 27:17.000]  We would not discount anybody's concerns about living by the refineries.
[27:17.000 --> 27:19.000]  I think they've been very responsive as an industry.
[27:19.000 --> 27:22.000]  There's no excuse. No excuse.
[27:22.000 --> 27:33.000]  You will get your daily dose of toxic chemicals. How many people know a child with acute asthma?
[27:33.000 --> 27:38.000]  Hands down.
[27:38.000 --> 27:41.000]  Hello and welcome back to World News here on Press TV.
[27:41.000 --> 27:46.000]  Hundreds of activists have demonstrated in front of Cairo's city council to show solidarity with Samira,
[27:46.000 --> 27:50.000]  a woman who was forced by the army to undergo a virginity test.
[27:50.000 --> 27:54.000]  The court has recently ordered military prisons to stop such tests.
[27:54.000 --> 28:00.000]  Karim Gamaladeen has been following that story from Cairo.
[28:00.000 --> 28:07.000]  An Egyptian court has ordered that forced virginity tests be stopped on female detainees in military prisons.
[28:07.000 --> 28:11.000]  The decision was made after a case was brought by a protester, Samira Ibrahim.
[28:11.000 --> 28:18.000]  She was forced by the army to undergo a virginity test after she was arrested during a protest in Cairo's Liberation Square in March.
[28:18.000 --> 28:24.000]  Samira told Press TV that many women have lost their trust in the army, especially after such brutal acts,
[28:24.000 --> 28:29.000]  and she also called for the downfall of the country's ruling junta.
[28:29.000 --> 28:33.000]  You have to leave. The scam must step down. Leave. Leave.
[28:33.000 --> 28:38.000]  Meanwhile, hundreds of activists demonstrated outside the city council in solidarity with Samira
[28:38.000 --> 28:42.000]  and all the women who were tortured by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
[28:42.000 --> 28:46.000]  They called for the immediate transition of power to an elected civilian authority
[28:46.000 --> 28:50.000]  and have warned that a second revolution will take place on January 25th.
[28:50.000 --> 28:55.000]  Ahmed Harara, an activist who has lost sight in both his eyes in clashes with the government forces,
[28:55.000 --> 28:59.000]  urged them to respond to the demands of the revolution.
[28:59.000 --> 29:04.000]  The Egyptian blood is expensive and the women of Egypt are a red line.
[29:04.000 --> 29:07.000]  The scaffold must be held accountable for the violations they have committed.
[29:07.000 --> 29:11.000]  And we are warning them, they must leave on the 25th of January.
[29:11.000 --> 29:16.000]  Other activists have expressed their anger and frustration with the military council
[29:16.000 --> 29:21.000]  and denounced all the violations committed by the scaffold against the Egyptian women
[29:21.000 --> 29:25.000]  and all the peaceful protesters calling for an end to military rule.
[29:25.000 --> 29:32.000]  The whole world saw the army brutally crack down on females, and this is unacceptable by all means.
[29:32.000 --> 29:37.000]  And the only solution to bring an end to all this is immediate transition to power.
[29:37.000 --> 29:41.000]  We had enough with the army, and the only solution to bring an end to all this
[29:41.000 --> 29:45.000]  is immediate transition of power to elected civilians.
[29:49.000 --> 29:52.000]  Activists and revolutionary forces have called for an end to the discriminatory
[29:52.000 --> 29:55.000]  and patriarchal attitudes of the scaffold towards women in Egypt,
[29:55.000 --> 30:01.000]  as many believe these acts are standing in the way of the reform process in post-revolution Egypt.
[30:01.000 --> 30:04.000]  Karim Gabaldin, Press TV, Cairo.
[30:04.000 --> 30:10.000]  North Korea has begun two days of funeral ceremonies for its late leader Kim Jong-il
[30:10.000 --> 30:12.000]  with a huge procession in the capital.
[30:12.000 --> 30:18.000]  Hundreds of thousands of wailing mourners braved the winter conditions to pay their respects to the late leader.
[30:22.000 --> 30:27.000]  Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the snowy streets of Pyongyang
[30:27.000 --> 30:33.000]  and braved the freezing temperatures to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying Kim Jong-il's coffin.
[30:33.000 --> 30:41.000]  A limousine bearing a huge portrait of a smiling Kim led the funeral cortege as crowds wrapped in the streets.
