A double amputee whose mother died at an early age overcame incredible odds to represent his country at the Olympic games.

A beautiful fashion model is gunned down in his house on Valentine's Day.

It's an incredible story and could be poised to change the face of daytime television in South Africa.

Oscar Pistorius goes on trial for murder on Monday and the proceedings are expected to be witnessed by an audience of (m) millions.

In a landmark ruling, a South African judge has agreed parts of the trial can be broadcast live on television by three remote-controlled cameras in court, but testimony given by Pistorius can not be shown.

Judge Dunstan Mlambo, who made the decision to allow broadcasting, said he had weighed up arguments for a fair trial from the Pistorius camp with principles of open justice and freedom of expression.

Advocates for freedom of speech and more transparency in South African public life hope the decision to allow cameras into the Pistorius trail will lead to more high profile cases being covered live.

The ruling followed a petition by local broadcaster 'Multi Choice', a digital TV and radio service, who have added what they describe as a 'pop up channel' to their system.

Channel 199 will be dedicated to the Pistorius trial and bring viewers not only the live pictures from inside the court, but a steady stream of analysis and comment from legal experts.

The pop-up channel is being produced by George Mazarakis, a popular television personality who is executive producer of the highly rated 'Carte Blanche', a show which pioneered investigative journalism in South Africa when it first aired in 1988.

Mazarakis has been associated with the show since its launch.

The pop-up channel will carry advertising which the producers say is necessary to help offset the high costs involved.

A panel of executives from Multi Choice briefed the media about Channel 199 last Friday.

They were keen to point out that the content will be serious and responsible - "not just tabloid" - but acknowledge they have a gripping story to tell.

"It is all too real, it is all too tragic," says Mazarakis.

The area outside the North Gauteng High Court has become a campsite for international television channels who have descended on Pretoria to beam their own reports and analysis of the Pistorius trial around the world.

On Sunday technicians were busy setting up satellite dishes and camera positions.

Hundreds of reporters have applied for a limited number of seats in a separate room in the court complex where the proceedings will be relayed via closed circuit television.

South Africa's criminal justice system and gun culture will be under a global spotlight during the Pistorius trial, which has some parallels with the 1990s OJ Simpson case in the United States because of the celebrity factor, the sensational allegations and the fascination of people around the world.

Parts of the trial will be broadcast live on television, adding to the scrutiny.

Simpson's trial for the murder of his ex-wife and a man was televised in its entirety.

But in one glaring difference, Pistorius acknowledges he killed the victim.

The Olympian said he thought Reeva Steenkamp was a night-time intruder in his home in the early hours of 14 February last year; the prosecution maintains he intentionally shot her several times in the bathroom after an argument.

Criminal law experts believe that if the prosecution fails to prove premeditated murder, firing several shots through a closed door could bring a conviction for the lesser charge of culpable homicide, a South African equivalent of manslaughter covering unintentional deaths through negligence.

Mlambo had shown "an awareness of the competing considerations at play," said Justice Edwin Cameron of South Africa's Constitutional Court.

He declined to comment directly on the ruling, but said he favoured cameras in appellate courts.

South Africa abolished the jury system in 1969 following arguments that whites-only juries during apartheid would be unlikely to deliver fair verdicts involving, for example, a white perpetrator and a black victim.

Johannesburg - 28 February 2014

1. Off screen - promo of Channel 199

2. Executive producer George Mazarakis and unidentified people brief media about Channel 199

3. Media audience listening to Mazarakis

4. Wide of executives on panel

5. SOUNDBITE (English) George Mazarakis, Executive Producer of Channel 199:

"It's a challenge to tell the story correctly and to tell it in a legally responsible way and in an entertaining way at the same time. But it is after all the story of a tragedy, and it's the story of a tragedy in two people's lives, it's not something that is pure entertainment at all, and to having achieved this from the courts I think we have added responsibility to take it very, very seriously and deliver it authentically, correctly and responsibly."

Pretoria - 2 March 2014

6. View from media platform overlooking North Gauteng High Court

7. Tents for media and satellite dishes

8. Satellite trucks parked opposite court

9. Pan of media activity on platform

Johannesburg - 28 February 2014

10. SOUNDBITE (English) George Mazarakis, Executive Producer of Channel 199:

"This is a breakthrough judgement to be given the opportunity to film in court. It's something that's never, ever happened before. It speaks to open justice, it augers well for the future and the strength of the South African democracy."

FILE: Pretoria - 19 August 2013

11. Media scrum as Oscar Pistorius arrives at magistrate's court for remand hearing

12. Pistorius escorted by police through photographers

Johannesburg - 28 February 2014

13. SOUNDBITE (English) George Mazarakis, Executive Producer of Channel 199:

"We have to give the dignity and the respect to the victim. She's not a cardboard cut-out caricature of a beautiful woman. She's a real human being with feelings. But so is he, the accused. It is all too real and this is all too tragic."

Pretoria - 2 March 2014

14. Satellite dish and technicians on media platform

15. Media equipment in tents

16. More media equipment

17. Camera being walked through turnstile and metal detectors at the entrance to the court

Protesters lying on railroad tracks blocked a train carrying a UK TV crew on Wednesday, as they attempted to make their way to Sri Lanka's former war zone in the north.

Channel 4's Callum Macrae, along with a team from the UK news programme Channel 4 News, were in Sri Lanka to cover the upcoming Commonwealth meeting.

They were blocked in the north-central city of Anuradhapura, and the train to the northern town of Vavuniya was unable to move for more than three hours.

The team eventually abandoned their train journey to allow other passengers to move on.

Macrae made a documentary showing soldiers executing naked Tamils and other gruesome footage from the 138-day final offensive in the country's 27-year civil war.

Sri Lanka dismissed the video as fake footage and false journalism.

However British Prime Minister David Cameron said at the weekend that Sri Lanka had "serious questions" to answer after watching the documentary.

Speaking in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "disturbed by the incident " that had taken place involving the British team of journalists.

He stated that, to him, "freedom of access to the media is very, very important."

Sri Lanka will host a Commonwealth summit this weekend with the global focus trained on the country's 27-year civil war and alleged atrocities committed by both rebels and soldiers who, despite a sustained international outcry, have been spared from investigations and prosecutions since the war ended in 2009.

The leaders of Canada and India are boycotting the summit for those reasons.

