tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269360332024-03-08T03:54:37.281+00:00Disinformation and Xenophobia in Western MediaThe International Council for Press and Broadcasting is convinced that the honesty or dishonesty of media affects the mental health of the world. Freedom of expression is vital as a means of permitting all views to flourish peacefully. It is a cliché that the price of this freedom must be continual vigilance – in particular vigilance to identify and expose the encouragement of malice, war and the incident of hate speech and image.nextcenturyfoundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01644848836042696917noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-56493598738735860632015-02-10T16:18:00.000+00:002015-02-10T16:18:54.837+00:00Bowen and Bashar InterviewJeremy Bowen has interviewed Bashar al-Assad. See the link below:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-31311896" target="_blank">Bowen and Bashar</a>Nicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319241071421795482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-82511765848522752742015-02-02T17:58:00.000+00:002015-02-02T17:58:43.102+00:00Al Jazeera Journalists' Release<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peter Greste – one of three Al Jazeera journalists to be imprisoned
in Cairo in December 2013 – was released yesterday and deported to Cyprus,
after exactly 400 days in prison. Greste, an Australian, along with Canadian-Egyptian
Mohamed Fahmy, had been sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of aiding
a terrorist group despite widespread international condemnation of the trial;
whilst Egyptian national Baher Mohamed had been sentenced to an extra three
years for also possessing a single bullet. In all three cases, the sentences
had been overturned and a retrial ordered by the Court of Cassation. President Sissi
had acknowledged the negative light in which the sentences have been seen abroad
and in November he passed a new decree allowing him to deport foreign
defendants, seemingly to deal with the case. As a result, Greste’s deportation
has now been possible and it looks likely Fahmy will also be deported in the
next few days; both Fahmy’s fiancé and Canada’s foreign ministry have reported
that Fahmy’s deportation is in the final stages, although no official statement
has been made on the fate of either Fahmy or Mohamed. Mohamed, however, does
not possess a foreign passport, making his release much more complicated and uncertain.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The timing of Greste’s release is surprising given that
militant attacks in Sinai on Thursday had killed over 30 members of the Egyptian
security service and left over 100 wounded and Sissi’s government seems as threatened
as ever by the prospect of Islamist attacks. Responsibility for the attack was
claimed by the ‘State of Sinai’, also known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=26936033#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- a group who have pledged allegiance to ISIS
according to the US-based organisation, SITE Intelligence but who have also in
the past denied having any affiliation with ISIS. A statement signed by the
group and released on their twitter account, claimed the attacks were carried
out under the title “We Will Have Revenge” for the women and girls held in
government prisons. In response, Sissi claimed that “we will avenge everyone who
sacrificed his life for his country” and a statement was released by Egypt’s
Supreme Council of Armed Forces on Facebook claiming that operations against
Sinai militants will be stepped up. So the recent increase in tension and
bloodshed between Sissi’s government and the Muslim extremist groups makes the timing
of Greste’s release unusual, particularly given Al Jazeera’s perceived past
support for the Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian authorities see the Brotherhood and
extremist groups as having no distinction. This has led Sissi to blame the
Brotherhood for the attacks in Sinai, despite the State of Sinai claiming
responsibility. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a ruling today, by the Egyptian court, to uphold
the death sentences of 183 members of the Muslim Brotherhood charged with the
killing of at least 11 police officers in the town of Kerdasa, on 14<sup>th</sup>
August 2013. Kerdasa is a small town near Cairo, in the Giza Governate, an area
where Morsi had received significant support. The attack occurred following Egyptian
forces violently dispersing protesters gathered in Cairo in support of former president
Morsi – who was ousted on the 3<sup>rd</sup> July 2013. Militants fired rockets
at the police station before raiding it and killing the police officers. The
officers’ bodies showed signs of mutilation and torture. The initial sentence was
issued against 188 defendants in December before it was sent to the Grand Mufti
for review. Of those, two were acquitted and one (a minor) given a ten year
sentence, whilst two others had passed away, leaving 183 facing death sentences.
34 of the sentences upheld were done so in absentia. Defence lawyers claim that
the defendants were held in metal cages during the trial and excluded from the
courtroom and also that any effort to find individual guilt was overlooked.</div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=26936033#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
‘Supporters of the Holy House’ or ’Supporters of Jerusalem’ – A Sunni extremist
group, based in Sinai, that emerged after the 2011 Egyptian revolution. They
initially focused on attacking Israeli interests but have subsequently turned their
attentions to Sissi’s government, including an assassination attempt on
interior minister Mohammed Ibrahim, in Sept 2013, and the October attacks on
Egyptian military that killed over 30 soldiers.</div>
</div>
</div>
Nicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319241071421795482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-11410530961786941042015-01-08T00:43:00.000+00:002015-01-08T00:43:17.757+00:00STATEMENT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
In view of today's events, we at the International Communications Forum and
at the International Media Council of the Next Century Foundation wish to affirm
that:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We fully understand the need to respect the other and the offence that some
may cause with the use of unbridled satire.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
However:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We affirm that freedom of the press is one of the four great freedoms,
these being: Freedom of Religion; Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Want; and
Freedom of Expression.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
And we condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the murders today in
Paris.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We all seek a fairer and more considerate world. But the action today
undermines our most basic ideals held sacred by all generations.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We further extend our deep sympathy to the families of those present at
Charlie Hebdo who were killed so unconscionably today and wish a speedy recovery
to all those injured during the atrocity.</div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><strong>The International Communications Forum
</strong></span><span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="10" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /><br />UK: 4 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2LX. Phone: +44 207 821
6566 <a href="mailto:london@ncfpeace.org" title="mailto:london@ncfpeace.org">london@ncfpeace.org</a><br />USA: 190 Longhill
Street, City of Springfield, MA 01108 <a href="mailto:america@ncfpeace.org" title="mailto:america@ncfpeace.org">america@ncfpeace.org</a><b></b></span><b><span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="10" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /><br />YouTube NCFpeace / Twitter @ncfpeace</b></span></b></div>
</div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-25038482776062934032014-07-25T18:18:00.001+00:002014-07-25T18:18:20.978+00:00The need for highest standards in brave new world exploding with social media<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>William Morris reflects on the current state of media ethics
on becoming Chairman of the International Communications Forum (ICF)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Few are old enough to remember the heady days before the
newspaper revolution when computers replaced hot metal. But having been brought
up in and around newspapers as a copy boy, I can remember the smell of the ink
and the dirt and the clatter of the little presses and the deafening hum of the
big monsters that rolled rivers of newsprint three stories into the air and
back down again. For many of us those days are gone. Gone too are the great
teams of investigative journalists. The Sunday Times’s ‘Insight’ team was,
perhaps, the last of these but even they have long disappeared into the mists.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In those days who were the guardians of ethical journalism?
The broadsheet proprietors cared about their reputations. And even the tabloid
newspaper owners cared in some measure. Editors in chief took pride in the
standards they adhered to. Even subeditors had a conscience, though then as now
they could be staggeringly ruthless.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have things changed? Well yes and no. Men and women of
conscience still run some of our newspapers. Men and women of vision and
mission still comprise many of our radio and television broadcasters and
newspapermen. But the pressures are perhaps greater. For most journalists,
spending a week working on a story is a luxury they can only dream of. Was it
ever thus? Perhaps they always had to churn out copy but there was, I believe,
more space for investigative journalism, if only because proprietors once had
deeper pockets and more journalists to share the load.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many Western papers have less than little time to sub copy
anymore because of ever tighter budgets. There are the exceptions such as the Washington
Post with its awesomely professional and well-staffed Foreign Desk (I must
confess a bias because my daughter works for the Post) but such exceptions are
rare.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What then does this mean for ethical journalism? It means
that the journalist becomes the guardian of media ethics. It is a world in
which we each take our own responsibility for what we do. We no longer have the
moral conscience of the sub or the editor to fall back on. The editors themselves
– for the most part – are still great women and men of conscience and
principle. They still do heroic work shaping the overall vision of their
publications. The great names are there. Alan Rusbridger, Editor in Chief of
the London Guardian is a classic current example. But can Rusbridger even begin
to read more than a small proportion of the vast quantity of copy the Guardian
churns out in its online and print editions? Most modern editors are simply too
busy to concern themselves on a day-to-day level with being the conscience of
their junior reporters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, is xenophobia an issue? Sure it is. Media stories about
classic pariah groups, the gypsies, the Romanians, the Arabs, the ‘Islamists’
and so forth, can descend into obscenity so easily and we don’t even notice.
One Jewish writer I know wrote a whole opinion piece titled ‘LONDINISTAN’ and
does not understand, to this day, that the mere headline (and it was of her
choosing) was pejorative. She would be horrified to be called racist and, of
course, she is not, just more than a little thoughtless perhaps.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a similar vein, is desensitisation to violence an issue?
Of course. Here in the West we think nothing of broadcasting images of
brutality and torture if they are screened past the ‘9 o’clock watershed’, with
little consideration given to the fact that many pubescent, vulnerable children
are unlikely to head for their beds before midnight. And in the rest of the
world things can be worse. The images of blood and violence on television sets
in countries such as Israel and Iraq are breeding a generation desensitised to
gore to such a degree that it is truly flabbergasting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is disinformation an issue? Absolutely. The current Syrian
civil war has bred such a flood of intelligence agency feeds, as did the Iraq
war little more than a decade ago, that it is near unbelievable. And most, I
repeat, most, of these stories are published without serious qualm or question.