[30:41.000 --> 30:50.000]  Kim's son and successor Kim Jong-un and other top military and civilian officials walked beside the car carrying the coffin.
[30:52.000 --> 30:55.000]  The snow is endlessly falling like tears.
[30:55.000 --> 31:01.000]  How could the sky not cry when we've lost our general who was a great man from the heavens?
[31:01.000 --> 31:08.000]  If we have separated from the general by death, people, mountains and sky are all shedding tears of blood.
[31:09.000 --> 31:13.000]  Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on December 17th.
[31:13.000 --> 31:17.000]  He had led North Korea for 17 years.
[31:17.000 --> 31:23.000]  In the weeks since Kim Il died, state media has called Kim Jong-un the great successor
[31:23.000 --> 31:27.000]  and referred to him as the leader of the military and the party.
[31:27.000 --> 31:30.000]  Kim Jong-il left behind a nuclear-armed state.
[31:30.000 --> 31:35.000]  Multinational talks aimed at disarming North Korea have been deadlocked for months.
[31:35.000 --> 31:42.000]  North Korea conducted two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, drawing tightened UN sanctions.
[31:42.000 --> 31:46.000]  Although it's yet too early to predict North Korea's political future,
[31:46.000 --> 31:54.000]  one must wait and see whether a change in the leadership will bring any change whatsoever to the country's policies.
[31:54.000 --> 32:02.000]  More than 2,000 candidates have registered for Iran's upcoming parliamentary elections.
[32:02.000 --> 32:07.000]  The registration process will be wrapped up on Friday, and authorities insist it will not be extended.
[32:07.000 --> 32:10.000]  The legislative vote is scheduled for March.
[32:10.000 --> 32:16.000]  The candidates, among other things, must be committed to Iran's constitution and the principles of the Islamic establishment.
[32:16.000 --> 32:27.000]  India's anti-Graft campaigner, Anna Hazara, has called off his planned three-day hunger strike.
[32:27.000 --> 32:31.000]  The plan aimed to press the government to redraft a key anti-corruption bill.
[32:31.000 --> 32:37.000]  74-year-old Hazara has cited health concerns, but says he will continue his fight against corruption.
[32:37.000 --> 32:44.000]  Addressing the media at the venue of his fast in Mumbai, Hazara also vowed to step up his campaign to turn voters against the ruling party.
[32:44.000 --> 32:51.000]  The warning came as the lower house of parliament passed a controversial Lokpal, or so-called Ambuktan, bill.
[32:51.000 --> 32:56.000]  This amid widespread unrest and scandals involving ministers and senior officials.
[32:56.000 --> 33:00.000]  Hazara and his supporters accuse the government of pushing through a weak bill.
[33:00.000 --> 33:06.000]  Hazara has become the figurehead of the fight against corruption since his 12-day hunger strike in the capital in August.
[33:06.000 --> 33:15.000]  Members of the global computer hacking group, Anonymous, say they have obtained thousands of credit card numbers and personal information
[33:15.000 --> 33:22.000]  from high-profile clients of a leading analytical intelligence company, all in the name of charity.
[33:22.000 --> 33:24.000]  Press Secretary Colin Campbell tells us more.
[33:24.000 --> 33:33.000]  Authorities say the underground computer hacking group, Anonymous, is engaging in cyber warfare.
[33:33.000 --> 33:45.000]  We aren't a group. We're an idea. We're an expression of the anger that every person feels.
[33:45.000 --> 33:50.000]  Members of the group, Anonymous, say they have stolen credit card information for the purpose of charity.
[33:50.000 --> 33:55.000]  About one million dollars was reportedly stolen from Stratford in Austin, Texas,
[33:55.000 --> 34:02.000]  a leading provider of military, economic and political analysis for clients that include Apple and the U.S. Air Force.
[34:02.000 --> 34:06.000]  They've released their name, a credit card number, the expiration date.
[34:06.000 --> 34:12.000]  Anonymous is a network of computer savvy users who engage in hacktivism, computer activism.
[34:12.000 --> 34:18.000]  An operation began in June 2011 with an attack on the Serious Organized Crime Agency,
[34:18.000 --> 34:21.000]  the U.K.'s national law enforcement agency.