Others have had to justify their plans to attend by promising to bring Sri Lanka's government to task.

Queen Elizabeth II, who is 87, is not going, but her son, Prince Charles, is presiding over the meeting.

Sri Lanka denies any rights abuses were committed by its forces and it has balked at demands for an independent investigation.

The country's leaders also accuse journalists of fabricating allegations of atrocities, and stand staunchly by a clan-like government that has alarmed many democracies in the West.

AP TELEVISION

++16:9

Anuradhapura

1. Wide of protesters standing on train platform as train pulls in, some holding banners

2. Mid protesters on train platform, some holding banners reading (English) "Don't be the voice of the LTTE (Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam)"

3. Wide of protesters standing by train carriages with banners

4. Mid UK TV cameraman standing at train door, goes back into train

5. Mid protesters looking through train window

6. Various protesters standing in front of train, holding banners and chanting

++4:3++

Anuradhapura

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Callum Macrae, British journalist:

"There is a need for truth and there is a need for justice, and these crimes have to be investigated and simply saying that we told lies or our evidence is faked, when it is not, it's not the way to do it. They cannot hide behind denouncing us...they cannot..."

8. Mid back view Macrae and Ben de Pear, Editor UK news programme Channel 4 News talking to police

9. Mid Macrae and members of Channel 4 News team getting off train

10. Mid Macrae and members of Channel 4 News team talking to police, surrounded by protesters 11. UPSOUND: (English) Callum Macrae, British journalist:

"Free speech does not seem to be allowed in this country."

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jonathan Miller, British journalist:

"We listened to what the protesters said there. We understand that everybody in this country has got the right to express themselves. They did and they did it effectively. What they've done though they've stopped us listening to other peoples' voices further up the track. That's a real shame. We now have to go back to Colombo because we had to let those passengers, on the train, the other passengers go."

++16:9++

Colombo

13. Wide of British Foreign Secretary William Hague at news conference

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Hague, British Foreign Secretary:

"I was disturbed to hear about the incident that took place early today affecting Channel 4. I think the, I think freedom of access for the media is very, very important and the absence of that would reflect very poorly on any country. And again any country that hosts a major International meeting of course will receive a great deal of media attention. And we believe in the Commonwealth, in the freedom of the media and freedom of speech."

15. Cutaway of journalists

16. Hague leaving

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST:

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

St. Petersburg, Florida - 21 March 2016

+++SOTS SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Hulk Hogan, Former Pro Wrestler:

"I'm really happy about everything that's happened and I think we've made history today because I think we've protected a lot of people from maybe going through what I went through so we're very excited, very happy."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Hulk Hogan, Former Pro Wrestler:

"The community knows who I am you know. My WWE family knows who I am, they've been very supportive of me and at the end of the day it's just nice to get back to normal with all of my family and friends in the area it's just, it's been unbelievable everywhere I go, everywhere I show up people still treat me like I'm still the champ and they've been very supportive so it's really cool to be in this community and feel the love from everybody."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"Well what we really stuck out for us, well for me - I don't want to speak for the rest of the jury at all in any of this any of my statements I'm not speaking for anybody else, when we actually viewed the video, that changed the game for me, I mean I went into that deliberation room thinking on way and watching that video sealed it for me."

UPSOUND (English) Reporter: "What were you thinking initially?"

SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"I was thinking towards the plaintiff. I believe his privacy was violated, and that's not OK, The video was worse than I expected in some sort of content, not so much the sex part of it but just the conversation. I just feel like if he knew he was being videotaped, he would not have spoken about the things he spoke about."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"Just the conversation that what going on between him and the woman in the video. It was very human and if you're going to be videod you would not be talking like that."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"I understand that we have a First Amendment and I stand behind the First Amendment but, I'm in front of a ton of media saying this which is intimidating, I don't want that to be used improperly and I think that it is used improperly way too often and you know we also have privacy laws and I hope that those will be taken into more consideration when stories are being ran."

STORYLINE:

Moments after a Florida jury hit Gawker Media and its founder with $25 million in punitive damages for publishing a sex tape of Hulk Hogan, the former pro wrestler told a gaggle of reporters that he and his legal team "made history."

Hogan said Monday evening that he thought "we've protected a lot of people from going through what I went through."

The smiling 62-year-old, who wore all black throughout the three-week trial, added that he's been overwhelmed with support by fans.

The punitive damages come on top of $115 million the jury imposed Friday after two weeks of trial.

One juror, 35-year-old Salina Stevens, told reporters that watching the video posted by Gawker finally convinced her to find for Hogan.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST:

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

St. Petersburg, Florida - 21 March 2016

+++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Hulk Hogan, Former Pro Wrestler:

"I'm really happy about everything that's happened and I think we've made history today because I think we've protected a lot of people from maybe going through what I went through so we're very excited, very happy."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Hulk Hogan, Former Pro Wrestler:

"The community knows who I am you know. My WWE family knows who I am, they've been very supportive of me and at the end of the day it's just nice to get back to normal with all of my family and friends in the area it's just, it's been unbelievable everywhere I go, everywhere I show up people still treat me like I'm still the champ and they've been very supportive so it's really cool to be in this community and feel the love from everybody."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"It just took a lot of discussion, you know? There's no formula for this. You know you just kinda have to pull numbers and get an idea of what each person is making and kind of go at a percentage of that so that's just how we got there."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"Well what we really stuck out for us, well for me - I don't want to speak for the rest of the jury at all in any of this any of my statements I'm not speaking for anybody else, when we actually viewed the video, that changed the game for me, I mean I went into that deliberation room thinking on way and watching that video sealed it for me."

UPSOUND (English) Reporter: "What were you thinking initially?"

SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"I was thinking towards the plaintiff. I believe his privacy was violated, and that's not OK, The video was worse than I expected in some sort of content, not so much the sex part of it but just the conversation. I just feel like if he knew he was being videotaped, he would not have spoken about the things he spoke about."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"Just the conversation that what going on between him and the woman in the video. It was very human and if you're going to be videod you would not be talking like that."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Salina Stevens, 35, Juror:

"I understand that we have a First Amendment and I stand behind the First Amendment but, I'm in front of a ton of media saying this which is intimidating, I don't want that to be used improperly and I think that it is used improperly way too often and you know we also have privacy laws and I hope that those will be taken into more consideration when stories are being ran."