My late father, a newspaper editor himself, had a maxim: ‘A story without a
source is a source of trouble.’ This maxim we still use in our Media Ethics
Code. He had a far better one too. It ran: ‘When in doubt, cut it out.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So where do we go from here? Perhaps the key is that a
number of prominent journalists make a public commitment to truth in Gandhiesque
fashion. An affirmation that Absolute Truth is their standard. Or is that too
extreme? Too fanatical? Undoubtedly we need to do something. If the editors can
no longer always be our bellwethers we must find new heroes, new women and men
we can point to and say: ‘They believe in fair play.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ethical journalism requires standards of vigilance that are
unprecedented precisely because we are our own moral guardians and cannot lean
on our bosses any longer. We should embrace that challenge with excitement. It
heralds a better age. We are no longer children. We must stand up for
ourselves. Gandhi once wrote (and I paraphrase slightly): ‘By experience I have
found that people rarely become virtuous for virtues’ sake. They become
virtuous by necessity. Nor is there anything wrong in becoming good under the
pressure of circumstances.’ Raghvan Iyer, Gandhi’s main disciple, added: ‘Human
life is an aspiration, a continual striving after perfection, and the ideal
must not be lowered because of our weaknesses.’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exactly! Herein lies a role for organisations like the
International Communications Forum. We should extol virtue and excellence where
we find it, through every means possible from the razzmatazz of the
International Award to the private and personal accolade. And where necessary
we should gently and respectfully cajole and criticise, through conferences and
seminars if nowhere else. And we should support, nurture and foster media
ethics, by doing everything from extolling the merits of media ethics codes to encouraging
training in best practice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just as physicians and other health care professionals swear
a Hippocratic Oath to practise medicine honestly, perhaps the ICF should
promote our own oath of journalistic integrity which members of the trade could
swear to in an effort to bolster internationally recognised standards of media
ethics. After all, the world has changed. In a brave new world exploding with
social media, demonstrations are called on Facebook, corruption is exposed in
blogs, and reputations are destroyed by Twitter. In an era in which the
internet provides an arena in which citizen journalists abound, it is the
professional press that must adopt the highest standards of media credibility
if they are to have a distinct place of their own, a territory that is truly
theirs, in a world peopled with rumour and the viral tweet. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it is exciting, truly exciting, that that should be the
case. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-56721968947447172892014-02-10T16:53:00.001+00:002014-02-10T16:53:04.699+00:00FINAL CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2014 INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS<a href="http://www.ncfpeace.org/">The Next Century Foundation</a>
wishes to issue a final call for nominations for the 2014 International Media Awards. With shortlisting due to take place by mid-February, nominations sent in after Friday, 14 February will not be considered. This year's awards will be held on May 10, 2014.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/">The International Media Awards</a>
are presented at a ceremony held each year by the International Council
for Press and Broadcasting, a subsidiary body of the Next Century
Foundation. The awards honour editors, journalists, TV producers and
broadcasters in recognition of the vital role that the media can play in
fostering understanding, the essential pre-requisite of any peace
process.<br />
<br />
The Award categories are: Lifetime Achievement,
Peace Through Media, Cutting Edge, Breakaway, New Media, Photography and
Visual Media, and Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting and Media <br />
<br />
Please send your nominations, and if possible a
short biography of the nominees and why you are nominating them, to the
International Media Awards via <a href="http://internationalmediaawards.org/contact/ncfmediagroup@aol.com">ncfmediagroup@aol.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">For further information about the International Media Awards, visit <a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/">www.internationalmediaawards.org</a></span><br />
<br />
You may remember that the 2013 winners were:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Peace Through Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">PAT LANCASTER, editor of <i>Middle East Magazine</i>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">IGAL SARNA, columnist for<i> Yediot Ahronot.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">WAEL DAHDOUH, <i>Al Jazeera</i> correspondent in Gaza. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Photography and Visual Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">DON MCCULLIN, photojournalist and author.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Lifetime Achievement</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">BENJAMIN POGRUND, contributor for the <i>Guardian </i>and previous sub-editor on the <i>Independent</i> foreign desk. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The Cutting Edge Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">LINA SINJAB, Damascus correspondent for the <i>BBC. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">RACHEL SHABI, journalist and author of ‘<i>Not the Enemy: Israel’s Jews from Arab Lands’</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">NABILA RAMDANI, columnist and broadcaster for <i>BBC </i>and <i>Al Jazeera. </i></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The New Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">MAHMOUD AL YOUSIF, blogger.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The Breakaway Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">GEORGE BUTLER, war artist. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Award for Outstanding Achievement</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">RANIA ALATTAR, journalist for <i>BBC Arabic</i>.</span></li>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060271412992505373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-74015619095412370902014-01-10T14:32:00.002+00:002014-01-10T14:32:25.132+00:00CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2014 INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS<a href="http://www.ncfpeace.org/">The Next Century Foundation</a>
wishes to remind you that the nominations for the 2014 International
Media Awards will remain open to the public until the end of January.
This year's awards will be held on May 10.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/">The International Media Awards</a>
are presented at a ceremony held each year by the International Council
for Press and Broadcasting, a subsidiary body of the Next Century
Foundation. The awards honour editors, journalists, TV producers and
broadcasters in recognition of the vital role that the media can play in
fostering understanding, the essential pre-requisite of any peace
process.<br />
<br />
The Award categories are: Lifetime Achievement,
Peace Through Media, Cutting Edge, Breakaway, New Media, Photography and
Visual Media, and Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting and Media <br />
<br />
Please send your nominations, and if possible a
short biography of the nominees and why you are nominating them, to the
International Media Awards via <a href="http://internationalmediaawards.org/contact/ncfmediagroup@aol.com">ncfmediagroup@aol.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">For further information about the International Media Awards, visit <a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/">www.internationalmediaawards.org</a></span><br />
<br />
You may remember that the 2013 winners were:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Peace Through Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">PAT LANCASTER, editor of <em>Middle East Magazine</em>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">IGAL SARNA, columnist for<em> Yediot Ahronot.</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">WAEL DAHDOUH, <em>Al Jazeera</em> correspondent in Gaza. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Photography and Visual Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">DON MCCULLIN, photojournalist and author.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Lifetime Achievement</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">BENJAMIN POGRUND, contributor for the <em>Guardian </em>and previous sub-editor on the <em>Independent</em> foreign desk. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The Cutting Edge Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">LINA SINJAB, Damascus correspondent for the <em>BBC. </em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">RACHEL SHABI, journalist and author of ‘<em>Not the Enemy: Israel’s Jews from Arab Lands’</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">NABILA RAMDANI, columnist and broadcaster for <em>BBC </em>and <em>Al Jazeera. </em></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The New Media Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">MAHMOUD AL YOUSIF, blogger.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">The Breakaway Award</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">GEORGE BUTLER, war artist. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;">Award for Outstanding Achievement</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;">RANIA ALATTAR, journalist for <em>BBC Arabic</em>.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060271412992505373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-10749847918110912712013-11-14T12:37:00.000+00:002013-11-14T12:37:15.738+00:00INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS 2014<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="http://www.ncfpeace.org/drupal/index.php">The Next Century Foundation</a> is
delighted to announce that the nominations for the International Media
Awards 2014 are now open to the public. They will close by the end of
this year on 31st December 2013.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://internationalmediaawards.org/">The International Media Awards</a>
are presented at a ceremony held each year by the International Council
for Press and Broadcasting, a subsidiary body of the Next Century
Foundation. The awards honour editors, journalists, TV producers and
broadcasters in recognition of the vital role that the media can play in
fostering understanding, the essential pre-requisite of any peace
process.<br />
<br />
Please send your nominations, and if possible a
short biography of the nominees and why you are nominating them, to the
International Media Awards via <a href="http://internationalmediaawards.org/contact/ncfmediagroup@aol.com">ncfmediagroup@aol.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">For further information about the International Media Awards, visit <a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/">www.internationalmediaawards.org</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14390993082143556147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-26943883468731519002013-08-22T16:02:00.001+00:002013-08-22T16:02:21.191+00:00Another False Flag "Chemical Weapon" Attack?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i><u>This has just come in from Conflicts Forum:</u></i></b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<div>
<div style="font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>Reports and commentaries on
Syrian developments beginning with a comment on the recently claimed "chemical
weapons" attack — we strongly advise readers to read these interviews carried
out by the <a href="http://brown-moses.blogspot.it/2013/05/three-chemical-weapon-specialist-answer.html" title="http://brown-moses.blogspot.it/2013/05/three-chemical-weapon-specialist-answer.html">Brown
Moses</a> blogger with international scientific experts on chemical weapons
(from May 2013) which cast serious doubt on all previous claims by the Syrian
opposition – see here: <a href="http://brown-moses.blogspot.it/2013/05/three-chemical-weapon-specialist-answer.html" title="http://brown-moses.blogspot.it/2013/05/three-chemical-weapon-specialist-answer.html">http://brown-moses.blogspot.it/2013/05/three-chemical-weapon-specialist-answer.html</a>:</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 22px;">Syria: Another False
Flag "Chemical Weapon" Attack</span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Moon
of Alabama</i> blog, 21 August 2013</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: georgia, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/08/syria-another-false-flag-chemical-weapon-attack.html" title="http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/08/syria-another-false-flag-chemical-weapon-attack.html">http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/08/syria-another-false-flag-chemical-weapon-attack.html</a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: georgia, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: georgia, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 16px;">Whenever
there is some international action with regards to Syria, a United Nations
security council meeting or a G8 conference, the Syrian insurgents create and/or
propagandize some "massacre" that they allege to have been perpetrated by the
Syrian government.</span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 16px;">On Monday UN chemical
weapon inspectors arrived in Damascus to investigate some older claims of
chemical weapon use. Just in time a new incident happens with the insurgents <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-pro-opposition-groups-claim-dozens-killed-in-poisonous-gas-attack-near-damascus/2013/08/21/8bd0791a-0a2b-11e3-89fe-abb4a5067014_story.html" style="color: #993300;" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-pro-opposition-groups-claim-dozens-killed-in-poisonous-gas-attack-near-damascus/2013/08/21/8bd0791a-0a2b-11e3-89fe-abb4a5067014_story.html">alleging</a> use
of "chemical weapons" by the Syrian government just some 10 miles away from the
inspectors hotel:</span><br />
<blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Syrian regime forces fired
intense artillery and rocket barrages Wednesday on the eastern suburbs Damascus
amid a fierce government offensive in what two pro-opposition groups claimed was
a “poisonous gas” attack that killed dozens of people.</span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The claims came as a
20-member U.N. chemical weapons team was in Syria to investigate three sites
where chemical weapons attacks had allegedly occurred in the past. The timing
raises questions on why would the regime employ chemical agents during a visit
by the U.N. experts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The government promptly
denied the reports of Wednesday’s chemical weapons’ attack as “absolutely
baseless.”</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUGrW-SjjbU&list=PLPC0Udeof3T4NORTjYmPoNCHn2vCByvYG&index=1" title="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUGrW-SjjbU&list=PLPC0Udeof3T4NORTjYmPoNCHn2vCByvYG&index=1">Videos</a> of
the incident show many people, including children, with respiratory problems.