[34:21.000 --> 34:27.000]  Since then, Anonymous went after the governments of Brazil, Tunisia and Zimbabwe, NATO,
[34:27.000 --> 34:31.000]  and various U.S. law enforcement websites and even Fox News.
[34:31.000 --> 34:36.000]  Anonymous has made worldwide headlines for hacks the group claims to have carried out.
[34:36.000 --> 34:41.000]  Websites such as MasterCard, Visa and PayPal have been targeted, to name a few.
[34:41.000 --> 34:46.000]  The group posts videos on the Internet. Sometimes the messages are cryptic.
[34:46.000 --> 34:50.000]  At other times it discusses the need for sweeping government reforms.
[34:50.000 --> 34:57.000]  This video criticizes the National Defense Authorization Act and discourages President Obama from signing it into law.
[34:57.000 --> 35:04.000]  The entire USA to be a battleground upon which U.S. military forces can operate with impunity,
[35:04.000 --> 35:14.000]  overriding policy commentators and granting the military the unchecked power to arrest, detain, interrogate and even assassinate U.S. citizens with impunity.
[35:14.000 --> 35:20.000]  It's almost farcical. Well, it would be farcical if it weren't so frightening.
[35:20.000 --> 35:26.000]  The group receives widespread criticism but insists it's only acting in the interests of the underrepresented,
[35:26.000 --> 35:28.000]  sort of like a modern-day Robin Hood.
[35:28.000 --> 35:36.000]  Anonymous says it will target an entire consumer database from an online military and law enforcement supply store next.
[35:36.000 --> 35:40.000]  Colin Campbell, Press TV, Washington.
[35:40.000 --> 35:50.000]  That's it for World News on Press TV. Stay tuned. I'm going to be telling you about the more interesting side of the news momentarily. Do stay with us.
[35:50.000 --> 36:00.000]  And coming up in the more interesting side of the news, no more tiring stairs climbing for the locals of an impoverished neighborhood in Columbia.
[36:00.000 --> 36:16.000]  And a crocodile with a long record of bad behavior goes naughty again.
[36:16.000 --> 36:24.000]  Jacques Monsieur was arrested in the U.S. in August 2009.
[36:24.000 --> 36:30.000]  He is one of the five biggest illegal arms dealers in the world.
[36:30.000 --> 36:36.000]  Four hundred Serbian tanks, 30,000 soldiers, hundreds of cannons and even fighter planes.
[36:36.000 --> 36:42.000]  The United Nations voted for an arms embargo. Why was this decision made?
[36:42.000 --> 36:49.000]  We hoped we could contain the Serbs and that they'd stop their offensive and instead of dividing people, we'd stop them from attacking each other.
[36:49.000 --> 36:52.000]  Why didn't you come with an army of a thousand soldiers?
[36:52.000 --> 36:55.000]  What army? What soldiers? We didn't have any.
[36:55.000 --> 37:01.000]  We found one of the end user certificates used by Jacques Monsieur to get arms into Croatia.
[37:01.000 --> 37:07.000]  In reality, he was the one who organized the purchase and the delivery of the weapons.
[37:07.000 --> 37:18.000]  He was tried again in France in 2008 for arm trafficking in Togo, Congo, Kazakhstan and Qatar.
[37:18.000 --> 37:22.000]  Hello and welcome back. Let's take a look at some of those interesting stories.
[37:22.000 --> 37:28.000]  First off, life has just become a little easier for locals living in a slum on a steep hillside in a poor Columbia neighborhood.
[37:28.000 --> 37:38.000]  Authorities in the country's second biggest city, Medellin, have recently inaugurated what is said to be the world's first outdoor escalator for domestic purposes.
[37:38.000 --> 37:43.000]  It replaces hundreds of concrete steps locals use to climb up and down every day.
[37:43.000 --> 37:50.000]  The stairs stretch some 130 meters and are made of state-of-the-art materials designed to withstand all weather conditions.
[37:50.000 --> 38:00.000]  They're specially welcomed by the handicapped and the elderly, for whom getting up and down the hill used to be a major challenge.
[38:00.000 --> 38:10.000]  Wonderful. It is a dream come true and I was one of the first ones to use them. It is wonderful.
[38:10.000 --> 38:18.000]  Zookeepers who were mowing the lawn at an Australian reptile park in Australia did not have the slightest idea what was lying in wait for them.
