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June 24, 2011 The Wire BBC apologises for dog story Thurs. 23 Jun. 2011 @ 14.52 - World editor of BBC News website admits, 'We failed to make the right checks. We should never have written the article'. Yesterday afternoon, BBC blog, 'The Editors' carried a post by world editor of the BBC News website Nathalie Malinarich, in which an unequivocal apology was offered for publishing, 'Jerusalem rabbis 'condemn dog to death by stoning'' on Saturday 18 June. The BBC acknowledged that they had made serious errors in researching the piece, saying: 'We failed to make the right checks. We should never have written the article and apologise for any offence caused.' Read more>> See also: Just Journalism's 'Jewish dog wags international media's tail' published in Ha'aretz and 'British media reports sensationalised dog 'death sentence' story'. BBC Focus No mention of Hamas in BBC 'off the record' assessment In a wide-ranging article published yesterday on the BBC News website, the BBC's Middle East bureau editor Paul Danahar assessed the current state of the peace process. Drawing on a variety of diplomatic sources which are cited anonymously, 'Off the record: Poisoned atmosphere in Mid-East peace efforts' provided an insight into the top-level discussions surrounding the relationships between Israel, the Palestinians, and the wider international community. However, while the piece addressed concerns over Israeli intransigence, there was no mention whatsoever of Hamas, a crucial player in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Danahar opened by discussing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the assertion that the leader offered 'no concessions to US President Barack Obama or the Palestinians' when he appeared at Congress on 24 May framing the rest of the article. The alleged insufficiency of Netanyahu's proposals was then linked to Palestinian diplomatic efforts for UN recognition of statehood in September. Read more>> The Wire Just Journalism Interview: Michael J. Totten Fri. 24 Jun. 2011 @ 10.12 - Michael J. Totten is an American correspondent and foreign policy analyst who has reported from the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Caucasus. As well as writing for a variety of outlets such as The New Republic and Commentary Magazine, he details his extensive travels at Pajamas Media. His new book, The Road to Fatima Gate, analyses the recent history of Lebanon. Drawing on a variety of first-hand sources, as well as his own personal experiences, he succinctly explains how the tiny country has become a battle-ground for wider conflicts in the Middle East. In particular, The Road to Fatima Gate examines Hezbollah's role as a state within a state that both perpetuates the Iranian campaign against Israel, and poses a fundamental challenge to Lebanese sovereignty. Just Journalism Media Analyst Chris Dyszyński recently interviewed Totten about the book, as well as Middle East reporting and the future of journalism in the internet age. Read more>> The Wire More coverage of Saudi abuse of foreign domestic workers Thurs. 23 Jun. 2011 @ 16.02 - More British media outlets give coverage to abuse of foreign domestic workers in Saudi Arabia as Indonesia places moratorium on sending migrant workers. The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and the BBC News website all report the diplomatic row caused by the beheading of Ruyati binti Sapubi, an Indonesian maid convicted of murdering her employer 'after she was denied permission to leave the kingdom and return to her family in Indonesia'. Just Journalism highlighted The Times' reporting yesterday of another Indonesian maid sentenced to beheading in Saudi Arabia. According to the BBC News website's 'Saudi execution prompts Indonesia maid travel ban': 'Officials said the moratorium would begin on 1 August and last until the countries could agree on a policy of fair treatment for migrant workers.' Read more>>