Journalist shot dead in Algeria

A journalist for several French-language newspapers was shot dead in a region where the north African branch of al-Qaeda is known to be active, but there has been no confirmation that militants linked to it were responsible.

The journalist, Ahmed Nezar, was shot dead on Friday afternoon in his hometown of Baghlia, about 100 km (60 miles) east of the capital, the security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Nezar was a local freelance correspondent for several French-language newspapers in Algeria, an energy exporter which won its independence from France in 1962.

“The journalist lived in this dangerous area where several local officials have been killed in the past few years,” the security official said.

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Canadian journalist abducted in Pakistan believed dead

B.C. woman abducted in Pakistan believed dead - World - CBC News

Libya: missing foreign photographer

The wife of a UK-based photographer missing in Libya has renewed appeals for help in contacting her husband.

Penny Sukhraj said she was desperate for news of Anton Hammerl who is believed to have been seized by Colonel Gaddafi loyalists along with three other journalists on the outskirts of the east Libya oil town of Brega on 5th April.

The 41-year-old - who lives in Surbiton, Surrey, but has South African and Austrian citizenship - is believed to be held separately in or around Tripoli from his captured colleagues.

Mr Hammerl's family has received no word from him since his disappearance although the three other journalists - two US correspondents and one Spanish photographer - were allowed to make a phone call to their families last weekend.

Afghanistan: Detained Journalists Released

Press Release: International Federation of Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the release of three reporters who were briefly detained by US-led NATO forces in Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan.

According to information received from IFJ affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA), Syed Abdullah Nezami of the Al Jazeera Arabic news channel and Sadullah Sahil and Zabihullah of the Afghan TV News Service, were detained on February 20 in a remote part of the province where a NATO air strike had reportedly killed up to 50 civilians over the weekend. 

British photographer fights for life after Afghanistan explosion

A British photographer is fighting for his life after being hit by a roadside blast in Afghanistan.

Giles Duley was embedded with US troops in Kandahar when he was critically injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) on Monday.

The 39-year-old has been jetted back to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for further surgery after undergoing multiple amputations at the local UN Hospital in Kandahar.

Read full story at Birmingham Mail