[38:18.000 --> 38:27.000]  A five-meter, 500-kilogram saltwater crocodile lunged out of the blue, grabbing not the man who was mowing the lawn, but his lawn mower.
[38:27.000 --> 38:36.000]  The monster croc named Elvis then dragged the mower to a pool from where he'd launched his ambush. Elvis lost two teeth in the course of this attack.
[38:36.000 --> 38:47.000]  The keeper's next challenge was to retrieve their instruments as the reptiles spent the rest of the day guarding the mower.
[38:47.000 --> 38:52.000]  The plan is to get that mower out firstly and just try and drag it backwards.
[38:52.000 --> 39:01.000]  Lure the croc around the other side because he's dropped two monstrous teeth whilst he attacked the mower and then we'll get those teeth out.
[39:01.000 --> 39:17.000]  Officials at the zoo say Elvis has a long history of bad behavior. The 50-year-old crocodile was captured in 2008 after bullying locals in Darwin Harbor and climbing aboard fishing boats.
[39:17.000 --> 39:23.000]  A video from a pet African bullfrog has created a frenzy since it was uploaded on the Internet about a week ago.
[39:23.000 --> 39:31.000]  The video has been viewed more than seven million times so far. It shows the frog trying to eat ants displayed on the screen of a smartphone.
[39:31.000 --> 39:38.000]  After several tries, the frustrated amphibian takes his rage out on his teasing owner and bites down on his thumb.
[39:38.000 --> 39:51.000]  The moral of the story, don't mess with bullfrogs.
[39:51.000 --> 39:55.000]  And that was a look at the more interesting side of the news here on Press TV. Thanks for watching.
[40:21.000 --> 40:23.000]  See you next time.
[40:51.000 --> 41:07.000]  Last October, the employees of France Telecom paid silent tribute to a colleague who had recently committed suicide.
[41:07.000 --> 41:09.000]  Do you know why you're here?
[41:09.000 --> 41:14.000]  I can't understand how you were able to do this. If you want to win the war, they will obviously be deaths.
[41:14.000 --> 41:17.000]  Pardon, is it me you're speaking to like that?
[41:17.000 --> 41:18.000]  You must leave.
[41:18.000 --> 41:22.000]  Some have lost their voice. Some are losing their hair or teeth.
[41:22.000 --> 41:23.000]  There will be deaths.
[41:23.000 --> 41:24.000]  I was finished.
[41:24.000 --> 41:27.000]  I am going to go to the office with my gun.
[41:27.000 --> 41:29.000]  I'm going to kill myself.
[41:29.000 --> 41:34.000]  I would say probably intentionally by France Telecom cause these problems.
[41:34.000 --> 41:42.000]  The problem is that employees like Vincent, whom the company wanted to quit, felt intimidated and bullied by the methods used.
[41:42.000 --> 41:49.000]  They want to push me over the edge.
[41:49.000 --> 42:13.000]  The problem is that many people didn't leave the depression phase and now they are dead.
[42:13.000 --> 42:18.000]  The commander of Iran's Navy says Tehran can easily close the strategic Strait of Hormuz if necessary.
[42:18.000 --> 42:25.000]  Iran earlier warned it would stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz if foreign sanctions were imposed on its crude exports.
[42:25.000 --> 42:32.000]  Iran is currently holding naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf.
[42:32.000 --> 42:38.000]  The leader of Iran's Islamic revolution says the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa are anti-American.
[42:38.000 --> 42:44.000]  Ayatollah Said Ali Khamenei criticized the U.S. for adopting contradictory stances towards regional countries.
[42:44.000 --> 42:52.000]  He added any democratic and patriotic leader to be elected in these countries will oppose the U.S. and Zionists.
[42:52.000 --> 42:55.000]  Israel has threatened to attack the Gaza Strip once again.
[42:55.000 --> 43:02.000]  Israeli General Benny Gantz says attacking the coastal strip is not a matter of choice but a war of necessity for Tel Aviv.
[43:02.000 --> 43:12.000]  He says the war must be initiated by Israel and has to be quote swift and painful.
[43:12.000 --> 43:17.000]  Syria has released 755 prisoners who were involved in unrest in the past few months.
[43:17.000 --> 43:21.000]  State media say the freed inmates were not involved in acts of violence.
[43:21.000 --> 43:33.000]  This is the Arab League observers are planning to visit the cities of Der'a, Hama and Idlib to investigate months of violence.