STORYLINE:

Moments after a Florida jury hit Gawker Media and its founder with $25 million in punitive damages for publishing a sex tape of Hulk Hogan, the former pro wrestler told a gaggle of reporters that he and his legal team "made history."

Hogan said Monday evening that he thought "we've protected a lot of people from going through what I went through."

The smiling 62-year-old, who wore all black throughout the three-week trial, added that he's been overwhelmed with support by fans.

The punitive damages come on top of $115 million the jury imposed Friday after two weeks of trial.

One juror, 35-year-old Salina Stevens, told reporters that watching the video posted by Gawker finally convinced her to find for Hogan.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

SHOTLIST

++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: AP TELEVISION DOES NOT HAVE RIGHTS TO THE PHOTOGRAPH AND HAS NOT INCLUDED ANY CLOSE-UPS OF IT IN THIS EDIT++

London, UK

1. Newspapers with headlines proclaiming anger against Italian magazine for showing Princess Diana's picture

2. Close-up of newspaper headline reading "Outrage at picture of dying Diana"

3. Close-up of headline reading "Dying Diana photo fury"

4. Close-up of story headline reading: "Sickening crash picture is published for the first time"

5. Tilt down Sun newspaper with headline reading: "Shame on you"

6. Pan from close-up of photo of Diana's face on newspaper to obscured photo of dying Diana

Rome

7. Wide shot of the Pantheon

8. Wide of newsstand

9. Magazines displayed for sale

10. Close-up of "Chi" people magazine with heading on front cover reading "World exclusive: the truth on Lady Diana, the last photo"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Nick (Australian) Vox pop:

"And there is a man there taking a photo of that? That's a disgrace man."

12. "Chi" magazine open at Lady Diana article with heading reading:" Lady Diana, the last photo"

13. SOUNDBITE (English): Vox pop:

"I think it's horrible, awful. They should just leave her be now. She has been dead for ten years, hasn't she?"

14. Various of "Chi" magazine held open, showing pictures of the last hours of Diana before the accident

15. SOUNDBITE (English): Canadian, Vox pop:

"I actually think the press should be allowed to film whatever they want to film. It's good to have a free press and she was a public figure. I think the people that think it's disgusting, they shouldn't buy the magazine."

16. Pan across "Chi" magazine pages showing pictures of the accident and rescue operations

17. SOUNDBITE (English): Mark (UK) Vox pop:

"She's died, it's not going to help anybody at all. There are obviously inquiries going into why it happened. But you know, I'm holding the magazine, I'm not going to open it, I don't want to see the pictures. It's not going to help anyone"

18. SOUNDBITE (English): Laura (UK) Vox pop:

"They should just let her rest in peace"

FILE Paris, 31 August 1997

19. Pan of crowd on Alma bridge to wrecked Mercedes on police truck

20. Mercedes being taken away

21. Exterior of Salpetriere hospital

FILE Japan 1995

22. Diana at children's hospital

23. Various of Diana with children and doctors

FILE Pakistan 1996

24. Various of Diana visiting child patients

24. Pan across audience to Diana, sitting with former Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan and his wife Jemima, watching performance

25. Children performing

26. Diana taking a child cancer victim into her arms

27. Close up of Diana holding child patient

DIANA CRASH PICTURES CAUSE GRIEF AND ANGER

The UK's Princes William and Harry on Friday revealed their deep sadness today following the publication of a photo of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales taken moments after the car crash which killed her.

The Royal princes issued a statement strongly criticising the decision to use the image in an Italian magazine.

They said they were "deeply saddened that such a low has been reached" and added that they would have been failing in their duty to her now if they did not make moves to protect her as she once did for them.

The decision to publish the photo set off anger across Britain with tabloid newspapers leading the protests against the image.

The black-and-white photo in Milan-based Chi magazine showed the princess receiving oxygen in the wreckage of the car crash that killed her on August 31, 1997.

The picture was excerpted from "Lady Diana: The Criminal Investigation," a new book by French author Jean-Michel Caradec'h.

"Shame on you," chided The Sun, a British tabloid.

The Daily Express called the image "grotesque" and swore not to reprint it.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund said the photos were in poor taste.

The feeling was echoed by tourists in Rome.

"I think it's horrible, awful. They should just leave her be now. She has been dead for ten years, hasn't she?" said one lady visiting Rome.

UK tourists Mark and Laura agreed, saying," She's died, it's not going to help anybody at all."

However a Canadian tourist felt differently saying, "It's good to have a free press and she was a public figure. I think the people that think it's disgusting, they shouldn't buy the magazine."

Entrepreneur Mohamed al Fayed, whose son Dodi also died in the crash, called the publication "vile."

The magazine's editor Umberto Brindani, defended his action, saying that the photograph was "touching" and "tender," but not offensive.

The Princess of Wales died in a car accident in Paris on 31 August 1997.

Diana, 36, her companion Dodi Fayed, 42, and their driver, Henri Paul, were killed when the car crashed into a pillar in an underpass.

SHOTLIST

1. Zoom in from wide of 6th October Bridge to soldier searching man's bag

2. Wide of protesters marching on bridge, zoom out to Cairo skyline

3. Top shot of protesters marching towards Tahrir Square

4. Tank parked underneath bridge with few protesters marching above

5. Protesters gathering

6. Various of protesters searching others before heading towards Tahrir Square

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Name not given, Protester:

"We are doing this because there are fugitives from prison who are trying to enter among us and trying to steal, so we are doing the security job ourselves and we are not depending on anyone, we are capable of securing our country and millions of countries around us."

8. Protesters being searched

9. Pan from effigies to protesters in tahrir Square

10. Wide of speakers corner

11. Pan of effigies of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with images of the Pyramids, Star of David and the US Capitol Building drawn on

12. Mid of a protester speaking, UPSOUND (Arabic) Name not given, a prosecutor: "The ousted President is subjected to a civilian tribunal because of the 30 years of oppressing the people and killing the Egyptian people."

