BBC Monitoring Text of interview by Bewar Chomani from Arbil entitled: "Zagros TV director: To date, nobody has voiced any complaints about our programmes, and nobody has interfered in our affairs"; published by independent Iraqi Kurdish newspaper Hawlati on 6 January In an exclusive interview, Zagros TV Satellite Channel Dr …

BBC Monitoring Analysis by Muhammad Shokry of BBC Monitoring on 9 January Arriving on the scene less than three years ago, Egyptian bloggers have made their presence felt through their posts and their active involvement in political life. They have published videos which expose alleged human rights violations, and some …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Kamaran Abda Salih from Raniya headlined: "A new Kurdish website founded", carried by Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan-funded daily Aso on 8 January A new website called Kurdistan4Press [www.Kurdistan4press.com] has been launched in three languages, namely Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish. The main office of …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Paris-based media freedom organization Reporters Sans Frontieres on 7 January Reporters Without Borders is disturbed to learn that state-owned printing companies that print half of Algeria's privately-owned newspapers were placed under direct government control on 5 January. "The government has reinforced its surveillance of …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Iranian English language news channel Press TV website on 8 January [Female presenter Touria Ghaffari] Iran has dismissed US claims that Iranian boats harassed American warships in the Persian Gulf waters over the weekend. The Iranian Foreign Ministry says that contrary to …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Saudi newspaper Saudi Gazette website on 6 January [Report by Suzan Zawawi, Riyadh: "Bloggers Protest with Silence Today"] Bloggers in the Kingdom and around the world will be spending most of Sunday [6 January] in silence to protest against the arrested Saudi …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Jordanian newspaper Al-Arab al-Yawm on 5 January Syrian Authorities have continued the arrest campaign launched against civil society activists. They have arrested Fayiz Sarah, Al-Arab al-Yawm correspondent, member of the Damascus Declaration's National Council, and member of the Committees for the Revival of Civil …

BBC Monitoring An Afghan newspaper calls for improving relations between the media and government bodies. It says the shortage of professional journalists is creating problems for the media and urges the media outlets to take into account the national interests while reporting. It also says the year 2007 was the …

BBC Monitoring Within its 1500 gmt newscast on 5 January, Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic carries the following reports: - "The General Secretariat of the Cabinet has congratulated Iraqis on the advent of the 87th anniversary of the inception of the valiant Iraqi Army. In a statement, a copy of …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by state-owned National Afghanistan Radio on 6 January [Presenter] The information and culture minister has called on the officials of private television channels to avoid airing corrupt programmes and serials which run counter to the Islamic culture. Abdol Karim Khorram, the information and culture minister, …