[43:33.000 --> 43:41.000]  In Yemen a civilian has been shot dead in clashes between forces loyal to outgoing ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh and opposition fighters in the capital Sana'a.
[43:41.000 --> 43:43.000]  Three others have been injured in the gun battle.
[43:43.000 --> 43:52.000]  Meanwhile protest rallies continue across the Arab country demanding the trial of Saleh.
[43:52.000 --> 43:59.000]  In Saudi Arabia at least four protesters including a young boy have been wounded as the crackdown on anti-regime protests continues.
[43:59.000 --> 44:02.000]  The young victim is in critical condition.
[44:02.000 --> 44:13.000]  The demonstrators were attacked while protesting the raid of homes by Saudi security forces in the eastern province.
[44:13.000 --> 44:21.000]  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he is ready to set a negotiating table with the opposition to discuss the alleged fraud in the recent parliamentary election.
[44:21.000 --> 44:33.000]  Projected earlier opposition calls for reviewing the election results which are alleged to be rigged.
[44:33.000 --> 44:37.000]  And finally North Korea is holding a two-day funeral service for its late leader Kim Jong-il.
[44:37.000 --> 44:41.000]  Thousands are expected to take part in the event in Pyongyang.
[44:41.000 --> 45:03.000]  The Korean leader died of a heart attack on December 17 after leaving the state for 17 years.
[45:03.000 --> 45:07.000]  The year 2011, what a year it has been.
[45:07.000 --> 45:12.000]  A year in which the new year was rung in with U.S. assassination drone attacks in Pakistan.
[45:12.000 --> 45:15.000]  Iran even captured a CIA drone.
[45:15.000 --> 45:22.000]  While the civilian nuclear program pursued by Iran with the IAEA was yet again questioned by the IAEA.
[45:22.000 --> 45:28.000]  From the financial crisis of the U.S. to the American awakening.
[45:28.000 --> 45:32.000]  Europe fared no better with the Eurozone debt crisis.
[45:32.000 --> 45:37.000]  And anti-austerity protests such as in the U.K. the most violent in decades.
[45:37.000 --> 45:44.000]  Press TV was there especially with its in-depth look as presented in press TV news analysis and its guests.
[45:44.000 --> 45:50.000]  And press TV programs and roundtable discussions took us through a journey of discovery.
[45:50.000 --> 46:02.000]  But it was surely the year of the Arab uprising and revolutions.
[46:02.000 --> 46:07.000]  The Islamic awakening that shaped news for the year 2011.
[46:07.000 --> 46:21.000]  So join me, Kavet Ahoy for reality checks here in Review 2011 at the following times only on Press TV.
[46:37.000 --> 46:53.000]  November 7, 2010.
[46:53.000 --> 46:56.000]  The first elections in two decades.
[46:56.000 --> 47:04.000]  It was an occasion that a majority of people in Myanmar and those living overseas had been waiting with bated breaths.
[47:04.000 --> 47:08.000]  Could it be a clarion call for the country?
[47:08.000 --> 47:17.000]  Would it signal the start of a new era where a civilian government would take power?
[47:17.000 --> 47:20.000]  Free and fair were not the case.
[47:20.000 --> 47:23.000]  Universal suffrage even less so.
[47:23.000 --> 47:27.000]  A chunk of the population was disenfranchised from the voting process.
[47:27.000 --> 47:31.000]  Many activists in exile called the elections a sham.
[47:31.000 --> 47:35.000]  Analysts with more moderate views were cautiously optimistic.
[47:35.000 --> 47:42.000]  Pro-government parties called the event historic and a new chapter that would pave the way towards democracy.
[47:42.000 --> 47:51.000]  Days after elections, the country's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was freed from an on-and-off house arrest that had lasted about two decades.
[47:51.000 --> 48:06.000]  She is formally called Do or the Lady amongst her people. Since her election victory in 1990, when she won over 80% of the popular vote in her subsequent house arrest, she had turned into an international icon.
[48:06.000 --> 48:11.000]  November 13, 2010 marked the expiration of her detention.
[48:11.000 --> 48:19.000]  And it was an event that was greeted with even greater enthusiasm than the elections by crowds that gathered outside her home in Yangon.
[48:19.000 --> 48:24.000]  Do Suu Kyi had been freed.
