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 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 ["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 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 …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by London-based independent newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi website on 13 February Beirut Al-Manar Television in Arabic - Affiliated with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah - on 13 February 2008 has been observed to carry special programming following the announcement of the slaying of its "martyred leader" Imad Mughniyah. …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Iranian official government news agency IRNA website Tehran, 13 Feb: Following repetition of publication of insults against Holy Prophet (PBUH) Danish Ambassador to Tehran was summoned to IRI foreign Ministry on Wednesday evening. According to Foreign Ministry Media Department, Soren Husland was …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by independent, non-governmental Palestinian Ma'an News Agency website Gaza, 12 February: Distribution of the Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam in the Gaza Strip will be banned starting Tuesday by the order of a Hamas-affiliated court. The magistrate court affiliated to the Hamas-run de facto government …

BBC Monitoring The Iraqi Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) will launch a satellite TV channel, privately-owned weekly Awene reported on 12 February. Awene reported that the KIG had obtained permission from the Kurdistan Region Culture Ministry to launch a satellite TV channel and it had also sought cooperation from the prime …

BBC Monitoring On 10 February 2008, a Hamas-affiliated court in Gaza banned the distribution and publication of Al-Ayyam newspaper, a major Palestinian daily, for publishing a cartoon seen as offensive to lawmakers affiliated to the movement. Al-Ayyam, printed in the West Bank, has close ties to the Fatah faction of …