Mideast Wire On February 16, the conservative daily Keyhan carried the following commentary: “These days, the throbbing veins and the torn collars of the so-called Reformists can be observed in the 2 Khordad media and some of them are selectively exaggerating a few of Imam Khomeyni's standpoints- those which can …

Mideast Wire On February 18, the Palestinian-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Chief Editor Abdel-Beri Atwan: “Now, after the dust has cleared out and after the funerary processions of martyrs Rafik al-Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister, and Hajj Imad Mughniyeh, the leader of Hezbollah’s military …

Mideast Wire   On February 14, the reformist daily E’temad carried the following commentary by Rasul Nafisi: “The relationship between the two countries of Iran and America is more than one and a half centuries old. Nevertheless, it is only from the military coup of 19 August against Dr Mosadeq …

BBC Monitoring Text of press release by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 15 February New York, February 15, 2008 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the adoption of a charter by the council of Arab information ministers intended to regulate and control satellite TV stations. …

BBC Monitoring Excerpt from report by Iranian Tabnak news website on 17 February Tehran, 17 February: Radio Ma'aref [Islamic knowledge] has launched its English service on the ninth anniversary of the start of its work which coincided the birth anniversary of Imam Musa [the seventh Shi'i Imam] on Sunday 28 …

BBC Monitoring By Mohamed Shokry of BBC Monitoring on 14 February At a meeting in Cairo on 12 February 2008, information ministers of 21 Arab countries adopted a charter that sets out new regulations for satellite TV output in the Arab world. Only Qatar voiced reservations about the charter, on …

BBC Monitoring ["Midday Guest" programme interviews Egyptian writer Fahmi Huwaydi on Egyptian-Palestinian ties, Gaza incidents, press freedom - live] Al-Jazeera Satellite Television at 1325 gmt on 9 February carries live in its "Midday Guest" programme an interview with Fahmi Huwaydi, Egyptian writer and Islamic thinker, via satellite from Cairo. The …

BBC Monitoring Text of press release by Qatar-based satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera on 15 February Doha, Qatar, 15 February 2008: Al-Jazeera considers the adoption of the charter "Principles for Regulating Satellite TV in the Arab World" issued by the Arab League's ministers of information a risk to the freedom of …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Saudi-owned leading pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat website on 7 February [Report from London by Al-Sharq al-Awsat correspondent Faysal Abbas: "The BBC Arabic Television Channel will be Launched on the 11th of March. It will begin with a 12-Hour Transmission a Day."] Al-Sharq al-Awsat learned …

BBC Monitoring [Editorial: "The Muzzling of Satellite Television Channels and Incrimination of Their Employees"] The Arab media, namely satellite television channels, are threatened with losing the limited margin of freedom that they enjoyed in the past few years. This comes after a resolution passed by the Arab information ministers at …