13. Close of man wearing judges' gown writing down a note

14. Close of protester's face with slogan on his face, reading (Arabic) "Step Down"

15. Various of protesters hanging effigies

16. Low angle shot of protester holding a banner, reading (Arabic) "Mubarak wake up today is your last day"

17. Protesters chanting (Arabic) "Allahu Akbar" (God is greater)

18. Wide of protesters hanging effigy

19. Exterior of Hotel Inter Continental in Cairo

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor:

"Well it was unexpected, it came to me as a shock, but my attitude is always, I am with the young people, I am with the people, the people are always right in my opinion. I'm not a political man. I like to watch sports not the news, but I find our young people very courageous and very kind. They have been perfectly organised and not hurting anyone, not annoying anyone, they are wonderful people. I am very proud of my Egyptian young people."

21. Exterior of hotel

22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor:

"But I did not expect it, I did not expect ever that somebody was going to come and say to our president to leave or to not be there. So it was a bit of a shock at the beginning and then now I think it's a good thing."

23. Sharif getting into car

STORYLINE

Tens of thousands of people converged in the heart of Cairo on Tuesday, responding to a call for a million Egyptians to unite in the largest protest in a week of unceasing demands for President Hosni Mubarak to leave after nearly 30 years in power.

A stream of protesters arrived in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square at checkpoints guarded by protesters and the army, which promised on Monday night that it would not fire on protesters.

The announcement was a sign that army support for Mubarak may be unravelling as momentum builds for an extraordinary eruption of discontent and demands for democracy in the United States' most important Arab ally.

The loosely organised and disparate movement to drive Mubarak out is fuelled by deep frustration with an autocratic regime blamed for ignoring the needs of the poor and allowing corruption and official abuse to run rampant.

After years of tight state control, protesters emboldened by the overthrow of Tunisia's president last month took to the streets on January 25 and mounted a relentless and once unimaginable series of protests across this nation of 80 (m) million people, the region's most populous country and the centre of Arabic-language film-making, music and literature.

Egypt's most famous actor Omar Sharif said he was astounded by the protests and added that he was "proud" of the young Egyptians.

"I did not expect ever that somebody was going to come and say to our president to leave or to not be there. So it was a bit of a shock at the beginning at then now I think it's a good thing," he said.

Soviet-era and newer US-made Abrams tanks stood at the roads leading into Tahrir Square.

For days, army tanks and troops have surrounded the square, keeping the protests confined but doing nothing to stop people from joining.

The guns of many of the tanks pointed out from the square.

Military spokesman Ismail Etman said the military "has not and will not use force against the public" and underlined that "the freedom of peaceful expression is guaranteed for everyone."

He added the caveats that protesters should not commit "any act that destabilises security of the country" or damage property.

The protests appeared to be better organised on Tuesday.

Volunteers wearing tags reading "Security of the People", searched those who entered the square.

They said they were watching for government infiltrators or fugitive prisoners who might try to instigate violence.

Authorities shut down all roads and public transportation to Cairo, security officials said.

The protesters, and the Obama administration, roundly rejected Mubarak's announcement of a new government on Monday that dropped his highly unpopular interior minister, who heads police forces and has been widely denounced by the protesters.

Stuffed dummies representing Mubarak were hung from traffic lights at Tahrir Square.

On their chests was written: "We want to put the murderous president on trial."

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus038689

A flock of spray-painted birds breaks free from shackles on a building in Manhattan, while uptown in Harlem a mural shows a giant purple gazelle against a black background, barren trees and a peacock feather.

They are among about a half-dozen murals painted around New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey, to draw attention to journalist Maziar Bahari's campaign for press freedom and educational access in Iran, where he spent 118 days in a jail after an appearance on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." His story was told in Stewart's film "Rosewater."

Bahari hopes the art will attract the attention of diplomats attending the U.N. General Assembly and spark a conversation about human rights. He has founded a nonprofit group, Not A Crime, to focus on journalism and education for Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'i.

Bahari was working for Newsweek magazine when Iran's Revolutionary Guards took him from his mother's home in Tehran on June 21, 2009, on charges of espionage based on video footage in which he joked with a "Daily Show" correspondent about being a spy. During four months in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, he was beaten, held in solitary confinement and suffered psychological torture, he said.

He was formally charged after his arrest, but after four months in prison he was released on bail, and he promptly left the country. After he left, he was sentenced in absentia to more than 13 years in prison on various security charges, including spreading propaganda against Iran, collecting confidential and classified documents and insulting the supreme leader.

With more than 30 imprisoned journalists, Iran is second only to China in jailing reporters, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Cases like those of Bahari and Jason Rezaian – a Washington Post reporter held in Evin prison for over a year on espionage charges _ have spotlighted the issue, and Bahari hopes, and the mural project will bring more awareness for the cause, and also of the Baha'i, a minority religious group in Iran denied access to higher education _ the faith is seen there as violating Islam.

For the New York project, Bahari teamed up with an online art gallery, Street Art Anarchy, which organized the artists.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus038689

A flock of spray-painted birds breaks free from shackles on a building in Manhattan, while uptown in Harlem a mural shows a giant purple gazelle against a black background, barren trees and a peacock feather.

They are among about a half-dozen murals painted around New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey, to draw attention to journalist Maziar Bahari's campaign for press freedom and educational access in Iran, where he spent 118 days in a jail after an appearance on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." His story was told in Stewart's film "Rosewater."

Bahari hopes the art will attract the attention of diplomats attending the U.N. General Assembly and spark a conversation about human rights. He has founded a nonprofit group, Not A Crime, to focus on journalism and education for Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'i.

Bahari was working for Newsweek magazine when Iran's Revolutionary Guards took him from his mother's home in Tehran on June 21, 2009, on charges of espionage based on video footage in which he joked with a "Daily Show" correspondent about being a spy. During four months in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, he was beaten, held in solitary confinement and suffered psychological torture, he said.

He was formally charged after his arrest, but after four months in prison he was released on bail, and he promptly left the country. After he left, he was sentenced in absentia to more than 13 years in prison on various security charges, including spreading propaganda against Iran, collecting confidential and classified documents and insulting the supreme leader.

With more than 30 imprisoned journalists, Iran is second only to China in jailing reporters, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Cases like those of Bahari and Jason Rezaian – a Washington Post reporter held in Evin prison for over a year on espionage charges _ have spotlighted the issue, and Bahari hopes, and the mural project will bring more awareness for the cause, and also of the Baha'i, a minority religious group in Iran denied access to higher education _ the faith is seen there as violating Islam.

For the New York project, Bahari teamed up with an online art gallery, Street Art Anarchy, which organized the artists.