[48:24.000 --> 48:41.000]  Despite reprimanding from the international community, a government that called itself civilian was inaugurated on April 14, 2011, claiming an end to five decades of military rule.
[48:41.000 --> 48:45.000]  Just over a year since elections, what is the prognosis?
[48:45.000 --> 48:57.000]  A complex political history and huge divisions between different segments of Myanmar's society has meant that there's no single yardstick that can effectively measure progressive change.
[48:57.000 --> 49:05.000]  But there are certain core areas in dire need of justice and reform that must be taken into account when discussing Myanmar.
[49:05.000 --> 49:30.000]  These complex issues roughly fall under five categories that I aim to explore. An evolving political military structure, free speech, economic progress, peace and ethnic minority regions, and basic human rights for all.
[49:30.000 --> 49:37.000]  Military and governance. The two terms have intertwined in Myanmar's political system since 1962.
[49:37.000 --> 49:45.000]  But there have been recent reports, such as the one by the International Crisis Group, that claim that major reform is already underway.
[49:45.000 --> 49:58.000]  The report adds that what it calls a semi-civilian government must be commended for current efforts in order to energize reformists inside the country to further advocate political and economic restructuring.
[49:58.000 --> 50:05.000]  The pertinent question here is if reform in the socioeconomic and political spheres can be implemented in practice.
[50:05.000 --> 50:16.000]  Ong Neng-U, former activist from the 1988 generation who heads the Vahoo Development Institute based in Thailand, is optimistic that Myanmar is headed on a positive track.
[50:16.000 --> 50:24.000]  We haven't had democracy for so long since 1962. All we had was military rule.
[50:24.000 --> 50:35.000]  I mean, even current system, you might want to say it's an indirect military rule. So it's clear that it's better.
[50:35.000 --> 50:51.000]  There are still a lot of hotliners within the government. But what we're seeing is there are also a lot of reformists, people with reformist agenda who really want to change, including the president.
[50:51.000 --> 50:56.000]  And I think the military has also taken a step back.
[50:56.000 --> 51:02.000]  He does point out that as with any transition, the future months will be fraught with risks and uncertainties.
[51:02.000 --> 51:08.000]  But that changes have taken place in mentality of leaders and institutions of governance.
[51:08.000 --> 51:21.000]  With the new constitution, I mean, it's just like a bit like an experiment. You know, we are a bit groping in the dark. You know, we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
[51:21.000 --> 51:32.000]  The creation of new institutions like elections, the parliaments, the various ministry, new ministry, for instance, like we have a ministry of environment, something we didn't have before.
[51:32.000 --> 51:39.000]  So there is a very healthy kind of debate going on.
[51:39.000 --> 51:49.000]  David Matheson is senior researcher at Human Rights Watch and has observed the dynamics between the military and ethnic minority communities for the past many years.
[51:49.000 --> 51:58.000]  And his primary concern amidst the current climate is a continuing iron grip of the military over Myanmar and its ethnic minorities.
[51:58.000 --> 52:07.000]  The biggest issue I think facing the military and the government, and let's face it, they're one and the same pretty much, is military reform.
[52:07.000 --> 52:15.000]  I think that's the big lurking issue that no one's really talking about.
[52:15.000 --> 52:23.000]  And in some ways it's an interesting dilemma for them because they're all former military officers. So they come from that culture of impunity.
[52:23.000 --> 52:35.000]  The government's laid out a fairly ambitious set of priorities, economic reform, counter corruption, a legislative agenda that includes a trade union law, freedom of assembly bills.
[52:35.000 --> 52:41.000]  All this stuff is great stuff in theory, and we hope that they're actually very sincere about it.
[52:41.000 --> 52:54.000]  Closed country, the worst country to be a blogger, amongst the lowest in the press freedom index.
[52:54.000 --> 53:04.000]  These are labels often associated with Myanmar due to a highly restricted environment for journalists, activists, labor unions and protests of most kinds.
[53:04.000 --> 53:12.000]  Over 1900 political prisoners are purportedly serving decades long sentences in prisons across the country.
[53:12.000 --> 53:19.000]  But there has been visible movement from the government over the past few months in the areas of freedom of speech and association.
[53:19.000 --> 53:27.000]  The lifting of the ban on international media outlets such as BBC and exile media such as Democratic Voice of Burma.