But non of the first responders and medical personal in those videos wear any
protection against chemical weapons.</b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 16px;">Real chemical weapons,
like Sarin, are persistent agents. They stick to the cloth of the victims and
any contact with those victims would practically guarantee to kill the people
who try to help them unless those people take serious precautions. Whatever
happened in Syria today is therefore unlikely to be the consequence of military
grade chemical weapons. Many other chemical agents, like insecticides based on
organophospate or some industrial process chemicals, could induce the observed
symptoms.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 16px;">It would of course be
totally irrational for the Syrian government to use chemical weapons just the
moment that chemical weapon inspectors arrive in the country. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>But it makes a lot of sense for the
insurgents and their foreign supporters to create such an incident, as the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22424188" title="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22424188">did</a> previously,
and to use it to renew their propaganda campaign against the Syrian government.
It is therefore no surprise that the British government immediately <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-concerned-at-reports-of-chemical-attack-in-syria" title="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-concerned-at-reports-of-chemical-attack-in-syria">jumped</a> all
over the case.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Simply answer "cui bono?" and you will know who is
responsible for this incident.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">
<h1 style="background-image: none; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-color: rgb(211, 211, 211); border-width: 1px; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 0px 8px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 22px;">Washington Deliberates Whether To
Embrace Geneva II</span></h1>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">Mohammad
Ballout<span class="aboutLabel" style="color: #162063;"> Translated
from </span><a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/about/sources/assafir" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/about/sources/assafir">As-Safir
(</a>Lebanese independent 'leftist' newspaper), 14 August 2013</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2013/08/preparations-for-geneva-two-once-again.html" title="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2013/08/preparations-for-geneva-two-once-again.html">http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2013/08/preparations-for-geneva-two-once-again.html</a> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The international Arab mediation team in
Syria is set to resume work for the <a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/07/russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-interview-syria-algeria.html" target="_blank" title="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/07/russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-interview-syria-algeria.html">Geneva II conference</a>. According to diplomatic sources, the UN
envoy Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Geneva on Aug. 19, 2013 after the Egyptian
authorities requested that he vacate the guest residency allocated for the work
of the UN team in Cairo.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">The team will
work over the next three days to prepare for the Geneva II conference since a
new tentative date was set for mid-October of this year. This information is
according to preliminary communiqués carried out by UN diplomats overseeing
preparations for the conference to inform them of the preliminary date decided
upon after American-Russian deliberations.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The French capital last week hosted a
series of intensified meetings held by the American Ambassador Robert Ford to
look over the circumstances of the Syrian opposition abroad. He presented a new
“road map” for the conference including the formation of a delegation, the
issues that will be looked into, the alternatives suggested by the opposition
members to go to Geneva and the potential of arriving at some sort of acceptable
balance of power from all sides to sit around the negotiating
table.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">Syrian
opposition sources stated that the American ambassador had presented a new
perspective that may be able to break through the prevailing pessimism that
caused the Geneva II conference to be postponed until the end of the year at
least. He said that the Americans who granted Saudi Arabia and its intelligence
chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, six months [to achieve] brief victory and to
shift the balance of military power on the ground, have come to the conviction
that the upheaval of the balance of power in the opposing direction will twist
the regime’s arm into going to Geneva.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>A prominent opposition member said that
the Americans had deduced that it would be best to try to gather the opposition
in Geneva as soon as possible. In reality, Geneva II has become an acceptable
option in light of the threat posed by the escalation of the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_Syria" target="_blank" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_Syria"> Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a>, which carries out most
of the military operations in northern Syria. This latter is also the foremost
beneficiary of the balance of power with the Syrian army, as can be clearly seen
on the fronts of Latakia, Aleppo, and the <a href="https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowsyrialatestnews/syrian-rebels-shot-down-a-warplane-near-ming-military-airport-in-aleppo-activists-say" target="_blank" title="https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowsyrialatestnews/syrian-rebels-shot-down-a-warplane-near-ming-military-airport-in-aleppo-activists-say">Ming military airport</a>.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Another element is prominent in the
likelihood of Geneva’s choice and re-mobilizing Brahimi’s team. The Western
diplomatic source stated that the Americans’ confidence disappeared once again
because of the weakness of information shared by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and
the inability to rely on it.</b></span></span> Ford quoted the head of the
Syrian National Coalition Ahmed al-Jarba as saying that they must wait for one
additional month before launching the Geneva process, while Gen. Salim Idriss
speaks of six additional months necessary to help the Syrian army and shift the
balance.</div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The Americans feel that it is jihadists
who are progressing on all fronts, in Raqqah, Latakia, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor.
The new internal crisis toward which the coalition is headed is worrying, as it
faces demands for a re-election of its political body. This has made setting up
the opposition’s internal structure difficult once again, and made it preferable
to aim for a transitional government in Geneva.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">It would appear
that disputes have to do with the formation of a plurality delegation for the
opposition that includes its three main groups to help in moving toward Geneva
II. It has become apparent that all sides, if a delegation was to be formed from
the coalition, the coordination authority and the Supreme Kurdish Authority,
with varying percentages, negotiations would proceed accordingly without
excluding anyone.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">A prominent
Syrian opposition figure stated that there is a trend toward holding a meeting
that aims to specify the common ground shared with national Syrian opposition
based on the necessity of forming a single delegation that follows a shared
political platform as follows:</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><strong>1.</strong> The international
conference shall be regarded as the commencement of the civil democratic
transitional period, not a period for continued authoritarianism or dictatorship
in the country and its institutions.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><strong>2.</strong> The binding and
executive nature of the conference’s decisions is of upmost importance,
including the means of direct UN participation in the field.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<strong>3.</strong> The
agreement upon a national shared Syrian charter that forms the basis of building
the new Syria and authorizing founding texts consecrated during the Helion
conference, the National Assembly documents, the coalition and the national
agreement at the conference in Cairo.</div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<strong>4.</strong> The
preparation of a shared draft of the constitutional principles for the
transitional period and the priorities of transitional justice according to the
circumstances in Syria.</div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><strong>5.</strong> Specifying the
traits of the ruling authority as not only a government in the traditional sense
(with executive power) but a transitional authority with powers that go beyond
executive to legislative and judicial during the transitional period.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>6. The agreement upon applicable
mechanisms related to the role of formations and the role of the security
apparatuses in the country, as well as the reformation and building of the
military institution.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><strong>7.</strong> The division of
work between political components in a way that is comprehensive and not
competitive, allowing them to take advantage of energies and relationships built
by the opposition over the past two years of political and diplomatic struggle
regionally and internationally.</span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>8. Setting out a national salvation plan
that relies upon international mobilization that accompanies the political
process wherein the central tasks of relief and reconstruction can be merged
into a project that resembles reconstruction projects in bloody conflict areas
such as Europe following World War II and the countries that made up the former
Yugoslavia.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>9. The formation of a chamber for joint
operations for the Syrian opposition participated in by competent and
experienced figures to draw out a shared media policy, to sow the fabric of
powerful relations during the conference and to form lobby groups that back the
shared platform.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>10. The National Coalition, the
coordinating authority, the Supreme Kurdish Authority and the sides not included
in these three components shall be invited; military sides may participate in
the meeting to contribute their two cents and offer counsel for everything
having to do with security and the military. It is assumed that the number of
invitees shall not exceed 25 individuals, and decisions are made by
consensus.</b></span></span></div>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;">
<h1 style="border-bottom: rgb(225,225,225) 1px solid; color: #353534; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding-bottom: 8px;">
<span id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblHeaderText" style="font-size: 22px;">Syria rebels move HQ
from Egypt to Turkey</span></h1>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;"><span class="Name" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblMName" style="display: block; float: left;">Barçın Yinanç</span><span class="Name" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblMName" style="display: block; float: left;"><br /></span><span class="Name" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblMName" style="display: block; float: left;"><br /></span><span class="Name" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblMName" style="display: block; float: left;"><br /></span><span class="Name" id="ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_lblMName" style="display: block; float: left;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;">,
<i>Hurriyet Daily News,</i> 17 August 2013</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;"><a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-rebels-move-hq-from-egypt-to-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=52699&NewsCatID=352" title="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-rebels-move-hq-from-egypt-to-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=52699&NewsCatID=352">http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-rebels-move-hq-from-egypt-to-turkey.aspx?pageID=238&nID=52699&NewsCatID=352</a> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The headquarters of the Syrian National
Coalition (SNC) is being transferred from Egypt to Turkey, as the new
administration that toppled President Mohamed Morsi has limited the movements of
the Syrian opposition, according to the coalition’s Turkey
representative. </b></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Many Syrian dissidents are leaving the country, and the main
headquarters of the SNC is being moved to Turkey, Khaled Khoja told the Hürriyet
Daily News. “Many Syrian opposition figures are leaving Egypt, Mouaz al-Khatib,
the former head of the Syrian National Coalition, has plans to settle in
Turkey.” </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Al-Khatib had resigned in recent months protest at the world’s
“inaction” over violence in Syria.</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The coup has had a negative effect on the Syrian opposition
according to Khoja, who said some of the pro-opposition decisions which were
taken during Morsi’s presidency were overturned under the new
administration.</b></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>“Just a few days before the coup, a meeting on Syria took place
in Cairo. Morsi had said they would freeze diplomatic relations with the Bashar
al-Assad regime. Right after the coup, this decision was overturned and the new
