fghanistan yesterday banned all Pakistani newspapers from entering the country. The move is an attempt to block the Taliban from influencing public opinion through the press. The order, issued by the Afghan Ministry of Interior, adds to the mounting tension between the neighboring countries. In a statement, the ministry said the newspapers were a conduita passage (a pipe or tunnel) through which water or electric wires can pass for Taliban propaganda. It focuses specifically on blocking entry of the papers at Torkham, a busy border crossing, and directed border police to gather up Pakistani newspapers in the three eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan. 

The Supreme Court today refused to frame guidelines across the board for reporting sub-judice matters. The apex court however laid down a constitutional principle under which aggrieved parties can seek postponement of publication of court hearings. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said that the freedom of speech and expression is not an absolute a right under the constitution and journalists should know the Lakshman Rekha so that they do not cross the limit of contempt. The court said that it was laying down the constitutional principle which will allow the aggrieved parties to seek from appropriate court the postponement of the publication of court hearings.
The bench said the concerned court will decide the question of postponement of reporting court proceedings on case-by-case basis. While propounding put forward, as of an ideathe doctrine of postponement of publication of court proceedings, the bench said it is a preventive measure and not a prohibitive and punitive measure

 The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has lodged a formal protest with Washington Post newspaper for an article critical of Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh, terming it as unethical and unprofessional conduct of the journalist.The PMO, in its reaction posted on the US-based newspaper's website, has said the story is totally one-sided as the journalist never got in touch with the PMO for its version. Communications Adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office Pankaj Pachauri said that the PMO is not complaining about criticism of the government which is a journalist’s right,but he wrote this letter for pointing out unethical and unprofessional conduct at the newspaper's part.

In the letter, Pachauri has complained that the journalist despite all lines of conversations open, never got in touch with PMO for its side of the story.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today said that the role of media is very crucial as it plays a significant link between the people and their elected representatives by putting across their views.

Inaugurating a familiarisation programme for the Media persons in Parliament House complex, Mrs Kumar said media persons should bear their responsibility of impartially projecting the concerns of the people. She asserted that reporting facts correctly and objectively is also their duty.

The Speaker said, Parliamentarians raise issues close to the people's hearts as they are in touch with them and know the pulse of the electorate. She said, divergent views are resolved and crystallized having become fixed and definite in forminto legislations. It is this very institution which has enacted several forward looking legislations and has taken the lead for social transformation

 The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today said it had received a petition about the role of media in an incident of molestation in Assam and forwarded it to the News Broadcasting Standards Authority,NBSA.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua said that matter has been sent to NBSA - a self regulatory body set up by News Broadcasters Association for immediate necessary action.

Egypt's President has passed a law banning the pre-trial detention of journalists, after coming under fire over the arrest of two critics. The order reverses a decision made hours earlier by a court in Cairo to detain Islam Afifi, a newspaper editor, until his next trial hearing. Mr Afifi and TV station owner Tawfiq Ukasha were both charged after insulting President Mohammed Mursi. Meanwhile, crowds are gathering in Cairo to protest against the president. A headline by an independent daily newspaper called the demonstration "the first test for Mursi". A spokesman for Mr Mursi said Mr Afifi, who edits the small independent newspaper al-Dustour, will be released from custody.

 Myanmar has abolished censorship of the country's media. This has been announced by Myanmar's Information Ministry. The Press Scrutiny and Registration Department said that as of today, reporters will no longer have to submit their work to state censors before publication. Myanmar has long kept a tight control over all aspects of its media. But the civilian government has been gradually easing restrictions since taking office last year.

The issue of cross media ownership will be again examined by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) at the instance of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry which has sought an examination of the issue. Information and broadcasting Secretary Uday Kumar Varma has written to new TRAI chairman Rahul Khullar on May 16th in this regard.


Information and broadcasting Ministry has asked TRAI to look into both horizontal and vertical aspects of cross media

ownership, and then give its recommendations. In his letter,Mr.

Varma has written that at present companies have control and

ownership across Print, TV and Radio leading to horizontal

integration.While at present there is no restriction for a company to have ownership across Radio, TV and Print mediums, but

apprehension have been expressed in the past that control of

media organisations in a few hands may prevent plurality of

news and views.He is also learnt to have said that

there were other implications related to cross media ownership
including ensuring quality services at reasonable prices.

United States based non-governmental organization - Freedom House that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, has ranked Sri Lanka 161 out of 197 countries in Press freedom. In its report for 2012, it has put Sri Lanka at par with Burundi with a rating of 72 with a “not free” status.

This year UNESCO is celebrating World Press Freedom Day. One of its themes is “Difficulty in the Access to Quality Information Undermines Media Freedom.”

The outgoing US Ambassador in Sri Lanka Ms Patricia Butenis on theWorld Press Fr eedom Day observed that even the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommended the passage of an access-to-information law.

The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Mrs Ambika Soni today observed that paid news is affecting the very roots of the democratic system inf the country.


Inaugurating the 125th anniversary of Malayalam Daily Deepika in Thrissur this evening, Mrs Ambika Soni called upon journalists and newspaper managements to ensure that the chair of the editor is more important than that of the commercial manager.

She observed that an independent and pluralistic media that truly provides information to its citizens is the corner stone of a robust democratic polity. She said the society will feel stifled and dissatisfied it it is prevented from free flow of information, or people do not have the freedom to express themselves.

The Union Minister said, the HRD Ministry and the Ministry of I&B have jointly set up a panel of experts that will look into the issue of certification provided by mushrooming schools of journalism. Mrs Ambika Soni announced that classes will begin at the Kottayam chapter of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, next August.