IDF soldiers detain and assault Al-Jazeera reporter in hospital raid /node/2479351/media
IDF soldiers detain and assault Al-Jazeera reporter in hospital raid
IDF soldiers detained and physically attacked Al-Jazeera journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul during a raid on Al-Shifa hospital on Monday. (Screenshot/Al-Jazeera)
IDF soldiers detain and assault Al-Jazeera reporter in hospital raid
Journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul was released by Israeli forces on Monday night after being held for nearly 12 hours
Updated 19 March 2024
Arab News
LONDON: Israel Defense Forces soldiers detained and physically attacked Al-Jazeera journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul during a raid on Al-Shifa hospital on Monday, where he was reporting on a new military operation.
The soldiers then transported Al-Ghoul and other reporters to an unknown destination. He was released on Monday night after being held for almost 12 hours.
Carlos Martinez de la Serna, program director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement: “CPJ welcomes the release of Al-Jazeera journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul and some of the other journalists assaulted and detained by Israel on Monday, but we remain extremely concerned that they were blocked from covering a major military operation, denying them their press freedom rights.
“In addition, numerous other journalists remain imprisoned since the Israel-Gaza war began in October. They too should be freed, and their voices should not be silenced.”
During the raid, at least 80 people were detained, with the IDF stating that it had taken control of the hospital to “thwart terrorist activity” after receiving “concrete intelligence” that high-ranking Hamas members had gathered there.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refuge in the Al-Shifa hospital complex. Journalists have been working from the vicinity of the hospital since the beginning of the war, struggling with issues like power outages and communication disruptions.
During an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Ghoul described how he and other journalists were attacked by IDF soldiers, who reportedly destroyed their tent, damaged their equipment, and vandalized their press vehicles.
Al-Ghoul said that the soldiers forced the journalists to undress in the cold weather and then held them captive in a room at Al-Shifa hospital while blindfolded and handcuffed.
While Al-Ghoul mentioned that most of the Al-Jazeera crew members were eventually released, he was unsure about the status of every team member as their mobile phones, laptops, and equipment had been destroyed by Israeli forces.
The journalists were released following inquiries from the US State Department and calls for action by organizations like CPJ and Al-Jazeera.
CPJ did not receive a response to its email to the IDF’s North America Desk asking for comment on the reports about the beating and arrests of journalists at the hospital complex.
Since Oct. 7, CPJ has documented 95 journalists and media workers killed while covering the war, including the killing by Israeli drone strikes of Al-Jazeera’s Samer Abu Daqqa on Dec. 15, Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya on Jan. 7, and a drone attack that seriously injured Al-Jazeera reporter Ismail Abu Omar.
Taliban-run media stops showing images of living beings in some Afghan provinces
Kandahar have been advised not to air or show images of anything with a soul – meaning people and animals
No other Muslim-majority country imposes similar restrictions, including Iran
Updated 44 sec ago
AP
ISLAMABAD: Taliban run-media have stopped showing images of living beings in some Afghan provinces to comply with morality laws, an official confirmed Tuesday.
In August, the country’s Vice and Virtue Ministry published laws regulating aspects of everyday life like public transportation, shaving, the media and celebrations reflecting authorities’ interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.
Article 17 bans the publication of images of living beings, sparking concerns about the consequences for Afghan media and press freedom.
A spokesman for the Vice and Virtue Ministry, Saif ul Islam Khyber, said government media in the provinces of Takhar, Maidan Wardak and Kandahar have been advised not to air or show images of anything with a soul — meaning people and animals.
Khyber said a day earlier that the ministry was responsible for implementing the morality laws.
He did not clarify if the rules affected all media, including foreign outlets, or only Afghan channels and websites.
Nor did he say how the laws would be enforced or if there was a deadline for compliance.
No other Muslim-majority country imposes similar restrictions, including Iran. During their previous rule in the late 1990s, the Taliban banned most television, radio and newspapers altogether.
Lebanese demand justice for journalist killed by Israeli tank fire
CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg said that “in spite of extensive evidence of a war crime, a year on from the attack, Israel has faced zero accountability for the targeting of journalists”
Updated 14 October 2024
AFP
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanese journalists and activists Sunday demanded justice for Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed a year earlier in what probes said was Israeli tank fire while covering cross-border clashes in south Lebanon.
Two strikes in quick succession on October 13, 2023 killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, 37, and wounded six other journalists including AFP photographer Christina Assi and video journalist Dylan Collins.
Assi later had a leg amputated and spent five months in intensive care in hospital as a result of the attack.
Two investigations have pointed to an Israeli tank being behind the attack, but Israel has denied it targets “civilians, including journalists.”