regime said they would upgrade relations with Syria,” Khoja
said.</b></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Egyptian Interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said last month
that the country continued to support the Syrian uprising but that Cairo had no
intention of “waging jihad” in Syria. Fahmy said Morsi’s decision to cut
diplomatic ties with war-torn Syria would be “re-examined,” while stressing that
did not mean they would “resume or not resume.”</b></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">He said Egypt’s new military rulers had
re-imposed a visa regime on Syrians, who used to enjoy visa-free travel even
during the times of Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country for decades before
being toppled by a popular uprising two years ago.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Khoja also said a lynch campaign was being
conducted against Syrians in Egypt.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<h1 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0.75em 0px;">
"Chemical attack"
kills scores near Damascus, Syrian opposition claims</h1>
</span></div>
<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><!--StartFragment-->
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Al-Akhbar English,</i> 21
August 2013</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/chemical-attack-kills-scores-near-damascus-syrian-opposition-claims" title="http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/chemical-attack-kills-scores-near-damascus-syrian-opposition-claims">http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/chemical-attack-kills-scores-near-damascus-syrian-opposition-claims</a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Updated at 2:40pm: An apparent
chemical attack in rebel-held districts near the Syrian capital of Damascus
killed scores of people on Wednesday, wire services reported.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>In videos posted on YouTube, the Syrian Revolution General
Commission, an activist group, showed what it called "a terrible massacre
committed by regime forces with toxic gas, leaving dozens of martyrs and
wounded."<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">The veracity of the videos could not be
verified by <i>Al-Akhbar</i>. Casualty numbers are also hard to confirm in the
war-torn country.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The intensive bombing on the
outskirts of the capital could be heard by residents of Damascus, where a grey
cloud capped the sky, an AFP correspondent reported.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Bayan Baker, a nurse at Douma
Emergency Collection facility, said the death toll from the attack, collated
from medical centers in the region, was 213.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
"Many of the casualties are
women and children. They arrived with their pupil dilated, cold limbs and foam
in their mouths. The doctors say these are typical symptoms of nerve gas
victims," she said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
"People working in the field
hospital are overwhelmed and unable to do anything for the wounded. There is a
severe lack of medicines. The wounded are being treated using just water and
onions," Abu Jihad, an activist in Irbin, told AFP via the
Internet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
One photo purportedly taken by
activists in Douma showed the bodies of at least 16 children and three adults,
one wearing combat fatigues, laid at the floor of a room in a medical facility
where the bodies were collected.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Syrian opposition activists claimed rockets with chemical
agents hit the suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar in the Ghouta
region.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>The opposition Syrian National Coalition said on social media
that several hundred had been killed.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">"Over 650 confirmed dead result of
deadly chemical weapon attack in Syria," it wrote on
Twitter.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">The Local Coordination Committees
(LCC), a network of activists reported hundreds of casualties in the "brutal use
of toxic gas by the criminal regime in parts of Eastern
Ghouta".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The attack "led to suffocation
of the children and overcrowding field hospitals with hundreds of casualties
amid extreme shortage of medical supplies to rescue the victims, particularly
Atropine," the LCC said in an English-language statement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Eastern Ghouta "was also shelled
by warplanes following the chemical attack that is still ongoing which led to
hundreds of casualties and victims, among them entire families," it
claimed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Syrian authorities denied charges that the army used chemical
weapons.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>"Reports on the use of chemical weapons in (the suburbs of)
Ghouta are totally false," state news agency SANA
said.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>It dismissed as "unfounded" the reports from opposition
activists carried by al-Jazeera, Sky and other satellite news channels "which
are implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support
terrorism."<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>State television quoted a source as saying there was "no truth
whatsover" to the reports, which it said were aimed at distracting a visiting
team of United Nations chemical weapons experts from their
mission.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">The incident took place during the
visit to Damascus of a UN chemical weapons team investigating the possible use
of chemical agents in Syria.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
UN chief Ban Ki-moon insisted
Monday that the inspectors be granted unrestricted access to Syrian sites where
chemical weapons have allegedly been used in the country's 29-month-old
conflict.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">The inspectors, expected to visit
three sites including Khan al-Assal near Aleppo in the north, are due to be in
Syria for 14 days, with the possibility for an extension of the
mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
"In order to credibly establish
the facts, the mission must have full access to the sites of the alleged
incidents," the secretary general told reporters.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Al-Watan</i> newspaper said
the Syrian government had "pledged to cooperate and facilitate the work" of the
inspectors who launched a mission in the country on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">The Arab League, as well as several
Western countries, called on the UN inspectors to immediately visit the site of
the alleged chemical weapons attack in Ghouta.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi urged
the inspectors in a statement to "go immediately to Eastern Ghouta to see the
reality of the situation and investigate the circumstances of this
crime."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">The head of the United Nations
chemical weapons inspectors in Syria said the case should be
investigated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">Swedish
scientist Ake Sellstrom told news agency TT that while he had only seen TV
footage, the high number of casualties reported sounded
suspicious.</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">"It sounds like something that should
be looked into," he told TT by phone from Damascus. "It will depend on whether
any UN member state goes to the secretary general and says we should look at
this event. We are in place."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The United States and European
countries say they believe President Bashar al-Assad's government has used
poison gas including the nerve agent Sarin in the past, which Washington called
a "red line" that justified international military aid to the
rebels.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff929;">However, previous reports of chemical
weapon usage have not been confirmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Khaled Omar of the opposition
local council in Ain Tarma said he saw at least 80 bodies at the Hajjah Hospital
in Ain Tarma and at a makeshift clinic at Tatbiqiya School in the nearby
district of Saqba.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
"The attack took place at around
3:00am. Most of those killed were in their homes," Omar said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>(Reuters, AFP,
Al-Akhbar)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</span></div>
</div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-88574496816359073152013-08-19T16:11:00.001+00:002013-08-19T16:11:14.024+00:00Buying into Media-set Egypt Narrative, Willam Hague Risks British Interests<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>This has just come in from Adel Darwish. You may find it of interest:</i><br />
<br />
By constructing false and untrue narrative of the Egyptian Crisis the BBC,
followed by other liberal left media, then copied by nearly all, is harming
long-term British interests in Egypt and the Middle East region, especially with
our Foreign Secretary William Hague unwisely following a foolish European course
threatening Egypt while Cairo influential and rich Gulf allies led by Saudi
Arabia have already warned the European Union against such folly. It seems that
BBC led other left-wing/liberal media in setting the agenda to convince the
British chattering classes and the larger political establishment of a false
narrative of the crisis in Egypt. A false narrative and analysis which is not
only misleading and doesn’t reflect reality on the ground, but also causing
anger and resentment among the vast majority of Egyptians and their interim
government, which, alongside the military, enjoys huge public support. Even the
perception of policy that Egyptians might interpret as racist, demeaning or
hurts their pride, poses a danger to our long term interests in Egypt and in
the Arab world, especially UK Britain economic interests in the important
markets of the Gulf and security interest in the Middle East region that could
be damaged beyond repair.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://insideukpolitics.com/2013/08/19/buying-into-bbc-egypt-narrative-hague-puts-british-interests-at-risk/">FOR FULL REPORT CLICK HERE</a></b></div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-22738850939138722052013-08-13T13:59:00.002+00:002013-08-13T19:39:59.007+00:00A Tribute To Russel Twisk <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj6X8ESRQqh63oKXX5VPO_Ejc6QfwZaSI2SJcomU6fo7Pcx8nz9Rg19EkEWq-_IyK16xyEzXz93tbpsfHEUhVWM08KsP1JSLUV31GvL62kltVFoRFzlHNjqVdKhhnMVcKjMuP/s1600/twisk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj6X8ESRQqh63oKXX5VPO_Ejc6QfwZaSI2SJcomU6fo7Pcx8nz9Rg19EkEWq-_IyK16xyEzXz93tbpsfHEUhVWM08KsP1JSLUV31GvL62kltVFoRFzlHNjqVdKhhnMVcKjMuP/s320/twisk.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>
<span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial Black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial Black;">Russell Twisk</span></div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Next Century Foundation Board Member, Mr Russell Twisk. Russell was formerly editor of the Listener and of the Reader's Digest Magazine (during Russell's time at the Reader's Digest he turned it into Britain's best selling periodical). He was also a member of the Board of the Press Complaints Commission and President of the Media Society, as well as serving on our own International Council for Press and Broadcasting and as a Board Member of the International Communications Forum.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
Russell was a great campaigner for the best standards of journalism and worked tirelessly to promote improved standards of Media Ethics. Russell was a strong believer in rapprochement between nations which was what led him to become one of the founding members of the Next Century Foundation. One of his last public appearances was to present the Peace Through Media Award to Dov Alfon, the Editor in Chief of Haaretz, at the International Media Awards. Russell will be sorely missed.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
Tributes to Russell can be found on the pages of the <a href="http://www.ncfpeace.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Next Century Foundation</a>, <a href="http://www.themediasociety.com/russell-twisk-a-tribute/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Media Society</a> and <a href="http://www.internationalmediaawards.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">International Media Awards</a> websites as well as on the obituaries pages of <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3834979.ece" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Times</a> and the <a href="http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/content/russell-twisk-successful-editor-who-transformed-fortunes-listener-and-reader%E2%80%99s-digest" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">UK Press Gazette</a>. </div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">
<span lang="0" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /> </span></div>
</div>
Karishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417700453291663743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-3467285763809244982013-08-07T21:23:00.000+00:002013-08-07T21:23:00.266+00:00BBC introduces cautions for user-generated content<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>At long last the BBC is getting its act together after two years of using dubiously sourced material. See this story in the Media Guardian:</b><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/bbc" title="More from guardian.co.uk on BBC">BBC</a> has started issuing on-air cautions for user-generated material it broadcasts, following research showing that three quarters of amateur footage used during the Arab spring was not accompanied by warnings about its provenance.<br />
<br />
The corporation now alerts viewers when it has not been able to independent verify pictures or video taken by members of the public, according to a BBC Trust report published on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
