BBC Monitoring Backgrounder by Safaa Samir and Muhammad Shokry of BBC Monitoring on 4 December Overview On 17 November 2007, Egyptian journalists went to the polls to elect a new chairman and board of their syndicate. Five candidates ran for the post of chairman and 77 others competed for the …

BBC Monitoring raqi Kurdish press monitored between 5 and 20 November included reporting, but was not limited to, about a new media bill currently being discussed by the Kurdistan Region parliament. Coverage of corruption and human rights-related issues continues to be overshadowed by the ongoing Turkish-Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) crisis. …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Saudi-owned leading pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat website on 30 November [Report by Mishari al-Thayidi: "Saudi Security Source Tells Al-Sharq al-Awsat: Terrorists Targeted Preachers who Warned Against Them at Private Gatherings, Through Lessons at Mosques; Al-Qa'idah Does Not Pay Too Much Attention to Those who …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Syrian News Agency SANA website Damascus: Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal on Sunday underlined the importance of boosting and developing Syrian-Chinese ties in all fields, particularly in media. The minister, meeting a delegation of Chinese Journalist Union, pointed out to the important …

BBC Monitoring The Iraqi "Turkoman Front has accused the Kurds of starting a media quarrel and defaming Front officials," Rozhnama newspaper of Wisha company reported on 29 November. Rozhnama published an article by Hastiyar Qadir saying that the Turkoman Front has accused the Kurds of stepping up a media quarrel …

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Iranian conservative news agency Mehr Tehran, 2 December: Ashti weekly considered, as the first Kurdish-Persian publication, has been permanently banned by the verdict of Branch 1 of the Penal Court of Sanandaj. In an interview with the Kurdish department of PNA [abbreviation in English, …

BBC Monitoring Excerpt from report by pro-government Sudanese Media Centre website on 30 November [Unattributed report: "Al-Shirouq Begins Broadcasting Programmes on 1 December"] Sudan: First of December, Al-Shirouq begins broadcasting programmes Khartoum, 30 Nov (SMC) - Al-Shirouq satellite channel announced the beginning of its pilot broadcast on mid-day Saturday, 1 …

BBC Monitoring Excerpt from report by Iranian conservative, privately-owned Fars News Agency website Fars News, 1 December: Tabriz MP Akbar A'lami has delivered a speech about summoning Imam Husayn's [the third Shi'i imam] cabinet to the Majlis and criticizing it. Fars News Agency customers have reacted to his remarks which …

YouTube Press Several days after pulling the plug on the website of Egyptian blogger, Wael Abbas, YouTube has told Arab Media & Society that it is restoring Abbas’ account. The video website, recently purchased by Google, cancelled Abbas’ service earlier this week without notice. The apparent reason was that the …

BBC Monitoring Since Sudanese authorities arrested British school teacher Gillian Gibbons on Sunday 25 November and charged her with insulting Islam and inciting hatred, no mention of the case has been made on both state radio and television. Privately-owned Sudanese press, has however, carried reactions and factual reports on the …