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"Not A Crime campaign is an awareness raising campaign about things that are banned in Iran and criminalized in Iran. We are focusing on two main issues: the situation of journalists in Iran, and also about the Baha'i's which are the biggest religious minority in Iran."

++SOUNDBITE COVERED WITH SHOTS 2-3++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

2. Wide pan mural of birds breaking free from shackles in midtown Manhattan

3. Mid mural of gazelle in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"We have artists from different parts of the world coming to New York and talking about the situation of journalists or religious minorities, the Baha'i's in Iran."

++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED BY SHOTS 5-6++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

5. Wide artist painting mural in Harlem

6. Tight artist painting mural in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Nikzad Nodjoumi, artist:

"The whole idea is to have a strong image to stop you to look at it and say 'okay'."

++SOUNDBITE COVERED BY SHOT 8++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

8. Mid tilt up mural of birds breaking free from shackles in midtown Manhattan

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Nikzad Nodjoumi, artist:

"Generally people would take a look, but I'm sure if there's something catchy, catching the eyes, they would stop. That's why we are trying to focus on one element that is powerful enough to stop the eyes."

++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED BY SHOTS 10-12++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

10. Wide mural of gazelle in Harlem

11. Tight writing on mural of gazelle in Harlem

12. Zoom in mural of gazelle in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron English, artist:

"I think art is very powerful. And I think that everybody has to deal with it if it's in public. So it's a lot more significant if it's in the public space."

++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED BY SHOT 14++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

14. Mid mural of birds breaking free from shackles midtown Manhattan

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"We thought that the fact that the whole world is coming together to New York in September is a good opportunity to start a discourse, to start a dialogue and to talk about the issue of the persecution of journalists and religious minorities in Iran."

++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED BY SHOTS 16-17++

AP TELEVISION

New York- Date unknown

16. Wide United Nations building

17. Tight flags

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"The fact that the Baha'i's can't study or teach in universities in the country, and that they are discriminated against and are regarded as second or third class citizens in the country."

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"Hopefully that our awareness raising campaign will have some impact on the actions of the Iranian government."

++SOUNDBITE COVERED BY SHOTS 20-21++

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

20. Mid artist painting mural in Harlem

21. Tight artist painting mural in Harlem

A flock of spray-painted birds breaks free from shackles on a building in Manhattan, while uptown in Harlem a mural shows a giant purple gazelle against a black background, barren trees and a peacock feather.

They are among about a half-dozen murals painted around New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey, to draw attention to journalist Maziar Bahari's campaign for press freedom and educational access in Iran, where he spent 118 days in a jail after an appearance on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." His story was told in Stewart's film "Rosewater."

Bahari hopes the art will attract the attention of diplomats attending the U.N. General Assembly and spark a conversation about human rights. He has founded a nonprofit group, Not A Crime, to focus on journalism and education for Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'i.

Bahari was working for Newsweek magazine when Iran's Revolutionary Guards took him from his mother's home in Tehran on June 21, 2009, on charges of espionage based on video footage in which he joked with a "Daily Show" correspondent about being a spy. During four months in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, he was beaten, held in solitary confinement and suffered psychological torture, he said.

He was formally charged after his arrest, but after four months in prison he was released on bail, and he promptly left the country. After he left, he was sentenced in absentia to more than 13 years in prison on various security charges, including spreading propaganda against Iran, collecting confidential and classified documents and insulting the supreme leader.

With more than 30 imprisoned journalists, Iran is second only to China in jailing reporters, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Cases like those of Bahari and Jason Rezaian – a Washington Post reporter held in Evin prison for over a year on espionage charges _ have spotlighted the issue, and Bahari hopes, and the mural project will bring more awareness for the cause, and also of the Baha'i, a minority religious group in Iran denied access to higher education _ the faith is seen there as violating Islam.

For the New York project, Bahari teamed up with an online art gallery, Street Art Anarchy, which organized the artists.

A flock of spray-painted birds breaks free from shackles on a building in Manhattan, while uptown in Harlem a mural shows a giant purple gazelle against a black background, barren trees and a peacock feather.

They are among about a half-dozen murals painted around New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey, to draw attention to journalist Maziar Bahari's campaign for press freedom and educational access in Iran, where he spent 118 days in a jail after an appearance on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." His story was told in Stewart's film "Rosewater."

Bahari hopes the art will attract the attention of diplomats attending the U.N. General Assembly and spark a conversation about human rights. He has founded a nonprofit group, Not A Crime, to focus on journalism and education for Iran's largest religious minority, the Baha'i.

Bahari was working for Newsweek magazine when Iran's Revolutionary Guards took him from his mother's home in Tehran on June 21, 2009, on charges of espionage based on video footage in which he joked with a "Daily Show" correspondent about being a spy. During four months in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, he was beaten, held in solitary confinement and suffered psychological torture, he said.

He was formally charged after his arrest, but after four months in prison he was released on bail, and he promptly left the country. After he left, he was sentenced in absentia to more than 13 years in prison on various security charges, including spreading propaganda against Iran, collecting confidential and classified documents and insulting the supreme leader.

With more than 30 imprisoned journalists, Iran is second only to China in jailing reporters, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Cases like those of Bahari and Jason Rezaian – a Washington Post reporter held in Evin prison for over a year on espionage charges _ have spotlighted the issue, and Bahari hopes, and the mural project will bring more awareness for the cause, and also of the Baha'i, a minority religious group in Iran denied access to higher education _ the faith is seen there as violating Islam.

For the New York project, Bahari teamed up with an online art gallery, Street Art Anarchy, which organized the artists.

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

1. Wide pan mural of gazelle in Harlem

2. Mid mural of gazelle in Harlem

3. Tight writing on mural of gazelle in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"Not A Crime campaign is an awareness raising campaign about things that are banned in Iran and criminalized in Iran. We are focusing on two main issues: the situation of journalists in Iran, and also about the Baha'i's which are the biggest religious minority in Iran."

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

5. Zoom in artist painting mural in Harlem

6. Tight artist painting mural in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"We have artists from different parts of the world coming to New York and talking about the situation of journalists or religious minorities, the Baha'i's in Iran. The fact that the Baha'i's can't study or teach in universities in the country, and that they are discriminated against and are regarded as second or third class citizens in the country."