The Trust said the BBC introduced on-air warnings following <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/26/bbc-warn-user-content" title="">a review of its Arab spring coverage, published in June 2012</a>. Edward Mortimer, the former foreign affairs commentator who authored last year's BBC Trust report, said at the time he was "surprised" to learn that 74% of 171 items of the user-generated footage sample in its content analysis carried no caveats about authenticity. The BBC has a unit which specialises in authenticating such material before it is used and it is possible that authentication occurred but was not mentioned.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/06/bbc-cautions-user-generated-content?CMP=ema_546&et_cid=44439&et_rid=1253616&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2fmedia%2f2013%2faug%2f06%2fbbc-cautions-user-generated-content">For full story click here</a></b></div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-14418632542666617012013-06-13T15:50:00.000+00:002013-06-13T15:50:21.467+00:00War Reporting and the Rise of Citizen Journalism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b>By Heather Blake</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"After President Morsi announced his above-the-law November 22 constitutional declaration, tens of marches were organized by opposition leaders and politicians to voice their rejection. I was assigned to cover one of these protests led by Al-Dostour party leader and Nobel laureate Dr Mohamed ElBaradie, where he started the march from Cairo’s popular neighbourhood of Shubra to Tahrir. In the middle of the crowd, I struggled to push my way through the march to be able to take good quotes and help my photographer take a professional shot of ElBaradie as he appears in the march. As I saw ElBaradie approaching I quickly got to my phone and called my editor, my voice was heard as saying, ‘tweet quickly, ElBaradie has arrived, I will try to get a quote from him.’ In an instant, I was surrounded by three men, grabbing me from almost everywhere and one of them managed to take my belt off and undress my shirt. I screamed and fell on the ground. A few seconds later I was lifted from the ground and pulled away from the crowd, but I could still hear insults about how much I deserve this abuse for being a female journalist allowing herself to enter through a crowd.” – Egyptian Journalist<b></b></i><br />
<br />
Over the past decade, Reporters without Borders has documented a steady rise in the number of journalists becoming targets within conflict-afflicted countries. The ideal of a press respected as a neutral entity reporting in conflict zones is far removed from the world in which we now live. Along with aid and private sector workers, journalists are increasingly the targets of kidnapping, execution, detainment and torture, committed by government forces as well as by non-state actors ranging from criminal gangs to insurgent or terrorist groups. This alarming trend is symptomatic of the changing character of warfare.<br />
<br />
Reporters Without Borders research found that the level of violence against media workers was unprecedented with a record number of journalists killed last year (our research and record keeping dating back to 2002). In 2012, 90 traditional journalists, 6 media assistants and 48 netizens (citizen journalists online) and citizen journalists were killed in the course of doing their jobs. Our research also indicates that grave media violations in a country are a useful indicator of other problems and violations taking place or on the rise. Impunity is not just reflected in the execution of journalists. RSF’s press freedom barometer for 2013 shows that to date, in addition to the 19 journalists already killed this year, 185 journalists and media assistants and 162 netizens have been imprisoned.<br />
<br />
The systematic targeting of journalists came to our attention at the height of the Iraq War. 47 journalists were killed in Iraq in 2007 alone, and the Iraq war has taken the heaviest toll on journalists of any recent conflict. Iraq was a slightly less dangerous place for journalists in 2012, as opposed to the unrelenting violence in Syria and the highest fatality rate on record for Somalia. Furthermore, 18 journalists were killed in car bombs and assassinations- and deteriorating conditions in Pakistan accounted for a third of all journalists killed.<br />
At the same time, the most important trends in the changing character of reporting have grown from the emergence of new communications technologies. Such technologies have been seized upon by a new breed of citizen and netizen journalists, who have creatively harnessed digital media platforms to report on the unfolding events in conflict-afflicted countries and to exchange ideas, information, content and opinions. While not confined to the Arab Spring, this trend came of age during the Arab uprisings, with citizens filming demonstrations and crackdowns on mobile phones, sending information by text message, email and Facebook, blogging and tweeting to a worldwide audience. While netizen and citizen journalism does not negate the work of professionally trained journalists and news organisations, it is a crucial part of the changing character of news reporting, particularly in insecure and authoritarian settings.<br />
<br />
Threatened by these developments, some governments have responded aggressively with a raft of measures targeting digital media users. RSF research has found that some governments are using spyware to hack into and retrieve contents on digital media users’ hard drives to recover passwords or to gain access to instant messaging in skype chat rooms or mobile phones. RSF research has also found that governments are using phishing malware and IP address hacking. Surveillance software is installed surreptitiously through false updates, email messages or email attachments to identify and then target netizens and citizen journalists. RSF’s 2012 internet enemies report found that the top five countries using surveillance to monitor and then target journalists are: Syria, China, Iran, Bahrain and Vietnam. In Iran, press crackdowns since 2009 have seen detentions, interrogations and torture. In addition to the more traditional methods of targeting the press the Iranian Intelligence Services have used sophisticated surveillance equipment to monitor and target perceived enemies ranging from online dissidents and their families to citizen journalists.<br />
Though a prime target, the press has been resourceful in responding to the opportunities and new risks presented by digital media platforms. Journalists reporting in war zones have long sought to protect themselves with the right equipment and training for hostile environments. This training has expanded to include digital and cyber security training to help protect their identity, sources, information and even location when reporting and travelling for work.<br />
<br />
The use of digital media platforms have allowed for real-time information to shape the international communities response, using locally sourced knowledge, real-time evidence and reporting which has assisted in local and international actors being able to respond to many violations against individuals and groups who, otherwise, would have been unknown and forgotten. Human rights offenders and war criminals are exposed in real-time, which helps equip the international community with real-time rapid response.<br />
The changing character of reporting is now being targeted with an aspect of the changing character of warfare. This aspect, or tactic, is invisible and silent. Many citizen journalists and netizens who have fallen victim to technology being used to monitor their online activities, and then to target them, don’t even know it until it is too late.</div>
Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-9187375071719549232013-02-14T16:24:00.001+00:002013-02-14T16:24:19.015+00:00Cartoon controversy on Holocaust Memorial Day.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The controversial drawing, by Gerald Scarfe, published on 27th
January - Holocaust Memorial Day, has caused fierce debate.
Scarfe depicts the recently re-elected Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin
Netanyahu, using red blood to cement a wall with people trapped within it. Published by the <i>Sunday Times</i>, the picture features the caption “Will cementing
peace continue?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0GQ5u__ZpHyq8d_YL8NwUoLmmQSM6M6_1agk9BJ5iiRz8wuI_5Pc6YS8asvzzvnsEksIfinwyeHd4ofryMQA_VTIw5CUo2n6jPftzJZaMRXXyAGdQdS6ROe2K2GE9jMC7Fm7Fg/s1600/PICTURE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0GQ5u__ZpHyq8d_YL8NwUoLmmQSM6M6_1agk9BJ5iiRz8wuI_5Pc6YS8asvzzvnsEksIfinwyeHd4ofryMQA_VTIw5CUo2n6jPftzJZaMRXXyAGdQdS6ROe2K2GE9jMC7Fm7Fg/s320/PICTURE.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The central theme of the picture is the red blood that seeps out
from the bricks and drips from Netanyahu's trowel. This image has the power to
invoke anti-Semitic imagery of Blood Libel, a grossly false accusation that
Jews murder children, to use their blood in religious rituals. Yet the theme of
blood is a frequent feature of Scarfe’s work. He seems to have gained a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/29/is-the-sunday-times-cartoon-antisemitic?intcmp=239"><span style="color: #1155cc;">‘thing’ </span></a>for blood. In another <i>Sunday Times</i> picture, published on 26<sup>th</sup>
February 2012, Syria's President Assad is seen to be guzzling a cup full of
blood that is labelled ‘Children's Blood’, further supporting the notion that this
picture of Netanyahu is not just an exception. Scarfe has a long history of
provocative cartoons, often coming from a more <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/murdoch-apologises-for-offensive-scarfe-cartoon-in-sunday-times-denounced-as-antisemitic-8470603.html)"><span style="color: #1155cc;">liberal perspective.</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPPlCTh7vaHkabzIeuqRzdwTxvCy9qJn8ebFhu0rz1pMdG_V8C6UxgXbzxOO8uqkgaNkzZ3wYbhWPk4Tthtwa2zDXxE3p_pZRJy8j5tEGlwSRwonR0Ao2NchlH7qGuaIIV0YsJQ/s1600/scarfe-assad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPPlCTh7vaHkabzIeuqRzdwTxvCy9qJn8ebFhu0rz1pMdG_V8C6UxgXbzxOO8uqkgaNkzZ3wYbhWPk4Tthtwa2zDXxE3p_pZRJy8j5tEGlwSRwonR0Ao2NchlH7qGuaIIV0YsJQ/s320/scarfe-assad.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Scarfe’s depiction of the Israeli elections stimulated immediate
criticism, one being from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, an elected
group representing Jewish people in the UK whose chief executive, Jon Benjamin,
stated that the picture was reminiscent of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/28/sunday-times-antisemitism-israeli-election-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blood libel imagery</span></a>. Nevertheless, Rachel
Lasserson, editor of the Jewish Quarterly, noted that people must be able to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">distinguish</span></a> between discussions of settlements
and the West Bank and general anti-Semitism. Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz, writing
for an article in the <i>Guardian</i>,
argues that Scarfe seems to have been <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/29/is-the-sunday-times-cartoon-antisemitic?intcmp=239"><span style="color: #1155cc;">careful </span></a>not to include any small children -
one is arguably an adolescent - in order to not have any libel imagery. Pfeffer
further argues that attacking Scarfe and his cartoon only <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/29/is-the-sunday-times-cartoon-antisemitic?intcmp=239"><span style="color: #1155cc;">cheapens</span></a> a noble cause, as it is not anti-Semitic.
In addition, Mark Gardner, of the Community Security Trust, writing for the <i>Guardian</i>, notes that, irrespective of an
individual’s nationality or religion, this is just the way Scarfe <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/29/is-the-sunday-times-cartoon-antisemitic?intcmp=239"><span style="text-decoration: initial;">draws</span></a>. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The <i>Sunday Times</i>
initially defended the picture, saying that was a typical cartoon by Scarfe,
which was "aimed squarely at Mr Netanyahu and his policies, not at</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Israel</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">let alone at Jewish people". However the next day, Rupert
Murdoch <a href="https://twitter.com/rupertmurdoch/status/295964833394851840"><span style="color: #1155cc;">distanced </span></a>himself and the paper from Scarfe,
by tweeting on his personal Twitter account that “Scarfe has never reflected
the opinions of the <i>Sunday Times</i>”.
Additionally, Daniel Taub, the current Israeli Ambassador to the UK, condemned
the paper. He argued that the idea of Israel’s security barrier being concocted
from Palestinian bodies and blood was <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">‘baseless’</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">On Tuesday, the <i>Sunday Times</i>
met with various representatives of the UK Jewish community. One of the<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-statement-gerald-scarfe-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> main points</span></a> presented by the Jewish
communities is that Jews (and others) around the country reacted with disgust
to the image, but even more so to Scarfe’s use of blood and that it was
published, by a leading `British newspaper, on </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;">Holocaust Memorial
Day. Martin Ivens, current acting editor to the paper, condemned Scarfe for <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">crossing the line,</span></a> with the illustration
published in the <i>Sunday Times</i> on
Holocaust Memorial Day, despite the illustrator being renowned for his "consistently
brutal and bloody" work. Ivens further</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/murdoch-apologises-for-offensive-scarfe-cartoon-in-sunday-times-denounced-as-antisemitic-8470603.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;">noted </span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;">that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;">“insulting the memory of the Shoah or invoking the Blood Libel’ was
the last thing the newspaper had wanted to do.
