Arab countries are making strides in trying to improve journalism curricula, but still face strictures, obstacles and challenges to press freedom as well as their own holdouts to change.

Two meetings in December of experts on journalism education in Morocco and Bahrain were further proof of a commitment by the...

It's a labor of love for Egyptian, Lebanese and Greek balconies, interspersed by wars, displacement, marriage, birth, death, fond family souvenirs, and an experience that is uniquely Mediterranean.

And it could only have been written by someone quintessentially Levantine half-Greek, cosmopolitan, well traveled, multilingual, and, who's felt most at home...

Security and press freedom can coexist, with the free flow of information recognized as the best weapon against terrorism, international media experts argued in a final declaration published this week.

"Everyone has the right to access diverse, uncensored sources of information. States should create an environment that encourages the development...

Lebanese media group LBC recently sliced 140 jobs, is trimming fat, and repositioning itself for a mega deal involving Rupert Murdoch's purchase of shares in Rotana Media whose benefactor owns a major stake in LBC operations.

"It was long overdue. It was to have happened but was...

Coffee, snacks, social media, reporting, producing a paper, online publishing?

This isn't your typical café or newsroom. It's all of the above.

It's a news café where people in Czech communities can relax, meet, down some brew, see their local paper being produced, mingle with editors, contribute to the...

Egyptian divorcées are no longer alone decrying their fate in a dark corner, fearful of being stigmatized by their conservative society. Now they can commiserate, seek advice, and feel empowered, thanks to an online radio station just for them.

"Motalakat (Divorcées) Radio"

Motalakat is the outlet launched by...

Is the Arab world heading for more desertification, and will future wars erupt over water, as predicted by analysts, rather than oil?

Not entirely.

The region's dryness goes back 5,000 years, said Dr. Farouk El-Baz, a leading international expert on the subject, who nevertheless urged serious study of weather...

Don't judge a book by its cover, particularly if its title includes words like "war," "terrorism," "separatists," "poverty," "illiteracy," and "kidnappings."

Reports from Yemen point to separatists tugging at its south, Al Qaeda using it as a base of activities, northern Houthi rebels fighting a sixth war against...

The sixth Sa'ada war between central government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen's north is well underway and expected to drag on given the latter's rolls of fresh recruits from the region and their unconventional tactics aided by weapons from Iran, according to the country's ruling party.

Yemeni officials told...

Yemen has mounted a tight security plan for the holy Moslem month of Ramadan starting this week in a bid to thwart any new terrorist attacks, the Yemen Times reported.

It said the Interior Ministry had announced the protection of houses of worship, markets and main streets, but didn't say...

France may be in a slump, with a hyper-kinetic president intent on structural reforms to counter mounting deficits, but it remains the number one international destination for visitors offering more delights than can be fathomed on a 20-day visit.

AFP quoted Tourism Minister Hervé Novelli as saying cash-strapped foreign...

The aviator glasses are a bit rounder. So is the man.

But the dry humor that helped ex-marine Terry Anderson overcome near seven years of Hezbollah captivity testifies to stamina and resolve in returning to Lebanon with American journalism students to teach them that not all Lebanese, Arabs and...

It never rains, it pours.

It's been pouring charges and counter-charges by the ex-director of the Doha Center for Media Freedom (DCMF) and his patrons, with each side claiming the other is bad news.

Depending on whose version one believes, Robert Ménard pushed the press freedom envelope a bit too...

On-air charges of vote buying during Lebanon's recent parliamentary election triggered a fiery shouting match between a legislator and a provocative TV talk show host that have reverberated in the country days after the incident occurred.

The accusations began when a guest on the show accused Member of Parliament Ibrahim...

The Gulf emirate of Dubai is on a PR kick aimed at polishing its image and repairing damage from negative reports, notably during the height of the financial meltdown, but the body handling the job will not hamper the media, its new chief said.

"Brand Dubai," the office set up...

Lebanese media, long considered the Arab world's trailblazers, have declined in terms of freedom and balanced coverage, with management reluctant to reveal details about inner workings and operations -- a marked setback on the eve of a key legislative election.

According to the National Observatory of the Freedom of Opinion...

Yemen's dissident media are under attack by the state, leading to a clampdown on news sites and blogs, but an enterprising Yemeni has developed a program to help itinerant browsers circumvent bans on his news-laden portal.

Thanks to Walid Al-Saqaf, Yemenis barred from learning about problems facing their country through...

Journalist Faisal J. Abbas this month became the first Saudi Arabian to win a "Cutting Edge Award" for his professionalism and efforts to narrow cultural gaps through his Huffington Post blogging and traditional media writing.

The award was in recognition of Abbas' "continuing efforts both through his blogging and...

Over 80 satellite channels are airing fatwas, or Islamic edicts, aimed at believers in the Arab and Muslim worlds, with religious leaders bemoaning the credibility of media that spew venom and incite violence, participants at a Dubai conference were told this week.

"Media privatization has led to the proliferation of...

Both are transplanted Chicagoans who taught at the University of Chicago, each has become president of a venerable American institution, and both want the Middle East to prosper in peace.

One will deliver a speech June 4 in Egypt on America's ties to the Muslim world, aimed at healing...