AP TELEVISION

New York- FILE

5. Wide United Nations building

6. Tight flags

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"We thought that the fact that the whole world is coming together to New York in September is a good opportunity to start a discourse, to start a dialogue."

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

8. Wide tilt up mural of birds in midtown Manhattan

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron English, artist:

"I think art is very powerful. And I think that everybody has to deal with it if it's in public. So it's a lot more significant if it's in the public space."

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

10. Wide pan mural of birds in midtown Manhattan

11. Tight mural of birds in midtown Manhattan

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Nikzad Nodjoumi, artist:

"People pass by the murals always. If I pass by the mural, I look at it because I'm interested in the painting. So I think generally people would take a look, but I'm sure if there's something catchy, catching the eyes, they would stop. That's why we are trying to focus on one element that is powerful enough to stop the eyes."

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

13. Zoom in mural of gazelle in Harlem

AP TELEVISION

New York - August 2015

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Maziar Bahari. journalist, activist, founder nonprofit group Not A Crime:

"The information will get to Iran and hopefully to the Iranian authorities, and hopefully that our awareness raising campaign will have some impact on the actions of the Iranian government."

AP TELEVISION

New York - September 15, 2015

15. Mid artist painting mural in Harlem

16. Tight artist painting mural in Harlem

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide of bus carrying Joe Gordon, US citizen convicted of insulting Thailand's King driving in

2. Mid of journalists filming

3. Mid of Gordon coming out of bus wearing orange prison uniform and shackles

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Gordon, US citizen convicted of insulting Thailand's King:

"Well I just hope that the law has some mercy on me."

5. Gordon going behind bars in Criminal Court of Thailand

6. Photo of King and Queen of Thailand on wall

7. Wide of Gordon standing behind bars

8. Close of Gordon behind bars

9. Journalists filming

10. Close of Gordon

11. Exterior of Thailand's Criminal Court

12. Close of portrait of King of Thailand

13. Close of sign reading Criminal Court of Thailand

14. Wide of Joe Gordon's lawyer speaking to media

15. Mid of cameramen filming

16. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Arnon Nampa, Lawyer for Joe Gordon:

"We can say that the punishment from the verdict is softer than normal because in other similar cases it can be six to 10 years of the imprisonment. In this case, the five-year imprisonment was reduced to two-years-six-months."

17. Wide of Gordon with shackles sitting behind bars

18. Mid of cameramen filming

19. Close of Gordon

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Elizabeth Pratt, US Consul General in Bangkok:

"We consider this sentence severe because he was sentenced for his right to freedom of expression, which is, as we said, is the international norm of human rights."

21. Various of Gordon being escorted into the court

22. Close of Gordon standing and going into the court

STORYLINE:

A court in Thailand sentenced a US citizen to two-and-a-half years in prison for defaming the country's royal family by translating excerpts of a locally banned biography of the king and posting them online.

A US official, who was in the courthouse in Bangkok on Thursday, called the verdict "severe" and one which violated the "freedom of expression".

Joe Gordon, a 55-year-old Thai-born American from Colorado, was brought into a Bangkok criminal court with ankles shackled in an orange prison uniform.

He pleaded for leniency as he entered the courthouse.

"Well I just hope that the law has some mercy on me," Gordon shouted at journalists as he was escorted into the court by security workers armed shotguns.

He was sentenced to two and a-half years for insulting King Bhumibol Adulyadej several years ago, reduced from five years after he pleaded guilty in October.

Gordon posted links the to banned biography of the King several years ago while living in Colorado, and the case has raised questions about the applicability of Thai law to acts committed by foreigners outside Thailand.

Gordon was detained in late May during a visit to Thailand, where he had returned for medical treatment.

After being repeatedly denied bail, he pleaded guilty in October in hopes of obtaining a lenient sentence.

Gordon's lawyer called the verdict relatively lenient to other similar cases.

"We can say that the punishment from the verdict is softer than normal because in other similar cases it can be six to 10 years of the imprisonment. In this case, the five-year imprisonment was reduced to two-years, six-months," his lawyer said.

Thailand's lese majeste laws are the harshest in the world. They mandate that people found guilty of defaming the monarchy - including the king, the queen and the heir to the throne - face three to 15 years behind bars.

The nation's 2007 Computer Crimes Act also contains provisions that have enabled prosecutors to increase lese majeste sentences.

The country has come under increasing pressure both at home and abroad to amend the laws, which critics say are too harsh and have often been used for political harassment.

The US Embassy's Consul General in Thailand, Elizabeth Pratt, told reporters after the ruling that Washington considered the punishment "severe because he has been sentenced for his right to freedom of expression."

The last person sentenced for lese majeste in Thailand was 61-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul. He was convicted of sending four text messages to a secretary of former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and sentenced last month to 20 years in jail.

Gordon, a former car salesman, is accused of having translated excerpts from the unauthorised biography "The King Never Smiles," published by Yale University Press, into the Thai language and publishing them in a blog.

He also provided links to the translation to other two Web forums, prosecutors say.

In the banned book, author Paul Handley retraces the king's life, alleging that he has been a major stumbling block to the progress of democracy in Thailand as he consolidated royal power over his long reign.

Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning monarch, is profoundly revered in Thailand and is widely seen as a stabilising force.

He was feted on Monday on his 84th birthday, during which he called on his countrymen to unite in response to the worst floods in more than half a century.

The king is frail and has stayed at a Bangkok hospital for more than two years.

SHOTLIST:

7 November 2012

1. Various set up shots of US citizen Joe Gordon

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Gordon, jailed for 14 months for translating execerpts of an unauthorised biography of the Thai king:

"It was so bad in the prison. I almost died, I think. Sometimes I can't even walk. My both legs have swelled up. And the clinic inside the jail�when the doctors know that your case is lese majeste, you are a red shirt or you are a political prisoner, they are not going to treat you or give you medicine."

3. Cutaway of hands

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Gordon, jailed for 14 months for translating execerpts of an unauthorised biography of the Thai king:

"The lese-majeste law doesn't fit Thailand today because it's so obsolete, and it's like a double-edged sword that can harm people and it can damage the monarchy and the whole institution. If Thailand wants to move forward to catch up with the globalization, they need to get rid of lese majeste law and release all the political prisoners and lese majeste prisoners - all of them out of jail."

