Presses stop at popular French newspaper

Last week, after employees at French newspaper Le Monde caught wind of a plan to lay off some 130 employees, a strike was called. The strike has gotten enough steam now that yesterday it's presses went silent for what is only the second time in that paper's 64 years.




For more on the Le Monde strikes:
The Editors Weblog: France: Strike shuts down publication at Le Monde
Le Monde: Les salariés du "Monde" en grève contre les suppressions d'emplois

Algerian journalists imprisoned for two months

Omar Belhouchet and Chawki Amari, both journalists for the El Watan newspaper in Algeria, were sentenced to two months in prison after they authored an article which incriminated a local leader. The tribunal that convicted the two after receiving a complaint from the incriminated leader found the two journalists guilty of defamation, but in a statement on their web site the El Watan says the government wished simply to silence their newspaper.

For more on the El Watan and its imprisoned journalists:
Le Monde: Deux journalistes du quotidien algérien "El Watan" condamnés à deux mois de prison ferme
El Watan: Omar Belhouchet et Chawki Amari condamnés à deux mois de prison ferme