[53:27.000 --> 53:33.000]  The publishing of an exile editor's interview including controversial topics such as political prisoners.
[53:33.000 --> 53:38.000]  And the unprecedented coverage of protests inside the country.
[53:38.000 --> 53:42.000]  These might seem like insignificant moves to a majority of the world.
[53:42.000 --> 53:49.000]  But one has to retrace events to just a few years ago in Myanmar where such acts were unthinkable.
[53:49.000 --> 53:59.000]  Safran Revolution, 2007.
[53:59.000 --> 54:08.000]  It was the first time many across the world witnessed a people's revolution in Myanmar led by its spiritual leaders on their television screens.
[54:08.000 --> 54:17.000]  When hundreds of thousands of Buddhist monks took to the streets in defiance of the then ruling junta on August 15th, 2007.
[54:17.000 --> 54:20.000]  The world watched with trepidation.
[54:20.000 --> 54:30.000]  The regime's use of mass arrests, murder, torture and imprisonment has failed to distinguish our desire for freedom that was stolen from us many years ago.
[54:30.000 --> 54:32.000]  We've taken their best punch.
[54:32.000 --> 54:36.000]  Burma's Safran Revolution is just beginning.
[54:36.000 --> 54:40.000]  Gambira, who is a prime figure in organizing the protests, bravely wrote.
[54:40.000 --> 54:46.000]  At age 35 and four years after protests, he remains behind bars in Myanmar.
[54:46.000 --> 54:53.000]  A prisoner of conscience with rapidly deteriorating health due to torture he suffered at the hands of prison guards.
[54:53.000 --> 54:57.000]  Bochi knows the hardships of being in prison from his own experience.
[54:57.000 --> 55:07.000]  He served more than seven years in Myanmar's notorious prison system before fleeing to the border where he heads the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
[55:07.000 --> 55:12.000]  Seven years in prison, it must have been a very testing period.
[55:12.000 --> 55:18.000]  I was arrested for two times. For the first time was from 1990 to 1993.
[55:18.000 --> 55:25.000]  At that time I was arrested because I did a demonstration calling for the release of all students detainees from prison.
[55:25.000 --> 55:30.000]  Intelligence military officers said to me three years imprisonment is not enough for me.
[55:30.000 --> 55:32.000]  Therefore I was re-arrested again.
[55:32.000 --> 55:41.000]  The state of Myanmar officially denies the existence of political prisoners and they've been staunchly juxtaposed against AAPP's broad definitions.
[55:41.000 --> 55:49.000]  Our division is those who involve in non-violent action or resistant means are political prisoners.
[55:49.000 --> 56:00.000]  AAPP's efforts were partly rewarded with the release of about 235 political prisoners in October as part of a general amnesty granted by the president.
[56:00.000 --> 56:05.000]  Benjamin Zewaki at Amnesty International is the lead researcher on Myanmar.
[56:05.000 --> 56:13.000]  He points out that given the array of recent developments it is no longer feasible to assess Myanmar through a black and white lens.
[56:13.000 --> 56:19.000]  The purpose of the paper that I wrote was to say that look neither one of these two camps is exclusively correct.
[56:19.000 --> 56:26.000]  There has been for decades reasons for real pessimism in the country and most of those reasons still exist.
[56:26.000 --> 56:34.000]  But the optimists have a point as well in pointing to certain changes that happened this year that would have been simply inconceivable a year ago.
[56:34.000 --> 56:47.000]  Bold statements by Tin Sui, director of the censorship board, on the inevitability of free media for Myanmar continue to make headlines, triggering heated discussion amongst analysts across the spectrum.
[56:47.000 --> 56:53.000]  At times it has decreased and at other times we've seen incidents where it seems to be on the rise again.
[56:53.000 --> 56:59.000]  But by and large we can say throughout 2011 the degree of censorship in the country has decreased.
[56:59.000 --> 57:06.000]  Ms Aung Suu Kyi is now frequently written about in the press. She was of course persona non grata in the press for years if not decades.
[57:06.000 --> 57:12.000]  She herself has been allowed to publish a piece on the front page of a publication.
[57:12.000 --> 57:22.000]  Another sector that has experienced tangible progress largely due to successful efforts by the international labour organisation is the formation of labour unions.
[57:22.000 --> 57:29.000]  And how have there been any legal changes and how has that changed?