5. Pan from photographer to Gordon

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Gordon, jailed for 14 months for translating execerpts of an unauthorised biography of the Thai king:

"Freedom of expression is not harassment. And Thai people don't understand that. They think that freedom of expression is a way of harassment, which is not. It's totally different."

7. Mid of Gordon walking

FILE: 8 Novemebr 2011

8. Various of Gordon in custody

STORYLINE

A US citizen who served 14 months in a Thai jail for posting web links to a banned biography of Thailand's king told the Associated Press on Wednesday his sentence had almost killed him.

Joe Gordon was convicted last year of translating excerpts of unauthorised biography of King Bhumibol from English into Thai and posting them on his blog while he was in the US.

Though he now denies committing any crime, Gordon, who was born in Thailand, pleaded guilty and was sentenced two-and-a-half years in prison before receiving a royal pardon in July.

"It was so bad in the prison. I almost died," Gordon said. "Sometimes I can't even walk."

Gordon was convicted under the lese-majeste law, or article 112 of Thailand's criminal code which protects the most senior members of the royal family from threats and insults.

Gordon says it's time to scrap that law entirely.

"The lese-majeste law doesn't fit Thailand today because it's so obsolete, and it's like a double-edged sword that can harm people or can damage the monarchy and the whole institution," Gordon says.

Gordon has already returned to the US state of Colorado and says he has no plans to return to the country of his birth any time soon.

SHOTLIST:

1. Jimmy Carter walking through construction site

2. Various shots of Jimmy Carter helping with construction project to build homes for poor families, laying bricks and cement

3. Volunteers at construction site

4. Jimmy Carter walking with his wife Rosalynn

5. Journalists at news conference

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jimmy Carter, Former U.S. President:

"Well, I would like to be remembered for peace, promoting peace. When I was president, we never had to fire a bullet or drop a bomb or launch a missile... and I worked between other nations to promote peace. We had not had diplomatic relations with China for 35 years, and as you may know I established diplomatic relations first (with China) in our calendar in 1979. And basic human rights is a thing about which all of us should be concerned, and that includes freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to choose one's own leaders, but also I think human rights include the right to decent food and a place to sleep at night, a home."

7. Wide shot of Carter at press conference

8. US Actor Brad Pitt walking through the site

9. Pitt working on building site with volunteers

10. Australian cricketer Steve Waugh and Indian actress Pooja Bedi working at site ++MUTE++

11. Wide of Waugh working with other volunteers ++MUTE++

12. Wide shot of construction site

STORYLINE:

Former US President Jimmy Carter was in the south Indian village of Lonawala on Monday visiting the construction site of 100 houses destined to alleviate housing problems among the region's poorest families.

Carter was joined by thousands of volunteers from India and around the world, including Hollywood star Brad Pitt and Australian cricketer Steve Waugh, working with the charity Habitat For Humanity.

The volunteers hope to finish the construction work this week.

"Basic human rights is a thing about which all of us should be concerned, and that includes freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to choose one's own leaders, but also I think human rights include the right to decent food and a place to sleep at night, a home," Carter said.

The former president has worked with Habitat for Humanity for 23 years and set up The Jimmy Carter Work Project as part of the Habitat for Humanity's campaign to end poverty housing in India and around the world.

Jonathon Reckford, Chief Executive of Habitat for Humanity International (HFH) praised Carter's involvement in the project and said it had "shone a tremendous light on the immense housing need in our world."

After his visit to Lonawala Carter will go on to Chennai in southern India and Thailand to visit sites where houses are being built for people made homeless by 2004's Tsunami.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian charity that works to eliminate poverty housing worldwide.

Since its founding in 1976, it has built or renovated more than 200-thousand homes throughout the world.

SHOTLIST

9 February 2011

++16:9++

1. Various of people demonstrating in support of Mexican journalist, Carmen Aristegui, who was addressing the media after being fired from MVS radio station following comments she made about the Mexican president.

2. Demonstrator holding banner reading (Spanish) "Carmen (Aristegui) forgive him (referring to president Calderon), he was drunk, he didn't know what he was doing."

3. Exterior of MVS radio station headquarters

4. Pro-Aristegui demonstrators gathered outside radio station

5. Gerardo Fernandez Norona, federal lawmaker for the Partido del Trabajo (Work Party), struggling with guards at radio station lobby

6. Various of Fernandez Norona putting up closed-down banners on the wall outside the radio station lobby

7. SOUNDBITE (SPANISH) Gerardo Fernandez Norona, Federal lawmaker for the Partido del Trabajo (Work Party):

"The firing of Carmen Aristegui seems like the outburst of a person drunk with power, of someone who is clouded with the exercise of power in our country."

8. Wide of demonstrators with banner in support of Aristegui

9. Wide Carmen Aristegui at news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Carmen Aristegui, Journalist:

"It's been said the reason for my firing was my denial to offer an apology for infringing the ethics code of the company, this is false and it became just an excuse. At this moment, I don't rectify nor apologise, because there is nothing to apologise for."

11. Cutaway of of Aristegui reading statement at news conference

12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Carmen Aristegui, Journalist:

"Something like this, it's only imaginable in the kind of dictatorships that nobody wants for Mexico. Punishing someone for voicing their opinion, or for questioning the people in power, this issue affects all of us."

13. Cutaway of video camera

14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Carmen Aristegui, Journalist:

"What kind of democracy is this? Due to an editorial comment that annoyed a person in power, the person who voiced the opinion gets their head cut off?"

15. Aristegui leaving media conference

FILE: 15 May 2009

++4:3++

16. Various of Aristegui in radio studio

STORYLINE

The firing of a prominent journalist from her radio show has stirred a debate over freedom of expression in Mexico and allegations that the government still holds sway over the media.

Carmen Aristegui said Wednesday that she was let go by MVS radio for refusing to apologise for her comments Friday regarding a congressman's allegation that President Felipe Calderon is an alcoholic.

Aristegui said the accusation was serious and Calderon should respond, though the lawmaker provided no evidence.

Officials from Calderon's office have said such rumours don't merit a response.

MVS announced her dismissal Monday, saying she violated the station's code of ethics by giving credibility to a rumor.

"At this moment, I don't rectify nor apologise, because there is nothing to apologise for," Aristegui said Wednesday.

She said her firing was authoritative, excessive and unacceptable.