Scarfe also issued his own statement the same day, stating that the <i>Sunday Times</i> had for the past forty-six
years given him freedom to criticise world leaders and that the cartoon and
criticism was directed at Netanyahu, and “<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">not of the Jewish people</span></a>”. He also noted that
he was "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jan/29/sunday-times-editor-benjamin-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">stupidly completely unaware</span></a>" it was being
published on Holocaust Memorial Day and “<a href="http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/101023/scarfe-regrets-timing-sunday-times-netanyahu-cartoon"><span style="color: #1155cc;">regrets the timing</span></a>” of its publication.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In sum, upon reacting
to this image, we should be careful in distinguishing whether it some sort of political
comment and a religious insult. Granted the date of its publication on
Holocaust Memorial Day is insensitive, yet I do not believe it is an assault on
the Jewish religion by any means. The image is an unpleasant one, but confusing
it with something else can be problematic and as <span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">Pfeffer in the Guardian writes, it only </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-highlight: white;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/29/is-the-sunday-times-cartoon-antisemitic?intcmp=239">cheapens
a noble cause</a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 66.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The cartoon calls on a lot of imagery that is sensitive to a number
of parties. It invites criticism and debate, which was Scarfe’s intention - to
have some sort of shock factor. However, although there are similarities to the
anti-Semitic notion of Blood Libel, it is not one and the same. The caricature includes
no children (there is in fact one adolescent), and this may be deliberately
done by Scarfe to keep away from any association with the blood libel. Regardless,
it is clear from the depiction that this is a jab at Netanyahu's government, as
well as his policies. This is not directed at the Israeli people, nor the Nation
of Israel, as t</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">here is absolutely nothing in the cartoon which identifies its
subject as someone of Jewish origin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Jessica Goslinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12042388715535376861noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-35232675193910618182012-07-01T19:54:00.000+00:002012-07-01T19:54:05.293+00:00Everything is Black and White<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<em>With the conflict in Syria escalating day by day, there is an all too natural tendency for Western journalists to paint a picture in black and white. </em><a href="http://www.marianne2.fr/Syrie-certitudes-et-incertitudes-de-la-guerre-mediatique_a220108.html"><em>The NCF found this article in the French press particularly interesting</em></a><em>. We have done our best to attempt an English translation which is below:</em><br />
<br />
In the opinion of our associated columnist Roland Hureaux, Western reporters in Syria allow themselves too often to be tempted by the trap laid by Manicheism in a context that is certainly more ambiguous than is present in the press. <br />
<br />
<br />
It is not necessary to be a supporter of the Assad regime, but simply an observer who wants the truth not to be confused by the recent atrocities figures some fellow journalists linked to the civil war in Syria. The total number of victims is very uncertain, just like with any tragedy of this type.<br />
<br />
The other question is to know who is responsible for these massacres. Especially as there are two camps with deathly weapons, we can only assume that as with all wars the blame is shared, possibly not equally shared but shared non-the less. But as soon as these atrocities are announced in the Western media, that is the media giants, responsibility is almost exclusively given to the regime.<br />
<br />
This was the case with the recent Houla massacre (108 dead of which 49 were apparently children, but who has released these figures and have they been verified?). The western media immediately accused the regime's forces even though that town was, it seems, controlled by the opposition. Information received since re-enforces the theory that the responsibility could actually lie with the opposition. Similar doubts surround many of the prevalent media stories from the last couple of weeks. <br />
<br />
The principle source for much of the Western press' casualty figures, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, is headed by one man long ago exiled to Coventry. The information about the number of deaths this June came from this man. <br />
<br />
From these observations, we do not say that the Assad regime is innocent, nor that the regime does not carry the largest part of the responsibility. But that they exclusively carry the responsibility of every atrocity is simply untrue. The last 25 years we have seen manipulation on the humanitarian issue to manipulate the international opinion time and time again, East Timor, Kosovo, the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. <br />
<br />
Journalists always search in every complex situation the good and the evil. This approach has for them many advantages: it allows them to think they have quickly understood the complex situation, it creates in each journalist a leader of justice, not only reporters of facts but doing good. Of course presenting information in black and white, attracts the public’s attention, if all the complexities are included they could become annoyed.<br />
<br />
The other issue is that journalists, as with all professions, will talk amongst themselves and those who do not know will ask those who seem to know and will thus adopt the general consensus on the topic. Thus it seems that Manicheism (the tendancy to view events in black and white) and gregariousness are the two sources of information in war.<br />
<br />
If these information distortions are put in place, investigation is no longer necessary to discover who is responsible as it can only be the villains. Journalists can thus be contented with their predisposed judgements.<br />
<br />
The distortion of the truth in this way has the potential to be criminal. In the case of Syria the opposition are aware of this and so can perpetrate the worst atrocities as they will automatically be blamed on their opponents.<br />
<br />
Information has become a weapon of war and as such is manipulated by people who have the resources and can play on the naivety and idealism of young journalists. The irony is that most of these reporters when taken one by one would undoubtedly be opposed to the supremacy of the US, Guantanamo etc.</div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-17156343186763269762012-06-29T08:11:00.003+00:002012-06-29T08:14:20.933+00:00Panorama. Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate<br />
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><img alt="http://www.radiotimes.com/rt-service/image/render/Euro_2012__Stadiums_of_Hate___Panorama.jpg?imageUrl=http://node1.bbcimg.co.uk/iplayer/images/episode/b01jk4vr_640_360.jpg&width=580&height=327&quality=85&specialisation=tv&mode=crop" height="180" src="http://www.radiotimes.com/rt-service/image/render/Euro_2012__Stadiums_of_Hate___Panorama.jpg?imageUrl=http://node1.bbcimg.co.uk/iplayer/images/episode/b01jk4vr_640_360.jpg&width=580&height=327&quality=85&specialisation=tv&mode=crop" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
watching Panaroma's documentary </span></span><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“Euro
2012: Stadiums of Hate” </i></span></span><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and
after having lived in Poland for a while, I thought the show was
extremely sensationalist and patronising. But it wasn't just me who
thought it was sensationalist. The Ukrainian ambassador in the UK and
the Polish press have accused the show of being “</span></span><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>biased
and unfair</i></span></span><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">”
after they showed terrible scenes of anti-Semitic and racist acts in
Ukrainian and Polish stadiums.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #333333;">
“<span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>It
included footage of Polish fans chanting anti-Semitic slogans and
giving Nazi salutes, and showed a group of Asian supporters being
beaten and punched at an end-of-season league match in Ukraine.”</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
one just watches the show and does not know the reality of these
countries, </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="border: medium none; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">then
one would happily keep away from Polish or Ukrainian stadiums. As
shown in the documentary, even former</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
England defender Sol Campbell asked fans to watch the football on TV
as otherwise : </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">"…
you could end up coming back in a coffin.</span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"
Sol Campbell was right in feeling so terrified with the footage as
these acts are simply inadmissible. All violent acts of racism and
anti-Semitism should be banned and punished. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="border: medium none; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is no doubt that racism and anti-Semitism still exist in Poland and
Ukraine, but I think it is quite specific and isolated. It mainly
happens in the national league and it is promoted by extreme right
groups. Hence we are talking about isolated facts that do not
represent the general situation of both countries. I don't think acts
of racism are particular to certain countries as they happen
everywhere else in Europe. One
of the guests to the show, Jonathan Ornstein, the executive director
of the Jewish community centre in Krakow, was particularly angry with
the BBC and the way they manipulated his comments:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: medium none; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">“<span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Panorama
had "exploited me as a source" and claimed it had "used
me and others to manipulate the serious subject of anti-Semitism for
its own sensationalist agenda". </span></i></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="border: medium none; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Sans,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Actually
what he said was that although there are still some acts of racism
and anti-Semitism in the country, Poland is more and more a tolerant
country and that one cannot define a whole society based on the
actions of a few hooligans.</span></span> Anti-Semitism
is a very sensitive subject in Poland and after reading the Polish
press, I personally think that Panorama made a very sensational and
selective use of the information. I think they were looking for
sensationalism and they found it. In the end they showed us what they
wanted us to see. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="border: medium none; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.48cm; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; padding: 0cm; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=291e6b43-b2f3-468c-a238-80a621c4682a" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div>RAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05678506601776901244noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-30447035570463838892012-06-28T12:06:00.000+00:002012-06-28T12:06:45.909+00:00Media Awards feature in The Middle East magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Middle East magazine published a leading article on April's International Media Awards in the June 2012 Issue. The artcile includes an interview with President of the International Council for Press and Broadcasting, Dalia Salaam Rishani. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI33cGxKakItVZLunDA4oFLBGikOeNtE586oPmLrzn5j-9vSO8Sk2bVgT8V9IOd0Ejc4GASf3-vybSJNAF3QAy9Hc5lJRM59Tyd6OFamaGDCBZloHuc1cHB_S4lYYq7b8g1nr5g/s1600/middle+east+media+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI33cGxKakItVZLunDA4oFLBGikOeNtE586oPmLrzn5j-9vSO8Sk2bVgT8V9IOd0Ejc4GASf3-vybSJNAF3QAy9Hc5lJRM59Tyd6OFamaGDCBZloHuc1cHB_S4lYYq7b8g1nr5g/s320/middle+east+media+awards.jpg" vca="true" width="169" /></a></div>
</div>Alex Websterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03322019442006167948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-70590284483054269652012-05-21T15:14:00.002+00:002012-05-21T15:14:18.362+00:00Ofcom: between freedom of opinion and blasphemy.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tnRpaUWuiNw/TY7hKkGhPZI/AAAAAAAAD6o/-pUThuNu78U/s400/blasphemyArrest.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DM Digital, an English TV
channel that broadcasts mainly to the Middle Eastern and Asian public, seems to
have breached the code of Ofcom by airing controversial statements over
blasphemy law. One of the guests to the show affirmed that it was acceptable to
kill someone for blasphemy. Now the channel might face a serious fine or even
be closed. Ofcom has accused the TV channel of being the <i>“</i></span><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">first UK broadcaster to break the broadcasting code for airing
material likely to encourage or incite the commission of a crime or lead to
disorder".</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> In this
program an Islamic scholar gave a lecture on theology and talked about the
assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Punjab, who was killed by his