Friends and acquaintances on Sunday shared photos Abdallah had taken, or pictures of him.
Legal Agenda, a non-governmental organization, posted on social media: “A year after the killing of photographer Issam Abdullah, Israeli impunity continues.”
Lebanese rights group Maharat called on the international community to “implement treaties, resolutions and commitments to protect journalist.”
In a post on X, journalist Salman Andary demanded “justice for Issam and for all the victims of this crime.”
Economist Jad Chaaban wrote on X: “Israel killed... Abdallah, by shelling a clearly marked press spot in the South of Lebanon.”
“The Israeli army is still carrying out mass executions until today with total impunity,” he said.
After nearly a year of cross-border fire, Israel on September 23 escalated its campaign targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
More than 1,200 people have since been killed in Lebanon, according to a tally of official figures, and more than a million have been displaced.
On Thursday, the Committee to Protect Journalists decried a lack of accountability for Israel over the killing of Abdallah.
CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg said that “in spite of extensive evidence of a war crime, a year on from the attack, Israel has faced zero accountability for the targeting of journalists.”
The journalists were working near the border village of Alma Al-Shaab in an area that has been the site of near-daily clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.
An AFP investigation in December pointed to a tank shell only used by the Israeli army being fired in the attack.
A separate Reuters probe, including initial findings from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), found two Israeli tank rounds fired from the same position across the border were used.
TNO’s final report said an Israeli tank crew then “likely” opened fire on them with a machine gun.
An Israeli military spokesman said after the strike: “We are very sorry for the journalist’s death,” adding that Israel was “looking into” the incident, without taking responsibility.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia strengthen media cooperation with new framework agreement
Safeguarding supply chains ‘more crucial than ever,’ Saleh Al-Jasser says in opening remarks
Inaugural forum will feature 130 speakers and 80 exhibitors from 30 countries
Updated 14 October 2024
Arab News
DOHA: Saudi Arabia and Qatar signed on Sunday a framework agreement for cooperation and news exchange between the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and Qatar News Agency (QNA).
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a meeting between Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Media in Doha.
The meeting between Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and Salman Al-Dossary, which was also attended by Chairman of Qatar Media Corporation Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al-Thani and Saudi ambassador to Qatar Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan, focused on enhancing cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the media sector.
During their discussions, both sides emphasized the importance of deepening relations and expanding joint media initiatives.
The agreement was signed by Acting President of SPA, Ali Alzaid, and Director-General of QNA, Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar signed on Sunday a framework agreement for cooperation and news exchange between the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and Qatar News Agency (QNA). (SPA)
It will aim to foster collaboration through a range of initiatives, including training programs in editing and photography, the promotion of modern technologies and artificial intelligence in news production, and the exchange of expertise, SPA reported.
The framework also seeks to strengthen ties by facilitating visits between the agencies and creating news and photographic content that highlights achievements, events, and national occasions in both countries, SPA added.
Venezuela cancels passports of dozens of activists and journalists, FT reports
People have had their passports confiscated by authorities while attempting to board flights from the country’s main airport, the newspaper reported, citing the rights group
Updated 13 October 2024
Reuters
CARACAS: Venezuela has canceled the passports of dozens of journalists and activists since President Nicolas Maduro claimed a re-election victory, part of what rights groups say is an intensifying campaign of repression against the authoritarian president’s opponents, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
At least 40 people, mostly journalists and human rights activists have had their passports annulled without explanation, the newspaper reported, citing Caracas-based rights group Laboratorio de Paz.
The group warned that the number of people who have had their passports canceled is likely to be much higher due to Venezuelans’ fear of reporting cases, the FT said.
Laboratorio de Paz could not be immediately reached for the report.
People have had their passports confiscated by authorities while attempting to board flights from the country’s main airport, the newspaper reported, citing the rights group.
Unlike murder or torture, which have a higher political cost, the government has found that passport cancelation is an effective way of neutralizing and muffling critical voices with minimal effort, the newspaper reported citing Rafael Uzcátegui, co-director of the rights group.
The report comes after Maduro was proclaimed the winner of the South American nation’s disputed July vote by electoral and judicial authorities, a claim rejected as false by the opposition.
Leading Lebanese daily goes pan-Arab amid ongoing war
Group CEO Nayla Tueni leads digital transformation from newspaper to ‘viewspaper’
We’ve transitioned from being a traditional newspaper to what we call a ‘viewspaper.’ From Monday to Thursday, we publish a compact edition, while Friday features a more in-depth weekend edition, covering culture, lifestyle, and other topics
Updated 15 October 2024
ANAN TELLO
LONDON: Amid escalating conflict in Lebanon, Annahar chief Nayla Tueni has announced the relaunch of her media group, unveiling a bold shift to become a pan-Arab media leader with a growing presence across the region.