"Something like this it's only imaginable in the kind of dictatorships that nobody wants for Mexico. Punishing someone for voicing their opinion or for questioning the people in power, this issue affects all of us," she added.

The firing of a media celebrity, who is ubiquitous on the Mexican airwaves between her morning drive-time radio show and a talk show on the cable TV channel CNN en Espanol, blew up on Twitter and caused a congressional debate.

It also caused outrage amongst her supporters who gathered outside two locations in Mexico City on Wednesday to protest against the firing.

Aristegui has been honoured with top journalism prizes and is known for a direct style of questioning that is unusual in Mexico.

Aristegui claimed Calderon's office called MVS after her show and demanded a public apology.

She said the station is under government pressure because it is awaiting approval to renew its radio frequency concession.

MVS did not return a phone call requesting comment Wednesday.

Aristegui, on her program Friday, was discussing lawmaker Gerardo Fernandez Norona, a member of the leftist Labor Party who caused a ruckus in Congress last week when he held up a banner with Calderon's photograph that read: "Would you let a drunk drive your car? No, right? So why would you let him run the country?"

The episode prompted Congress to suspend its session.

Fernandez Norona also led a demonstration outside the MVS radio station headquarters to protest the firing of Aristegui on Wednesday.

He placed banners that read "clausurado" (close down) at the entrance of the radio station and addressed a small group of demonstrators who called for a boycott of the company.

An official from Calderon's office denied it had demanded an apology and insisted it had nothing to do with Aristegui's dismissal.

In a statement, the president's office said the federal government has been "scrupulously respectful of freedom of expression" and says it does not mix politics with issues of telecommunications.

SHOTLIST

AGENCY POOL

Postdam, Germany - 8 September 2010

1. Mid of German Chancellor Angela Merkel at award ceremony for cartoonist Kurt Westergaard

2. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"It is by the way not a contradiction, that Europe is also a place, where the freedom of faith and of religion, the respect of faith and religion, is of great value. When a fundamentalist evangelical pastor in America wants to burn the Koran on 9/11, I find it, in a few words only, simply disrespectful, abhorrent and simply wrong."

AP TELEVISION

Kabul, Afghanistan - 8 September 2010

3. Wide exterior of mosque with call to prayers sounding out from speakers

4. Close-up of man offering call to prayers

5. Various of worshippers attending afternoon prayers

6. Pan of Muslim cleric Mohammad Mukhtar in his office

7. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Mohammad Mukhtar, Muslim cleric:

"It is the duty of Muslims to react, it is their duty. When their holy book the Quran gets burnt in public then there is nothing left. If this happens, I think the first and most important reaction afterwards will be that wherever Americans are seen they will be killed, no matter where they will be in the world they will be killed."

8. Various of Kabul residents at downtown market

9. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Sharif, Kabul resident:

"If you (Americans) do this (burning of Quran) we will not be able to control our people, we are Muslims and we will do whatever we will be able to do."

AP TELEVISION

Islamabad, Pakistan - 8 September 2010

10. US actress and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations's refugee agency, Angelina Jolie arriving for news conference

11. Close-up of Jolie's face

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Angelina Jolie, US actress:

"Of course not, of course not. I have hardly the words that somebody would do that to somebody's religious book."

13. Mid of news conference

AP TELEVISION

Cologne, Germany - 8 September 2010

14. Wide of "Christian Community of Cologne" building

15. Mid of billboard reading (German) "Christian Community of Cologne"

16. SOUNDBITE (German) Stephan Baar, leader of Christian Community of Cologne:

"First of all, we explicitly distance ourselves from Mr. Jones himself and from what is happening there. That does not conform to what we believe in. This is not something that does conform with Christian beliefs."

17. Close of sign reading (German) "Christian Community of Cologne"

STORYLINE

World leaders and people around the world condemned plans of a small Florida church that espouses an anti-Islam philosophy and its plans to burn copies of the Quran on September 11, despite pressure from the White House, religious leaders and others to call it off.

In a news conference on Wednesday, the church's pastor Terry Jones said he was, for now, planning to go ahead with the Quran burning.

In Potsdam, German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Jones' plans.

"When a fundamentalist evangelical pastor in America wants to burn the Koran on 9/11, I find it, in a few words only, simply disrespectful, abhorrent and simply wrong," she said.

Merkel made the comments at an award ceremony for a Danish cartoonist who caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, causing outrage in the Muslim world.

Merkel said that there was no contradiction in condemning Jones' actions while honouring Westergaard.

The board of Potsdam's M100 conference on "Media Freedom in Europe" has said the prize honours Westergaard's courage in standing up for freedom of speech despite threats and attacks.

The 75-year-old cartoonist and 11 others published controversial caricatures in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper four years ago.

Jones' Quran-burning idea would likely be protected by the US Constitution's right to free speech.

The US Supreme Court has made clear that speech deemed offensive to many people, even the majority of people, cannot be suppressed by the government unless it is clearly directed to intimidate someone or amounts to an incitement to violence, legal experts said.

The Vatican denounced the planned Quran burning as "outrageous and grave."

In Afghanistan, Jones' planned action provoked outrage.

"It is the duty of Muslims to react," said Mohammad Mukhtar, a cleric and candidate for the Afghan parliament in the September 18 election.

"When their holy book the Quran gets burnt in public then there is nothing left. If this happens, I think the first and most important reaction afterwards will be that wherever Americans are seen they will be killed, no matter where they will be in the world they will be killed."

While touring flood-affected areas in Pakistan, US actress and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations's refugee agency, Angelina Jolie, spoke out against the proposed burning.

"I have hardly the words that somebody would do that to somebody's religious book," Jolie told reporters in Islamabad after visiting refugees camps in northwestern Pakistan, one of the areas of the country hit hardest by the floods.

A leader at a German evangelical church founded by Terry Jones said on Wednesday he has no doubt the Florida-based preacher will carry out plans to burn copies of the Quran on September 11, though his former congregation is "shocked and surprised" at his stance.

Stephan Baar of the Christian Community of Cologne, founded by Jones in the 1980s, said although the congregation has had no contact with the 58-year-old preacher since throwing him out in 2008, he did not expect Jones to cave in to pressure from the White House, religious leaders and others to call it off.

Baar distanced his small, independent church and its congregation of about 60 members from the ideas of its founder, saying they had severed ties with him over differences in his leadership style.