News

A new online information service launching in early 2006 aims to build on the model of free online encyclopedia Wikipedia by inviting acknowledged experts in a range of subjects to review material contributed by the general public. Called Digital Universe, the project is the brainchild of, among others, USWeb founder Joe Firmage and Larry Sanger, one of Wikipedia's earliest creators. By providing...

BEIRUT: Ghassan Tueni, dean of the Arab media whose anti-Syrian journalist son was assassinated last week, has become for many Lebanese a symbol of national survival in the face of adversity. "Ghassan Tueni is like Job, but a stoic and warrior Job," prominent writer and journalist Elias Khoury told AFP as he described the 79-year-old former government minister, MP and diplomat who owns the...

BEIRUT: The father of slain anti-Syrian Lebanese MP and journalist Gebran Tueni is suing Syria's Ambassador to the UN for derogatory comments about his son. Veteran Lebanese diplomat Ghassan Tueni charged that Syria's UN ambassador Faisal Mekdad compared his son to a "dog" in comments reported Wednesday by the U.S. daily, The New York Sun. "I will sue him [Mekdad] before the American courts,"...

The New York Times has disclosed that George W. Bush secretly waived rules restricting electronic surveillance inside the United States, allowing spying on hundreds of Americans that normally would require a court warrant. But almost as stunning was the Times admission that it had held the story for a year. Indeed, it appears the information about Bush's secret spy order was leaked before Election...

A group of journalists exiled in South Africa have decide to form an association to deal with their frustration at not being able to work in South African newsrooms, writes Bate Felix. "This is an association of journalists based in South Africa, who because of oppressive media laws in their countries, cannot practice and have decided to cross the border," said Magugu Nyathi, the group’s...

KUWAIT CITY -- A Kuwaiti parliamentary committee approved on Saturday a new draft press law that if passed would end nearly three decades of a government freeze on new licenses for daily newspapers. The reformist bill also bans the closure of newspapers without a final court verdict and allows citizens whose applications for licenses are rejected to sue the government in court, said MP Faisal Al...

Leaked documents obtained by Minivan have revealed that the President’s ‘social security and welfare’ fund will pay hundreds of thousands of ruffia to pro-regime newspapers in 2006. Documents from the 2006 budget reveal that three newspapers, Haveeru, Aafathis and Miadu – papers staunchly supportive of the president – will receive Rf. 300,000 ($21,000) next year if the budget is approved. Minivan...

Asharq Al-Awsat, New York - Asharq Al Awsat exclusively interviews Detlev Mehlis, Head of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1595 into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri. FAKHRY: Let me start, firstly, by asking you about the reasons as to why you are leaving the Investigation...

One of the world's most distinguished newspaper publishers came out of retirement last week at the age of 79. He had settled in France, a country he loved and which loved him back, only last week having bestowed on him the Légion d'Honneur for services to journalism. But duty called. He flew home and headed for his old office. Next morning he went to bury, and praise, the young man to whom he had...

WASHINGTON – U.S. military officials in Iraq were fully aware that a Pentagon contractor regularly paid Iraqi newspapers to publish positive stories about the war, and made it clear that none of the stories should be traced to the United States, according to several current and former employees of Lincoln Group, the Washington-based contractor. In contrast to assertions by military officials in...