The publisher of the iconic Arabic-language daily Annahar, which marked its 92nd anniversary this year, is embracing a “digital-first” strategy, transforming from a newspaper to a “viewspaper.”
Nayla Tueni, Annahar chief. (Supplied)
Despite the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which began as cross-border clashes on Oct. 8, 2023, and intensified into a widespread Israeli offensive starting Sept. 23, the Beirut-headquartered Annahar remains committed to its plan to relaunch its services against all odds.
Tueni, Annahar’s editor-in-chief and group CEO, told Arab News that the idea for the transformation and relaunch was conceived in January, with implementation efforts beginning in April.
FASTFACTS
• In addition to its daily print newspaper, Annahar Media runs two websites – Annahar and Annahar Al-Arabi – while also managing a video platform and active social media channels.
• Annahar’s teams are diligently working to produce more podcasts, audios, and videos that resonate with a broader audience – talking to people from different places around the Arab world.
“The goal of Annahar’s refoundation is to reach a wider audience,” she said. “We’ve enhanced the website to offer a seamless, unified experience across all platforms — whether you’re reading the newspaper, following us on social media, or watching videos on our platform, we want you to enjoy the same cohesive experience throughout.”
In addition to its daily print newspaper, Annahar Media runs two websites, Annahar and Annahar Al-Arabi, while also managing a video platform and active social media channels.
Tueni highlighted that her company worked with Innovation Media Consulting, a global consultancy firm, to revamp Annahar’s digital products, rebuild the newsroom using cutting-edge AI tools and workflows, and design a new commercial strategy.
Other renovation partners include the marketing communications group Impact BBDO, the engineering company Obermeyer Middle East, and the digital agency Born Interactive.
“In addition,” Tueni said, “we put significant effort into refining the content, reorganizing the structure, and rethinking how teams collaborate — even how to think in a different way to be from Lebanon to the Arab world, present in the whole Arab world.
“We’ve transitioned from being a traditional newspaper to what we call a ‘viewspaper.’ From Monday to Thursday, we publish a compact edition, while Friday features a more in-depth weekend edition, covering culture, lifestyle, and other topics.
“We provide deeper insights — the why, the what, and the what’s next — whether it’s politics, health, lifestyle, culture, technology, climate change, or any other issue,” she said.
The renovation and relaunch of Annahar have brought many challenges, largely caused by the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.
Describing the relaunch as “the bridge between the past and the future,” Tueni said that working toward this milestone “has been incredibly difficult because, first, we are in Lebanon and facing a lot of challenges.
“During the war, it has been tough to cover global events on little to no sleep, while also hearing the bombs, to check in on all colleagues who may have fled their homes, all while continuing to work on the content and the relaunch.”
Renovation efforts also involved transforming the offices in Martyr’s Square, a large portion of which was devastated by the Beirut Port blast on Aug. 4, 2020, when hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated in one of the port’s warehouses.
“We worked on our offices to have an AI-powered newsroom, studios, and a news cafe,” Tueni said.
Elaborating on the news cafe, she said that it offers a platform and space for people to meet, hold conferences and talks, and maybe even organize fashion shows.
She added that Annahar is also planning to enhance its subscription model “to generate revenues on our archive — we’ve been working on documentaries, short documentaries, and content from the archives.”
Annahar’s teams are diligently working to produce “more podcasts, audios, and videos that resonate with a broader audience — talking to people from different places around the Arab world,” Tueni said.
“We’re also working to include content in foreign languages, including French and English.”
She added that “Annahar Media has a big role to play as a fact-checking hub to combat the spread of fake news,” which has been rampant in recent years.
The group is also developing a media training academy aimed at not only equipping journalism students with essential skills, but also offering courses to the wider public. These will cover topics such as public image, leadership, speaking on television, conducting interviews, and other communication skills.
On being resolute about relaunching despite the turmoil in Lebanon, Tueni highlighted Annahar’s unwavering commitment to its mission and vision “through the turbulence of war and uncertainty” since its founding in 1933 by Gebran Andraos Tueni.
She said: “Believing in Annahar, and in the mission and vision established by my grandfather and carried on by my father is incredibly important to me. Continuing this legacy is a vital endeavor.
“After 92 years of Annahar, we are embarking on a new chapter today, carrying forward the values instilled by the founder Gebran.
“Today, we’re translating this into a modern, forward-thinking approach, remaining committed to our mission of upholding the truth, delivering in-depth content, and maintaining a clear vision.”
Nayla Tueni was a member of the Lebanese parliament for a decade, from 2009 to 2018, representing the district of Achrafieh. In September 2011, she took on the role of editor-in-chief of both Annahar newspaper and its digital platform.