own bodyguard, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, for criticising Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Someone
in the audience made a complaint about some of the comments aired in the show. Ofcom
then commissioned two English translations to check for accuracy<i> </i>and it seems that the presenter said: </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"If someone takes a step in the love of the Prophet, then
this is not terrorism."<i> </i><span style="background: white;">Although the channel denies the accusations and
believes that the scholar was only discussing blasphemy law in Pakistan and
wasn’t “</span>personally advocating any violence<i>"; </i>this is difficult to believe when such a statement is not
only endorsed by the presenter, but also calls for the punishment of all those
who disrespect the Prophet or Islam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are two debates here:
The first regarding blasphemy law and the second regarding freedom of speech
and press. Since the early 80s new clauses regarding religious offences have
been added to the Pakistan Penal Code. Perhaps the most controversial dates
from 1986; and states that blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad or Islam
should be punished with death or life imprisonment.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white;">Personally, I find blasphemy law
very extreme, vague and obscure; and a law that can be easily abused. Look at what
happened to Salmaan Taseer, for instance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the other hand, many
might wonder if closing a TV Channel for its content is not also an action against
freedom of speech and press. We could argue that everyone should be entitled to
express their own opinion and that the media should have the freedom to publish
anything they want. However, I think that this should also come with some
degree of responsibility. The problem is when you publish statements supporting
or encouraging the murder of people for whatever reason. To start with, no one
should be murdered, as simple as that. No one should be murdered for their
opinions, ideas or actions; and this is not just a simple Western liberal idea
that can only be applied in the West. No. I think this should apply everywhere
else in the world. If someone goes to a TV show and declares in front of
thousands of people that those who disrespect the prophet should face death, how
can anyone say that this would not encourage any violence? How can statements
defending murder not encourage more murder? Violence can only generate more
violence and statements like this should not be accepted and even less made
public on a TV channel. I wonder why this guest had the freedom to express his
opinion over blasphemy on TV and why when someone tries to give a different
opinion about the law, they get murdered. I find it quite hypocritical, vague
and obscure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />RAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05678506601776901244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-86429507958312638932012-05-17T11:13:00.003+00:002012-05-17T11:13:48.620+00:00Stone of Arabia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong><em>Or should I say Stone of Gaza. The Lord Stone of Blaackheath (Andrew to most of you) has been working on a new project in Gaza. This is genuinely all down to Andrew:</em></strong><br />
<br />
The first shipment of 2,000 garments from the Ashour factory left Gaza on Monday through Kerem Shalom on its way to JD Williams. The second shipment of 2,000 additional garments will be shipped in the near future. This is a historical moment, as it is the first time that non-food items have left Gaza for an international buyer since 2007.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is due to an immense personal effort exerted by Lord Stone to make this historical transaction possible. He personally visited Gaza to facilitate this.<br />
Commenting on this export of garments from Gaza, the British Consul General in Jerusalem, Sir Vincent Fean, said: <br />
<br />
“I welcome today’s news of the first export of textile goods from Gaza to the UK since 2007. The export of 2000 garments from the Ashour Company, a leading knitwear producer in Gaza, to a UK outlet is a great success for Gazan business. This success was made possible by the technical and financial support provided by the UK Department for International Development through the Palestinian Facility for New Market Development (FNMD). In the past four years, the UK has provided support through FNMD to over 340 companies in Gaza to help them rebuild operations and expand their businesses, helping create jobs for over 1,600 Gazans.<br />
<br />
I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Stone and the Office of the Quartet Representative for their help in facilitating these exports.<br />
<br />
While the UK will never underestimate the security needs of Israel, it is our firm belief that economic prosperity in Gaza is the surest way to achieve that security, through undermining the tunnel economy . This development marks a further step by Israel towards fulfilling its commitment to allow economic development for the 1.6 million people in Gaza, and I hope that further such exports will be permitted at a sustained level not only to the UK, but also to Israel and the West Bank – the natural markets for Gaza products.”<br />
The Minister for International Development, Alan Duncan MP, welcomed this news, saying: <br />
<br />
“Through trade, we can help Gaza rebuild its economy, providing opportunities for Gazans to pull themselves out of poverty and creating a safer and more secure environment for the Palestinians and for Israel. <br />
<br />
While I am pleased that the UK has supported this important development for Gazan business, it is my hope that we quickly reach a stage where there is no longer a need for such assistance, because sustained exports from Gaza will be the norm.”</div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17920781015928577474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-61487371110918128062012-05-11T13:46:00.000+00:002012-05-18T12:18:31.017+00:00Eighth Annual International Media Awards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday 5<sup>th</sup> of May, the Oxford and Cambridge
Club was transformed into a venue to rival the Oscars. The sweeping staircase up to the reception
was as glamorous as the feet that trod them.
The International Media Awards, held under the auspices of the
International Council for Press and Broadcasting, is a celebration of the best
in journalism in the Middle East and South Asia. This year, the Eighth year of the Awards, is
especially poignant. The Middle East has
long been a centre of world affairs, and the events of the Arab Spring, or, as
one award winner described it, ‘the Arab Awakening’, have further focused the
long arm of the lens on the region. As a
consequence, many of this year’s nominees and winners were those journalists,
broadcasters and bloggers who reported on those momentous events that many of
us watched from the comfort of our couches.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The host for the evening was Lord Stone of Blackheath, a
trustee of the Next Century Foundation. The
President of the International Council for Press and Broadcasting, Dalia Salaam
Rishani, delivered a moving and personal speech of her reactions to the Arab
Spring before introducing an <i>In Memoriam</i>
film in tribute to journalists who have fallen in the region over the past
year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Award winners were as follows:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Outstanding
Contribution to Peace Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Hillel
Schenker and Ziad AbuZayyad, co-editors of the <i>Palestine-Israel Journal</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Giles Henschel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Peace
Through Media Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Mansoor Al
Jamri, Editor of <i>Al Wasat</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Jane Kinninmont</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Gideon Levy,
columnist at <i>Haaretz</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Dame Ann Leslie</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Jeremy
Bowen, Middle East Editor of the <i>BBC</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Dalia Salaam Rishani</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Cutting
Edge Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Paul Wood, <i>BBC</i>
Middle East Correspondent</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Michael Binyon</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Lifetime
Achievement Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Roger Cohen,
columnist at <i>The New York Times</i> and the <i>International Herald Tribune</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: June Jacobs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Breakaway
Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Sherine
Tadros, broadcaster at <i>Al Jazeera English</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Caroline Hawley</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Outstanding
Contribution to New Media Award</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Hiwa Osman,
‘Thoughts from Iraq’ blogger</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Turi Munthe</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u>Outstanding
Contribution to Journalism</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Ann Leslie, Senior
Foreign Correspondent at <i>The Daily Mail</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Presented
by: Hon. Mark Hambley</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRBivGi2SDwgIUlt52h7y5ufo4bGxB-GGRZ-1oGOTp_A5qbCzHgYgZpna829biH0wS5M7TwsLX_HDrYBYf2LircoUsSitNGQ78pbZM015l6RyAG4uyBj9K8DTEc8hTR454uJe/s1600/Blurred_Times_cutting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRBivGi2SDwgIUlt52h7y5ufo4bGxB-GGRZ-1oGOTp_A5qbCzHgYgZpna829biH0wS5M7TwsLX_HDrYBYf2LircoUsSitNGQ78pbZM015l6RyAG4uyBj9K8DTEc8hTR454uJe/s320/Blurred_Times_cutting.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Apart from
to recognise the work of these excellent journalists, the purpose of the
International Media Awards is to bring together media professionals from around
the world who have a special interest in the region of the Middle East and
South Asia. It is not often that such an
occasion arises, and the Oxford and Cambridge Club banquet room was packed with
a diverse crowd of the talented and the expert, both old familiar faces and
fresh new ones, creating an exciting atmosphere of shared interests though often
differing points of view.</div>
</div>IELMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13578130154956863282noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-11224806400493331702012-04-25T12:12:00.001+00:002012-04-25T12:13:18.042+00:00The International Media Awards 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<img height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZbx11qxldae9MTP5qEsRPJ6iErCSSCvYaKM_JiI3GzfD7H3XbJW73LnOSvE_7RYoQbYpQ1lbfj5HPNmr_LDOa8ahvxz8rasbpagYAwLV-d7GvMIi36HBaoJHmJ7fkitXOBPL/s320/media-awards-logo-edit31.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The eighth annual International Media Awards will be held in London on Saturday 5<sup>th</sup> of May. The International Media Awards are a salute to the importance of both of these forces, designed to reinforce their impact through the promotion of accurate and responsible reporting. They bring together figures active in all forms of conventional and non-conventional media, and from all over the Middle East, a testament to the potential for peaceful dialogue in that region.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The awards are given to journalists and broadcasters who, through the consistently high standard of their work, promote better understanding. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This year’s awards are:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Lifetime Achievement Award</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a figure who has had a long and distinguished career in the media, and who has during this time worked tirelessly for the promotion of better understanding. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ANN LESLIE <i>Daily Mail</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">PAT LANCASTER <i>Middle East Magazine</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ROGER COHEN <i>International Herald Tribune</i> and <i>The New York Times</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Peace Through Media Awards</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The Peace Through Media Awards are given to journalists or broadcasters of outstanding calibre. They are selected because their work is of such quality that it has helped to foster a climate of peace and understanding. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">DAVID LANDAU <i>The Economist</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">DONALD MACINTYRE <i>The Independant</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">GIDEON LEVY <i>Haaretz</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">JEREMY BOWEN<i> BBC</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">LYSE DOUCET<i> BBC</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MANSOOR AL JAMRI<i> Al Wasa</i>t</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MARWAN BISHARA <i>Al Jazeera</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MOHAMMED AL-SHAFEY <i>Sharq al-Awsat</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">NADIM LADKI <i>Beirut Daily Star</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SMADAR PERRY <i>Yediot Aharonot</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Cutting Edge Awards</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The Cutting Edge Awards are an acknowledgement of the work of media professionals who have risen to prominence through the outstanding quality of their work and their balanced and considered coverage.