BBC Monitoring Analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring on 18 September On 6 September, Israeli air force planes reportedly entered Syrian airspace from the Mediterranean. Unidentified fuel tanks, possibly from one of the Israeli aircraft, were later found on Turkish territory near the Syrian border, indicating the planes' probable …
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Columnist weighs up Egyptian media behaviour regarding Mubarak health rumours
BBC Monitoring Text of report by Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram Weekly website on 13 September [Article by Shadin Shihab: "Redrawing the Lines"] When the editor of Al-Dustur faces trial on 1 October for "publishing false rumours in bad faith about President Mubarak's health," it is the independent press that will …
Read More »Access to Google back to normal in Iran – news agency
BBC Monitoring An official news agency has said that access to Google is back to normal in Iran after reports that the search engine was being blocked. Fars News Agency on 17 September quoted an official as saying the incident was a mistake and had now been resolved. Some Iranian …
Read More »Pakistan: Police holding head of planned Baloch TV channel for questioning
BBC Monitoring Text of report by Pakistani newspaper Daily Times website on 17 September Quetta: Police sources confirmed here on Friday [14 September] the handover of Munir Mengal, managing director of Baloch Voice TV, to the Crimes Investigation Department despite the Balochistan High Court had ordered his immediate release. The …
Read More »Analysis: Pakistan ruling party against Bhutto deal, media sees foreign hands
BBC Monitoring Analysis by Steve Metcalf of BBC Monitoring on 13 September Although the main story of the week in Pakistan has been the blocked attempt by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to return from exile, two other equally important issues have been getting closer to a resolution. One is …
Read More »Al-Jazeera TV chief denies split within editorial board
BBC Monitoring Text of report by Lebanese newspaper Al-Safir website on 3 September [Report by Ziyad Haydar from Damascus: "Denying disputes inside editorial board, Waddah Khanfar tells Al-Safir: Al-Jazeera English is the voice of the south"] The Director of Al-Jazeera satellite TV network, Waddah Khanfar, has denied the existence of …
Read More »Backgrounder: Egypt president health rumours raise fears over country’s future
BBC Monitoring Backgrounder by Muhammad Shukri of BBC Monitoring on 13 September Overview Rumours that Egyptian President Husni Mubarak is in poor health have spread in Egypt recently. Mubarak, now aged 79, has ruled Egypt since 1981, following the assassination of his predecessor Anwar al-Sadat. The Egyptian authorities have denied …
Read More »Arab media coverage, reactions to Petraeus-Crocker reports
BBC Monitoring The testimonies given by the US commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, and the US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, to the House of Representatives Committee on Monday 10 September were relayed live by the following TV stations: the privately-owned Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV; the government-owned Iraqi station Al-Iraqiyah …
Read More »Al-Jazeera English signs carriage deal with Indonesian pay TV
BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Qatari newspaper Gulf Times website on 12 September Astro Indonesia, a pay television in Indonesia, has announced a partnership with Al Jazeera English following the completion of a carriage deal, according [to] reports. Al Jazeera English, the 24-hour English language news and …
Read More »Hamas site warns of Fatah campaign against Al-Aqsa TV
BBC Monitoring Text of report by Palestinian Filastin al-An website on 28 August [Unattributed Report: "Fatah coupists urge against cartoon film and prepare for sabotage acts"] Gaza-Filastin al-An Fatah coupists called for a provocative campaign against Al-Aqsa Satellite Television belonging to the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas because of the …
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