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">EMMA HURD <i>Sky News</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">HARRIET SHERWOOD <i>The Guardian</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MAZIN LATIF</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MSHARI AL ZAYDI <i>Asharq al-Awsat</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">PAUL WOOD <i>BBC</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">RINA MAZLIACH <i>Channel 2</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">STUART RAMSAY <i>Sky News</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SUE LLOYD ROBERTS <i>BBC</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">YOAV LEMMER <i>Agence France Presse</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">YOSRI FOUDA <i>ON TV</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ZVI YEHEZKELI <i>Israeli News 10</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Breakaway Award</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The Breakaway Award encourages new talent, in mainstream journalism as well as in the fields of internet news and citizen journalism. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ABIGAIL FIELDING-SMITH <i>Financial Times</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">AZZA TURKI <i>Realites</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">RANA JAWAD <i>BBC</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SARAH BIRKE</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SHEERA FRENKEL <i>The Times</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SHERINE TADROS<i> Al Jazeera </i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Special Award for an Outstanding Contribution to New Media</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The prize is awarded to individuals that contribute to different forms of new media, in particular internet news, blogging and citizen journalism.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">HIWA OSMAN <i>Rudaw</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">LISA GOLDMAN <i>+972 Magazine</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">PHILIP WEISS </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">RAZAN GHAZZAWI</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<b>The Special Achievement Awards</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
These prizes are awarded to those who have made a special contribution in their field, whether it be to broadcasting, peace, or understanding.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
The nominees are</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">AL AKHBAR</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">AL MASRY </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">AL YOUM</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">HILLEL SCHENKER</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ZIAD ABU ZAYYAD <i>Paliestine-Israel Journal</i> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">MA’AN NEWS AGENCY</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">SKY NEWS </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://internationalmediaawards.org/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.3s; -webkit-transition-property: color; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">http://internationalmediaawards.org/</span></a></div>
</div>Bhavinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714040826476512576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-19605877781450574572012-04-18T13:51:00.001+00:002012-04-18T13:51:26.818+00:00False reporting on sectarianism in Iraq<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<img height="186" src="http://cdn.muslimvillage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/20iraq1_span-articleLarge.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The media should report with balance and without bias. False
reporting can be damaging not just to the reader’s perception, but also in
viewing a particular event. And it can often be expedient to stoke the fires just
for a hot subject.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The burning cauldron that is Iraqi sectarianism needs no
further stoking in this regard, especially given the journalistic duty
aforementioned. Iraq is a bubbling pot of tensions between various factions, a
pot that has been heating not-so-gently since the US invasion in 2005 and has
continued in spewing violence after the withdrawal five years later. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With this in mind, an <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/shiites-and-sunnis-in-post-us-iraq-separate-and-unequal-some-predict-dissolution-of-country/2012/04/03/gIQAIt5KtS_print.html">AP
article</a> (interestingly now removed by the Washington Post from its site) recently
stated that the tensions between Sunnis and Shias in a post-US Iraq are close
to ‘an effective break-up of the country’. But as Hayder al-Khoei countered in
his post on the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/10/iraqi-sectarianism-shia-sunni-muslims">Guardian</a>,
‘sensationalist mudslinging’ by Western media does our understanding of the
situation no good. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Al-Khoei points to several elements within the AP article
that should be read with caution. The AP article states that the US withdrawal
has left a security vacuum resulting in ‘Iraq's ruling Shiites [...] moving
quickly to keep the two Muslim sects separate – and unequal’. However, al-Khoei
notes that the sectarian make-up of the country is ‘remnant of the civil war
[...] and has nothing to do with the current government's domestic policy’ or a
direct consequence of the withdrawal. He goes on to say that the ethno-sectarian
quotas within the government are a better reflection of Iraqi society. In
reality the Shiite domination is perhaps a misnomer; it is also possible to
find Sunni-dominated areas where once they were ethnically mixed, such as Gazaliyah,
Doura, and Ameriya, as it is to find Shiite dominated ones. Furthermore, the
de-Baathification policy as stated in the AP article, al-Khoei objects, simply
addresses the targeting of Sunni Baathists whereas the policy has also been
used against Shiite Baathists. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But perhaps the most damaging and potentially riling
argument in the AP article is the purported views of Grand Ayatollah Sistani: ‘you
[fellow Shiites] are the majority and your enemies are trying to reduce your
numbers’, a quote attributed to an anonymous source. As al-Khoei rightly
counters, Ayatollah Sistani has done much for sectarian harmony in Iraq and
were it not for his work and his words, the situation could be much bloodier. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps it is telling that the article page can no longer be
found. The sectarian situation is more complicated than the article would suggest,
and much care must be taken by respected media outlets such as the AP before unhelpfully contributing to the melting pot in Iraq.</div>
</div>Bhavinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714040826476512576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-68062377165171296742012-03-28T12:40:00.000+00:002012-03-28T12:40:11.868+00:00The Leveson inquiry rumbles on<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZiYRlmOHjN_pn60Rfzj1mWeWTQUnBRSF0pRwwW56qdkcEc1PKP9GMGD6SXPhQPof3Uuk6d3WmwvHpXkXbcWULLcg6GZpsjvYFcUPJqHH8DEwUVKHKrBh9XrwdZLT6aJgRL1a/s1600/james+harding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZiYRlmOHjN_pn60Rfzj1mWeWTQUnBRSF0pRwwW56qdkcEc1PKP9GMGD6SXPhQPof3Uuk6d3WmwvHpXkXbcWULLcg6GZpsjvYFcUPJqHH8DEwUVKHKrBh9XrwdZLT6aJgRL1a/s320/james+harding.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph: the Asian Awards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />The Times of London’s has revealed that evidence of its involvement in email hacking was withheld from the high court. The editor, James Harding, made the statement during a lengthy cross-examination at the Leveson inquiry on the 7th of February 2012. <br /> <br />The hacking occurred back in 2009, when a young Times reporter, Patrick Foster, hacked into an email account to identify and expose the award-winning police blogger, NightJack. James Harding claimed he was unaware of all the details of this case and instead blamed the paper's then lawyer, Alastair Brett, for taking on a high court legal battle without his knowledge but admitted all the same that “when you look back at all this, it's terrible."<br /> <br />This is just one of many startling revelations that have come out of the ongoing Leveson inquiry, which was launched in September 2011 to investigate the culture, practises and ethics of the British media following the News International phone hacking scandal. The inquiry is rapidly changing the media industry as it becomes clear how widespread unethical journalistic practises have been. In the short term, editors are more cautious in what they publish and reluctant to take risks in breaking big stories. In the long term it remains unclear where the investigation will lead us. While some, such as the Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, are campaigning for a new regulator ‘with teeth’, many others remain wary of state interference. To be continued.SL2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/09390647905425802146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-80377775988639435012012-02-16T15:02:00.001+00:002012-02-16T15:02:04.112+00:00Al-Qaeda Linked To Planned Attack on Danish Newspaper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Three men have been jailed for planning
to attack the Danish <i>Jyllands-Posten</i> newspaper, the publisher of the original
Mohammed cartoons that sparked off riots throughout the Middle East in 2005/6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of the men, Mikael Davud and Shawan Sadek
Saeed Bujak, were found guilty in the first ever convictions under Norway's
anti-terror laws, which require proof of a conspiracy between two or more
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third man, David Jakobsen,
who assisted police in their investigation, was cleared of terror charges but
convicted of helping the others acquire explosives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The court found that the three plotters were
‘incredibly close’ to manufacturing a 20 kilo bomb in a basement laboratory in
Oslo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, investigators claim
the plot was linked to the same al-Qaida planners behind thwarted attacks on
the New York subway system and a UK shopping centre in 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davud, the alleged ring-leader of the group,
denies taking orders from Al-Qaeda, saying that it was an independent
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, his notebook contained
references to Saleh al-Somali, al-Qaeda's chief of external operations, who
officials believe helped organize the New York and Manchester plots.</span></div>
</div>IELMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13578130154956863282noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-78792497972087727582012-02-14T16:58:00.001+00:002012-02-14T17:16:04.605+00:00Five Journalists from The Sun ArrestedFive journalists from 'The Sun' newspaper are among eight who were arrested in the early hours throughout the weekend, over allegations of illegal bribes to police and public officials. The arrests of these individuals have sparked controversy over the way in which the arrests were carried out, where the paper's associate editor, Trevor Kavanagh, referred to it as a "witch-hunt" on 13th February 2012.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="206" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bhx5S82SI7Vi/610x.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Picture from: Carbonated.tv) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
He explains that early morning raids of around 20 officers at a time and searching through children's underwear drawers was "over the top" and created disruption for the families. The arrests were made in relation to the Operation Elveden investigation which was launched after police were shown documents which implied that journalists had made illegal payments to officers.</div>
<div>
All those who were arrested have been released on Police bail as the investigation continues.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>KEJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048375448902839906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26936033.post-90838463886790824752012-02-08T14:21:00.000+00:002012-02-08T14:21:30.366+00:00Jewish Newspaper in Atlanta Apologises for Obama 'hit' ColumnAndrew Adler, a writer for Atlanta Jewish Times has raised many questions in regards to his article 'What would you do?' where he suggested that a "hit" on Obama would be a possible option for saving Israel. Chris McGreal investigates this further in his article: 'Atlanta Jewish Times owner says sorry for Obama hit column'- 21st January 2012.<br />
Adler explained to McGreal, that he wrote this article in order to get a reaction from the newspaper's readers and provided different scenarios, a "hit" on Obama being one of them, "in order to preserve Israel's existence". However, Adler hints that a "hit" on Barack Obama may have been discussed by Israel's most inner circles.<br />
Adler argues that his passion for Israel allows him to question just how far one would go to save a nation. He goes on to stress that the idea of assassinating the U.S. president is "unfathomable and unthinkable" and he ensures the public that this was not what he meant.<br />
Adler has promised to write a retraction to the column, preventing further problems.KEJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14048375448902839906noreply@blogger.com4